West Valley School District Prepares for 2026 Replacement Levy

The West Valley School District Board of Directors has been working this fall to prepare for a replacement levy that will appear on the February 2026 ballot. Local levies make up about 11% of the district’s total budget.

Since 2014, the West Valley community has consistently approved a four-year replacement levy, following a change in state law that extended levies from every two years to every four years.

The proposed levy would continue funding for essential programs not covered by state or federal funding, such as:

• School nurses

• Athletics, music, and drama

• Special education services

• Instructional materials

If approved, the levy would also qualify the District for additional state matching funds, called Local Effort Assistance – meaning the state will enhance the funding approved by voters.

Supporting Student Learning

West Valley provides every student with a Chromebook, helping them build 21st-century skills through access to adaptive learning software. This technology adjusts instruction to meet individual student needs.

• Elementary & Middle School: Access to literacy and math programs

• High School: Access to math, chemistry, and literacy intervention software

West Valley High School offers over 40 College-in-the-High-School courses, allowing students to earn both high school and college credits on campus. Chemistry software called ALEKS is used at the University of Washington and West Valley High School for chemistry classes.  Educational software like ALEKS is funded by the local levy.

For the Class of 2024, 93% of students graduated with college credits—saving families significant future tuition costs.

Local Control and Oversight

Levy funds are collected locally and stay within the West Valley community. They are managed by the locally elected School Board and are not sent to Olympia or Washington, D.C. The local School Board ensures responsible budgeting and financial transparency each year.

More information about the levy will be available on the District’s website and in a mailer to all households in January.

Questions?
Contact Superintendent Dr. Peter Finch at 509-972-6007 or finchp@wvsd208.org