A North Olympic Peninsula school superintendent is leading the charge toward what could be the most sweeping lawsuit against the state over education spending in decades.
Chimacum School District Superintendent Mike Blair heads an organization called Network for Excellence in Washington Schools, comprised of about 12 school districts throughout the state.
Along with the Washington Education Association – the largest teachers union – and the League of Women Voters, the Network for Excellence is planning to sue to ask a court to define basic education under the law, review state legislators’ constitutional obligations to make education the state’s “paramount duty,” and order the state to increase funding in line with actual costs.
The groups have been discussing the lawsuit for the past 18 months, Blair said.
He said he will make an announcement later this week, giving a schedule of plans to file the lawsuit – which could be done this week, the first of the 2007-08 Legislature.
“The main concern is stability,” Blair said.
“When times are good, we [school districts] get funding.
“When times are bad our funding gets eroded.”
