2026 Levy

2026 Renewal of Educational Program & Operations and Capital Levies

On October 8, the School Board voted to place an Educational Program and Operations Levy (EP&O) and a Capital Levy on the ballot for the February 10, 2026, election. Both the EP&O and the Capital Levy are renewals of funding sources that have previously received voter approval. These initiatives will replace our existing levies, which were endorsed by the community in 2022 and are scheduled to expire in 2026. They are not new taxes.

White River School District receives funding from state and federal sources, but also relies on local, voter-approved levies to ensure our students, schools, and staff have what they need. The levies help bridge the gap between what the state funds and what we need to educate our students.

Our Kids, Our Schools, Our Community, Our Choice

All levies approved by the voters of White River stay within our school district. Every dollar is kept right here in our schools, supporting students, staff, and programs that make a positive difference every day.

We're seeking members to serve on "For" and "Against" Committees

The White River School District is currently seeking members to serve on both the "For" and "Against" Committees in accordance with RCW 29A.32.280 related to the following ballot measures to be considered at the February 10, 2026 election: Proposition No. 1 – Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy, and Proposition No. 2 - Replacement Capital Projects Levy (Technology and Critical Repairs).

By law, each committee shall have no more than three members and will be asked to prepare statements for the voter's pamphlet for both measures. If you are interested in serving on either committee, please send your name, address, phone number, email address, and which position you represent to Maiden Greene at White River School District, 240 North A St, Buckley, WA 98321, or via email at [email protected] by December 12, 2025.

For more information, please refer to the Pierce County “Election Guide for Jurisdictions,” available at: https://www.piercecountywa.gov/330/Put-an-Issue-on-the-Ballot .

The Educational Program & Operations (EP&O) Levy renewal funds:

		Academic Programs, including our early learning program.
		High Quality Instruction, including Intervention supports and electives.
		Support Staff, including technology staff, counselors and social workers, school nurses, custodians, and office staff.
		Professional Learning for Staff to improve skills in order to provide the best instruction and support for every student.
		Student Opportunities, including athletics, arts, and extracurricular and co-curricular activities.
		Transportation Services and Food Services beyond what the state provides.
		School Safety and Security Staff to ensure every student can learn in a safe environment.

The Capital Renewal levy continues funding for:

Technology that supports students, the classroom, and the district, including:

1:1 Student Devices and classroom learning materials including instructional technology and interactive learning screens, and teacher laptops. Audiovisual installation for students' performances at three facilities Wiring and Access Points that keep our offices, classrooms and devices connected to the internet.

Facility Updates and Improvements to continue funding for the improvement of our school facilities. The following projects were chosen based on the work of our Facilities Committee:

Health, Safety, and Security improvements at Mountain Meadow Elementary School, Foothills Elementary School, Glacier Middle School, and White River High School.

Updating outdated heating, ventilation, and air climate control systems at Mountain Meadow Elementary and White River High School. The levy will also fund an additional heat pump at Wilkeson Elementary.

Upgrading kitchen and nutrition service facilities and equipment at White River High School.

Upgrading fire suppression systems, facilities, and equipment at Mountain Meadow Elementary, White River High School, and the Early Learning Center

What's the Cost?

White River School District’s goal is to maintain a steady tax rate over time. In February 2022, our community approved an EP&O levy and a Capital levy for a projected combined rate of $4.04. The actual cost of the measures were lower than our projections. The February 2026 levies are projected to be lower than our current tax rate.

Community Cafes
We will be holding Community Cafes at each school. We hope you can come visit with the Superintendent and District Office administrators to talk about the levy renewals. If you are a parent/guardian, you do not need to attend the event that corresponds to where your child attends. These are open to anyone in the community. Dates to be posted by January, 2026.