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School Funding

Where does VISD's funding come from?

The Vashon Island School District receives money from four sources: Federal Government, State of Washington, Local, and Grants and Other Sources.

The federal government provides financial support for students who require additional resources in order to obtain a fair, equitable, and high-quality education. Federal dollars pay a percentage of programs including, but not limited to, Vocational Education, Special Education, English Language Acquisition, Disability, and Nutrition.

The State of Washington provides a bulk of the district’s funding through a formula that sets a certain dollar amount for every full-time equivalent (FTE) student [each student attending school all day]. For students who require extra services, such as special education programs, highly capable programs, or multi-language learner programs, there are state and federal formulas for additional dollars.

Local funding is generated through levies and bonds approved by Vashon Island voters. Both are based upon local property valuations. 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. Senior citizens and low income property owners may apply for an exemption from bond and levy taxes.

Traditionally, VISD carries two levies: an Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Levy and a Capital Projects/Technology Levy.

By law, bonds may not be used to pay for the day-to-day costs of operating schools or school districts. Bonds provide funds only for capital projects such as new schools and renovation or modernization of schools and facilties. To simply describe the difference between levies and bonds: levies are for learning; bonds are for building.

Commuter Students

On any given year, the district enrolls approximately 250 non-resident students to help stablize class sizes. With each student receiving an estimated $11,338 in state funding, this translates to approximately $2.83 million in annual state funding for the district.

Commuting students benefit our resident students in a variety of ways. Specifically, from a financial perspective many school operating costs remain relatively stable regardless of modest changes in classroom enrollment. When non-resident students fill available space, the associated state funding helps support shared costs and educational opportunities for all students.

If non-resident enrollment were to switfly decline, this would reduce state funding and require adjustments to staffing, service, and educational programs.

Understanding School Funding and Non-resident Students

  • The Vashon Island School District has actively welcomed off-island commuters and non-resident students for well over 20 years, driven largely by Washington state's open enrollment law. This law was passed in 1990 (RCW 28A.225.220 and RCW 28A.225.225). Currently, around 250 students (all but a handful are in grades 6-12) are non-residents and commute (mostly) from West Seattle.

  • It seems like a mathematical paradox, but the reality of school finance shows that accepting non-resident students actually protects the district's budget.

    The reality lies in the difference between average cost and marginal cost. School districts operate on massive, fixed overhead costs. The district must pay for building maintenance, heating, utilities, principals, and teacher and staff salaries, regardless of whether a classroom has 18 students or 24 students.

    • The Average Cost: If you add up the entire district budget and divide it by the total number of students it shows an average cost of $22,839 per student.
    • The Marginal (Actual) Cost: When a classroom already has a teacher and available capacity, adding another student costs substantially less than the districtwide average.

    Because Vashon only accepts non-resident transfers where space already exists, the associated state funding helps cover shared operating cost, providing a net financial benefit.

  • Washington state funds school districts primarily based on enrollment numbers. A massive portion of the district's operational budget comes directly from state apportionment credits (money that legally follows the child).

    The state allocation follows the student:

    When a student commutes from West Seattle, Tacoma or Southworth to Vashon, the state sends that student's funding allocation directly to Vashon Island School District instead of their home district. The district receives approximately $11,338 per student attending Vashon (same for both resident and non-resident full-time pupils). Specifically, if we have 250 non-resident pupils that equates to $2,834,500 in in additional funding. Without those students, the district would be required to make staffing adjustments, translating to losing at least 20 teaching positions. Additionally, we would have to drastically change our program offerings for the remaining students with 20 fewer staff and 250 fewer students.

  • If non-resident pupils left the district:

    • Local Levy Tax Collection: Decreases. The legal ceiling shrinks, preventing the district from collecting the maximum authorized budget.
    • State Funding Allocation: Decreases. The state basic education funding is distributed on a per-student model, so losing students means losing direct state funding.
    • Taxpayer Rates: Could change if levy collections are reduced, but a lower rate is not automatic. Actual collections and rates also depend on levy authority, certified amounts, and assessed property values.
    • The revenue to the district drops because the enrollment drops.

  • Vashon Island faces a stagnant or declining population of school-aged children likely due to a variety of reasons including a declining birth rate here and across the nation, the cost of housing, and an aging population. If enrollment numbers drop significantly, state funding drops.

    Because staffing accounts (employee’s salary and benefits and those on contract for specific services like speech therapists) for roughly 86% of the district's budget, a sudden drop in state revenue would force the district to downsize. This means laying off teachers and cutting specialized programs like Advanced Placement (AP) courses, electives, athletics, etc.

    By welcoming roughly 250 off-island commuter students to fill classes, the district keeps enrollment stable. This allows Vashon to maintain robust, diverse, and high-quality academic programs that benefit the local island residents who pay the property taxes. Vashon Island School District balances educational opportunity, legal requirements, available capacity, and responsible fiscal management when considering nonresident enrollment. Washington law and District policy guide each decision, and resident students remain the District's primary obligation. When space and resources are available, nonresident enrollment can help sustain strong programs and expand educational options for families.