Basic+Education+101

= __Basic Education 101 __ = = =  CITATIONS FOR BASIC EDUCATION:  - - In School Funding I and II the court interpreted these articles of the State Constitution and established important funding principles for the state, including that: - - 
 * The State Constitution provides that: **
 * "It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders…" (Article IX, Section 1), and,
 * <span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">"The legislature shall provide for a general and uniform system of public schools. …" (Article IX, Section 2);
 * <span style="color: #003366; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">The courts have held: **<span style="color: #003366; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">
 * <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">The Legislature is required to define "basic education" and provide ample funding for it from regular and dependable tax sources. (School Funding I)
 * <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">Programs considered basic education are Regular Apportionment, Vocational Education, Special Education, Pupil Transportation, Transitional Bilingual Education, Learning Assistance, and Institutional Education. (School Funding II)
 * <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">The Legislature is "required to continually review, evaluate, and revise, if necessary, the educational system of the state and the program of education and its funding to meet the current needs of the children of the state." (School Funding II)
 * <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">Once the Legislature has established what is considered 100 percent funding of basic education needs, it cannot reduce that funding level due to state revenue problems. (School Funding II)
 * <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">The Legislature may not use special excess levies to fund basic education; although such levies may be used to fund enrichment programs. (School Funding I)
 * 1) <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level3 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">School Funding I, Seattle School District v. State, 90 Wn. 2d, 476 (1978)
 * 2) <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level3 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">School Funding II, Seattle School District, et al. v. State, Thurston County 81-2-1713-1 (1983)
 * 3) <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level3 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">Regular Apportionment pays for the instructional, classified, and administrative staff and all nonemployee-related costs for facility and classroom supplies and equipment associated with regular education.
 * <span style="color: #003366; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">The legislature’s 1977 Basic Education Act established: **<span style="color: #003366; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">
 * <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">"Basic Education" in terms of broad educational goals, and specified minimum hours, days and instructional programs that school districts were required to offer; and
 * <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">State funding formulae consisting of staff-per-student ratios
 * <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">**<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">Basic Education Act was revised in 2009 **<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">via HB 2261, and the new program is in process of implementation (per last year's HB 2776). It is to be phased in starting with this budget until it is fully funded in 2018. New items to be included in basic education: All-day kindergarten; smaller class sizes K-3; six hours in middle and high school; funding for highly capable, new formulas for transportation and maintenance. (These were funded as "enhancements" and for several years we have been working to have them funded as "basic" so they are stable and equitable.)
 * <span style="color: #003366; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo4; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">Slight increases in all-day K funding and K-3 class size enhancements for high poverty districts would be examples of implementing the new program of basic education.