The Olympia School District Board of Directors unanimously decided to put an Educational Programs and Operations Replacement levy before voters on the February 13, 2024, Special Election ballot. Proposed is a continuation of a previous 2020, voter approved educational programs and operational levy. A simple majority approval would continue funding for Olympia School District programing staff, extra-curricular transportation and operations personnel where state basic education funds either do not provide or do not fully cover expenses. Future district budgeting estimates depend on the levy being replaced.
State law lists essential skills as mathematics, sciences, civics and history, cultures, geography, arts, health and fitness. The state funds basic education and has a base allocation for administrative, certificated and classified positions and salaries. Beyond funding for the basics, staffing, support and extension learning programs come with additional costs, some partially funded and others solely funded by district levies. Athletic programs, certain transportation, visual and performing arts, as well as special education support, multilingual education and security and health staffing are among those supported by OSD levy dollars.
“The Educational Programs and Operations Replacement Levy makes up about 16% of the district’s budgeted revenue,” says Olympia School District Superintendent Patrick Murphy who also adds that, “59 cents of every levy dollar spent in our district is for enrichment to basic education. Another 29 cents of every levy dollar is spent on special education. The replacement levy would continue to pay for programs and services that are not fully funded by state basic education funding.”
Replacing the OSD levy would generate $177.3 million over the proceeding four years at an estimated maximum tax rate of $2.50 per $1,000 dollars of assessed property value within the school district.
Olympia School District Replacement Levy Supports Programs Not Included in Basic Ed Funding
Enrichment and support programs designed to provide students with maximum opportunities for academic success are levy funded. Visual and performing arts such as drama and stagecraft expand literature, art and career and technical education. Levy funds pay for music programs, band and choral groups and guarantee those opportunities are available to students who may be unable to pay for instrument purchases or rental costs. Athletic programming staff such as coaches, assistants, transportation for events outside of the school day and the district Pay to Play program, which covers extra-curricular fees, are not included in the basic funding model and are levy supported.
Federal mandates require educational supports for students with disabilities. To keep pace with requirements, OSD redirected $8,155,000 from other district programs to support its special education programming. In general and special education, paraeducators provide both supervision and specialized academic support. State funding pays for 14.8 paraeducators at OSD, and the district employs 41.7 in the general education setting.
“On any given day in an elementary school, you will find paraeducators working with small groups of students on developing specific skills in reading and math,” says Inger Owen, executive director of teaching and learning. “These small group opportunities are critical to meeting the varied needs of all OSD learners and are supported by the levy.”
Programs for multilingual learners that are designed and staffed to provide opportunities for students to acquire English language skills and help them meet graduation requirements include sheltered English courses and an English language development elective course. At the elementary school level this service supports students who are new to the United States and students joining the OSD transitional kindergarten program with 3.5 additional certificated staff and funds eight hours of paraeducator time. Some programs, such as outdoor education, are not part of basic education funding.
“Nearly every state basic education program costs more than the state funds,” says Kate Davis, executive director of finance and capital planning for the Olympia School District. “The district depends on levy funding to go beyond the state’s basic education funding to help prepare students for success.”
Olympia School District Teacher Training and Operation Staff are Levy Supported
Three annual days of professional development and collaborative learning time for teachers are state funded. Specialists such as counselors, psychologists, world language teachers and career and technical instructors use additional district funded days to stay current with research and practices.
Operational staff for student and staff safety includes, for example, school crossing guards. The state funds 1.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees for nearly 9,000 students, and OSD employs 4 FTE. Custodians, food service workers, health room assistants, social and mental health supports and office professionals are all supported by levy funds to staff positions at a number that the district deems necessary to fit school needs.
The OSD Educational Programs and Operations Replacement levy is not a new levy. The ballot item asks voters for a continuation of the previous levy. In 2020 voters approved a four-year levy with a maximum tax rate of $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. State law currently limits the amount school districts may collect to the lesser of $2,500 per pupil (adjusted for inflation) or $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. OSD is limited to collecting the per pupil limit. Therefore, it does not assess the full voter-approved tax that the community approved. This limit remains in effect today.
Levy dollars support the hiring of additional staff, both certificated and classified, who provide extended support in academic subjects and teach, lead or assist in programs such as performing arts, athletics, paraeducator support and more. The February 13, Special Election levy item requires a simple majority to pass.
Visit the Olympia School District website for more information. Questions can also be emailed to Levy2024@osd.wednet.edu.
