MOSES LAKE, Wash. — Students in Moses Lake are excited to return to fall sports this school year after a major budget deficit nearly eliminated all athletics and extracurricular activities from the district.
Earlier this year, the Moses Lake School District faced a financial crisis that threatened to cut sports programs entirely, but voters approved a levy in February that will provide $1.4 million to continue funding athletics and activities. The measure ensures students can participate in sports they had feared losing.
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“It means a lot because sports are my thing. I think it’s part of my life, so it makes me really happy that I’m going to be able to do all the sports I’m doing,” said Karston Kofoed, a freshman at Moses Lake High School.
Despite the levy’s passage, the approved funding won’t arrive until spring 2026, creating immediate operational hurdles for the athletics program as classes begin.
Coaches agreed to defer their compensation until the levy money becomes available.
“We will have money available and the coaches have agreed. They will receive their payments at the end of June 2026,” Shannon said.
Transportation presents another challenge for families this fall. The district has not finalized a plan to transport student athletes to games, potentially requiring parents to handle transportation duties.
“They’re still going through a plan and working to figure out what that’s going to look like for the entire school year,” Shannon said regarding transportation arrangements.
Parents expressed relief that their children can participate in sports locally, even if they must provide transportation. Some families had even considered relocating to ensure their children could continue playing sports.
Keith Kofoed, parent of a Moses Lake High School athlete, said his family explored moving before the levy passed.
“We had looked into possibly moving just so he would be able to participate in basketball and sports. There was quite a bit of mayhem for a while,” Kofoed said.
Some MLSD parents told 4 News Now they’re not concerned about transporting their kids to games, they’re just grateful the sports are available.
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