Trustees hear that special education and MSOC shortfalls drive much of local levy reliance

Megan Hagen told the board that state funding does not fully cover the district’s costs for special education and MSOCs. "Special education funding from the state is roughly, this year is estimated at 44,700,000, where right now we're budgeted to spend around 82,000,000," she said, describing a gap of roughly $38 million that the district covers with local and other resources.

Hagen and other staff also explained MSOC (materials, supplies and operating costs) funding comparisons: the state funds an estimated $30.3 million for MSOCs under the prototypical model while Bellevue's budgeted MSOCs are about $60.1 million, leaving a local funding difference that levies and other resources must fill. Directors highlighted how those differences explain why per‑pupil figures often quoted publicly (for all funds) look larger than the basic‑education per‑pupil number presented in state prototypes.

Trustees said this gap underscores the district's limited control over revenue policy and renewed calls for state advocacy. Several directors asked administrators to prepare clearer public explanations and simple, shareable “nuggets” that show how prototypical funding differs from the actual district cost to operate schools.