One of the most hotly-debated topics in education centers on funding. How much do school districts need to provide a great – heck, even decent – education to all kids? As our new issue paper on funding points out, “there is no compelling evidence that any particular level of funding guarantees a particular outcome. Moreover, it’s nigh impossible to refute the argument that school districts should do a better job with the funding they have. On the other hand, common sense, and lots of research, tells us there is statistically-significant relationship between funding levels and student performance. Great schools that run on bargain basement budgets are the exception, not the rule. Like everything else in life, you mostly get what you pay for.”
With Washington currently ranked 44th nationally in national comparisons of regionally adjusted K-12 spending and more cuts expected to balance the budget, what will happen in the Legislature this session? And what does that mean for schools?
Read our K-12 Funding Landscape issue paper and all of our issue papers in our Session 2011 section.
I don’t understand why the state can’t simply make two separate property taxes – one for education and one for the general fund.