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EP&O Levy
Continuing Local Investment in Local Students
This February, the Stevenson-Carson School District will ask voters to renew a three-year Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) levy. This is not a new tax, but rather the continuation of a previously approved local funding measure that is set to expire at the end of 2026.
The state of Washington does not fully fund public education, and Stevenson-Carson, like nearly every other school district in Washington, relies on local levies to bridge the gap between what the state pays for and the actual cost of providing students with a quality education.
Local levy funding makes up approximately 17% of Stevenson-Carson School District’s total operating budget.
The levy provides dollars to support programs and services for local students, including:
- Extracurricular Student Activities:
- Music, Yearbook, Theater, Lewis and Clark, Ruff Cuts, Class Advisors/ASB
- Athletics:
- All sports and Athletic Director (golf grant donation paid)
- Academic Programs and Classroom Supports:
- Curriculum, AP and Honors Courses, Materials, STEM courses, Electives
- Security Upgrades
- Teacher Training and Support:
- Substitutes, educator training, professional development days
- Student Support Staff:
- Paraeducators, security personnel, school counselors, and additional teachers for smaller class sizes beyond what the state funds
- Building Maintenance
- Technology Supports & Software
- Special Education Overage Costs
- Subsidise Food Service Costs
Local levy funding makes up approximately 17% of Stevenson-Carson School District’s total operating budget.
The levy provides dollars to support programs and services for local students, including:
- Extracurricular Student Activities:
- Music, Yearbook, Theater, Lewis and Clark, Ruff Cuts, Class Advisors/ASB
- Athletics:
- All sports and Athletic Director (golf grant donation paid)
- Academic Programs and Classroom Supports:
- Curriculum, AP and Honors Courses, Materials, STEM courses, Electives
- Security Upgrades
- Teacher Training and Support:
- Substitutes, educator training, professional development days
- Student Support Staff:
- Paraeducators, security personnel, school counselors, and additional teachers for smaller class sizes beyond what the state funds
- Building Maintenance
- Technology Supports & Software
- Special Education Overage Costs
- Subsidise Food Service Costs
The proposed levy replaces a previously-approved levy at a lower rate per $1,000. For the owner of a $450,000 home, the monthly cost would be approximately $54 in 2027, $53 in 2028, and $52 in 2029. This is a decrease from what the same homeowner is currently paying, down from about $60 per month.
| Collection Years | Rate* | Levy Amount |
| 2027 | $1.34 | $2,700,000 |
| 2028 | $1.25 | $2,785,000 |
| 2029 | $1.18 | $2,885,000 |
* Tax rates are per $1,000 of assessed property value. Future tax rates are estimates. The district cannot legally collect more than the total approved collection amount.
Levy Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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For the owner of a $450,000 home, the monthly cost would be approximately $54 in 2027, $53 in 2028, and $52 in 2029.
Calculate your estimated tax based on your home’s assessed value: (Assessed Value) x (estimated rate) / $1,000 = estimated yearly tax / 12 = monthly rate.
2025 Local Total Tax Rate Comparisons:
Average of all K-12 school districts in Skamania and Klickitat counties with local levy: $1.75 Stevenson-Carson’s 2025 total tax rate: $1.59
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Inflation and rising costs
Through careful planning, the EP&O levy collection amounts are structured to increase slightly to keep pace with rising expenses, while being sensitive to local taxpayers. Due to rising assessed values in the region, while the total collection amount has increased, the estimated rate per $1,000 for homeowners is projected to be slightly lower.
For the owner of a $450K home in 2025 increasing in value by 4% a year, the proposed monthly levy rate amounts to about:- $54 per month in 2027
- $53 per month in 2028
- $52 per month in 2029
This is a decrease from what the same homeowner is currently paying, down from about $60 per month.
Helping to offset the decrease in Timber and Secure Rural Schools funding
For decades, the Stevenson-Carson School District has relied on timber funding, which became unavailable in the 1990s due to changes in environmental regulations. Lawmakers created Secure Rural Schools (SRS) payments as a temporary measure to fill the gap. SRS funding was structured to decrease over time, providing counties an opportunity to identify alternative revenue sources. Combined timber sales and SRS funding for the district declined from over $1.3 million in 2013 to approximately $811,000 in 2024. There were no SRS funds after receipts paid in 2024. The district no longer receives SRS funding.
Local levy funds don’t make up the entire funding loss, but have helped offset this decrease in timber receipts and loss of SRS funding. -
An educational programs and operations levy, also called an EP&O levy or an enrichment levy, is a funding measure that helps bridge the gap between what the state pays and the actual costs of operating our schools. You can learn more about school funding from ESD 112's Seeds of School Funding Website.
You can also watch this video to learn more:
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Levy chart above shows how levy funds were used in 2024-25:
- 14% – Athletics/Extracurricular (100% funded by levy)
- 7% – Counselor/Principal/Admin
- 3% – Electives/Enrichment
- 25% – Basic Education
- 9% – Technology/Curriculum
- 42% – Repair/Grounds Maintenance