King County logo
v1.0.0.1
Federal Way School District No. 210

Proposition No. 1
Technology (Capital Projects) Levy

The Board of Directors of Federal Way School District No. 210 adopted Resolution No. 2009-28 concerning this proposition. This proposition authorizes the District to levy funds to continue technology modernization, including purchase of classroom computers; acquisition, installation and management of technology systems; training; and authorizes the following excess levies in place of an expiring levy upon all taxable property within the District:

 

Collection
Year

Approximate Levy Rate/$1,000 Assessed Value

Levy
Amount

2011

$0.15

$1,800,000

2012

$0.15

$1,800,000

2013

$0.34

$4,400,000

2014

$0.33

$4,400,000

2015

$0.32

$4,400,000

2016

$0.32

$4,400,000

 


 Should this proposition be approved?

YES

NO


The Board of Directors of Federal Way Public Schools approved Resolution 2009/28, requesting voter approval of capital levies.  The proposed levy will replace an expiring levy.  Passage of Proposition No. 1 would allow the levy of property taxes over a six year period to modernize its educational facilities through the acquisition and installation, implementation and management of computer technology and technology systems, facilities and projects, including but not limited to enhancing infrastructure, acquiring hardware, licensing software, and implementing online applications and training as an integral part of the District’s technology systems, facilities and projects; and the application and modernization of technology systems for operations and instruction.  For example, this levy would add computers and enable a wireless network.  Passage of Proposition No. 1 will allow the levy of property taxes within the District for collection in the amounts of $1,800,000 in the years, 2011 and 2012, and $4,400,000 in years 2013 through 2016.   The estimated levy rates per $1,000 of assessed value would be $0.15 (2011 collection); $0.15 (2012 collection); $0.34 (2013 collection); $0.33 (2014 collection); $0.32 (2015 collection) and $0.32 (2016 collection).

A “YES” vote will not increase your taxes. This replacement levy has been structured to coincide with a decrease in the construction bond measure collections so that your contribution to these funds combined will remain level through the next six years.


In today’s world, technology falls under Basic Education, alongside Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. Prospective employers don’t ask whether you can use a computer, they want to know what programs you are proficient in. Unfortunately, this very important basic need is not funded by Washington State, who established K-12 funding in 1977. Passage of this replacement levy provides regular upgrades to classrooms computers and servers, increases the number of computers per student, expands access to instructional tools (such as document readers), trains staff to take advantage of recently introduced technology and implements wireless networks. Anyone who owns a computer knows how quickly progress is made and how important it is to stay on top of the curve.


Your support of this levy ensures that our students can compete equitably with other students within our state, throughout the nation and around the world.


Vote “YES” to provide high quality education to the children of Federal Way, both today and tomorrow!

The School Board allocated no specific time for public comments on this proposal.


This proposal is designed to fund buying one computer for each student in the District in the next 6 years.  Currently the ratio is approximately 1 computer to each 6 students.  This increase is to be accomplished by using the funding from retiring building bonds to buy short life computers.  This same funding, if used for bonds, would substantially fund the replacement of the academic portions of Federal Way High School, perhaps the most decrepit, high maintenance, secondary school in Washington.


There is little evidence that computers have been able to enhance student achievement in this district, which has had a computer based program for many years in one of its high schools.


Adding more computers will add to the support costs and has no evidence that it will increase student achievement.


We support the continued maintenance of the current level of computers in our schools and believe that the funds for retiring bonds should be recycled into the replacement of our older facilities not into short term high maintenance efforts with doubtful results.


We urge the rejection of this levy and submission of a continuation levy to support the existing level of technology support.

This levy is about technology! Rebuilding schools requires a separate voter approved bond. The main goal of this levy is maintaining the district’s computer upgrade cycle and keeping pace with emerging technology. Proposition 1 begins moving the district towards one computing device per student and provides funding for technology support.


This technology levy was discussed at three separate public board meetings.


Can you imagine our world without technology? The need is clear. Please vote YES!

Statement submitted by: Charlene Yamasaki and Tom Pierson

"No amount of money will buy achievement,” Barrack Obama.  More technology simply is more distractions in an education system that is overloaded with distractions.  While there is no increase in taxes associated with this levy it then denies the option of using the same money to buy updated facilities for the district.

Statement submitted by: Charles Hoff, Bill Pirkle and Steve Skipper

Simple Majority (Wash. Const. art. VII, sec. 2(a)) 

1233 en-US Production

TTY: Relay 711

Sign up for email or text notifications