City of Yelm

Ensuring that all Yelm schools have access to the resources they need is necessary for our students' success. To that end, replacing the Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) Levy for Yelm Community Schools in the form of Proposition 1 is essential.

The levy, which accounts for 13 percent of the district's budget, is a cornerstone of funding, enabling Yelm Community Schools to bridge the gap left by insufficient state and federal funding. The district cannot maintain services at their current level without the EP&O levy, which covers sufficient staffing, library programs, special education, facility maintenance, nurses, electives, arts, language programs, textbooks, and more.

For a homeowner with a property valued at $450,000, the levy rate of $2.25 per $1000 of assessed property value would cost about $1,000 annually. In 2016 and 2020, the levy rate was $3.94 and $2.50. This year's reduced rate reflects the school board's careful and considered approach to our schools’ needs. 

Without a levy renewal, our schools face an education-altering budget cut, affecting over 5,600 students across nine schools. Vote Yes on Proposition 1 to help our schools secure a brighter, more equitable future for every student in the Yelm Community School District.