45% Rate Hike Now Landing on 130 Washington School Districts
Around 130 Washington school districts received notices in mid-May 2026 that their liability insurance rates through the Washington Schools Risk Management Pool (WSRMP) would increase by an average of 45%. The driver is a surge in sexual abuse claims, many stemming from incidents decades old.
WSRMP is a not-for-profit public-entity risk pool that covers more than a third of the state’s school districts. Instead of buying traditional liability insurance, member districts contribute to a shared fund that pays for settlements and legal costs. When one district faces a large claim, rates go up for every member, not just the one named in the suit.
45% Average rate increase facing ~130 WA school districts in WSRMP, up from an original February projection of 18%
The pool initially warned members in February 2026 to expect an 18% increase. A surge in claim costs during the second quarter forced a last-minute revision to roughly 45%. Deborah Callahan, CEO of WSRMP, said most member districts have never faced a sex abuse claim directly. The claims hitting the pool now are largely historical.
Legal Changes Opened the Door to Decades-Old Claims
Two legal shifts explain the sudden volume. Washington’s legislature extended statutes of limitation for childhood sexual abuse survivors in recent years, allowing claims from 20 or 30 years ago to move forward. A 2020 state Supreme Court decision, W.H. v. Olympia School District, affirmed that school districts are strictly liable for employee misconduct, even when administrators had no knowledge of the abuse.
Lara Hruska, a founder and managing partner at Cedar Law LLP who represents plaintiffs in these cases, said the 2020 ruling built on a 2019 decision that strengthened survivor protections. Together, the rulings removed the “knew or should have known” defense that districts previously relied on.
Recent settlements show the scale. Seattle Public Schools paid a former student $16 million in 2024 for sexual abuse committed by a coach. Federal Way Public Schools paid $15 million in May 2026 to two victims sexually assaulted by a student. Both districts are WSRMP members.
Smaller Districts Are Cutting Teachers to Cover the Cost
The financial pressure is falling hardest on smaller districts, which have less budget flexibility. Anacortes School District, a WSRMP member, said the rate increase forced it to eliminate teaching positions. Washington does not provide supplemental state funding to help districts absorb rising liability costs.
Every person interviewed for the original reporting agreed survivors deserve justice. The gap is structural: the legal system has correctly expanded accountability, but the state has not created a funding mechanism to absorb the cost outside of local educational budgets.
What You Can Do Now
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Contact your Washington state legislators at the Washington State Legislature’s district finder and ask them to introduce or support a supplemental appropriation to offset WSRMP rate increases for school districts. Tell them Anacortes already cut teachers because of this gap.
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Call the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) at (360) 725-6000 and ask what OSPI is doing to advocate for state funding relief for districts facing insurance cost spikes tied to historical abuse liability.
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Contact your local school board before fall budget hearings and ask whether the 45% rate increase appears in their proposed budget and what is being cut to cover it. Many boards finalize budgets in July and August.
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If you are a survivor of school-based sexual abuse in Washington, the statute of limitations changes may affect your eligibility to file a claim. The nonprofit RAINN (1-800-656-4673) provides referrals to legal resources.
Sources
- Sex abuse claims against some WA school districts are raising insurance rates for all — Washington State Standard (2026-06-22)
Washington State Standard: Sex Abuse Claims Against Some WA School Districts Are Raising Insurance Rates for All Washington Courts: W.H. v. Olympia School District, 2020 Supreme Court Strict Liability Ruling Seattle Times: Seattle Schools $16 Million Sex Abuse Settlement With Former Student WSRMP: Washington Schools Risk Management Pool Member Information RAINN: National Sexual Assault Hotline and Legal Referral Resources