hoping this won’t sound too preachy…
In Washington State, at least on our side of the mountains, there are many school districts with levies on the ballot for February 14. These are “Maintenance and Operations” levies. Most of them are replacements for expiring levies (there is a two-year limit on levies) and are not asking for an increase in funding. Some districts appear to be asking for LESS money than in times past.
What does this levy (tax on property) pay for?
- Building maintenance and operations (heat, lights, repairs, custodians, etc)
- School buses, fuel and drivers (especially important in rural districts that also historically are low income and with few options for transportation)
- Specialist Teachers (music, art, physical education)
- Instructional Materials (textbooks, consumable materials -lined paper for early elementary students, etc)
- Support Services for students with additional needs
- Fees for out-of-district services (in my district this also pays for our high school students who attend out of district)
- Other necessary expenses that are not (fully)funded by the State or Federal sources
How important is this money to the local schools? Depends on the district, of course, but for us it pays nearly 30% of the expenses each year. Until the state begins to meet its constitutional (state) obligation to fully fund basic education, these levies are even more important.
Clearly, more affluent districts find it easier to raise money to support the schools. Less affluent districts find it more difficult, and generally have fewer options if a levy fails. All districts depend on the levies to supplement the incomplete funding from other sources.
Why should you care if you don’t have school-age children?
The children in school today will be working within ten to fifteen years. They will become responsible for the maintenance of public facilities, the preparation of our food, the care of elderly and infirm patients, the transportation of people and materials, public safety, national defense, medical services… and so forth.
Without a well-rounded, competent education today’s children will not be able to provide the goods and services that we need. More than “reading, writing, and ‘rithmatic,” courses in social studies, the arts, sciences and physical education provide critical thinking and lifelong skills and dispositions that help our children develop into healthy and capable adults.
One of the ways we keep our country strong, and our families safe, is by making sure the children have the best possible chance at life.
Please, vote to support your local schools. And, pay your taxes.
And, as you can, volunteer time to support schools, libraries, senior citizens… continue to make space in your life to make the world a better place. It’s not just self-preservation, it’s the right thing to do.