The League of Education Voters has prepared a chart highlighting some of the major education budget items for early learning, K-12 public schools, and higher education. The chart shows the final compromise budget passed by the full Legislature on March 14 and the budgets passed by the Senate and House.
| Senate Budget (As Passed Feb. 28, 2008) |
House Budget (As Passed Feb. 25, 2008) |
Final Compromise Budget (As Passed March 13, 2008) |
|
| Early Learning | |||
| Washington Head Start Program (HB 3168) |
Not funded. | $250,000 to establish the Washington Head Start Program. The program would integrate our state’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) with the federal Head Start program. | $250,000 to establish the Washington Head Start Program. The program would integrate our state’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) with the federal Head Start program. |
| Collective Bargaining Authority for Child Care Workers and Directors (HB 2449) |
Not funded. | $907,000 to implement collective bargaining authority for child care workers and directors to help raise standards and improve quality at child care centers. | Not funded. The legislation did not pass the Senate. |
| Senate Budget (As Passed) |
House Budget (As Passed) |
Final Compromise Budget (As Passed) |
|
| K-12 Public Schools – Major Budget Items | |||
| All-Day Kindergarten | Maintains existing funding to expand all-day kindergarten to the poorest 20% of public schools next school year. | Cuts $8 million and would limit expansion of all-day kindergarten to just the poorest 15% of public schools next school year. | Maintains existing funding to expand all-day kindergarten to the poorest 20% of public schools next school year. |
| Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) for Educators | $39.1 million to fund the required 3.9% voter-approved I-732 COLA increase. | ||
| Restore Unfunded COLA for Educators | Not funded. | $35.6 million for an additional 1% increase to makeup for lost pay when the COLA was not funded in the 2003-05 budget. | $17.8 million for an additional .5% increase to makeup for lost pay when the COLA was not funded in the 2003-05 budget. |
| Classified Staff Ratio Enhancement | $12.5 million to lower the classified staff ratio to 1 per 58 students from 1 per 59. | Not funded. | $3.1 million to lower the classified staff ratio to 1 per 58.75 students from 1 per 59. |
| Non-Employee Related Costs Enhancement (NERC) | Not funded. | $13.1 million to provide for items such as books, supplies, computers, utilities, and other school district costs not related to employee compensation. | $6.5 million to provide for items such as books, supplies, computers, utilities, and other school district costs not related to employee compensation. |
| Student Learning Opportunities (SB 6673) |
$26.9 million to provide extended learning opportunities for students not on track to meet standard on the WASL, including English language learners. $24.8 million will be dedicated to expanding the Learning Assistance Program. | Not funded. | $17.9 million to provide extended learning opportunities for students not on track to meet standard on the WASL, including English language learners. |
| Support for English Language Learners | Not funded. | $1.6 million to expand the Learning Assistance Program to help schools with high concentrations of English language learners. | Funding to help English language learners is included in the Student Learning Opportunities bill (SB 6673). |
| Funding for School Libraries (SB 6380) |
$11.7 million to give school districts $12 per student to fund books, technology and librarians. | Not funded. | $4 million to give school districts funds for books, technology and librarians. |
| Senate Budget (As Passed) |
House Budget (As Passed) |
Final Compromise Budget (As Passed) |
|
| K-12 Public Schools – Small Budget Items | |||
| Math Standards Review | $300,000 for additional costs associated with the State Board of Education’s review of proposed mathematics standards and curriculum. | Not funded. | $300,000 for additional costs associated with the State Board of Education’s review of proposed mathematics standards and curriculum. |
| Math & Science Teacher Supply/Demand Study (SB 6781) |
$142,000 for the Professional Educator Standards Board to conduct a comprehensive analysis of math and science teacher supply and demand issues as well as information on differential pay for teachers in high-demand subject areas such as mathematics and science. | Not funded. | $142,000 for the Professional Educator Standards Board to conduct a comprehensive analysis of math and science teacher supply and demand issues as well as information on differential pay for teachers in high-demand subject areas such as mathematics and science. |
| Achievement Gap Committee (HB 2722) |
Not funded. | $150,000 each to create advisory committees to address the achievement gap for African-American, Hispanic, Asian Pacific American, and Native American students. | $150,000 each to create advisory committees to address the achievement gap for African-American, Hispanic, Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander American students. |
| Kindergarten Readiness (HB 2579) |
Not funded. | $150,000 for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Early Learning to develop options for the implementation of a kindergarten entry assessment. | $150,000 for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Early Learning to develop options for the implementation of a kindergarten entry assessment. |
| World Language Supervisor (HB 2523) |
Not Funded. | $136,000 to create a world language supervisor in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to promote and coordinate world language resources and curriculum among K-12 schools. | $136,000 to create a world language supervisor in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to promote and coordinate world language resources and curriculum among K-12 schools. |
| PESB Study of ELL Students (HB 2607) |
Not Funded. | $67,000 for the Professional Educator Standards Board to convene a work group to develop recommendations for increasing teacher knowledge, skills, and competencies to address the needs of English language learner students. | $67,000 for the Professional Educator Standards Board to convene a work group to develop recommendations for increasing teacher knowledge, skills, and competencies to address the needs of English language learner students. |
| Senate Budget (As Passed) |
House Budget (As Passed) |
Final Compromise Budget (As Passed) |
|
| Higher Education | |||
| Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) for Community and Technical College Staff | $3.8 million to fund the required 3.9% voter-approved I-732 COLA increase. | ||
| Restore Unfunded COLA for Community and Technical College Staff | Not funded. | $3.4 million for an additional 1% increase to makeup for lost pay when the COLA was not funded in the 2003-05 budget. | $1.7 million for an additional .5% increase to makeup for lost pay when the COLA was not funded in the 2003-05 budget. |
| Part-time Faculty Conversion | $500,000 to convert some part-time positions to full-time, tenure track faculty positions particularly in mathematics, science, adult basic education, early childhood education, and English. | Not funded. | $500,000 to convert some part-time positions to full-time, tenure track faculty positions particularly in mathematics, science, adult basic education, early childhood education, and English. |
| Opportunity Grants | Cuts $5 million from the Opportunity Grants program to help low-income adults attend community college to attain high-wage, high-demand careers. | Maintains existing funding levels. | Maintains existing funding levels. |
| Child Care Institutional Grants (HB 2582) | $1 million to expand a program that provides quality, accessible, and affordable child care for students attending our state’s public colleges and universities. | $650,000 to expand a program that provides quality, accessible, and affordable child care for students attending our state’s public colleges and universities. | $1 million to expand a program that provides quality, accessible, and affordable child care for students attending our state’s public colleges and universities. |
