Reykdal seeks $2B infusion for WA public schools in next budget

The leader of Washington’s public school system on Thursday outlined his multibillion-dollar budget request he says is needed to ensure the state meets its legal obligations to fund basic education for more than 1 million students.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal wants Gov. Bob Ferguson and state lawmakers to provide nearly $2 billion more for public schools in the 2027-2029 budget that they will write in the coming legislative session.

Of the total, $1.2 billion is needed to amply fund education as set out in the state constitution and upheld by the state’s highest court in the landmark case known as McCleary. In 2012, the court ruled the state was underfunding schools. It took until 2018 before justices found the state had met its obligations.

The remainder of the budget request is to expand learning assistance for students from low-income families and restore funding to the popular Transition to Kindergarten program.

Reykdal knows it is a big ask with lawmakers and the governor staring down another budget shortfall. 

“We understand it’s going to be a heck of a battle up there,” he said in a news conference. “We fundamentally believe that we are no longer being amply funded, that the constitution is not being met and the Supreme Court order in McCleary is not being met. We’re urging lawmakers to get to their constitutional duty before everything else.”

Reykdal, who will formally submit his request to Ferguson on Monday, said schools across the state are struggling to cover the ever-rising cost of ongoing operations.

A record number of schools, 11, are now on binding conditions with the state, an arrangement that requires state oversight of day-to-day financial operations, according to the superintendent’s office.

“With our state’s affluent economy, it is inexcusable that schools are being forced to choose between paying their insurance bills or laying off the teachers and paraeducators that support the student learning and progress we expect,” Reykdal said in a statement.

Reykdal wants to boost funding for materials, supplies and operations by $408.6 million next fiscal year and another $463.4 million in the following year.

A good chunk of those dollars are to pay for insurance and utilities. In May, roughly 130 school districts participating in a risk management program were notified that their electricity rates will increase by an average of 45% in this school year, according to the superintendent’s office. 

The proposal also calls for providing $100 million more in the next budget to pick up costs of substitute teachers now borne by school districts.  And he’s asking for nearly $225 million more for improving salaries of classified state and paraeducators.

Additionally, Reykdal wants to restore funding for Transition to Kindergarten. Earlier this year, superintendents began preparing to cut teachers and seats for students after the governor signed into law a budget that cut the early learning program by $27 million.

One item not in his request: funding for free school lunches. This puts Reykdal at odds with Ferguson, who has vowed to use money from the state’s new income tax on high earners to cover the estimated $140 million cost in the 2029-31 budget.

Washington now covers meals for roughly 70% of its public school students. Though Reykdal has long supported covering 100%, this isn’t the right time to try to do it, he said.

“That’s the goal. Is it the short-term goal for my agency? No. When school districts are shutting down programs because they can’t hardly afford their insurance bill or their utility bill, that’s a bigger priority because that’s causing school districts to cut direct service and direct programs to students and families,” he said. “It’s kind of a bummer, but meals is not constitutionally protected basic ed.”

Ferguson is drafting his first two-year budget proposal. It will be released in mid-December for the Legislature to consider early next year.  

Monday is the deadline for budget requests to be submitted by state agencies as well as departments run by other statewide elected officials. The Office of Financial Management posts the requests online.