As current and former members of the Bellevue School Board, we are united in our endorsement of the measures being placed before voters on the February ballot. Prop No. 1 Educational Programs and Operations Levy and Prop No. 2 Technology and Capital Projects Levy renew our investment to support basic education and technology. Prop No. 3 Capital Construction Bond measure will finish the rebuild of all schools and increase capacity to solve overcrowding.

Bellevue has great schools and is nationally recognized for providing quality education. These measures are critical to ensuring that we maintain our strong schools.

The Educational Programs and Services Levy will renew a levy passed by voters in 2010 and represents 27 percent of the district budget. Washington state does not fully fund K-12 education. We must provide additional local funding to maintain basic education programs and services.

The Technology and Capital Projects Levy, also a renewal of a 2010 levy, will replace aging technology and fund critical repairs and improvements to existing buildings and facilities, thereby, maintaining our community’s investment.

The Capital Construction Bond measure will complete the districtwide rebuild begun in 2002. It will add capacity by rebuilding five elementary schools and one middle school, which were not included in the 2002 and 2008 bond measures. It will fund improvements to International and Bellevue Big Picture schools, build two new elementary schools, and add capacity at Newport High and Woodridge Elementary.

These measures are essential to maintaining our excellent schools and staff. We’re fortunate our community understands this and has strongly supported our schools in past elections.

We urge you to vote yes for all three measures.

Peter Bentley, Judy Bushnell, Christine Chew*, Betsy Johnson, Chris Marks*, Steve McConnell*, Steve Miller, Paul Mills, Mike Murphy, Krischanna Roberson*, Jan Still and My-Linh Thai*.

*current board members