It appears that the House and Senate have reached an agreement on a spending plan to close $242 million of the projected $566 million shortfall in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011. A conference committee was created today, and a comparison budget summary was released this morning.
Of note to public schools proponents is a $25.4 million retroactive cut to K-4, along with some funding adjustments. The K-4 reduction is on top of a $39 million cut in the early action supplemental, HB 3225, adopted last December. Cuts took effect February 1, 2011.
On the positive side, local effort assistance (LEA) and program funding for highly capable students and readiness to learn were spared in the supplemental operating budget.
Read the full update.
Updates on the Legislature and state government from the Washington State School Directors' Association.
