Realities of Education Funding in Washington State:

1
Realities of Education Funding in Washington
State
Why schools are still struggling even after the
passage of two education initiatives
2
Why are schools still struggling, even after the
passage of two education initiatives?

• More Students
• Greater Needs
• Higher Expectations

3
More Students in the K-12 System

• 100,000 new students since 1993
• More children more money status quo
• Must increase per-student funding, not just
  total funding

4
Those Students Have Greater Needs
? Special Education Enrollment
5
Those Students Have Greater Needs
? of Children Learning English
6
Those Students Have Greater Needs

• of Children Eligible
• for Free/Reduced Lunch

7
Education Reform means Higher Expectations

• By 2008, high school seniors must meet all
  standards to graduate

8
Achievement gains are being made

• 65.6 of 4th graders are meeting or exceeding
  reading standards

9
More Students, Greater Needs, Higher Expectations

• but funding has not followed

10
K-12 A lower priority?

• Since Education Reform was implemented in 1993,
  K-12 has received a declining share of the entire
  state budget.

11
K-12 A lower priority?

• Since Education Reform was implemented in 1993,
  K-12 has received a declining share of the
  general fund budget.

12
Washington funding is below the national average
13
State per-student funding is lagging behind
inflation 535

• 60 of all students live in Seattle/ Tacoma/
  Bremerton CPI Area

14
Even with more conservative measurements, state
per-student funding lags inflation

• Funding lags the US CPI by 260 per-student

15
Even with more conservative measurements, state
per-student funding lags inflation

• Even using the IPD, funding barely stays even
• No real new investment

16
State K-12 spending ranks 34th nationally
17
K-12 spending growth has been relatively modest

• Spending growth since 1991
• K-12 45
• Higher Education 45
• Corrections 113.5
• WA State Health Care Authority 1340

18
Budget Cuts Undermine I-728

• During 2001-03, Legislature cut 175 million from
  education programs
• Adding money from I-728 while cutting money in
  other programs supplanting
• In 10 school districts, state funding cuts were
  greater than new I-728 funds
• In 127 districts, state funding cuts equaled more
  than half the new I-728 funds

19
As per-student funding lags, the K-12 system gets
weaker

• Dependence on levies increasing
• Teacher salaries lagging
• Special education needs underfunded
• Construction costs not fully addressed

20
Dependence on Local Levies Going Up

• Dependence on local levies is gradually returning
  to pre-Doran Decision levels

21
Depending on local levies provides uneven support
22
Teacher salaries are below national average

• Average salaries in Washington are 10,000 below
  California and 3,000 below Oregon
• When adjusted for cost-of-living,
• Seattle area salaries rank 97th nationally
• Spokane area salaries rank 51st nationally
• (American Federation of Teachers)
• State salary schedule limits flexibility

23
Special Education An underfunded mandate

• Special education students first dollar
  students
• State funds about 7,500 per special education
  student
• Actual costs per student can be much higher
• Districts may apply for additional safety net
  funding
• State cut its share of safety net funding

24
Bellevue School District A look at special
education costs
25
School Construction State funding declining
Available state matching funds for school
construction has declined since 1993
26
We cant pretend that the same level of support
will allow the majority of students to reach
standards.-Tom MurphySuperintendent, Federal
Way School District
27
It is the paramount duty of the state to make
ample provision for the education of all
children.-Washington State Constitution

• Ample
• Equitable
• Flexible

• Stable
• Straightforward
• Accountable