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EDUCATION |
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Court rules state must define and fund basic educationposted 02/04/2010 The case was brought forth by two families and the Network for Excellence in Washington Schools (NEWS), a coalition of community groups, public school districts, and education organizations. Erlick ruled: Recent legislation addresses, but does not resolve, the perennial underfunding of basic education. Accordingly, the State is directed to determine the cost of amply providing for basic education and a basic program of education for all children resident in the State of Washington. The State must also comply with the Constitutional mandate to provide stable and dependable funding for such costs of basic education. Funding must be based as closely as reasonably practicable on the actual costs of providing such programs of basic education. The means of fulfilling this Constitutional mandate properly fall within the prerogative of the Legislature. During the 2008 campaign, state Representatives Dave Quall and Jeff Morris addressed the issue of school funding. The core of the problem regarding school financing is the definition of basic education, they told a citizens gathered in the Friday Harbor Middle School in April. Attempts to redefine it had not been successful. "Should you sue us?" Morris said, "I have to say yes. You should sue us...Legislatures are great at reacting to emergencies." In 1978, Seattle School District successfully sued the state to adequately fund basic education. The definition hasn't changed since then. The state pays for staff based on that definition. "We are great at funding based on that definition," said Morris. TEXT OF RULINGRep Morris: School districts should sue the stateposted 04/29/2008The core of the problem regarding school financing is the definition of basic education, state Representatives Jeff Morris and Dave Quall told a citizens gathered in the Friday Harbor Middle School Monday afternoon. "Should you sue us?" Morris said, "I have to say yes. You should sue us....Legislatures are great at reacting to emergencies." In 1978, Seattle School District successfully sued the state to adequately fund basic education. The definition hasn't changed since then. The state pays for staff based on that definition. "We are great at funding based on that definition," said Morris. The state legislature passed legislation including raises for teachers and classified staff in the 2008 budget. The state pays the salaries for the staff included under basic education. School districts hire more staff and pay them with local levies. The districts are then faced with finding the funds to pay for the unexpected mandated raises out of their own budgets for the staff which is not covered in the state's formula. |
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