Tanya Kerstiens Rowe
Bellingham School District
voice: (360) 676-6520
fax: (360) 676-2793
1306 Dupont Street
Bellingham, WA 98225-3118
trowe@bham.wednet.edu
Washington State has not redefined its funding model for public education since 1977. Many basic needs - such as textbooks and technology to help students learn - are not fully funded. Nearly all of the state's 296 school districts must ask their local communities to cover about 20 percent of basic needs by approving local levies.
Why are the levies needed?
Local levies are no longer for enrichment only. Levies fund the basics. They support instruction, smaller class sizes, school bus transportation, safety and health, and technology for student learning.
The operations levy also covers the state's shortfall for special education, highly capable learners, English language learners, advanced placement and honors courses, extra-curricular activities such as arts and athletics, and much more.
How do levies work?
School districts do not receive more money as property values increase. Levies are based on a fixed dollar amount, not a percentage of assessed property value. When voters approve a levy, they authorize the school district to collect a fixed dollar amount. So, as property values increase and more people share in paying that fixed amount, the combined local tax rate for schools stays about the same or often decreases.
Voters living within district boundaries will be asked to renew two levies on the March 11 ballot (mailed Feb. 20). These levies will replace levies that expire this year. The operations levy accounts for about 20% of the district's operating budget and will continue to provide between $20.5 to $24.2 million per year. The technology levy will continue to provide about $2 million per year to help students and staff learn 21st century skills.
What is the tax impact?
Approval of the levies will not cause Bellingham's total rate to go up. Bellingham's estimated rate would even decrease slightly throughout the duration of the four-year levies. Qualifying senior citizens and disabled persons may be exempt. For more information on exemptions, call the county assessor's office at 676-6790.
What do the levies provide?
Class Size and Instructional Basics
Bellingham uses its current levy funds to help reduce class size and provide additional support for students by hiring more teachers and staff than the state funds. Kindergarten through third grade classes average 22 students with the overall K-12 class size average at about 25 students. Small class size at every Bellingham school is a priority that must be balanced with other essentials. The district offers competitive salaries and benefits to help recruit and keep high quality staff. About 85 percent of the district annual budget goes to personnel costs. The district employs more than 1,300 people. The district consistently drives nearly 74% of our budget to the classroom (the state average is 69%).
Textbooks, science kits, library books and other basic instructional and operational items account for a $1.7 million annual investment in student learning. With the replacement levy, the district plans to fulfill these ongoing needs in reading, math, science, social studies, the arts and physical education/health.
Learning Support
Levy funding covers the costs of programs that are not fully funded by the state. This includes $1.7 million in local support for special education services such as speech and language, physical and occupational therapy, deaf/hard of hearing and visual impairment support, life skills and emotional/behavior support. Levy funding adds $108,093 to support more students in the highly capable learners' program than is funded by the state at $90,683. As our population of students who speak multiple languages grows, so does the need for the English language learners' program, to which the district adds $103,693 to the $422,830 provided by the state.
As more district students prepare for post-secondary education and careers, they enroll in advanced placement (AP) or honors courses offered at the high schools.
For 2006-07, Bellingham, Sehome and Squalicum each offered several sections of AP or honors courses per semester in response to increased demand.
Extra-curricular programs that support the education of the "whole" child are also supported by the levy. Funds have been used to cover advisor/coach salaries and benefits, facilities and transportation for athletics, arts, fifth grade strings, debate, etc.
Transportation, Safety & Health
Our school district is made up of about 100 square miles. The state funds transportation "as the crow flies," not according to actual bus routes. Due to this and rising fuel costs, the levy helps cover the shortage. It also supports buses for field trips and for students in special education. While the district continues to lessen its impact on the environment by implementing "green" practices, the levy helps offset costs such as rising utility and insurance rates.
For the past four years, the district has also used levy funding to pay for school resource (police officers) at the high schools, interpreters for school events, school nurses, and drug/alcohol prevention and intervention.
Technology
Washington State does not provide funding for technology in schools, so voters have supported a technology levy to prepare students for college and careers by providing computer hardware, software, digital tools and training. The district's current technology levy expires in 2008.
A renewal of the levy is needed to partially fund the district's technology plan, which includes hardware, software, wireless, a new telephone system with 911 location capability, training and resources for student learning.
printer friendly