A new message . . .

I received notice of this paid ad in the Olympian today from WASA and from LEV.  It is a message that I first heard about from Superintendent Dorn that attempts to make clear that the state is not fully funding basic education.


Today marks the 2/3 point on the school calendar — a symbolic date to remind us all that the state funds only 2/3 of the cost of running our schools. The state-funded part of the year may be done, but that doesn’t mean the Legislature has met its responsibility.

Our state constitution’s paramount duty is to fund K-12 education fully — not 2/3 — and for all
children, not just some.

Multiple organizations came together to support this message. I believe that it does a good job of putting the issue in a context that captures the essence of the funding dilemma; the program that we currently offer requires local and federal funding of approximately 30%.  Not only does it require these additional funding sources, but it does not offer the level of support found in the basic education reforms of HB 2261 and HB 2776 that provide the guidelines for the McCleary decision.