Washington legislators wrapped up their 2008 regular session this month by adopting revisions to the state’s two-year operating budget that will provide an additional $106 million for the state’s K-12 system.

The 60-day session also saw significant revisions in education policy, particularly in mathematics instruction. Under a bill sent to the governor, the state will move away from using the math component of Washington Assessment of Student Learning as a high school graduation requirement, transitioning instead to "end-of-course" assessments. Lawmakers also signaled they want increased oversight over the adoption and implementation of new mathematics standards.

The primary assignment for this short, even-year session was adjusting the state’s 2007-09 biennial budget, done through a "supplemental" budget. After wrangling over how much of the state’s current revenue surplus should be held in reserve, the House and Senate agreed on a plan that will increase spending by $306 million.

The supplemental budget includes $105.7 million for K-12 programs, with more than half that amount allocated to cover mandatory expenses related to enrollment increases and other maintenance-driven costs.

The remainder ($49.8 million) is for policy-related spending. Key K-12 policy changes this year include:

• WASL – Last year, the Legislature adopted a five-year delay in using the math WASL as one of the state’s high school graduation requirements. Following several months of study, lawmakers have now voted to scrap the math WASL as a graduation requirement and replace it with end-of-course assessments in mathematics. The new assessment scheme will take effect as a graduation requirement starting with the class of 2014. Other state requirements, such as passing the reading and writing WASLs and completing a culminating project, remain in place.

Lawmakers also directed the state to pare down the costs of scoring all elementary and middle school WASLs by using more multiple-choice problems in place of open-ended questions. The supplemental budget provides an increase of $16.6 million for WASL-related items, which includes $3.2 million to implement end-of-course assessments. In a break from past procedures, much of this funding will be directed to OSPI through the governor’s budget office, which will conduct quarterly evaluations to ensure OSPI is meeting legislative requirements. Additionally, a legislative WASL workgroup will be established to review and evaluate the state’s assessment system and make recommendations to improve it.

• Math standards – At the end of February, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson delivered a final draft of revised state mathematics standards to the Legislature. Instead of allowing the proposed standards to go into effect, the Legislature directed the State Board of Education to review the draft and, if necessary, make changes. Lawmakers targeted July 31 for completion of the standards, but also set a deadline of Sept. 25 for final adoption.

• Extended learning opportunities – The budget includes $15.8 million for enhancements to the state Learning Assistance Program (LAP), including use of funds to support struggling students participating in a new Extended Learning Opportunities program. A "bonus" is also provided to school districts with high concentrations of low income and bilingual students.

Other highlights of the 2008 supplemental budget include:

• Salary increases – The final supplemental budget provides a .5 percent cost-of-living adjustment to teachers, support staff and other state-funded positions in school districts. Under collective bargaining agreements, districts will be required to use local funds to provide the same COLA to staff that are not state-funded.

• Classified staff ratio – The budget provides $3.1 million to reduce the classified staff ratio to one per 58.75 students (the current level is one per 59 students).

• Full-day kindergarten – Lawmakers rejected a House proposal to "save" $8 million by freezing the expansion of full-day kindergarten. The supplemental budget maintains the funding provided in the underlying biennial budget to phase in full-day kindergarten to schools in the top 20 percent of poverty.

• Promoting Academic Success – Legislators voted to eliminate the program (saving $19.3 million) at the end of the 2007-08 school year.

• Levy Equalization – Both houses agreed to increase the "per pupil inflator" to six percent in the 2008-09 school year. The final budget includes the same funding ($1.9 million) to increase state funding for Local Effort Assistance (also know as levy equalization) as a result of the change in the per pupil inflator.

• School librarians –The budget provides $4 million to boost school library materials and services, providing an allocation of approximately $4 per student for library enhancements.

• Career and technical education – The budget includes $2.8 million for enhancements to career and technical programs.

• Skills Centers – The supplemental capital budget (for construction projects) includes funding for several skills centers across the state.

• OSPI Technology – The budget provides $1.8 million to update OSPI’s apportionment system.

• Non-Employee Related Costs –The budget includes $6.5 million in additional NERC funding.