Across Washington State public schools are facing a worsening budget crisis. Dozens of districts have already cut programs, laid off teachers, and even closed schools. Several districts are under fiscal monitoring by the state. And worse cuts are looming for the next few years -- unless the state legislature acts by fully funding our schools as the state constitution requires.

Our kids already had to struggle through a pandemic. Now the state legislature is deliberately and knowingly underfunding public education. State spending per pupil has actually gone down in recent years when adjusted for inflation. That is the true cause of school district budget woes, as declining enrollment by itself wouldn't cause districts to lose this much money.

The 2024 legislative session will be a make-or-break moment for our public schools. We need to tell our legislators that they must make saving our public schools their number one priority.