2014 School Programs and Operation Levy and Capitol Construction Bond

Proposition No. 1

Replacement School Programs and Operation Levy

The Board of Directors of Edmonds School District No. 15, serving the communities of Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Woodway and portions of unincorporated Snohomish County, adopted Resolution No. 13-26. This proposition would authorize the District to replace an expiring levy for support of the District’s General Fund. The replacement levy collection averages $62.5 million per year for each of the four years, 2015 through 2018.

 

PROPOSITION NO. 2

Capital Construction Bond

The Board of Directors of Edmonds School District No. 15, adopted Resolution No. 13-35, concerning a proposition to finance capital improvements to its education facilities. This proposition would allow the District to improve safety, upgrade heating/ventilation, replace roofs, enhance energy efficiencies and other capital improvements; reduce class size grades 1-6 at various schools; add classrooms for full-day kindergarten; modernize Spruce, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace elementary schools; add classroom capacity at Edmonds-Woodway; relocate/replace Alderwood Middle; replace Lynndale and Madrona; and relocate/replace Maintenance/Transportation/Warehouse facility.

 For detailed information on the safety, heating/ventilation, roofing, energy efficiency and other capital improvements sorted by school. CLICK HERE

For a district map detailing the capacity needs at each school, CLICK HERE

 

Message from the Superintendent

Questions & Answers

ABOUT USING DISTRICT PROPERTY: Status of Both Sale and Lease of District Properties

What is the progress on the sale and lease of various District properties?

During the long recession, our property values dropped just as those in the private sector. Now that the economy is turning around there is renewed interest. Exactly when and how much revenue these surplus properties generate we do not know at this time, however we cannot wait to complete necessary and timely capital project work. For an overview of “Progress On District Properties” see below.

ABOUT PROPOSITION 1: Replacement of the School Programs and Operation Levy

What does renewal of the School Programs and Operation Levy fund?

The School Programs and Operation Levy represents approximately 23 percent of the District’s total general operating budget. These funds allow the District to provide local support for: 90 teachers to keep class sizes smaller; 112 paraeducators and staff who support the educational program; books and instructional materials; transportation and safe student travel; athletics, music and drama; co-curricular activities; services for special needs students; support staff for programs, services and technology; training, utilities and insurance. This levy will replace the current levy which ends in 2014. This in not an additional or new tax levy. 

Why do communities have local programs and operation levies?

People want their local schools to provide better programs and services than what is possible when only funded by the state. In order to continue the present level of programs and services, the law requires that these replacement levies be renewed by voters.

Doesn’t the state have to invest more in K-12 public education as a result of the McCleary case and the Supreme Court order?

Yes, however it will take years and the local replacement levy is still necessary for local support of schools.

ABOUT PROPOSITION 2: The Capital Construction Bond

How were the projects identified?

Some of the capital project work included in this Bond proposal represents years of work by the Citizens Planning Committee (CPC) and District staff and were identified as early as 2005 as needing to be completed. The projects were selected based on objective criteria and established through this comprehensive and extensive process. Adding classrooms to reduce class size in grades 1-6 and providing additional classrooms for full-day Kindergarten is the result of the State providing additional funding for classroom teachers. The state funding cannot be used to construct or provide the additional space needed across the majority of the District’s 22 elementary schools.

How much will the passage of the bond cost me?

By managing the timing of the sale of the bonds and the work/projects, the District can stabilize the overall rate paid by taxpayers.

If approved, the approximate cost of the bond issue (Proposition 2) to a house valued at $300,000 would be just under $12.00 per month. Please see Overall Tax Impact chart above.

Academic Growth and Success

For over a decade, the Edmonds School District has realized sustained growth and success for its students. Most recently, our students again met or surpassed state percentages in the areas of reading, writing, math and science in the majority of grades on the state assessments.

On the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), an objective measure of the quality of our system, staff, students and community, our students surpassed the state and national averages in math, reading and writing.

We are working to build on this success. District leaders, principals and teachers are working to put into place new standards with the goal that effective student learning is meaningful, relevant and exciting.

We are continuing to remove barriers, create a supportive culture and use student data properly to ensure best practices for staff, students and families.

Progress on District Properties - Costco Moving Forward

We Have Made, Continue to Make Gains in Sale and Lease Efforts

Beginning in 2004, the District conducted a study of its properties, determining that some could provide revenue either through sale or lease since they were no longer needed as school or operation sites. Revenue from surplus properties will help, but does not come close to meeting the capital projects needs in the District.

During the downturn in the economy, our property values dropped just as those in the private sector. Now that the economy is improving there is renewed interest. Exactly when and how much revenue the surplus properties will generate will develop over the next few years; however, we cannot wait to complete necessary and timely capital project work. All proceeds from the below listed properties must be used for capital purposes as approved by our Board of Directors.

• Lynnwood Place (old Lynnwood High School):
• Zoning change and development agreement approved by City of Lynnwood
• Project design for Costco submitted to City for approval
• Current proposed schedule: start site work spring 2014
• Tentative Costco opening summer 2015
• Alderwood South (Maintenance and Transportation site):
• There are interested developers, but need to build a new facility on district property located at 52^nd Avenue West in order to sell or lease property on Alderwood Mall Boulevard
• Lynnwood City Center (across from Convention Center):
• Dividing property into two parcels
• One parcel is under a purchase contract and the buyer is in their due diligence period
• Second parcel has interested developers
• Melody Hill (I-5 on ramp at 220th Street SW):
• Building is vacated and demolished; will be on the market soon
• Former Evergreen Elementary (next to the 236th Street SW off ramp):
• Working with the City of Mountlake Terrace on road placement
• City of Mountlake Terrace re-zoned the property to freeway/tourism

Questions & Answers Regarding Sound Transit 

Hasn’t it been published in media reports that the District property on 52^nd Avenue is on Sound Transit’s list of possible locations for its Maintenance Facility?

Yes, but because the District is planning to use the property, Sound Transit will need to look at alternative sites, which include three sites in Bellevue.

How long will it be before Sound Transit makes a final decision on which site they want to build on?

It is not likely to occur until late summer 2014. Plans and designs to relocate our Maintenance and Transportation Facility on 52^nd Avenue are being updated.

Could Sound Transit take the property by eminent domain?

No. We are a public agency just like Sound Transit and they do not have imminent domain over the district.

Why is the District not looking at other properties for our Maintenance and Transportation Facility?

We have. There are no other properties within the boundaries that have enough acreage to house the facility and are centrally located in the District.

 

Your Tax Dollars at Work – Voter-Approved 2012 Technology/Capital Levy Update

Summer months are busy in our school district with equipment replacements, building improvements and other upgrades taking place at a number of our schools. Coordinated by our Technology, Instructional Technology, Capital Projects and Facilities Operations departments, these projects were completed while school was out to minimize disruptions to student learning. 

The voter-approved 2012 Technology/Capital Levy is providing our students with an opportunity to have continued access to technology tools that will assist in their learning and help them be prepared for the technology competency needed to graduate and for career and college readiness. We have a system in place to replace older equipment and are continuing to infuse new techniques, programs and equipment as needed into our schools. 

Projects completed this summer include:

• Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Improvements at Hilltop, Martha Lake and Spruce elementary schools
• Energy efficiency upgrades to lighting, heating/ventilation and boiler systems at various schools
• Teacher instructional laptop, projector and document camera replacements; an ongoing project districtwide
• Capital Partnership Projects, funds raised by outside groups that are matched by 2008 Technology/Capital Levy dollars, provided a new covered playshelter at Terrace Park School, a walking path at Seaview Elementary, an auditorium sound system at Mountlake Terrace High and a gym sound system at Martha Lake Elementary
• Carpet replacement at Hazelwood and Lynnwood elementary schools
• Two new classrooms at Spruce Elementary