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Bellevue Schools Foundation fills gaps in district funding, leaders say
Summary
Leaders of the Bellevue Schools Foundation told the Bellevue School District podcast that the foundation was created after state levy limits and now funds early learning tuition support, school mental-health services, integrated computer science and extracurriculars, including robotics.
Bellevue Schools Foundation leaders said the nonprofit helps bridge funding gaps left by state and local limits on school revenue, supporting programs the Bellevue School District cannot fully fund.
"We in the Bellevue School District, we're so underfunded," said Dr. Aramaki, a Bellevue School District official, who described the district's roughly $400 million annual budget and said "about $12 million a year comes from the federal government." He said recent changes in the state funding formula have constrained districts' ability to raise local revenue through levies.
Michael Smith, development director at the Bellevue Schools Foundation, said the foundation began around 1979 in response to a state levy cap and that its priorities reflect community needs. "A school's foundation enables the community to address the issues that community might have within their schools," he said. Smith listed the foundation's major programs as early-learning tuition support for low-income families, mental-health screening and counselors, and an integrated computer-science curriculum tailored to a tech-centered community.
Dr. Aramaki said the foundation also helps pay for extracurriculars and staffing that state funding does not cover. "You supported our robotics teams, of which we have six of the best in the region," he added, and thanked the foundation for investments that make specific services possible.
The podcast guests also discussed how families new to Bellevue can be surprised by the district's volunteer ecosystem — PTSA, booster clubs and program-specific 501(c)(3) boosters — and how those groups and the foundation play complementary roles in supporting schools.
The interview was presented as part 1 of a two-part conversation. Hosts encouraged listeners to tune in to the second episode for more from foundation trustees and details about supporting the foundation's Spring for Schools fundraiser.
