Tuesday morning Senate Republicans, led by Ways and Means Chair Senator John Braun (R-Centralia), announced their proposed state general fund budget for the 2017-19 biennium. This budget would set a new record for education spending. If this budget is approved, Washington state would create an unwavering and binding guarantee to provide the same fair and equal amount, $12,500, for every child in the state. This is a child-centered budget, and it represents a huge leap forward for Washington state.    

The state supreme court has given the legislature until this session to fully fund the schools in the 2012 McCleary school funding lawsuit. A little context reveals the sheer scale of Senator Braun’s innovative and bold plan to meet the McCleary deadline. This budget would provide $21.9 billion to K-12 schools, an increase of nearly $3.8 billion over the previous budget, the first time since 1993 that over 50% of the budget will be dedicated to K-12 schools.  If this budget is passed by the legislature and voters, it would mean that since 2012 the state will have added $8.4 billion to K-12 schools, expanding education spending by 60 percent, and increasing per-student money by $3,500, to $13,370 per student. Senate Republicans and our state’s balanced tax system have delivered this plan and these resources to the schools, without requiring the imposition of a broad new tax on Washington’s citizens.

By any reasonable measure these funding increases fulfill the McCleary mandate, and will place Washington state among the top states in the nation in school funding.    

McCleary also requires the legislature to limit the state’s overreliance on local levies, which unfairly discriminates against children living in poor school districts by giving them fewer learning opportunities than children living in rich districts. McCleary also requires the legislature to provide a regular and dependable source of funding to the schools, and to make fundamental changes to way school dollars are spent. 

The Senate’s budget responds to these McCleary requirements by replacing local levies with a state levy that is the same fair and uniform rate across the state. The way these funds would be allocated to districts would also change to meet the needs of the diversity of children in the state.

Schools would be funded based on student needs. Each student would receive a guaranteed amount of spending, plus $7,500 for special needs students, $1,000 for English language learners, $2,000 to $5,000 more for each student in poverty, and $1,500 for homeless students. Defining education as a per-student dollar amount would increase transparency over school funding, and rebuild the public’s trust about the money schools receive. 

The Senate’s budget includes other structural changes to improve the schools. Starting teachers would receive higher pay. The state’s current single salary pay scale for teachers would be repealed. This outdated system has failed to serve teachers and student because of the limit it places on the pay of the best teachers. Under the Senate’s new model, districts could pay teachers based on their performance and value to students. Excellent teachers could see their pay increase substantially, even to double current levels. Bilingual teachers, science and math teachers, special education teachers, and unusually effective teachers could see pay increases from this new model.   

This bold new budget would deliver other benefits. The bill would allow people with advanced training and real-life experience to teach in public schools.  Right now public schools are barred from hiring anyone who does not have a special state-issued certificate, while private schools can hire any qualified applicant.  The bill would end this discrimination in public school hiring.  During floor debate, Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, said that “we need more people with real-world experience in the classroom.”

Other improvements in school spending are included in this bill, but none is as significant the budget’s unwavering and binding guarantee of $12,500 per student to educate every child. This budget is a shining reflection of what Washington state can do when faced with a challenge. Its Senate leaders have responded by promising the same, fair and equal amount to educate every child, to meet McCleary and fulfill the state’s paramount duty.