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Complex K‑12 funding bill advances to hearing; levy increases, special‑education changes and charter school LEA provisions draw mixed reaction
Summary
House Bill 13‑56, which revises enrichment levy limits, local effort assistance (LEA), special education funding methodology and substitute allocations, drew extensive testimony. Districts, teachers and charter schools had divergent views on equity and adequacy; committee did not vote at the hearing.
House Bill 13‑56, a comprehensive K‑12 funding proposal, received an extensive House Finance Committee hearing covering levy authority, local effort assistance (LEA), special education funding, substitute allocations and charter school eligibility for LEA.
Committee staff outlined complex elements of the bill: increases in per‑pupil maximums for local enrichment levies, an increase in state LEA amounts with phased inflation enhancements, eligibility for charter public schools to receive LEA up to specified limits (with deductions for gifts/donations), increases in allocations for substitutes (teacher and classified), and a change to special education funding that removes the 16% enrollment cap beginning in 2027‑28 and shifts 30% of a special education student's basic education amount to districts' special education program beginning in 2025‑26. Staff also noted the bill directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene a K‑12 funding equity work group to analyze formula changes and report options to the Legislature.
Testimony divided along predictable lines. School finance officers and district representatives (Highline, Bellevue, Olympia, Lake Washington and other districts) generally supported levy enhancements and the proposed increases to LEA and substitute funding but urged the Legislature to prioritize direct state funding for special education, materials/supplies/operating costs (MSOCs) and transportation. Several rural and property‑poor districts warned the bill as drafted would not immediately equalize funds between property‑rich and property‑poor districts; Mount Adams School District urged the committee to align LEA increases with levy lid increases without delay.
Charter school representatives and advocates testified that the bill's current LEA calculation would exclude many charter schools or impose unique deductions for gifts and donations, leaving charter students underfunded relative to other public school students. Several charter speakers asked the committee to amend the bill to include all charter public schools and ensure long‑term, sustainable enrichment funding.
Advocates for educators and unions supported aspects of the bill, particularly substitute funding increases and LEA adjustments, but urged more comprehensive reform via the work group to ensure equitable and adequate statewide funding. Business and taxpayer groups opposed the levy increases and urged better use of existing revenues.
Committee staff and witnesses referenced substantial fiscal estimates in the bill analysis: combined state and local impacts in the hundreds of millions to the general fund and local levies over the 4‑year outlook, including estimates of increased LEA and special education costs and a larger total state budget implication in the hundreds of millions. The testimony closed with the committee acknowledging the bill’s complexity and the need to refine equity and implementation details; no committee vote was taken at the hearing.
