Five of Washington’s largest education associations have agreed to focus our organizational efforts for the 2008 legislative session on two primary objectives: 

• To influence the development of a new K–12 finance structure that will provide stable, equitable and full funding for the education of all students over the next five years and beyond.
   
• To make significant progress towards the state’s full funding of basic education including: significant class-size reduction, increased staff ratios and salary allocations for all K–12 staff, non-employee related costs (NERCs), full-day kindergarten, technology and school safety.

Our purpose in promoting these priorities is to ensure that the state provides the resources needed for all students to be successful.

We are working with the Basic Education Finance Joint Task Force as it “develops recommendations about how the state can best provide stable funding for student learning.” (Washington Learns 2006)

There is an enormous disconnect between Washington’s 30-year-old K–12 finance mechanisms and our current standards-based education system. Our state needs a finance system that matches resources with basic education needs and objectives. We need a funding system that fully supports the state’s ultimate goal of preparing all children to lead productive, satisfying lives as responsible citizens in our democratic society.

School directors, superintendents, principals, teachers and support staff know what is needed to increase student achievement. We need the resources to get the job done right. We need a new formula that supports our standards-based education system and ensures that the state meets its paramount duty to fully fund a general and uniform system of public schools for the twenty-first century.

Because of the hard work and intentional changes brought about by all of our members, student achievement has increased continuously over the last decade, but significant challenges remain—challenges that are exacerbated by our obsolete funding system. Our students have waited too long; and they shouldn’t be asked to wait any longer.