Battle Ground Public Schools (BGPS) saw its capital levy pass in the Feb. 13, 2024, special election, and now the district hopes voters will approve replacing an existing educational programs and operations (EP&O) levy in the Feb. 11, 2025, special election.
The two levies have entirely different functions, however.
2025’s proposition 8 — the EP&O levy — differs greatly from 2024’s proposition 7 as the EP&O levy helps fund the day-to-day school district activities and essentials, including school resource officers, teachers, curriculum, nurses, counselors, paraeducators, elective programs, extracurricular programs and more, the district stated.
On the other hand, the capital levy funded secure entries, lighting upgrades, network infrastructure upgrades, enhanced security systems and classroom technology replacements. The capital levy also provided funds for roof improvements throughout the district, along with new heating and cooling roof units where needed.
“The levy that was passed was a capital levy and that enabled us to do some things around our building,” BGPS Superintendent Denny Waters said. “We have specific projects that we have identified. You know, we’re going to fix our culinary programs. We’re going to fix our health sciences programs. We’re going to build a new construction trades program.”
In comparison, the EP&O levy makes sure the programs are funded, operational and have the staffing to keep them going.
“That’s the big difference,” Waters said.
The EP&O levy also impacts programs and services that affect students in every BGPS school.
Educational programs and operations levies fill the gap between what the school district receives from state funding and what it actually costs to educate students, the district said in a news release. Currently, the estimated difference between state funding and the annual cost for the district is $40.8 million.
The $40.8 million in services and programs that are not covered by state or federal funding include areas of staffing for basic education, special education, mental health support, some busing, sports and more. When voters approved the current EP&O levy, the school district reinstated middle school sports. If this levy were not to pass, that may have to be cut again.
If passed, the replacement EP&O levy would allow the district to fund more security and student support, including behavioral support, key topics the community has brought up at meetings and on social media.
If voters approve the levy in February, it would replace the expiring EP&O levy, which ends in December 2025. Voters approved that levy at a rate of $1.99 per $1,000 of assessed property value for each year of collection, but the district collected $1.97 per $1,000 in its first year. The replacement levy would begin in 2026 and end after 2029 with voters paying an estimated $1.95 per $1,000 of assessed property value for each year of collection.
If approved, the replacement levy would collect the following amounts:
• $38.30 million in 2026
• $40.40 million in 2027
• $42.60 million in 2028
• $44.98 million in 2029
“We’ve been fortunate that the community has supported us. We haven’t had a double levy failure since 2005, but anybody who was around in those days can remember the impact,” Waters said.
The EP&O levy represents roughly 13% of the district’s operating budget, the release stated. The district cannot collect more than the amount that voters approve. Property value increases do not generate more revenue for the district, the release added.
The school district will host a number of public presentations about the EP&O levy beginning Jan. 6. For more information on the levy, visit battlegroundps.org/page/educational-levy.
