At a special meeting on Tuesday, June 16, the Monroe School Board unanimously approved a resolution placing Proposition 1, a four-year, $49 million Capital Projects Levy, on the November 2026 ballot.

If approved by voters, the levy would provide local funding for priority safety and security updates, major maintenance projects, facility improvements, and the relocation of Sky Valley Education Center to an updated Wagner Center site.

The proposal was developed following community feedback gathered after the School Construction Bond was rejected by voters in February 2026. Community members expressed a desire for a shorter tax commitment, a phased approach to facility improvements, and a greater focus on the district's highest-priority facility needs.

In response, the district developed a more focused proposal that would provide approximately $49 million in local funding over four years. The levy would replace the previous $152 million, 20-year bond proposal with a smaller, phased approach focused on the most critical facility needs.

"Following the February election, we heard clearly from our community that they wanted a shorter tax commitment and more focused approach to addressing the most urgent facility needs," said Superintendent Shawn Woodward. "This proposal reflects that feedback while continuing to address important safety, maintenance, and facility challenges across the district."

Washington state does not fully fund school construction, major repairs, or facility improvements, making local voter-approved funding an important source of support for maintaining school facilities.

The proposed levy would fund projects in four key areas:

• Safety and security improvements, including secure entrance vestibules, fire and security system upgrades, and accessibility improvements.
   
• Major maintenance projects, including roof replacements, HVAC upgrades, boiler replacements, and infrastructure repairs.
   
• The relocation of Sky Valley Education Center (SVEC) to an updated Wagner Center.
   
• Facility improvements that support student programs, energy efficiency, and safe learning environments.

A significant portion of the proposed levy would support the relocation of Sky Valley Education Center from its aging campus to an updated Wagner Center site. The current campus faces substantial infrastructure challenges, including aging building systems and ongoing environmental mitigation requirements associated with asbestos, PCBs, and lead-containing materials. 

The proposed Wagner Center project would preserve historic elements of the original facility while creating a smaller, right-sized facility for SVEC designed to better align with current and anticipated program needs while reducing long-term operating and maintenance costs.

The proposed levy would collect approximately $49 million over four years and is estimated to cost property owners an average of $0.88 per $1,000 of assessed value during the collection period.

To help community members learn more about the proposal, Monroe School District has a dedicated levy information website featuring project details, estimated costs, tax rate information, and additional background information about the proposed projects.

Community members can learn more at: www.monroe.wednet.edu/CapitalLevy2026

The district will also host community information opportunities throughout the fall to answer questions and provide additional information about the proposal.