EP&O school levy on ballot Feb. 19

Current programs & services will be maintained  and the tax rate will not increase.

Federal Way Public Schools will run a replacement levy February 19, 2008.   This four-year Educational Programs and Operations Levy (EP&O)* will replace the current levy which will expire at the end of 2008.
*Formerly called a Maintenance and Operations Levy.

What does the EP&O levy mean to our schools?

The EP&O Levy provides funds for the day-to-day operations of the district’s educational programs. Bridging the difference between the funding provided by the state and the cost of meeting the educational needs of our students, the EP&O levy is a key component of our success.

It enables the district to pay for teaching staff not included in state allocations, additional and expanded instructional programs, textbook purchases, athletics and activities, technology and security staff and additional transportation. The levy pays for 20% of ALL regular instruction in Federal Way schools.

What does this mean in terms of people? The levy pays for 43 teachers and 41 classified full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, including information technology, security officers, crossing guards, assessment staff and other key support staff. This funding also bridges the gap between state allocations and what the labor market demands to attract and retain quality administrators, support staff and teachers.

The levy also pays for:

• 17% of Special Education Services ($5.5 million)
• 7% of Transportation Services ($2.3 million)
• Slightly less than 2% of the English Language Learners program ($.5 million)

Doesn’t the state provide enough money for basic education?
State and federal funds provide only a portion of most school districts’ operating budgets in this state. Levy funds make up the difference between what the state provides and what the community expects in education.

Federal Way has long received fewer state dollars for salary allocations than most other districts in the state. While the district recently won a lawsuit against the state, funding from any action the legislature takes in response to the lawsuit will probably not reach the district for several years.

Why are voters asked to approve replacement levies?
By law, Educational Program and Operations levies can be approved for a maximum of four years. Similar to a magazine subscription, the levy expires after the allotted number of years. School districts must go back to their voters and ask for a continuation, or renewal of levy dollar support. That’s why the district uses the term “replacement” levy.

How can we be sure what the levy will cost?
Although voters don’t authorize a tax rate for schools districts, voters want to know how much a levy will cost them personally. That’s why the district provides an estimated tax rate.

The district continues to commit to keeping its tax rate promises. The combined school tax rate (upcoming EP&O levy + existing bonds + the existing technology levy) will NOT exceed an average of $4.19 per thousand. The tax rate for the levy alone will be approximately $2.74 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation each year beginning in 2009 and continuing through 2012. The maximum levy amounts to be collected will be $36 million for 2009, $39 million for 2010, $42 million for 2011 and $45 million

What you should know about Federal Way Public Schools:
Federal Way Public Schools serve over 22,000 students. Nearly 50% of our students qualify for the free and reduced lunch program, and 10% speak a language other than English as their first language.

Our students continue to excel academically. The district has been honored for closing the “Achievement Gap” by Standard and Poor’s and noted as one of Washington’s ten top-performing districts by the Washington School Research Center at Seattle Pacific University.

The school district is a good steward of the public’s money

• The local school tax rate has declined from $5.26 in 1996 to $4.19 in 2007.
• We rank second (out of the state’s 30 districts serving over 10,000 students) in percentage of budget spent on teaching and teaching support.
• We have some of the lowest administrative costs of those same 30 districts.
• We rank first of all districts in King County in percentage of budget spent on teaching and teaching support, and second lowest in administrative costs.

Federal Way taxpayers pay less per student than most Western Washington taxpayers
At $1,435 per student, Federal Way Public Schools collects fewer EP&O levy dollars per student from local taxpayers than nearly all other districts in King County and around the Puget Sound area.

For more information, go to www.fwps.org/info/levy.

PLEASE VOTE FEBRUARY 19, 2008.