Why this Matters

Voters are being asked to renew—not create—two essential Anacortes school levies that fund quality education and safe schools. A strong school system is a foundation of a strong and thriving community.

State and Federal funding provides roughly 82% of the district’s funding. Washington state is only required to fund districts to a level that barely meets our minimum requirements to operate. The state funds only basic education requirements and does not fully cover smaller class sizes, extracurricular activities, early learning, transportation, health services, preventive building maintenance, technology and safety improvements, substitute staffing, nor utilities.

We believe Anacortes is not a “just good enough” kind of community that wants only the minimum requirement for our children.

Just as all citizens have been affected by cost of living due to inflation, so has the Anacortes School District. The cost of education has increased substantially since 2022. For decades, Anacortes voters have chosen to fill this 18% state and federal funding shortfall by voting for levy renewals.

These replacement levies ensure continued funding for high-quality curriculum, athletics, arts, clubs, early learning services, and critical facility maintenance.

For our schools to continue playing a vital role in producing high-caliber young adults and citizens, we need to ensure they are provided with ample opportunities to learn, grow and thrive, and that cannot happen without continued financial support from our great community!

Anacortes School District 103 Stats

• 2,557 Students
• 412 Employees (4th largest employer in Anacortes)
• 7 Schools

Local Tax: Levy Collections	$7,972,425	15%
Local Non-Tax: donations, sale of goods	$1,040,316	2%
State Apportionment	$28,227,166	55%
State Special purpose	$9,017,294	18%
Federal Forest	$5,000	0%
Federal Special Purpose	$1,699,384	3%
Other School Districts	$24,000	0%
Other Agencies: Community partnerships	$1,192,000	2%
Transfers: Tech Capital purchases	$2,276,062	4%
Total:	$51,453,647

Anacortes School Levies:

Proposition 1:
Educational Programs & Operations Levy

Supports students and staff by reducing class sizes while providing arts enrichment, Advanced Placement classes, athletic programs, extracurriculars, early learning, transportation, and classroom resources. This levy ensures Anacortes can maintain our high quality extra-curricular programs, including athletics, music and arts. The levy funds would be used for:

• School supplies, lower class sizes and expanded course offerings
• Medical and mental health services
• Athletics, arts, music, student clubs and extracurricular programs
• Student transportation
• Safety and custodial services
• Early learning programs
• Teacher training and professional development
• Substitute teacher and staff

Proposition 2:
Replacement Levy for Technological and Capital Improvements

Supports school safety systems, required facilities maintenance, lighting, and classroom technology to maintain safe and efficient facilities. The levy funds would be used for improvements such as:

• Safety and security upgrades (alarm systems, access control, cameras)
• Energy efficiency improvements (LED lighting, HVAC, plumbing)
• Facility maintenance and renewal (roofs, windows, flooring, plumbing)
• Technology upgrades and digital building controls
• Playground safety enhancements and site improvements
• Exterior building and grounds maintenance (doors, landscaping, masonry, fencing)

Combined Replacement Levy Impacts

Year	Combined Levy Rate increase	Estimated annual cost increase to a home assessed at the median value*
2027	$0.37	$251.12
2028	$0.38	$261.73
2029	$0.39	$263.43
2030	$0.38	$261.19

*Anacortes Median Home: $680,000 assessed value

Fiscal Responsibility

The district is asking only for what is needed to sustain operations and complete urgent facility upgrades.

This is not a new levy, but replaces levies that will expire in 2026.

The levies account for inflation, so there is a small increase from 2022 to 2026 levy. The average increase on a median home is an increase from current rates of approximately $250 per year.

What It Costs the Average Homeowner:

The combined levy rate is estimated at about $1.46 per $1,000 of assessed value. For the average Anacortes home ($680,000 assessed value), this equates to around $995 per year, or $83 per month.

That’s an increase from the current combined rate of $1.08 per $1,000 in 2026—less than $22 more per month for the average homeowner. The Capital Levy rate remains flat at $0.47 throughout the four years—no annual increase.

Community Impact

Anacortes has a long history of supporting our schools, understanding that it is the foundation of a thriving community. Renewal protects current funding levels and prevents deep cuts to student programs, classroom support, and staffing.

Without renewal, Anacortes would face larger class sizes, reduced course offerings, and cuts to programs that enrich Anacortes, such as athletics, music, arts, and clubs. Washington school districts that have failed to renew levies have experienced severe staff reductions and program eliminations, resulting in long-term damage to their communities. EP&O levy funds can only be used for student programs and district operations and cannot be redirected.

Renewing this levy is key to:

• Keep families in Anacortes and prepare students to be responsible citizens
• Attract businesses and professionals such as doctors and nurses
• Support athletics and the arts that benefit the entire community
• Maintain property values