Battle Ground Public Schools leaders told residents Wednesday that February will be their only attempt this year to secure voter approval for a replacement education programs and operations levy.
Should the measure fail, the district faces $20 million in immediate budget cuts for the 2026-27 school year, following last year’s $14 million in cuts due to a double levy failure.
“So we would have to spend a lot of time getting ready for a reduction in staff if the levy doesn’t pass. That’s what we’d be spending our time doing. We don’t want to be trying to run a levy while we’re trying to figure out a budget and trying to give people the answers that they’re looking for,” Superintendent Shelly Whitten said.
The district hosted an informational meeting Jan. 14 at the Battle Ground High School Library to explain the levy proposal, current finances and what could be at stake if voters reject the measure again. District officials stated that they will not attempt to place the levy on the April ballot during tax season. If the February vote fails, administrators said they will immediately begin building a reduced 2026-27 budget outlining what would be cut and consider another levy attempt in November for the following school year.
Whitten told The Reflector the turnout for the meeting was noticeably larger than similar events last year.
“I’m just thrilled that people want the information that we’re providing and asking all of the questions that they have and getting them answered. That gives us the opportunity to have informed voters and that’s really what we want,” Whitten said.
The district is seeking voter approval of a replacement EP&O levy on the Feb. 10, 2026, ballot. The proposed levy would begin collecting in 2027 and run through 2030 at an initial estimated rate of $1.99 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Actual rates could be lower depending on new construction within district boundaries. By law, the district cannot collect more than voters approve, even if property values rise, according to district information.
Battle Ground asked voters to approve a levy at a rate of $1.95 per $1,000 of assessed value before the 2025-26 school year but was turned down twice. An EP&O levy that began at $1.99 in 2022 expired at a rate of $1.68 at the end of 2025.
While cuts upwards of $20 million were needed this school year, the district was able to dip into its one-time use savings and spend $14.88 million to ease some of the impacts. District leaders said those savings are now largely depleted and would not be available to offset another round of reductions if the levy fails again. The district also has a $0.45 capital levy that runs through December 2027.
Whitten emphasized that passage of the levy would largely allow the district to maintain current operations rather than expand services. According to district information, levy dollars would support student safety, staffing levels tied to class sizes, special education services, counselors and mental health supports, updated curriculum materials and other day-to-day operational costs.
“So this year we made half of a levy year’s budget cuts because for half of the year we were getting half of a collection. And we will, even if we pass this levy in February, we’ll be in the same boat next year. Nothing will change,” Whitten said.
In a December interview with The Reflector, Whitten said the district would need to consider radical cuts, noting funding toward instruction would likely be transferred to ease safety cuts.
“We would dramatically change the way in which we’re providing education for students,” she said in a prior interview. “What I’m concerned about is I’m not sure where all the cuts would come from. We’ve actually done some preliminary work and identified about $12 million in possibilities. There are things on that possibility list that I don’t see as very feasible options.”
Battle Ground Public Schools operates 19 schools and serves about 13,000 students, making it the third-largest district in Clark County. Whitten noted during the presentation that if voters approve both the EP&O levy and the existing capital levy, the combined maximum rate of $2.44 per $1,000 of assessed property value would still be lower than rates in larger neighboring districts. Evergreen Public Schools and Vancouver Public Schools, each serving about 22,000 students, will have voters paying $3.85 and $3.43 respectively. La Center’s district rate is $3.12 with about 1,800 students, while Green Mountain Valley’s K-8 district rate is $2.25 with just over 150 students.
Cuts made this school year include eliminating all middle school sports and coaching positions, free school supplies for primary grades, Kindergarten Jump Start, instructional coaches and teacher librarians. The district also reduced crossing guard shifts, nursing and mental health roles, consolidated bus routes, delayed curriculum purchases and scaled back the ASPIRE magnet program by removing its third-grade cohort.
Whitten said finding further reductions would be even more difficult if the levy fails again, especially given rising costs and unfunded state mandates. The school district has stated that state-mandated but unfunded transportation contractor benefits totalling over $2 million in 2026-2027 while water rate increases will exceed $20,000. Utilities have raised $514,000 between 2019 and 2024 and risk insurance nearly a hundred grand during that same span. A new sales tax will likely exceed $250,000, too.
“If we don’t pass the levy, we would go into next year with $20 million less in our payroll and unfortunately, the cuts would then be made,” Whitten said.
She said the district cannot afford to campaign for another levy while simultaneously planning deep reductions, which is why April is off the table.
“That $20 million that we cut last spring, if we don’t pass it in February, we will make $20 million of cuts more for next year. We will have to, and we won’t try to rerun in April. I think we’ve learned our lesson,” Whitten said.
During the question-and-answer portion of the meeting, one attendee asked how the district’s per-student costs compared to private schools, suggesting public schools may be less efficient. Whitten responded by outlining the broader responsibilities required of public school systems.
“Private schools don’t have to serve every student. They get to pick and choose. In fact, if they want special education services or Title One services or lap services, guess where they come. Our schools and we have to provide that to them,” Whitten said.
Whitten added that public schools are legally required to provide a wide range of services private schools are not.
“They call it free, appropriate public education and that’s what we’re required to do. Private schools are not required to do that. So it is, it does mean that it costs more for sure,” Whitten said.
While Whitten told attendees the only reduction she felt was arguably reasonable involved crossing guards for middle and high school students, one local mother and middle school counselor said she remained concerned about student safety, noting her 5th-grade daughter was nearly hit by a car the same morning of the meeting.
“I’m a school counselor in a middle school. To think that we are expendable is not reality, she said. “It’s my understanding that our programs were created after a year where we lost 13 students in one year to suicide. And to think that it would be OK to go back to that and to wipe out all the work that was created in establishing primary and middle school counseling programs is just bonkers to me.”
Community advocacy groups also attended Wednesday’s meeting. Terry Dotson, president of Battle Ground Citizens for Better Schools, told attendees that volunteers will help educate voters ahead of the February ballot, encouraging listeners to get involved. Leaders from the Battle Ground Education Foundation and North Clark County Indivisible (NCCI) were also present. NCCI recently launched a new education foundation ahead of the February levy.
Editor's note: The headline was updated to include when district leaders intend to attempt a second EP&O levy should the proposition fail in February.
