K-12 Education Funding Issue Paper
extracted from WSPTA's www.wastatepta.org/leg/issue_papers06.pdf
The Washington State
PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that establish an
updated definition of basic education and a basic education funding formula
that reflects current education practices and requirements. The
redefinition and funding formula must fulfill the State’s obligation to fully
fund education as its paramount duty by providing ample opportunities for all
students to achieve higher learning levels consistent with standards-based
education reform. The funding system must ensure accountability by
generating consistent and transparent accounting processes.
Background:
Facts/Impacts:
The legislature “is
required to continually review, evaluate, and revise, if necessary, the
educational system of the state and the program of education and its funding to
meet the current needs of the children of the state.” School Funding II,
The 1993 Education
Reform Act (HB 1209) created a Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee to study the
common school funding system and to submit a report in 1995 on its findings and
any recommendations for a new funding model. The committee’s report
recognized that it was difficult for a legislature to alter a public school
finance system significantly in a short time span and recommended that the
finance system be reviewed on a regular basis. No comprehensive
study was undertaken at that time by the legislature.
Since the passage of
HB 1209, implementing a performance-based education system for all K-12
students, schools have made tremendous changes and student achievement has
substantially improved. Additional resources are required to
sustain student achievement and “leave no child behind.” Referring back to the
court’s language, the education system is evolving and changing.
The Legislature has a responsibility to align the school funding formula with
this new model of education. Even prior to the 1993 reform act,
demands on public education have steadily increased. All students
can learn, but the cost of educating students increases with their individual
needs. Additionally, quality staff, a rich array of programs, and
all support or incidental services must be funded properly to fully realize the
goals of education reform.
Our current state
K-12 finance system is an allocation system based on various funding formulas
and local levies for “enrichment purposes.” These state funding formulas
provide funds in broad categories such as staffing ratios per student, assumed
salary costs, and allocations for non-salary costs. This approach
makes it difficult to establish what is missing to accomplish the education
mission where every student will meet standard in the core
subjects.
Summary:
Making ample
provision for the education of all students is our state’s paramount duty and
it is time for
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