By Zahra Eslami, LWPTSA Council Co-VP of Advocacy
Washington’s public schools are facing a funding crisis.
Many districts, including Lake Washington School District (LWSD), are grappling with budget shortfalls that threaten essential programs. State Superintendent Chris Reykdal has described the situation as a “perfect storm” for school budgets.
One reason is the state’s declining investment in K–12: The share of Washington’s budget going to schools has fallen from about 51% in 2019 to only 43% today—its lowest since the McCleary school funding case. This historic underfunding, combined with rising costs and an inequitable tax structure, has led to record deficits and potential school closures statewide.
Understanding the ‘Big Three’ — The Core Funding Fixes
For the past several years, education stakeholders statewide—including WASA, WSSDA, OSPI and WSPTA—have rallied around three top priorities for addressing the K–12 funding crisis:
✅ Fully fund special education so districts don’t have to use local levies for basic services.
✅ Fix the student transportation formula to reflect real-world needs, especially for high-need students.
✅ Adjust MSOC (Materials, Supplies and Operating Costs) allocations for inflation, so schools can cover rising costs for essentials like utilities, insurance and supplies.
These three priorities, widely referred to as the “Big Three,” are foundational. They respond directly to what districts like LWSD are experiencing: funding formulas that no longer reflect the actual cost of providing a basic education.
LWSD’s Funding Challenges Reflect the Big Three
LWSD is a high-performing district, yet it operates with significantly fewer resources than many peer districts. Despite rapid growth and strong academic outcomes, LWSD ranks in the bottom quartile for per-student state funding. For 2024–25, LWSD receives:
- $4,660 less per student than Seattle
- $2,639 less than Bellevue
- $1,251 less than Issaquah
📊 Per-Student Funding Comparison (2024–25)
This underfunding results in real trade-offs:
- Special Education: LWSD has a $22 million funding gap, forcing local levy dollars to cover basic services.
- Transportation: The district requested $2 million in additional aid but received just $385,000, creating a $1.6 million gap.
- Operating Costs: Inflation has driven a $2.5 million shortfall in covering rising insurance and utility bills alone.
📉 LWSD Estimated Annual Shortfall by Category
These are the Big Three problems in action. Fixing them would immediately stabilize LWSD’s budget and reduce reliance on local levies.
Going Further: The People’s Big 5 — Centering Equity and Revenue Reform
While the Big Three are essential, many researchers and advocates—including Dr. David Knight, a school finance expert at the University of Washington—have pointed out that deeper structural reforms will be needed to fully and equitably fund K–12 education across the state.
These ideas were elevated through the People’s Big 5 campaign, launched as a grassroots effort in 2023–24 to push for long-term school funding solutions. Building on work by Dr. Knight, the campaign outlines five interlocking policy areas that call on the state to:
✅ Fully fund special education
✅ Fulfill actual K–12 transportation needs
✅ Adjust school funding for inflation
✅ Reform allocations for equity
✅ Raise new progressive revenue to support schools
Rather than accepting chronic shortfalls as inevitable, the Big 5 demands that Washington “fix our broken funding formulas and inequitable tax system” and ensure that school funding reflects the real costs of educating every child.
📘 Learn more about the research supporting the Big 5: EPoL Report – UW College of Education
These broader goals are not intended to replace the Big Three, but to build upon them, recognizing that true equity in school funding will require both immediate fixes and longer term structural changes.
As Dr. Knight puts it:
“To achieve equity, we must not only shift dollars but challenge the very statutes and systems that have baked inequality into the bones of school finance.”
How PTAs Can Directly Support LWSD
PTAs play a critical role in advocating for both the Big Three and future-focused, equity-centered reforms. Here’s how your local PTA can help:
- Educate and Inform: Share school funding facts at meetings, in newsletters and online.
- Align With LWSD Leadership: Invite board members or the superintendent to speak about budget priorities.
- Host Advocacy Nights: Bring your community together to learn about school funding and take action.
- Reach Out to Legislators: Organize letter-writing or testimony drives focused on Big Three priorities and equity measures.
- Join Statewide Advocacy Days: Participate in WSPTA’s Focus Day (February) and other opportunities to meet with lawmakers.
A United Path Forward
Solving Washington’s school funding crisis starts with the Big Three—and must be sustained by a long-term commitment to equity and reform. For LWSD, fixing these issues is not about enrichment. It’s about survival.
With continued advocacy from PTA members, school leaders and the broader community, we can push for a funding system that works—not just for some students in some ZIP codes, but for all.
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