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Helping voters understand just how important levies are for learning

October 14, 2022
Funding for education in the state of Washington is complicated and can lead to confusion about how schools receive the money needed to operate. The state of Washington is required to supply school districts with state funding for “basic education,” which is based on what is referred to as a “prototypical model.” Unfortunately, in most cases, that model falls short in covering what communities expect from their schools. When that happens, districts rely on local levies to bridge the funding gap, and they often look to ESD 112 Communications to help communicate information about the proposed levy. We chatted with Monique Dugaw and Heidi Barnes about what levy communications look like and why levies are so important to student learning.
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ESD 112 is well-known for helping districts communicate the complexities of levy funding and clear up questions that voters have. The work must be challenging.

Monique Dugaw

Sharing information about levies is challenging communications work, but it’s one of our specialties. It involves complex requirements and specific rules about what can and cannot be said. The information must be shared in a factual and neutral way, without persuasive language.

Heidi Barnes

We must be experts in presenting complex information as easily digestible bites for public consumption. The underlying challenge to crafting these answers is that a district can’t ask for a yes vote. While the funding truly is critical, districts must let voters decide for themselves whether it’s important enough to fill the gap left by what isn’t provided in the state’s basic funding for their students’ education.

What does ‘easily digestible bites’ mean?

Heidi Barnes

Graphically, it means breaking down financial data into infographics and charts. These can range from simple pie charts to graphs that are easy to read but take a lot of time to think through how best to present in very small spaces.

Monique Dugaw

Yes, and the financial data can be complicated and detailed. Just getting the data itself can be a challenge. It requires careful communication between the superintendent, fiscal staff, the board and even the state to coordinate the information, render it, and share it for all to review for accuracy and understanding until all parties agree. Once we have the information, then the important work begins of determining the best way to present it, so that it’s clear to the public.

View more samples

Example Small District Dual Language Flyer

Design sounds like a key piece to the puzzle. You must be expert puzzlers.

Heidi Barnes

Ha! Yes, I would say we are strategic design experts —and they are quick, too. We have to analyze and interpret information, then render it quickly. This can be a challenge for our staff because we begin the messaging process in November and December. We are often juggling many levy projects during the few short weeks between Thanksgiving break and the longer winter break just weeks later. We need the messaging, design, review, and final approval to be complete before districts close for the holiday break because mailers need to go to the printer at least 10 days before the ballots are set to hit mailboxes in January.

Monique Dugaw

We rely on our district clients as valuable partners in gathering the needed information well ahead of the election and helping us to understand what their community really values. We are often reaching out to districts in September and October––or even earlier––to get them thinking about upcoming levy renewals and planning messaging that is factual, neutral, yet important to their community.

Have you ever helped a district with an emergency levy measure?

Heidi Barnes

Many times. Most recently, we assisted a large district last spring when they decided to go back out for an April vote after their February ballot measure failed. We got to work quickly putting together messaging and materials that clearly illustrated all the services they would be unable to provide without the levy funding. Programs including special education and music were on the line. Another important message shared by the district was the opportunity they had to receive matching funds from the state if the measure was supported by taxpayers. It was heartening to watch on the sidelines as their community got involved to rally support for their students.

Monique Dugaw

We provide support for both big and small school districts. Communicating the importance of levy funds is a need across the board. In fact, utilizing our team’s expertise and knowledge, we supported communications and design for as many as 20 school districts during one recent election season. Many of those districts have less than 1,000 students and rely heavily on local funding to meet the needs of their students and community. Local support for schools is so important when it comes to school funding. I cannot emphasize that enough! And building community support starts well before levy communications begin.

Example Large District EP&O Replacement Levy Mailer

Example Small District EP&O Replacement Levy Mailer

It sounds like the importance of district funding measures extend beyond the actual levy communications.

Monique Dugaw

Absolutely. Every social media post, video, newsletter, and school event helps communicate the good work happening in our schools. It is also important to help the community understand what programs and services the levy funds provide, so they can see a direct return on their investment. When the community is aware of that work, it builds pride in our schools and trust in school districts as good stewards of public education funds. That trust is critical, along with clear levy communications, for any school ballot measure.

Heidi Barnes

Exactly. The importance of communications doesn’t just go away when there isn’t a funding measure coming up. Good district communications pay dividends back to the district, to the schools, to the students, and ultimately to the entire community.

Thinking of running a levy or bond?

Learn how our team can support informational communications for the initiative.

About the TEAM Member

Laura Martin

Laura Martin

My career path has pretty much been straight as an arrow. I've been designing and building websites for my entire professional life. Not sure many people can say that! After working in the Silicon Valley for too many years, my family and I decided it was time to get out and slow down. I'd been working in higher education for the previous five years and felt that this position at ESD 112 would be a great fit for my background.