Rodney Thornley

Candidate for
State Representative Position 2
46th Legislative District

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? 

Rodney Thornley: I do not believe a statewide multiplier, by itself, establishes that special education is adequately funded. The test is whether districts have sufficient resources to deliver the services students need and are entitled to receive. I support preserving the removal of the enrollment cap, reviewing the multiplier against documented costs, and improving safety net funding for unusually expensive services. The application process should be straightforward, with timely payments. Funding must support qualified teachers, paraeducators, specialists, training, and appropriate services in inclusive settings. Accountability should examine both spending and whether students receive their required services and make meaningful progress.

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? 

Rodney Thornley: I would support updating MSOC allocations to reflect documented operating costs. Utilities, insurance, technology, maintenance, and cybersecurity are necessary expenses, and a general inflation adjustment may not reflect how quickly individual costs change. I would support periodically rebasing the formula using district expenditure data, followed by appropriate annual adjustments. Shared purchasing and insurance arrangements should be evaluated where they offer real savings. Districts should report these expenses clearly so the Legislature and public can distinguish unavoidable increases from opportunities to operate more efficiently.

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? 

Rodney Thornley: STARS should be judged by whether it funds safe, reliable, reasonably efficient transportation. A formula can appear consistent statewide while missing significant differences between districts. I would support reviewing allocations against actual costs, including driver compensation, fuel, insurance, travel time, geography, and specialized transportation. Particular attention should go to students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, and students in foster care. I would support targeted formula adjustments and a timely process for exceptional costs. Districts should demonstrate sound routing and management, but students should not lose access because a formula fails to recognize necessary services

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?

Rodney Thornley: I support increasing access to counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and other qualified professionals, with funding based on student needs and manageable workloads. A staffing allocation is only useful if districts can recruit and retain the people needed. I would support paid training pathways, partnerships with colleges, and coordinated services with community providers. Teachers should have a clear referral process and timely assistance when a student needs help. Funding should also protect professionals’ time for direct student services. Progress should be measured through access, waiting times, attendance, and student well-being, with appropriate privacy protections.

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.

Rodney Thornley: A safe school is one where students can learn and staff can work without violence, threats, bullying, harassment, or persistent classroom disruption. It also means students feel respected and know where to get help. My priorities would include secure and accessible buildings, reliable emergency communications, practical emergency preparation, and adequate staffing. Inside schools, staff need training in de-escalation, clear behavior expectations, and prompt administrative support. Discipline should be consistent, fair, and appropriate to the circumstances. Students whose behavior disrupts learning need intervention and accountability, while classmates and staff deserve protection. When removal is necessary for safety, there should be a plan for continued education and a supported return.

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?

Rodney Thornley: Pre-K for all. The state has a responsibility to help children enter kindergarten ready to learn. Quality early learning can identify developmental needs sooner and support families during critical years. In the 2027–29 budget, I would prioritize underserved children and communities, access for children with disabilities, and families who cannot afford available programs. Expansion should include adequate provider reimbursement and workforce support so funded spaces actually become available. I favor partnerships among school districts, community providers, and existing programs. Investments should include clear quality standards and evaluation of kindergarten readiness and family access.

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?

Rodney Thornley: The model should reflect the staffing needed in real schools. I would support reviewing its student-to-staff assumptions against actual workloads and student needs. My priorities would be manageable class sizes, particularly in early grades and high-need classrooms; adequate special education and paraeducator support; and improved allocations for counselors, nurses, psychologists, and social workers. The model should also recognize the fixed costs of operating smaller schools. Districts need reasonable flexibility, paired with transparent reporting showing whether funded positions are filled and services reach students.

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?

Rodney Thornley: I do not support the millionaires’ tax in its current form. My position has been to repeal it through the ballot process, then bring a revised proposal back to voters with constitutional protections against lowering the threshold or expanding it to additional taxpayers. If voters approve a protected replacement, I would prioritize closing documented basic education funding gaps, particularly special education, essential operating costs, and student support staffing. New education revenue should add to the state’s commitment rather than replace existing funding. In the meantime, I would prioritize education within existing revenues, pursue verified administrative savings, review ineffective tax preferences, and improve tax compliance. I would require a public fiscal plan identifying how any remaining gap would be funded. I would not claim that unverified savings or future economic growth can guarantee full funding.

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?

Rodney Thornley: Students, families, and educators should participate before major decisions are finalized. I support accessible public meetings, translated materials, opportunities to participate outside working hours, and student and family representation on advisory groups. Districts and state agencies should explain what they heard, what they decided, and why. Families should receive timely responses and have a clear process for raising unresolved concerns, while respecting student privacy and legal rights. I would apply the S.M.A.R.T. approach: specific goals, measurable results, achievable plans, relevant outcomes, and time-bound reviews. Major policies should identify who is responsible, what implementation will cost, and when progress will be reported. When a district falls short, the response should include a corrective plan and follow-up, while protecting students’ access to essential services.