By Mary Stevens Decker

For The Reporter

The Lake Washington School District (LWSD) has begun a public input process to determine what types of levy or bond measures might be presented on the February 2010 ballot.

Three different scenarios are being evaluated: A 2011-14 Educational Programs and Operations Levy; a 2011-14 Capital Projects Levy; and a 2010 Bond for Capital Facility Planning.

At Redmond Junior High School on Wednesday, LWSD Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball explained, “Our vision … is every student ‘future ready’ for college, for the global workplace and personal success.”

Due to population growth in the district and the increasingly competitive job market, the district is examining ways to address potential overcrowding in the schools and to ensure that all students have access to programs and technology that will help them achieve their goals for the future.

That costs money — and these meetings are intended to inform the community about how the money would be spent and how it would affect their property tax bills.

Kimball explained that the Educational Programs and Operations Levy would affect general funding to cover expenses such as textbooks, energy bills, teachers and classroom aides. The Capital Projects Levy covers facilities (such as roofs and heating systems) and technology (computer updgrades, software, etc.).

Both of those levies would pass by a simple majority vote.

The Capital Facility Bond would apply to construction and modernization projects which occur every 20-30 years. A 60 percent super majority vote is needed to approve the bond.

Attendees at the meeting were given handouts, explaining various options for each of the levy or bond measures, and asking attendees to choose one they would support. In each case, Option A called for no levy or bond money. Options B through D offered examples of how the district would maintain or improve conditions and programs for students, with breakdowns of how much each option would cost taxpayers.

For the 2010 Four-Year Capital Projects Levy for Facilities, tax increases (depending on Option B, C, or D) would amount to either $0.14, $0.23 or $0.33 per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value.

For the 2010 Four-Year Capital Projects Levy for Technology, (depending on Option B, C or D), taxpayers would see an increase of either $0.18, $0.26 or $0.35 per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value.

The 2010 Capital Facility Planning Bond, (depending on Option B, C or D) would add either $0.14, $0.33 or $0.47 per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value to a property tax bill.

In spite of the current poor economy, Kimball noted that there are “district realities” which need to be addressed: “Existing levies are expiring. Levies provide basic resources.”

And the district has had to cut $7.7 million from its general fund this year due to state budget cuts.

Some schools are already overcrowded. Enrollment is up by 240 students district-wide at the elementary level. Projections indicate that the district will need space for approximately 1,300 more students by 2014 and 2,500 more students by 2019-20.

In addition to concerns about overcrowded or outdated buildings, Kimball is in favor of increasing access to all-day kindergarten programs and changing grade configurations from K-6, 7-9 and 10-12 to a K-5, 6-8, 9-12 configuration which is standard in most of the country. Students who attend four-year high schools have an advantage, said Kimball, because ninth graders on a junior high campus don’t think of themselves as “high school students,” even though they are already earning credit for their high school transcript.

Surveys, so far, indicate that at least 70 percent of parents in the LWSD like the idea of the configuration change. But deciding when and where to build or modernize school facilities — either adding more elementary schools or more space at the high school level — is contingent upon available funding.

Additional meetings about the levy and bond measures were held Oct. 8 at Redmond High School, Oct. 13 at Kamiakin Junior High School and Juanita High School, and on Oct. 14 at Lake Washington High School.

Information and surveys are available on the district Web site, www.lwsd.org.

Findings about the community’s preferences will be presented on Nov. 9 and the Superintendent’s recommendations and LWSD Board action are scheduled for Nov. 23. Another public comment period will be held from December to January and the election is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2010.