Battle Ground Public Schools Superintendent Shelly Whitten says the impact of the 2026 legislative session is still coming into focus, with several key funding changes and ongoing uncertainty around state mandates shaping the district’s outlook.
While some policy shifts are clear, others remain unsettled as districts wait for guidance from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
“There is no session that doesn’t have an impact on schools, but this one is very similar to what has happened in other sessions where there’s probably six things that impact us greatly, and there’s another 10 or so that are minimal, in terms of their impact,” Whitten said. “Usually there’s at least six dozen that make us take pause and wonder how we’re going to implement them.”
One of the most immediate impacts will be cuts to the district’s Transition to Kindergarten program, which saw funding reduced by about 25% statewide. The district will scale back from seven programs for its seven primary schools to five next school year. According to Whitten, Educational Opportunities for Children and Families (EOCF) are looking to return to one of the district’s primary schools, meaning there will be one campus without preschool offerings.
“It’s really unfortunate,” Whitten said. “We have data that shows that it’s effective, that student readiness for kindergarten has gone up by 20% since the implementation of TK… The impact has been extremely positive and we’re saddened by something that’s been proven to be so extremely beneficial (is) what we’ve lost.”
Transportation costs are another growing concern, adding to the list of state-unfunded mandates. Changes to how the state funds school bus depreciation are expected to increase maintenance costs, which will likely be passed on to districts. The district anticipates an annual spending increase of $175,000 due to this change.
At the same time, the district is navigating a mix of partial relief and delayed funding tied to state mandates. While lawmakers corrected a previous decision to apply sales tax to schools, BGPS will still pay those costs through June.
A separate mandate requiring districts to provide benefits to contracted transportation employees now includes some state funding, but not until the end of 2027. The district will begin paying for these benefits at the start of the 2026-27 school year.
“So, we have to be out $2 million and if that (state) money is still there, we will be able to get some of it back,” she said. “So they tried to help us, but… It’s a ‘Maybe, you might get it.’”
Whitten said the session differed from past years, with fewer new spending commitments as the state worked to balance its own budget. Instead, districts are seeing impacts through reductions and operational changes rather than major new investments.
“I think the legislature didn’t pass as many things that cost money because they had no money,” she said.
The district continues to advocate alongside other school systems, especially those in Clark and Cowlitz counties. Whitten said conversations with regional superintendents and lawmakers are focused on reducing the burden of unfunded mandates that divert resources from classrooms.
“There is a lot of discussion going on about how we might come together and jointly share our story and the way that it impacts negatively on our school districts,” she said.
The district is also watching potential new revenue sources, including timber-related funding, as districts with failed levies are now eligible. However, how much that will help remains unclear, depending on factors including land ownership and harvest timing.
Whitten remains cautious about broader state funding changes, including a newly approved 9.9% income tax on high-income earners that will go into effect next year. Without guaranteed allocations for education in writing, she said, there is no guarantee schools will benefit.
“I would be thrilled if it were something that would… benefit schools, but I haven’t seen that,” she said. I’m reserving the right to say at this point, I’ll believe it when I see it.”
In January, before the latest legislative session began, the district estimated that it would have to pay $17.30 to $29.68 million in a single year to cover state-unfunded mandates. Whitten said the total number is unknown pending direction from OSPI on certain policies, though she does not expect the outcome to move the needle, one way or the other, for now.
The district is preparing for up to $20 million in cuts following its third failed levy, with Whitten expected to present a reduction plan to the school board on Monday, April 27, after press time. Should the district pass a second levy attempt this year, schools will still see some reductions until the beginning of the next school year.
