Achieving Excellence Together
On November 2, 2021 the Deer Park Community City Schools will place a 6.99 mill operating levy on the ballot.
The last operating levy passed in November 2013. At that time, we promised we would not be back on the ballot for at least 5 years. The District has made it now 8 years since we passed the levy.
Currently we are operating in a deficit spend, where expenses are more than revenue. Each year the deficit spend will continue to compound if there is no operating levy, and in this case we would be in financial emergency by the 2024-2025 school year.
Continue to support our Deer Park Schools!
The residents of Deer Park School District have been supporting our schools since the very beginning….dating all the way back to the first bond levy passed in 1907. Enjoy this amazing oral history of our wonderful school district!
Since November 2013, the Deer Park School District has made program and academic progress. Here are a few examples:
Increased district’s progress measure on the State Report Card from an F to an A.
Improved the district score to an overall B in 2019.
Launched the Deer Park Career Academies which include Entrepreneurship, Engineering, Project Management, Sports Medicine, and Advanced Manufacturing.
Implemented Full Day Kindergarten at no cost to Deer Park Families.
Improved security for the students and staff by hiring two full-time School Security Officers.
Invested in over 1,200 Chromebooks to provide computers to all Deer Park Students.
Offer mental health services to students in need of support, through The Children’s Home.
Launched the Deer Park Discovery Program to serve students with various needs in grades 9 - 12.
Want to show your support of the November 2021 Levy?
We have levy t-shirts for sale! $10 each in sizes Youth Small to Youth Large and Adult Small to 4X.
Send a message to Onward Deer Park Schools FB messenger or email the levy committee Co-Chair Meghan @ Meghan.onwarddps@gmail.com to order. Cash or check only, can deliver or coordinate pickup.
A window of opportunity
Earlier this year, more than 100 families of our community participated in conversations about the ‘State of Deer Park Schools’, with our superintendent Jay Phillips and Treasurer Jeff Lewis. One of the topics discussed in the conversations is the financial shortfall facing the Deer Park City Community School District and operating in a deficit spend. Each year the deficit spend will continue to compound if there is no operating levy, and in this case we would be in financial emergency by the 2024-2025 school year.
The majority of those who attended the conversations recommended placing an operating levy on the ballot this November, in order to rectify the deficit spend.
The decision from the Board of Education to be on the ballot this November versus waiting until next year provides our community a window of opportunity to keep the district running smoothly and avoid educational disruptions that occur when a school system is in financial crisis.
