Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-12-03

upon the property now upon the as
sessment rolls, bht upon other prop
erty forms OF wealth which is now
escaping it's just share Of the cost
of education and other burdens Of
the state. While the commission
does not consider this one of its
problems, it does feel that measures
to this end should be considered by
the legislature.
CD Raising larger portion OF
the cost of education by a tax levy
equally upon all the property within
the state. BY constitutional enact.
ment the state guarantees to all the
childred of the state an equal oppor.
tunity for education, but because of
the difference in value of property
this is imposs BILE when the funds
are raised in the several school dis
tricts. In 1909-1910 the state coll
tributed $16.S2 per pupil or 30.5 PEI
cent of the total amount of $83.33
paid for education in the common
schools With $4,000 per census
child this would have made $34.52
per pupil or Al per cent of the total
for 1919-1920. This amount and
percentage will not hold good, how
ever, for the year 1920-1921, because
the cost of the schools for the pres
emit year, as shown by the estimates
of the different districts will approxi
mate $4,000 per pupil. On this
basis the contribution from the state
would be the same; viz, $34 80 pc.
pupil, but only "a 8 per cent of the
total cost of the schools. $4,000 pei
census child would yield about Sc
per cent under the present cost OF
operation.
60 BY apportioning the none,
derived from the state not only upon
the basis of attendance, bht also up
on the basis of teachers. Last veal
there were two hundred fifty-twe
(252) schools with five pupils OF
less and theree will always be schools
where the attendance will be small
but because of the small attendance
they should not be deprived OF hav
ing a good teadher and the pupils
of having the opportunity to acquire
a good education. The apportion
ment upon teacher basis more nearly
guarantees good school. The county
fund is now apportioned two-thirds
on the basis of attendance and one
third on teacher basis, and the appor
tionment of the state fund the same
way will give more equal opportun
ity to the pupils in the small schools
of the state.
"a Changing the method of al
ministration in the smaller districts
of the state by placing them under
the control of a county board which
would have charge of all the schools
in the county except those in the
larger cities. Take for instance King
county: here I'VE have twenty-five
districts levying tax Of twenty mills
or more and seventeen districts levy
ing tax of FIVE mills or less; in one
district the tax was only two mills
while another district which was con
nected with a Union High School
paid a thirty-nine mill tax. Under
a larger district plan there would be
no district or locality levying low
miliage tax on a high valuation
because the tax would be spread over
all the districts and a nine mill tax
would have produced all the money
expended in this enlarged county
district last year. This plan of adj
ministration and taxation would GER
tainly effect a great saving on the
purchase and distribution of supplies,
would standardize many phases oil
school work, and even tho all the
smaller schools were continued
would result in better schools, bette.
supervision, better teachers. longer
tenure for teachers, better opportuI-
ity for the pupils and would plact
all the schools of the state upon a
higher standard of efficiency.
(5) BY increasing the statutory
prov ision of levying taxes in the local
district from ten to fifteen mills On
the assessed valuation. Under the
present laws nearly all districts are
required to hold special elections fo'
authority to levy beyond the ten
mills, and even though greater state
aid is provided, it will undoubtedly
be necessary for many districts to
levy more than ten mills to continue
their schools upon the present basis.
Recommendations.
In view of the findings your commis-
sion submits the following recon-.
mendations: