Napavine School District 2023 Bond

Napavine School District 2023 Bond Info

On November 7, 2023, a bond proposal will be placed before the patrons of the Napavine School District.

Q: What is the difference between a bond and levy?

A: The easiest way to remember the difference between a capital bond and a non-capital levy is Bonds are for building and levies are for learning. The exception to that is a capital levy may also be used for buildings Bonds and levies provide schools with funds that must be used for specific purposes.

Levies

A Levy is a local property tax passed by the voters of a school district that generates revenue to fund programs and services that the state does not pay for as part of basic education. Because the funding provided by the state does not cover the actual costs to operate a school district, districts often use levy funds to hire additional staff, or for student programming and services that are underfunded or not funded by the state. Some of the many things that levies help to fund may include curriculum, special education, transportation, food service, operations, grounds and maintenance, preschool, extracurricular activities, and other activities.

Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levies (formerly called Maintenance and Operations levies) allow a school district to provide things like teachers, support staff, supplies and materials, or services that the state only partially funds. Funding provided by the state does not fully cover the actual costs to operate a school district, so levies fill in the gap.

A replacement levy is the renewal of an existing school levy that is about to expire. Typically, if a district is asking for a replacement levy to be approved by voters, it means that it is simply the continuation of an existing tax.

Bonds

A Bond is a long-term investment that authorizes the district to purchase property for schools, construct new schools, or modernize existing schools. Bonds are sold to investors who are repaid with interest over time from property tax collections, generally between 20-25 years.

Q: What School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) Funding?

A: In addition to bond or levy funding, the State of Washington has a program to provide construction funding assistance to qualifying school districts. That program is called the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP). SCAP funding contributions are determined by a funding formula that is based on a district’s need/eligibility, a construction cost factor, and the tax base of their community. Both new construction and remodeling projects can be eligible for state funding assistance. While these SCAP funds are helpful for school construction and modernization projects, they only cover a limited portion of the actual costs of a project, leaving the rest of the cost to be funded by the school district and the local community (via a bond or capital levy).

Q: How are bonds and levies approved?

A: Both bonds and levies require voter approval, but in Washington bonds require a higher majority of voter approval than levies.

1. Bonds require a supermajority (double threshold) to pass: Not less than 40% of the total registered voters that voted at the last General Election must vote, followed by not less than 60% of the voters must vote “yes”.

2. Levies require a simple majority to pass (50% + 1).

Bond Proposal

PROPOSITION NO. 1 - BONDS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND EXPAND AND RENOVATE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH FACILITIES

Passage of Proposition No. 1 would authorize Napavine School District to issue no more than $19,000,000 of general obligation bonds to expand and renovate Napavine Junior/Senior High School facilities (including the high school annex).  The expansion and renovation, may include, but are not limited to:

1. making health, safety, accessibility and infrastructure improvements;

2. constructing a controlled, secured entry at the main building;

3. expanding cafeteria/commons;

4. constructing a kitchen addition adjacent to the cafeteria/commons;

5. renovations at the existing main building;

6. renovations at the existing high school annex building;

7. constructing a new, permanent classroom building to accommodate middle school students who are currently housed in temporary portable classrooms;

8. constructing a new middle school auxiliary gymnasium.

How will the bond project help the Elementary School?

• Moves the sixth graders to the middle school, freeing up classrooms at the elementary school to account for increased enrollment.

• Removes all physical education classes and other physical activities out of the elementary cafeteria where currently, students k-5 are eating lunch and PE classes are conducted.

• During inclement weather, the elementary school has the option of indoor recess.

How will the bond project help the Middle School?

• School Safety – The construction of a new middle school building would give all buildings in the district immediate lockdown capability in case of a safety risk at school.

• Middle school students will not have to cross a street to go to PE class. They will have their own gym within easy and safe walking distance.

• Student classrooms are in an indoor setting that allows for greater supervision.