Key Findings

1. Washington state lawmakers currently discriminate against charter school families by denying them access to local levy, start-up and capital funding. 
2. Charter schools are widely popular, especially in underserved urban communities.
3. Traditional public schools have consistently failed to close the achievement gap among black and Hispanic children and their white and Asian peers. 
4. Charter schools offer families assigned to state-identified failing schools a chance to find a better public school for their children. 
5. Washington’s charter schools deliver better results for students, especially for minority and low-income students. 
6. Currently more than 4,500 students attend 19 public charter schools in Washington. 
7. SB 5809 and HB 1897 would provide up to $1,550 per charter school student to partly make up for the state’s denial of access to local levy funding.

Introduction

In a bipartisan effort, Democrat and Republican lawmakers have introduced bills to equalize funding and expand public charter school opportunities for Washington’s students. These bills are SB 5809 and HB 1897, to reduce local funding discrimination against charter school families by making charter schools eligible for $1,550 per student.

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