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 would make these changes to the prototypical school funding model; it has been pre-filed as SB 5595. (The bill will be heard by the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K–12 Education on Jan. 12.)

Currently, the allocations for these support staff are part of basic education, and statute allows for additional allocations if appropriated (these are enrichments and not part of basic education). Under SB 5595, the enrichments would become part of basic education. The table below shows how the changes would be phased in. (Note that for SY 2021–22, the potential enrichment allocations are not funded. Similarly, Gov. Inslee’s proposal would not fund the enrichment amounts for SY 2022–23 or SY 2023–24.)

Meanwhile, HB 1664 has also been pre-filed. It would make the same allocation changes for school nurses as SB 5595, but it would not change the allocations for the other staff. (HB 1664 will be heard by the House Committee on Education on Jan. 13.)