Proposition 1: Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Replacement Levy

Replacement levies - Please vote February 10, 2026

Proposition 1

Renewing the Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Replacement Levy helps maintain the people and programs that make a difference in our schools—ensuring students are supported, engaged, and ready for their futures. The Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Replacement Levy:

Fills the 14.6% state funding gap to ensure students have access to more teachers and caring adults on campus - including significantly more school psychologists, paraeducators (learning assistants), and substitutes - than the state provides. It also funds the district’s school resource officers (Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office), who are based at our high schools.
Helps fund special education services so students with diverse learning needs receive the individualized support they deserve.
Provides academic supports and summer learning for all students.
Supports students in building stronger connections to their education through after-school athletics, performing arts, clubs, and other activities that promote mental well-being, emotional growth, and academic success.

What does the proposed Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Replacement Levy cost?
The four-year proposal, beginning in 2027, maintains a stable tax rate and replaces a local funding source that has supported our schools for more than 35 years. Levy rates are based on each property’s assessed value per $1,000. (Note: When the school board approved the current levies in 2022, they set the proposed rates at $1.80 for the Educational Programs and Operations Replacement Levy and $0.60 for the Replacement Levy for Technology, Safety and Facility Improvements. In placing the four-year renewal measures on the February 10, 2026, ballot, the board kept the proposed rates the same as current - $1.80 and $0.60 - maintaining stable, consistent levy rates for our community.)

Year	Estimated levy tax rate	Fixed local levy amount
2027	$1.80^*	$36,568,000
2028	$1.80^*	$40,589,000
2029	$1.80^*	$45,053,000
2030	$1.80^*	$49,963,000

* All tax rates are estimates per $1,000 of assessed property value

The image is a pie chart that displays the proposed allocation of an Educational Programs and Operations Replacement Levy fund, with various categories such as Classroom Support, Substitute Teacher/Staff Costs, and School Resource Officers shown as percentages of the total.

What would the local Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Replacement Levy fund if it is approved?

Much of what the Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Replacement Levy funds is people - the caring adults who create a full and enriching learning experience in safe, supportive schools. Snohomish’s local Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Levy provides about 14.6% of the district’s annual operating budget, funding many critical positions beyond what the state provides.

The local levy funds essential school support staff - including paraeducators (learning assistants), school psychologists, substitute teachers, and security personnel - as well as athletics, performing arts, clubs, and other student activities that promote mental well-being and academic success.

The state’s basic education funding covers just 17.5 (FTE) paraeducators (learning assistants) in Snohomish. Thanks to local levy support - along with other funding sources - the Snohomish School District employs more than 250 part- and full-time (135.7 FTE) paraeducators. These caring adults play a vital role in creating supportive and enriching learning environments for our students. Similarly, for a district of our size, the state funds only 1.5 school psychologists. With levy support, we employ 12.8, meaning more than 11.3 positions are funded locally to ensure students receive the academic and emotional support they need.

Maintaining high-quality teachers and support staff is essential to student success. Levy dollars help cover approximately 22.2% of the average teacher’s salary, bridging the gap between state funding and actual costs. Snohomish competes with other districts in Snohomish County and northern King County to attract and retain talented educators. For support staff, the district also competes with private employers such as manufacturers, delivery services, and retail businesses.

To fund schools the state uses the "Prototypical School Model." That model takes a school district’s enrollment and determines what the state believes is needed. From the number of employees - custodians to teachers - to the amount for curriculum, utilities, and supplies. That state “model” has not changed much since it was first written in 1977. Yet public education and the expectations for our students have dramatically changed during the past 40+ years.