Lawmakers must abide duty for ample K-12 funding
By Nancy Katims, Rebecca Miner and Andi Nofziger / For The Herald
Our children are our future. And it is the quality of their education that is the key to our children’s future success.
In a 2025 study of educational attainment by state, Washington is ranked 12th in terms of our population who have earned a college degree. In an accompanying study, we are ranked 40th in terms of K-12 spending as a percentage of taxpayer income. These starkly contrasting rankings appear to say that while we have a highly educated adult population, we are in no way investing in the education of our children at the same level of opportunity as their parents had.
Every elected official in Washington state takes an oath to “support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the state of Washington.” The law clearly states that “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste or sex.”
But our state legislators are not meeting their constitutional duty. Most districts across the state have been in a budget shortfall for several years. Why? Let’s review some myths and truths about this growing crisis.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-lawmakers-must-abide-duty-for-ample-k-12-funding/