Assessing Education in Washington State: Challenges and Opportunities
Washington State, known for its stunning natural landscapes and innovative companies, faces significant challenges in its education system. Recent data reveals a concerning trend in student achievement, prompting discussions about funding, policy, and the allocation of resources. This article delves into the current state of education in Washington, examining key performance indicators, analyzing contributing factors, and exploring potential solutions to improve outcomes for all students.
Current Ranking and Performance Indicators
According to an analysis by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Washington was ranked 27th, a drop of one spot from last year. This ranking considers various factors related to education, health, family, and economic well-being. The Kids Count Data Book also tracks family, health and economic data trends.
Several data points highlight areas of concern:
- Reading Proficiency: Washington fourth graders have delivered below-efficient reading achievement scores seven times since 2010, according to The Annie E. Casey Foundation Data Center. For two decades, reading proficiency has remained largely unchanged in Washington. In 2005, 64% of the state’s 4th graders failed to meet reading standards.
- Math Proficiency: The math proficiency levels of fourth graders in Washington have also decreased slowly since 2013. Fifty-two percent of fourth graders were below proficient in math in 2013, a number that has risen as high as 65% in 2022. The study also tracked eighth graders’ math achievement levels and showed a sharp jump in inefficiency. Eighth-graders’ reading proficiency has also suffered since 2017.
- Achievement Gaps: The percentage of students not meeting consistent grade level math and English language arts is especially concerning for students of color. While Asian and White students outperform their peers across all test categories, only 35.6% of Black students and only 34.1% of Hispanic students are performing at consistent grade level in English language arts, and less than 24% of Black and Hispanic are performing at consistent grade level in math. Native Hawaiian, American Indian, and Alaskan Native students are at an even greater disadvantage, with about 25% performing at consistent grade level in English language arts and about 17% in math.
- National Ranking Decline: While Washington students ranked in the top 10 a decade ago in math and reading performance on national assessments, they now rank 27th in fourth-grade math, 18th in fourth-grade reading, 25th in eighth-grade math, and 18th in eighth-grade reading.
Factors Contributing to the Challenges
Several factors have contributed to the current state of education in Washington:
- Funding Cuts: Stephan Blanford, executive director of the Children’s Alliance based in Seattle, said this lays the groundwork for below-average on-time graduation rates. “The fact that our state has made such significant cuts in early education as a result of the last legislative session means it’s pretty easy to predict that these numbers are on the way downward,” said Blanford, speaking broadly about education trends. State lawmakers agreed this year to delay previously approved expansions to state-paid early learning in the face of a hefty budget shortfall. Blanford voiced disappointment that state leaders, particularly Gov.
- Pandemic Impact: Public school enrollment peaked in 2018-19, prior to the prolonged COVID-related school closures. Since then, public school enrollment has declined by 2.6% and has yet to recover. Meanwhile, school districts are grappling with tough budget decisions of their own as federal aid provided during the pandemic has dried up, and as enrollment is down in many places.
- Opportunity Gaps: By the time a child enters kindergarten, opportunity gaps are clearly apparent. Washington kindergarten readiness data from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) illustrates disparities rooted in both household income and race and ethnicity. Because early learning is predominantly treated as a private good that parents pay for at least partially out of pocket, economic disparities have a particularly acute effect in early learning outcomes. Children who reside in households with an income that is at least 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) are 70% more likely to be prepared for kindergarten than children who live in households with incomes at or below 110% of the FPL. Racial equity is another critical intersection in understanding children’s educational outcomes. Opportunity gaps that accumulate in a child’s first five years of life result in less than half of Black, Indigenous, and Latino children having the support they need for kindergarten readiness, even as a majority of their White and Asian peers receive the resources they need to be prepared for kindergarten.
Addressing the Challenges: Proposed Solutions
Despite the challenges, there are ongoing efforts to improve education in Washington. Several initiatives and proposals aim to address learning loss, improve student performance, and promote equity:
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- Structured Literacy Programs: House Bill 1832: Specifically, to address learning loss and declining test scores, House Republicans have a comprehensive proposal to get students on track. We would first require a structured literacy program following the science of reading in every school district. We would target funding for struggling students, especially those in poverty, and hire reading coaches in elementary schools. We would also offer up to $12,000 bonuses for teachers and paraeducators who directly improve student performance. Once those measures are in place, we would require students to read at grade level before entering the fourth grade.
- Financial Education: House Bill 1285: We would also finally make financial education a graduation requirement.
- School Safety and Classroom Order: House Bill 1637: House Republicans also aim to keep students safe and empower teachers to maintain classroom order.
- Parental Choice: House Bill 1140: In addition, House Republicans would improve public schools by empowering parents to choose the education best suited for their children. By allocating financial resources to students whose needs are unmet by the public school system, we can introduce competition and improve outcomes for all students in Washington.
- Early Learning Investment: Why does early learning matter? Children’s Alliance focuses on early learning as a key advocacy area because it is so important to lifelong learning and community. When a child enters an early learning environment, whether it is child care or state-funded preschool, they become part of a community that is more independent of their parents. Their experiences with teachers, other children, and the educational resources provided form a foundation for how they interact with education. Children who experience a positive, supportive environment with plentiful resources often enthusiastically announce that they love preschool! It is fun, and within that fun space, they are also getting all the developmental support they need to be able to read, learn math, and navigate their social environment in a healthy way. Every child deserves this experience, but we know that there are vast opportunity gaps that make it harder for children to learn well and feel safe in their school communities.
State Investment in Education
State spending on K-12 public schools has grown significantly, more than doubling over the past decade. Across state, local, and federal sources, school districts received $42.3 billion in the 2025-27 operating budget. This equates to an average total per-student spending of $19,603 ($19,955 according to NEA estimates), which puts Washington at the top of its peers for state spending. The majority of K-12 spending goes toward staff salaries for teachers, administrators, and classified employees. While the state provides a competitive market rate salary allocation, actual salaries are determined through collective bargaining agreements between labor unions and school districts. Washington state pays some of the nation’s highest teacher salaries and benefits. Washington ranks 3rd in the country for starting teacher salaries and 2nd for average teacher salaries.
The Importance of Economic Well-being
Economic security and stability are foundational to success in all areas of life. No one can adequately dedicate time to their health or education if they do not have what they need to survive. In recent years, we have seen our state start to move in the right direction, including through incremental steps toward tax equity. We are optimistic that ongoing advocacy will continue to push this positive trend forward and ensure that those furthest from opportunity have access to the resources they need to not just survive but thrive. Washington state ranked 28th in economic well-being, placing us in the bottom half of states according to 2024 KIDS COUNT® data. The Annie E. Casey Foundation estimates economic well-being rankings on the following indicators: Why does economic well-being matter? It is essentially impossible to separate economic inequity from all other forms of inequity. When identifying root causes or policy solutions to any number of social or political issues, the economic factor is inescapable. Research has linked poverty to youth outcomes in health, education, and behavior, to name a few. As a result, we must ensure that, alongside solutions for addressing health and early learning disparities, we pass preventative measures that lift families out of poverty and provide economic stability. This is important for families of color, especially Black families, who hold a disproportionately small amount of wealth due to centuries of systemic racism depriving them of opportunities for upward social mobility. There are two primary means of addressing economic insecurity that have recently had some success in Washington. First, we have seen some improvements as our state moves toward a more progressive tax structure. Until this year, Washington was ranked as the state with the most regressive tax system, meaning we placed a significant burden on working families to source our state’s revenue. Thanks to recent improvements in our tax code, including through the capital gains tax, we now rank #49. The other form of economic relief that has proven to be successful in Washington is providing direct cash benefits. Many municipalities across the state have run highly promising Guaranteed Basic Income pilot programs in which families were awarded small monthly cash payments to spend as they please. The vast majority of recipient families spent this money on necessities such as rent, food, and health care. The State of Washington has also launched the Working Families Tax Credit, which is our state’s form of the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit. The Working Families Tax Credit provides families with low incomes with additional economic relief based on their income. The combination of direct cash benefits and progressive revenue has started to slowly lift some of the burden from working families in our state and offer meaningful solutions to addressing economic insecurity.
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