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Axios
03-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Washington state schools left waiting for $137M in federal funds
States are missing billions in federal education funding that was expected to be accessible on July 1 but has yet to be released by the Trump administration. Why it matters: In Washington state, an estimated $137 million is being withheld, which amounts to 15.6% of the state's federal K–12 education funding, according to the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The big picture: The Department of Education's funding delay has exacerbated the uncertainty for after-school, summer and other programs, leaving schools in limbo, advocates and policy experts say. The Education Department said in a last-minute notice that the funds would not be released while the programs were under review, according to the School Superintendents Association. What they're saying: U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a prepared statement that education funding uncertainty has prompted districts to delay hiring and other initiatives. "Every day that this funding is held up is a day that school districts are forced to worry about whether they'll have to cut back on after-school programs or lay off teachers instead of worrying about how to make sure our kids can succeed," Murray said. Districts have "made programming and employment commitments with the assumption that they'd be receiving this funding," Washington state superintendent Chris Reykdal said in a written statement. Zoom out: Nationwide, an estimated $6.2 billion in K–12 funds across five programs remains unavailable, according to the Learning Policy Institute, which conducts research to improve education policies. That includes funding for after-school and summer learning through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, money to support migratory children, educator development funds and more. The other side: The Department of Education referred Axios' questions for this story to the Office of Management and Budget. An OMB spokesperson said no decisions have been made amid "an ongoing programmatic review of education funding." What we're watching: If unreleased 21st Century Community Learning Center funds — the chief stream for academic enrichment outside school hours — remain blocked, up to 926 Boys and Girls Clubs could be forced to shut their doors, the organization's president and CEO, Jim Clark, said in a statement.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-Washington state worker claims she was fired over school board vote on trans athletes
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction faces a lawsuit from a former employee alleging wrongful termination. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard) A former director at Washington state's schools agency alleges the state superintendent fired her after she voted as a local school board member in support of barring trans girls from competing in girls' sports. Darby Kaikkonen filed suit last week against the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Superintendent Chris Reykdal in U.S. District Court in Tacoma. She says Reykdal retaliated against her. 'OSPI fired a high-performing employee, a military spouse, for exercising the rights and responsibilities of an elected official in standing up for women and girls, a viewpoint which the state superintendent disagrees with,' Kaikkonen said in a statement. A spokesperson for Reykdal's office confirmed Kaikkonen stopped working there in March, but declined to comment further, citing personnel matters and the litigation. The state hasn't responded to the allegations in court, as of Wednesday. Kaikkonen was the agency's director of student information before her termination in mid-March, according to the lawsuit. She had been there since December 2021. Before that, she worked for a decade at the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, including half-a-dozen years as the policy research director, according to her LinkedIn. She also serves as president of the Tumwater school board, where she has been a member since 2019. Tumwater, south of Olympia, has found itself near the center of the growing tensions between local, state and federal officials over how to handle transgender athletes in school sports. It's one of several districts bucking Reykdal's mandate to support trans students competing in the division that fits their gender identity. In March, the Trump administration's Department of Education launched an investigation into Tumwater School District over allowing a transgender athlete from an opposing team to compete in a girls' high school basketball game. The investigation appears to still be ongoing, a district spokesperson said Tuesday. President Donald Trump has sought to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women's sports through executive order by, in part, withholding federal funding for districts that 'deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities.' Some local school officials say they're in a bind: Either comply with state law and jeopardize federal funding, or follow Trump and risk punishment from the state. This week, California sued the Trump administration over threats to withhold funding tied to trans athlete participation. Reykdal's office faces a federal probe of its own into its clash with a Clark County school district over the district's gender inclusion policy. Kaikkonen's work focused on reporting data for compliance with federal education policy, according to her lawsuit. The week before the Trump administration opened its inquiry into Tumwater, the school board took up the matter of trans athletes. At the time, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association was considering two proposals related to trans athletes. The association sets policy for school sports in the state. One of the proposals would have barred trans girls from participating in girls' sports. Another would have created a separate division where trans athletes can compete. On Feb. 27, the Tumwater board, including Kaikkonen, voted in support of those rule changes. The audience watching the meeting in person responded with boos. In April, the interscholastic association voted down the proposed changes. In a later meeting, Kaikkonen explained her vote. A former competitive swimmer, she said the issue 'pits one historically marginalized group against another,' transgender people and women. She said she 'fully supports' the transgender community. 'I see myself in this issue, and most importantly, I see girls who are currently living it and the complexity of what they're trying to work through,' Kaikkonen said. 'This is an impossible situation. These girls are faced with the same challenges that we all are, and that they can't possibly stand up for themselves and share their voice and what they think is right without being accused of bigotry.' 'You want to know why the voice for girls is quiet, and why so few people speak publicly about it?' Kaikkonen continued. 'It's fear.' At the time, a spokesperson for Reykdal said his office was 'closely monitoring' the Tumwater school board's actions, and floated a 'possible formal investigation.' A petition to recall Kaikkonen and other board members received over 1,500 signatures. A week after the vote, she was placed on administrative leave from her job at the state, with no reason given, according to the lawsuit. Less than two weeks later, in a March 19 call with the office's chief of staff, Tennille Jeffries-Simmons, she was fired, the complaint alleges. Officials didn't explain why, according to the lawsuit, which says she never faced disciplinary action at the agency. Kaikkonen was reportedly expecting to go on leave due to an upcoming deployment to the Middle East for her Army reservist spouse. 'The termination came at a time when OSPI knew the financial and emotional hardship this punitive action would cause,' the lawsuit reads. 'As a result of her termination, Plaintiff has lost an annual salary of approximately $137,000, including valuable health and retirement benefits. She has experienced reputational damage, anxiety, humiliation, and disruption to her family life.' The lawsuit alleges retaliation and wrongful termination. Kaikkonen seeks monetary damages to be determined at trial. Kaikkonen's term on the Tumwater school board ends this year. She didn't file to run for re-election. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Despite ongoing federal probe into state schools, Central Valley School Board sends Title IX complaint to feds
May 5—In a special meeting Monday, the Central Valley School Board finalized and filed a federal Title IX complaint against the state public schools authority, challenging guidance on transgender sports participation, which they say conflicts with federal directives . The board was split in sending the complaint, with Directors Stephanie Jerdon, Pam Orebaugh and Anneice Barker voting in favor, while Cindy McMullen and Tere Landa were opposed. The complaint against Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, in the form of two letters, in part urges an investigation that is already underway. Federal officials on Wednesday began the probe into state policies allowing trans students to play on whichever sports team and use whichever restroom with which they identify . The Liberty Lake-based board began drafting the letter last week, similar to one sent by the Mead school board in March. "Washington state and the State Superintendent, Chris Reykdal, have blatantly disregarded directives of the United States Department of Education, and the lawful Executive Orders issued by our current President, creating discriminatory and unsafe environments detrimental to our children and particularly damaging to our girls and young women," the letter reads. It lists specific areas of conflict between the state requirements and federal executive orders, all surrounding transgender students, like sports participation, restroom use and pronoun use by staff. The letter supports the ongoing investigation into the state and implores clarification from the feds on which directive to follow: the state or federal government. It also seeks assurance that the district will maintain its federal funding that makes up 5% of Central Valley's operating budget. Reykdal has repeatedly contended these orders don't hold the weight of law and to follow them would violate state law and risk schools' state funding, around 78% of Central Valley's revenue. "We have got to get advice from the federal government on what they deem is compliant and what they don't, because what OSPI is telling us to do right now could very well be out of compliance," Barker said. Discussion during the Zoom meeting was contentious at times as directors disagreed on the timeliness of the letter, the political nature and the message it sends to trans students in their district. "The issue is moot," McMullen said, pointing to the existing investigation. She reiterated her stance aligning with the state policies on transgender sports participation and her position against sending the letter, requesting her name be omitted as a signatory. "I find it terribly sad that we cannot look at every one of our students and see them for the great people that they are and the potential that they have and that we cannot find ways for all of them to participate fully in all of the activities that we offer," McMullen said. "This is a very sad day for Central Valley School District." Orebaugh said though the investigation was underway, the letter indicated to federal officials that this is an issue statewide, not just with school districts Mead and La Center referenced in the federal official's notice of investigation. She pointed to a trans student -athlete who runs track with Central Valley athletes. "I've heard from these athletes how discouraged they are, how the coaches are having to pump them up, 'Do the best you can, I know that you're likely not going to get first,' " Orebaugh said. While correcting language in the letter, Barker questioned the existence of trans people. "There's no such thing as a trans person; there are males and there are females," Barker said. "Like I said in the last meeting: it does not matter how you dress. It does not matter how much medication you take or how many surgeries you have. You are born male or you are born female, and male and female bodies are different." The meeting fell outside of the board's regular schedule and was hosted online only via Zoom. There were five who spoke in public comment, split on the matter much like the board. Three speakers, two who have past spoken in favor of barring trans girls from school sports, urged the board to send the complaint. Two speakers said they don't support the board sending the letter, and spoke vehemently in defense of trans students. Nan Smith, who resides in Central Valley and sent her kids to the district's schools, said there was no need to send such a letter, given the existing investigation. Smith added that a policy centered on estimated five to 10 trans student -athletes out of the 250,000 in the state, according to WIAA, would lead to targeting. "Targeting five to 10 youths in this way is about labeling them and labeling them as other," Smith said. "History has taught us over and over that when we label a group of people as other, whether it be because of race, religion, disability or gender identity, labeling someone as other is very dangerous for society." Recurring speaker Brandon Arthur continued to share concerns about his daughter's safety should she play sports with or against a trans girl. He countered that though they may be a small demographic, "it only takes one event, and then we will be having a very much bigger discussion around this." Many who don't want trans girls to play on girls sports teams reiterated that they're not intending to discriminate against trans kids, only protecting cisgender girls. But that's not the message sent to trans people, said speaker Lexi Shay, who is trans and a parent with three kids in Central Valley schools. "The message that is received is that you are not welcome," Shay said. Elena Perry's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WA state leaders react to executive order limiting transgender athletes
The Brief Washington Democrats are reaffirming their commitment to protecting trans people, following the President's action restricting their involvement in school sports. State lawmakers are considering taking action of their own. OLYMPIA, Wash. - State leaders are reaffirming their commitment to transgender people following President Donald Trump's executive order this week trying to restrict their participation in school sports. What they're saying State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said the president's executive order barring transgender athletes from women's and girls' sports attempts to "override the authority of states and local school districts" "The president's order directly contradicts state law, including the Washington Law Against discrimination, and our laws prohibiting discrimination in our public schools," Reykdal said in a statement Thursday. "Our state law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity, and we will not back down from that." On Friday, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction said it was finalizing guidance for school districts "in response to this unlawful order." At a press conference Friday about challenging another transgender-related executive order, Attorney General Nick Brown (D) said his office has been closely reviewing all of the president's actions and is weighing action on the trans athletes executive order. "There are so many things that the president is doing that are illegal, alarming," he said. "We will work in collaboration with our other states to see if it's appropriate for Washington state to take action. Again, there may be some things that he does that I don't like that are legal, and we'll just make that analysis as we go." The other side Washington lawmakers are considering taking action of their own. With the president's order, the NCAA following suit, and other restrictions proposed across the country, State Representative Mike Volz (R-Spokane) is highlighting his "Defending Equity in Interscholastic Sports Act." House Bill 1699 would allow schools to prohibit "biologically male students" from competing in women's sports, and establish a process to verify an athlete's sex. Volz acknowledged the bill would have a "big, uphill fight" in the House, but said the legislation is about fairness. "It's not some sort of anti-trans, or attack on the trans community. They have rights like everybody else," he said. "I just think the women's space should be protected and safeguarded." House Speaker Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma) did not specifically comment on Volz's bill when asked. Though she said, "any bill that violates our state's robust anti-discrimination laws has no home here." On Tuesday, the Democratic speaker and other legislative leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the transgender community. "Washington will remain, and that the House and Senate Democrats will remain, a place that will look to protect trans people-transgender people and transgender youth and youth who have questions about their gender identity," she said at a weekly media availability. Democrats argued Washington has some of the strongest protections for transgender people as a result of legislation passed during the president's first term. "Now it is about making sure that if there are any loopholes in those laws, we're closing them," said State Senator Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond). "Making sure we're reminding people that in this Washington, we will be protecting every vulnerable Washingtonian. That means our communities of color, our immigrants, our refugees. And our trans folk." The Source Information in this story is from Albert James, a television reporter covering state government as part of the Murrow News Fellowship program – a collaborative effort between news outlets statewide and Washington State University. Washington Senate passes changes to parental rights in education Japan Airlines plane clips tail of Delta plane at Sea-Tac Airport Judge blocks DOGE access to sensitive Treasury Department payment system records Man sentenced to 20 years for grooming, taking WA girl to Michigan home To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily Fox Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Axios
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Washington braces for education cuts
President Trump 's campaign promise to dismantle the Department of Education could cost Washington nearly $359 million in federal aid, according to the Education Law Center. But that's far less than many red states. Why it matters: Funding for public schools primarily falls to local and state governments, but federal funds work to fill the gaps. States that voted for Trump last November, on average, use more federal funding in their education apportions than states that voted for former Vice President Harris. Zoom in: The state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has not seen a detailed plan from the Trump Administration for eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, spokesperson Katy Payne told Axios. But like other state education leaders across the nation, the agency is "preparing for any possibility," Payne said. Federal funding makes up about 7% of total spending for K–12 education in Washington state, she said, with the majority of those funds coming through Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The other large appropriation of federal funding for state schools is for meals, which comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not the Department of Education, Payne said. By the numbers: Average federal spending in the 2021-22 school year was 17% in Trump-voting states, compared to 11% in states that voted for Harris. Mississippi led with 23% of public school funding from federal sources, followed by South Dakota and Arkansas at 22%, per USA Facts. Context: Trump has promised to sign an executive order curtailing the Department of Education's powers, and dozens of its employees have been placed on administrative leave.
