001All right. Um, welcome to Advocacy Action Network. Um, today is March 24th. Um, this is our first meeting of the interim during 2026. Uh, hopefully you all saw WASDA's um, end of session report um, that came out last Friday um, essentially detailing um, all of uh, what happened and didn't last session. Um we thought we would use this meeting today really to focus on kicking off the interim together. um as you all know by participating here um lots of legislatively interested school directors um come together whether they're here live um or watching these um recorded presentations and um I really see this space as being um another um of the opportunities and spaces created by WASDA to help to strategically think about um where we need to go this interim, what we need to do
002um in order to um essentially continue our work um for ample funding for public education. Um we saw uh some pretty significant setbacks this legislative session and uh as one of your advocates at the state level and really feeling like we um need to do some different things um this interim uh the way that we have been advocating is not working the way we want it to. Um and so I really hope to use this space over the next seven, eight, nine months to think about that work together as a collective. Um so want to start thinking about that today. It's never too early to talk about the next session. Uh so um we are going to dive right in. We've got some interim planning. Um the UDub soups group um is here to give
003some updates uh share about their work. The OSPI funding work group will be here later and then um we'll wrap up after that. Um there's a small group today, so maybe we don't have to use the menty. Um I'll just take some notes over here. So, um ignore the QR code on the screen, but just curious um uh where you all are at in terms of how you're feeling um post legislative session. Um I know this isn't going to be a fun conversation, but um I I really am interested in hearing where you all are at. I think it's important um as a group of advocates who are all working together um to do this work and shepherd it along. Um I think it's just important to have a space to air what we're feeling
004um and what we're thinking about. So anyway, does anyone have any thoughts they'd like to share about just sort of where where they're at post legislative session? Feel free to use the chat or raise your hand. Yeah. You know, I you know, we go up there and we, you know, advocate for for our for our kids. And I don't understand why they don't put a high value on education. They complain about it, but they but that's all they do is complain to, you know, that we're spending too much money. We're not doing spending it right. We're spending that money as the best way possible, at least for us here at Mount Adams. I mean, we we scrutinize and we've let we've let people off, you know, go to cut back on our, you know, um
005on the other end. And we're we're right there. We're at the bare minimum right now before, you know, before something drastically happens. And this is both on the state level and the federal level. Uh, and um, you know, when we go up to DC or up here to Olympia, you know that we tell them that. I said, "What what are you guys doing? What why don't you have a value on education? You're always telling us what we're spending too much, but we're not. You know, we we're we're at the bare minimum right now. I I I can't dare let any more people go because then we're going to fall back in the hole again." Right now, we we're out of the hole and we're up above the hole. You know, it's taken a long time
006to get to that point and I want to keep it there. So, >> thanks, Larry. Appreciate. >> Anyone else have anything they want to share? >> I just feel I just feel sad for our students. Um, it's ultimately who this impacts and um I think just disheartened. Um, yeah, just sad. sat on who would this will impact? >> Well, and I also feel like that we at the local level are having less and less um say in how our money is spent and where it comes from because of all these unfunded mandates. Thanks you too. Anybody else? >> I can share a little just I was expected to be disappointed this year. So I I almost I think I kind of didn't engage as much. Um just staying a little protective of it having really
007low expectations of our legislature. I appreciate everybody that did engage and our our district engages. So I, you know, I know they certainly heard from Spokane. Um, but just personally, I just, anyway, that's where I was. >> That's real. Thanks, Nikki. Um Renee then Emma, >> I think one of the things that I was struck by this um session when I had conversations with specific legislators about decisions that they have made prior to this year even um the impact on funding that they don't realize they're having that they don't understand the programming decisions that they're making. whether they're good or bad. Um and so I and then at conference um there was the session on how um uh you know kind of funding needs are determined based on the bill. Uh what is the expected
008financial impact of that and how disconnected from the reality of school those are. And so I I feel um like we kind of have this chunk together system um where each piece is not really holistically planning or talking to the other. And so I know that that is normal in some ways in a lot of ways. uh but it doesn't mean it's effective and it doesn't mean that we are able to do for our students what they need us to be able to do at the end of the day. So I just like to um I just would like to continue to see us work towards more clarity around how each piece impacts the other. >> Thanks Renee. Emma, >> this was helpful. feels like a little therapy to be able to share with everyone
009because it is um I think demoralizing is the word that came to mind for me and I think in a couple of directions and frustrating like I feel like I struggle to get our local legislators to engage like I so I would love some new ideas and tools. Um, so that's one thing. And then the second thing that I'm kind of struck by is like our constituents don't seem to be very engaged either or don't have a good and maybe this is just the way it is that that people don't completely understand how the system works, right? um which I'm not faulting anybody for, but I feel like I hear, you know, across the political spectrum, um frustrations with our legislators, but like an inability and then we have people saying like, "Oh, but we
010have the millionaires tax now, so that's going to solve all the problems." And I I don't have a lot of faith that that that the state is going to fulfill its obligation to fund public school because we don't have a great track record. And so, yeah, I'm just thinking of both like sort of like my legislators not super engaging with with our advocacy at our school district level and then also our constituents seeming to also not understand that we're we are going to lay off people, right? We are not going to have programming because of the outcomes of this specific session. So, it's just super frustrating. So, I'm glad to be here with you all to look for moments of like hope and how we can keep working um for kids. Zma. Okay. Um, anyone
011else want to chime in? Okay. Um, yeah, ditto. Ditto to all of that. Um those are all feelings that we've been having um inside our office and uh many of the things that you all touched on um particularly around um just sort of needing new or additional ways to help enable essentially legislator learning um around some of the funding streams, the policy impacts of their decisions um has been um something that's been on Cynthia and I's mind um quite a bit over the last couple of weeks. And so, um, anyway, glad glad to hear lots of alignment in what you're thinking about and, um, what we've been starting to talk about, too. We definitely have, um, uh, a long interim together to be thinking about, um, all of this work um, as a collective. And
012so, um, I hope you know that this space every single month, um, we intend to use, um, to sort of unpack, um, a lot of what we just said and maybe even some more stuff. So, um, appreciate you starting by just sort of airing where we're at. Okay, slides are going back on the screen. Okay. Um, so I know we have 293 days. um between today and the start of the 2027 legislative session. Um I say the number to let you know we've got a we've got a bit we got a bit of time um we can be very intentional um and very strategic um over the course of that significant amount of time to think about what it is we as a K through2 system really need to do um in order to be
013more effective um during the next legislative session. um in terms of essentially um getting the reductions that were made this session back um and moving the system towards and to um equitable ample funding um for all. And so um we got some time and essentially um many of you have been through many interims um in your roles as school directors. Um some of you have maybe only been through a couple. So, just sort of as a reminder, um this is essentially the time where the policym really happens. Um during the legislative session, bills are cooked. Um they're cooked, they're made, um they're written, and essentially during the legislative session is where lawmakers have the opportunity to tweak them. But, you know, when is it that you can actually talk to a legislator, maybe on a
014deeper level, about a bigger policy issue or a bigger funding need? with this time when they don't have, you know, hundreds or maybe sometimes thousands of issues coming at them on a particular day. um in particular for you all as school districts um and also for us as WASDA um some of what we're thinking about and what we'd recommend you think about as some of your goals for this time period is to take some time to really intentionally reflect on what happened this session um how your district will be impacted and then also communicate that um to your communities. Um we have already seen um legislator sort of like post session um emails out to communities um uh like someone said referencing the millionaires tax and how you know that's going to help to fund
015public education. Um and yet other than uh free school meals for students, there's actually nothing that obligates any of that funding to the education legacy trust account which is essentially the line item in the budget that that funds K12. And so, you know, making sure that you all are communicating to your um parents, families, taxpayers um about what happened and about how your district is going to be impacted by this session. Um feels important to do sort of at the beginning of this time period. Um also staying connected with your legislators. Um you hear us talk about legislator relationships all the time. Um and making sure again um that your legislators are hearing from you all about how their decisions this session are going to impact you and how the lack of ongo the ongoing
016lack of ample funding um is continuing to you know essentially impact your district and your students. And then this is also the time obviously where we identify what it is we're going to really try to advance during the next legislative session. Um, part of what I've been thinking about, uh, in my head over the last couple of weeks is sort of the difference between, uh, like what maybe a short-term advocacy goal is versus the big advocacy um, needs, the big funding needs, and sort of how we sort of message that um, in a way that meets legislators where they are, knowing that, you know, regardless of the decisions that they made and uh the decisions that harmed school districts this year, it is still true um that they have a challenging budget in front of
017them. Um and so anyway, just thinking about how we message ourselves during 2027 um is something that we should all be thinking about. Um I do see a quick question about school lunches being funded at the federal level. Um Teresa, it is for some districts. Um there's a program called community eligibility provision um that helps school districts to access some of those federal dollars. Um however um there's not a fully funded uh school meal uh budget from the feds right now. Okay, we talked about some of this um but just really quickly some of the ways that you can engage this interrum. Um engaging with each other, engaging with your communities, engaging with WASDA, engaging with your elected officials. Um we already touched on that first piece, making sure that your district, your community is
018aware of how this session is going to impact you. Um on a WASDA front, um consider um the position catalog that we have um all of our permanent and legislative positions, the revision window is open, um for all school districts to submit possible amendments um and changes to that catalog from April 1 through the 30th. Um, so just be thinking about um what is sort of on the books um for WASDA for us as an association um and if there's anything you might recommend um revising um there. Uh we also would encourage you to join our regional meetings this spring. Um Cynthia, I don't know if you can drop the registration link or the web page into the chat. Um but this year our regional meetings will take place across April and May. And um
019we're particularly going to be focused on um advocacy um understanding the legislative process um building and expanding legislative relationships and then also community engagement strategies for your districts um and we are coming to um a school district near you based on WASDA directory areas. So would encourage you to join those conversations. Um we are also inviting legislators to attend those events as well. Um there will be some open time for dinner um at the beginning of each meeting where there can be some sort of unstructured time for legislative conversations. Um and then we're also inviting legislators to stay and sort of learn and connect with um with you all during the programming as well. So hope you'll check those out. Thanks Cynthia for dropping that link in the chat. Um you can also invite legislators
020to come visit you. Um go to coffee, have some discussion, um get into your schools before the school year is over. have them come to graduations. Um while it's important to highlight the sort of negative impacts that are going to result um per their decisions this last session, it's also important to celebrate with them um and invite them to um you know graduations and other um exciting spaces where you've got students together and then also just putting on your radar early um September 19th will be WASDA's general assembly um this fall. So would encourage you and every other school district in the state um to make sure you join us there. Um we are going to move through this question for now just due to time. Um but it would be interesting if you all
021might think about um jumping in the chat um and just sharing any if there's any other strategies that you all are thinking about or talking with your fellow directors or your superintendent about for what you might be planning to do this interim. and then also if there's any particular issues that are on top for you. Um and then a couple more things before we transition to our first guest speakers. Um our toolkit for legislative impact remains a resource um for you all. Um this guide um is essentially what has driven the content creation for our regional meetings um this spring. So, um would just remind you that this resource exists um and it offers a number of um toolkits, talking points, um scripts for emailing your legislators, um common challenges that you all might be
022facing in engaging your community. There's a ton of stuff in here and if you haven't looked through that yet, would encourage you to do so. And then just a couple of other things that you should know that we are talking about internally at WASDA. Cynthia and I um in terms of additional resources that we're going to develop this year. Um we're going to create an updated advocacy cycle. Um we realized that the one we have is very WASDAentric and so we've been thinking about how we can create some kind of a visual to help everyone understand the larger sort of advocacy process. Um we are in talks uh about building a story or data collection form um where you all could essentially go in identify your district and answer some questions about any particular topic
023um to be able to tell us things like you know we are underfunded in um transportation by this much um or you know xyz there's lots of things that'll be in there and on the back end we can then essentially help to use all of that data to create legislative district specific talking points um that we can then arm you with um for next session and later this interrum so that when you go to your legislators you could say something like oh I don't know uh representative so and so eight school districts in your legislative district uh you know are struggling with this issue by this much funding or whatever it might be. So trying to think about new ways um for you all to share information um so that we can help essentially spit
024that back out at you um as something that can be helpful. And then we'll also be um really analyzing our WASDA advocacy web pages and thinking about how we can make those more interactive, more engaging. So if you all have ideas about that, we'll take them too. Okay. Um, the last thing we'll give you for now is that we have our Advocacy Action Network schedule um, identified for the rest of the calendar year. Um, we'll send this to you in an email. You don't have to take it down really quick right now. Um, but essentially we'll be getting together every month with every other meeting um, scheduled for 90 minutes. And during those longer meetings, we'll plan to incorporate some skill building for you as well. And so each month, what you can essentially expect
025is sort of a general check-in, how we're all doing and feeling, some sort of policy topic or presenterbased learning, and then during those 90-minute meetings, some additional time for skill development. Um on a really high level, some of the ideas that we have so far are talking about funding formulas and funding systems, um public records, superma majority for bonds, um the future ready graduation requirements work that's coming out of the state board of education likely by next session. Um, and then also in terms of developments and trainings, um, thinking about like a storytelling, uh, training that could be helpful to sort of arm us to better, uh, engage with our legislators when we only have really short amounts of time. Um, some trainings about how to identify and build priorities, navigate in legislative session, and
026more. So, um, we'll send this list out to you as well. And so, um, we'd be curious to hear from you all over the next couple weeks. And again, you'll get all this in email about what you think might be missing from this list. Um, it's our intention to come back when we're together in April with essentially a full list for the year of date, time, topic, training, topic so that you all can sort of have a map um of what we plan to cover this interim. Um, so with that, uh, I'm going to stop right now and pass it over to David and Kelly. Um, thank you both for being here. By the way, I'll let you introduce yourselves, but um, David and Kelly, I just want to say, um, I went to their,
027uh, education funding formula convening the day after session ended and, um, first it was the day that it snowed. I'm sure everyone remembers what day that was. Um, so that was a good time. But uh what I think I want to say about this group is um it felt like one of those spaces where um productivity was real um and solutions were forming and conversations were happening. And anyway, just sort of want to shout y'all you two out um and Trevor Green as well who I know can't be here today um for the great work that y'all are doing. Um, happy to hear a little bit about what you're doing and where you might be going this intro. >> Awesome. Thanks, Logan. Uh, it was great to have you on that Friday. Um, just so
028I know, how much time do we have, Logan? Because I mean, I could talk for two hours. >> Sure. Um, you've got about 20 minutes. >> That's okay. Um, David, I didn't know we didn't really coordinate this super well. Did you want to kind of kick it off or you want me to start and then >> um you could start us off? I just um yeah, I was trying to get the unmute going, but I was moving the um words. Uh but yeah, I I was just taking a few notes for talking points, so that's my preparation. >> Okay. >> So, go ahead. >> Okay, great. First of all, thanks for having us. I mean, it's so awesome to be in this WASDA space. Um, these are kind of the you guys are all the
029who who's of WASA leaders. I I really appreciate you inviting us. Um, yeah, I mean I didn't chime in earlier when when Logan asked about the word, but it was a devastating short session. Um, I think uh I don't expect much out of short sessions, but what what we got was devastating. Um, and so we we planned a superintendent kind of convening. We've got this kind of UDub superintendent group. We're made up of about 25 superintendents. Every ESD is represented in the group. Um and then we have a bunch of other people um from different organizations that that join us uh just like Logan and Trisha did from WASDA. Um but yeah, that Friday it was Friday the 13th and it was a blizzard. And so there's nothing more uncomfortable than a whole bunch of
030superintendents in a room watching all the snow come down because we were worried about cancelling school and everything, but but even so, um it was I think Logan said it right. It felt super productive. It was very cathartic. We went around and did kind of the same thing and kind of vomited our emotions about the the session. But we've been spending the last couple years trying to build uh empathy and awareness of each other's uh financial situations. And we knew walking into that room that this session was devastating particularly for higher poverty school districts. Um I want to just share I have I just sh have a couple things. Oh Logan can I can you give me sharing capacity so I can just share a couple things. >> I think you got it now. >>
031Okay. Awesome. Let me just grab the screen. Okay. So, let me just show you a couple things um that I think will be interesting uh just to kind of capture what we covered um at our meeting. But basically, uh yeah, Trevor Green, he's the other kind of co-sponsor and he has not been feeling well. So, he he's not with us today, but um um take a look at this slide. So, in the analysis of this legislative session, and this is probably very real for all of you, um I basically took all this the 295 school districts and pulled the I categorized them by districts that are less than 30% free reduced lunch. So, that's kind of how I define like lower poverty. And then districts that are more than 30%, more than about a third
032are uh free reduced lunch. Uh, and I consider that high poverty. In the less than 30% group, it's only about 30 school districts. So, of the 295, the lion share of districts are higher poverty school districts. So, when you look at that, 23% of the um of the lower poverty districts get LEA of some kind. About 52% or a little over a half of the districts that are higher poverty get LEA. So when you look at the fact that the state cut back so much on LEA, it basically disproportionately will impact already higher poverty districts. One out of two districts is going to lose millions of dollars in LEA funding and it will disproportionately impact higher poverty districts. Um transition to Kay, it's a little bit more balanced and I think it's because transition to
033Kay was always meant to serve kids kind of right in the middle. they don't necessarily qualify for ECAP, but they don't have access to preK. It's a little bit more spread out, but even the cuts to transition to Kay more often than not, they are higher poverty districts that are accessing transition to Kay. So cuts to transition to Kay are also going to disproportionately impact higher poverty districts. And then this is what somebody had put in the chat about free meals. Of districts that have less than 30% free reduced lunch, 10% of them already get free meals. 90% of those districts don't get free meals, including Belleview. We have a few schools that have free meals, but we're not an all district free meal district. 94% of the districts that have more than 30% poverty
034are already 100% covered by federal state funding for free meals. And so when when we talk to superintendent, not only are high poverty districts going to lose their le like lose uh have cuts in LEA, lose uh 30% of their transition to kindergarten, when the millionaire's tax, if it comes through, um and they decide to fund free meals, that $114 million, $140 million is going to go primarily to school districts with less than 30% pre-reduced lunch. So, it is wild to me that we are, you know, people are saying that, you know, the millionaire's tax is funding education. We're so happy that it's funding free meals for children, but the truth is all of that money primarily is going to go to the 30 districts or so that don't already have free meals. The rest
035pretty much should already have free meals based on the the rules that are set up by the federal government or the state. So I I just say that because when you think about what happened to this LED session, um the cuts and the impact were disproportionately on higher poverty, mainly rural, but also higher poverty urban and suburban school districts. So um that um is horrible and shocking and is something that we need to figure out how to fix. Um, something that we did at the the consortium was I I really appreciated Logan, Trisha and all of the ED lobbyists came. So, Charlie Brown, Melissa Gmbosski, Cliff Tresman, Marie Sullivan, we had Marissa, um, Wthbone from WASA and they all came to basically in a panel debrief like what happened, anything good, anything bad. And basically
036these are this is kind of a summary of what they said but they basically said um uh we are a powerful block because we have the constitution behind us. So we have a lot of power and we have a lot of voice because superintendents can communicate directly to voters through our newsletters and things. We're most effective when we rally around small number of priorities. Um, but what happened, the weaknesses of this last session were we lost as soon as the governor put out his budget. We basically we had this offensive plan of the big three, let's go in MSOcks and we lost the minute he put out that budget. Um, and so we ended up the whole session playing defense on LEA, TTK, free mills, which means we didn't even have a chance to be
037offensive about trying to get more MSOC funding. Um, th those were kind of the two big ones. Uh, the the other thing that they kind of talked about was we over rely on formal processes in during the session, giving public testimony, signing in pro or con. We don't use informal influence very well. Um, including what they said was the last week when they were voting on the budgets, we were all pretty defeated and they said, you know, it would have been great if superintendents could have filled the the the seats above so that at least when they're voting against schools, they're they're looking at the superintendents that represent their districts. And so, um, that was some of their their feedback to us. Um, and then they talked about how legislators um, they see K12 as
038expensive and competing with their individual pet priorities. Um, so those were some of the kind of takeaways from our legislators. It was so great to see them. They all look pretty fresh given the fact that they've been fighting all session. Um, but I appreciated them being there. Um, and the last thing I'll just mention and then I'll turn it over to David because David um had uh done a lot of teaching for us that day and brought an expert from a national expert on special education. But one of the things that we talked about is we have an opportunity in this interim between today and the next legislative session to make an impact. Um OSPI is doing some work. I know WA was doing some work. But what are we going to do that's going
039to move the needle for public education? Because what we're going to see this year is a lot of cuts in our higher poverty school districts. But this is just to kind of give you an idea of of what's been kind of going around in on in my mind and some of the topics that we've talked about. But u we and this comes from uh we had Jolen Bergie. She's a CFO at Northshore and she's kind of an expert. She's a leader in WBO and she was like you got to get as practical as possible, Kelly. like we're thinking all these big things, but like what are the solutions that would solve uh funding for schools right now? And so this is a list of seven things that come to the top of my mind. Um
040from what I've learned from other superintendent, um the first one is we've got to increase special education funding. Um from David's uh expert that he brought that day, she talked about like really focusing in on the multiplier. Like you've got to have a multiplier that actually does something for kids that have higher needs. Otherwise, all the districts are going to rely on safety net. So, increased special education multiplier. Um, we need to create a more sustainable and equitable MSOC funding formula. So, I don't want to get into the details of that, but higher poverty districts more likely than not do not have a capital tech levy. And the capital tech levy pays for technology, laptops, cyber security, software for curriculum. So, if you have a cap tech levy, it actually expands your MSOC. If you
041don't have a cap tech levy, then you really have a problem. So, there should be a more equitable allocation for MSOC um that drives more money primarily through technology to higher poverty districts. Uh LAP is the only kind of funding source that is has a weight to it in Washington. And so, if we seriously wanted to um drive funds to higher poverty school districts, LAP is the place to drive it. um because it is um it you can't just take that money and put it into salaries. It has to go to improving reading and math outcomes. Um uh we're this is the year to do the review on the prototypical model and so we should have a plan uh on what we would upgrade in the prototypical model and I think this is where we've
042got to get political but the prototypical model like school psychologist they basically added a new five-day like we've got to get you know these evaluations done early so parents can review it. It's an amazing idea. None of us have the enough psychologist to make that happen. So what would we ask for in the prototypical model including like adding CTE to sixth grade things like that? Uh we need to codify LEA increases into statute in in order to ensure reasonable par with local levy. Um we need to guarantee transportation safety net so that we can actually transport our kids uh who are homeless and have special needs. And then the last one is something I learned from uh Jolyn, but basically our costs grow by at a minimum of 3% every year. The funding additions that
043we get from the state for maintenance go up by IPD, which is around 2 and a.5%. So districts without any ads, districts have to make up that 0.5% every single year. And so in order for us to even be stable, the the state has to kick in somewhere around hund00 million just to get us to have revenue match expenditures, which they do not do. That's why the legis our lobbyists are always saying if you don't add, it's a loss. Do not take status quo as as status quo. No ads means we are are losing because expenditures grow at 3% and our revenues grow at 2 and a half%. that does not add up. And so districts will constantly be cutting and cutting and cutting until they fix that. So anyways, I'll just stop there. Those
044are just some of my thoughts um kind of coming out of that u our soups meeting on the 13th and I'll turn it over to my colleague David. Thanks, Kelly. That was a really great overview of everything we covered. um I could share a little bit about sort of the broader objectives of the UDub Soups group and then I wanted to share a few um resources that we've shared with the UDub Soups group and and we've also disseminated out to different folks. Um so as an a bit of an overview um we as we've talked about in those convenings we've now had six total. I'd say the kind of three main objectives are a a big one is um sharing what the research shows on on school finance policy. There's a ton of research that
045people are doing to try to understand what works in school finance policy. And that research very rarely gets into the hands of state legislators. We make a lot of decisions kind of on vibes or on on whim and not evidence-based decisionm. So a a big part of our time is spent um bringing in experts and and going over research that we've done at the UDub. Um so that's one big part of it and also um for us understanding the practical realities that school leaders face. There's a lot of like two-way learning happening I would say. Um the other two big objectives are getting people on the same page about what the core finance policy challenges are. And so we've developed this problem statement that we've um shared around a little bit um to try to
046figure out what are the main challenges that we're facing right now and and you heard some of them just a minute ago from Kelly. Um our third big objective once as we kind of establish what the big challenges are is identifying policy recommendations for the legis legislature. And we've kind of done that at every session um and thought about what are the things we're going to advocate for. um we kind of started with the big three and have um built on that and around it. Um so that so it's kind of um getting to know the research identifying the core challenges and then moving towards recommendations or solutions. Um that's kind of the I say the big thrust of UDub soups. One of the things we're building towards is a a policy document that will
047provide a set of recommendations for the 2027 legislative session. Um so we're kind of some of our sessions that we just had at the sixth convening um are helping us build that. Um let me see that one of the slides we shared from the session I just put in the chat is um an overview of the six sessions that we've had over the past two years. And then I'll just share a couple of websites. Um, one is the first link there is um on the it's on the website for the center for the study of teaching and policy. That's a center at UDub um that I direct and that's this. We have a little web page that describes UDub soups. And then the second link is to a policy brief that we recently published on
048the role that TK plays and um in the state of Washington in addressing childcare deserts. And then there's one other thing. I don't know if that PDF will come through, but um we created a little one-page document that overviews the impacts of cuts to LEA. Um so we're kind of using that as a little learning piece and there's links embedded in that PDF that bring you to um more formal research studies. Um so that's a few of the resources that we've had and um we're trying to build towards something that's more concrete and that's going to offer up um you know more specified policy recommendations for uh the legislature and I and our next convening is already set for June and we got um uh that's going to be associated with the um conference. What's
049the conference, Kelly, that we're we've linked on to in June in Spokane? Is is it >> that's the WASA AWSB? Yeah. >> Okay. Um so that's uh we have a lot of uh great things planned for that. So I also didn't start off by thanking um Logan for the opportunity to share out our work with you all. I appreciate that, Logan. And it's nice to see a few familiar faces here. >> We're so happy to have you both. Um, thank you. Um, just a couple quick asks, Kelly, if if you could, um, I'd love if you'd share your slides either just like in an email with me or if you can put them in the in the chat, that'd be great. Um, we'll share all this out with the full group. Um, and then, you
050know, as you all get closer to developing priorities for 2027, um, feel free, please keep this group in mind as um, a group that could, you know, provide feedback or thoughts. um or just with this being another space for you to come and share about um where it is your group lands, we appreciate you. Um do you all have time to stay on until 1 or do you got to head out? >> Sure, I'm fine. Yeah. >> Okay. I think what we'll do then um just given the time we'll move to Misha to hear about OSPI's group and then what I would say for everyone else on the call um if you have specific questions either for Kelly, David or Misha um just throw those in the chat box and um whatever time we have
051at the end um we'll take to answer them uh with what we can today um and if we don't have time or there's more questions than we can get to then um we'll figure out how to get answers to you. Okay. Thank you, Kelly and David. Um, Miesa, you're on. Um, tell us about what OSPI's K12 funding equity work group is up to. >> Yeah, thanks Logan and thanks for having me, everyone. Um, I have a I'll just share my screen real quick and I'll be Oh, if I can I sent a request. Um, I'll be I'll be kind of brief. So, we I know I'm sure people have questions, so I want to make sure we have time for that before uh wrapping up. Um, and thanks again for the flexibility of letting me
052join a little bit later. Um, so the funding equity work group, we're calling this next phase phase two because phase one was last year. We're really original in terms of our naming. Um, and this is, if you are unfamiliar, there was a bill passed last year um, House Bill 2049. Uh, that bill was was primarily around um, raising the the cap on some on on levy authority. Um then they added a section in there that said we must convene a work group to analyze funding formulas and revenue options for revisions to the funding formulas responsive to student needs including economic demographic and geographic differences in student and community populations. So last year and I know a number of you were part of the funding equity work group. Um so I appreciate your service uh in
053that is that we had a number of subgroups. So, we had a first initial meeting where we talked about, you know, kind of it was six hours and it was Sean and TJ, um, our wonderful finance staff going through kind of a 101 of how school funding works. Um, it's that that link is still available on our website if you want to peruse all six hours or you want to go back and forth or you want to watch one piece of it. It's sometimes something that we share out as just another resource. Uh, but they went through K12 funding kind of from the ground up. You know, how do the models work? how does this all happen right now? So we could have a shared understanding and then we could look at okay what's not
054working. So here's how it works right now, what's not working. And then we broke up into subgroups um on those kind of four topics there. Resource accountability, um taxing systems, and then state, local, regional needs, and then also student waiting factors to further discuss, you know, kind of in that in those themes, what what's missing right now? What do we want? You know, really phase one was about what do we want this next phase to look at? What should we what should the legislature and OPI be looking at uh for solving this? not really coming up with answers, but more finding some really concrete questions that we could ask. So, we had a report that was due in November and that's been posted on our website and I'll share this uh these slides later and
055you can click on that link um if you so choose. Uh but that report had a number of next steps. Um it recommended you know that we develop recommendations for the 20207 legislative session. Um and that is what we're really kind of gearing up to do in this next phase. So I'll I'll kind of skip this. Uh but there primarily you know um we all know right education is not amply funded. So our basic education is underfunded and that's kind of the the first stepping stone and then it's really okay what do we what should the funding model look like? Um a lot of talk about you know levy a lot of talk about LEA and about lap funding. Um so the report's available online. happy to send it out and again I'll send out
056the slides. But for phase two uh this spring and actually in a couple weeks here we're going to be reconvening the entire work group for a kickoff meeting. Um we'll record it if you can't be there but hopefully you know if you are a part of phase one you're around for phase two and then we're going to be developing some technical working groups and the the goal of those is to have people that are kind of practitioners in the K12 finance space. Um, and also, you know, we'll make sure that there's a mix of voices, but that can really dive into a couple of the key pieces. Um, really looking at, you know, so we know, we've done some work over this last legislative session. We know kind of what it takes to fully fill
057basic education right now, right? Like we know how much special education is under spent or underfunded, how much MSC is underfunded. So, we have those buckets right now. And that's kind of like the starting place. And then we're hoping this technical working group can can come together and identify places where we can go beyond that. You know, if we're if we want to have a a more of a student weighted system, what specific pieces in our funding model does that look like? Is that going all in on LAP? Is that, you know, do we need do we need to change lab? Do we need to create tiers? All those kind of things. So, kind of getting down to the details. Um, over the spring and summer, early summer, we'd have those groups meeting pretty consistently,
058probably like twice a month. Um and then we'll have at least one all group meeting in May to kind of have a status update and check in. Okay, here's what the technical work groups have been talking about. Here's what lawmakers have been talking about. Um and and bring everybody together and then that those those work groups will continue until we have a uh probably a final meeting. Um and the goal of this all this is to come around and to inform our 2027 2029 banial budget ask. So that's that's kind of the the guiding vision here is that this will inform what we ask for in terms of funding next next uh legislative session. So um some highle themes the subgroups um I can go these pretty quick but I'm also interested if there's questions
059that that's the plan. Um we have our last report is due I didn't have a slide for that. Uh so our next report is due in November as well. Um so we will try to wrap that up quickly. Again, uh our budget requests have to be sent to the governor's office in September. Um so pretty short timeline. Again, you know, we're trying to get this going fast so we can move over this next spring and summer um and have our budget report to the governor by September. I think it's the 15th. Um I'll pause there and see if there's any questions. >> Thanks, Misha. Um once again, appreciate you as well for being here. Um, I know lots of folks have participated um, in your group. Um, and I think you have a thoughtful approach
060ahead of you. Um, I don't see any questions for any of you in the chat right now, but um, I'll ask the group. Does anyone want to jump in, raise their hand? Um, any questions for any of our presenters today? >> Okay. I don't know who that was, Renee or Lindsay. One of one of you >> and then Larry after that. >> Uh my question was just um to David, you mentioned finance policy research and I'm wondering if that is on the website that shows the work you've done or if you could send some of it, share some of it. >> Yeah, I could share some of it and um it is on the website. I would say we have a little link for publications that that just links to our own research. But then
061um in the reports that describe the UDub soups group, there's a always a references page. >> Okay. >> And that um has more uh of the research there, too. >> I'll look there, but if you have anything you think that schoolboard directors should definitely see, please send. >> Okay, I'll think about that. will look there for the rest of it. Thank you, >> Jim. >> Okay, Lindsay, I think you were next and then Larry. >> Thanks. Um, this is for Kelly. Hi, Kelly. Uh, you had said something early on about that that the work group that you're part of. Um, you've been focusing on building empathy and awareness of each other's situations. And I feel like that is huge. Um, and it may not feel like you're getting directly to what it is that you're
062wanting to work on, but I I kind of I think I have that feeling, um, coming from Lake Washington especially, and how I guess strategies. It would be really interesting to hear the strategies that you're using as a group of superintendents to do that. Um, because I think that would be really huge for schoolboard directors to try and build more um, cohesiveness, I guess, as we move into the session. So, it's not really about the funding, but it's more about how did you how did you build that connection? And that might be a longer >> Yeah. >> No, it's such a good question. And, you know, in the last two years, I think that's probably the biggest outcome we've had so far because um I you know, these live sessions when we're not when we
063don't understand each other's situation. We basically come up with ideas that would harm each other and then legislators basically take advantage of that and then we cancel each other out. And so I think um for us I think what was helpful is we needed something that kind of we needed something that bond bonded us together and that's why we kind of used the Udub because a lot of us were connected to the U and so we had kind of something in common because our districts are so different and then it was a small enough group that we could just talk to each other about the levy, we could talk about LEA, we could talk about bonds that fail and things like that and um we've just spent a lot of time together talking through those
064issues and I think that that has been the most powerful. I do think like you know like even with WASDA like school boards you all face the politics are so microlevel. I mean in some cases the politics are different depending on where you are in your district but to try to come to some agreement across uh school boards I mean that would be extremely hard. Um, but it would be powerful, you know, because I was just talking to a superintendent Southbend and his district and my district are so different. But I think for me to see that he gets TK LEA and he already has free meals. This was the worst. And he's staying positive, trying to keep things going for his kids. But I'm like it is uh I don't know unconscionable that we
065live in a state that would do that to a a small district over on the coast. So anyways, but I I think just spending time together and WASDA is a perfect because WASDA has these ongoing um you know annual you know gettogethers and you know people from all over the state get together but I think bringing people into smaller groups representing kind of the different ESDs there's a power to doing that and then having someone who can facilitate and then the other the last part I'll just mention about that is having David is really good because we all have our own day jobs and we think we know what's best but it is actually helpful to have somebody who's smart, grounded in the research and thinks about actual numbers and things. So, um that that
066has also helped. >> Yeah. Thanks. >> Okay, Larry, and then Dave, and I'll just um remind us that we've got about five minutes left. I hope we can get to both of you. >> Mine's just a simple question. Do you folks think that the legislators know the difference between a rich school and a poor school or do they treat them all the same? >> Anybody? >> Second thing, >> pardon me. >> It's a great question. >> I think the second thing I think I think there's a general idea that we that equity means something like get making sure all the districts have roughly the same amount of resources. I think there's a there's a failure to understand differences in context. Underlying that I think there's skepticism about the impact of money and one of the
067things we need to convey I think to the legislature is that money actually matters and can make a difference. So if if we can accept that preposition then why would we have a flat funding model when we if you just look at the outcomes we have vastly different huge differences in outcomes across school districts. So if money matters then we need to target money to places where where we need to make the we can um equalize opportunities in ways that would make the outcomes less disparit across contexts in Washington. And and I think there's skepticism whether or not more money would make a difference. But that's one of the ways where research the research field has actually reached broadly a consensus that funding increases do make a big difference. and and uh I would just
068give a nod to to Kelly and and that we're all getting on the same page on some of the kind of more obvious changes that need to happen. And and I would commend you, Kelly, for some of the advocacy you did during this last session, emailing legislators and saying things like, "Look, cuts to TK don't affect me, but they affect the system as a whole, which we're all a part of. And so this matters to everybody. Even if it's not going to affect the people that I represent, I'm representing the state of Washington. So I really appreciate that letter you wrote, Kelly, and and um it's a great question, Larry. Thank you for asking it. >> And thank you for your answer. >> Great. Okay, Dave, you get to close us out. Um, so I
069I was kind of curious, Kelly, you mentioned that, you know, the things died as soon as the budget came out from the governor's office this year. And yeah, I was I've been pretty dis I was hopeful about the governor, but now recently what he's done is not an educationfriendly governor. And so I'm curious how the, you know, how we should be going about approaching the governor's office to try and change their mind. I mean there's um because um it sounds like Misha was talking about the ultimate goal of the equity funding is to get something out of OSBI which would then go to the governor but how do we any thoughts about how we you know engage the governor's office in this whole discussion? >> Yeah, I mean it goes back to what what Larry
070said. Um I the legislators I think that they're okay intentioned but I they they have no idea what LEA or TK is. Like those things are just over their head. Um and so it's when they see cuts to it unless somebody can really explain it to them. It you know it it it was it is what it is. I I think what happened was we were the legislators say that they don't really take into account the governor's budget. Like in previous years it's not that huge of a factor. he'll put out something or they'll put out something and it's not that they it's driving anything but I think this year the politics of the millionaires tax like I think it really drove people to get on the same page they needed the governor the governor
071needed them so they were basically lock step but David and I and the soups group we were basically like who told him to cut LEA and TK you know why like somebody told him that those were two good things to cut and I can't imagine that he would look for two things that just impact high poverty districts and then just cut those things. I mean somebody So we I mean we were talking about like our advocacy is still too far like we we have to get to the governor because before he puts out his budget we need to say like look if you're going to cut whatever it is you know $90 million here's a couple ways you can do that in an equitable way. I mean, he would have been better off just cutting
07290 million flat per student so that everybody has to absorb it. I mean, nobody really wants to do that, and I hate to say that for my own district, but then at least you spread it out a little bit, but by just cutting LEA and TK, it just targets districts that that need that equity funding. So anyways, um I I I think uh we we learned our lesson about the governor's budget. Like we have to do a better job uh reaching him and making sure that he's got wise counsel um before he puts out his budget recommendation. >> Yeah, I'll just jump real quick. I know we're at time, but um echoing what what Kelly just said, um we're trying to work with the governor's office much earlier. like we're meeting with them, you know,
073now we meet with them periodically all the time, but but especially on this like getting his staff, his policy staff to understand the mechanisms of this of the budget and why these things are so key and important. It's not like, oh, that looks like an easy way to just cut some money, we can just save over here. I think they were looking at, you know, anything that wasn't basic ed because if they cut basic ed, it gets harder for them, right? They have to go and justify that and it's so they're like any any I don't know. It is it is fascinating. Yeah. Obviously, he didn't com he didn't design those cuts himself. It was budget staff at OFM that said, "Here's some places we can trim." Um, again, doesn't mean it's less impactful or
074harmful for our students. So, we're we're working uh as hard as we can with his office and then also just trying to build a stronger coalition with lawmakers in general. Um, making sure they understand the impacts of the cuts this year and and the need, how real it is. I think that's hugely important. um what was said a little bit ago about the impact of money. I think it's just it's prevailent talking to lawmakers who are like well we're already well like we already give a ton of money so like shouldn't you be good and the answer is no and you don't really you know and it's been going down and the costs as you all know within have only been increasing so um I appreciate this group I appreciate all the work that you're
075all doing and uh Dr. Ari and um Dr. Knight and it'll be good to all keep working together. >> Great. Thanks you all. so much. Um, we're a couple minutes over, but if you all have other questions um, for any of our presenters, I'm sure we can share their contact information with you. Feel free to reach out to them. Um, we will see you all back here on April 21st um, from 12 to 1:30 for our next meeting. Um, and if you need things from us between now and then, let us know. Hope to see many of you at regional meetings um, between now and then. And David, Kelly, and Misha, thank you so much for your time. you're invited back to the space um anytime you have other perspective you want to share or
076questions you want to ask this group. Hope you all have a great rest of your day and thank you for kicking off the interim together. Take care. >> Thanks everyone.