If the levy is approved, every Battle Ground school would receive levy dollars. The replacement levy would fund:

• Student safety

• Smaller class sizes

• Special education

• Teachers

• Nursing

• Mental health support

• Career readiness

• Sports/extracurricular activities

If approved, the levy also would return some, but not all, of the student support positions and programs that were cut after the double levy failure earlier in 2025. The amount of restored positions and programs is dependent on rising operating costs and state funding gaps.

Levy dollars make up the difference between what the state provides for basic K-12 education and what it costs to educate 13,000 students and operate 19 schools. Over the last four years, Battle Ground Public Schools has been underfunded by millions.

The district cannot collect more than the approved amount each year. Property value increases and new residents do not generate more education and operations levy dollars for the district. An approved replacement levy would collect the following amounts:

• $43 million in 2027

• $45.80 million in 2028

• $48.77 million in 2029

• $51.94 million in 2030

How were these amounts set?
In determining the amount, district leaders looked at student enrollment, state funding gaps, rising operating costs, lack of other funding sources and the district's reserves/savings account.

• Student enrollment: Between the 2021-22 and 2024-25 school years, student enrollment increased from approximately 11,885 students to 13,080 students.

• State funding gaps: The gaps between state funding and what it actually costs to educate students have been widening in recent years.

• Rising operating costs and unfunded mandates: These have contributed to an increase in the district’s expenses. Just a few examples of rising costs include:

  • State-mandated but unfunded transportation contractor benefits: +$2 million (in 2026-27)

  • Water rate increase: +$20,000

  • New sales tax requirements: +$250,000

  • Utilities: +$514,000 (between 2019 and 2024)

  • Risk insurance: +$98,000 (between 2019 and 2024)

• Lack of other funding sources: Battle Ground no longer receives state or federal money that helped the district maintain operations during the pandemic. Those funds ended in 2024.

• District reserves/savings account: Battle Ground Public Schools is using $14.88 million of one-time money in its fund balance to sustain operations in the current school year. That money will not be available to use in future years.