What programs in HSD - specifically - will be at stake if this levy is not approved?
1. Major Budget Losses
13% of the district’s operating budget disappears immediately.
Loss of $2.2 million in Local Effort Assistance (LEA) from the state — ONLY given if the levy passes.
Forced cuts begin the day the levy fails, because budgets must be balanced by law.
2. Academic Programs Eliminated or Downsized
Advanced Placement (AP) offerings
Honors/accelerated classes
Elective choices in high school and middle school
Reduced access to intervention for struggling students.
Elimination of tutoring or after-school academic help.
3. Technology Losses
Levy funding covers all technology beyond the state's bare minimum.
Without it:
Device replacement cycles freeze → outdated Chromebooks.
Fewer tech support staff (already minimal).
Classroom technology stops being replaced.
Software subscriptions (learning tools, safety tools) eliminated.
Slower network upgrades such as Wi-Fi and learning systems.
4. School Safety & Security Not funded by "basic ed" — covered by the levy.
Losses include:
Fewer safety personnel.
Reduced emergency preparedness resources.
Cuts to communication systems and supervision coverage.
Delayed security upgrades (cameras, access control, radios).
5. District Communications & Parent Engagement Levy helps fund:
Communications staffing.
Website maintenance.
Rapid notification systems for emergencies.
Community outreach and translation services.
A failure reduces transparency and timely parent communication.
6. Decline in Student Opportunities and Experience Without levy support, students lose:
Small class sizes
Enrichment opportunities
Extracurricular engagement
College-readiness pathways
Middle school to high school continuity
Elementary specials (music, art, STEM, PE frequency)
This is what makes Hockinson more than a basic ed district.
7. Cuts to Mental Health & Counseling Services
Levy dollars help fund:
Counselors
Social-emotional learning supports
Crisis-response systems
A failure means:
Fewer counselors → higher caseloads.
Reduced student check-ins.
Less support for trauma, anxiety, and behavior interventions.
8. Staff Reductions (Largest Area of Cuts) - Funding for 1 in 7 employees comes from the levy.
Programs most at risk include:
Reduction in teachers → larger class sizes, fewer individual supports.
Fewer paraeducators, including SPED support paras, impacting safety and learning.
Loss of reading and math intervention specialists.
School nurses eliminated or reduced to rotating coverage.
Counselors and mental-health supports cut — already stretched thin.
Safety and security staff reductions.
Communications/tech staffing cuts (district already operates bare-bones).
9. Arts, Music, & Performance Programs
These programs exist almost entirely because of levy funding:
Band program staffing reduced (Hockinson is known for its band strength).
Choir and music programs reduced.
Elementary music teacher reductions → fewer music days per week.
Art classes scaled back (especially elementary art).
Drama/theater productions reduced or eliminated.
For a small district like Hockinson, losing just one music, art, or performance teacher dramatically shrinks offerings.
10. Athletics & Extracurricular Activities
Levy dollars support all sports and clubs beyond what basic education covers.
The following are at risk of being reduced, pay-to-play increased, or program eliminated:
Middle school sports (often the first to go statewide).
High school athletics programs with low participation may be cut.
Coaching stipends reduced → fewer coaches → fewer teams.
Activity buses eliminated, making sports inaccessible for many.
Clubs and extracurriculars like:
Robotics Esports DECA FBLA Knowledge Bowl
Yearbook National Honor Society Outdoor school support
Athletics and activities are major community identity pieces — these are levy dependent.
11. Transportation Impacts
The state funds only basic to-and-from school transportation. The levy currently covers:
Activity buses (sports, clubs, competitions).
Field trip transportation.
Extra routes to manage overcrowding.
Replacement/repair of aging buses not covered by state formula.
If the levy fails:
No activity buses.
Fewer field trips.
Slower response to breakdowns.
Larger walking zones or combined routes → longer rides.
12. Support for Students With Disabilities (SPED)SPED is dramatically underfunded by the state. Levy dollars fill the gap.
Without the levy:
Fewer paraeducators.
Reduced behavioral support staffing.
Increased caseloads for special educators.
Longer waits for evaluations and services.
Greater safety concerns for high-needs students.
For families relying on SPED support, this is the largest direct impact.
13. Loss of Community Events, Traditions & Pride Without staffing and funding, major traditions are at risk:
Performing arts events
Parent engagement nights
Pep band participation
Athletic showcases
Veteran’s Day assemblies
Community volunteer events
Elementary family nights
The culture of Hockinson — tight-knit, highly engaged — weakens.
14. Negative Impacts on Property Values & Community Reputation
Strong schools → higher home values.
Underfunded schools → decreased demand.
Historically in WA districts:
Levy failures trigger immediate downturns in desirability.
Realtors actively warn buyers about failing levies.
Future levies and bonds become harder to pass after one failure.
For Hockinson — where families move because of the schools — this is huge.