Public education is a shared investment. Even if your family is not a past, current, or future public school attendee, we all benefit from an educated society. Shoreline and LFP voters have a long history of supporting public education. That support is one reason our cities consistently attract young families.
According to OSPI data, Shoreline SD outperforms the state in both graduation rate (91.8% vs. 82.8%) and averages for college and grade level learning in English, Math, and Science. Shoreline SD is teaching the essentials and doing it better than most.
Yet, our district is struggling to meet basic needs. Since 2020, gaps in state funding have cost our district $132M to fund vital services like special education, utilities, insurance, transportation and staffing. Our public schools are dealing with rising costs from inflation, years of underfunding by state lawmakers, and are at risk of losing federal dollars.
Shoreline SD faces a $6.5M deficit. The estimated $7.25M over two school years would provide vital support amid financial and political challenges. A yes vote supports students of all backgrounds and helps prevent staff cuts, larger classes, and fewer extracurriculars. If passed, the tax rate will be lower in 2026 ($3.13) than in 2025 ($3.21) per $1,000, due to broader tax distribution from property growth in Shoreline and LFP.
Multiple internal and external audits of Shoreline SD have all concluded that without an increase in revenue, drastic cuts must be made. Our government should fulfill their constitutional duty to provide ample education for all children. Until then, a levy is the best option to protect Shoreline and LFP schools.
Submitted by: Jenny Skytta, Malorie Larson, Sarah Crowder, malorieann@gmail.com
