School board to consider $14 million levy

Coeur d’Alene voters approved a $10.1 million levy two years ago to help provide programs for the school district’s most struggling students.

Now, the Coeur d’Alene School District may ask voters for even more money to continue those programs and provide new opportunities for the district’s high achievers. School trustees tonight will consider putting an approximately $14 million, two-year levy before voters in May – about a $4 million increase over the expiring levy.

Superintendent Harry Amend wouldn’t release specifics on the levy proposal Friday, saying tonight’s meeting would be the first time figures would be presented to the board. Trustees could take action on the proposal today, according to the meeting agenda.

Business Manager Steve Briggs said the levy increase is being proposed to fund the district’s advanced learning program, continue and expand remediation programs put in place with funding from the expiring levy and purchase textbooks for five to six different subject areas.

Trustees in October authorized Lake City and Coeur d’Alene high schools to begin the application process to offer International Baccalaureate degree programs. No school in Idaho offers the internationally recognized diploma program.

Teachers and other district staff have already begun training at IB seminars and conferences.

The program is offered at about 430 American schools and at about 1,300 worldwide. Students who graduate high school with an IB degree are often accepted to college as sophomores, saving the expense of one year’s tuition, Jim Facciano, the district’s advanced learning coordinator, told trustees last fall.

Coeur d’Alene also wants to add IB programs at the elementary and middle school levels and increase its offerings of honors courses.

Briggs said the additional funding would also be used to expand remediation programs throughout the district, including all-day kindergarten classes.

Textbook adoptions would also be funded through the levy. Briggs said the district has gone a couple of years without adopting any new textbooks, partly because of holdbacks in state funding in 2002.

Once trustees finalize a levy proposal, Amend said the district will try to educate the community about the need for the funding. They’ll arrange meetings with community groups, service clubs, district employees and parent groups.

Also at tonight’s meeting, Amend will give an update on the district’s strategic plan, which outlines goals for the district. He said he will report on how the district has performed in the year since that strategic plan was developed.