Fife Public Schools will ask voters to consider a REPLACEMENT Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) levy in February 2026. This levy replaces our current levy - approved in 2022 and expiring in 2026 - and helps fund day-to-day school operations and student opportunities that are not fully covered by state funding. If approved by voters, this levy will be collected over a four-year period, from 2027-2030. We ask our community voters to peruse the information on this site to become more familiar and better informed about this upcoming ballot measure.
 

 LEVY AT-A-GLANCE
 

• What is it? A local replacement EP&O levy that helps bridge the gap between what the state provides and actual cost of operating our schools.
• When is the election deadline? February 10, 2026
• Levy Collection Years: 2027-2030 (This is a replacement/renewal of our current levy running from 2023 to 2026.)
• Why it matters: As the chart in this section shows, levy revenue has averaged about 15.8% of the district's total revenue over the last 5 years - supporting staffing, programs, and operations that state funding does not fully cover. 

 WHAT LEVY FUNDS HELP PROVIDE

Levy dollars help fund educational programs and operating costs that are not fully funded through the state’s basic education allocation. Examples include:

• Staffing to maintain class sizes and student support (teachers and school support staff)

• Student learning opportunities - including arts, activities, and extracurricular programs

• Daily operations - utilities, supplies, materials, and required services

• Transportation support beyond what is funded through state allocations

• Safety and security-related supports and other essential operational needs

 WHY A REPLACEMENT LEVY IS NEEDED

Washington State provides basic education funding; however, it does not cover the full cost of operating a school district.

One way to see this is in staffing. Basic education funds are used for staffing classroom teachers, teacher librarians, counselors, nurses, social workers, and psychologists. In the graphic shown here, the district’s basic education staffing needs exceed what the state allocation funds.

The difference - positions needed to run schools and support students but not fully funded through the state - illustrates the “funding gap” that local levy dollars help address. Levy funding helps the district sustain current programs and services and continue meeting student needs.

 EFFECTS OF INFLATION

Like families and businesses, school districts have experienced rising costs in recent years. The district’s budget information shows increasing expenses in areas such as:

• Transportation operations

• Materials, supplies, and other operating costs

• Extracurricular and activity-related costs

The proposed replacement levy is designed to help sustain existing programs and support services as these costs increase over time. Click on a menu expander below to display charts illustrating the rising costs the district has experienced from 2022 to what is budgeted/projected for 2026 in the areas of transportation, materials, supplies, and operating costs (MSOCS), and extracurriculars:

 COST TO TAXPAYERS

Proposed levy rate: $1.97 per $1,000 of assessed property value
Previous levy rate (2022): $1.63 per $1,000 of assessed property value

Example (Assessed Value: $500,000):

• Old Rate: At $1.63 per $1,000, estimated cost is $815/year (~$67.92/month)

• New Rate: At $1.97 per $1,000, estimated cost is $985/year (~$82.08/month)

• Estimated difference: $170/year (~$14.15/month)

 LEVY RATE COMPARISON TO AREA DISTRICTS

School district levy rates vary across the region based on local circumstances, including property values and the level of services needed beyond state funding. We are sharing a current comparison with nearby school districts here to provide context for the proposed new rate. Click on a menu expander to show charts comparing both our current levy rate and our proposed new rate to area districts. 

On the chart displaying our new proposed levy rate, there will likely be a change in values presented for area districts based on the results of upcoming levy elections in some of these jurisdictions. 

It is important to note that our current levy rate ($1.63 per $1,000 of assessed value) is the lowest rate among these districts in current rate comparisons.

 ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

Fife Public Schools is committed to responsible stewardship of local funds. Levy revenues are included in the district’s annual budgeting and financial reporting processes. The district provides public access to budget information and financial reports so community members can understand how funds are planned and used.

If you would like to learn more about how school funding works, please access our "Understanding School Funding" guide, accessible HEREor on our district website home page.