Blog

Years of increased spending on K–12 are showing up in the national rankings

In response to the state Supreme Court’s McCleary decision, the Legislature increased state spending on public schools by 110.0 percent from 2009–11 to 2019–21. (Spending on all other programs increased by just 52.0 percent.) The increases in state spending have translated into higher per-pupil spending by school districts. The chart shows K–12 spending per FTE […]

OFM allocates Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund to higher education institutions

In addition to the Coronavirus Relief Fund, the CARES Act provided relief funds for higher education and K–12 schools. Washington’s allocations are: $216.9 million for elementary and secondary schools. Of, that districts received $195.2 million. The rest went to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Earlier this month, the Office of Financial Management […]

What happens to pupil transportation funding when no one’s riding the bus?

Typically, pupil transportation is funded based on the previous year’s ridership (RCW 28A.160.190). But with schools closed in Washington earlier this year—and many continuing with remote learning this fall—students haven’t been riding the bus. Yesterday, Gov. Inslee issued a proclamation that allows school districts to use their transportation funding allocations to pay bus drivers to […]

Could the state cut basic education funding?

The state revenue shortfall will force the state Legislature to make many difficult budgetary decisions. Given that, and that remote learning will seemingly be the norm for schools this fall, I’ve been thinking a lot about the protected nature of basic education funding. In 2019–21, state appropriations for public schools total $27.251 billion from funds […]

Education funding in downturns

In a pair of stories earlier this week, the Seattle Times looks at the prospects for education funding during the downturn. They are both good discussions of the funding challenges in store for higher education and K–12. First, Katherine Long writes about higher education: Washington’s public colleges and universities are bracing for a money crisis […]

CARES Act funds for Washington’s school districts

The CARES Act (one of the federal relief bills) included a $30.75 billion education stabilization fund. Of that, Washington received $216.9 million for elementary and secondary schools. Districts will receive $195.2 million of that allocation. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has announced how much will go to each school district, based on an […]

Washington’s public higher education institutions and their students will receive $185.3 million from federal aid bill

The third federal aid bill included $14.2 billion for a higher education emergency relief fund, for needs related to coronavirus. The U.S. Department of Education announced yesterday how $12.5 billion of that will be distributed. Of the allocation amounts, half must be used for financial aid grants to students. Department of Education Secretary DeVos said, […]

Funding for public schools and higher education in third federal aid bill

The third federal aid bill includes $30.75 billion for an education stabilization fund that will be split among states, elementary and secondary schools, and higher education institutions. This includes: $3.0 billion for emergency education relief grants to states. Governors will award funds to local educational agencies and higher education institutions that “have been most significantly […]

House Appropriations Committee preview of 2020, plus school district accounting news

In a House Appropriations Committee work session last week, Office of Program Research staffer Dave Johnson gave the committee a budget preview. He noted that with the recent revenue forecast, legislators have $1.096 billion more to work with over the four-year window than they did when they adopted the 2019–21 budget in April. The figure […]

A shortfall in the new workforce education investment account

The Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee’s work session on Thursday included presentations on the workforce education investment act (E2SHB 2158) that was enacted earlier this year. As I wrote last week, a staff presentation at the Senate Ways & Means Committee’s work session included a concern about a reduced 2021–23 revenue estimate for […]