Levy elections Tuesday in three area school districts have been approved by North Idaho voters, with one failing by fewer than 40 votes.

COEUR d'ALENE

The Coeur d'Alene School District's $20 million-per-year replacement/supplemental levy passed 5,822 votes to 3,889 votes.

Coeur d'Alene School Board Chair Jen Brumley said she is proud to be part of the community and that the board is grateful for the continuing support of Coeur d'Alene's public schools.

"This community has a higher expectation for the students in our district, and our schools depend on the levy to provide opportunities that help our students succeed beyond high school and in life," Brumley said. "On behalf of the school board, district staff, our students and their families, we thank the voters for extending this critically important funding for the next two years."

The levy will provide $40 million for the district in two years after the present $20 million-per-year two-year levy expires in June. The funds will pay for school nurses and mental health professionals, tech for students and staff, half of the funding for Kootenai Technical Education Campus (which is also funded by Post Falls and Lakeland school districts), advanced classes for college and career readiness, athletics, extracurriculars, music, art and P.E. classes and school resource and campus safety officers.

This is the 20th consecutive levy Coeur d'Alene voters have approved since 1986, despite the 2006 tax shift when the state put it on homeowners to carry more of the financial load for public education.

"We are truly thankful for this ongoing support and for the trust taxpayers have placed in us to use this funding in ways that improve classroom instruction, strengthen school safety and enhance the opportunities we provide students," district spokesman Scott Maben said. "We want to express our gratitude for the ongoing community support for Coeur d’Alene Public Schools. We don’t take it for granted, and we recognize that our patrons expect us to be prudent, accountable and transparent in how we manage the resources of the district to achieve the greatest outcomes for our students."

LAKELAND

The $9.5 million-per-year, two-year replacement levy to provide the Lakeland Joint School District with $19 million in two years has passed with 2,712 votes to 2,659. This levy is replacing the current $8.9 million-per-year levy that expires in June.

"We want to thank all of the patrons and voters who took the time to make an informed choice," Lakeland Superintendent Becky Meyer said. "They reached out to gather facts before they made a decision."

She said Lakeland's No. 1 goal this year was to increase voter participation. Looking at statistics, less than 20% of Lakeland's parents usually make it to the polls.

"I just respect the right for people to vote however is best for them," Meyer said.

On election day, one thing Meyer noted in her district was the presence of people actively trying to influence constituents to vote "no" even though they weren't Lakeland residents. Meyer said she spoke with those holding signs that read, "Vote no - our public schools have failed us."

"Talking to some of those patrons, they don't even live in our district. They said they vote in Coeur d'Alene," Meyer said. "It was disheartening that a group of individuals spread out throughout the community just to say 'vote no' when this doesn't affect their own taxes or their own children's educations."

POST FALLS

The $4.955 million-per-year replacement/supplemental levy that would have provided the Post Falls School District with $9.91 million in two years has failed by 33 votes. Voters cast 1,428 ballots in favor of and 1,461 against the levy. These funds would have accounted for about 7.5% of the district’s budget.

KOOTENAI

By a 210 to 88 vote, Kootenai School District constituents approved a $725,000-per-year supplemental maintenance and operations levy that will provide $1.45 million in two years after the current $750,000 levy expires June 30. The district reduced this year's levy by $25,000 to reflect an understanding of economic hardships caused by the pandemic and felt throughout the community.

Chairwoman Carrie Hugo said the school board cannot thank district patrons enough for their approval.

"Their continued support helps fund essential programs that would otherwise have to be abandoned or reduced," she said, adding that programs such as full-day kindergarten are only funded at 50% by the state.

"Levy funds help us to provide this important program to children in our community without burdening our parents or other programs to make up the additional unfunded cost," she said.

Levy funds also help the district pay for a school resource officer, provide competitive salaries and benefits for staff and help maintain and improve facilities.

"Thank you again to all who have helped our community by helping our schools," Hugo said.