School levies pass

Voters approved replacement levies in the Shelton and Pioneer school districts on the Valentine’s Day ballot.

The Shelton levy received 2,539 “yes” votes for 51.87%, and 2,356 “no” votes for 48.13%. The Pioneer levy received 1,810 “yes” votes for 54.9%, and 1,487 “no” votes for 45.1%. Both needed a simple majority to pass.

The final ballot count is set for 4 p.m. today, with an estimated five ballots to add to the total. The count is scheduled to be certified Friday. Voter turnout was 36.56%.

Ninety Mason County residents also cast ballots on an Elma School District bond, which failed with 35.36% of the “yes” vote. The Mason County voters cast 36 “yes” votes, and 60 “no” votes.

In the Pioneer School District, property owners will be assessed an estimated $1.28 for every $1,000 of assessed property value from 2024 through 2027. The owner of a home valued at $300,000 will pay about $384 per year, or about $32 per month, the district states.

The levy will collect $2,802,110 in 2024, $2,886,173 in 2025, $2,972,758 in 2026, and $3,061,940 in 2027.

The district states that levy dollars cover 21% of the overall cost of school district operations. State and federal programs fund almost all of the rest.

In the Pioneer School District, which has about 750 students in prekindergarten through the eighth grade, the levy partially or entirely pays for lower class sizes, afterschool academic tutoring for students, athletic programs, transportation costs not covered by the state, music and art education, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs, classroom paraeducator support, reading and math specialists, student field trips, outdoor school, the community garden, counselors, and updated curriculum in reading, math, science and social science.

The levy also pays for support staff not covered by the state, including paraeducators, food service, custodial, building secretaries, and business and personnel operations.

The Shelton School District’s three-year levy is $2.09 per $1,000 of assessed property value. If it passes, the levy will collect $7.1 million in 2024, $7.6 million in 2025 and $8.2 million in 2026.

The levy money provides about 11% of the district’s budget.

The district will receive about $3 million in additional money from the state in “levy equalization” money.

The district has about 4,400 students in three elementary schools, a middle school, a junior high and three high schools. This year’s budget is $78 million.

The replacement levy pays for basic education services and operating expenses not fully paid by the state, including regular classroom and special education teachers, instructional technology, library services, swimming pool and auditorium operation and maintenance, classroom furniture and materials, support for students at risk, facilities repair and maintenance, campus security and school resource officers, and athletics and activities.