Washington Education Spending Doubles: More Admin, Fewer Teachers

Washington State's public school funding has surged over the past decade, raising questions about financial management and educational outcomes.

Taxpayer Concerns Rise as Washington Education Spending Soars

In a startling shift, Washington state’s public school budgets have doubled from $13.1 billion in the 2011-12 school year to an estimated $30.6 billion for 2023-25. Despite this massive influx of funding, there is little evidence that it has translated into improved educational performance or enrollment figures, leading to widespread concerns about spending efficiency.

Public schools in the state now receive over $19,000 per student annually, a figure greater than the average tuition costs of private schools. The problem is that public school performance and enrollment are not improving, causing taxpayers to question how their money is being used.

A recent study by the Washington Policy Center shows a significant 80% of public school budgets are directed toward salaries and benefits for staff. Alarmingly, a growing portion of this expenditure is going toward administrative and non-teaching positions. Since 2012, the number of school administrators has increased by 54%, while non-teaching staff has risen by 66%. In contrast, the hiring of teachers has only seen a 25% increase during the same period. This trend is raising concerns that funding is being diverted away from important classroom resources that can have a direct impact on student learning.

Recent legislative changes, especially in the wake of the 2012 McCleary court ruling, have played an important role in increasing public education funding limits. This ruling mandated increased investment in K-12 education, leading to big tax hikes, including a property tax increase in 2018.

Washington State taxpayers are left wondering why the priority seems to lie with more administrative hires rather than enhancing direct classroom support. Politicians often say public schools require more funding, but the data shows that financial resources for schools are sufficient. The reality is that while public schools receive over $20 billion a year, the allocation of these funds does not appear to prioritize student learning in the classroom.

The Office of Fiscal Management (OFM) has released a report that illustrates this troubling trend. The data shows that for every new administrative or non-teaching position created, classroom resources are greatly decreased. That is shown to be impacting students' educational experiences in Washington State overall.

Washington State Public School Budget: Doubled from 2011 to 2025

In 2011-12, the biennial state budget for public schools stood at $13.1 billion, but by 2023-25, it had ballooned to $30.6 billion. Per-student funding has also increased significantly, from approximately $10,000 to $19,100. When compared to private school tuition, averaging $14,000 for elementary and $16,000 for high school according to the study, the funding for public education raises critical questions about efficiency and accountability.

In the debate over public school funding, taxpayers should be encouraged to scrutinize where their tax dollars are being spent. The higher taxes for education must be held accountable with questions about why substantial public resources are being used for administrative positions at the expense of improving the learning environment for our students. I am married to a teacher and would love to see resources spent inside the classroom instead of on outside administrative positions. Read the original article about the study at washingtonpolicy.org.