Battle Ground Public School levy falling short in initial count

Early results show Battle Ground’s levy trailing while Hockinson’s measure holds a lead in the Feb. 10 special election. File photo

In the Hockinson School District, early results showed Proposition No. 11 receiving 1,907 yes votes and 1,477 no votes, with 56.35% in favor and 43.65% opposed, a difference of 430 votes

Norman Helgason
The Reflector Newspaper

Initial results from the Feb. 10 special election showed Battle Ground Public Schools’ levy falling short of a majority, while the Hockinson School District measure held a lead.

In the Battle Ground School District, early results showed Proposition No. 10 receiving 10,614 yes votes and 11,283 no votes, with 48.47% in favor and 51.53% opposed, a difference of 669 votes.

School levies need 50 percent of the vote plus one ballot to pass.

Proposition No. 10 would replace an expired educational programs and operations levy and allow the district to collect excess taxes to fund programs and services not fully covered by the state. Those include student safety, smaller class sizes, special education, teachers, nursing, mental health support, career readiness and sports and extracurricular activities.

The district seeks an initial estimated levy rate of $1.99 per $1,000 of assessed property value. If approved, the levy would begin collecting in 2027 and run through 2030. Actual rates could be lower depending on new construction within district boundaries. By law, the district cannot collect more than the amount approved by voters even if property values increase.

The latest levy began at $1.99 in 2022 and expired in December last year at a rate of $1.68. A previous levy renewal request at $1.95 per $1,000 of assessed value was rejected twice in 2025. Without levy funding, the district made roughly $20 million in cuts but later restored about $6 million, largely tied to safety and security, using one-time savings.

Cuts made this school year include eliminating all middle school sports and coaching positions, free school supplies for primary grades, Kindergarten Jump Start, instructional coaches and teacher librarians. The district also reduced crossing guard shifts, nursing and mental health roles, consolidated bus routes, delayed curriculum purchases and scaled back the ASPIRE magnet program by removing its third-grade cohort. District officials have said the ability to use those savings again would be heavily limited if the levy fails.

The district faces another $20 million in cuts if the measure is not approved. If the levy does not pass in February, district leaders have said they plan to return to voters in November rather than April.

In the Hockinson School District, early results showed Proposition No. 11 receiving 1,907 yes votes and 1,477 no votes, with 56.35% in favor and 43.65% opposed, a difference of 430 votes.

Proposition No. 11 would replace an expiring school programs and operations levy and continue funding expenses not fully funded by the state, including extracurricular activities, athletics, technology, advanced courses, music, nursing, transportation and student safety.

The district is asking voters to renew the levy at the same rate approved in 2022, $1.89 per $1,000 of assessed property value. With the renewed levy and a refinanced bond, the estimated school tax cost would be about $35 less per month for an $800,000 home when the levy takes effect from 2027 through 2030.

Those savings are partly due to the refinancing of the Hockinson Middle School bond. In 2026, payments on the bond are set to decrease after refinancing at a lower interest rate, saving taxpayers about $1.3 million in interest over the remaining life of the bonds. The bond cost $1.39 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2025 and dropped to $0.63 starting this year.

The Clark County Auditor’s Office counted 29,524 ballots cast among voters registered within the school districts participating in the special election. Turnout stood at 34%, with 86,698 residents eligible to vote. The election will be certified Feb. 20.

This report was first published by The Reflector Newspaper.