Special Issue Focus: Early Learning

The Washington state constitution regards education as the “paramount” responsibility of state government. Unfortunately, state resources devoted to K-12 have continually declined, both for infrastructure (there are still 12,000 portable temporary classroom buildings at schools across the state) and for general operation. We’re near the bottom in the country in teacher pay, classroom size and per-pupil expenditure, right down there with Mississippi.As I visit voters at their doors, some tell me that we’re “throwing money at the schools and look what we’ve got.”

I’m sorry, but we’re not throwing money at the schools. (more…)