Board hears legislative update: governor signed budget with modest gains for special education and MSOC
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Summary
Board member Kate reported on the recently signed state budget; the district won partial funding increases for special education and MSOC but not the full amounts requested during the session.
At the May 21 meeting board development chair Kate provided an update on the recent legislative session and the governor's signing of the biennial budget package.
Kate said the district and state associations had sought larger increases; for special education the system requested $1.1 billion for the biennium but the enacted budget provided a little more than $300 million. For MSOC (materials, supplies and operating costs) the enacted budget included $80 million for the biennium, which Kate described as a modest increase but a positive step compared with potential cuts earlier in the session.
Kate and other board members who attended WASDA (Washington Association of School Districts) meetings described ongoing collaboration with legislators and statewide school board members to preserve education funding. Kate said the governor signed the budget the day before the meeting and that the short session will return in 2026; she noted priorities remain for special education funding and other unmet needs.
Ending: Kate said the budget signing moved funding forward in some priority areas and that district representatives will continue advocacy in the next session; board members thanked Kate for her legislative work and noted the handoff to Megan as the district's legislative lead going forward.
