county funds. This last wise provision established a principle that has been followed throughout the entire history of the commonwealth. Also, this initial legislation provided that any school receiving any money out of the county general fund, or by district tax, should be open and free to all children between the ages of 4 and 21 in such district.19 This law was modified on January 26, 1855, by providing that districts having fewer than 12 pupils between the ages of 4 and 21 years, and which in the opinion of the directors were not able to support a school, were permitted to organize according to law and draw their proportion of the school money without being required to comply with the provisions of the school law any further than organizing and making reports. In such districts three legal voters constituted a quorum to do business. Following the provisions of the Oregon law of 1849, the clerk was empowered to loan out all county funds for the use of the district, received by him at interest, until such time as it should be required for school purposes. The districts taking advantage of this provision were required to maintain a school for at least 3 months within 3 years. After this period they could draw no more county funds until school was so held.50 This last provision was again amended in 1857. According to the new law districts failing to hold school at least 3 months within 3 years were obliged to forfeit their apportionments and the amounts returned to the county funds were to be divided among other districts.51 There was little legislation of importance affecting the distribution of funds during the Territorial period. The basis of apportionment was the number of children living in the district. In 1881 the interest accruing from the permanent school fund was divided annually "among all the school districts in the Territory proportionally to the number of children in each between the ages of 4 and 21, for the support of common schools and for no other purpose whatever." 52 The law specified also that all money apportioned by county superintendents should be apportioned to the districts in proportion to the number of school children between 4 and 21 years of age, as shown by the returns of the district clerk for the preceding year.53 In 1883 the basis of apportionment was changed to include those between 6 and 21.44 "Laws of Washington, 1854, pp. 319-328. Laws of Washington, 1854-55, p. 13. Laws of Washington, 1856-57, sec. 4. p. 34. "Code of Washington, 1881, ch. CCXLV, sec. 3210, p. 559. Ibid., sec. 3171, p. 550. "Laws of Washington, 1883, sec. 51, p. 16. With the coming of statehood an attempt was begun to equalize educational opportunity by distribution of funds. State funds. In 1890 the State superintendent was authorized to apportion funds to the several counties on the basis of the number of children in said counties between the ages of 5 and 21. It was the duty of the county superintendent to apportion this State fund received by his county on the foregoing basis, to the various districts of his county, the method of which will be explained later. In 1895 the State superintendent apportioned State funds to the counties "according to the number of children of school age residing in each county." The legislature of 1897 made a radical change in the method of distributing the State fund and one of the most impor tant advances in the history of the State. The fund was apportioned among the several counties of the State in proportion to the total days' attendance. Each school district was given a minimum of 2,000 days' attendance." 56 In 1903 union high schools were encouraged by legislation which provided that the superintendent of public instruction should appor tion from the current State funds a bonus of $100 for each grade above the grammar grades, provided that the districts had maintained a high school for at least 6 months during the previous year, and that each high-school grade to receive $100 should consist of not fewer than 4 pupils with an average daily attendance for the year of not fewer than 3 pupils.57 In 1907 attendance at night schools was allowed on a basis of 50 percent of the actual attendance for the purpose of apportionment of State funds. Some further advances in attendance credits were made in 1909. This legislature provided that high-school attendance should be counted as 11⁄2 times the actual attendance; that the attendance at parental schools furnishing board and room be counted as 3 times the actual amount; that in schools for defectives, 5 times the amount; that night school attendance count as one half the actual attendance. Also the superintendent of public instruction was authorized to apportion to each high-school grade held at least 1 year and having an average daily attendance of at least 4 students, $100 annually.58 Laws of Washington, 1895, ch. LXVIII, sec. 1, p. 123. 56 Laws of Washington, 1897, ch. CXVIII, sec. 22, p. 365. 7 Laws of Washington, 1903, ch. 104, sec. 3, pp. 161-62. Laws of Washington, 1909, ch. 97, sec. 10, p. 313. While the legislature of 1907 allowed consolidated districts 2,000 days' attendance in addition to the actual attendance, it was not until 1909 that a modified arrangement was written into the statutes. This legislation provided that consolidated districts be credited with 2,000 days' attendance for each district, less one, so consolidated.50 Private school attendance was accredited to the district in which such private school was held.60 In 1913 the law provided that private schools must report attendance; and in 1917 kindergarten attendance was counted at one half its actual value. No further legislation of importance affecting the apportionment of State funds was enacted until 1933. The code commission of 1920 recommended that State funds as well as county funds be apportioned one third on the basis of teachers and two thirds on the basis of attendance, but the law remains providing that the distribution be made on the basis of total days' attendance with a minimum of 2,000 days credited to each district. These provisions were inaugurated for the purpose of providing just and equable distribution. County funds.-The law of 1881 represents the method employed generally throughout the territorial period of the apportionment of the county school fund to the various districts. It provided that the county superintendent of common schools should apportion the money to the several districts in proportion to the number of school children between the ages of 4 and 21. An exception was made of certain Indian children. Thus the basis of distribution did not depend upon school attendance, but upon the number of children. The county superintendent employed the same method for apportioning the State funds.62 The legislation of 1889-90 placed the distribution of the State and county funds upon the following basis: One-fourth the total amount to be apportioned to each district in proportion to the number of teachers employed therein; the remaining three-fourths in proportion to the number of census children. The number of teachers was deter mined by allowing 1 teacher for every 70 census children and fraction thereof over 30. Each district was entitled to 1 teacher.63 This law applied also to the apportionment of State funds. Cities of 10,000 or more inhabitants participated in the State apportionment "Ibid., p. 272. "Laws of Washington, 1909, ch. 97, sec. 6, p. 313. "Washington School Law, 1881, sec. 82, p. 11. Ibid., sec. 57, p. 8. Laws of Washington, 1889-90, ch. 12, sec. 11, p. 357. on the above plan, but did not participate in the county funds. Such cities were not taxed for county school purposes. However, in 1895 the county tax was extended to the city districts and also the right to participate in the county apportionment.65 It was in this same year that legislation was passed providing for the apportionment of the State fund by the county superintendent wholly upon the basis of census children. The subsequent treatment of the apportionment of State funds is given in another section of this chapter. The only changes in county apportionment since 1890 came in 1909 and 1933. The proponents of equable distribution felt that the weaker districts should be further aided, so they advocated that a larger proportion of the fund should be given on the teacher basis. The legisla tion of that year provided that one-third of the total county fund should be apportioned to the several districts in proportion to the num ber of teachers, and the remaining two-thirds on the basis of the number of days' attendance. No longer was money paid to districts on the basis of the number of children, but upon the actual school need as evidenced by the days' attendance in the schools. District indebtedness.-There was little occasion for the borrowing of money by school districts during the early Territorial period. There was no law giving specific authority for school directors to borrow, as each specific case required special legislation. In 1883 the legisla ture passed five acts giving authority to five districts in various parts of the Territory to borrow for certain purposes. In the following legislature there were eight similar cases. In 1888 school districts, together with counties, cities, and incorporated towns were authorized to create indebtedness not to exceed 4 percent of the value of the taxable property of the district.67 The law of 1890 provided that The board of directors of any school district in this State may borrow money and issue negotiable coupon bonds therefor, to an amount not to exceed five (5) percent of the taxable property in said district. 08 This legislation also limited the indebtedness of school districts of more than 10,000 to 22 percent. This provision was amended so cities might borrow up to 5 percent, March 28, 1890. The interest Ibid., sec. 32, p. 395. Laws of Washington, 1895, sec. 1, p. 123. 66 Laws of Washington, 1909, ch. 97, sec. 7. p. 323. 7 Laws of Washington, 1888, ch. XXXVIII, sec. 1. p. 74. "Laws of Washington, 1890, sec. 1. p. 45. should not exceed 10 percent, and bonds could not run more than 20 years. An act of 1895 gave school districts power to validate and ratify indebtedness not to exceed 5 percent of the taxable property of the district, by a majority of three-fifths of the voters voting at a school election.69 The invalid debt could not exceed 12 percent of the taxable property, as was provided by the State constitution. After debts were so validated the board could issue bonds not to bear more than 6 percent interest. Legislation of the same year gave districts power to borrow money and issue warrants to pay any current general expenses of the district in anticipation of revenues to be collected by taxes.70 Subsequent legislation made practically no change in the general provisions. The bonded indebtedness may not exceed 5 percent of the taxable property, with interest not over 6 percent, and may run not over 20 years. Three-fifths majority vote is necessary to go over 11⁄2 percent of indebtedness, the limit of the power of the board of directors. 3. The Increasing Cost of Education The increase in the cost of education during the last three decades has given much recent cause for alarm, and has been an incentive toward increased State aid. In 1890 the total cost per pupil in average attendance was $25.50 while in 1931 this item had risen to $118.31.71 In 1880 the average number of months of school was 4.86, while in 1931 it was 6.96.72 It is interesting to note that when Washington became a State there were 320 high-school pupils in the State, which represented but 0.57 percent of the total enrollment; in 1931 there were 90,508 high-school pupils, which was 26.13 percent of the total. This great increase in high-school attendance has been a large factor in greater expenditures. The increase in cost is due to many factors, among which are the establishment of transportation of pupils, agricultural and industrial training schools, schools for mentally deficient children, better supervision and administration, night schools, and medical inspection. Compulsory school laws, expensive fireproof buildings, and teachers' cottages have all played a significant part. Also teachers' salaries "Laws of Washington, 1895, ch. XXI, sec. 1, p. 26. Ibid., p. 27. 71 Burrus, L. D., Washington Education Journal, February 1932. "Ibid. Ibid. |