4.

Special education funding 

Seattle Council PTSA: Do you believe the current state funding formula, including the special education multiplier, adequately covers special education costs? What specific changes, if any, would you support? 

Jamie Pedersen: While I am proud of the progress that our state has made in funding special education, there is still more work to do. During the 2025 legislative session, I was proud to serve as the prime sponsor of SB 5263. This legislation removed the long-standing cap limiting how many students could be counted for special education funding and increased the multiplier used to allocate additional resources for students receiving services. These changes resulted in a $750 million increase in special education funding across the state, part of a broader $1.4 billion investment in school districts that I championed. I also supported SB 5253, which extends special education services for students with disabilities until the end of the school year in which they turn 22. I remain committed to advancing similar legislation to ensure our most vulnerable students receive the resources, support, and opportunities they deserve to succeed. 

5.

Materials, supplies, and operating costs (MSOC) 

Seattle Council PTSA: Do you believe the state's current MSOC funding formula adequately covers school districts' operating expenses, including utilities, insurance, and technology? What specific changes, if any, would you support? 

Jamie Pedersen: I have heard directly from Seattle Public Schools and districts across the state about the growing challenges they face in funding day-to-day operations. Since 2019, liability insurance has increased by over 50%, while utility costs have risen more than 30%. Meanwhile, MSOC funding remains insufficient to keep pace with these rising expenses. This puts districts in a precarious budget situation.  

I support increasing state appropriations for MSOC to ensure that districts have the resources they need to support students. In the 2025 session, I served as a co-sponsor for SB 5192 and made it a Senate priority. This legislation invested an additional $213 million to fill critical MSOC funding gaps. I hope to examine how MSOC values can better account for utilities, insurance, and maintenance costs so that state funding fully reflects the expenses faced by districts. Even amid state budget challenges, our paramount duty remains funding public education. I am committed to upholding that constitutional responsibility and ensuring our schools have the resources students need to succeed. 

6.

Transportation funding 

Seattle Council PTSA: What is your assessment of the state's current STARS transportation funding formula? What specific changes, if any, would you support? 

Jamie Pedersen: I have heard concerns from school districts about the STARS funding formula. The bottom line is that state funding is not keeping pace with the costs of transporting students safely and reliably. I support reforms to ensure that districts have the resources they need to meet students’ transportation needs and provide equitable access to education.  

In the 2023 session, I voted for SB 5174. This bill would have directed OSPI to gather additional data for developing a new funding formula, create a transportation safety net program for districts with excess costs from special populations, and require OSPI to analyze costs and allocations. While this legislation did not pass into law, that year’s supplemental budget included $26 million to establish a transportation safety net. I believe the legislature should expand this program alongside broader reforms to improve the STARS formula and better reflect the actual costs districts face. 

In the 2025 session, I was proud to support SB 5009, which passed into law. This bill includes non-bus vehicles in the allocation determination, develops rules for drivers transporting students in vehicles other than buses, and broadens eligible vehicle categories. I am committed to building upon this work so that school districts have the support they need to transport students safely, reliably, and equitably.  

7.

Student mental and behavioral health

Seattle Council PTSA: What specific funding or policy changes, if any, would you support to ensure schools have sufficient counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and other mental and behavioral health professionals to meet students' needs?

Jamie Pedersen: The youth mental health crisis is one of the biggest challenges facing our schools, and students must have staff and professionals available to support their well-being. I know from listening to my children and public school teachers that many students struggle profoundly with mental health. I strongly support additional revenue to fund initiatives supporting student behavioral health.  
 
With additional funding, schools can provide mental health services that can improve the welfare of young people. This includes more counselors, social workers, and behavioral health professionals. For example, Seattle Public Schools invested $14 million into mental health supports, violence prevention, and local partnerships. Investments like this ensure that we are setting our future leaders up for success.  
 
I am proud to serve as the prime sponsor of the Millionaires Tax, which will generate new revenue for essential public services, including education. I believe Washington must continue pursuing progressive revenue solutions so that schools have the resources necessary to support both academic achievement and student well-being. Every student deserves to feel safe and supported at school, and I am committed to delivering on that promise.  

8.

School safety

Seattle Council PTSA: What does a safe school environment mean to you, and what specific policies or investments would you prioritize to create it? Please address both physical safety and the conditions inside schools, including discipline, student support, and staff capacity to respond to student needs.

Jamie Pedersen: A safe school environment includes physical safety with an inclusive and supportive climate to promote academic, emotional, and social well-being. I am proud to have led our state to take steps to ensure that our most vulnerable students feel safe in schools. As the Chair of the Law and Justice Committee, I helped pass the Keep Washington Working Act in 2019. This legislation protects the rights of immigrant communities from federal overreach while keeping our communities safe. I also co-sponsored SB 5906 in the 2026 legislative session. This bill would have established data and personal safety protections for early learning providers, school districts, and higher education, among others. While this bill did not pass the House, I look forward to supporting it in future sessions. 

I also believe that schools should receive funding to improve conditions and student needs. At a time when many students struggle with mental health, we know that risk factors for violence include emotional distress, learning disorders, and other special needs. Schools should provide mental health services that reduce aggressive behavior and support student wellbeing without relying solely on disciplinary action. By partnering with community organizations, schools can also conduct violence intervention and mentorship to improve student safety.  

Every student deserves to feel safe, supported, and included at school. By protecting vulnerable communities, investing in student well-being, and strengthening prevention efforts, we can build school environments where all students can learn, grow, and succeed. 

9.

Early learning

Seattle Council PTSA: What is your view of the state's responsibility to expand access to quality early learning, and what would you do in the 2027-29 budget to address unmet needs in communities like ours?

Jamie Pedersen: The state has a strong responsibility to expand access to quality early learning. I understand the benefit that early learning support provides for children and families. High-quality early education improves socio-emotional development, physical development, and pre-academic skills.  

I am a dedicated supporter of increasing investments in affordable childcare. As the prime sponsor of the Millionaires Tax, I am proud that the revenue it generates will help expand access to childcare for families throughout our state. In the 2026 session, I was proud to support SB 5872, which passed into law. This legislation allows the state to engage in a public/private match program that dramatically expands the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), providing critical services for three and four-year-old children across the state. The Ballmer Group has already committed to providing funding for up to 10,000 new school day slots per year for the next 10 years.  

In future budgets, I am committed to expanding access to early learning while advancing progressive revenue solutions that provide opportunities for working families with young children. 

10.

Prototypical school funding model

Seattle Council PTSA: The state calculates school funding through the prototypical school funding model, including staffing allocations and student-to-staff ratios. What specific changes, if any, would you support?

Jamie Pedersen: One change I would consider is reforming Washington’s Prototypical School Funding Model to better account for the needs of multilingual learners and students from low-income households. While the current model provides state funding based on student enrollment, it may not fully reflect the additional resources some students need to succeed. Other states use weighted student funding formulas to direct additional resources to students facing greater educational barriers. For example, California applies a 1.225 weight to low-income students, providing additional funding to support their needs. 

Washington could examine whether a similar weighted funding approach could better direct state resources to the schools and students who need them most. In addition to exploring reforms to the funding model, I remain committed to advancing increased state appropriations for public schools. By better aligning funding with student needs, we can strengthen our public education system and ensure every student can succeed. 

11.

Millionaires' Tax Revenue

Seattle Council PTSA: Do you support Washington's Millionaires' Tax? Why or why not? If you support it, how do youbelieve the revenue should be allocated, particularly for K–12 public education, and whatspecific changes, if any, would you propose? If you oppose it, what alternative revenue sourcesor funding changes would you propose to meet the state's K–12 education funding obligations?

Jamie Pedersen: As the prime sponsor, I strongly support the Millionaires’ Tax. The data are clear: low-income Washingtonians pay three or four times more in state and local taxes as a percentage of their income than the state’s wealthiest households. This imbalance is why Washington ranks among the most regressive tax systems in the nation. We can and must change this for the better.   

I would like to use a significant portion of the funding from the Millionaires Tax and our further reforms to establish a fully funded, world-class education system from early learning through higher education. The state must move toward paying the full cost districts incur for special education services; student transportation; materials, supplies, and operating costs (such as utilities, insurance, books, and classroom supplies); and competitive salaries for educators. That is my highest priority, and I am committed to leading Senate Democrats towards meeting our paramount duty to fund public schools amply.

12.

Family and student participation & accountability

Seattle Council PTSA: How would you ensure that students and families have meaningful opportunities to participate in education policy decisions at the state and district levels? What specific steps would you support to ensure that adopted policies are implemented effectively and that districts are held accountable for following them?

Jamie Pedersen: I believe students and families must have the opportunity to shape the education policy that affects them at the district and state levels. I strongly encourage you to make your voice heard by writing to elected officials, testifying at public hearings and school board meetings, and engaging directly with policymakers. As someone who answers much of my own correspondence, I know how valuable to have a wide range of perspectives influence policy work. These conversations help us better understand community needs and develop policies that reflect students’ and families lived experiences.  

Since I was first elected, I have regularly visited all of the public schools in my district and always make it a priority to engage directly with students. In the last three months, I have been to BF Day Elementary in Fremont and Hamilton International Middle School in Wallingford. I also visit the University of Washington, Seattle University, and Seattle Central College regularly when the legislature is not in session. Throughout the year, I also meet with advocates and community organizations to understand the challenges they face. For example, this year, I met with youth representatives from Poverty Action Network advocating for greater progress on meeting people’s basic needs and with the Legislative Youth Advisory Council. These conversations reinforce the importance of creating opportunities for young people to participate in the policymaking process and share their perspective on issues affecting their lives.  

I believe effective policymaking begins with listening. Students and families deserve opportunities to advocate for the issues that matter to them, and legislators have a responsibility to take those perspectives seriously. I will continue working to strengthen these opportunities, engage directly with our communities, and advance policies that improve the lives of people across Washington.