Associate Professor of Education Finance and Policy at the University of Washington College of Educationhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3mjkgnoel7c23Great article in the @thenewstribune.com on teacher salary increases in WA. Base teacher salaries have increased substantially, but the state's recent cuts to K-12 do not make sense... https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/education/article315215666.html 1/n15 Apr 2026 17:36 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjkgnoel7c23https://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3mimky7ktzc2dAlso true about cleaning administrative data for education policy research [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Apr 2026 20:33 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mimky7ktzc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3mhy43n2b4k2vI appreciate this recent article in Chronicle of Higher Ed by my colleague Dave DeMatthews. As professors, we need to be present and committed to our students, colleagues, and the programs we have built over time. “We are the stewards of higher education’s future." https://www.chronicle.com/article/when-faculty-stop-showing-up26 Mar 2026 17:14 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhy43n2b4k2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3mhbzfdvbf22bExcited to share this new edited volume by my colleagues at the Univ. of WA, Manka Varghese, Margaret Plecki, Ana Elfers & Aditi Rajendran (now at UofM). It was truly a collaborative effort. I’m honored to have co-authored a chapter on school finance. Check it out! https://www.tcpress.com/products/centering-communities-of-color-in-statewide-school-transformation_978080778435817 Mar 2026 22:27 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhbzfdvbf22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3mgutteymvs2tCongratulations to the Washington legislature for their hard work in passing the Millionaire's Tax. It's an important step forward in addressing the state's regressive tax revenue system (ranked 49th as a state in terms of its burden on low-income households). https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-income-tax-passes-senate-ferguson-expected-to-sign-into-law/12 Mar 2026 16:43 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgutteymvs2thttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3mfqimybu7k26Benefit-cost analysis can be a useful method for informing evidence-based policy when done right. But this EdChoice report makes a few missteps -- it leaves out any analysis of cost, and it miscalculates the benefits so that they're overstated by many orders of magnitude [contains quote post or other embedded content]26 Feb 2026 05:46 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfqimybu7k26https://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3mddspk64ws25Our neighbors are being kidnapped by the federal government. This father has an active asylum case, a court date for 2027, a valid work permit, and a Social Security number. They detained him and his 10-yr-old daughter and sent them to Texas detention center. https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/jan/22/border-patrol-detains-10-year-old-spokane-girl-and/26 Jan 2026 17:52 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mddspk64ws25https://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3mci6f7iba222This happened during a Washington House Appropriations hearing yesterday. It was a tough act to follow...15 Jan 2026 18:06 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mci6f7iba222https://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3m5uz2h46uc26That this warning even needs to be stated publicly is unfortunate, but no accident. It’s a product of irresponsible researchers spreading bad research. “Spending is up but test scores are down” is good click bait but we’re better than that [contains quote post or other embedded content]18 Nov 2025 05:29 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5uz2h46uc26https://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3m5p2q7c3ss2zIf you’re attending #APPAM2025, join us this afternoon for a Communities session on early childhood policy. We’ll have a special guest speaker you won’t want to miss! Details below: https://convention2.allacademic.com/one/appam/appam25/online_program_direct_link/view_session/2269958/15 Nov 2025 20:43 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5p2q7c3ss2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3m5mejecijc2cImportant report from Afterschool Alliance on inequitable access to after school programs. What's driving this? As with many challenges in ed policy, a key factor is inadequate and inequitable state school finance systems: https://www.the74million.org/article/shut-out-inequitable-access-to-after-school-programs-grows/14 Nov 2025 19:01 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5mejecijc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3m5hmpverms2iIt was an honor and privilege to share some of our research on K-12 school finance with the Yakima Rotary Club in Yakima, WA: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yakima-rotary-club-downtown_yakimarotary-rotaryrecap-serviceaboveself-activity-7391527153781207040-K8dJ/?utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAAAfdf9cB2Fjlx_6GFzd4TUwKi4uGIG6C1bE&utm_source=social_share_send&utm_campaign=messages Fun fact! The Yakima Rotary Club is the 31st largest Rotary club in the world!12 Nov 2025 21:44 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5hmpverms2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3m4weu7mkys2iI was honored to serve on Washington's K-12 Funding Equity Workgroup and co-Chair the subgroup on Accountability & Efficiency. The workgroup was authorized through House Bill 2049 (https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/House/2049-S.SL.pdf?q=20250729151106) Our Phase I report is now posted here: https://ospi.k12.wa.us/about-ospi/workgroups-committees/currently-meeting-workgroups/k12-funding-equity-workgroup06 Nov 2025 01:08 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4weu7mkys2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3m4beuak7xc2iIf you're in Yakima, WA on October 30th, this Thursday night, join us for presentations and discussion about K-12 public school finance! I'll will be sharing new research on the distribution of property taxes, as well as some old research about how/why/where money matters. See flyer!28 Oct 2025 16:42 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4beuak7xc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3m3nf5pw7lc2mWe are partnering with a group of Washington K-12 school district superintendents to hold learning sessions and build a vision for needed school finance reforms. Thank you Yakima Herald for picking up the story: https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/education/meet-the-washington-superintendents-who-want-to-make-k-12-education-funding-more-equitable/article_92addb7c-ad16-4a0c-ac1a-2eea56271cd6.html Read more here: education.uw.edu/ctp/node/130020 Oct 2025 17:54 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3nf5pw7lc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3lxuorl4pwk2zThe federal administration is severely misguided in its call to cut the English Language Acquisition Program (ESEA Title III) as part of a $5 B federal K12 funding cut. (here is what Title III actually does: https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/untangling-fact-from-fiction-in-trumps-call-to-defund-english-learner-education/) https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/5-billion-federal-k-12-formula-funding-hangs-balance-between-white-house-and-senate-proposals?utm_source=LPI+Master+List&utm_campaign=96479e19e3-LPIMC_FY26+Ed+Funding+Blog_2025_08_2&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-96479e19e3-4228600702 Sep 2025 17:54 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxuorl4pwk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3lxbtmywiok2bWho benefits from universal K-12 school voucher programs? Mostly wealthier households. This article summarizes key points about the federal voucher policy, ECCA, part of the so called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” // @seattletimes-rss.bsky.social @nepc.bsky.social https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/new-tax-credit-a-boon-to-private-schools-will-washington-opt-in/26 Aug 2025 06:01 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxbtmywiok2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3lxbqor43m22bThe Trump megabill will give the top 1 percent tax cuts totaling $1.02 trillion over the next decade. For comparison, the bill’s cuts to the Medicaid health care program will total $930 billion over the same period. Read more at: https://itep.org/top-1-to-receive-1-trillion-tax-cut-from-trump-megabill-over-next-decade/26 Aug 2025 05:08 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxbqor43m22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3lvvse2tpl22dWe have partnered with a group of Washington school district superintendents over the past year to hold K-12 school finance learning sessions. You can read about what we've learned so far here: www.education.uw.edu/ctp/node/1300. And more recent coverage here: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/aug/06/20-wa-superintendents-are-reenvisioning-states-broken-k-12-funding-model/08 Aug 2025 17:41 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lvvse2tpl22dhttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3lve6vutae22sCritiques of the free market by school choice researchers often come too late, and rarely discuss how wealthy donors have successfully leveraged their influence to push failed school choice policies. We explain more in this AJE Forum piece (w/ @DrDeMatt): https://sites.psu.edu/ajeforum/2025/08/01/free-market-logic-fails-in-schooling-a-response-to-harris-2024-by-david-s-knight-david-e-dematthews/01 Aug 2025 17:37 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lve6vutae22shttps://bsky.app/profile/dsknight99.bsky.social/post/3lve4ht5idc2sReading individual stories of professionals who have devoted their careers to improving the nation's public school system is helpful for understanding how important their work was, and the challenges coming now that the Education Department is officially gutted: https://www.npr.org/2025/08/01/nx-s1-5482492/last-day-education-department-workers?utm_term=nprnews&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bsky.app&utm_campaign=npr01 Aug 2025 16:54 +0000at://did:plc:ym6xvanltrefarmzsuagyzdv/app.bsky.feed.post/3lve4ht5idc2s