Bellevue, Wash. — As Washington continues to fall short of its paramount constitutional duty to amply fund K–12 public education, a broad coalition of families, students, educators, and statewide leaders will come together for a Regional Town Hall on Education Funding on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, from 7:00–9:00 PM at the Newport High School gym in the Bellevue School District. 

With ongoing gaps in state funding affecting classrooms and communities across the region, representatives from ten school districts have been invited—including Bellevue, Issaquah, Lake Washington, Mercer Island, Northshore, Renton, Riverview, Shoreline, Snoqualmie Valley, and Tukwila—along with PTAs, School Board Directors, Education Associations, and statewide organizations such as WSPTA, WEA, WASA, and WSSDA. 

A Unified Message: Keep Public Education Funding in Public Education 

While the 2025 legislative session delivered modest progress, Washington’s students continue to feel the strain of persistent shortfalls in critical areas such as special education, transportation, and MSOC (materials, supplies, and operating costs). The current Prototypical School Funding Model remains insufficient, leaving districts unable to provide essential supports—including smaller class sizes, mental health staffing, and equitable access to resources—without relying heavily on local levies and bonds. 

This Regional Town Hall offers a powerful platform for communities to speak directly to legislators about the urgent need to: 

The event’s timing—just days before the 2026 legislative session—ensures that the realities facing Washington’s classrooms are top of mind for lawmakers as they return to Olympia. 

Short-Term and Long-Term Advocacy Priorities 

This multi-district, multi-organization coalition is focused on both immediate and systemic reforms, including: 

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