Reality Checks

Photo Credit: Traci Buxton

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New Series: Reality Checks

State government collects massive amounts of data on demographic trends, economic indicators, employment patterns, academic performance, and a host of other important information.

This information is -- and should be -- used by lawmakers to identify problems to solve while informing us when crafting solutions.

Reality Checks is a series where we'll gauge perception vs. reality. This week's question is below.

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With the calendar turning to June, many wonder why the Legislature still hasn't completed work on a new two-year budget.

Despite some of the rhetoric, Republicans and Democrats from the Senate and House continue working together on a comprehensive solution for Washington's public school system, and the general budget that pays for day-to-day operations. Given that K-12 education spending will be more than 50% of the state budget for the first time since 1983, these two issues are interconnected.

While neither budget proposal is perfect, this year should be no different than the past two budgets which have made smart investments and seen historic bipartisan support.

While I am one of the first to point out lawmakers should get our work done on time, tackling decades-old issues with both legislative chambers narrowly divided takes time.

We must agree on a final plan this year that makes historic investments in our public schools in a way that supports all students equally.

I'll keep you posted as we progress in the coming weeks.

If you only read one...

This week the Seattle Times Education Lab took a deeper look into the status of the ongoing education funding work, including the "staff mix formula" that is seen by some as one of the stealth drivers of inequity in our public school system. I highly recommend the article, which you can find here.

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