This 1988 declaratory judgment documents a legal challenge to Washington State’s special education funding formula and how funds were distributed to school districts. The court found that the existing formula did not adequately account for the actual cost of providing special education services and failed to reflect differences in student needs, including the level and severity of disabilities. As a result, some districts were unable to fully meet their legal obligations to provide appropriate services to students with disabilities.

The ruling clarified that while the Legislature was not required to include all special education costs in a single funding formula, the state must ensure that funding is sufficient and reasonably aligned with the real costs of providing services. This decision reinforced accountability in special education financing and highlighted the ongoing need to align policy, funding, and practice to ensure students with disabilities receive the supports guaranteed under state and federal law.