Coalition suing Washington state over school funding
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SEATTLE (AP) - A coalition of teachers, parents, community groups and school districts sued the state Thursday for not spending enough on public education, nearly 30 years after a similar lawsuit forced the Legislature to revamp the way it pays for schools.
The Network for Excellence in Washington Schools said it wants a King County Superior Court judge to declare the state has failed to live up to the constitution, which defines education as the state's paramount duty.
"We're reminding everyone the constitution is clear. It doesn't say 'a' paramount duty. It says 'the'," said James Kelly, president of the Seattle Urban League, a member of the network.
"This is not a political or partisan issue," Kelley said. "This is a need to develop predictable, stable and full funding."
Kelly said he discussed the lawsuit with Gov. Chris Gregoire before it was filed and explained that although the coalition strongly supports her proposed education budget and the direction she was leading the state, it was time to go to court.
The governor, the state superintendent of public instruction and the attorney general did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment on the lawsuit.
The group said the state's education system relies on an outdated formula for allocating money that leaves schools financially strapped and unable to adequately educate children.
The state uses sales, business and state property taxes to pay 84.3 percent of what it costs to educate Washington's 1 million school children. The other 15.7 percent comes from local levies and some federal money, primarily for education of special-needs children.
The bulk of state dollars go to teacher salaries. The state also matches local bond money for school construction.
The coalition's lawsuit seeks to force the Legislature to pay 100 percent of the cost to educate K-12 students, but does not suggest how. It does not address not higher education.
Gregoire has made education the focus of this year's legislative session. She is seeking improvements suggested by the Washington Learns task force, including full-day kindergarten for more students, more rigorous math and science courses, and a stronger commitment to the state's colleges.
Members of the network said they waited until after Washington Learns issued its report in November before deciding to file the lawsuit, because they expected the task force to take the first step toward fixing the state's school budget problems, but didn't see that result in its final report.
Including teacher salary increases of $382 million, $200 million to improve math and science education and class-size reduction grants of $139 million, Gregoire's budget for early learning and K-12 hits nearly $1.3 billion.
Twenty-nine years ago, the Washington Supreme Court ruled on a similar lawsuit brought by the Seattle School District, ordering the Legislature to follow the constitution by defining basic education and paying for it.
Stephanie McCleary, a parent and Chimacum School District employee named as a plaintiff in this lawsuit, said she's been waiting ever since then to see the system fixed.
"Washington families have waited long enough," said McCleary, who said she was her daughter's age, 13, when the Supreme Court issued his decision in the Seattle case. She added she's tired of fees for sports, and field trips for her two children and she worries about those without money.
"We don't want to see families choosing between putting food on the table and participating in that activity," she said.
Mike Riley, superintendent of Bellevue School District, said he's been waiting 11 years - ever since he moved to Washington - to see the state improve the way it pays for education.
"When was the right time to sue? Not now, but 11 years ago," said Riley.
Eleven other school districts are members of the coalition, include Seattle Public Schools, the state's largest.
The group, which also includes the state PTSA, the state teacher's union and various community organizations, is adding members all the time, said Mike Blair, chairman of the group's executive committee and superintendent of the Chimacum School District.
NEWS says it would like a court hearing as soon as possible. The State faces two other lawsuits. One challenges funding for special education students; the other involves a formula used by the state in the reimbursement of administration and teacher salaries.
The Network for Excellence in Washington Schools said it wants a King County Superior Court judge to declare the state has failed to live up to the constitution, which defines education as the state's paramount duty.
"We're reminding everyone the constitution is clear. It doesn't say 'a' paramount duty. It says 'the'," said James Kelly, president of the Seattle Urban League, a member of the network.
"This is not a political or partisan issue," Kelley said. "This is a need to develop predictable, stable and full funding."
Kelly said he discussed the lawsuit with Gov. Chris Gregoire before it was filed and explained that although the coalition strongly supports her proposed education budget and the direction she was leading the state, it was time to go to court.
The governor, the state superintendent of public instruction and the attorney general did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment on the lawsuit.
The group said the state's education system relies on an outdated formula for allocating money that leaves schools financially strapped and unable to adequately educate children.
The state uses sales, business and state property taxes to pay 84.3 percent of what it costs to educate Washington's 1 million school children. The other 15.7 percent comes from local levies and some federal money, primarily for education of special-needs children.
The bulk of state dollars go to teacher salaries. The state also matches local bond money for school construction.
The coalition's lawsuit seeks to force the Legislature to pay 100 percent of the cost to educate K-12 students, but does not suggest how. It does not address not higher education.
Gregoire has made education the focus of this year's legislative session. She is seeking improvements suggested by the Washington Learns task force, including full-day kindergarten for more students, more rigorous math and science courses, and a stronger commitment to the state's colleges.
Members of the network said they waited until after Washington Learns issued its report in November before deciding to file the lawsuit, because they expected the task force to take the first step toward fixing the state's school budget problems, but didn't see that result in its final report.
Including teacher salary increases of $382 million, $200 million to improve math and science education and class-size reduction grants of $139 million, Gregoire's budget for early learning and K-12 hits nearly $1.3 billion.
Twenty-nine years ago, the Washington Supreme Court ruled on a similar lawsuit brought by the Seattle School District, ordering the Legislature to follow the constitution by defining basic education and paying for it.
Stephanie McCleary, a parent and Chimacum School District employee named as a plaintiff in this lawsuit, said she's been waiting ever since then to see the system fixed.
"Washington families have waited long enough," said McCleary, who said she was her daughter's age, 13, when the Supreme Court issued his decision in the Seattle case. She added she's tired of fees for sports, and field trips for her two children and she worries about those without money.
"We don't want to see families choosing between putting food on the table and participating in that activity," she said.
Mike Riley, superintendent of Bellevue School District, said he's been waiting 11 years - ever since he moved to Washington - to see the state improve the way it pays for education.
"When was the right time to sue? Not now, but 11 years ago," said Riley.
Eleven other school districts are members of the coalition, include Seattle Public Schools, the state's largest.
The group, which also includes the state PTSA, the state teacher's union and various community organizations, is adding members all the time, said Mike Blair, chairman of the group's executive committee and superintendent of the Chimacum School District.
NEWS says it would like a court hearing as soon as possible. The State faces two other lawsuits. One challenges funding for special education students; the other involves a formula used by the state in the reimbursement of administration and teacher salaries.
