School Levy Fails -Vote again in August
Darrington Schools Funding Crisis,
Draft article, April 2026
Darrington is the only school district in Snohomish County to have voters reject a levy. The school board did much analysis and planning to determine how best to address academic achievement and other student issues, along with school operations that had been identified as needing attention. Improvements to school funding to address these needs were proposed, but on Feb 10, 2026 Darrington District voters said NO! Now all of these improvements have all removed for the next vote in August. There will be no new staff to address discipline issues, no additional teacher to prevent split classes, no full time groundskeeper, IT staff, and no enhanced band program.
The question now is, will there be an athletics program at all? How many teaching positions must be cut? Will students need to ride buses for much longer, will there be any music program at all, will families need to pay for all their own school supplies? Skip counseling, help for classroom size, skills center programs and more – the question before voters in August will be "Do we support the Darrington Schools at all?" Without a local school levy, 10% of the overall budget is gone.
A property owner may end up saving $1.50 or $2.00 a day. Forty-five to sixty dollars a month, a homeowner might save by not supporting local schools. But what kind of saving is it when youth in the town have no after school sports, have even less help from teachers and counselors than they have now, when there is no music, no band, very long bus rides?
Why did the February Levy Fail?
Confusion over what exactly was being asked of the voters?
Higher costs of living for everyone so the idea of paying a little more was too much for Darrington voters?
Complaints voiced by some over problems in the schools?
Misinformation spread by a small number of people who don't like the idea of public schools anyway?
Its hard to say. Some of the above may be true and likely there are many other reasons.
How many people voted in Feb and what was the percentage of no vs yes?
get this info
What was proposed (and why) but then rejected in the Feb 10 vote?
Explain the needs that were being addressed by the educational programs and operations replacement levy proposed in February. Those needs have not gone away and what does it mean that those will not be funded at all?
Why Vote in August, Its Vacation Time?
At School Board meeting Feb 24, 2026, the board decided to resubmit the levy for a vote on April 28, at the exact same dollar amount as in previous years. However, holding the next vote in April was not possible, as the District would have to pay some $52,000 to the county to hold the election, since no other district in the county is facing the levy failure that occurred in Darrington. The board had to make the difficult decision to postpone the vote until August, when other items will be on the ballot, and the cost of holding the election will be shared.
How will the school budget work?
Budgets for an entire school year, September to June, must be made at least a year in advance of actually spending the money.
2025-2026 school year
Its now April, and three more months of school are already funded at levels approved in 2023, so no changes.
2026-2027 school year
The levy passed in 2023 does provide funding through calendar year 2026, that is, till Dec 31, 2026. But the school board must make a budget for the entire school year, not just for the months of Sept, Oct, Nov and Dec. If the levy (for $950,000) does not pass in August this summer, $500,000 must be cut from the 2026-2027 school year funding.
2027-2028 school year
The levy on the ballot in August 2026 governs the four year period 2027 to 2030, so this includes the 2027-2028 school year. If the levy (for $950,000) does not pass in August this summer, all of the cuts already made for school year 2026-2027 will stand. An additional $450,000 ($950,000 - 500,000) must be cut from the 2027 - 2028 school year budget.
For example, if extracurricular athletics, and two para-educators, and funding for school supplies are all eliminated for the 2026-2027 school year (about 500,000), then for the year 2027-2028 one k-5 teacher, three more para educators, two bus runs, and the music program will have to be cut. (about 450,000).
Possibly a levy vote will be held again in February of 2027, to bring back some of what had to be cut, but that is uncertain.
2028 - 2029 school year
If a new levy is not approved at some level in 2027, the school board has to look at eliminating more teachers, and possibly no longer offering a full K-12 school district.
2029 - 2030 school year
"Replacement levy" means that every four years voters have to approve certain dollar amounts that will be collected as property tax for the Darrington District.
Actual Calendar Years vs School Budget Years
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