David Knight
@dsknight99.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Education Finance and Policy at the University of Washington College of Education
Pinned
David Knight
@dsknight99.bsky.social
· Oct 20
Meet the Washington superintendents who want to make K-12 education funding more equitable
"This grassroots initiative is seeking to engage superintendents, legislators, finance experts (and) community partners to have eventual financial reform for public education," Yakima School Superinte...
www.yakimaherald.com
We 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:
www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/e... Read more here: education.uw.edu/ctp/node/1300
Thank you Yakima Herald for picking up the story:
www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/e... Read more here: education.uw.edu/ctp/node/1300
Reposted by David Knight
Excited to share my new chapter in dual enrollment (DE), co-authored with Reid Sagara and @dsknight99.bsky.social, just published in the Higher Education Handbook of Theory and Research. link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/...
Dual Enrollment and the Purpose of Higher Education: Mapping Our Assumptions Toward a Broader Research Agenda
Dual enrollment (DE) is an increasingly popular reform that allows high school students to enroll in college courses and earn college credit through partnerships between high schools and institutions ...
link.springer.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Excited to share my new chapter in dual enrollment (DE), co-authored with Reid Sagara and @dsknight99.bsky.social, just published in the Higher Education Handbook of Theory and Research. link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/...
That 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
Beware the misguided use of scatterplots to infer causation from correlation.
"Newer, quasi-experimental research finds more consistent evidence that past funding increases had positive effects on student outcomes."
via @aefplivehandbook.bsky.social: livehandbook.org/k-12-educati...
"Newer, quasi-experimental research finds more consistent evidence that past funding increases had positive effects on student outcomes."
via @aefplivehandbook.bsky.social: livehandbook.org/k-12-educati...
School Funding and Outcomes
Explore the impact of school spending on student outcomes. Discover key research findings, policy trends, and evidence-based insights.
livehandbook.org
November 18, 2025 at 5:29 AM
That 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
Reposted by David Knight
Just came across another “Does money matter in education?” debate in the Year of Our Lord 2025. I’m tired
November 17, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Just came across another “Does money matter in education?” debate in the Year of Our Lord 2025. I’m tired
Reposted by David Knight
how to show you're not a serious contributor to conversations on money and schools: (what the actual research says: www.shankerinstitute.org/sites/defaul...)
November 17, 2025 at 2:01 PM
how to show you're not a serious contributor to conversations on money and schools: (what the actual research says: www.shankerinstitute.org/sites/defaul...)
If 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: convention2.allacademic.com/one/appam/ap...
We’ll have a special guest speaker you won’t want to miss!
Details below: convention2.allacademic.com/one/appam/ap...
November 15, 2025 at 8:44 PM
If 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: convention2.allacademic.com/one/appam/ap...
We’ll have a special guest speaker you won’t want to miss!
Details below: convention2.allacademic.com/one/appam/ap...
Important 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:
www.the74million.org/article/shut...
What's driving this? As with many challenges in ed policy, a key factor is inadequate and inequitable state school finance systems:
www.the74million.org/article/shut...
Shut Out: Inequitable Access to After School Programs Grows
More than 22 million children — mostly from low-income and families of color — face barriers to care after 3 p.m., according to a new report.
www.the74million.org
November 14, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Important 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:
www.the74million.org/article/shut...
What's driving this? As with many challenges in ed policy, a key factor is inadequate and inequitable state school finance systems:
www.the74million.org/article/shut...
Reposted by David Knight
Why are children still struggling for the basics in one of the wealthiest countries in the world?
itep.org/child-povert...
itep.org/child-povert...
September 19, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Why are children still struggling for the basics in one of the wealthiest countries in the world?
itep.org/child-povert...
itep.org/child-povert...
Reposted by David Knight
Really excited to have this piece out on the Brown Center Chalkboard blog with @lmasonwms.bsky.social, @afgilmour.bsky.social, & @lizbettini.bsky.social on the importance of targeted solutions to special education teacher staffing challenges. See below!
"As we have demonstrated, different states face different #SpecialEducation teacher turnover problems. This suggests that the most promising solutions might vary across states."
Read more about our recent findings in our article with @brookings.edu: www.brookings.edu/articles/sta...
Read more about our recent findings in our article with @brookings.edu: www.brookings.edu/articles/sta...
States face different special education staffing challenges that require targeted responses | Brookings
Special education teacher turnover varies by state, calling for targeted, locally informed policy solutions.
www.brookings.edu
November 12, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Really excited to have this piece out on the Brown Center Chalkboard blog with @lmasonwms.bsky.social, @afgilmour.bsky.social, & @lizbettini.bsky.social on the importance of targeted solutions to special education teacher staffing challenges. See below!
It was an honor and privilege to share some of our research on K-12 school finance with the Yakima Rotary Club in Yakima, WA: www.linkedin.com/posts/yakima...
Fun fact! The Yakima Rotary Club is the 31st largest Rotary club in the world!
Fun fact! The Yakima Rotary Club is the 31st largest Rotary club in the world!
Yakima Rotary: School Finance in Washington State | Yakima Rotary Club (Downtown) posted on the topic | LinkedIn
💙 Rotary Recap: Understanding School Finance in Washington 🎓
Last week, Yakima Rotary welcomed Dr. David Knight as our featured speaker, introduced by Trevor Greene, for an insightful presentation on...
www.linkedin.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:44 PM
It was an honor and privilege to share some of our research on K-12 school finance with the Yakima Rotary Club in Yakima, WA: www.linkedin.com/posts/yakima...
Fun fact! The Yakima Rotary Club is the 31st largest Rotary club in the world!
Fun fact! The Yakima Rotary Club is the 31st largest Rotary club in the world!
Reposted by David Knight
New from me in Education Finance & Policy: Pandemic-Era School Staff Shortages: Evidence from Unfilled Position Data in Illinois
doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
January 29, 2025 at 12:57 PM
New from me in Education Finance & Policy: Pandemic-Era School Staff Shortages: Evidence from Unfilled Position Data in Illinois
doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
Reposted by David Knight
We're so excited to be releasing a working paper, data visualizer, and fact sheets about the composition, distribution, and stability of the special education teacher workforce across seven states as part of @sparccenter.bsky.social. See below for more details!
📢 NEW RESEARCH ALERT! The SPARC Center is excited to share THREE new resources with our findings from our first year of research on the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce.
Explore the resources in this thread, or visit our website to learn more: sparccenter.org
Explore the resources in this thread, or visit our website to learn more: sparccenter.org
October 30, 2025 at 2:17 PM
We're so excited to be releasing a working paper, data visualizer, and fact sheets about the composition, distribution, and stability of the special education teacher workforce across seven states as part of @sparccenter.bsky.social. See below for more details!
I 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 (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/202...)
Our Phase I report is now posted here: ospi.k12.wa.us/about-ospi/w...
Our Phase I report is now posted here: ospi.k12.wa.us/about-ospi/w...
K12 Funding Equity Workgroup
The 2025 Legislature passed House Bill 2049, which directs OSPI to gather and administer a workgroup around K-12 funding in Washington. The goal is to explore and suggest options for revising K-12 fun...
ospi.k12.wa.us
November 6, 2025 at 1:08 AM
I 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 (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/202...)
Our Phase I report is now posted here: ospi.k12.wa.us/about-ospi/w...
Our Phase I report is now posted here: ospi.k12.wa.us/about-ospi/w...
If 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!
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!
October 28, 2025 at 4:42 PM
If 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!
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!
We 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:
www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/e... Read more here: education.uw.edu/ctp/node/1300
Thank you Yakima Herald for picking up the story:
www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/e... Read more here: education.uw.edu/ctp/node/1300
Meet the Washington superintendents who want to make K-12 education funding more equitable
"This grassroots initiative is seeking to engage superintendents, legislators, finance experts (and) community partners to have eventual financial reform for public education," Yakima School Superinte...
www.yakimaherald.com
October 20, 2025 at 5:54 PM
We 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:
www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/e... Read more here: education.uw.edu/ctp/node/1300
Thank you Yakima Herald for picking up the story:
www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/e... Read more here: education.uw.edu/ctp/node/1300
The 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: www.newamerica.org/education-po...)
learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/5-billi...
(here is what Title III actually does: www.newamerica.org/education-po...)
learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/5-billi...
$5 Billion in Federal Funding for Nine K–12 Formula Grant Programs Hangs in the Balance Between White House and Senate Proposals
As Congress works to finalize the FY26 budget, two competing proposals could have dramatically different impacts on federal K–12 education funding, potentially eliminating some $5B. Understanding the ...
learningpolicyinstitute.org
September 2, 2025 at 5:54 PM
The 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: www.newamerica.org/education-po...)
learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/5-billi...
(here is what Title III actually does: www.newamerica.org/education-po...)
learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/5-billi...
Who 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 www.seattletimes.com/education-la...
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 www.seattletimes.com/education-la...
Gov. Ferguson ‘deeply skeptical’ of new federal tax credit
President Donald Trump's so-called Big Beautiful Bill includes a new voucher-like program that will pay for private school scholarships. Will Washington take it up?
www.seattletimes.com
August 26, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Who 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 www.seattletimes.com/education-la...
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 www.seattletimes.com/education-la...
Reposted by David Knight
Dear journalists:
The President has not fired Lisa Cook. The President is *trying* to illegally fire her.
Your words shape people’s reality. Please be accurate in your reporting.
The President has not fired Lisa Cook. The President is *trying* to illegally fire her.
Your words shape people’s reality. Please be accurate in your reporting.
August 26, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Dear journalists:
The President has not fired Lisa Cook. The President is *trying* to illegally fire her.
Your words shape people’s reality. Please be accurate in your reporting.
The President has not fired Lisa Cook. The President is *trying* to illegally fire her.
Your words shape people’s reality. Please be accurate in your reporting.
The 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: itep.org/top-1-to-rec...
Read more at: itep.org/top-1-to-rec...
Top 1% to Receive $1 Trillion Tax Cut from Trump Megabill Over the Next Decade
The 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 t...
itep.org
August 26, 2025 at 5:08 AM
The 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: itep.org/top-1-to-rec...
Read more at: itep.org/top-1-to-rec...
We 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: www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/aug/06/...
And more recent coverage here: www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/aug/06/...
August 8, 2025 at 5:41 PM
We 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: www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/aug/06/...
And more recent coverage here: www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/aug/06/...
Critiques 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): sites.psu.edu/ajeforum/202...
We explain more in this AJE Forum piece (w/ @DrDeMatt): sites.psu.edu/ajeforum/202...
Free Market Logic Fails in Schooling: A Response to Harris (2024) by David S. Knight & David E. DeMatthews – AJE Forum
sites.psu.edu
August 1, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Critiques 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): sites.psu.edu/ajeforum/202...
We explain more in this AJE Forum piece (w/ @DrDeMatt): sites.psu.edu/ajeforum/202...
Reading 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:
www.npr.org/2025/08/01/n...
www.npr.org/2025/08/01/n...
Today is the last day for many Education Department workers. Here's what they did
Employees across multiple divisions agree: They can't imagine how the department will fulfill its legal obligations with roughly half its staff gone.
www.npr.org
August 1, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Reading 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:
www.npr.org/2025/08/01/n...
www.npr.org/2025/08/01/n...
Reposted by David Knight
A new analysis of a school finance lawsuit hints at lessons learned for those hoping to obtain state-level education funding that is both adequate and equitable. @dsknight99.bsky.social bit.ly/46qG7uN
Adequacy Without Equity: The Anatomy of a School Finance Lawsuit
A new analysis of a school finance lawsuit hints at lessons learned for those hoping to obtain state-level education funding that is both adequate and equitable.
nepc.colorado.edu
July 3, 2025 at 5:44 PM
A new analysis of a school finance lawsuit hints at lessons learned for those hoping to obtain state-level education funding that is both adequate and equitable. @dsknight99.bsky.social bit.ly/46qG7uN
Justice Sotomayor: "When the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it." 💯 www.npr.org/2025/07/14/n...
Supreme Court says Trump's efforts to close the Education Department can continue
The Trump administration had appealed a decision that had directed it to stop gutting the U.S. Education Department and to reinstate many of the workers the government had laid off.
www.npr.org
July 14, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Justice Sotomayor: "When the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it." 💯 www.npr.org/2025/07/14/n...
If you support detailed reporting on student math and reading test scores for children in grades 4 and 8, add you comments to the ED's May 2025 proposal here: www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PR... (which reverses the data collection). This isn't more tests, it's just SEA's reporting data centrally.
Comment Form
www.reginfo.gov
June 19, 2025 at 6:23 PM
If you support detailed reporting on student math and reading test scores for children in grades 4 and 8, add you comments to the ED's May 2025 proposal here: www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PR... (which reverses the data collection). This isn't more tests, it's just SEA's reporting data centrally.
File under headlines that should not exist:
www.edweek.org/policy-polit...
www.edweek.org/policy-polit...
A Court Told Trump to Reverse Ed. Dept. Layoffs. Will It Happen?
A judge ruled May 22 that the Trump administration had to reinstate laid-off Ed. Dept. staffers. They're still not back on the job.
www.edweek.org
June 4, 2025 at 9:40 PM
File under headlines that should not exist:
www.edweek.org/policy-polit...
www.edweek.org/policy-polit...