Fewer safety staff. Fewer counselors. Larger class sizes. Less academic support, fewer job readiness classes and decreased student activities. Following a series of levy failures, budget cuts in recent years have resulted in fewer staff members to support students and a decline in available classes, programs and activities for students.
In a new, revised request for funding, Battle Ground Public Schools’ board of directors approved a resolution authorizing a student safety, academic support, educational programs and operations levy for the ballot. The revised levy proposal includes funding for areas identified as community priorities. While the proposed levy would not restore all programs eliminated through budget cuts, it would restore many programs and those identified as priorities in recent community listening sessions and surveys.
The levy will appear on the ballot in the Nov. 3 election. All registered voters who live in the district are eligible to vote.
About the levy
If approved, the levy would fund the following areas:
More student supervision and safety/security measures
Additional student instruction and resources
Increased focus on student well-being
More classes to prepare students for jobs and life after high school
Smaller class sizes
Additional student activities
Special education
Battle Ground Public Schools is the only school district in Clark County without an educational programs and operations levy. No other school district in Washington state with more than 10,000 students currently operates without a local educational programs and operations levy. Every Battle Ground school would receive funding if the levy is approved.
By law, the district cannot collect any more than the fixed annual amount that voters approve.
Total collection amounts per year are shared among all taxable property in the district. If new homes are built within the district's boundaries, the amount would be shared among more taxpayers.
If approved, the levy would collect the following amounts:
Year | Total collection amount |
2027 | $37.03 million |
2028 | $38.69 million |
2029 | $40.43 million |
The estimated rate for the levy would be $1.76 per $1,000 of assessed value each year. For a $650,000 home, that would be $1,144 per year, or $95 per month.
If the levy passes, the district will not be able to return all of the programs, positions and services that have been cut over the past two years. The restored items would be based on community input collected through surveys, listening sessions and other opportunities. Additional budget cuts may still be needed in future years due to rising costs.
See financial information, including audit results. Information is also provided during public school board meetings and in publicly available reports submitted to the state of Washington.
Some seniors, as well as homeowners with disabilities, may be eligible for a property tax exemption.