Yelm Community Schools is officially the only district in Thurston or Pierce counties to fail on both of its levy replacement attempts.
The results from the April 23 election were certified on Friday, May 3, with a combined 3,555 voters, or 48.47% across the two districts in favor while 3,780 voters, or 51.53%, opposed.
During its school board meeting on Thursday, May 2, the district revealed its next steps as it faces more than $15 million in cuts in 2024-25 and a minimum two-year impact in property tax collection due to the levy failure.
YCS opened the Reduced Education Plan Budget Priorities Survey for students, staff, parents and community members on Friday, May 3, to assess what the community prioritizes most. The 11-question survey contains three parts:
Respondents: The survey can be submitted anonymously, but participants will be asked to best describe their connection to Yelm Community Schools.
Scaled ratings: Participants will give an average rating of importance for several education programs, including but not limited to athletics and activities, class sizes, custodial and maintenance services, health services, libraries, technology and more. Each category will include a five-point scale, with a one-star rating indicating that the item is not important at all, while five stars equals extreme importance.
Open-ended questions: Participants will have the opportunity to describe what they value about the school system and to describe any efficiencies that they would like the superintendent to consider.
The survey does not include transportation and food services as those will not be impacted by the levy, and the district is steering clear of singling out specific positions.
Superintendent Chris Woods told the community and school board during the meeting that the district is in a situation that “we weren’t necessarily expecting” and said the upcoming reductions will require plenty of thought and transparency.
“This is going to be quite possibly the most challenging thing that the school district has ever been through. But at the same time, we’re going to work through it. We’re going to work with our community. We’re gonna come out on the other side of it,” Woods said. “I’m looking forward to the story of redemption.”
While Woods admitted there is no clear blueprint on how to work through a double levy failure, communication with staff and community members will be the district’s primary objective, he said. This comes as the district must meet several collective bargaining agreement deadlines this month where staff must be informed whether their position is changed or cut.
The school board is expected to vote on the specific reduction plan at its next school board meeting at 6 p.m., Thursday, May 9, at Ridgeline Middle School.
Ahead of the meeting, the district will not post its board packet online so that potentially impacted staff don’t learn of their termination ahead of an in-person meeting. Once the plan is approved, Woods and the human resources department will begin meeting with staff to inform them of how their position will be affected.
“There’s going to be specific information about positions that are going to be reduced, and I do not think it is right for the community to see it before we notify employees,” Woods said. “We may get criticized on that about transparency, but I’m willing to take that because I don’t think it’s right for our employees to find out based on a list of positions we’re cutting.”
The Reduced Education Plan Budget Priorities Survey can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YCSbudgetsurvey. The survey closes at 6 p.m., Monday, May 13.
