What is a school levy?
- School levies support essential programs, staff, and services that provide a quality education for our students.
- The educational program and operation levy is a way for our community and district to provide a well-rounded education for students by funding support for students with special needs, critical health and wellness services, and funding for extracurricular activities.
- The 2021 levy is not a new tax rather a replacement of the expiring 2018 levy.
What Does the Educational Programs and Operation (EP&O) Levy Support?
- Smaller class sizes
- Athletics and extracurricular activities
- Substitutes
- Staffing Above the Prototypical School Model
- In 19-20 we were funded for 289.95 Certificated Staff - CSD employed 368.13
- Nurses – we are state funded for .8 of a Nurse District Wide - CSD employs 5 full time
- Psychologists – we are state funded for .13 of a Psychologist District Wide
- Custodians – we are state funded for 21.45 FTE District Wide – CSD employs over 40 custodians
- Paraeducators – we are state funded for 8.86 FTE District Wide
- Other enrichment activities
What Does the Capital Projects Levy Support?
- Technology
- Safety and Security Improvements
- Capital Improvements, including but not limited to:
- Boiler replacements
- Tennis Court Resurfacing
- Heat Exchangers
Why Is the District Running a Levy Now?
- The current levy expires at the end of 2021
- A levy must be voter approved before it can be included in the District's Annual Budget (board approved in June each year)
- The levy and local effort assistance combined are approximately 11% of the overall district budget.
- Cheney Public Schools is on a three-year EP&O levy cycle. The last EP&O levy election was in 2018.
What About Tax Exemptions?
- Senior citizens and disabled persons may qualify for tax exemptions. For more information contact the Spokane County Assessor's Office at 509-477-3698 or the Whitman County Assessor's Office at 509-397-6220.