Government Relations
Puget Sound Educational Service District provides local, state and federal government relations support to 35 school districts, 10 charter schools, and 2 tribal compact schools in King, Pierce and Kitsap County. We convene the superintendents to discuss timely policy issues, write and distribute position papers, liaise with local government officials, and communicate about how policy impacts our school districts.
- School Safety, a comprehensive approach is necessary to prevent future school violence. School districts cannot independently solve this problem. Congress must act by directing resources to states and districts for school safety enhancements and passing more common-sense gun safety legislation. 2026 Federal Paper - School Safety
- Special Education, fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is essential to ensuring students with disabilities receive equal access to and opportunity they need to achieve their highest potential in education, employment, independence, and life success. 2026 Federal Paper - Special Education
- Early Learning, support to recruit and retain educators of color, sustained funding for early learning, and increases in the income eligibility threshold for Early Head Start and Head Start. 2026 Federal Paper - Early Learning
- Behavioral Health, support to implement trauma-informed school policies and practice, increased mental health and counseling supports for students, identification of best practices on how states and districts can utilize positive behavior supports, support to implement restorative justice practices that support students process, learning and growth. 2026 Federal Paper - Behavioral Health
- Postsecondary Readiness, increasing support for high school and college advising, investing in equity-based scholarships to remove college completion barriers, revised assessment and placement processes and continued simplification of FASFA. 2026 Federal Paper - Postsecondary
All 2026 Federal Positions Papers
2026 Regional Districts Legislative Positions
Our 2026 Regional Districts Legislative Positions Paper represents superintendents of the Puget Sound region, representing nearly 40% of students across Washington state, 61% of whom are students of color, and our unwavering focus is on student learning and wellbeing. Washington’s K–12 public education system is facing escalating financial pressures that threaten school districts’ ability to sustain essential services for students. Inflationary cost increases, enrollment shifts, unfunded mandates, and structural limitations in the current funding system have created an unsustainable fiscal environment. Immediate legislative attention is required to uphold the State’s constitutional obligation to fully fund basic education.
While we recognize the significant constraints of the state budget this legislative session, PSESD districts are advancing several no-cost or cost-saving legislative requests that would stabilize district finances and preserve resources for classrooms and student support.
Longer-term, Washington must undertake a comprehensive modernization of its K–12 funding framework. This effort must move beyond incremental adjustments and address the structural inequities that persist across districts. A redesigned system must include an explicit equity lens—aligning resources with student needs, community context, and the true costs of delivering a high-quality, safe, and inclusive educational experience.
PSESD and regional school districts stand ready to partner with the Legislature on both short-term stabilization and long-term reform to ensure a stronger, more equitable future for Washington’s public schools. Positions include:
Cost-Savings & No-Cost Legislative Actions
- Clean Buildings Standard Compliance Assistance
- Public Records Requests Reform
- Sales Tax Exemption for Essential District Services
Operating Budget:
- Materials, Supplies and Operating Costs
- Support Pupil Transportation
- Increase Special Education Funding
Capital Budget:
- Simple Majority for Construction Bonds
- Workforce Development Facilities
- School Construction Cost