Welcome
TO RIDGEFIELD CITIZENS FOR SCHOOLS
Having great schools is what makes Ridgefield an exceptional community!
Facts about the levy
Proposition 9, Ridgefield School District's Replacement Educational Programs & Operations Levy, will be on the Aug. 2nd Primary & Special Election ballot.
This levy is not a new tax. It replaces the levy that is currently in place, which expires at the end of 2022. If passed by a simple majority of voters, the levy will continue to provide funding for educational programs and student support services for three years; 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The levy funds a wide array of programs and services, including:
-
Teachers and staff
-
Special education
-
Classroom technology, including hardware, software, service, and support
-
School supplies
-
Extracurricular activities, including athletics, performing arts, Cispus Outdoor School, and more
-
Facilities, maintenance, and operations
-
Professional development for staff
-
Student transportation
-
Community Education
-
The Family Resource Center
$ MATTERS
Ridgefield’s total school tax rate is $3.00 per $1,000 in assessed valuation, which is the second-lowest in the region. The average total school tax rate for neighboring K-12 school districts in the region is $3.60.
LEVY DOLLARS ARE
THE DIFFERENCE
Nearly all of the 295 districts across the state of Washington rely on levy money to provide important student programs and services. Local levies make up gaps in funding for essential services and community priorities.
Why are levies needed?
Ridgefield's Educational Programs and Operations Levy accounts for approximately 13.3% of Ridgefield School District’s total operating budget. Local funding through levies bridge the gap between what the state pays and the actual costs of operating schools. While many school districts rely on multiple levies to fund technology, transportation, capital projects and educational programs, Ridgefield funds all these elements from a single levy.
Bonds vs. Levies
The easy way to explain the difference is that bonds are for building and levies are for learning. Bonds pay for construction of schools and facilities and capital improvements. Levies pay for costs associated with learning, such as teaching and services provided by specialists, coaches, health professionals and counselors, and materials such as curricula. Levies also help fund transportation, maintenance, extra-curricular activities, educational technology tools, and communications and safety and security services.
Another difference is that while levies only require a “regular majority” of 50% plus one vote to pass, bonds require a supermajority of 60% plus one vote to pass. Ridgefield School District’s current levy is for $1.50 per $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.