WASHINGTON: Inslee Signs Bill To Improve Basic Education Funding For Public Schools

WASHINGTON: Inslee Signs Bill To Improve Basic Education Funding For Public Schools

Posted on by Seattle Medium

Last week, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill to create more equitable education opportunities for students in K-12 public schools, including changes to the way local districts fund their schools.

Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee

Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee

The changes are in response to the state Supreme Court’s McCleary decision, which determined that the state was not meeting its constitutional duty to fully fund basic education. Part of the decision found that schools were relying on local levies to pay for their basic needs, such as teacher salaries, a responsibility that should fall to state government.

“This is a big day in the state of Washington,” Inslee said. “For the first time in decades, we have a budget that fully funds education. Our work isn’t over, but we’ve met the constitutional and moral obligation to our students, and we’ve set the course for the future of education in Washington state.”