As the final weeks of the 2009 Legislature close in, the future health of our state’s K-12 public school system is squarely on the line.
After almost four years of non-stop bipartisan negotiation, a balanced high quality proposal has been put forward by the Basic Education Finance Task Force. The plan, if approved, would be phased in over six to eight years beginning in 2011.
Why are the stakes so high? Because the best available research shows that, on average, our children in Washington are less educated than their parents. That is the first time this has occurred in the history of our state. We know our current K-12 public school financing system is gradually imploding. We know that the better the “basic” level of education is, the less dysfunctional and more economically prosperous a society is. This proposal would significantly reform our current K-12 system to better provide a world-class education for our children the next generation. It would cost about $4 billion-$6 billion more in budget expenditures.
As Republicans, we are acutely aware of our state’s $9 billion budget deficit. But as recently as 2007, the state had a $2.5 billion budget surplus. Those additional funds could have been used to implement timely changes in the system, but Gov. Gregoire chose not to advance a reform proposal put forward by her own Washington Learns Task Force. Now we are again told by Olympia’s political leadership that this is not the time because funding is not available.
We strongly disagree. The “Fund Education First” approach in House Bill 1657, which would create a dedicated K-12 budget passed and funded before any other state spending is authorized, would be a good way to begin restructuring our state’s school funding formula. This would provide the phased-in funding necessary to implement reforms with the “first dollar” of state revenues and not the last dollar or additional taxes.
The state constitution unambiguously states that our investment in public schools is our “paramount duty” and superior to all other programs, regardless of whether it is politically or economically convenient. As legislators we are sworn to uphold the state constitution and the rule of law. Our “Fund Education First” proposal answers that duty.
The Fund Education First proposal must be implemented this session because future state budgets will likely be just as bad this year’s. The volatile unknowns and consequences of this economic downturn are going to be with us for quite a while. Additionally, the financial blow our budget will take once our unfunded state pension obligations come due will make things much worse.
Over the last decade, legislators have foolishly skipped payments to pension funds and spent the money elsewhere, creating a $6 billion shortfall. In the next decade, as these pensions come due for retiring state employees, this pension-funding obligation is projected to double. That obligation will absorb enormous sums of money away from school funding. Pensions are a promise made to former state employees that must be honored, but not on the backs of our children’s education.
On Nov. 12, 2006, after the 18-month education study by the Washington Learns Task Force, Gov. Gregoire said in a Tacoma News Tribune column, “Education is the most important investment we can make for our citizens, our economy, our state and our future. If we want Washingtonians to be competitive in the global economy and succeed, we must have an education system that meets world-class standards.” What, if any, action came of this statement?
The Basic Education Finance Task Force has met an additional 24 months since then, and crafted a proposal that reforms our schools to world class standards, improves transparency, and provides more accountability to taxpayers. Our Fund Education First proposal incrementally funds that commitment with no new taxes.
Either we’re committed, or we’re not. Either the time is now, or it’s never. Either we stand up and vote on tough decisions for our kids’ futures, or we fail yet again.
Rep. Glenn Anderson, R-Fall City, served on the governor’s Washington Learns Task Force and the Basic Education Finance Task Force. Rep. Don Cox, R-Colfax, a former school district superintendent and career educator, serves on the House Education and Education Appropriations committees. Rep. Skip Priest, R-Federal Way, is the ranking Republican on the House Education Committee and served on the Washington Learns Task Force and the Basic Education Finance Task Force.
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