With results official, Kent School District leaders thanked voters for approving a $97.8 million three-year Capital Projects and Technology Replacement Levy.

“We’re deeply thankful to the KSD community for believing in our mission and for making a meaningful investment in the future of our students,” Superintendent Israel Vela said in a prepared statement released Tuesday, Nov. 26 when King County Elections posted the final ballot count. “This levy will help support our students by funding the critical and emergent projects needed to provide the tools and environments they need to be prepared for success.”

Although the measure trailed by as many as 1,300 voters after early results from the Nov. 5 ballot, the yes votes took the lead Nov. 8 by 208 votes and kept on gaining support. The levy received 50.77% (36,856 yes votes) and 49.23% (35,735 no votes), a difference of 1,121 votes, according to King County Elections final results released Nov. 26.

Of the 105,352 registered voters in the Kent School District, 73.50% (77,435) ballots were returned and counted, according to King County Elections.

About $73.3 million of the levy will go to capital projects and $24.4 million to technology that district staff claims are critical and essential needs. The measure is about half of the proposed $190.2 million levy that voters turned down in April. Voters also rejected the levy in November 2023.

According to the district,the levy will fund the following:

• Student safety and health improvements will include upgrades to building fire alarm systems and the purchase and installation of boilers. Other projects include roof and building side improvements; replacing the bus transportation fueling station and an emergency generator to the central kitchen to prevent spoiling of food during power outages.

• New roofs at six schools will cost about $22.9 million, according to district documents. A bus fueling center will cost $5.6 million. New boilers at six schools and the central kitchen will cost $8.6 million.

• The district plans to install synthetic turf fields at Kentridge High School and Mill Creek Middle School, at a cost of $18 million, because rain often makes the fields unusable.

With the levy approval, property tax rates for the measure would be $0.72 (72 cents) per $1,000 assessed property value in 2025; $0.70 in 2026; and $0.68 in 2027, according to district documents. The measure will bring in about $32 million per year. Combined with the voter-approved district operational levy in November 2023, the property tax rate would be $2.92 in 2025, costing the owner of a $600,000 home about $1,751 per year in 2025 compared to $2,120 in 2023 with a rate of $3.53 per $1,000 assessed value.

Despite the levy’s approval, district leaders said in a statement that financial challenges remain.

“We must thoughtfully plan to ensure continued fiscal responsibility,” according to the statement. “While our fund balance remains aligned with board policy requirements, we are mindful of the challenges posed by a long-term, ongoing structural deficit due to growing student support needs, decreasing enrollment, insufficient special education funding and rising operating costs.

“We are committed to navigating these financial realities with care and transparency to support the success and well-being of our students, staff and community.”