No rate increase: CPPS asks voters to extend existing school funding measure
By Dan Thesman on Friday, January 30th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
COLLEGE PLACE – College Place Public Schools is asking voters to renew an expiring property tax levy in the upcoming Feb. 10 special election to maintain funding for classroom staffing, safety, and extracurricular programs.
The Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) levy is not a new tax. If approved, it would replace the current measure set to expire at the end of 2026, keeping the tax rate steady at $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value through 2030.
District officials say the levy is critical to daily operations, accounting for approximately 18 percent of the district’s annual operating budget. These local funds are designed to bridge the gap between state funding and the actual costs of running the district’s schools.
“Renewing this levy is essential to sustaining the programs and opportunities our students deserve,” said Board Chair Eva Brown.
The levy funds several areas not fully covered by the state, including student support which focuses on mental health services and classroom staffing; extracurriculars, such as athletics, band, and choir; and safety, which includes enhancements to school security and staff support.
Superintendent Jim Fry emphasized that the measure is about maintaining existing service levels to ensure students remain “known, challenged, and prepared.”
More information is available at the district’s website at https://www.cpps.org/.
File photo of College Place High School
