(The Center Square) – The fate of two levies from Seattle Public Schools will be determined on Tuesday by Seattle voters, amid recent survey results showing that parents of former students were dissatisfied with the quality of the education their children received.
Currently, Seattle Public Schools’ current tax rate is $1.85 per $1,000 of assessed property value. This includes the three-year Educational Programs and Operations Levy, the six-year Building Excellence VI Capital Levy, and the continuing Building, Technology and Academics Capital Levy approved in 2022.
The Educational Programs and Operations Levy is seeking to increase its current tax rate of 63 cents per $1,000 in assessed value to 78 cents per $1,000 in assessed value. It would generate $747 million over three years if the state lifts the district’s current levy restrictions.
The Building Excellence VI Capital Levy’s rate would increase from 78 cents per $1,000 in assessed value to 93 cents to generate $1.8 billion over six years.
If both levies are approved, the school district tax rate would be $2.12 per $1,000 of assessed property value if the state Legislature lifts the current levy collection restriction. The owner of an average Seattle home – valued at approximately $851,500 – would pay $1,805 per year toward the school district in 2026 if this were the case.
The $1,805 per year would be a 14.6% increase from the $1,575 an average homeowner pays toward Seattle Public Schools’ current tax rate.
Funding from the levies would continue to maintain essential school operations, along with providing special education services, supporting classroom technology, enhancing school safety, and funding school facility renovations and repairs.
Seattle Public Schools has stated that the generated funding from the two levies would not resolve the district’s budget shortfall, which totals $94 million.
If approved by voters, the district will work to use the generated funding from the two levies to help improve the quality of education students receive. The majority of parents of former students are dissatisfied with the quality of education their children received.
According to a survey conducted last month, 66% of 300 caretakers of Seattle Public Schools students responding to the survey were dissatisfied with the quality of Seattle Public Schools’ education.
However, it seems parents of current students are satisfied. The survey found 86% of parents of current students are satisfied to some degree, with 55% being somewhat satisfied.
The survey also found that both caretakers of current and former students dislike Seattle Public Schools’ overcrowded classrooms and lack of funding. However, the majority of the parents of former students dissatisfied with the district said poor education, curriculum and teachers were the main reasons they were unhappy with the district.
The Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors will discuss the survey on Wednesday, the day after the Feb. 11 election.
