OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal voiced his dissatisfaction with Governor Bob Ferguson’s 2026 budget proposal during a press conference last week.
Reykdal expressed concerns over the state’s taxation system, emphasizing that without changes to how the wealthy are taxed, social programs might need to divert funds from other budgets to continue operations. He warned that such diversions could impact the education budget.
“What they find themselves doing is cutting supports for kids and I remember that isn’t just the classroom, but that’s counselors, that’s nurses. It’s mental health, that’s safety, it’s discipline,” Reykdal said.
He highlighted that Washington state ranks 40th in the nation for the percentage of GDP reinvested into public education. Reykdal emphasized that aligning with national averages could mean an additional $4 billion per year for the education budget.
