“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” ― Frank Herbert
The Legislature adjourned sine die last night, officially bringing the 2026 legislative session to a close. While that ceremony marks the end of the 2026 session, it also signals the beginning of the next phase of advocacy as we look ahead to the 2027 session.
The final supplemental budget reflects the significant fiscal pressures facing the state—and unfortunately, K–12 education was not spared. While the Legislature preserved maintenance level funding for basic education, including a 2.6% COLA for state-funded staff and MSOC costs, the final agreement also includes several reductions to programs that districts rely on.
Among the most significant reductions included in the final budget are:
- Local Effort Assistance (LEA): reduced by $25.1 million
- School bus depreciation: reduced by $21.1 million
- Transition to Kindergarten: reduced by $27.3 million
- Running Start: reduced by $7 million
- Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST): reduced by $2.3 million
The final budget does include targeted investments in several programs that support students and schools, including:
- $3.5 million for Foster Youth Outcomes
- $1.5 million for Ninth Grade Success
- $1.2 million for Homeless Student Support
- $1.8 million for High School & Beyond Plan implementation
- $2 million for Dual Credit fees
Looking ahead, the rest of 2026 will be a very active time for our advocacy efforts. Three different K–12 funding workgroups will continue examining the state’s school funding system, and there is increasing discussion about potential legal action against the state through what many are referring to as a “McCleary 2.0” lawsuit—focused on whether Washington is once again failing to fully meet its constitutional obligation to fund basic education. In addition, next fall’s elections will be important, with all House seats and half of the Senate on the ballot.
I will share a more comprehensive legislative update next week with a deeper look at the final budget and the key policy bills that passed this session. In the meantime, I wanted to share two helpful summaries of the final days of session: one from the Washington State Standard (quickly becoming one of my favorite sources for legislative coverage) and another from the Seattle Times.
I am also including my final bill tracking list from the session along with a budget comparison chartthat shows the major reductions—and a few additions—to K–12 programs in the final budget agreement.
The decisions made this session reinforce a reality that school districts across Washington already know: the state’s current funding system is not keeping pace with the real cost of educating students. While legislators faced difficult budget choices, many districts continue to experience growing structural deficits driven by inadequate funding for basic education obligations such as special education, MSOC, transportation, and staffing. These challenges will not be solved through small adjustments in a supplemental budget. They will require sustained attention, meaningful investment, and a renewed commitment to the state’s constitutional responsibility to fully fund public education. The work ahead—both through legislative advocacy and broader policy discussions—will be critical as we look toward the 2027 session and beyond.
Many thanks for all that you do for students, staff, and our advocacy efforts. If you have questions or comments or want to get involved with future advocacy efforts, please reach out to me.
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