Funding WA's Schools - What to Know, School Finances Explained

Funding Washington Schools

Our Schools, Our Students — Our Choices for Funding Their Futures

Remarkable Opportunity Is On The Way for Our State

Rising costs and declining funds have strained public schools in Washington to the breaking point. Underfunded schools affect every student – and every citizen – in our state.

An overhaul of public education funding is mounting in ‘08 — you can directly influence the work. This website offers info on:

· school funding facts important to every WA community,

· recommendations from the Basic Ed Finance Task Force work,

· candidates and ed funding issues in the Nov. 2008 election, and

· supporting policymakers as they debate ed funding issues.

Big changes will begin Dec. 1st, 2008 with a final report by the Basic Education Finance Task Force (BEF), a bipartisan group appointed by the Governor. The committee is tasked with key issues -

· redefine basic public education, and

· develop funding structures to deliver fair and accountable financial systems that align with existing laws and current goals.

The BEF report will be enormously influential in the near-term as well as a generational milestone — if the public supports their work.

Lawmakers elected in ‘08 will need our state-wide support to push through legislation developed in the Feb. 2009 budget Session that calls for the full funding of K-12 education over the next 6 years.

Why This Website?

1) The public can be well informed on the policy recommendations — residents can rally to help solve this ongoing community crisis.

2) There are many points of view on the money issues — this site portrays multiple viewpoints and various stakeholder’s opinions.

3) The complex story can be told in short chapters. A long history of small changes has built up the numerous funding mechanisms of today, all of which must fit together to make funding structures work as intended, and as required. Linking together those many cogs-in-the-wheel will help voters make up their minds.

4) Every student is everyone’s child. The BEF report will be an opportunity to profoundly adapt our education system to the world embracing us — their future is our future.