Budget plan targets Washington public charter schools

We are half-way through the state’s two-year 2019-21 budget cycle, and the latest revenue forecast shows Washington’s elected leaders have an additional $1.5 billion to spend in the current budget cycle. As expected, majority Democrats in the House and Senate yesterday announced supplemental budget proposals to spend this additional tax money.

I have been reading through the two proposals and to my surprise they both include targeted cuts to charter public schools. Other public schools would receive spending increases, starting with an added $51 million for school counselors. None of that funding could go to charter schools.

Meanwhile, services for charter school families would be cut. Section 520 of the 2019-21 budget provides $99.8 million to charter schools. The new House and Senate supplemental budget proposals, PSHB 2325 and SB 6168, would cut that by $5.8 million, a reduction of 6%.

(Charter schools already operate under an average 17% funding cut because these school children are denied access to local education money.)

Naturally, the proposed school cuts are causing concern in some of the poorest communities. Washington has nine charter schools serving about 3,000 students. Five more charter schools will open this fall, to serve an additional 1,000 students now on waiting lists. Most are from low-income, minority families. They are not asking for special treatment; they just want equal funding like everyone else.

It is unusual to find targeted school cuts tucked inside a huge supplemental spending bill. Lawmakers generally avoid unpopular cuts to education, particularly in a controversial election year.

Due to the strong economy, budget writers are awash in cash, so reversing the planned cut would only require a slight adjustment in line items. The two budget proposals have been sent to committee, where pressure from the Charter School Association and other child advocates may restore the funding.

– Liv Finne is the Washington Policy Center’s Center for Education director. Email her at lfinne@washingtonpolicy.org.