The Safety, Security and Technology Improvements Levy will be listed as Proposition No.1 on your ballot.

Passage of Proposition No.1 would allow Vashon Island School District to replace an existing capital levy that will expire at the end of calendar year 2024. The replacement levy will be used to make safety, security and technology improvements, including: (1) upgrading fire safety systems and play structure at Chautauqua Elementary School; (2) upgrading entry controls, door locks, security cameras and other security systems; (3) upgrading and/or improving heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and equipment (“HVAC”); and (4) acquiring, installing and implementing instructional technology equipment, infrastructure and systems.

The School Board determined these projects are necessary to address student and staff safety and security needs, aging and deteriorating building infrastructure, the existing condition of technology systems and the needs of the District’s educational programs. State funding does not fully fund these projects.

In terms of facility management, replacement of Chautauqua Elementary’s fire alarm panel is critical. In addition, given the age of the CES playground, elements continue to fail, are unsafe, and must be cordoned off to students and the public. Parts for existing structures are no longer available for repairs, which has led to extended periods of time where elements of the playground are not available for kids. Given the importance of ventilation both during and post COVID, HVAC systems must also be updated and improved over the next four-year period. 

The replacement levy will also provide critical technology support for students and teachers. Ongoing building security maintenance will include interior and exterior cameras for all buildings, entry and exit controls, as well as internet filters and monitors. The replacement levy will also allow the district to purchase IT upgrades, software licenses, and enhance network infrastructure. Technology improvements help keep our students safe as well as competitive academically.

The Director of Facilities and the Director of Technology completed a comprehensive needs assessment and presented a list of preventative maintenance and technology needs to the Board. After which, the Board of Directors, in consultation with the superintendent and feedback from the community, determined the appropriate levy rate to meet the identified needs of the district over the next four years.

The proposed four-year replacement Capital Levy would authorize collection of taxes to provide $1,950,000 each year from 2025 through and including 2028.

If approved by voters, the replacement levy would be an additional $0.10 per $1,000 assessed value compared to the prior collection year. Due to the existing need, this equates to approximately $5.83 more per month for the owner of a $700,00 home.

No. The proposed Capital Levy will replace a current levy that expires at the end of 2024. The District’s Capital Levy funds approximately 6.2% of the District’s annual operating budget, filling the gap between what the state provides and the funds necessary to preserve assets and stay current with rapidly changing technologies.

Emergency replacement of the Chautauqua Fire Panel and Playground, HVAC upgrades and maintenance, and approximately $1,000,000 of staffing costs related to technology implementation and training that are not paid by the state would have to be absorbed by the general fund. The necessary additional expenditures would result in staffing reductions across all employee groups, as well as reduce current technology services provided to students, families, and staff.

The Capital Levy sustains annual capital costs, while bonds are used to fund periodic major facility improvements. Recent facility improvements such as the high school track and field and the maintenance building were and are currently funded by the bond approved by voters in April 2017. Capital levies supplement state basic education funding, which falls short of fully financing VISD programs and services, including preventative capital projects to maintain facilities. The purchase of technology systems and enhancements, major equipment, and furniture are also funded by levies.