We use your tax dollars to provide a high-quality Pre-K through 12th grade education to ensure all students graduate college and career ready. Our annual operating budget is about $170 million. Most of our spending directly supports classroom instruction.
Our resources, equipment and technology infrastructure sustain innovative teaching and personalized learning. Our long-term construction plans ensure that our buildings can be safe, supportive learning environments.
We strive to be good stewards of your tax dollars. We look for efficiencies and ways to maximize our resources. Based on recent state legislation, our funding is in the midst of change. Learn more about that change from the state Legislature's "A Citizen's Guide to Education Funding (2022)."
We welcome your questions and suggestions for stretching dollars. Email [email protected].
Where Your Money Goes
Teaching Students
We spend more than 73 percent of our general fund on teaching and teaching support. This includes salaries and benefits for teachers, instructional assistants, librarians and counselors. It also includes textbooks, teaching supplies, special education services, health services and student safety.
Supporting Schools
We use more than 15 percent of our budget to add support to our schools. These funds pay for principals, playground aides and others who manage school operations. In addition, we use them to keep lights on, keep water running and maintain our buildings and grounds. We bus students to and from school and provide meals for students.
Administration
About 6 percent of our general fund revenue pays for centralized administration. District administration includes the superintendent, human resources staff and business office staff. It also includes management for transportation, food services, and maintenance and operations.
Construction/Capital Projects
We have a special fund devoted to construction, planning for and improving our buildings. We may also use it for technology. Learn more about our construction projects.
Where Our Money Comes From
Our revenue comes from three main sources:
State
We get most of our revenue from the state. The state distributes school funds based on the number of students we have and other factors. Learn more about school funding from the state Legislature's "A Citizen's Guide to Education Funding."
Local
Local property taxes make up roughly 10 percent of our daily operations revenue. Those taxes come in the form of a school support levy. A school support levy helps ensure a well-rounded, quality education for our students. The levy helps pay for things the state still does not fully fund, such as activities and athletics, arts, music, libraries and safety and security.
Federal
We also receive general fund revenue from the federal government. Most of those dollars can only be used for specific programs, such as special education or extra help for students from low-income families.
More Information
You can find more details about our current and past budgets:
Learn more about how education is funded in Washington: