Woodland resident Matt Donald urges voters to approve a replacement operations levy for Woodland Public Schools
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
I’m grateful for the teachers, administrators and staff we have at Woodland Public Schools. Having just served on the Woodland School Board for the last six years, I have a great appreciation for what it takes to keep the Woodland School District running and the kinds of sacrifices that are made on a day-to-day basis to offer our children a high quality educational experience.
In the coming weeks, the Woodland community will see a request for a new Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy (EP&O) presented as a Ballot Resolution. The proposed EP&O Levy for Woodland Public Schools bridges the gap in funding not provided by the state of Washington.
Local funding is essential because the state only pays for 87.5 percent of the total education cost of Woodland Public Schools. This three-year replacement EP&O Levy will provide 12.5 percent of the funds needed to continue the current operation of Woodland Public Schools.
Levy funds help pay for a high quality education for all students: Career and Technical Education; Arts; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM); Reduced Class Sizes; Classified Staff who support classrooms; Special Education, Highly Capable, and English Language Learners Programs; Quality Curriculum Materials, Staff Training; Athletics; Mental Health and Guidance Counselors; Facilities and Operations Maintenance Staff; Transportation Services; and Security and Emergency Preparedness.
The proposed three-year local EP&O levy replaces the district’s existing levy approved by the voters in 2017 which expires at the end of 2020. The tax rate of the EP&O levy remains unchanged from the current local levy at $2.37 per $1,000 of assessed property value. This EP&O levy will provide the district with an average of $5,750,000 per year in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
I urge you to consider voting “YES” on this Resolution. Please pass this information on to others in the community.
Matt Donald
Woodland
