Replacement levy offers relief for WSD voters

SILVERTON — The Wallace School District is seeking the approval of a supplemental levy from its patrons on March 8.

WSD is not immune to the funding issues that plague public schools across the state and is looking for an additional $1.7 million to fill the holes in funding for the next two years.

This is a replacement of the current levy that was passed two years ago, however this year’s amount will feature roughly a 5.5% reduction for taxpayers.

“In January, our board approved the 2022 Supplemental Levy in the amount of $1.7 million,” WSD Superintendent Todd Howard explained. “That value is $100,000 less than the previous levy passed in 2020. The reduction in the proposed levy amount would provide a decrease of $26.72 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value per year for our local patrons.”

This decrease could be tied to a number of factors according to Howard, those included variables tied to staffing, fluctuating student numbers, as well as significant auditing.

“We have had some staffing changes (retirements, resignations) where those positions were filled with staff being paid at a lower rate on the salary schedule due to less experience or education,” Howard told the News-Press. “Each year our district goes through an extensive audit. Through the findings in that audit it was determined that we would be able to maintain our current programs and staffing while proposing the reduction in the levy. Over the past few years we have observed a slight increase in our overall student population. Additional students result in higher funding formula numbers. Those numbers result in more funding.”

Clocking in at 34% of their annual operating budget, without the funds generated from the levy the district would have to look into the removal of several key staff members and programs including nine certificated staff, including some that work in full day kindergarten, high school electives, an additional elementary grade level teacher, elementary PE, and music, as well as 17 paraprofessionals who assist students with reading/math intervention, special education, elementary computers and in the elementary library.

This loss of key staff would result in larger class sizes throughout both Silver Hills Elementary School and at Wallace Jr./Sr. High, which alters the effectiveness that the remaining teachers are able to have as they instruct.

Polling places will be announced in the coming weeks, but for more information please call the Wallace School District at 208-753-4515.