[Letter by Kelly Dillingham, member of the Levy Con Committee. Views expressed are those of the author, not the Living Snoqualmie website. You may submit letters to info@livingsnoqualmie.com.]
Snoqualmie Valley School District currently has two levies up for vote, and ballots are due February 10th.
Pro-levy messaging frames these measures as a simple choice: vote yes for schools, yes for children. While supporting education is a shared value, responsible civic engagement also requires evaluating how much money is requested and whether existing funds are being used effectively.
Reasons to vote no on Snoqualmie Valley School District Levies:
A key concern is over-reliance on levies. For SVSD, 20% of funding is provided by levies. Dependency on levies shifts the state-level funding burden to local taxpayers and increases inequity between districts – precisely what state reforms (McCleary) intended to reduce.
Over the last four years, SVSD’s revenue per student has increased 22%, from $15,900 to $19,400 (2024-2025 school year), while enrollment has remained flat or declined. This raises an important question – are existing funds being used efficiently? More funding alone does not guarantee better outcomes.
According to OSPI (SVSD school report card), only 52% of 10th grade students are on-track for college-level learning for math. This illustrates the district is failing to adequately educate a large portion of students. Our community should demand more information and transparency on how current funding is being used – before agreeing to a substantial increase. How will additional funds improve student learning and better prepare them for college or the work-force?
The district refers to these as “renewal” levies which implies continuity and obscures large funding increases. The EP&O levy requested for 2027 is 33% higher than in 2023, despite increased state funding and no growth in enrollment. The requested technology levy for 2027 is 22.5% higher than in 2023.
The EP&O levy budget includes items such as taxes, utilities and insurance. These are basic operating costs that should be prioritized in the general budget, not paid from levy funds. Responsible citizens pay taxes, utilities and insurance before purchasing discretionary items, as should the school district. Levies are intended to provide supplemental funding to enhance basic education, which is required to be state-funded. (and this levy should be referred to as an “Enrichment Levy”, in accordance with the 2017 HB 2242)
The Technology levy lists upgrading network systems, equipment, infrastructure as the first item in the explanatory statement, and replacing staff and student devices and software as the second item. Staff and student training is listed third. In reality, funding needed for hardware replacement and infrastructure has decreased. Almost half of this funding goes to teachers and staff – not hardware or students. In 2027, only 18% of the requested technology levy is needed for hardware updates. (According to the SVSD technology levy budget)
A “no” vote is not anti-education. It is a vote for transparency, accountability and a vote for wiser use of public funds.
Resources for Voters:
K-12 Public Schools Reports – provides 5-year financial information by district, provides high level information on revenue and expenses
OSPI School Report Card – provides enrollment, financial, achievement, and other information, by district
February 2022 King County School Measures – for comparison to 2026 measures
Letter: Voting NO on school levies doesn’t hurt kids — It demands accountability – ClarkCountyToday.com – well written commentary by Vancouver, WA resident Justin Forsman
About | The School Data Project– citizen compiled website with information on districts state-wide
