• What's on the Educational Programs & Operations levy?

  This replacement levy is not a new tax, and will continue to:

  • Fund Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education so our students are globally competitive;
  • Ensure our students are college and career ready at graduation and are well prepared to pursue a skilled trade, community college, university, or military service; and
    
  • Provide additional staffing not funded by the state which is critical to meeting the needs of our students, such as additional teachers, nurses, mental health specialists and school counselors.

• What’s on the capital bond?

  Developed with the help from the community volunteer Facility Advisory Committee (FAC), the bond includes:

  • Safety and security improvements for students and schools
  • Ensure all schools have secure entrances, improve traffic safety around schools and install fencing and lighting to improve safety at schools;
  • Funding upgrades for crisis communication systems such as intercoms, fire alarms and emergency responder systems; and
    
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements at every school to ensure safe and equal access for our students, staff, and community members.
  • Equity in school facilities and programming across our district
    • Major renovation of River Ridge High School and Komachin Middle School to make sure all of our students have healthy, safe, and up-to-date learning environments;
    • Specific maintenance improvements at every neighborhood school; and
      
    • Replace the roofs and upgrade the heating/cooling systems at the following schools: Horizons Elementary, Seven Oaks Elementary, Meadows Elementary
      
    • Community-shared playground and athletic field reinvestments

• What do the two measures cost?

  • The reinvestment in our schools through the bond and levy would not increase the estimated local education tax rate. In fact, the bond and levy rate per thousand of assessed value is lower than what taxpayers have funded in the past.
  • If approved on February 11, the total combined rate would be $4.96 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. This is lower than what voters have approved in the past.*

  *2017 bond/levy rate was $5.59

• Levies are for learning, bonds are for building

  • School districts rely on voter-approved funding measures to cover costs not funded by the state. All funds approved by North Thurston voters stay in our community for students and schools.
  • Levies support districts and student programs and help pay for many of the day-to-day operational costs of schools. For our district, we renew our levies every four years.
  • Bonds allow districts to collect money up front for major construction projects, and the debt is paid off over 20 years.

• More Questions?

  Email bondlevy2020@nthurston.k12.wa.us

Where does the money fit in the budget?

• 

  Revenue Source	Amount	Percentage
  State Funding	$139,414,246	64%
  State Grants	$36,653,514	17%
  Levy	$26,279,738	12%
  Federal Grants	$10,526,169	5%
  Local Other	$4,988,614	2%