Superintendent Reykdal gives Legislature an "F" for cutting Transition to Kindergarten in supplemental operating budget

Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal expressed deep frustration with the Democratic-controlled Legislature and Governor Ferguson this week, announcing in a news release that his office has put together a funding methodology for the state’s school districts to help them comply with the forced austerity in the updated 2025–2027 operating budget with the greatest regret.

While the mass media has focused heavily on the million dollar earners tax, which will eventually provide billions in additional funding for K‑12 education, higher education, healthcare, and human services if it survives court and ballot challenges, there has been far less attention paid to the supplemental operating budget the Legislature enacted before adjourning Sine Die, which contains hundreds of millions in cuts.

Ferguson and legislators decided against raising short term progressive revenue to close a shortfall, choosing austerity instead, even after NPI presented new public opinion research showing voters wanted them to raise short-term progressive revenue to avoid cuts to education. One of the most counterproductive cuts is to Transition to Kindergarten, a critical early learning service that saw its state funding slashed by 25%.

This will mean that nearly 2,000 fewer pupils will have access.

https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2026/04/superintendent-chris-reykdal-gives-legislature-an-f-for-cutting-transition-to-kindergarten-in-supplemental-operating-budget.html