On Feb. 9, our community will be asked to consider the replacement of the school district levy. The current four-year levy, passed by voters in 2006, will expire at the end of the 2010 school year.

School districts in Washington receive funding from three primary sources: federal, state and local dollars. While it is the paramount duty of the state to fund education, state revenue falls short of funding the programs offered in Washington state schools.

Local communities are asked to contribute to funding schools and the method the state authorizes is a local levy. Our school district, like most school districts, uses local levy dollars to reduce or maintain class size, purchase books and supplies, support transportation and provide extracurricular after-school activities for students. These programs not only enrich our students' educational experience but are often the programs that foster success in school.



Taxes and tests

I was asked recently to predict how much levy dollars and the programs those dollars support would raise district test scores. While making accurate predictions can be difficult, I am convinced that supporting students with greater personalized attention, providing engaging and challenging curriculum materials and offering after-school activities that encourage the talents of all students do make a significant positive difference for all our students.

Loren Eisley, a scientist and poet, tells this story:

"A wise man would often go to the ocean to walk on the beach. One day, he saw a young man reaching down to the shore and picking up a starfish and gently throwing it back into the ocean. The wise man asked him why he was throwing starfish into the ocean. The young man replied that the sun was up and the tide was out and if he didn't throw them in, they would die.



A single starfish

"The wise man replied that there were miles and miles of beach with starfish all along it and that he couldn't possibly make a difference.

"The young man listened politely then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea. 'It made a difference for that one,' he said."

While measuring the impact of our choices sometimes can be complex, I am confident the efforts we make to personalize the educational opportunities for our students with programs supported by our local community can and do make all the difference.



Bill Bentley is superintendent of the Sequim School District.