Cd'A school district eyes longer levy period

The Coeur d'Alene School District board of trustees hopes to extend the maximum term of supplemental levies to four years. Idaho code currently limits levies to two years.

“It’s just an option to extend it,” said board trustee Rick Rasmussen. “So levies can be 1, 2, or 4 years.”

The Coeur d'Alene school board brought a resolution calling for an extension of levy periods to the Idaho School Boards Association's(ISBA) annual conference in Boise during the first week of November. Twelve other school districts and charter schools co-sponsored the resolution, including the Post Falls School District. ISBA members overwhelmingly passed the resolution.

“For us, the main reason was that we want to get out of the levy fatigue and still be good stewards of taxpayer money,” Rasmussen said.

Supplemental levies for the Coeur d'Alene School District appear on the ballot every two years, and Rasmussen said promoting the levy and informing the public about it consume staff time. He said uncertainty over election results also creates job uncertainty among district staff.

“This would be good for stability within the district,” said board trustee Lesli Bjerke. “It’s reassurance for teachers, it would alleviate that worry.”

This is not the Coeur d'Alene School District's first attempt to extend the maximum supplemental levy period. In 2024, the district sponsored a resolution at the ISBA conference to extend supplemental levy periods to a maximum of six years. The ISBA passed the resolution.

Rasmussen and Bjerke said the Senate passed a proposed amendment to Idaho code extending levy periods unanimously in 2025. Still, it stalled in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee and did not receive a hearing.

“We’re hoping by bringing it back this year it will at least get a hearing,” Bjerke said. “If we get a hearing, we could at least get some feedback.”

Rasmussen and Bjerke said they are more optimistic about the proposed amendment advancing this year. Rasmussen said ISBA members have already spoken with state legislators about sponsoring the bill, including Rep. Jordan Redman.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Bjerke said. “I always err on the side of hopeful.”

ISBA members passed nine resolutions in the first week of November, setting the organization's legislative priorities for 2027.

Other priorities include a proposal for schools with attendance rates of 90% or higher to receive funding based on enrollment rather than daily attendance, and protecting the authority of locally elected school district leaders.

    Rick Rasmussen