Family Spotlight

Greetings from Bend-La Pine Schools. In a few weeks our community will be voting on a funding measure to benefit all schools and students in our district. The Learning Levy is on the ballot for the May 21 primary election. It’s an opportunity to address a shortfall in state education funding, and to expand opportunities and support systems for our students.

As the 5th largest school district in Oregon, we are facing critical challenges in adequately funding our educational system. Despite our district’s dedication to providing quality education, the state’s funding falls significantly short of recommended levels. This funding gap jeopardizes essential services and initiatives vital for the success of our students and staff.

The proposed 5-year Learning Levy, if approved, will help us address these funding challenges starting this coming school year. Restoring staff cuts and keeping class sizes from growing larger are just two of the goals for levy resources.

We also would dedicate this new funding to other priorities, including additional school counselors and learning specialists, campus safety monitors, expansion of advanced academic offerings, diversified elective classes, and more access to Career Technical Education.

I encourage you to take a closer look at the Learning Levy and how it would benefit Bend-La Pine Schools and our community as a whole. Keep reading for more details, and please let us know if you have questions: connect@bend.k12.or.us

If passed, the Learning Levy would establish a tax rate of $1.00 per $1,000 of assessed property value within the district for five years.

For example, a homeowner within the school district with a median assessed value of $239,000 would be about $20 a month. (Remember, property taxes are based on your home's assessed value, not on the market value, which typically is much higher than the assessed value. Look at your tax statement to find what your assessed value is.)

• Add counselors
  
• Enhance music and art education
  
• Add learning specialists, educational assistants
  
• Maintain class sizes: K-1st - 22, 2nd - 24, 3rd - 27, 4th-5th - 31

• Create new CTE pathways
• Add campus safety monitors
• Expand electives
• Increase staffing for academic enrichment and intervention
• Maintain class sizes: 26.3

• Expand CTE opportunities in all 7 high schools
• Increase access to advanced courses: AP, IB, dual credit
• Add staffing for academic enrichment and intervention
• Maintain class sizes: 29.3

Levy funds will increase support for students experiencing barriers to learning, including students with disabilities, living in unstable housing, in foster care, and newcomers.

• Family Access Network
  
• Newcomer language and literacy support
  
• Programming for students with mental health needs
  

• Up to 180 positions eliminated over the next 2 years
  
• Average class sizes increase approximately 4 students per class
  
• Limited access to CTE and advanced academic courses
  
• Counseling and support services stretched thin
  
• 30% reduction in building budgets
  

The Board of Directors for Bend-La Pine Schools will hold its next work session on Tuesday, April 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Education Center, 520 NW Wall Street in Bend. The next school board budget committee meeting is on Tuesday, May 14 at 5:00 p.m., followed by the regular school board meeting at 5:30 p.m.

For information about board members, meetings and agendas, please visit our School Board page.

Are you curious which district policies and regulations are currently under review? To see proposed changes and give feedback on new language, click here.