In Feb. 2018 voters officially passed the Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) replacement levy with 58.19 percent YES votes which continues to fund essential staff and educational programs beyond what state funding offers under basic education. The EP&O replacement levy funds safe, supportive learning environments for all scholars including:

• essential staff like classroom teachers, nurses, security staff, counselors, and bus drivers;
• educational programs like special education and English Language Learner services; and
• athletics and after school programs.

The community has continuously supported Federal Way Public Schools’ EP&O levy since 1980. The FWPS superintendent and board of directors were committed to reducing the tax burden and as a result, local property owners saw a 37 percent decrease with the EP&O levy. The tax rate decreased from an estimated $3.58 to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Although one of the outcomes of the April 2019 legislative session was the ability for school districts to lift the cap of $1.50 per thousand (with voter approval), the FWPS Board of Directors and superintendent team have no interest in asking the local taxpayers for more money beyond what the voters authorized for 2019–2022. The district will operate within the allocated budget and continue to advocate for a legislative platform to fix the funding inequities for FWPS.