Reduce Early Elementary Class Size

Governor/House: Chapter 236, Laws of 2010 (SHB 2776) established new funding formulas for basic education programs, requiring class sizes of 17 students for grades kindergarten through three (K-3) by the 2017-18 school year. The 2015-17 budget provides state funding for K-3 class size of 17 students starting in the 2016-17 school year. This changes allocations from 25.23 provided through the general formula, and in high poverty schools, from 20.3 for grades K-1 and 24.1 for grades 2 and 3. Allocations for K-3 class sizes in the 2016-17 school year will be based on the school district’s documented actual average class size. Districts demonstrating space restrictions may use the funding for school-based staffing to provide direct services to K-3 students.
Senate: Chapter 236, Laws of 2010 (SHB 2776) established new funding formulas for basic education programs, requiring class sizes of 17 students for grades Kindergarten through three (K-3) by the 2017-18 school year. The 2015-17 budget reduces class size in a manner which follows the cohort of students who have already received the benefit of state funded class size reduction, with first priority to those elementary schools with the highest percentage of students eligible for the federal Free and Reduced-Price Lunch program. Funding is provided to fully implement a class size of 17 for K-1 students in high poverty schools in the 2016-17 school year. Allocations for K-3 class sizes will be based on the school district’s documented actual average class size.