Replacement EP&O Levy on February 19 Ballot

The Federal Way Schools Board of Directors voted Tuesday evening, October 23, 2007,to place a four-year replacement Education Programs and Operations (EP&O) Levy on the ballot February 19, 2008. The levy replaces the current EP&O levy approved by voters in 2004, which expires at the end of calendar year 2008.

The EP&O levy enables the district to pay for educational programs and services, including teaching staff not included in state allocations, additional and expanded instructional programs, textbook purchases, athletics and activities, technology and security staff and additional transportation.  Bridging the difference between the funding provided by the state and the educational needs of our students, the EP&O levy is a key component of our success.

The levy pays for 20% of ALL regular instruction, $23.7 million, in Federal Way schools.  It pays for 17% of Special Education Services ($ 5.5 million), 7% of Transportation Services ($ 2.3 million), and slightly less than 2% of English Language Learners program ($ 0.5 million). 

What does this mean in terms of people within our regular instructional programs? The levy will pay for 43 teachers and 41 classified full-time equivalent (FTE) employees.  Those FTE positions are:

• 15.5 Information Technology positions
• 12.5 Security (patrol and campus) positions
• 3.0 Crossing Guards positions
• 1 Becca position
• 6.0 13th Year Plan and Culminating Project Support positions
• 3.0 Assessment Staff positions

A school year classified position typically is less than 1.00 FTE.  That means that 41 classified FTE’s represent more than 41 individual employees.  For example, the 3.0 Crossing Guard FTE is part of the responsibilities for 19 different people at 19 different schools.

The EP&O levy also helps the district provide compensation for additional time and responsibilities (TRI), for teachers and other staff, including counselors, deans, librarians, TOSA’s, (teachers on special assignment), and instructional coaches. This funding also bridges the gap between state allocations and the labor market requirements to attract and retain quality employees.

The EP&O levy allows the district to provide a long list of programs and things for which state and federal dollars are insufficient, including:

• School Resource Officers
• Text Book Adoptions
• Classified substitutes, such as custodial staff
• Certificated substitutes beyond the state’s allocation
• AVID – a college preparatory program at each of our secondary schools
• The K-8 program at Woodmont
• Athletics and activities
• AmeriCorps
• AFJROTC at Federal Way and Todd Beamer High Schools
• Cambridge Program at Federal Way High
• International Baccalaureate at Thomas Jefferson
• Other additional course offerings for high school students

When the current EP&O levy was approved, the district promised the average EP&O levy rate would be $2.87. The average is actually $2.83 per thousand. When factored into a combined average tax rate for voter-approved district measures (including the technology levy, bonds and the EP&O), the promised rate was no more than $4.28 per thousand.  In fact, the district beat that with an estimated average of $4.24 per thousand.

The district continues to commit to keeping our tax rate promises. The upcoming EP&O levy, when combined with bonds and the technology levy, will NOT exceed an average of  $4.19 per thousand. As part of that total, the tax rate for the levy by itself will be approximately $2.74 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation each year beginning in 2009 and continuing through 2012.  The total levy amount to be collected will be $36 million for 2009, $39 million for 2010, $42 million for 2011 and $45 million for 2012.  These proposed levy amounts allow current programs to be maintained as long as inflationary costs remain at or below 8%.

Comments or questions about the EP&O levy proposal can be directed to Superintendent Tom Murphy at tmurphy@fwps.org or Chief Financial Officer Sally McLean at smclean@fwps.org.