Battle Ground Public Schools has secured enough private donations to continue offering golf, gymnastics, swimming, and bowling for the 2026-27 school year. These programs were previously at risk of elimination following budget reductions necessitated by a failed educational programs and operations levy, according to reporting by The Reflector.
The district announced on July 28 that contributions from several individuals and the education research organization foundry10 met the necessary fundraising targets. While the funding goals have been met, the district stated the programs will only proceed if they meet minimum student participation thresholds.
The fundraising effort reached specific targets for each sport:
- Swimming: $13,500
- Bowling: $8,700
- Gymnastics: $6,259
- Golf: $5,000
According to the district, the following participation minimums must be met to field the teams:
- Swimming: 10 athletes per school or 17 districtwide
- Golf: 10 athletes per school or 14 districtwide
- Gymnastics: 8 athletes per school or 12 districtwide
- Bowling: 6 athletes per school or 12 districtwide
Registration deadlines are approaching for the upcoming seasons. Students interested in golf or swimming must register by 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19. The deadline for gymnastics and bowling registration is 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Registration is conducted through the battleground-wa.finalforms.com platform.
The district attributed the initial risk to these programs to the failure of a local levy, which forced a series of budget cuts across the school system. This fiscal pressure follows other recent administrative changes in the city; as previously reported on Aug. 9, the Battle Ground City Council recently voted to terminate the contract of the City Manager without cause following a period of internal tension and a third-party investigation.
Source: Battle Ground Public Schools secures funding for athletics programs
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