ROYAL CITY — The Royal School Board voted to put a $1.825 million Educational Programs & Operations levy on the ballot in February 2024 at its meeting Monday.

“It is up from what we have asked for in the past,” said RSD Superintendent Roger Trail. “However … (with) the rising inflation, all the costs due to technology that we didn't have years ago when we started asking the former amount, the estimated levy rate … is in the neighborhood of what we had predicted for last time.”

The EP&O levy replaces the levy passed in 2022, according to a statement from the school district. The levy will be based on property values; owners will pay $1.72 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2025 and $1.67 per $1,000 in 2026.

The EP&O levy pays for programs and services the district offers that aren’t directly funded by the state, according to the statement. Programs supported by the levy include athletics; career and technical education; vocational and STEM programs; extracurricular activities and clubs, including music and band; the Amazing Shake competition; school counselors and others. 

Historically, the actual tax rate that the district collects in order to meet the total amount of the levy has been considerably lower than that proposed by the district, the statement said, due to changes in property values. In order to qualify for matching funds from the state, the district has to collect at least $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Ballots for the election are scheduled to be mailed out the last week of January, according to the statement, and must be returned by Feb. 13.