Wahluke EP&O levy ahead in initial results

MATTAWA — Wahluke School District’s replacement Educational Programs and Operations levy is passing in initial election results, with 352 yes votes to 256 no votes as of Feb. 13. The election is scheduled to be certified Feb. 20. 

Superintendent Andy Harlow said he is encouraged by the early support.  

“Overall, we’re really excited with that number,” Harlow said in an interview. “We were hoping for close to 60% because we’ve been working so hard to connect with the community.” 

The district saw approval across all three precincts, something Harlow said is both unusual and meaningful. Support in the Mattawa precinct was especially strong, with 76 yes votes to 8 no, a number he said is nearly unheard of.  

“When you get 90% of your community voting yes, that’s pretty impressive,” he said.  

The levy also passed in rural Mattawa (225–206) and East Wahluke or Desert Aire (50–42), two areas where the district has historically struggled to win support. 

“It’s the first time we won Desert Aire… we thought that was really encouraging because we’ve worked so hard with that community,” Harlow said.  

He said the support among local farmers was also a positive surprise.  

“We won all three precincts, and the two that we thought might be close supported us,” he said.  

The replacement levy would collect $3 million in 2027, growing to $3.47 million by 2030, and funds educational programs and operations not covered by the state. These include student enrichment activities, extracurricular programs, elective offerings, student transportation, partial funding for the school resource officer, instructional support and professional development. 

“Just about everything touches this in some way,” Harlow said. “Drama, choir, marching band, athletics, after-school enrichment, robotics, SkillsUSA – it all depends on levy dollars.” 

Harlow said the levy is important not only for maintaining programs but also for securing state matching dollars, often referred to as Local Effort Assistance. 

“If this levy didn’t pass, we would have lost $3 million in levy funds, and we would have lost $3 million in state matching dollars,” he said. 

He said rebuilding trust and communication has been central to the district’s strategy. Over the past year, the district has increased its community presence through events, informational outreach and partnerships. 

“We haven’t always done a great job of connecting with the community… this year we were more intentional than ever,” Harlow said. “Putting out signs at events, communicating more than just to students, doing community walkthroughs. I think all of those things have helped.” 

The levy’s passage would allow the district to move forward with long-term financial and facilities planning. Harlow said the district has created a 10‑year facilities and operations plan that includes upgrades to buildings, security, technology and HVAC systems. 

“By passing the capital levy last year and the EP&O levy this year, what we can do now is start to make some long-term plans to invest in our facilities and our infrastructure, which has not happened since 2004,” he said. 

Harlow said he’s grateful to all who participated in the election, regardless of how they voted. 

“Being part of the process is what’s great about our country,” he said. “I hope people are feeling encouraged about the programs we’re offering and the communication they’re receiving. And if they’re not, they can reach out, we want to help answer questions.”