Mount Vernon Schools

The big news this week is the Washington Supreme Court’s ruling pertaining to funding for public schools. 

Here’s some background.  In 2007, the Network for Excellence in Washington Schools (NEWS)—a coalition of school districts, unions, and community groups—filed a lawsuit claiming the state was not meeting its “paramount duty” to provide ample funding for public education as required by the Washington State Constitution.  (This action was similar to a lawsuit initiated in the late 1970s, which resulted in the creation of our current funding system.)  In February 2010, King County Superior Court Judge John Erlick ruled in favor of NEWS.  The state appealed to the Washington State Supreme Court, which heard arguments last spring. 

This week’s ruling upholds Judge Erlick’s decision.  In a nutshell, the High Court said:

1. The state is failing to meet its paramount duty under article IX, section 1 of the State Constitution.
2. If the state stays on track to fully implement a new funding system in 2018, required under ESHB 2261, it will meet its constitutional obligation.
3. The Court will “retain jurisdiction over this case to monitor implementation of the reforms under ESHB 2261.”

It’s difficult to know what immediate impact the Supreme Court’s ruling will have on K-12 funding, in light of the state’s budget deficit.  But, while cuts to K-12 may not be off the table for the immediate future, it’s likely legislators will look for ways to mitigate those cuts with additional revenue sources.  In the long term, I believe there is good reason to believe we’ll see very positive changes in how our schools are funded.

One thing’s for certain—we live in fascinating times! 

You can access the Supreme Court’s decision at http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/843627.opn.pdf.  Reading an 85 page court decision may sound a bit dry, but it really does provide a clear description of the issues and history related to public school funding in our state. 

Of course, you may prefer a Cliff Notes version, available through a number of news outlets including the Seattle Times (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2017166784_edruling06m.html).

That’s it for now.  Enjoy the weekend!

Carl