THEIR
EDUCATIONAL FUTURE
IS IN YOUR HANDS.
Vote by Feb. 14, 2023

KENNEWICK SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL RUN A LEVY ELECTION ON FEBRUARY 14, 2023.
If it doesn’t pass, the financial impact to the district is a loss of $38 MILLION per year.
This could require drastic cuts to athletics, activities, and staff.
If it does pass, our local students will have a SAFER, MORE SECURE, FULLY-STAFFED experience.
What do we want education in Kennewick to be?
Learn How The Levy Helps Support Kennewick Kids
What the levy Funds
Student Learning & Staffing - $14.7 million
- Graduation Success Coordinators
- Advanced Placement
- International Baccalaureate
- Special Education Support
- Professional Development & Training
- Dual Language
- Librarians
- Substitute Teachers
Health & Safety - $5.2 million
- NEW: Add 3 Additional Middle School SROs
- NEW: Add Elementary Safety Officers
- Middle & High School Resource Officers (SROs)
- Security Staff
- Nurses
- Psychologists
- Drug & Alcohol Prevention
- Crosswalk Safety
Instructional Support - $9.9 million
- Secretaries
- Paraeducators
- Classified Substitutes
- Curriculum
Athletics & Activities - $3.9 millioN
- Extracurricular Activities and Athletics
- Coaches
- Advisors
Operations & Maintenance - $4.5 million
- Custodians
- Grounds & Maintenance Workers
- Transportation
WHY A LEVY?
Kennewick School District relies on local levy funding to provide quality educational programs and address critical needs in our schools to support the kids in our community.
If the local levy passes, the district will receive an additional $15 million per year in state Local Effort Assistance (LEA) funding. If the levy doesn't pass, we will not receive these funds and significant budget cuts will need to be made.
The district ran levy elections in both February and April 2022 that failed to pass. The district lost $34 million in funding for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years, including $20 million in local levy revenue and $14 million in LEA funding.
To avoid significant cuts to staffing and programs for this school year, the district made staffing reductions and left vacant staffing positions unfilled. The district also made non-staff budget reductions, tapped into one-time ESSER COVID relief funding, and used the district’s fund balance.
LEVY AMOUNTS
Voters will be asked to decide on a three-year levy with the following amounts:
2024
$23,000,000
($1.73 est. tax rate)
2025
$23,850,000
($1.68 est. tax rate)
2026
$24,700,000
($1.63 est. tax rate)
Levy Calculator
Year | Est. Rate Per $1,000 | Annual Estimated Tax |
---|---|---|
2024 Levy Amount | $1.73 | $432.50 |
2025 Levy Amount | $1.68 | $420.00 |
2026 Levy Amount | $1.63 | $407.50 |
Sample Tax Scenarios
2024 Levy Amount - $23,000,000
Assessed Property Value | Assessed Value (in Thousands) x Est. Levy Rate | Estimated Tax |
---|---|---|
$250,000 | 250 X $1.73 | $432.50 |
$350,000 | 350 X $1.73 | $605.50 |
$400,000 | 400 X $1.73 | $692 |
2025 Levy Amount - $23,850,000
Assessed Property Value | Assessed Value (in Thousands) x Est. Levy Rate | Estimated Tax |
---|---|---|
$250,000 | 250 X $1.68 | $420 |
$350,000 | 350 X $1.68 | $588 |
$400,000 | 400 X $1.68 | $672 |
2026 Levy Amount - $24,700,000
Assessed Property Value | Assessed Value (in Thousands) x Est. Levy Rate | Estimated Tax |
---|---|---|
$250,000 | 250 X $1.63 | $407.50 |
$350,000 | 350 X $1.63 | $570.50 |
$400,000 | 400 X $1.63 | $733.50 |
HISTORICAL & FUTURE EP&O LEVY TAX RATE
TOTAL COMBINED SCHOOL TAX RATE
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KSD Educational Programs & Operations Levy (Listed as "ENRICHMENT" on tax statement) |
$3.41 | $3.37 | $1.50 | $1.58 | $1.66 | $1.67 | -- | $1.73* | $1.68* | $1.63* |
KSD Capital Technology Levy |
--- | --- | $0.47 | $0.43 | $0.40 | $0.37 | $0.34* | $0.34* | $0.34* | $0.34* |
WA State Basic Education Levies (Listed as "STATE SCHOOL" and "STATE SCHOOL PART 2" on tax statement) |
$2.15 | $3.17 | $2.74 | $3.07 | $2.68 | $2.63 | $2.57* | $2.52* | $2.47* | $2.42* |
KSD Capital Projects Bond (Listed as "DEBT SERVICE" on tax statement) |
$1.61 | $1.62 | $1.52 | $1.67 | $1.63 | $1.60 | $1.39* | $1.39* | $1.36* | $1.36* |
Total | $7.17 | $8.16 | $6.23 | $6.75 | $6.37 | $6.27 | $4.30* | $5.98* | $5.85* | $5.75* |
*Estimated tax rate per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happens if the levy does not pass?
- What tax relief/exemption or deferral programs are available for senior citizens, disabled people and low-income homeowners?
- What Budget Cuts Were Made FOR 2022-23 When The Levy Did Not Pass?
- What's on the ballot?
- How Do I read my tax statement?
What happens if the levy does not pass?
What tax relief/exemption or deferral programs are available for senior citizens, disabled people and low-income homeowners?
What Budget Cuts Were Made FOR 2022-23 When The Levy Did Not Pass?
What's on the ballot?
How Do I read my tax statement?
Questions?
Contact info@ksd.org or call (509) 222-5000.
HOW TO VOTE
RETURNING YOUR BALLOT
Ballots are mailed on Jan. 25. If you are voting by mail, please return your ballot before Feb. 14 so that it gets postmarked by the deadline.
To return your ballot in-person, put it in a drop box by 8 p.m. on Feb. 14 at:
- DRIVE UP Kennewick City Hall, 210 W. 6th Ave., Kennewick
- DRIVE UP IN PARKING LOT ON THE STREET SIDE Benton County Voting Center, 2600 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Richland
- INSIDE 2618 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Richland
- DRIVE UP Benton County Campus, 7122 W Okanogan Place, Kennewick
REGISTERING TO VOTE
- FEB. 6 - Deadline for mail-in and online voter registration
- FEB. 14 BY 8 P.M. - Deadline for in-person voter registration at Benton County Voting Center, 2600 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Richland