Speaking at a news conference from the Old Capitol Building in Olympia, Reykdal argued that the state is once again failing to fulfill its constitutional duty to amply fund basic education for more than one million public school students across Washington.
State law expressly forbids school districts from deploying local maintenance and operation levies to fund basic education programs.
Classified Staff Wages and Funding for Substitute Teachers Beyond physical facility operations, Reykdal's budget plan targets severe labor strains among education support professionals and classified school personnel.
The superintendent is formally asking lawmakers to restore full state funding for the Transition to Kindergarten program, an early learning initiative that provides targeted pre-kindergarten preparation for young children who demonstrate developmental, social, or academic gaps before entering formal elementary grades.
Washington currently funds free school meals for approximately 70 percent of public school pupils through federal and state community eligibility provisions.
Superintendent Chris Reykdal asks Governor Ferguson and lawmakers for nearly $2 billion in the 2027-2029 budget to fund basic education as schools face soaring insurance and utility costs.