The Federal Way School District, along with 11 other school districts, lost its court case to fully fund special education.
The state court of appeals heard the case last Tuesday and confirmed a lower court’s ruling that the state’s current funding of special education was not unconstitutional.
“The district is deeply disappointed,” district spokeswoman Diane Turner said.
Federal Way Public Schools filed the lawsuit back in 2004 among a coalition of 12 districts.
“Given the State of Washington’s clear constitutional obligation to provide ample resources for the education of all children, we are deeply disappointed that the Court of Appeals failed to recognize that the current funding of special education is inadequate,” said Tom Murphy, Superintendent of Federal Way Public Schools, in a press release. “The reality remains that special education is significantly underfunded, resulting in impacts for all children.”
Other school districts in the alliance include Bellingham, Bethel, Burlington-Edison, Everett, Issaquah, Lake Washington, Mercer Island, Northshore, Puyallup, Riverside and Spokane.
Federal Way is still currently embroiled in another lawsuit regarding funding.
On Oct. 24, 2006, the board voted to pursue a lawsuit regarding inequitable school funding against the state of Washington.
The district contends that there are large differences in state funding from one school district to another.
At the time the lawsuit was filed, the Federal Way School District was the 7th largest in the state and was ranked 263 out of 296 districts in the state for dollars-per-student funding.
By the district’s estimates, Federal Way could have received about $11 million more a year.
Districts that have signed resolutions supporting Federal Way
Anacortes School District
Bellevue School District
Central Kitsap School District
Concrete School District
Everett School District
Granger School District
Grapeview School District
Hood Canal School District
Kiona-Benton City School District
Lake Stevens School District
Lakewood School District
Monroe School District
North Mason School District
Northshore School District
Newport School District
Ocean Beach School District
Peninsula School District
Port Angeles School District
Republic School District
Sedro-Woolley School District
Shelton School District
South Kitsap School District
Southside School District
Sultan School District
Sumner School District
Tahoma School District
Walla Walla School District
Wenatchee School District
White Salmon School District
Others expressing support
Edmonds School District
University Place School District
Federal Way PTSA Council
