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District considers paid representative survey for future levy; federal funds restored, adding $2.5 million to budget outlook
Summary
Battle Ground School District staff told the board they plan a representative community survey to guide future levy strategy; the district also received federal education funds totaling about $2.5 million that were previously at risk, staff said.
Board members heard updates July 28 on two fiscal matters tied to the district—udget and a future levy campaign: a proposed representative community survey to analyze voter attitudes and a federal funding restoration that will add roughly $2.5 million to district budgets.
Assistant Superintendent Lynelle Murray told the board the district met with Strategies 360 to review options after the district—xperienced a double‑levy failure last cycle. Strategies 360 recommended a representative telephone survey of approximately 300 interviews (roughly a +/-6% margin of error) to help the district understand barriers to passage and to identify effective messaging and target audiences. The district discussed cost ranges for such surveys with the board; staff said estimates can span a wide range and cited prior feedback that community members varied in how much they thought should be spent on surveys.
"The representative survey would be about 300 interviews with a roughly 6% margin of error," Lynelle said during the meeting, and staff told the board results could be available by September. Board members and staff discussed budget implications: the district keeps a line item for election and outreach costs and will consider survey spending from those funds if the board approves moving forward.
Separately, Lynelle and teaching‑and‑learning staff reported that the U.S. Department of Education notified the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction that federal funds would be released to states. Lynelle said the district expects about $2,500,000 in federal allocations that had been uncertain; staff said the funding will preserve programs such as Title III multilingual services that were at risk.
Board members requested more detail on the survey price bands, how prior Strategies 360 predictions matched past election outcomes and how the district will budget survey costs. Staff said the firm—an show historical accuracy and that the district had previously used such surveys to guide levy strategy. No formal board vote was taken on commissioning a survey at the July 28 meeting; staff said they will return with more detailed cost estimates and a timeline.
Clarifying details provided during the meeting included the approximate survey sample size, estimated cost range for representative surveys, and that levy‑related outreach funding is budgeted separately under election preparation line items.
