Join us at the Regional Town Hall on 1/7/26!

Advocating for the Full Funding of Washington State's Public Schools

Regional Town Hall on Education Funding

Student Voices Leading the Way Forward

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the January 7, 2026 Regional Town Hall on Education Funding — students, families, educators, community members, and legislators. Your presence, engagement, and support helped make this student-led event meaningful and impactful.

We are grateful to all who shared their time, voices, and perspectives as we came together to advocate for fully funded, equitable, and sustainable public education in Washington!

Take the next step:

Sign the letter to State Legislators calling for fully funded K–12 education
Join the K–12 Funding Coalition — especially students

🔗 View the Town Hall Slide Deck

2026 Session - Legislative Update

Projected Increases to State General Fund, Yet Cuts to K-12 Education Proposed

By Marie Sullivan, WSPTA Legislative Consultant

Last Monday, the revenue forecast adopted by the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council increases state general fund (GFS) or near GFS revenue by more than $1.8 billion over the next three and a half years. Collections are projected at $827 million more in revenue this current 2025-27 biennium, and just over $1 billion more than expected in the 2027-29 biennium.

House and Senate Democrats released their 2026 supplemental operating budgets on Sunday at 4 PM; it was a quick scramble to read through and digest the implications. The Senate operating budget proposes more than $144 million in cuts to K-12 education, while the House operating budget proposes over $87 million.

Learn why this matters and read about the most recent budget updates on the WSPTA blog.

Action of the Week:

No Cuts to K-12 Funding: Contact Legislators Now!

State revenue is up, and this year’s state budgets should reflect that reality by protecting K–12 funding. With less than three weeks left in the 2026 legislative session, the Senate and House have released their proposals, with final votes set for February 27 and 28. After years of under-funding, rising costs, and growing student needs, many districts are now in binding conditions or close to a negative balance. MSOC, transportation, and special education remain significantly underfunded despite progress made in 2025, and last year’s $245 million in cuts only deepened the strain on schools.

This moment is the final opportunity to protect K-12 funding this legislative session. Please contact your legislators no later than February 26, urging them to make no new cuts and avoid unfunded mandates. Protecting K–12 funding is one of the Top 5 issues on WSPTA’s member-adopted legislative platform, and your voice plays a critical role in ensuring Washington’s public schools have the resources they need to serve every student well.

Contacting your legislators takes just a few minutes, and numbers matter! Share this action alert with your networks and encourage them to contact their legislators via this pre-drafted letter.

OSPI K-12 Equity Funding Workgroups

Members of the OSPI K–12 Funding Equity Work Group and the University of Washington Superintendents Work Group discuss key equity priorities guiding work to come in 2026.

You’ll hear from Dr. Kelly Aramaki (Bellevue School District), Marissa Rathbone (Washington Association of School Administrators), and Dr. David Knight (University of WA) as they share key principals and findings intended to inform the 2026 Legislature’s consideration of improvements to Washington’s education funding system.

Town Hall Recap

Town Hall: Presentation Slides

This slide deck captures key moments and messages from the January 7, 2026 - Regional Town Hall on Education Funding, a student-led event bringing together families, educators, community members, and legislators from across the region.

The presentation includes background information and data of the statewide funding gaps across Special Education, MSOC (materials, supplies & operating costs), and Transportation. The overview of Washington’s K–12 funding challenges was shared, and both short-term needs and long-term solutions were highlighted. It also features context shared by Chris Reykdal and school finance expert Dan Steele, along with information presented during the student-moderated legislative discussion.

The slides are shared here to support continued learning, advocacy, and community engagement around fully funded, equitable, and sustainable public education in Washington.

🔗 View the Town Hall Slide Deck

Advocating for the Full Funding of Washington State's Public Schools