Blog

Operating budget includes $150 million for a new, low-interest student loan program

This year the Legislature passed E2SHB 1736, which establishes the Washington student loan program. (The bill has not yet been signed by the governor.) The bill requires the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) to design a student loan program that has an interest rate that is lower than loan rates subsidized by the federal government. […]

New rules will be required on how transitional kindergarten enrollments affect all-day kindergarten funding allocations

In Washington, children under five years old who do not have access to early learning opportunities but who need extra preparation for kindergarten (as determined by school districts) may enroll in transitional kindergarten—if their school district offers the program. According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), by rule, school districts may “adopt […]

K–12’s share of the state spending would drop significantly under both the Senate and House budgets

As the state increased appropriations for schools in response to the McCleary decision on school funding, the share of the budget (in terms of funds subject to the outlook, or NGFO) going to public schools increased from 42.6% in 2009–11 to 51.6% in 2019–21. The share for public schools would drop significantly in the budgets […]

Updates on major K–12 funding bills: Physical, social, and emotional staff allocations and enrollment stabilization

The Senate and House are moving different bills that would increase state allocations to school districts for physical, social, and emotional staff (like school nurses and psychologists). Both bills would increase allocations to the same levels by SY 2024–25, but one would be less costly over the four-year budget window, due to differences in implementation […]

State and local funding for school construction could increase under proposed bills

Earlier this week the House Capital Budget Committee held a public hearing for HB 1775. The bill would create modernization and construction grants for school districts with enrollment of 1,000 or less. (Including charter and tribal schools, in SY 2021–22, 164 districts have enrollment under 1,000.) Grant applications would be prioritized based on the district’s […]

Education funding bill would reduce local levies, increase funding for nurses and other staff, and provide learning loss grants to districts

Senators Braun and Mullet have introduced SB 5922, which would make several changes to education funding. The bill would reduce the maximum local enrichment levy; increase local effort assistance (and extend it to charter schools); increase allocations for nurses, social workers, psychologists, and counselors; increase allocations for special education and highly capable programs; provide learning […]

Enrollment stabilization or accelerated learning opportunities?

A summary document of Gov. Inslee’s 2022 supplemental budget proposal notes, “The state’s K-12 allocations during the pandemic have been reduced due to declining enrollments. Inslee proposes reinvesting more than $900 million of those funds to help schools address students’ social and emotional and academic needs.” Indeed, enrollment is still down significantly compared to school […]

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 […]