Vancouver School Board Votes to Join WEA Lawsuit Against State for Inadequately Funding Basic Education and Kicks In $30,000 Toward Litigation Costs

Last Monday, the Vancouver School District Board voted to join the lawsuit against the state for inadequately funding basic education.  Its school board also decided to add $30,000 to the pot to fund the litigation.

The Washington Education Association (WEA), which just recently helped tube a National Math and Science Institute (NMSI) grant to fund teacher training for math and science, student tutoring, and incentive pay for teachers, is joined by the Washington State PTA and 14 school districts. WEA objected because teachers would receive incentive pay outside the collective bargaining agreement if students performed well on Advanced Placement math and science tests.

If they prevail, it will cost taxpayers billions. With state legislators expecting to face a $2.5 billion revenue shortfall when they return to Olympia next January, adding billions more in state spending will almost certainly add fuel to the simmering fire to raise taxes next year.

And with Washington's private sector job-providers already footing 52.9% of the state and local tax load, the heaviest burden will fall upon business if the courts rule in WEA and the school district's favor.  This comes at a time when Washington's state revenues continue to slide and the state's economy is slowing.

The education umbrella group is called NEWS (Network for Excellence in Washington Schools). The litigation was filed in January 2007 even though Governor Gregoire and the legislature added over $900 per student in basic education funding for our state's public schools as part of the 2007-09 operating budget.