I am voting yes on the Feb. 11 special ballot to renew the Bremerton School District levy. I do not have children attending Bremerton schools, but I understand the importance of publicly funded education.

Recent changes in the state budget make local levies even more important for school districts to provide high-quality education to Bremerton students. In Washington state, 95 percent of all schools rely on local levy funds.

The support of local levies further qualifies individual districts for state matching funds. Rejecting a local levy would then disqualify school districts from state funds, putting our students at a great disadvantage in the local and global workforce. Please vote to maintain current school support levies. Levy funds are used to lower class sizes, to maximize student learning at every level.

Levy funds support gifted education, special education, and all students in between.Additionally, levy funds support extracurricular activities: sports, music programs, and student enrichment.

A yes vote for your 2014 school support levy is a wise investment in the future of Kitsap County.

Laura Rarig

Educator & Bremerton Resident