Yakima, WASH.–Washington ranks near the bottom in the country on education funding equity, and state leaders discussed how to fix that Thursday evening at a Public Education Forum at a local high school in Yakima.
David Knight, University of Washington associate professor of education finance and policy, said the results of the McCleary vs. Washington, filed in 2007, might have played a part in current funding issues.
While the lawsuit did not see action until five years after being filed, Knight said the outcome resulted in wealthier communities receiving better funding than impoverished communities.
“Recent state policy changes following the McCleary Washington system added a lot of funding to the system and it was very much needed in that funding made a very positive impact on the state,” he said.
Additional spending on education can improve overall outcomes, but it depends on how the funding is dispersed, he said.
T.J. Kelly, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction chief financial officer, said a key result of the lawsuit was a change in how maximum levies were determined.
In the past, it was based on a percentage of prior revenue, but is now based on the amount of students per district, Kelly said.
But, he said districts throughout the state have seen a significant decrease in students in the last few years.
“It wasn’t about needing to reduce local levee capacity. It was all about the state not funding its constitutional obligation for basic (education),” he said.
Proper funding can be essential for the best education possible, and Knight said studies found students who go through 12 years of a better resourced school are less likely to fall into poverty or commit crimes, and have a 2.8% increase in likelihood of getting into college.
State leaders proposed solutions to better allocate funding, including increasing funds for special education systems, transportation and other learning materials. Knight also suggested supporting legislative priorities such as progressive taxation and progressive funding allocation.
