District Asks for 2026 Levy Committee Volunteers

Community Voices Needed as Issaquah School District Prepares for February 2026 Replacement Levies 

The Issaquah School District is beginning the important work of planning replacement levy measures that may appear on the February 2026 ballot, pending School Board approval. These local levy dollars help fill the gap between what the state funds and what it actually costs to run a high-performing public school system. The proposed replacement levy measures would continue support for: 

• Educational Programs and Operations, or EP&O Levy (represents about 15.5% of the district’s budget and provides funding for special education, classroom teachers, nurses, student programs and more) 
• Capital Needs (critical building repairs and technology) 
• Transportation (school buses) 

Without renewal, our schools would face reductions in staffing, programs, class size support and building maintenance. 

Why Local Funding Matters 

Strong schools benefit everyone. Research shows a direct connection between excellent public schools and higher property values. ISD is one of the top-performing districts in Washington — ranked No. 4 by Niche and earning top marks from GreatSchools.org. U.S. News & World Report ranks ISD high schools No. 4 in the state and No. 447 nationally out of nearly 25,000 public high schools. 

In 2018 and 2022, our community voted to renew four-year levies that provided essential, stable funding for students and schools in Issaquah, Bellevue, Sammamish, Newcastle, Renton and unincorporated King County. Community support of previous levies and bonds has made a real and lasting difference for students. 

Get Involved: Join the Levy Advisory Committee 

We’re forming a Levy Advisory Committee to ensure the 2026 proposal reflects community priorities. The committee will include students, families, staff, alumni, business owners and residents, and will meet six times this fall: 

• Sept. 9, 16, 23, 30 
• Oct. 7, 14 

Committee members will learn about district funding, past levy performance and future needs — and offer feedback to help shape the superintendent’s recommendation to the School Board. 

Want to serve? Fill out our interest survey by July 31, 2025. Members will be selected to reflect a broad cross-section of our community.