Ellensburg School District

Bonds are for building; levies are for learning. 

A levy is a local property tax passed by the voters of a school district that generates revenue to fund programs and services that the state does not fully fund as part of basic education. Because the funding provided by the state does not cover the actual costs to operate a school district, districts often use levy funds to hire additional staff, or for student programming and services that are underfunded or not funded by the state.

Ellensburg schools are primarily funded through an allocation by the State, with Federal dollars and local levy money making up the difference. State money covers about 75 percent of the cost of running our schools. About 12 percent is Federal money, primarily grants that must be spent in specific ways on targeted programs. Ten percent of the local operating budget comes from local levy money. For more information on how schools are funded in Washington, visit this resource.

Yes, but the amount districts receive varies based on a number of factors.

For example:  Enrollment, regional cost of living differences, poverty rates, and the number of special needs or non-English speaking students are all factors in the amount of state funding a district receives. Most districts also receive additional federal funding, which is mostly determined by levels of poverty and special needs populations within a district.

Yes, but the funding does not fully cover the costs of operating a school district. The Washington State Supreme Court decision on McCleary v. Washington State resulted in public school districts seeing a net funding increase in 2018. Even though the state increased the amount of funding it was providing to school districts, it also capped the amount of funding school districts can raise from local levies. The Legislature also applied restrictions to how funding can be used. 

After the McCleary decision, districts were no longer funded with the “staff mix factor.”  The “staff mix” was a funding mechanism that used to give districts more money for teachers with more teaching experience.  In ESD, approximately 50% of teachers have 15 or more years of experience, which is a huge benefit to our students. OSPI currently pays a flat rate for each teacher. The average salary for teachers in ESD is higher than this allocation provided by OSPI. 

Schools are also funded based on enrollment and the State “prototypical model.”  This State model does not fully fund the staffing that is currently in place within ESD.

The levy funds programs and positions not covered by the State. In Ellensburg levy money pays for :

Teaching and Learning

• Building Budgets and Extended Learning, which provide things like 5^th Grade Camp, as well as Winter School opportunities to help students who are behind. This allocation also funds the District swimming program. 
• Curriculum and Professional Development. 
• Special Education Program costs. State and Federal funding do not fully cover the actual cost of delivering this program. 
• Substitute costs, which are not addressed by the State. 

Health & Safety

• Security
• Districtwide Drug & Alcohol/Mental Health/Suicide Prevention programs. 
• Long term staffing needs for both classified and certificated personnel, which could include:
  • Nurses, 
  • Counselors, 
  • Mental health specialists
  • Family liaisons and translators

Extra-Curricular Activities and Programs

• Orchestra
• Choir
• Band
• Boys and Girls sports, including Football, Soccer, Volleyball, Swim, Cross Country, Basketball, Wrestling, Bowling, Baseball, Softball, Track, and Golf.

•  Coaches and Extra-Curricular Advisors

No. This is a continuation of an existing property tax.

This replacement levy does not increase the overall local tax rate, and the overall local tax rate will be lower by approximately $.20 to $.30 per $1,000 than what taxpayers currently pay.

ESD previously anticipated that combined school levies and bonds would not exceed $4.50 per $1,000. This levy will result in $4.20 to $4.30 per $1,000, when combined with the District’s bond levy.

The Legislature passed a state property tax for education funding. Why do you need a local levy?

State funding does not cover the costs of operating a school district. The state uses a prototypical funding formula that determines what resources a district will receive, and how much funding will be provided. Funding within the prototypical model is based on district size, economic factors and student populations. 

To learn more about school funding and the prototypical model of funding, see “A Citizen's Guide to Washington State K-12 Finance.”

Additionally the Association of Washington School Principals offers this guide on the State’s Prototypical Model of funding school districts

Federal funds, and even some state funding, comes with spending restrictions. Money must be spent in specific ways. Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, federally given to schools, are one-time funds.  ESSER funds are not an ongoing funding stream for schools. Once these funds are depleted there is no current plan by the Federal government to replace them. ESSER funds have been used for purposes like supporting students with social emotional needs and learning loss potentially related to the pandemic. 

Washington State law provides two tax benefit programs for certain senior citizens and individuals who are disabled: property tax exemptions and property tax deferrals. For more information on qualifications, please visit this resource.

It is a common myth that more homes result in more levy and bond dollars for schools. Once the levy or bond amount is set the amount doesn’t increase, no matter how many new homes and new students are added to the District. However, the cost per $1,000 of assessed value decreases. 

Suppose you bought a pie for $10. If you bought it alone, you would pay $10. If you shared the cost with one friend, each of you would pay $5. If 10 people purchased the same pie, it would cost $1 per person. The size and cost of the pie is unchanged, but the cost per slice goes down. It is the same with school levies and bonds. When more homes come into the area it just means everyone is paying less for the “pie” but the pie, or in this case levy amount, remains the same size.

If you know the assessed value of your property, you can calculate the amount of tax. For example, if the assessed value of your property is $150,000 and the levy rate is $2.50 per thousand dollars of value, your tax will be $375.