A timeline of school funding milestones
1889: Article IX of the Washington State Constitution states, “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders…” No other state has a stronger education mandate in its constitution.
1974: Washington Supreme Court fails to rule school funding system unconstitutional in a case brought by the Northshore School District and other districts. The nine justices split into three different opinions.
1976: Seattle School District files suit against the state, to provide the “ample provisions” required by the Constitution.
1977: First Judge Doran Decision (also known as “School Funding I” or “Seattle School District I”) finds for the school districts, stating:
“Under state law, the legislature has established a general and uniform system for the public schools as required by Article IX, Section 2…but it has not A) expressly defined basic education or determined the substantive contents of a basic program of education to which the children of this state are entitled in today’s society or B) provided a method for the fully sufficient funding of such education without reliance on special excess levies.”
1977: Basic Education Act of 1977 passed, defining basic education and creating a state education funding formula based on ratios of staff to students.
1978: Washington’s State Supreme Court affirms Doran decision, finding in favor of the school districts. It requires the state legislature to provide ample funding for “basic education” as its highest priority, and directed the state to fund basic education with dependable and regular taxes. Forcing school districts to rely on levies to fund basic education was deemed unconstitutional.
1980: As a result of the court decisions, state increases its K-12 funding share to 84.3%.
1983: Second Judge Doran Decision (“School Funding II” or “Seattle School District II”) expands the definition of “basic education” to include special education, bilingual education, remediation assistance and transportation.
1987-88: Judge Doran issues a decision on the special education funding formula. He rules against the use of statewide averages to set an upper limit on a funding formula, unless there is a “safety net” for districts with above-average costs.
1993: The Legislature passes the Education Reform Act, which creates rigorous performance-based standards for the basic education that every child in Washington is to be provided. Student mastery of the standards is to be tested by the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). The Act also requires high school students to pass the WASL to prove they have mastered those new standards in order to graduate. But, despite these high stakes, the 1993 Act does not restructure the state funding system to pay the increased cost of providing students with the education necessary to meet these higher standards.
1995: Special Education formula changed to provide a safety net as anticipated by Judge Doran’s special education decision.
2001: Passage of I-728 (class size reduction) and I-732 (cost of living increases for teachers)
2001: Federal No Child Left Behind legislation passed
2004: WASA Ample Funding Studies
2004: Special Education Lawsuit Filed by an alliance of 12 school districts
2004: I-884, aimed to increase education funding, fails at polls
2004: State Academic Standards (HB 2195) Enacted by legislature, outlining how districts are to handle individual students not successful on any part of the WASL.
2005: SB 5441 forms Washington Learns, led by Governor Gregoire to study education system and make recommendations for improvements.
2005: The Network for Excellence in Washington Schools is formed. Plagued with a long-outdated state funding system that fails to fully fund even the basic elements of a high quality 21st century education, NEWS is forced to file a lawsuit asking the courts to order the State of Washington to live up to its paramount constitutional duty to make ample provision for the education of all Washington children.
2006: Washington Learns releases its final report, which falls short of addressing education funding solutions in a satisfactory manner.
2006: Federal Way School District files lawsuit over allocation formula for employee salaries.