Tekoa School District seeks operations levy to continue extracurriculars, class size in the district of 200 kids

The tiny Tekoa School District that teaches 200 kids at two schools in northeast Whitman County is asking voters to renew a school operations levy on Tuesday’s ballot.

The levy would continue to pay for services in the district that the state does not pay for, including some staff, some meal offerings, some special education support, extracurriculars and training for employees, said Tekoa Superintendent Mike Jones.

If passed, the levy would tax property owners at an estimated rate of $2.50 per thousand of assessed property value, the same rate the district has taxed at since 2023. The levy would collect around $566,000 over two years. The district operates on a general fund just below $5 million a year.

Jones said the district spends its levy funding on different areas depending on students’ needs. A recent push has been rejuvenating the district’s music and arts programs, which were scaled back significantly in 2018. It is the second year the district has offered band since then, Jones said.

“We have some high school kids that are juniors and seniors that have never played an instrument before and are getting that opportunity and experience,” Jones said. “It’s been really good.”

Levy funding pays for extracurriculars in the district that the state won’t pay for.

“We try to provide a lot of opportunity for kids, whether it be through family consumer science, FFA, as well as athletics, our future problem solvers, some of those,” Jones said. The National FFA Organization is the formal title of what used to be called the Future Farmers of America.

Some staff in the school district are paid for through the levy, like a paraeducator, Jones said. Levy funding allows the small district to hire enough staff to teach each grade level separately, rather than combine grades like other Tekoa-sized districts.

“Maintaining small class size is important to us,” Jones said.

Jones said if the levy fails, he is not sure if the district would have to combine grades, but it would “put strain” on the system. He did not say specifically what programs or classes would be on the chopping block without funding from the levy, but said the district and board would “take a hard look at athletics, staffing, extracurriculars and academics.

“We’re very conscious of the dollars, how we’re using them, and try to be very good stewards of that money,” Jones said. “We’re growing some things back, so I’m excited at our direction and we’ve had great support from the community, so I’m optimistic.”

Ballots are due in ballot boxes on Tuesday. Boxes will close promptly at 8 p.m. Ballots received by mail must be postmarked by Tuesday in order to be counted.