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Summary of the 2018 Washington Legislature’s Supplemental Budget

March 8, 2018 by Arik Korman

By League of Education Voters Policy Team

The Washington state Legislature passed a state budget agreement (Senate Bill 6032) that adds court-ordered K-12-school funding and also gives a one-time property-tax cut. The 2017-19 supplemental operating budget plan aimed at satisfying the long-running state Supreme Court school-funding order known as the McCleary decision. Below is a summary of how the budget impacts Early Childhood Education, K-12, and Higher Education.

Early Childhood Education

Legislators prioritized increasing home visitation capacity, and Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) provision to homeless families in this budget. Funds are also provided to improve overall early childhood education (ECE) system capacity, including Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) implementation, with $700K for a degree program to produce more educators, and $403K to strategize ways to engage the Washington business community and to educate ECE providers. Additional allocations will go toward supporting nurse consultations, mental health interventions, and trauma informed service provision.

$2.3M—Home visiting expansion +275 families & to equalize rates
$1.6M—Working Connections Childcare 4-month grace period for homeless families
$1M—Implementation of the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families
$74,000—Implement House Bill 2861 (trauma-informed child care)
$150K—Home visit Medicaid facilitator – maximize federal dollars collected for home visiting
$700K—ECE degree program at Western on the Peninsula, will produce 75 BAs/year
$240K—“Childcare Collaboration Task Force” created by House Bill 2367: Dept. of Commerce to convene a task force to study the impact of child care affordability and accessibility on the workforce & businesses, to report findings & recommendations by the end of 2019

K-12

2018 Supplemental Budget Side-By-Side

February 21, 2018 by Arik Korman

Washington State Legislature The Washington state House and Senate have released their budgets, and we compare each proposal with current law. Categories include K-12, Higher Education, Early Learning, and Revenue and Spending.

View our Supplemental Budget Side-By-Side (PDF)

Korsmo’s Weekly Roundup: Hitting the Ground Running

February 16, 2018 by Arik Korman

Friends,

It’s so good to be back with you! After a three month sabbatical, I’m renewed and refreshed, ready to hit the ground running.

Sadly it’s hard to know where to begin when so much promise, talent and opportunity came to an end – again – in a school in Florida. Another mass shooting, another school, another day of horror and grief. I have a sixth grader and a spouse who’s an elementary school principal. I know this is my worst fear. I also know this has to stop. I feel like my head will explode if one more person says we need a national conversation about gun violence. It feels like we have that conversation many times a year – after another incidence of gun violence. Thoughts and prayers? Pray for the courage it takes to do the right thing. And think when you fill out your ballot.

As for what we can do for kids, if we are serious about our kids’ mental, physical and social well-being, there are some school staffing ratios that should look dramatically different. Among other things.

2018 Legislative Priority: K-12 Funding Implementation

February 1, 2018 by Arik Korman

By League of Education Voters Policy Team

The passage of House Bill 2242 in 2017 will inject an additional $7 billion in state funding into our K-12 system.

In order to determine whether the new investments are distributed equitably and improve student outcomes, we will need more robust means to track school spending and results. We will also need to examine the new structures and mechanisms put into place to ensure they do not recreate inequities in our funding system.

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