Facts, Transparency, and Community Resources
Independent Community Resource • Not Affiliated with MLSD No. 161
Website: moseslakeschools.info
Most voters know very little about the people who control Moses Lake schools. When officials run for re-election, ballot information is minimal. This transparency project documents everyone with power over local education—from the State Legislature down to local implementation.
📊 Research Complete: 200+ pages profiling 50+ officials across comprehensive documents
⚖️ Equal Scrutiny: All officials researched with identical methods regardless of party
📚 Fully Sourced: 100+ verified sources, all citations documented
🎯 Non-Partisan: Facts only, no editorial commentary
New to this research? Start with the Quick Start Guide—designed for busy parents who want to understand the power structure in 10-15 minutes.
What you'll get:
The Governor and State Superintendent have enormous power over Moses Lake schools through appointments, budget proposals, and policy implementation.
New governor who appoints State Board members, Supreme Court justices, and controls education budget. Detailed background, positions, controversies, and power analysis. (22 pages)
State Superintendent rejected by Grant County voters 67%-32%, yet he controls Moses Lake schools for 4 years. Federal investigations, positions, and power over curriculum, funding, and standards. (26 pages)
Democrats control the House Education Committee with 11 members vs. 8 Republicans. Chair Sharon Tomiko Santos (Seattle, 27 years in office) decides which bills get hearings and which advance. Republicans can speak but cannot block legislation with only 8 of 19 seats.
⚠️ POWER REALITY:
Chair Santos has MORE power over Moses Lake schools than any other legislator except the Governor and OSPI Superintendent. Yet Moses Lake voters never get to vote for or against her—she represents Seattle's 37th District and typically wins with 75-85% of the vote.
The Problem: Zero rural representation on committee that controls rural schools. All 11 Democrats represent urban/suburban districts with progressive values very different from Grant County.
Moses Lake Connection: Rep. Kristine Reeves (D-30) is a Moses Lake native and Moses Lake High School graduate (Class of 1999), creating a direct local connection to our district.
⭐ START HERE! All 19 members (11 Democrats, 8 Republicans) profiled in one comprehensive document. Includes Chair Santos' 27-year power accumulation, Rep. Kristine Reeves' Moses Lake connection, Rep. Shaun Scott's $12,000 PDC fines, Rep. Matt Marshall's Three Percenters militia founding, Rep. Joel McEntire's 35+ ethics complaints, complete PDC analysis, and power structure breakdown. Equal scrutiny applied to all members. (60+ pages)
Democrats control everything with 11 of 19 seats. All 11 members profiled with equal scrutiny: Chair Sharon Tomiko Santos (most powerful), Vice Chair Clyde Shavers (military service controversy), Rep. Steve Bergquist (active teacher/WEA member), Rep. Lisa Callan (only Democrat with business endorsements), Rep. Kristine Reeves (Moses Lake native!), and 6 additional members. KEY FINDING: All 11 Democrats have CLEAN PDC records (zero violations). Complete backgrounds, voting records, organizational affiliations, and power analysis. (35 pages)
Republicans are minority with NO power to block bills. All 8 members profiled: Ranking Member Skyler Rude (only gay Republican, crossover endorsements), Assistant Ranking Member Michael Keaton, Rep. Rob Chase, Rep. Travis Couture, Rep. Carolyn Eslick (PDC warning), Rep. Matt Marshall (Three Percenters militia founder), Rep. Joel McEntire (35+ ethics complaints, social media controversies), and Rep. Mike Steele (educator background). Can speak and offer amendments but cannot stop Democratic majority with only 8 of 19 seats. Equal scrutiny applied. (40+ pages)
Side-by-side comparison of Public Disclosure Commission records for all 19 members. Two members have violations: Rep. Shaun Scott (D) with $12,000 in fines and Rep. Carolyn Eslick (R) with warning only. Sixteen of nineteen members have clean records. (10 pages)
Who belongs to what? DSA (Democratic Socialists), ALEC, Three Percenters, WEA, unions, business groups—all documented. Shows partisan divide in organizational support. (12 pages)
Who endorses whom? Labor unions, business groups, progressive organizations, conservative groups. Shows perfect partisan split: Democrats get labor, Republicans get business (except Rep. Callan who gets both). (4 pages)
All 100+ sources documented. Shows research methodology and equal scrutiny standards. PDC records, legislative history, news coverage, organizational affiliations—all cited. (18 pages)
Nine Supreme Court justices ordered $13+ billion in education spending and held the Legislature in contempt. Yet voters get almost no information about them on the ballot.
⚠️ THE HIDDEN POWER:
The Supreme Court has MORE power over Moses Lake schools than the entire Legislature. Nine justices can order billions in spending, hold elected officials in contempt, and override voter-approved initiatives. Yet when you vote for them, all you see is "NON-PARTISAN" on the ballot.
McCleary Decision (2012): These nine justices ordered the Legislature to spend $13+ billion on education, imposed $100,000/day fines, and held the government in contempt for six years.
Three justices from the McCleary court still serve today—including Chief Justice Debra L. Stephens who wrote the opinion.
⭐ START HERE! All 9 current justices (2026) profiled in one comprehensive document. Includes Chief Justice Debra L. Stephens (wrote McCleary opinion), Justice Charles W. Johnson (35 years on court), Justice Barbara A. Madsen (Chief Justice during McCleary), Justice Colleen M. Melody (appointed Jan 2026, never been a judge before), and all others. Shows 7 of 9 were appointed by Democratic governors, 3 seats up for election Nov 2026, and the "non-partisan" ballot myth exposed. Equal scrutiny applied to all justices. (60+ pages)
Introduction to Supreme Court power over schools. The McCleary decision, $100K/day fines, and the "non-partisan" ballot problem. Decision point: do you want to go deeper? (10 pages)
All 9 current justices profiled (2025). Who wrote McCleary? Who was appointed vs. elected? Which governor appointed them? Complete backgrounds, judicial philosophy, voting patterns. (20 pages)
These appointed boards control graduation requirements, charter schools, and teacher certification—yet most voters have never heard of them.
All 16 members profiled. Controls graduation requirements (24 credits), charter school authorization, and 2026 legislative platform. Most members appointed by Governor, not elected. (32 pages)
Controls WHO can teach in Moses Lake. All 12 members appointed by Governor (zero elected). Includes Juan Mata from Wahluke SD (Grant County area). Minimal public visibility despite major power. (6 pages)
📥 Download Everything: All documents are available in multiple formats:
Total: 200+ pages, 50+ officials, 100+ sources, equal scrutiny applied to all.
Understanding how teacher salaries work—from starting pay to career advancement—and what teachers actually cost taxpayers when you include benefits, retirement, and taxes.
START HERE for the full picture. This comprehensive analysis explains the difference between salary (what teachers earn) and total cost (what taxpayers pay) including all employer-paid benefits.
What you'll learn:
📍 Comprehensive • All data from official OSPI S-275 reports • 374 teachers in 2024-25
What does "average salary" really mean? A simple, clear explanation with real examples showing how teacher pay works in Moses Lake.
📍 Quick read • Perfect for parents & community members
Complete 9-year salary data (2016-2025) with interactive charts showing trends, growth rates, and detailed breakdowns.
📊 Data deep-dive • Interactive charts
📊 Understanding MEAN vs. MEDIAN: The comprehensive analysis above includes a complete section teaching the difference between mean (average) and median—an essential life skill for understanding any statistics.
Key Finding: In Moses Lake, the median teacher salary ($101,308) is higher than the mean ($97,470), meaning 50% of teachers earn over $101,000! This reveals we have a mature, experienced teaching force.
📊 Key Facts About Teacher Salaries in Moses Lake (2024-25):
💡 Understanding the Gap: The $97,470 average does NOT mean every teacher makes this amount. New teachers start at $60,792 (62% of average), while experienced teachers with advanced degrees earn $100,000+. This salary progression is how every profession works—accountants, engineers, and nurses all start lower and earn more with experience and credentials.
Understanding how technology requirements in education disproportionately impact low-income families, English Language Learners, and students without reliable internet access at home.
Comprehensive analysis of how the shift to digital learning (computers, tablets, online testing) creates barriers for Moses Lake families—particularly those facing poverty, language barriers, or limited internet access.
Key Topics:
The Timeline Integration: Between 1990 and 2025, Moses Lake School District underwent two simultaneous transformations that created a "perfect storm" of inequality:
Result: ELL students in poor families faced barriers that multiplied with each passing year—barriers that persist today despite $14 billion in new education funding statewide.
Understanding the different levels of control over education—federal, state, and local—helps explain why some decisions can be made locally while others require state or federal action. It also clarifies the important differences between traditional public schools, charter schools, and private schools.
Comprehensive guide to local, state, and federal control of education, plus detailed comparison of public, charter, and private schools in Washington State.
What you'll learn:
Washington State has become a focal point in debates about sex education, transgender student policies, LGBTQ+ curriculum, and religious freedom in education. Understanding what the law actually requires—and where families have choices—is essential for navigating these complex issues.
Comprehensive analysis of Washington's sex education requirements, transgender policies, LGBTQ+ curriculum mandates, and private school freedoms.
Topics covered:
When people talk about "the schools," they often assume there's one entity in charge. The reality is far more complex. Multiple organizations—from elected officials to unions to support agencies—all have different types and levels of power over what happens in Moses Lake classrooms.
Comprehensive explanation of OSPI, WEA, NEA, AFT, WSSDA, school boards, and other organizations—what they can actually control versus what they can only influence.
Who we explain:
Beyond Moses Lake's local budget and governance, I've compiled extensive research on statewide curriculum mandates, education spending trends, and what works (and what doesn't) in Washington education.
A Personal Note: This research represents a deeper dive—one that I took personally, trying to get some of my questions answered about certain things over the years. My questions reflect some of who I am and what I believe to be right and proper as a Christian.
I understand that some of you are not Christians and may hold a different view than I do. Your conclusions, looking at the same data, may be different than mine. That's okay.
I would encourage you: go dig in for yourself. Dig your own well, get your own water. It is part of your rights underneath the United States Constitution. Together, if we both—or all—work at this thing together, and we keep it civil and focus upon bettering everything for everyone in our community, then we all win.
Start here! Learn about successful programs like Running Start and CTE, and why they work while some mandates fail.
Research Topics Available:
Approach: This research supports Moses Lake teachers and aims to strengthen public education by identifying what works and advocating for more local control, more teacher input in policy decisions, and evidence-based reforms. All sources are documented so you can verify the data yourself.
🚀 Explore Research 📄 Quick Summary (PDF)Understanding a 165-page school district budget can be overwhelming. We've created tools to help you understand how your tax dollars are allocated and what restrictions apply to different funding sources.
📥 Download Full Budget PDF 🔍 View Interactive Budget GuideWhat you'll learn from the Interactive Budget Guide:
This website provides community members with clear, factual information about Moses Lake School District finances and the fiscal challenges facing public education in Washington State. Our goal is to promote transparency and help citizens understand how public education is funded and the constraints districts face in managing their budgets.
School districts operate under complex state and federal regulations. Different funding sources come with different restrictions on how money can be spent. Understanding these restrictions helps explain why districts make certain budget decisions and why simple solutions like "just move the money around" aren't always possible.
Fiscal Challenges: Like many Washington school districts, Moses Lake faces ongoing challenges including special education costs that exceed state funding, facility maintenance needs, enrollment fluctuations, and balancing competitive staff compensation with limited flexible revenue sources.
This is NOT an official Moses Lake School District website. This site is created and maintained by private citizens as a community service to provide accessible, factual information about school district finances and operations.
This website is not authorized, endorsed, or affiliated with Moses Lake School District No. 161. All information is compiled from publicly available documents and official sources. For official district communications, please visit the district's official website.
Our Purpose: To help community members understand complex school finance information and to replace rumors and hearsay with facts and data.
Our Values: We believe in civil, respectful dialogue. Our schools serve all our children, and we all share responsibility for their success. Regardless of different viewpoints, we must work together as a community to support our students, teachers, and administrators. Let's keep conversations constructive and focused on facts, not personal attacks.
Find information across all documents, budgets, and reports