To close a historic $9 billion shortfall, lawmakers approved an operating budget that spares no one. For the next two years, children and students, families, the elderly, and the uninsured, will bear the brunt of a recession budget. Although legislators prioritized children and education, there is no doubt the quality of education will be affected by $1.6 billion in cuts to teachers, schools and colleges.
We’ve outlined the major impacts of the Legislature’s budget cuts on Washington’s children and education system below.
Early learning programs cut by $12 million.
- Less support for parents and young children: A 50 percent reduction to home visitation services will put up to 1,600 families with at-risk children at a greater disadvantage when they start school. Severe cuts to the Child Care Resource and Referral Network mean parents will have less support locating safe, quality early learning programs.
K-12 cut by $1 billion, or 6.2 percent, after inclusion of federal stimulus dollars.
- Larger class sizes: Between 2,000 and 4,000 teachers and support staff across the state could lose their jobs. The budget cuts funding for Initiative 728 by $600 million, which schools use to lower class sizes by hiring more teachers. However, funding is maintained for K-4 class size reductions.
- Lost wages for teachers: State-funded pay increases for educators under Initiative 732 are suspended to save $352 million.
- Academic programs and community partnerships cut or reduced: Library funding, reading and tutoring programs, after school programs, hands-on science and math opportunities, and numerous other K-12 enhancements are no longer funded or reduced to save $60 million.
- Greater inequities between school districts: The Legislature failed to reach agreement on whether to lift levy lids and reduce funding for levy equalization. The Legislature is likely to take this issue up in a special session. Stay tuned for more information.
Higher education cut by $584 million, or 17.2 percent, after inclusion of federal stimulus dollars (does not include tuition increases).
- Higher tuition at colleges and universities: The budget eliminates more than 7,000 state-funded full-time student slots and would result in layoffs of instructors, which would mean fewer courses and larger classes. To prevent further loss of state-funded student slots and instructors, the Legislature authorized increases in tuition each year by 14 percent at four-year institutions and 7 percent at community colleges. This provides $230 million in more revenue for colleges and universities.
Bright spots from the 2009-2011 budget
- Funding for Head Start and the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) is largely maintained.
- No cuts to funding for K-4 class size reductions.
- All-day kindergarten and Navigation 101 are maintained at current levels (the Legislature did not provide funding to continue to phase-in all-day kindergarten to the next set of eligible schools).
- Legislation mandating reinstatement of funding for I-728 and I-732 after the next biennium.
- Funding for the State Need Grant is increased to offset the cost for eligible college students.
How were federal stimulus dollars spent?
Federal stimulus dollars played a critical role in preventing further devastating cuts to Washington’s schools, colleges and universities. In total, state lawmakers used $787 million in stimulus dollars for K-12 education and $81 million for higher education. Without these funds, K-12 would have taken a 12 percent cut, or $1.8 billion. The higher education system would have taken a 19.6 percent cut, or $655 million.
Reliance on federal stimulus dollars presents a grave concern for the future of Washington’s schools. Stabilization funds were used to replace state funding for I-728 and Basic Education. When the Legislature convenes in 2011 to write the next state budget, they will have a large hole to fill if federal money is not renewed.
We’re all in this together
The budget cuts will have dramatic impacts on our state’s education system. The cuts to early learning and K-12 will mean less students graduate ready for college, job training opportunities and the workforce. In higher education, the combination of cuts and tuition increases will reduce quality, access and affordability for students vying to prepare themselves for our knowledge-based economy.
It’s up to all of us education advocates to stay vigilant. Continue to talk and work with your state lawmakers. And please volunteer in your local schools and help pass local levies.
George Scarola
Legislative Director
