Students urge legislators to increase funding for public schools 

Students, parents, educators and activists with the advocacy group Billion Dollar Bake Sale gathered outside the Legislative Building in Olympia Jan. 30 to demand more money for public schools.

"Fund our schools, no more crumbs," students chanted as they expressed frustrations over current school funding. The group wants an additional $3 billion for education, well above the $1.3 billion in the proposed budget of former Gov. Jay Inslee.

Huda Hamed, a seventh grader in the Seattle Public School District, was one of the students in the crowd.

"We're not getting top-level education because we don't have enough money, and we don't have the best school supplies," Hamed said.

Kristiana de Leon, a former public school teacher and Black Diamond city council member, compared the foggy morning to Washington's unclear education funding model, which has burdened educators for years.

"We're still having the same fight," de Leon said. "I don't know how to summarize what the past decade and more means."

Sen. Jamie Pederson, D-Seattle, said Democrats will prioritize funding for special education, classroom materials, operating costs and student transportation.

"All 30 of the members of the Senate Democratic caucus voted, discussed and decided that our highest priority for this year is to increase money for K12 education," Pederson said. "There is nothing more important for the state government than to provide ample funding for the education of all kids who reside in the state of Washington. So that's our commitment to you."

To pay for the increased spending, Pederson said legislators are considering delaying programs and introducing tax increases, such as a wealth tax and a higher payroll tax.

Gov. Bob Ferguson has repeatedly said he is skeptical about the wealth tax, but the state is facing a budget deficit of up to $15 billion, and Ferguson's proposed cuts fall well short of that number at an estimated $4 billion. 

Seattle teacher Elisa Munger said students are coping with social problems well beyond what schools can handle. The distractions they bring to school are many.

"Whether it's 'I want to be on TikTok' or 'I'm worried that my family might be deported'," Munger said. "These kids have a lot on their minds, and we don't always have the resources to help them."

In a recent speech, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said a $3 billion gap exists between what the state is providing and what districts are spending on materials, supplies and operating costs, special education and transportation.

He said these costs are the state's responsibility, specifically calling out special education as a "civil right obligation" and operating costs as a part of basic education.

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