Please renew this essential Seattle Public Schools Educational Programs and Operations Levy. Its passage is vital to the quality of education we are able to provide to more than 50,000 students currently enrolled.
 

A great city must have great public schools. This levy benefits every school in every part of Seattle. It replaces our current levy and provides needed funding to pay for critical educational support such as nurses, counselors, custodians, school staff, child nutrition programs, instructional materials and new curriculum, STEM education, Career and Technical Education, and Special Education services. If the Operations Levy is not renewed, the district will have to make deep cuts. Teachers and instructional assistants will be laid off, and valuable programs that support students will be cut back or eliminated.
 

“Please vote to renew this levy! Without these resources it is hard to imagine how teachers can do their jobs. Thank you.” – Kiani Piñeiro-Hall, Wedgewood PTA Diversity and Inclusion Chair
 

This levy is not a new tax. It replaces the expiring Operations Levy. Please vote Yes to renew our commitment to Seattle’s children.

Submitted by: Rebecca Saldaña, Girmay Zahilay, Tim Burgess, www.SchoolsFirstSeattle.org

In 2018, the McCleary Decision was promised to be a levy swap. Instead, state school property taxes increased dramatically and local school taxes never went away and are again spiraling out of control.

For 2020-2021, for the district's administrators, the median total compensation was $184,543 with a high of $368,686. Median teacher compensation is at $120,858 up 19% in the last 3 years - multiple times inflation.

The argument that this levy is for a certain few duty types is disingenuous and heartless at best. The district complains that this levy fills the gap left from state legislators. The legislators are correct in saying no to the district. Local voters should do the same.

Nearly all districts try to just focus on how our property tax rates will remain nearly flat as if that has or will do us any favors. A flat tax rate multiplied by skyrocketing assessed property values equals skyrocketing taxes in dollars (paid for by property owners and renters in their rents). Please provide your input and vote. More details at, www.schooldataproject.com

Submitted by: Jeff Heckathorn, info@schooldataproject.com

Renewing the Educational Programs and Operational Levy is critical to ensuring a high-quality education for our city's children.  It provides much needed funding to operate our public schools and for student  services-- money the state does not provide. This funding benefits every student in every school.

The Con statement is incorrect.  Seattle still needs additional funding under the new state formula.  We cannot have a great city without great schools. Vote Yes on Proposition 1.

Submitted by: Rebecca Saldaña, Girmay Zahilay, Tim Burgess, www.SchoolsFirstSeattle.org

In 2019-2020, per pupil expenditures (including capital outlays and interest on debt) for the district were already at $21,172. That's above tuition and books at many universities let alone most private K-12 schools. 

In 2018, because of the McCleary Decision, state legislators pumped billions more dollars into our public schools, largely from increased property taxes. There is no amount of money monopoly school districts will be satisfied with. Citizens are crying uncle. Enough!

Submitted by: Jeff Heckathorn, info@schooldataproject.com

Download the full text of the resolution

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

For questions about this measure, contact: JoLynn Berge, Assistant Superintendent of Business & Finance, (206) 252-0087, jdberge@seattleschools.org