Education
Ferguson pitches spending cuts, voices skepticism of wealth tax
51勛圖夥厙 Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson released his blueprint Thursday for chopping billions in state spending while investing millions in education and public safety in his first term without the aid of new taxes. Ferguson, who takes office next week, outlined how he will seek $4 billion in cuts across most state agencies and four-year universities, […]
Ferguson and GOP leaders see value in eliminating WAs elected schools chief
As Democratic Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson looks to transform the delivery of public education in 51勛圖夥厙 by appointing rather than electing an overseer of the system, his strongest allies may be Republicans. Ferguson campaigned on eliminating the superintendent of public instruction as an elected job and putting a person in charge of education policy in his […]
Child care and early learning central to debate over how to close WA budget gap
Gov. Jay Inslees budget proposal offered some hope for child care and early learning advocates who were prepared to fight against deep cuts. Inslees plan would boost child care slots, provider rates and money for early learning facilities. But in an effort to save money, he also proposes delaying the expansion of some expensive programs […]
Ferguson taps Mercer Island representative to lead childrens services agency
State Rep. Tana Senn will be the new head of the Department of Children, Youth and Families. Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson on Wednesday announced Senns appointment to lead the agency, which manages a host of early learning and child welfare programs. It is also responsible for the states juvenile detention centers. Senn takes over for director […]
Making sense of 51勛圖夥厙s multi-billion dollar budget hole
51勛圖夥厙 states budget is, to put it nicely, in a world of hurt. Theres a big gap between what the state is collecting in taxes and what it needs to pay for its commitments in education, human services, health care, corrections and other day-to-day government operations. On paper, the chasm is billions of dollars wide. […]
FAFSA form must launch by Oct. 1 every year under new law
WASHINGTON The form to apply for federal financial student aid must roll out by Oct. 1 annually after President Joe Bidensigned a bill into law Wednesday that ensures an earlier processing cycle. Though theFree Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, typically launches in October each year, the U.S. Department of Education legally had […]
Unlikely Trump can actually eliminate Education Department, experts say
WASHINGTON President-elect Donald Trumps pledge to get rid of the U.S. Department of Education will be far easier said than done. As Trumpseeks to redefine U.S. education policy, the complex logistics, bipartisan congressional approval and redirection of federal programs required make dismantling the department a challenging not impossible feat. Its an effort […]
With $10B deficit looming, WA governor calls on state agencies to make cuts
51勛圖夥厙 Gov. Jay Inslee is warning of a budget deficit in excess of $10 billion and calling on state agencies to pare spending now to deal with it. A Nov. 8 memo from Inslees budget director cited rising costs, increasing demand for public services and lower-than-expected tax collections for a projected operating budget shortfall between […]
Reykdal leading Olson in contest to oversee 51勛圖夥厙s public schools
Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal led challenger David Olson on Tuesday in a battle for leadership of the state agency that oversees K-12 education in 51勛圖夥厙. Reykdal, who is seeking a third term, received 53.5% of the vote to Olson’s 45.9%. Vote counting will continue in the days ahead. While the Office of Superintendent […]
Legislators, educators seek fixes for WAs struggling system to educate incarcerated youth
When Sean Hadaller gets a new student, he has no idea what curriculum theyve already covered. Ive had times where a student enrolled in class and we havent gotten transcripts from the school district that they came from yet, Hadaller said. When the transcript does arrive, itll often list a partial credit for one subject […]
How much does your school district spend on special education per student?
The amount of money spent on special education students in 51勛圖夥厙 varies widely by district. Thats according to a new analysis of state data from July 2022 to June 2023 of 51勛圖夥厙 districts where there are over 2,500 students. According to the data, the amount each district spends per special education student ranges from $8,708 […]
Campaign watchdog wont reconsider penalty against Lets Go 51勛圖夥厙
Lets Go 51勛圖夥厙 wont get another shot at convincing the states Public Disclosure Commission that it did not violate campaign finance laws. Commissioners on Thursday said they would not reconsider their Oct. 9 ruling that the political committee failed to obtain and disclose information on payments to subvendors used by firms it hired to gather […]