Voters in the Evergreen Public Schools district will cast ballots on a three-year replacement levy on Feb. 9. The measure to place the levy on the ballot was approved by the board of directors at a special meeting Tuesday night.
The three-year levy would collect $3.51 per $1,000 of assessed valuation on property in school district boundaries. It’s the same levy amount approved by voters four years ago.
Levy funds will total about $49 million in 2017, $51.5 million in 2018 and $54 million in 2019, based on the predicted increase of assessed property values.
Levy dollars close the gap between the basic education funding provided by the state and the district’s current operating budget.
In January 2012, the state Supreme Court, in McCleary v. State of Washington, ruled that the state was not adequately funding basic education. The court ordered the Legislature to make steady, real and measurable progress each year and to fully fund K-12 public education by 2018.
But so far, full funding for basic education has not materialized. The district says it must continue to rely on local levies to continue to fund all-day kindergarten for all elementary schools, and maintain lower class sizes, extracurricular activities and sports, transportation and more.
If voters approve the levy, the district will receive an additional $48 million in levy equalization funds from the state during the three-year period because the district’s property values are lower than the state average.
The district’s graduation rate is above the state average. The district also has one of the lowest administrative and central office costs in the state, according to Julie Bocanegra, board president.
Levy information is available at http://evergreenps.org, on social media outlets and through public presentations. Community members can email questions to election@evergreenps.org or call 360-604-4134.
Evergreen Public Schools is the state’s fifth-largest school district. Its 37 schools are attended by nearly 27,000 students.
