Washington School Districts Prepare Lawsuit Against State Over Education Funding Shortfalls
Three major Washington school districts—Lake Washington, Tacoma, and Yakima—are preparing to sue the state, alleging a failure to fully fund basic education as constitutionally mandated. The districts, collectively serving over 74,000 students, contend that the state's underfunding forces them to rely on local levy dollars for day-to-day expenses, a situation reminiscent of the 2012 McCleary decision. In that landmark ruling, the state Supreme Court found Washington violated its 'paramount duty' to amply fund public education, eventually imposing a $100,000 per day fine until compliance was achieved in 2018. Despite that ruling, schools now face rising costs for transportation, utilities, and insurance, declining student enrollment, and an increasing number of districts under state financial oversight.
