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Providing ample provision for public education goes well beyond the dollars and cents

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I can think of no other part of our state constitution that is cited more than the preamble of Article IX. That's the sentence about how it is state government's "paramount duty" to provide for basic education.

Just last Thursday, for instance, a Puget Sound-area senator invoked the paramount-duty requirement while telling me and others on the Senate budget committee that livestock producers should pay more taxes to help close state government's multibillion-dollar budget gap.

How well the Legislature is treating K-12 education during such tight financial times is a fair question. For part of the answer, let's look at the sentence that follows the preamble: "The legislature shall provide for a general and uniform system of public schools."

The word "uniform" is the key. To me, it means that from a basic-curriculum standpoint there should be little difference between the offerings of Washington's 295 school districts. If the public school system is uniform, a student graduating from Freeman or Liberty high schools this year should be as prepared as someone whose diploma comes from Ferris or Shadle Park.

Uniform instruction is a lot easier to achieve with uniform resources, which brings me to what is officially called Local Effort Assistance and known for short as "levy equalization." It acknowledges that some school districts are able to raise local dollars more easily because their property values are higher overall.

A "property-poor" districtneeds a higher levy rate to generate the same amount of local money as a district with higher residential property values or a strong commercial presence like a factory or shopping mall that broadens the tax base.

By helping property-poor districts keep their tax levies down to a more reasonable level, levy equalization money helps prevent districts from becoming either "haves" or "have-nots." Many rural school districts rely on these additional state dollars, but so do districts in places you might not expect - such as Tacoma.

Preserving LEA funding is the top priority for the Washington Education Association and Public

School Employees of Washington. However, that isn't why I worked to make sure if s included in the bipartisan Senate operating budget for 2011-13, although many other programs are being severely reduced or eliminated. I want the proverbial playing field to be as level as possible for students statewide, which is right in line with the constitution's uniform-system requirement.

Beyond levy equalization, though, is state government doing things to affirm that providing for basic education is its paramount duty?

I say yes, and here's why. Constitutionally, it is the state's paramount duty to "make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders." Not ample funding, but ample provision. That distinction is too often overlooked but very important given how state government's budget situation is, by the numbers, tighter than I've seen in 19 years representing the 9th Legislative District.

Even though Olympia expects a jump in revenue collections nearing $4 billion over the next two years, the anticipated gap between revenue and spending commitments still tops $5 billion - the fallout from huge spending increases approved by previous legislatures.

The next state budget won't have as much money for K-12 as advocates want. However, just as providing for one's family is not limited to dollars and cents, providing for basic education is about more than funding.

An example is legislation the Senate adopted last month to allow school districts to consider performance, not just seniority, in personnel decisions.

In my book a rule change aimed at keeping great teachers in the classroom, whether it's their third year or thirteenth year, qualifies as "providing" for education. That's especially true if the alternative is to terminate the best teachers simply because they haven't had enough "seat time" to gain seniority.

There are more ideas on the table aimed at promoting school performance at little if any financial cost. All prove that while funding is important, in these difficult times there are other ways to provide for education. As long as legislators pursue those improvements, I'd say we are upholding the state constitution.

(Sen. Mark Schoesler represents the Cheney area and part or all of six counties comprising the 9th Legislative District. He is a member of the Senate Republican leadership team and serves on the Senate budget committee.)



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© 2011 Cheney Free Press Cheney, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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