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White Salmon Schools
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Capital Projects Levy: TechnologyThank you, voters, for passing the February 19, 2008, two-year Maintenance and Operations Replacement Levy. We appreciate your support!The Capital Projects Technology Levy will be for $200,000 per year for three years, 2009-2011. This will cost taxpayers $0.17 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation the first year and $0.16 cents per thousand the second and third years. Additional information about the levy can be found below. If you have additional questions or need more information, please call the district office at (509) 493-1500. Common questions about the Levy
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| School | 2 to 4 years old |
4 to 5 years old |
6 to 8 years old |
| Columbia High School | 140 |
56 |
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| Henkle Middle School | 56 |
50 |
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| Whitson Elementary | 14 |
86 |
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| Totals | 14 |
196 |
192 |
As this table shows, the vast majority of computers available in our classrooms are at least 4 years old, and almost half are over 6 years old. With rapid improvements and advances in computer technology, the age of White Salmon's computers make them increasingly difficult to keep up-to-date and capable of using new software and other related technologies. For more on the sources of our existing computer inventory, and the difficulty of keeping it in line with current standards, see district Technology Coordinator Jerry Lewis' Technology, Then and Now, available online or as a downloadable PDF file .
Much of the district technology for teacher instruction and student learning is now outdated and in need of replacement. Moving to the next generation of computer operating systems and software programs will require new computers with greater processing speed, memory, video and hard drive capacity. This means that our current computers cannot be upgraded to meet these requirements.
The district is currently at the crossroads for meeting the technology needs of students and staff. Technology tools provide opportunities for helping our students develop skills in problem solving, communication, teamwork, and student engagement. Without the support of our community, our district technology will continue to age, breakdown, and limit the academic growth of our students.
Spending from this levy will cover a variety of hardware, software, instructional and support services over the next four years. A detailed spending plan, available online or as a downloadable PDF file, shows where the levy dollars will go.
The technology levy will cost property owners an estimated $0.17 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation for three years (2009, 2010, and 2,011). That equates to a cost of $34 per year for the owner of a $200,000 home. Due to projected increases in assessed valuation in the White Salmon School District, it is also likely that the cost per $1,000 will go down over the course of the three-year levy. (See tables below)
Do the State and Federal Governments monitor teacher and student use of technology in K-12 education?
Yes, all of our K-12 certified teachers are required to take an online technology integration survey and our current 9th grade students are required to take an annual technology literacy survey. The increased funding for technology use and support for integrating technology into daily educational activities provided by this levy can lead to stronger performance by teachers and students on these required technology measures.
Does our district apply for State or Federal technology grants?
Our district has applied for and received a variety of technology grants over the years, but opportunities for grants that provide funds for technology have become limited due to available funding and grant restrictions. For example, the state recently announced the availability of grant dollars for integration of a district technology peer-coaching model for teachers, but our district did not qualify because our poverty levels are not high enough and our schools are not on a State or Federal school improvement plan.
Is there a special tax exemption for senior citizens?
YES . For information about your status, please contact White Salmon Senior Citizens (Pioneer Center) at 493-3068 or the office of the Klickitat County Assessor for details at 1-800-764-2245.
If you are already registered but need to make changes, the deadline is March 22, 2008. If you are new to the State of Washington, the deadline is April 7, 2008. If you have questions about registering to vote please contact the Klickitat County Auditor's Office at 1-800-583-8050 or the Skamania County Auditor's Office at 509-427-3730.
Like the last White Salmon Maintenance and Operations Levy, this levy will use the county's recently-adopted all mail-in ballot format, so you will be receiving your ballot in the mail around the first of April. Ballots must be postmarked by April 22 to be valid in this election.
What are the voter-approved requirements for the levy?
In the last November general election, voters approved EHJR 4204, the Simple Majority Constitutional Amendment. All levies now need 50% + 1 vote for approval. Prior to the passage of this amendment levies needed the super majority of 60% for approval.
Who do I contact if I have more questions?
You may contact Dale Palmer, Superintendent of the White Salmon Valley School District at 509-493-1500.
What are the Total School Tax Rates?The table below shows a comparison of school tax rates per thousand dollars of assessed value. Rates shown for 2003-2007 are actual rates; 2008 are estimated rates under the current levy. 2009 and 2010 are projected under the recently passed replacement levy, and the proposed technology levy.
M&O Levy $1.67 $1.62 $1.62 Bond $0.28 $0.28 $0.27 Tech Levy $0.16 $0.16 $0.16 Total $2.12 $2.10 $2.05 The table below shows how the proposed technology levy rates translate into actual tax costs based on property value. Rates shown are based on an estimated $0.17 per $1,000 of assessed valuation of property for the three years of the levy. Due to projected increases in assessed valuation, it is likely that the cost per $1,000 will go down over the course of the levy.
Technology Levy Amount Per Home Value
Assessed
ValuationActual
Proposed
2008
2009
2010
2011
$100,000
$0
$17
$16
$16
$150,000
$0
$25
$24
$24
$200,000
$0
$34
$33
$33
$250,000
$0
$42
$42
$42
$300,000
$0
$50
$49
$49
$350,000
$0
$59
$57
$57
$400,000
$0
$67
$65
$65
$500,000 $750,000
2008
Tech Levy 