The Coeur d’Alene School District will not pursue an emergency levy for the 2026-27 school year.

Although the district met the attendance threshold to qualify, the district’s executive leadership team determined that emergency levy funds are not needed. The board discussed the decision at the school board meeting Monday, Sept. 14.

“The tradeoff of asking for that, along with the levy increase, felt like too big of a risk,” Superintendent Shon Hocker said at the school board meeting.

Idaho school districts may request additional emergency levy funds if student attendance increases from the previous year. The increase is calculated by comparing average daily attendance during the first three days of the school year with average daily attendance during the first three days of the previous school year. The funds are intended to support educational costs associated with additional students.

This year, the Coeur d’Alene School District saw an increase of 76 students based on average daily attendance during the first three days of school compared with the same period last year, according to district Director of Community Relations Stefany Bales.

“We are super happy that we’re growing,” Hocker said.

Based on the increase in average daily attendance and the average amount of state funding per student used in the previous year, the district calculated that it was eligible for a $580,000 emergency levy, Bales said.

The district’s executive leadership team, which includes the superintendent, deputy superintendents and executive directors, determined the district can accommodate the additional 76 students without emergency levy funds and elected not to pursue the levy.

The decision drew mixed reactions from board members at the meeting. Board member Rick Rasmussen expressed doubts about not pursuing the emergency levy in light of the new Idaho School Benefit Trust shortfall, which requires the district to pay $1.8 million through monthly installments of $51,000.

“It seems like we’re leaving money on the table,” Rasmussen said at the meeting.

However, he deferred to the executive leadership team’s decision. Other board members supported the move.

“It’s a gesture of good faith to our community,” board member Heather Tenbrink said.

Hocker emphasized the importance of the increased levy the Coeur d’Alene School District is requesting this year because of rising operating costs. The district is requesting a $30.25 million levy that would take effect July 1, 2027.

The levy would increase taxes by an average of $19 annually, or $1.58 per month, for a property valued at about $545,000.

“Without those funds there will be some very big conversations,” Hocker said.