HB 1767
In CommitteeHouse
School enrollment/funding
Concerning school enrollments for enrichment funding.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill updates how Washington funds school enrichment levies by adjusting state assistance for districts that collect less than $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value, expanding how student enrollment is counted, and setting a per-student funding threshold that grows with inflation. It also clarifies rules for special schools and multi-district programs.
- Starting in 2020, the state provides 'local effort assistance' to supplement school district enrichment levies, with higher aid for districts whose levy rate is below $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.
- For districts with levies at or above $1.50 per $1,000, the state provides full (maximum) local effort assistance; for lower levies, aid is prorated.
- State-tribal education compact schools receive funding based on the prior-year enrichment levy per student from their host district, capped at $1,550 (adjusted for inflation) per student.
- The state local effort assistance threshold is $1,550 per student, increased annually by inflation (based on the Seattle-area consumer price index).
- Student enrollment for funding purposes now includes headcount in grades K–12, alternative learning, dropout reengagement, running start, early childhood programs, and special education for ages 3–5.
Who is affected
- State-tribal education compact schools — School districts with enrichment levy rates below $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value will receive increased state funding to help make up the difference, up to a set threshold, based on their actual levy and enrollment.
- High school districts in 'high/nonhigh' relationships — These schools will receive state funding based on the prior year’s enrichment levy per student from their host district, up to a maximum adjusted for inflation.
- School districts participating in innovation academies — Only the nonhigh (feeder) districts can count students attending the high school for funding purposes, affecting how local effort assistance is allocated.
- All Washington school districts — Student enrollments at the academy will be split proportionally among participating districts for funding calculations.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The prorated local effort assistance for districts levying below $1.50 per $1,000 provides targeted state support to lower-wealth districts that cannot raise sufficient local revenue without exceeding statutory levy limits—helping reduce disparities in per-pupil funding across districts.
FinancialPeopleRef: RCW 28A.500.015(2)(a); RCW 84.52.0531(1)State-tribal education compact schools receive funding based on the prior-year host district’s levy per student (capped at $1,550 + inflation), ensuring greater equity for tribal schools that previously relied on host districts for funding and were vulnerable to underfunding due to lower local levy capacity.
EducationPeopleRef: RCW 28A.500.015(2)(c); RCW 84.52.0531(2)(b)Expanding student enrollment to include headcount across alternative learning, dropout reengagement, running start, early childhood, and special education (ages 3–5) better reflects actual student needs and ensures funding follows students into high-need programs—particularly benefiting vulnerable populations like foster youth, English learners, and students with disabilities.
EducationPeopleRef: RCW 28A.500.015(4)(f); RCW 84.52.0531(2)(d)Districts levying at or above $1.50 per $1,000 receive full state local effort assistance, providing predictability and stability for districts that have already reached the statutory levy cap—reducing pressure to raise levies further and allowing local control over budget planning.
Local GovernmentRef: RCW 28A.500.015(2)(b); RCW 84.52.0531(1)The inflation-adjusted per-student threshold ($1,550 + CPI) provides long-term predictability for state funding and helps districts plan multi-year budgets—though it does not fully restore adequacy, it prevents further erosion from inflation.
EducationLean peopleRef: RCW 28A.500.015(1); RCW 84.52.0531(1)
Potential Concerns (5)
The bill maintains a fixed $1.50 per $1,000 assessed value levy cap for state assistance eligibility, which has not been adjusted for inflation or rising property values since its inception—effectively freezing the baseline for state support. This means districts in high-cost areas (e.g., Seattle, Bellevue) that already levy near or above $1.50 receive full state aid, while lower-wealth districts remain dependent on state formulas that do not fully close the gap, perpetuating inequity.
FinancialRef: RCW 28A.500.015(2)(a) and (b); RCW 84.52.0531(1)The $1,550 per-student state local effort assistance threshold, while inflation-adjusted, is still below the actual cost of providing a constitutionally adequate basic education as determined by the Washington Supreme Court in *McCleary v. State*—which found the state underfunded basic education by over $3 billion annually pre-reform, and ongoing gaps persist.
EducationRef: RCW 28A.500.015(2)(c); RCW 84.52.0531(1)The eligibility threshold for state assistance is based on whether a district’s $1.50 levy generates less than the state threshold per student—meaning districts with higher property values can more easily hit the $1.50 levy cap and receive full state aid, while districts with lower assessed values (often rural or low-income) remain ineligible or underfunded, increasing administrative burden on those districts to justify aid requests.
Local GovernmentRef: RCW 28A.500.015(4)(a); RCW 84.52.0531(2)(b)The inflation adjustment uses only the Seattle-area CPI, not a statewide or national index—potentially over- or under-adjusting for districts outside the Puget Sound region, especially in rural areas where cost-of-living and inflation patterns differ significantly.
FinancialRef: RCW 28A.500.015(4)(e); RCW 84.52.0531(2)(b)The rule that only nonhigh districts can count students attending a high school in a high/nonhigh relationship may reduce funding for the high school itself, potentially harming students in consolidated or shared-service districts—especially in rural areas where such arrangements are common and necessary for viability.
EducationRef: RCW 28A.500.015(5) and (6); RCW 84.52.0531(3) and (4)
Who Is Most Affected
Lower-wealth districts (e.g., rural, parts of Eastern WA) benefit from increased state aid to offset lower local property tax bases, but still face challenges if the $1,550 threshold remains below actual cost of adequate education.
State-tribal compact schools gain more reliable and equitable funding tied to host district levies, reducing past inequities—but the $1,550 cap may still fall short of program costs, especially for specialized culturally responsive programming.
Families in high-need programs (special education, dropout reengagement, early childhood) benefit from more accurate funding based on headcount rather than FTE, but overall impact depends on whether increased funding translates to improved services.
Local governments (school boards, superintendents) gain clarity and predictability in funding formulas, but still face constraints from the capped levy and incomplete adequacy—shifting more responsibility to local tax collection within strict limits.
Property owners in high-assessed-value districts (e.g., Seattle, Bellevue) may see little change in their levy burden, as those districts already hit the $1.50 cap and receive full state aid—but they indirectly bear part of the cost through broader state taxes funding the assistance.