• Sometimes called a learning levy or operations levy
• Provides day-to-day funding for teaching and learning that state and federal funds do not fully cover
• Supports:
  • Teachers, paraeducators, school support staff, and school nurses
  • Athletics, music, and extracurricular activities
  • Curriculum materials and staff training to enhance instruction
• Typically renewed every 3 to 4 years.
• Require a simple majority 50% + 1 vote majority to pass.
• EP&O Levies help us focus on staff, students, and programs that support student learning

• Provides funding to maintain, improve, and update building systems (such as HVAC) and facilities
• Supports projects such as:
  • Roof, plumbing, and HVAC replacements
  • Security and safety upgrades
  • Playground and field improvements
  • Classroom and building updates to meet safety or accessibility standards
• Usually collected over 4 to 6 years.
• Require a simple majority 50% + 1 vote majority to pass.
• Capital levies help us maintain safe, well-maintained learning environments.

• Specifically, fund technology and digital learning tools.
• Supports:
  • Student and staff computers and devices
  • Classroom technology like interactive displays
  • Network infrastructure, software, and cybersecurity
  • Professional development to help teachers use technology effectively
• Ensures students have the digital skills and tools they need for modern learning
• Usually collected over 4 to 6 years.
• Require a simple majority 50% + 1 vote majority to pass.
• Technology levies help us develop sustainable technology systems that enhance instruction and efficiency

• Transportation levies fund things like new buses or major repairs to older buses to prolong their useful life.
• Transportation levies can be approved for up to two years.
• Require a simple majority 50% + 1 vote majority to pass.

Similar to a home mortgage: the district borrows money up front and repays it over time with voter-approved property taxes

• Used for major construction projects, such as building a new school, adding classrooms, or replacing old facilities
• Bonds usually last 15–20 years
• Bonds require a 60% + 1 vote supermajority voter approval 

Bond investments focus on our long-term investments, such as new or replaced school buildings.

Yes! Seniors and limited-income individuals and people experiencing disabilities, or other recognized circumstances, may qualify for tax relief, exemption, or deferral.

Call the Pierce County Tax Exemptions Office at (253) 798-2169 or visit the Pierce County Elections website to apply for this exemption.  

If property values go up, the tax rate is adjusted downward. The school district cannot collect more than the amount approved by voters. Increases in property values do not generate more revenue for the school district. 

If you know the assessed value of your property, you can calculate the amount of tax by multiplying your assessed value by the tax rate.

Find your assessed property value using the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer’s Property Tax & Value Search tool. 

A levy rate is the amount of property tax per $1,000 of assessed property value to fund a voter-approved levy amount. A levy rate of $1.00 means that for every $1,000 of property value, the property owner will have to pay $1.00 in taxes.

Example: If a homeowner has a home valued at $200,000 and the levy rate is $1.00 for every $1,000 of assessed property value, the homeowner will pay $200 annually in property taxes. 

Yes, but the amount that districts receive varies based on several factors.

For example, Enrollment, regional cost of living differences, poverty values, and the number of special needs or non-English speaking students are all factors in the district's state funding. Most districts also receive additional federal funding, mostly determined by poverty levels and special needs populations within a district.

Yes, but the funding does not cover the actual costs of operating a school district. 

The Washington State Supreme Court decision on the McCleary lawsuit resulted in public school districts seeing a net funding increase in 2018. Even though the state increased the amount of funding it provided to school districts, it also capped the amount of funding it could raise from local levies. The Legislature also applied restrictions to how funding can be used. For local school districts, levies have been significantly impacted, causing widespread confusion in communities across the state.