Study: Raise school outlays $3.5 billion

Public-school spending in Washington state needs to increase by 45 percent to $11.2 billion a year, according to the latest attempt to estimate how much schools need for students to reach state and federal learning goals.

The new study, conducted by the nonprofit Educational Policy Improvement Center, concludes that local, state and federal spending on education should rise by $3.5 billion, almost twice the state's projected surplus over the next two years. The authors of the study, which was paid for by the Washington Education Association (WEA), say they don't expect education funding to go up that much overnight.

"There's no way in the world that this was supposed to be something to fit with your current fiscal resources," said David Conley, the study's lead author and professor of education policy at the University of Oregon.

Instead, Conley said, it's designed to be phased in over time.

The study proposes, for example, that the state fund all-day kindergarten for all students, reduce class sizes from kindergarten through grade 3, and pay many teachers more than they make now.

How much is enough for Washington schools has been an ongoing debate for decades.

The issue was the subject of a series of lawsuits in the 1970s in which the courts ruled the state had failed to live up to its duty — mandated in the state constitution — to provide a "basic" education for all students.

In January, the WEA, along with a coalition of organizations and school districts, including the Seattle, Bellevue and Snohomish school districts, filed a similar suit, asking a court to again rule that the state is falling short. That suit does not seek a specific amount of school funding.

Gov. Christine Gregoire, in her budget request, has proposed increasing education spending, including almost $197 million to boost math and science programs in schools.

Even those who think schools need more money are worried about where the state will find it.

To significantly increase school funding, said State Rep. Kathy Haig, D-Shelton, chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, the state needs to have an honest discussion about where to find that money, and an income tax needs to be part of that conversation.

Washington now ranks near the bottom nationally on K-12 spending, according to a number of analyses. The recommendations in the new study, called the "Washington Adequacy Funding Study," would allow Washington to rise to the top 10.

If people think the report's recommendations are too expensive, then they need to look at whether they want what it proposes, WEA President Charles Hasse said.

Along with all-day kindergarten and smaller class sizes in grades K-3, the study's other recommendations include more teachers for students in special education and English-language programs, more summer school and more teacher training.

Linda Shaw: 206-464-2359 or lshaw@seattletimes.com