School Construction Bond & Renewal Education Levy

Monroe School District will have two funding measures on the February 2026 special election ballot. These measures work together to ensure all students have access to updated learning supports, facilities, and technology. These measures include:

The School Construction Bond would fund school construction, safety & security upgrades, accessibility updates, modernization, and major maintenance projects designed to provide adequate, safe, modern facilities for our students and community. Bonds provide local funding for these projects, which are not funded by the state.
School Construction Bond Information

The renewal of the Educational Programs & Operations Levy would continue funding for educational programs, services, and staff that support the students of Monroe. This levy fills the gap between what the state provides and Monroe School District's operating costs. This is not a new tax; it renews the existing levy set to expire at the end of 2026.
Educational Programs & Operations Levy Information

Why do school districts need bonds and levies?

Public school districts in Washington rely on a mix of state, federal, and locally approved funding to operate schools and maintain safe, effective learning environments. While the state funds basic education, it does not fully cover many of the programs, staffing levels, services, or facility needs that communities expect from their local schools. Bonds and levies allow districts to fill these gaps.

Why State Funding Isn’t Enough

The state’s definition of “basic education” is limited. It does not fully fund areas such as transportation, student support services, school safety, extracurricular programs, technology, or the level of staffing needed to meet student needs and keep class sizes low. Districts must use local levy dollars to sustain these essential services and maintain the quality of education that families rely on.

The state also does not provide districts with funding for facility needs, such as building new schools, major maintenance projects, modernization, or safety and security upgrades, so districts rely on voter-approved bonds to fund these needs.

What Levies Fund

Levies support the day-to-day operations that keep schools running well, including:

• Student programs and classroom support
• School safety and security staff and equipment 
• Athletics, activities, and extracurricular opportunities
• Technology device updates
• Curriculum updates
• Additional teachers beyond what the state funds to maintain reasonable class sizes and student support
• Additional counselors, nurses, paraeducators, and custodians beyond what the state funds
• Materials, supplies, and operating costs

The last Monroe School District levy approved by local voters was the four-year Educational Programs & Operations Levy in November 2022. This EP&O Levy will expire at the end of 2026. Monroe School District will be asking voters to renew the expiring EP&O Levy on the February 2026 ballot. Learn more here

What Bonds Fund

Bonds are used for construction and facility improvements. The state provides limited funding for school buildings, which means districts must rely on bonds to:

• Build new schools when enrollment grows
• Replace or modernize aging facilities
• Improve safety and security features
• Upgrade infrastructure, heating and cooling systems, roofs, and other major building components

Thanks to Monroe voters, a School Construction Bond passed was in 2015. The 2015 School Construction Bond funded the modernization of Park Place Middle School, the all-weather turf baseball fields at Monroe High School, the Frank Wagner Elementary Expansion & Modernization (Phase I), the Salem Woods Elementary modernization (Phase I), the Hidden River Middle School expansion, and many other facility improvements and major maintenance projects district-wide.

The 2026 School Construction Bond would fund projects designed to provide adequate, safe, modern facilities for our students and community, including safety & security improvements, major maintenance projects district-wide, a new school for Sky Valley Education Center, the Phase II modernization of Frank Wagner and Salem Woods Elementaries, facility updates for Special Education programs, enhancements for early learning at elementary schools, and restoration to some of our outdoor athletic fields. Learn more here

Bonds and levies are essential tools that allow local voters to support the quality of education, safety, and facilities students need. They ensure that districts can provide more than the bare minimum defined by the state and meet the expectations of the communities they serve.