News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 5, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Locke Unveils Details of Washington Education Trust Fund to Provide Dedicated, Stable Funding for Education

Gov. Gary Locke today unveiled details of the Washington Education Trust Fund, which would provide new, dedicated and stable funding for education – from preschool through college.

Joining Locke at a news conference today were Lisa Macfarlane, Steve Miller and Roger Erskine, founders of the League of Education Voters; Terry Bergeson, state superintendent of public instruction; and representatives of key education stakeholder groups, including Garrison Kurtz, director of programs for the Foundation for Early Learning; and Bill Marler, regent of Washington State University.

“We have made great strides in education reform, but we must do more to make sure our children are prepared for the global, high tech, 21st century economy that awaits them when they graduate,” Locke said.

“The magnitude of this issue demands bold, visionary action now. Our education system must keep up with the demands of the new economy. We must give every child from every background a chance to do well in school, and the opportunity for higher education.

“This is about three things – our kids, our jobs and our future. A good education is not only the great equalizer – it’s the key to a vibrant economy and a better quality of life for the citizens of Washington state. Education benefits everyone.”

Last year, responding to Locke’s call to find a dedicated, stable funding source for education, the League of Education Voters met with education stakeholders across the state to discuss the issue, and conducted numerous town hall meetings with citizens.

Macfarlane said, “We crisscrossed Washington, talking to people in every corner of the state about this proposal. We found that the citizens of Washington state are willing to invest in additional funding for education, as long as the money in the trust fund is guaranteed to be spent on education.”

The Washington Education Trust Fund would invest in Washington’s future through an improved education system. The vision is to have:

Every child ready for school
Every student meeting today’s high standards
Every student prepared for college, work and life
Education investments supporting the state’s economic development

The Washington Education Trust Fund would be founded on principles that ensure new funding goes where it’s needed most, and that there is strong accountability to make sure funds are spent the way citizens expect.

The trust fund would provide new funding for education, derived from a 1 cent per dollar state sales tax increase that would generate about $1 billion annually. This would be in addition to existing state funding for education. The Legislature would not be able use the Washington Education Trust Fund to reduce, supplant or adversely impact existing state funding.

Other principles of the trust fund include:

Helping every child succeed at every level of education and move smoothly from early education through higher education
Flexibility that allows local communities to meet local needs
Flexibility that allows state colleges and universities to implement the Legislature’s master plan for higher education
Accountability that ensures new funding is spent in ways approved by citizens

The trust fund also would include creation of the Citizen Oversight Board, which would be required to review and audit programs funded by the trust fund, and to report findings to the public.

Kurtz said, “Parents and teachers increasingly understand the importance of early education and school readiness as a strategy for closing the student achievement gap. Closing the achievement gap requires closing the preparation gap.”

Erskine said, “This is about fulfilling the promise of high academic standards and fully funding I-728 as voters intended.”

Marler said, “We have an obligation to assure all high school graduates with the interest and ability for college have access to that education. We cannot afford to not invest in education.”

The proposed revenue distribution plan for the Washington Education Trust Fund is as follows:

Early Education: $100 million/year
Provide 10,000 new high-quality preschool slots for low-income children
Set standards for state-funded preschool programs that are tied to learning outcomes
Use kindergarten “readiness” benchmarks to better align preschool and K-3 education programs

K-12: $500 million/year
Restore full funding of Initiative 728 as voters intended and expand 728’s authorized uses to include parental involvement
Support and reward teachers in their professional skill development at various levels of their career (beginning certification, mentor teacher and national board certification)
Focus new resources on high schools to ensure that all students successfully complete high school and are fully prepared for rigorous post secondary education or training
Provide new, additional resources to the students and schools most challenged by poverty and second language issues
Provide additional support for advanced learning programs and dual high school/college credit programs
Encourage college students to become teachers by forgiving education loans to students who complete teacher certification programs in high demand teaching areas

Higher Education: $400 million/year
Meet the ever-increasing demand for higher education by providing state funding for 25,000 students of all ages at the average level provided by other states for comparable institutions across the nation
Train the workforce that industries need by providing state funding for 7,000 additional students in high-demand fields – and at a rate of 200 percent of the nationwide average for state funding of similar colleges and universities
Extend the governor’s Washington Promise Scholarships to the top 30 percent of high school graduating classes and set the value of the scholarships at up to 100 percent of community college tuition
Fully fund State Need Grants at 65 percent of median family income
Provide funding for university research that fuels economic growth in Washington as well as technology and laboratory support for faculty in leading-edge fields
Provide new state matching grants for research

Locke plans to have further discussions with legislative leadership and decide on the best path forward for the trust fund this legislative session. No matter what path is chosen, the decision will ultimately be put before voters in November.

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Washington Education Trust Fund
Investing in Our Families, Our Schools and Our Future

The most important thing washington can do for its people is teach its students well. No endeavor is more critical than education in keeping and building the state’s competitive edge in the world economy. And when it comes to quality of life, there is no substitute for a good education.

Time to Retool and Refuel
Education is improving in Washington State. Higher standards for academic achievement are in place and more students are meeting them each year. Our students are scoring at the top in national tests. Our state colleges and universities are among the nation’s best. But it also is clear that we need to help the education system meet the demands of the New Economy. And we cannot wait – because the leaks in the state’s education pipeline are growing:

§ Too many children start school unprepared and there are waiting lists for low-income kids needing vital preschool education.

§ Our public school classes are still the fourth most crowded in the nation and our state per-student funding is increasingly below average.

§ There is no room in our state colleges and universities for the growing classes of high school graduates and individuals needing retraining. We need to increase – not curtail – opportunity.

It is time to retool and refuel.

$1 Billion a Year in Dedicated New Funding

Education has been Governor Gary Locke’s highest priority since he took office. He led initiatives to increase funding for public schools, only to see these investments undercut by a decline in the economy and a national recession. The Governor recognizes that an unwavering financial commitment to education is necessary to keep the state on course to prosperity. And that is why the Governor – with the input of the education community and League of Education Voters – developed a plan to raise $1 billion a year in new, dedicated education funding to ensure that Washington students are prepared to succeed.

Preparing Our Children to Succeed in School and Life
The Washington Education Trust Fund, which would be created by a vote of the people, invests in Washington’s future by investing in education. Its goals are:

§ Every child ready for school.

§ Every student meeting today’s high academic standards.

§ Every student prepared for college, work and life.

§ Education investments supporting the state’s economic investments.

A Principled and Accountable Approach
The Washington Education Trust Fund is founded on principles that ensure new funding goes where it’s needed most, and that there is strong accountability to make sure funds are spent the way citizens expect.

First and foremost is the promise that new funding for education is in addition to existing state funding for education, and that the Legislature cannot use the trust fund to reduce, supplant or adversely impact existing state funding. Other principles include:

§ Helping every child succeed at every level of education and move smoothly from early education through higher education.

§ Flexibility that allows local communities to meet local needs.

§ Flexibility that allows state colleges and universities to implement the Legislature’s master plan for higher education.

§ Accountability that ensures new funding is spent in ways approved by citizens.

The trust fund includes creation of the Citizen Oversight Board, which is required to review and audit programs funded by the trust, and to report findings to the public.

How the Money is Distributed
The Washington Education Trust Fund created in the state treasury prescribes distribution of annual revenue collections through a simple formula that balances the needs of the education system – from preschool to college. Under the revenue distribution plan:

§ 10 percent goes to early education.

§ 50 percent goes to K-12 public schools.

§ 40 percent goes to state colleges and universities.

Early Education – $100 million
Preparing young children to be ready for success when they enter schools is essential. The trust fund sets the stage for better preschool services to children ages 3 and 4. It helps low-income children be better prepared for school while building a broadly available, high-quality preschool program offered on a sliding-scale basis for all families that choose it. The program will:

§ Provide 10,000 new high-quality preschool slots for low-income children.

§ Set new quality standards for preschool programs that are tied to learning outcomes.

§ Use kindergarten “readiness” benchmarks to better align preschool and K-3 education programs.

K-12 Schools – $500 million
Washington’s public schools educate more than 1 million children each year. In 2000, voters approved Initiative 728, which reduces class sizes and provides before- and after-school programs, tutoring and teacher training. But scheduled increases in funding for I-728 programs had to be suspended because of state budget problems caused by a decline in the national economy. The Washington Education Trust Fund will:

Restore full funding of Initiative 728 as voters intended and expand the initiative’s authorized uses to include parent involvement.
Support and reward teachers in their professional skill development at various levels of their careers – beginning certification, mentor teacher and national board certification.
Focus new resources on high schools to ensure that all students are fully prepared for rigorous post-secondary education or training.
Provide new, additional resources to the students and schools most challenged by poverty and second-language issues.
§ Provide additional support for advanced learning, including programs in which students can earn college credits in high school.

§ Encourage college students to become teachers by forgiving education loans to students who complete teacher certification programs in high-demand teaching areas.

Higher Education – $400 million
The state’s colleges and universities are not only the gateway to a fulfilling life. They also are an economic engine that propels the state economy by providing a well-educated, well-trained workforce that can meet the demands of emerging industries, and by leading research that fuels growth in those same industries. The Washington Education Trust Fund will:

§ Meet the surging demand for higher education created in part by the largest graduating classes in state history, starting in 2008. The Washington Education Trust Fund will provide state funding for 25,000 students of all ages at the average level provided by other states for comparable institutions across the nation.

§ Train the workforce that industries need by providing state funding for 7,000 additional students in high-demand fields – and at a rate of 200 percent of the nationwide average for state funding of similar colleges and universities.

§ Make college more affordable by extending Promise Scholarships to the top 30 percent of high school graduating classes, setting the value of the scholarships at up to 100 percent of community college tuition for two years, and by raising eligibility for state need grants to 65 percent of median family income.

§ Provide $100 million for university research that fuels economic growth in Washington, including technology and laboratory support for faculty in leading-edge fields and new state matching grants for research.

One Penny for Education
The Washington Education Trust Fund plan will put before voters statewide a proposal for a one-cent increase in the state sales tax to raise $1 billion a year in new funding for the more than 1.2 million Washington students in early childhood education, the state’s K-12 schools and its colleges and universities. This new revenue source is preferred because:

§ Citizens believe that everyone benefits from education, so everyone should pay to support it.

§ Voters strongly support raising the sales tax rate for a dedicated Education Trust Fund.


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