Beaverton School Levy Passes With Tremendous Community Support

BEAVERTON, OR — Voters in Oregon saw to the passage of half the bonds and all the levies on the May 15 Primary Election ballot benefitting school districts across the state, including the third largest school bond in the state's history as well as Beaverton's local levy to maintain — and in some cases improve — school district services.

Two of the four voter-approved general obligation bonds were passed by a narrow margin, while those in Corvallis and Harrisburg received more than 60 percent voter approval. Of the four that failed, the bond for Douglas County's Sutherlin School District #130 in rural Southwest Oregon received the least support, with only 35 percent of voters approving the bond.

That means, essentially, that the cities of Sutherlin, Grants Pass, Medford, and Oakland will continue to depend exclusively on state funding to maintain public school services while cities where bonds passed will receive additional funding — or continue to receive the same funding — from their local communities.

In Beaverton, the overwhelming support for Measure 34-284 on Tuesday (more than 70 percent approval) surprised both school district and Beaverton School Board officials.

"I was in a state of shock it passed so overwhelmingly," said Becky Tymchuk, vice chair on the Beaverton School Board and chair for the Yes For Beaverton Schools campaign. "The community must believe it's a good investment toward keeping teachers and providing excellent public education."

The Beaverton bond, in part, will fund 300 teaching positions and help to maintain class sizes across the district, Tymchuk told Patch on Wednesday. She also noted the importance of balancing faculty when the district is responsible for educating upward of 41,000 students.

"Strong schools promote strong communities. And by keeping our teachers we maintain our strong schools," she said. "I feel very fortunate to live in an area that values education and having top schools. I wish all our school districts and kids (across the state) had access to the resources they need."

Beaverton voters five years ago approved the same bond to keep community property taxes in the city, Tymchuk added.

"We are so grateful to the community for its strong support," Beaverton School District spokeswoman Maureen Wheeler told Patch on Wednesday. "The high turnout shows the community cares about its students and are willing to invest in their education."

The Salem-Keizer School District also celebrated Wednesday after voters in Marion County approved a $619.7 million bond — the third largest bond ever passed in the state.

“Oregonians know that we are struggling to meet our short-term needs in schools,” Oregon School Boards Association Executive Director Jim Green said in a statement. “The next step is to find a long-term and fair way to invest in our students for decades to come.”

The passage of three bonds in the 1990s saw a change in how school funding was obtained and distributed throughout the state. Measures 5, 47, and 50 saw most control of school funding given to the state for equal dispersal to all districts. For some, that meant a huge drop in available funds, depending on ever-fluctuating property values.

What local option levies do in cities like Beaverton is allow local leaders to retain a great deal of control over how school funds are spent, Wheeler explained.

Beaverton residents can rest assured, she said, that whatever money comes from their taxes for this levy will stay in Beaverton and assist Beaverton students.

"Ballooning class sizes during the recession were fought with previously passed levies," Wheeler said. "The community clearly sees the value of those investments."

For more on the success and failures of Oregon school district bonds and levies after the May 15 election, visit the Oregon School Boards Association website.

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