Blog

Under Gov. Inslee’s budget proposal, state allocations for school nurses and other support staff would increase

Gov. Inslee’s 2022 supplemental operating budget proposal would increase appropriations from funds subject to the outlook (NGFO) by $173.9 million “to increase the number of school nurses, social workers, psychologists, and guidance counselors to support the physical and social emotional needs of students throughout the state.” The Office of Financial Management requested a bill that […]

The McCleary decision and school construction funding

Last week Wahkiakum School District sued the state because the state “does not amply fund the facilities needed to safely provide all Wahkiakum School District students the ‘education’ to which they have a positive, constitutional right under Article IX, §1 of the Washington State Constitution.” Article IX, Sec. 1 states, “It is the paramount duty […]

New data from OSPI shows how school districts are using federal relief funds (20% has been spent so far)

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has created a useful spreadsheet showing how school districts have used their federal Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. It includes claims processed through Nov. 2021, and it will be updated going forward. (The spreadsheet can be accessed from this page.) The federal government appropriated […]

Will K–12 enrollment stabilization funding be included in the 2022 supplemental?

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has asked the Legislature to provide K–12 enrollment stabilization funding for school year (SY) 2021–22, according to an email sent by OSPI this morning. Effectively, this proposal would hold schools nearly harmless even as enrollment is now expected to be lower than the level previously funded. State funding […]

New caseload forecast is estimated to reduce state costs by $645.8 million in 2021–23; school enrollment is a major factor

Yesterday the Caseload Forecast Council (CFC) adopted its November caseload forecast. This forecast estimates how many people will be eligible for entitlement programs. It will feed into the maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services) for the governor’s 2022 budget proposal. Overall, caseloads are now estimated to be lower than forecasted in February 2021, […]

The cost of Washington’s new child care bill will bow wave, but capital gains tax revenues aren’t needed to fund it

The Seattle Times has a story today about the Fair Start for Kids Act, which the Legislature passed this year, and a new national report that gives Washington high marks for early childhood policies—and other general income policies (including paid family leave and a high state minimum wage). According to the Times, regarding the Fair […]

How fast is federal relief being used?

Earlier I wrote that federal relief for Washington’s governments, businesses, and individuals now exceeds $100 billion. Some of the funding for governments is fairly flexible—for example, the coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds. I reviewed reporting by the most populous governments in Washington on how they are spending those funds here. Little had been […]

Washington reduced K–12 spending in 2021 for enrollment reasons—not due to a revenue shortfall

In June, the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) released the Spring 2021 edition of the Fiscal Survey of States report. NASBO reports that 18 states reduced net general fund spending in mid-year FY 2021; 12 of those states specified that the “cuts were made in response to a revenue shortfall.” Washington reported net […]

Washington already has sufficient revenues to fund its paramount duty, and then some

Yesterday Kriss wrote about the version of the capital gains tax bill that the House passed this week. The intent section of the bill states, The legislature finds that it is the paramount duty of the state to amply provide every child in the state with an education, creating the opportunity for the child to […]

Washington’s public K–12 schools will receive $1.853 billion from ARP Act (on top of $1.042 billion previously appropriated by Congress)

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act includes $122.7 billion for a third round of the elementary and secondary school emergency relief (ESSER) fund. These funds are very flexible, but 20% of the ESSER III funds must be used to address learning loss. From this third round, Washington will receive $1.853 billion. Of that, $1.667 billion […]