No.  Following the failure of the 2023 Bond, the district conducted a Community Feedback Survey.  Those results were shared publicly and with the Board of Directors at their June 26 meeting.  A full public discussion did take place, and each citizen can watch the full meeting and review the materials on the June 28 board meeting agenda in BoardDocs. 

It is true that some of the priority projects originally included in the Bond proposal are also part of the capital levy proposal.  However, the district was forced to do considerable prioritization, and many of the projects originally included in the Bond are no longer included in the capital levy measure.  This prioritization was informed by the results of the Community Survey conducted in the Spring of 2023. 

Following the Community Survey, the district staff gave a series of presentations to the Board about its options going forward.  Although several options were discussed, two major proposals were considered.  Proposal one would have waited until February of 2024 to seek re-authorization of existing KSD funding measures, and proposal 2 required action on the November 2023 ballot.    

After extensive discussion, the Board elected to pursue a November 2023 ballot measure.  The primary motivation behind the selection of option 2 was to allow the district to pursue funding for capital improvement measures to continue this important work in Calendar Year 2024; a February ballot would not have allowed for this opportunity.  Those wishing to review the Board materials and discussion in detail can review materials FY24 Budget Work Session PPT, and June 28 board meeting.

If the November levies do not pass, the district would immediately start preparing a budget in the Spring for the next school year assuming dramatically reduced funding.  Loss in revenue starting in January 2025 impacts the entire 2024-2025 school year budget, for that entire year, including all employment contracts and staffing decisions.  Simply put, the practical impacts of a failed EPO levy would take effect starting in September of 2024, and the impacts would become gradually more extreme through the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years. 

Impacts to tax collections for capital improvement projects would be immediate, starting in calendar year 2024.

No, the district is not “double dipping.”  The second year of the proposed levy (2025) incorporates reauthorization of our existing 2018 levy, but this does not mean your taxes are “doubling” or the district is “double dipping”.   

The proposed taxing authority in this proposal is inflation-based.  The total taxes collected by KSD (dollar amount, not tax rate) is projected to increase by 2.6% in 2024.  Over the four years of the proposed levy, the tax amount is projected to increase an average of about 3.5%/year.  This is consistent with major inflationary indicators. 

KSD cannot make assumptions or guarantees about how each individual’s property values or individual tax bill will increase or decrease.  We can say that the maximum KSD can collect as a result of this levy and all existing levies would not grow more than 2.6%, not to exceed the total dollar value authorized by the Measure.  This is true regardless of what happens with property values in the community, because voters ultimately authorize a taxing amount, not a tax rate, on school levies. 

The district has made an extra effort to post several transparent and detailed tax tables and charts which can be reviewed on the 2023 Levy PowerPoint Presentation (PDF).  You can also contact the district at KSDLevy@kent.k12.wa.us if you have more detailed questions. 

At a high-level, this proposal essentially increases the school district taxing authority by the rate of inflation. 

The district cannot make projections about an individual property owner’s tax bill or property assessment.  However, total tax collections for KSD are projected to go up less than 3% in 2024 as a result of this levy.  The average over the four years of the levy is approximately 3.5%. 

Like most larger districts in Washington, Kent is a recipient of ESSER funding from the Federal government.  However, according to federal regulations, this funding is to support expenditures “intended to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.”  According to the same regulation, these funds are initially available for obligation only through the end of 2024 school year.  

While the ESSER funds are targeted to a specific purpose, our Educational Programs and Operations (EPO) levy maintains and supports our basic day-to-day operations.    

The EP&O levy is critical to maintaining our program of services for students and is the foundation of our long-term financial stability in the Kent School District. Our EP&O levy makes up approximately 15 percent of our operating costs.  

The Capital Projects & Technology levy would provide the majority of funding over the next four years for health and safety, critical repairs and improvements, program expansion (Pre-K at every elementary school as requested by the community in the 2023 Bond Survey), and technology education, including the continuation of 1:1 student laptops and tablets. These devices need to be replaced every four years to keep up with industry standards and prepare students for an increasingly digital world. 

Failure of either of these levies would mean significant reductions in staff and services that meet the needs of our students, including teaching and paraeducator positions, along with and cybersecurity to protect our students and sensitive information and data. 

Over time, as property values rise and fall in a community, the same tax rate may in fact yield different total tax dollar obligations for a homeowner.  

The district cannot collect more than the approved maximum, even if property values go much higher.    

For these upcoming propositions in November 2023, KSD understands our community and voter sensitivity. A stable tax collection for our community that also addresses the educational needs of our students was a primary goal of planning the levies for the November 7, 2023, election.   

Health & Safety  

• Healthy air and cooling system replacements 
• Upgrading intrusion alarm systems at all schools and replacing fire alarm systems at some schools
• Adding a vestibule, which includes a safety access control outer entryway, at some of our elementary schools 

Technology Education  

• Continuation of 1:1 learning technology; this means laptops/tablets for students 
• Adaptive learning technology for students receiving Special Education  
• Connectivity for anytime, anywhere learning 
• Interactive presentation, projection, and audio technology
• Instructional technology for teachers, paraeducators, and school support staff along with professional development to support our students
• Infrastructure, software, and staffing that support the daily learning and working activities of the KSD technology program.
• Expansion of cybersecurity, software licensing and staff supports for the protection of sensitive data. 

Repairs & Improvements  

• Boiler  and roof replacements 
• New flooring at some schools 
• New synthetic sports fields at our high schools; this is also a safety issue 

Program Space Expansion  

• Preschool program space at all elementary schools (except River Ridge & Covington, our newest schools) 
• Accessible and inclusive playground equipment at every elementary school 

Student Support 

• Over 190 (FTE) positions, including classroom teachers and classroom aides. 
• 75% of our safety and security personnel; the state only provides funding for 25% of these positions.
• Nearly 20 (FTE) positions above the state allocation formula for school health & support services (including nurses, social workers, & psychologists). 
• Levy dollars support every employee group.

Academic Programs and Classroom Supports 

• 30% of our total Special Education costs
• Highly Capable and Multilingual Program staff
• Curriculum materials & professional development for teachers
• Advanced coursework such as Advanced Placement

Activities, Athletics, and Enrichment 

• Student athletics and activities, including coaches and advisors
• Music and arts programs, including our performing arts centers

Our local funding makes up 15 percent of our operating costs and 99% of the capital funds. 

Our school board legally may choose to place the same levy two times before voters in the same calendar year. 

Kent School District receives money from four sources. The state provides the largest portion of the district’s annual budget. Federal dollars pay for a percentage of programs including Vocational Education, Special Education, Native American Education, English Language Acquisition, Disability, and Nutrition as well as special grants. 

Local funding provides 15% of the operating budget. Local funding is generated through levies and bonds approved by the voters. Both are based upon local property valuations—property owners pay a set amount for each $1,000 of property value. 

Once approved, bond and levy amounts cannot increase with property values. When property values increase in a community, the amount paid per $1,000 decreases. 

Local non-tax resources such as student fees, grants, Kent Schools Foundation donations, and PTSA provide for less than 1% of the annual budget. 

The replacement Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) Levy is a three-year levy  funding the basic operations of the district. The Capital Projects and Technology Levy is proposed to extend for four years. This means both levies will now be in alignment on the renewal calendar and will be up for reauthorization at the same time in 2027. This alignment saves taxpayers the extra expense of running multiple levies in alternate years.  

While the proposed EP&O Levy funds operational costs in our general fund, the proposed capital levy would provide the majority of funding for health and safety improvements, facility repairs, the 1:1 technology education program, and preschool space expansion opportunities over the next four years.  

State funding of local public school districts is a work in progress. In 2018, the state legislature passed new laws increasing state support for school districts, while simultaneously limiting what school districts could raise through local voter-approved levies. However, the legislature never intended to eliminate local levies altogether. Since the passage of this new law, local school district costs have continued to rise, and state funding has not kept pace with these demands. Among other things, the state funding formula does not pay for: 

The election is November 7, 2023. 

Ballots are mailed about three weeks prior to an election day – this year October 18, 2023 

Ballots must be returned by Election Day, no stamp required. 

For information about your ballot or other general election information, you can reach King County Elections at (206) 296-8683 or view Voter Registration information on our website. 

If you have questions or need additional information please contact our Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Wade Barringer, Wade.Barringer@kent.k12.wa.us, 
 or (253) 373-7203.  

For information about your ballot or other general election information, you can reach King County Elections at (206) 296-8683.