CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to regular property taxes; providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City at an election to be held on November 6, 2018, a proposition to lift the limit on regular property taxes under chapter 84.55 RCW and authorize the City to levy additional taxes for up to seven years for the purpose of providing education services designed to improve access to early learning and high-quality preschool, K-12 school and community-based investments, K-12 school health, and post-secondary and job readiness opportunities for Seattle students; implementing exemptions for low income seniors, disabled veterans, and other people who are disabled as defined in RCW 84.36.381; authorizing a creation of a designated fund; directing the application of levy proceeds; establishing eligibility requirements for partners; establishing accountability and reporting structures; providing for the facilitation of communication between the City and stakeholders; providing for partnership agreements with Seattle School District and Seattle Colleges District; requiring a forthcoming Implementation and Evaluation Plan; proposing a ballot title; and authorizing the implementation of agreements for this levy lid lift which will be commonly known as the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy.
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WHEREAS, we as a community must address the crisis of affordability in Seattle by creating real and equitable economic opportunity for students across the City; and
WHEREAS, to maintain its competitiveness, retain existing employers, and attract new economically-sustainable industries and family-wage jobs, Seattle needs to provide a well-educated, well-trained workforce with the advanced skills and abilities needed to compete in the 21st century; and
WHEREAS, in an increasingly competitive global economy many Seattle area employers require applicants to have a high school diploma and a college degree; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) currently administers the Families and Education and Seattle Preschool Program Levies, and DEEL is responsible for developing the City's education policy and investment strategy for levy funds to help children succeed in school through increased access to high-quality programs supporting academic achievement; and
WHEREAS, Seattle voters approved a seven-year property tax lid lift known as the Families and Education Levy (FEL Levy) in 1990, 1997, 2004, and 2011; and
WHEREAS, in 2011, 64 percent of Seattle voters approved a $232 million, seven-year renewal of the FEL Levy to improve academic achievement; and
WHEREAS, in 2014, 69 percent of Seattle voters approved a $58 million, four-year Seattle Preschool Program Levy (SPP Levy) to provide Seattle children with accessible high-quality preschool services designed to improve their readiness for school and to support their subsequent academic achievement; and
WHEREAS, in 2016, over 2,000 community members in Seattle participated in conversations about how to eliminate the opportunity gap in education, culminating in an Education Summit on April 30, 2016; and
WHEREAS, in 2016, an Education Advisory Group developed recommendations for the City and the Seattle School District to more vigorously address the persistent opportunity gap in education; and
WHEREAS, the Education Advisory Group established the goal of helping 70 percent of African American/Black students and other students of color achieve success in college or a credential program and take advantage of the economic opportunities in Seattle; and
WHEREAS, the goal, implementation guidelines, recommendations, and priorities of the Education Advisory Group were incorporated into the Seattle Education Action Plan (EAP) and set out a vision for eliminating the opportunity gap in education by focusing new and existing resources on effective approaches to improving academic results for all students; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the EAP is to guide City investments with respect to eliminating the education opportunity gap in Seattle and making quality education supports available to Seattle students; and
WHEREAS, on June 26, 2017, the City Council passed Resolution 31748, which adopted the EAP and affirmed that the City will continue to work collaboratively with the Seattle School District and that the EAP recommendations and strategies will help inform the City’s development of proposals to renew the FEL and SPP Levies; and
WHEREAS, beginning in October 2017, more than 465 community members representing over
105 different organizations in Seattle have identified and prioritized funding investments to renew the FEL and SPP Levies; and
WHEREAS, the above meetings included community-based organizations, the Seattle School
Board, educators, parents, families, and students; and
WHEREAS, during these conversations several community priorities emerged including: access
to mental health support; social and emotional support; healthcare; before- and after-school activities; transportation; the Seattle Preschool Program; and the need for
continued work to close the opportunity gap in education; and
WHEREAS, the Families and Education and Seattle Preschool Program Levy Oversight Committee provided feedback and direction to DEEL on the goals, investment areas, and implementation principles and priorities to renew the FEL and SPP Levies; and
WHEREAS, on March 7, 2018, Seattle Colleges, Seattle School District and the City of
Seattle signed a partnership agreement to develop and implement the Seattle Promise
program with a shared commitment to equity, inclusion, and guaranteed access to a post- secondary education for all Seattle School District high school graduates; and
WHEREAS, because the kindergarten-12th grade (K-12) school system alone cannot address all barriers to preparing students for post-secondary success, and because Seattle residents support the city’s economic, social, and civic well-being, supplemental funding provided through the FEL and SPP Levies serves a legitimate City purpose; and
WHEREAS, proceeds from the FEL and SPP Levies are supplemental to the basic education financed by the State of Washington and the Seattle School District levies and do not displace, nor reduce State or School District funding for the Seattle School District; and
WHEREAS, in 2004, the City of Seattle launched a Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI),
with the vision of eliminating race-based disparities within Seattle, and the mission of eliminating institutional racism and promoting multiculturalism within City government; and
WHEREAS, on November 30, 2009, the City Council passed Resolution 31164, which affirmed
the City’s commitment to RSJI work and directed City departments to use available tools, including 1) implementation of racial equity toolkits (RETs) in budget, program and policy decisions, including review of existing programs, and 2) education, to assist in the elimination of racial and social disparities across key indicators of success, and
WHEREAS, in the 2016 RSJI Community Survey, 92 percent of respondents said government should prioritize addressing racial inequities, and 88 percent agreed that to create equity and opportunity for all, a greater portion of resources should go to those who are most in need; and
WHEREAS, in 2017, the City launched Our Best, an initiative to improve life outcomes for Black men and boys through systems-level changes, policy development, and programmatic investments in the areas of education, safety, health, economic mobility, and positive connections to caring adults; and
WHEREAS, on November 28, 2017, the Mayor of Seattle, Jenny A. Durkan, signed Executive Order 2017-13 affirming the City’s commitment to the RSJI and stating that the City shall apply a racial equity lens in its work, with a focus in 2018 on actions relating to affordability and education; and
WHEREAS, despite significant efforts to provide equitable opportunities for attaining education to Seattle students, disparate racially-identifiable outcomes have systemically persisted in the Seattle School District; and
WHEREAS, racial achievement gaps in education are not caused by socioeconomic disparities
alone, other factors including access to and the quality of early childhood education and
public schools, patterns of residential and school segregation, and state educational and social policies, play important roles in reducing or exacerbating disparities; and
WHEREAS, in August 2012, the Seattle School District Board of Directors adopted Policy
Number 0030 (“Ensuring Educational and Racial Equity”), affirming its belief that “the concept of education equity goes beyond formal equality-where all students are treated the same-to fostering a barrier-free environment where all students, regardless of their race, class or other personal characteristics such as creed, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, economic status, gender, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, pregnancy status, marital status, physical appearance, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, have the opportunity to benefit equally. This means differentiating resource allocation, within budgetary limitations, to meet the needs of students who need more support and opportunities to succeed academically”; and
WHEREAS, in 2016, the Seattle School District Board of Directors adopted Policy Number 0010 (“Instructional Philosophy”), which affirms its belief that, “every student should be given the opportunity to learn at grade-level and beyond, and the Seattle School Board is committed to ensuring that all students will be afforded the opportunity to fulfill their potential and graduate from high school ready for career, college, and life”; and
WHEREAS, the overarching goal of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy should be to increase economic opportunities through strategic, equitable investments in education; and
WHEREAS, the goals of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy are to partner with families and community to achieve educational equity such that Seattle students will have access to and utilize services across a continuum beginning with 1) high-quality early learning services that prepare children for success in kindergarten, 2) physical and mental health services that support learning, 3) college and job readiness experiences that promote high school graduation, and 4) post-secondary opportunities that promote attainment of a certificate, credential, or degree; and
WHEREAS, education experts and advocates stress the need to provide a continuum of services
for students from preschool to post-secondary; and
WHEREAS, a major focus of the Seattle Preschool Program is to narrow the opportunity and achievement gaps that are present in Seattle’s education system, and on average, children from low-income families and historically-underserved children have fewer opportunities to become appropriately prepared for the social and academic challenges of the system than their peers; and
WHEREAS, the City continues to refine the Seattle Preschool Program to meet the needs of the community and its children, and narrowing the achievement gap in kindergarten readiness should remain an essential outcome of the program; and
WHEREAS, students should have access to healthcare and other health-related services to be healthy and ready to learn; and
WHEREAS, Washington State law affirms that the purpose of a high school diploma is “to
declare that a student is ready for success in post-secondary education, gainful employment, and citizenship”; and
WHEREAS, WAC 180-51-068 increased the minimum number of credits required to graduate from 20 to 24 beginning with the class of 2019, which creates a need for flexible scheduling and more opportunities to earn credits; and
WHEREAS, since 2008, the 13th Year Promise Scholarship Program for South Seattle College has seen approximately 500 graduates from Seattle School District enroll through the program; and half of those students said they would not have enrolled if not for the existence of the 13th Year Promise Scholarship Program; and
WHEREAS, the collection of taxes from the current FEL and SPP Levies will end in 2018 and services funded by the levies will end unless the levies are renewed; and
WHEREAS, the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Action Plan is contained in Clerk File 320782, in which all research references cited in this ordinance may be found; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor recommends the City place on the November 6, 2018, ballot a measure to renew, expand, and combine the Families and Education and Seattle Preschool Program Levies as one levy for seven years at a funding level of $619.6 million, which in 2019 would add approximately $0.365 per $1,000 of assessed value in additional taxes and cost the median assessed valued residence of $665,000 approximately $242; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Findings and declarations. The City Council makes the following findings and declarations:
A. Seattle’s students are its future and the quality of that future depends on providing every student an equitable opportunity to obtain a high-quality education.
B. Seattle needs an educated population that is actively engaged in its civic life and contributes to the economic and social well-being of the city.
C. In the 2017-18 school year, 64.1 percent of children in Seattle School District kindergarten classes were determined to be “Kindergarten Ready” in the six skill areas recorded on the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) assessment tool: social-emotional, physical, language, cognitive, literacy, and math. WaKIDS assessment results reveal achievement disparities among racial and socio-economic subgroups, with significant disparities between children identified as children of color, low-income, or limited-English-proficient and those identified as White. Providing adequate resources and support for children to be Kindergarten Ready has been shown to improve their chance to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.
D. While children from families making near or below the federal poverty level (FPL) have access to State- and federally-funded preschool programs, Seattle children from low- and middle-income families above these programs’ income thresholds have few affordable, accessible alternatives.
E. Research findings have underscored the importance of quality early childhood education by identifying critical periods when a child’s brain development facilitates the acquisition of certain skills, such as language, and the need to capitalize on learning opportunities and social experiences. Children acquire a larger vocabulary and stronger language skills if exposed to adults with larger vocabularies.
F. Participation in quality public preschool has positive effects on children’s school experiences by reducing the demand for grade repetition, special education placement, mental health services, judicial system involvement, and unemployment support, and lowers exposure to toxic stress over the long-term. Quality preschool focuses on comprehensive social, emotional, and cognitive skill development; health and nutrition support; and partnerships with families and elementary schools. Researchers have calculated a 7-10 percent return on investment for high-quality preschool.
G. In an independent evaluation of the Seattle Preschool Program’s (SPP) four-year demonstration phase, evaluators found that SPP improved classroom quality from year one (2015-16) to year two (2016-17). Evaluators also concluded that SPP kept pace or outperformed quality ratings attained by similar publicly-funded preschool programs in the early years of program implementation and that SPP is preparing children for kindergarten, with the greatest gains among preschool students of color and those from low-income households or families who do not speak English.
H. Since 1990, the Families and Education Levy (FEL) has invested in health services for Seattle students. Research findings show that poor health severely limits a child’s motivation and ability to learn.
I. Research shows that school-based health centers (SBHCs) improve student health and emotional well-being, and that these in turn aid academic performance by increasing attendance rates and student grade point averages over time. Furthermore, adolescents are 21 times more likely to access mental health services at SBHCs than community-based clinics.
J. The FEL and SPP Levies currently support approximately 30,000 children annually across 300 service sites in collaboration with 200 partner organizations and institutions.
K. Many of the Seattle School District’s lowest performing schools are predominately in Central, Southeast, and Southwest neighborhoods of Seattle. These schools have higher percentages of students receiving free and reduced-price lunches (FRL) and transitional bilingual support services, higher concentrations of students who face barriers to educational attainment, and higher numbers of students who lack access to opportunities for preschool, health services, college and job readiness, and post-secondary opportunities.
L. In the 2016-17 school year, 36 percent of Seattle School District students qualified for the FRL program, 14 percent qualified for special education services, and 12 percent qualified for the transitional bilingual support program.
M. There is a strong link between building social-emotional skills and developing workplace readiness requirements. Expanded learning opportunities that target these skills can play an important role in closing the skills gap between youth from lower-income backgrounds and their more affluent peers so that all young people are prepared for the workforce.
N. Research studies of Seattle School District have found that while most students do not drop out of school until their junior or senior year of high school, students exhibit early warning signs of dropout in sixth grade.
O. In 2016, 78 percent of Seattle School District students graduated from high school in four years or less; however, African American/Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, and students graduated at rates below the district average (70 percent, 63 percent, and 55 percent, respectively). Further, students experiencing homelessness had a graduation rate of 50 percent while low-income students graduated at a rate of 68 percent.
P. Failing even one course in the ninth grade dramatically increases a student’s likelihood of dropping out of high school. In the Seattle School District, 19 percent of all ninth graders failed one or more core courses in the 2015-16 school year. Among African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students, percentages of those failing one or more core courses in ninth grade each exceeded the District average (36 percent, 40 percent, and 58 percent respectively).
Q. Students who successfully complete Algebra II before graduating from high school are more likely to enroll in post-secondary programs and are more likely to complete a degree. Students who took an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course were found to be 17 percent more likely to persist in four-year colleges and 30 percent more likely to persist in two-year colleges.
R. During the school year, students of all income levels tend to progress academically at similar rates. However, students who lack access to learning experiences during the summer months lose ground in a phenomenon often referred to as “the summer slide.” By the end of ninth grade, almost two-thirds of the socioeconomic achievement gap can be attributed to differential summer learning.
S. Beginning as early as fifth grade, students tend to limit themselves to career paths that are in line with their self-concepts and perceived place in society and the context in which they live. School-based interventions are uniquely positioned to provide opportunities for job exploration. Research shows middle school is a key time to improve the academics and attitudes needed to succeed in high school, college, and beyond.
T. Strategies such as exposing students to the importance of college by taking them on college campus visits, identifying prospective colleges, aiding in the college application process, helping families navigate financial assistance, and providing encouragement and support to students who have not formed a college-going identity are critical to helping students become college and job ready and successfully transitioning to college.
U. Graduating from high school and completing post-secondary training improves an individual’s earning potential and economic self-sufficiency. According to U.S. Census data (2016), a person in Seattle earns an average annual salary of $61,055 with a bachelor’s degree, $37,293 with an associate degree or some college, $28,645 with a high school diploma, and $24,489 with less than a high school diploma.
V. Twenty-six percent of Seattle School District graduates in 2015 did not pursue post-secondary education at two- or four-year institutions. Among those who attended a public two-year program, 41 percent dropped out in their first year. Among those who attended a public four-year program, 15 percent dropped out in their first year. These numbers indicate that 41 percent of 2015 Seattle School District graduates struggled to access and persist in the pursuit of a post-secondary credential. This “leaky pipeline”-a term often used to describe students’ persistence to obtain post-secondary degrees and manifests in reduced social mobility and economic opportunity.
W. In 2015, roughly 52 percent of all Seattle School District students who graduated and attended a two-year college took remediation courses; however, students of color took remediation courses at a higher rate of 64-71 percent. The need for remedial coursework increases the financial barriers to accessing and completing post-secondary education for many students and is a barrier for apprenticeship programs.
X. The expense of post-secondary education in addition to transportation costs, lack of affordable of housing, non-tuition related college expenses such as textbooks, supplies, and food, and the social pressures faced by many historically-underserved students or first-generation college-going students, may further exacerbate disparities in access to and completion of a post-secondary credential.
Y. An urgent need exists to continue the City’s investment in Education-Support Services funded by regular property taxes that support educational equity. This urgency requires submission of a proposition authorizing for up to seven years regular property tax levies in excess of the levy limitations in chapter 84.55 RCW. The proposition should be submitted to the qualified electors of the City of Seattle at a special election to be held in conjunction with the general election on November 6, 2018.
Section 2. Statement of policy. It is the paramount duty of the State “to make ample provision for the education of all students.” Education institutions, including the Seattle School District, are directly responsible for providing a basic program of education for all students; however, educational support is essential for a quality education and they cannot do this essential work alone. Government, business, community members and families must work together to advance the success of Seattle students, especially historically-underserved students.
A. Priorities for levy funding
1. Invest in Seattle children, students, families, and communities that have been historically-underserved to increase access to educational opportunities across the education continuum.
2. Establish agreements with community-based organizations, the Seattle School District, Public Health-Seattle & King County, Seattle Colleges, and other institutional partners to allow data-driven and outcomes-based decision-making.
3. Implement or continue evidence-based strategies and promising practices to improve program quality and achieve equity in educational outcomes.
4. Provide access to capacity-building opportunities for historically-underserved Seattle communities to improve program instruction, quality, and infrastructure.
B. Implementation principles
1. Prioritize investments to ensure educational equity for historically-underserved groups including African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Pacific Islanders, underserved Asian populations, other students of color, refugee and immigrant, homeless, English language learners, and LGBTQ students.
2. Ensure ongoing and authentic student, family, and community engagement and support.
3. Maximize partnerships with community, cultural and language-based organizations.
4. Ensure Levy proceeds are supplemental and complementary to existing public funding structures and services; funding is never used to supplant state-mandated services.
5. Implement competitive processes to identify organizations to partner with the City to deliver services to children and youth.
6. Implement accountability structures based on student outcomes, performance-based contracts, performance-based awards, and practice continuous quality improvement.
7. Provide financial support that increases access to expanded learning opportunities and affordable services for families and educators.
8. Report annually on investments, access to services, and progress toward achieving educational equity.
Section 3. Definitions. As used in this ordinance, the following words have the following meanings:
“Access” means adequate supply of and engagement in relevant and high-quality opportunities in the absence of geographical, financial, structural, social or cultural barriers that limit upward social mobility.
“Achievement Gap” means any significant and persistent disparity in academic achievement or educational attainment between different groups of students, including historically-underserved students.
“City” means The City of Seattle.
“College and Job Ready” means students equipped with the knowledge and skills deemed essential for success in post-secondary programs and in the modern workforce.
“Community-based Organization” means a public or private organization of demonstrated effectiveness that is representative of a community or significant segments of a community and provides educational or related services to individuals in the community.
“Education-Support Services” means the array of programs and activities referred to in Section 6 of this ordinance. Education-Support Services, with such modifications as the City Council may from time to time authorize by ordinance.
“Educational Equity” means access to educational opportunities and academic achievement are not predicated on a person’s race and socioeconomic status.
“Expanded Learning Opportunities” means high-quality before-school, afterschool, summer, and youth development programs that create access to year-round learning to foster college and job readiness through activities such as family engagement, tutoring, mentoring, academics, social and emotional learning, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), education technology, project-based learning, and culturally-responsive supports.
“Family Engagement” means the systemic inclusion of families in activities and programs that promote children’s development, learning, and wellness, including in the planning, development, and evaluation of such activities, programs, and systems.
“Family and Community Engagement” means consistent and persistent engagement with an entire community to establish a foundation of partnership, trust and empowerment.
“Historically-Underserved Students” means students who experience systemic inequities in educational achievement because of their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English proficiency, special education needs, community wealth, familial situations, housing status, sexual orientation, or other factors.
“Kindergarten Ready” means children who are equipped with the knowledge and skills deemed to be essential for success in kindergarten, as measured by the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS).
“Opportunity Gap” means any significant and persistent disparity in access to educational experiences and expanded learning opportunities between different groups of students, including historically-underserved students.
“Our Best” means the City's first-ever initiative focusing specifically on improving life outcomes for Black men and boys. As part of the City’s focus on eliminating race-based disparities through the Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI), Our Best is the City’s umbrella strategy for systems-level changes, policy development, and programmatic investments that carry an explicit benefit for and ensure that young Black men and boys have equitable access to Seattle’s vast opportunity landscape. Our Best aims to expand opportunity for young Black men and boys in five strategic impact areas: education, safety, health, economic mobility, and positive connections to caring adults.
“Post-secondary” means education and/or job training beyond K-12 schooling including apprenticeships, trades, certificate programs, career credentials, and degrees.
“Preschool” means an organized education program provided to children below the age and grade level at which the State provides free public education for all.
“Proceeds” means that portion of regular property taxes levied and collected as authorized by voter approval pursuant to this ordinance that are above the limits on levies provided for in RCW 84.55.010, and all interest and other earnings derived from that portion of the levy.
“School Based Health Centers” indicates school-based facilities that offer high-quality, comprehensive medical and physical health, mental health, oral health, and health promotion services provided by qualified health care professionals before, during, and after school to help students succeed in school and life.
“Seattle School Board” indicates the Board of Directors of Seattle School District No.1.
“Seattle School District” indicates Seattle School District No. 1.
“Seattle Colleges” indicates the Seattle Colleges District, a multi-college district that includes South Seattle College, Seattle Central College, and North Seattle College.
“The Plan” indicates the Implementation and Evaluation Plan for the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy.
Section 4. Levy of regular property taxes - submittal. The City hereby submits to the qualified electors of the City a proposition as authorized by RCW 84.55.050 to exceed the levy limitation (“lid”) on regular property taxes contained in chapter 84.55 RCW, as it now exists or may hereafter be amended, for property taxes levied in 2018 through 2024 for collection in 2019 through 2025. The proposition shall be limited so that in the first year the City shall not levy an additional tax rate of more than $0.365 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value in the first year, above and beyond the maximum amount of regular property taxes allowed by RCW 84.55.010 in the absence of voter approval under this ordinance, plus other authorized lid lifts. Subsequent years of the Levy, will use the amount of dollars raised by this increased rate to calculate the appropriate limit under RCW 84.55 for the remainder of the Levy. To this new limit there will be added no more than a one percent increase in dollars levied for the purposes of this Levy each year.
Proceeds shall be used to provide services identified in Section 6 of this ordinance for Seattle students and their families. In accordance with RCW 84.36.381 and RCW 84.55.050, the City exempts the proposed regular property taxes for qualifying seniors, disabled retirees, disabled veterans, or other qualifying persons. Pursuant to RCW 84.55.050(4), the maximum regular property taxes that may be levied in 2025 for collection in 2026 and in later years shall be computed as if the levy lid in RCW 84.55.010 had not been lifted under this ordinance.
Section 5. Application of Proceeds. Unless otherwise directed by ordinance, the Proceeds shall be deposited in a hereafter established fund, the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Fund. The Director of the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) shall have responsibility for administering the Fund. Proceeds may be temporarily deposited or invested in such manner as may be lawful for the investment of City money, and interest and other earnings shall be used for the same purposes as the Proceeds.
Section 6. Education-Support Services. Services funded by Proceeds are intended to achieve equity in educational outcomes and the Levy’s stated goals by providing Seattle students with access to and services across a continuum beginning with high-quality early learning services that prepare children for success in kindergarten, physical and mental health services that support learning, college and job readiness experiences that promote high school graduation, and post-secondary opportunities that promote attainment of a certificate, credential, or degree. Levy investments shall be guided by the Statement of Policy, Priorities for Levy Funding, and Implementation Principles set out in Section 2 of this ordinance. Initially, these core strategies will be pursued through Education-Support Services that include the following:
A. Preschool and early learning. Major program elements are intended to increase children’s kindergarten readiness and may include: financial support for preschool and childcare tuition, ongoing comprehensive supports for quality teaching, and support for early learning infrastructure development.
B. K-12 school and community-based investments. Major program elements are intended to increase student achievement of education milestones and may include: expanded learning opportunities including year-round, out-of-school time activities; academic tutoring, mentoring, and case management; social, emotional, and behavioral skill building; culturally-responsive programming and family engagement activities; college and job readiness activities and college admissions supports; job exploration activities; and advising and guidance related to college and career.
C. K-12 school health. Major program elements are intended to provide safe, age-appropriate, culturally-competent care to help children be healthy and ready to learn and may include: comprehensive primary medical care, mental health care, care coordination, connection to community supports, outreach and health education.
D. Seattle Promise. Major program elements are intended to increase student access to post-secondary and job training opportunities and may include: academic preparation, post-secondary success coaches, readiness academies, the equivalent of two years of financial support for tuition, and non-tuition financial support.
In the annual City budget or by separate ordinance, the City shall determine from year-to-year the Education-Support Services and funding allocations that will most effectively achieve the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy goals and outcomes. The City is authorized to reallocate within a budget year unexpended and unencumbered funds from one core strategy to another by making operating budget transfers consistent with Seattle Municipal Code Section 5.08.020.
Section 7. Implementation and Evaluation Plan. Proceeds may be spent only in accordance with an Implementation and Evaluation Plan (“The Plan”) approved by ordinance. The Plan may be amended by ordinance.
The Plan shall set forth the following: priority criteria, measurable outcomes, and methodology by which Proceeds-funded strategies will be selected and evaluated; the process and schedule by which DEEL will select and contract with partners to provide services; and the evaluation methodology to measure both individual investments and overall impacts of the Education-Support Services. The achievement of outcomes shall be evaluated, and no one component will determine an individual investment strategy’s effectiveness or the overall effectiveness of the Education-Support Services.
DEEL shall create The Plan in close collaboration with City staff in the Mayor's Office, related City departments, and partners such as students, families, historically-underserved communities, educators, community-based organizations, cultural and language-based organizations, Public Health-Seattle & King County, the Seattle School District, Seattle Colleges, other governmental entities, other educational institutions, and other relevant stakeholders. The Plan shall include a summary of participants whose input was used to inform the development of The Plan. During the prioritization of new investments, one RSJI Racial Equity Toolkit (RET)-a process and set of questions designed to assist departments in analyzing the racial equity impact of policies, programs, initiatives and budget issues-may be applied to each strategy listed in Section 6 of this ordinance. Use of RET is consistent with the goals of Executive Order 2017-13, relating to the City’s Race and Social Justice Initiative, and will help minimize harm and maximize the benefit of Education-Support Services to Seattle’s communities of color.
Section 8. Accountability and reporting. Upon voter approval of the ballot proposition submitted by this ordinance, there is established an Oversight Committee (Committee) to make recommendations on the design and modifications of Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy-funded programs and to monitor their progress in meeting their intended outcomes and goals.
A. The Committee shall review an annual report of Levy outcomes and indicators for the previous school year; review and advise on proposed course corrections, program modifications, and program eliminations; and periodically review and advise on program evaluations. The Council requires that before the Executive submits to the Council the Implementation and Evaluation Plan, Partnership Agreements, or proposes any changes in Levy funding requiring Council approval by ordinance, the Executive will seek the recommendation of the Committee.
B. The Committee shall consist of 17 members: the Mayor; the chair of the City Council’s committee with oversight of education programs; the Superintendent of the Seattle School District; a member of the Seattle School Board; the Chancellor of Seattle Colleges; and 12 appointed members. The Mayor and the City Council shall each appoint six of the appointed members. All members appointed by the Mayor are subject to confirmation by the City Council.
C. The 12 appointed members shall be appointed to staggered three-year terms subject to reappointment, except that four of them (two Mayoral appointees and two Council appointees) shall be initially appointed for a single-year term, four (two Mayoral appointees and two Council appointees) shall be initially appointed for a two-year term, and four (two Mayoral appointees and two Council appointees) shall be initially appointed for a three-year term. Upon the resignation, retirement, death, incapacity or removal of a Committee member, the authority appointing such member may appoint a replacement for the balance of the term. The appointing authority may remove any member for good cause, including unexcused absence from two or more consecutive meetings without cause.
D. The 12 appointed members should have professional, personal or research experience associated with the growth and development of children, including student academic achievement and post-secondary and job opportunities. The City will seek candidates that represent the organizations and communities that are impacted by Levy investments, including parent teacher associations, labor, community-based organizations, and cultural- and language-based organizations. The City will also seek candidates to serve on the Committee who understand, have experience working with, and represent the historically-underserved groups including African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Pacific Islanders, underserved Asian populations, other students of color, refugee and immigrant, homeless, English language learners, and LGBTQ students.
E. At all times no more than five Committee members shall be an officer, director, board member, trustee, partner, or employee of an entity that receives or competes for funding under this ordinance; or be an immediate family member of, or an individual residing with, an officer, director, board member, trustee, partner, or employee of an entity that receives or competes for funding under this ordinance; or be a person seeking or having an arrangement concerning future employment with an entity that receives or competes for funding under this ordinance. For the purposes of this ordinance an individual's “immediate family” means an individual's spouse or domestic partner, child, child of a spouse or domestic partner, sibling, sibling of a domestic partner, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, parent, parent of a spouse or domestic partner, a person for whom the individual is a legal guardian, or a person claimed as a dependent on the individual’s most recently filed federal income tax return. Except as provided in the preceding sentence and applicable law, an individual serving as an officer, director, board member, trustee, partner or employee of an entity that receives or competes for funding under this ordinance, or who has an interest in such an entity, shall not be disqualified from serving on the Committee, but shall fully disclose any such relationships and shall not vote on any matter that directly involves the interests of such entity. For purposes of this section, “entity” does not include a City department or office. The provisions of this section are in addition to the requirements of Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 4.16.
F. The Mayor and the chair of the City Council's committee with oversight of education programs, or their respective designees, will co-chair the Committee. The Committee should generally meet every other month, or as needed, beginning January 2019. DEEL shall provide staff and logistical support for the Committee. Members shall serve without pay. The Committee shall continue in existence through December 31, 2026, and thereafter if so provided by the City Council.
G. The Oversight Committee may consider any issues arising under, and may make any recommendations regarding, programs funded by expired levies covering the same subject matter as the levy created by this ordinance.
H. Any committees created by expired levies covering the same subject matter as the levy created by this ordinance are terminated.
Section 9. Communications. The City will facilitate communications with, and obtain feedback from, partners such as students, families, historically-underserved communities, educators, community-based organizations, cultural- and language-based organizations, the Seattle School District, Public Health-Seattle & King County, Seattle Colleges, other governmental entities, relevant stakeholders, and related City departments on topics including professional development, workforce development, training programs, updated policies, and other information regarding Education-Support Services, implementation and evaluation, and other pertinent information related to educational equity in general. The City may determine the best method by which to accomplish these communications, with priority given to community-based and in-person communication opportunities including, but not limited to, community meetings with interpretation services provided, participation and representation at City-sponsored and related community outreach and communication activities, print and news media, social media, websites, blogs, emails and listservs.
Section 10. Partnership Agreements. The City and its partners shall develop Partnership Agreements that establish the roles and responsibilities of each entity in developing The Plan referenced in Section 7 of this ordinance, in implementing Education-Support Services, and for achieving the desired outcomes for Education-Support Services. They shall outline, in a variety of areas, how the City and its partner institutions will achieve educational equity such that Seattle students will have access to high-quality early learning services, physical and mental health services, college and job readiness experiences, and post-secondary opportunities, as appropriate given the partners’ service level and the age-group of their focus students. The Partnership Agreements shall cover items including, but not limited to, data sharing necessary for student enrollment, program evaluations and course corrections, standards for delivery of services, curriculum alignment, sharing of facilities, direct contracting, and other proactive methods for identifying and reaching students and schools most in need of support.
Proceeds may only be leveraged to support Seattle School District and Seattle Colleges programs or functions with the existence of a current, effective Partnership Agreement.
Section 11. Implementing agreements. If voters approve the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy proposition, the City may carry out the Education-Support Services with City staff or by agreements with partners such as the Seattle School District, Seattle Colleges, Public Health-Seattle & King County, the State of Washington and the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, Head Start Region X, community-based organizations, and with such other agencies and persons as may be appropriate. Additionally, the City may enter into agreements with consultants through the process detailed in Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 20.50.
The City shall, when soliciting businesses for goods or services agreements, perform outreach to small, economically-disadvantaged businesses, including those owned by members of historically-underserved communities, include women- and minority-owned business enterprises (WMBE). City agreements with other public entities shall encourage those entities to actively solicit bids for the subcontracting of any goods or services, when such subcontracting is required or appropriate, from qualified small businesses, including those owned by women and minorities. City agreements with businesses for goods and services and with other public entities and non-profits shall encourage these entities to employ a workforce that reflects the region's diversity. All City agreements for goods and services shall require the contracting entities to comply with all then applicable requirements for non-discrimination in employment in federal, state, and City of Seattle laws and regulations.
All City agreements funded by Proceeds will stipulate that no assurances are made of continuation beyond the 2025-26 school year after the levy lid lift authorized by the voters has expired.
Section 12. Election - Ballot title. The City Council directs the City Clerk to file this ordinance with the Director of Elections of King County, Washington, as ex officio supervisor of elections, requesting the Director of Elections to call and conduct a special election in the City in conjunction with the state general election to be held on November 6, 2018, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of the City the proposition set forth in this ordinance. The City Clerk is directed to certify to the King County Director of Elections the ballot title approved by the City Attorney in accordance with the City Attorney’s responsibilities under RCW 29A.36.071. The following ballot title containing a statement of subject and concise description is submitted to the City Attorney for consideration:
CITY OF SEATTLE
PROPOSITION NO. XX
Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy
The City of Seattle's Proposition XX concerns renewing and enhancing education services to close the opportunity gap.
If approved, this proposition would replace two expiring levies and fund early learning and preschool, college and K-12 education support, and job readiness as provided in Ordinance XXXXX. It authorizes regular-property taxes above RCW 84.55 limits over seven years, with an additional tax rate up to $0.365/$1,000 of assessed value for taxes collected in 2019. Some seniors and other qualified persons are exempted. The 2019 taxes will be used to compute limitations for subsequent levies, with 1% increases per year.
Should this Levy be approved?
Yes
No
Those in favor shall vote “Yes;” those opposed shall mark their ballots “No.”
Section 13. Severability. In the event any one or more of the provisions of this ordinance shall for any reason be held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision of this ordinance or the levy of the taxes authorized herein, but this ordinance and the authority to levy those taxes shall be construed and enforced as if such invalid provisions had not been contained herein; and any provision which shall for any reason be held by reason of its extent to be invalid shall be deemed to be in effect to the extent permitted by law.
Section 14. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2018, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________________, 2018.
____________________________________
President ____________ of the City Council
Approved by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2018.
____________________________________
Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2018.
____________________________________
Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)