Convening Superintendents to Envision Ample and Equitable School Funding for Every Washington Child

Authors: Kendall Fujioka, David Knight, Anthony Craig, Mia Tuan, Kelly Aramaki, William Jackson, and Trevor Greene

Executive Summary: On July 1 and 2, 2024, the University of Washington College of Education, including Dean Mia Tuan and Professors Anthony Craig and David Knight, hosted a group of 12 Washington superintendents to convene around issues of K-12 education finance. The event was convened by Drs. Kelly Aramaki and Trever Greene, who serve as the superintendents of the Bellevue School District and Yakima School District, respectively. Superintendents were drawn from the University of Washington alumni and professional networks and included representation from diverse school communities across the state. 

The goal of this two-day summit was for superintendent participants to learn about school finance policy in Washington state and nationally, envision an ample and equitable school finance system for the state, and construct a five-year plan for needed policy reforms. The summit was held at a unique moment in Washington K-12 school finance history; the state made substantial investments over the past 12 years following a State Supreme Court decision, but federal stimulus funds are expiring, and school districts across the state are reporting budget challenges creating a need in some cases to close schools or lay off staff members. Students were deeply impacted by the pandemic, which disproportionately affected higher-poverty communities and schools serving higher percentages of students of color, exacerbating longstanding, stark differences in educational opportunity across communities in Washington. 

Professional organizations in the state, including the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA), the Washington Association for School Administrators (WASA), the Washington Educators Association (WEA), and others have advocated for greater investments and for more equitable funding. The 2025 legislative priorities of WASA include a $1 billion state investment in three programs, special education, transportation, and what the state calls MSOC, or Materials, Supplies, and Operating Costs, which pays for insurances and related costs. 

This document describes the learning sessions that took place during the two-day summit, the results of shared discussion, and the superintendent group’s shared legislative priorities for how Washington can improve its K-12 public school finance model over the next five years, building on but adding to the WASA legislative priorities. The summit included presentations from national experts in school finance and the Chief Financial Officer of the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the state’s education agency. We conclude with a description of future learning and advocacy plans and recommendations for further reading.