CDA School District warns of K-Tech cuts

Imagine throwing a party and no one showed up. That's exactly what happened Saturday morning, as nary a soul turned out for the Coeur d'Alene School District Trustees' Fresh Air Levy Forum at McEuen Park, despite sunny skies and mild weather. 

The district's upcoming $30 million levy was the topic of discussion. The outdoor information session was one of three planned across the city. The other two forums took place at Ramsey Park and McIntire Park from 10 to 11 a.m.; their attendance could not be verified.

Lesli Bjerke, Chair of the CDASD Board of Trustees, said the district still sees the efforts as worthwhile. 

"I think it's really important that people know that we're just trying to make ourselves available," she said. 

The levy itself is not new. Bjerke noted that the levy request has been relatively similar for more than 30 years and is required by Idaho state statute. This cycle's version is modestly higher than previous years because of rising costs. 

"We're basically just trying to maintain what we've been doing," she said. 

The current levy charges $91 per $100,000 of a property's taxable assessed value; the new levy would increase that to $110, a difference of $19. According to a district flyer, around 40% of the $30 million levy will fund teacher and staff jobs, totaling around $12 million. Around 23% of the funding will go to academic programs, totaling around $7 million. Health and safety programs are expected to cost around $4.3 million, accounting for around 14% of the budget. 

Athletics and extracurriculars are expected to cost around $2 million, accounting for about 8% of the budget. Operating expenses, technology costs and classroom resources account for the remainder of the budget and are expected to cost the district around $4 million.

One of the programs at stake is K-Tech, the shared technical career school operated with Post Falls and Lakeland School Districts. Because K-Tech has so many Coeur d'Alene-based attendees, CDASD covers 51% of the cost. Without the levy dollars, Bjerke said, the district could no longer support current enrollment levels. The program already carries a waiting list. 

Bjerke said K-Tech's training and certifications are "hugely" important not only to students, but to the community. 

"It's about school-to-work pipeline," she said. "We need that." 

Bjerke rejected the idea that the event's attendance signals the public's indifference. 

"I don't think it means that they don't care," she said. "They're just busy with their lives."

Nice weather, she added, likely kept families outdoors while the cold seasons set in. Bjerke said that the district will continue its levy education events. She also said they would continue to distribute flyers and remain reachable by phone.

A forum on the levy is scheduled for Monday from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Lake City High School auditorium. 

"We're not hard to get ahold of," Bjerke said. 

Residents will vote on the levy Nov. 3.