Southwest Washington State: School property taxes vs. results – What happened?

Property owners have seen taxes skyrocket over the past 5+ years as funding for schools has risen. Two years ago the State legislature increased State school property taxes from $1.98/$1000 of assessed value to $2.89/1000 in Clark County. Add levies (as we go to press the levy cap has been raised from $1.50 to $2.50); capital bonds and other fees and service costs and many people are nearing their wit’s (and financial) end. Today K-12 education consumes more than 50% of the state budget…and for what? Have test scores risen? (No they’ve declined). Have graduation rates improved? (They are flat or down). What measures of success do we see?

In this report we share the following with you:

1) Funding per student over the past 5 years for WA State and the local school districts in Southwest Washington

2) Data on expense increases vs. the inflation rate for the last 5 years

3) Data on graduation rates and testing scores

4) Teacher salary and Administrative cost increases

5) Costs of private school vs. public school

6) A voucher proposal for your consideration

Something is seriously out of control. Basic education has given way to bloated budgets that have little or nothing to do with the quality of education and more about emotions and counseling and taking the place of parents in raising children.

Public School costs K-12 in Washington State Change 2013-14 to 2018-19

U.S. Inflation Rate: $100 in 2013 to 2018

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, prices in 2018 are 7.79% higher than average prices throughout 2013. The dollar experienced an average inflation rate of 1.51% per year during this period, meaning the real value of a dollar decreased.

In other words, $100 in 2013 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $107.79 in 2018, a difference of $7.79 over 5 years.

The 2013 inflation rate was 1.46%. The inflation rate in 2018 was 2.44%. The 2018 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 1.23% per year between 2018 and 2019.

Increase in funding vs. inflation – Funding has increased at a rate of 4.65x to 5.97x the inflation rate…that’s right!!!  The growth in funding is nearly 5 to 6 times the inflation rate in the same period of time!!!

Breakdown by school district in this link: http://fiscal.wa.gov/K12.aspx

Battle Ground – http://www.swweducation.org/?p=5774

Camas – http://www.swweducation.org/?p=5836

Evergreen – http://www.swweducation.org/?p=5744

Green Mountain – http://www.swweducation.org/?p=5810

Hockinson – http://www.swweducation.org/?p=5825

La Center – http://www.swweducation.org/?p=5801

Ridgefield – http://www.swweducation.org/?p=5785

Vancouver – http://www.swweducation.org/?p=5757

Washougal – http://www.swweducation.org/?p=5846

Woodland – http://www.swweducation.org/?p=5857

How do public school expenditures per student compare to private schools in Clark County, WA?

Private High Schools

Seton Catholic = $14,300/yr

Kings Way Christian = $11,960/yr

Elementary Schools

Kings Way: K-5 = $8,165/yr and 6-8 = $8,970/yr

Cornerstone Christian: K-5 = $7,160/yr and 6-8 = $7,710/yr

Home Schooling

• There is a body of evidence that says home schooled students perform as well or better than those in public or private schools
• Costs are a fraction of traditional schools. (This does require a parent to forgo an outside income which a voucher program could partially offset)

Thoughts:

1) Private Elementary schools appear to cost 50-60% of public schools

2) Private High Schools appear to cost 75-100% of public schools

3) Performance, based on what we could find, show comparable results

4) Home schooling is growing in popularity as parents rebel over legislative mandates as well as curriculum that reaches outside education and steps into moral’s and parenting

Questions:

Scenario: If Washington State had a “voucher” program that took the amount spent per FTE in that school district the family lived in and split the amount spent per student 50/50 = ~$6400 to $7500. The parent could take that voucher to any school of their choice. If they chose public then the district gets the full amount. If they chose private the public school district would keep the other ½ to spend on remaining students.

• Would parents find that acceptable?

• Would legislators find that palatable?

• How would teachers unions react?

• Is competition good for education?

So how have testing scores, graduation rates and other measures of outcomes changed in the 2013-2018 time frame? If you click the link under each of the charts above you will go to an article we published on each of the districts so you can see for yourself. (Hint: No appreciable improvement and some evidence of declines rather than improvements).

Are you ok with the status quo? Are you prepared to approve yet more levy money? If a district goes from $1.50/$1000 of assessed value to the newly approved $2.50/$1000 what does it mean? Example: $400,000 assessed value home levy (only) at $1.50/$1000 = $600. The new maximum rate of $2.50/$1000 = $1000. So the levy (only) increase goes from $600 to $1000 = 60% increase…this on top of the higher State school property tax that went into place 2 years ago. If you are concerned…upset…mad…what are you going to do about it? Will you contact your school board? Will you contact your legislators? Or…will you say…we support the kids and will spend whatever amount of money they want even if nothing gets better?