It is not the job of the court to 'coerce' the legislature into doing anything.
Impeach them all (and sign them up for Government 101) and start over.

Wrong, @1; please take your own advice.

I'm surprised that waterboarding didn't get all the votes. Considering most of these deadbeat legislators are Republicans, that's the least they should get.

Shut down the whole state's public school system until it is adequately funded. It would be such a shit-show that the legislature would have to act quickly. I believe there is precedent for it too, NJ? Or jail. Throw the whole legislature in jail. That's the one.

How about garnish the lawmakers' wages with those $100,000 fines? (I know most legislators have other jobs, but they do get paid for this one. Let's stop paying them for it until they come through.)

@3, In 1976, the NJ Supreme Court closed the public schools for eight days because the funding formula put in place, the Public School Education Act Chapter 212, did not have taxes raised or any other revenue plan to pay for it. In response, the NJ legislature enacted a state income tax.

The thing is, I don't believe the WA St court has the political will to take such an extraordinary measure to insure adequate funding and will continue to make its usual feeble suggestions to the political class to fund education.

@1, 2, 5. The truth is our state judges do over reach. We passed a law that we never had the money to pay for. Who's fault is that? We also keep spending money on other things while we do not spend it on schools. We also have a small tendency to waste money all over the place. Local levies raise money for schools but now they won't be in control paying teacher salaries. While our education budget will increase by over 50% in three years we are still under funded. WHAT??!!!

Has anyone ever looked at the public schools salaries? Has anyone ever looked at what money goes to the students? is it fair for a teacher in Bellingham to make what a teacher in Seattle makes? For that mater is it fair for a teacher to get a $100,000 a year and more vacation than the president? I want the best and brightest teaching our future, but for some reason we can't fire the crappy teachers?

There are a million ways to better the educational system. Unfortunately I don't think our politicians, and unions are on board. They want what is good for their pockets first, then the kids.