Click here to download the Replacement Levy informational brochure
Monday, March 13, 2023-Woodland Public Schools’ Board of Directors identified $3,000,000 in cuts to educational programs and services that must be made if the community doesn’t approve the district’s replacement Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy on the ballot for April during a board workshop on Thursday, March 9, 2023.
In addition to budget reductions to nearly every program district-wide, the failure to replace the existing levy will result in dozens of school employees losing their jobs. “The school district has a long tradition of maintaining fiscal responsibility with any levy funds we request from the community,” Superintendent Michael Green instructed the board. “There is no cut on the list that won’t substantially hurt student education in our community.”
Green pointed out that the lack of a replacement levy will have dire, severe, and direct effects on student learning district-wide, “These cuts will reduce staff and drastically hamper efforts to maintain the county-leading growth in student learning our district has enjoyed in recent years.”
Over the course of more than three hours, board members scrutinized every program to develop the following list of program reductions and eliminations that will happen for the 2023-24 school year if the community doesn’t pass the replacement levy on April 25:
Since the school’s budget year (September-August) does not run concurrent with the calendar year, the half-year of levy funding received in 2023 will be distributed throughout the 2023-2024 school year, resulting in the need for $3,000,000 in cuts instead of $5,000,000 for 2023-2024. If the replacement levy fails to pass in April, the board will need to cut an additional $3,000,000 in programs and services from the 2024-25 school year budget in addition to the cuts listed above to stay within the funding requirements for the district.
“The Board understands that these are unprecedented times and many of our families are under significant economic stress, however, if the community chooses not to pass the replacement levy, our schools will not be able to continue to provide the same high-quality educational opportunities which have led to our district seeing the strongest student performance growth in both Clark and Cowlitz counties,” said Superintendent Green. “Woodland has a long tradition of supporting and valuing the education we provide our community’s children, and we hope the voters will continue that tradition this April.”
The special election for Woodland Public Schools’ replacement levy is April 25, with ballots mailed to registered voters beginning April 7. Community members can register to vote anytime up until April 18 online at: https://voter.votewa.gov/WhereToVote.aspx and in-person at elections offices until election day on April 25.
Community members unable to register online can contact their respective counties' election offices:
Cowlitz County Election Office: (360) 577-3005Clark County Election Office: (564) 397-2345
Woodland Public Schools is proposing a replacement EP&O levy on the April 25 ballot. This is NOT a new tax. Additionally, the proposed tax rate (and tax collected) is -9% LESS than what taxpayers currently pay in 2023.
For a full list of programs and services the Board has identified to eliminate with no levy: click this link.
Extracurricular clubs are 100% levy-funded. If the levy fails in April, they must be cut from schools. Extracurricular activities motivate and encourage students to perform in school so they may participate in these engaging after-school activities.
Additionally, extracurricular clubs teach students teamwork, problem-solving techniques, perseverance, and other life skills.
Woodland Middle School Arts & Crafts Clubs will be cut.
Olivia Mason, an eighth grader, comes to the club each day to get a chance to paint and make crafts. “I do enjoy making crafts, but my favorite part is the end product,” she said. For Adison Bergrstrom, an eight grade classmate of Mason’s, the clubs offer her to take part in her favorite artistic activity - painting. “I really enjoy painting with acrylic paints, but I like all kinds of paint so it’s cool to get a chance to use several different kinds in the club,” she said.
Woodland High School's Robotics Team will be cut.
“I love building and engineering; it fascinates me so much,” said Morrigan Chapman, a sophomore who joined this year. “I have always built projects at home – it’s what I absolutely love – and I’ll likely go into engineering or mathematics after I graduate.” For Grayson Tinker, a freshman who also joined this year, his experience in a robotics class in fifth grade motivated him to sign up. “I really like watching how all the pieces go together, not just the robot itself, but also the entire team,” he said. “I’m a junior programmer this year so I’m focusing on learning the language we use and practicing with our senior programmers.”
Woodland Middle School's Running Club will be cut.
“I play soccer and the Running Club provides a great way for me to keep up with my off-season training,” said Tanner Hood, an eighth grader. “I think it’s really cool that the club is open to kids from all of the grade levels because it helps build stamina and stay healthy.” Rick McCants, a seventh grader who joined the club with Hood, agrees, “I’ve always loved running and I think it’s extremely cool that we get to plan and put on a community event, too.”
Athletics are 100% levy-funded. If the levy fails in April, athletics programs will be cut from schools. In order to participate in school athletics, students must maintain their grades and perform well. In many cases, students attribute athletics as to why they stayed in school and performed well.
Arts programs including music, drama, and creative art are funded using levy dollars. Many of these programs will be cut drastically or eliminated entirely if the community does not pass the replacement levy in April.
Woodland Middle School's after-school Drama Club will be cut.
The afterschool club offers students whose busy school schedules don’t offer time for them to take drama as a class to still take part and perform. “I didn’t have time in my schedule for Ms. Oathes’ drama class, but I’ve always wanted to perform,” said Jamison Moultrie, a seventh grader. “Being able to participate in the afterschool club means I get to be in a musical, and I love musicals.”
The board of directors approved a levy to REPLACE the existing levy that expires in 2023. This replacement levy is NOT a new tax. In fact, the levy will collect LESS taxes in 2024 than in 2023.
Click here to learn why the replacement levy is NOT a new tax!
Seeing difficult economic times for Woodland families, the Board of Directors chose to LOWER the tax amount collected in 2024. The result is taxpayers will see an approximate -9% DECREASE in their school levy tax amounts from what they pay in 2023 to the amount in 2024.
Click here to learn how Woodland's levy will LOWER taxes in 2024!
By law, school districts can NOT collect more taxes than approved by voters. If assessed property values increase over the life a school levy, the tax rate collected by the school district DECREASES accordingly.
Click here to learn how school levies CANNOT collect more in taxes!
Every school district in Cowlitz and Clark counties uses local levy funding to make up the 12-15% difference between what Washington State provides and what school districts need.
Click here to learn what levies pay for!
Without a locally-funded levy, these REQUIRED CUTS may result in no technology for students, no opportunities for college credit, no opportunities for career preparation, increased class sizes, reduced bus transportation (increased walking distances), no athletics, no extracurricular clubs, no free access for community sports leagues, and more.
Click here to learn what must be cut or eliminated with no levy!
Washington State's "prototypical model" is designed to provide funding for MINIMAL services from school districts which does not include technology, transportation, college credit classes, athletics, extracurricular activities and much more.
Washington State provides 6-12% regionalization enhancement funding to every school district in Clark County EXCEPT Woodland Public Schools and Green Mountain School District. Woodland has the SAME COSTS as our neighbors and must attract teaching staff from the SAME POOL OF APPLICANTS, yet Woodland receives with LESS state funds than similar school districts.
Cowlitz and Clark counties' property tax invoices combine the district's Capital Bonds used to construct Woodland High School with the Educational Programs & Operations Levy.
In 2023, the rate for the Educational Programs & Operations Levy rate is $2.10 per $1,000 of assessed property value and the rate for Woodland High School Bonds is $1.21 per $1,000 of assessed property value, equaling a total rate of $3.31 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
The KWRL Transportation Cooperative which provides school bus services for Kalama, Woodland, Ridgefield, and La Center school districts is headquartered in Woodland Public Schools.
As part of state requirements for all school district cooperatives, all funding for all four school districts funnels through the single district where the service is based, in this case, Woodland.
In other words, Woodland Public Schools' per-pupil cost includes the transportation funding for Kalama, Ridgefield, and La Center in addition to the funding Woodland receives for its own students.
6.52% lower than the state average of $17,199 per pupil
Woodland Public Schools