8 funding stories shaping Washington state education

Washington state schools are feeling the impact of changing funding streams and policy shifts. Major districts like Tacoma and Clover Park rely heavily on federal dollars, which face uncertainty.

Projects like Tacoma’s planned Larchmont Elementary schoolyard overhaul are now on hold due to anticipated federal grant cuts, leaving districts looking for new funding options.

Transitional kindergarten students from Voyager Elementary (from left) Chloe Johnson, Ezra Croft and Joey Tian take a close-up look at a mushroom as they take a nature walk through Kopachuck State Park in Gig Harbor, Washington, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.

NO. 1: POPULAR PRE-K CLASS WITH A WAITLIST GETS PIERCE CO. KIDS OUTSIDE. ITS FUNDING IS AT RISK

A spike in enrollment could force state-funded transitional kindergarten programs to make cuts or divert funding from other programs. | Published January 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Julia Park

Clover Park High School. By Clover Park School District

NO. 2: AS TRUMP ORDERS DOE BREAKUP, HERE’S HOW MUCH FEDERAL MONEY FLOWS TO PIERCE COUNTY SCHOOLS

Education unions have raised concerns about disruptions to critical funding. | Published March 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by Shea Johnson

A view of the current schoolyard at Larchmont Elementary, 8601 E. B St., Tacoma. Plans to revamp it for community schoolyard/park space are on hold as result of EPA actions terminating similar grants of which the school system was a recipient.

NO. 3: PLANNED SCHOOLYARD OVERHAUL IN TACOMA ON PAUSE WITH ANTICIPATED FEDERAL FUNDING CUT

Larchmont Elementary project would be second EPA grant in Tacoma to face federal termination. | Published April 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Debbie Cockrell

Going down as the one of the more contentious legislative sessions in recent memory, the 2025 regular legislative session came to a close on Sunday, April 25 at the state capitol in Olympia, Wa. By Steve Bloom

NO. 4: READY FOR SOME GOOD WA BUDGET NEWS? LOCAL SCHOOL LEADERS HAPPY WITH SPENDING PLAN

They said lawmakers should prioritize a more equitable model of directing funds to school districts, instead of relying too heavily on local levies. | Published May 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi

Early Head Start students interact with teachers and staff in a classroom at the Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. From left, Adrian, 2, sits with Early Learning Director Amalia Perez, as Sebastian, 2, rides a scooter, and teacher Morgan A. works with Addilyn, 2, on a puzzle. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 5: ‘THEY NEED US.’ WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT OF HEAD START CUTS IN PIERCE COUNTY?

There are currently no planned funding changes, but providers and lawmakers are worried. | Published May 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Shea Johnson

Tacoma Public Schools’ Central Administration Building. By Drew Perine

NO. 6: MORE CUTS IN STORE AT TACOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH HAS RUN OUT OF SAVINGS

District leaders say the TPS deficit is now $30 million with no good answers in sight. | Published May 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi

Sydney Kilen, left, crosses the street with Tate, 2, with the guidance of crossing guard Peggy Tonnema, right, known as Miss Peggy, on the way to pick up a sibling from Washington Elementary School on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. Kilen used to cross the street with Miss Peggy as a child, Miss Peggy shared. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 7: BELOVED TACOMA SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD KNOWN FOR HER CRAZY OUTFITS LAID OFF

On Tuesday she was dressed as Wonder Woman with a long pink wig, red cape, bejeweled pink glasses, glittery blue skirt and hand-puppet gloves as she cooed at families crossing the street. | Published May 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becca Most

NO. 8: TACOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CUTS JOBS AMID $30M DEFICIT, WARNS OF MORE TO COME

The district did not renew the contracts for 105 provisional employees for the next school year and will implement more cuts by June 13. | Published May 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.