K-12_AND_HIGHER

K-12 and Higher Education

Greater Spokane Incorporated works alongside a number of K-12 and higher education institutions to build a strong workforce. Today's students are tomorrow's business owners, CEOs and employees. A well-rounded education today is critical for our community's success tomorrow.

Our K-12 Roundtable group takes on issues affecting our K-12 schools in the region. It recently hosted a Spokane Public Schools School Board candidate forum, giving the business community the opportunity to ask questions regarding public education.

Our Higher Education Leadership Group (HELG) brings business and university leaders together to discuss and advocate for issues affecting our area higher education institutions.

Working at all levels of education helps ensure that our region is ready to keep and grow our young, future workforce.

Levies

Greater Spokane Incorporated supported all public school levies in our region recently, and on Feb. 14, 2012, nearly all are levies passed. The levies represent roughly 25 percent of a districts' budget.

What Would Education Look Like Without Levy Support?

More than 80 percent of levy dollars go to educational programs that are either not or partially funded by the state. Many districts without the support of levies will not be able to offer*:

School bus transportation (to/from school and for afterschool events)
Art, music and drama
Extracurricular (sports) and co-curricular activities
Technology
College credit in the classroom
Textbooks and materials
High school drop-out prevention programs
All day kindergarten
Support staff (custodial, maintenance, administrative, clerical)
Counselors and nurses

*Varies by school district

With recent state budget cuts in education, and with many districts at risk of losing state funding provided through Local Effort Assistance (LEA), schools need your support.

What is Local Effort Assistance?

Local Effort Assistance (LEA) allows property poor school districts to receive extra financial assistance from the state so that the public education tax burden is more equitably shared among property poor and property rich districts. Fifty-four of our region’s 59 districts receive levy equalization.

Get Involved and Show Your Support

Schools now more than ever need your support. The education of our future workforce is in jeopardy but there is something you can do to make sure every student receives a proper education.

Write a letter to the editor of your newspaper explaining the importance of supporting public schools.
Inform and encourage your employees, neighbors, relatives and friends to support public schools.
Attend public school functions to learn more about the educational programs offered within schools.

Find Your District

Click on any of the following districts below to receive more information: