UPDATED: Summary of the LWSD $398 million bond measure

LWSD is Growing!

• In one year, Lake Washington School District has grown from the sixth largest district in the state to the fourth largest.
• In the last five years, enrollment has grown by 3240 students. That's equal to five elementary schools.
• By 2020-21, five years from now, we expect to have over 30,000 students.

The bond measure includes:

• two new elementary schools
• one new middle school
• rebuild and enlarge Juanita High School
• rebuild and enlarge Kirk Elementary School
• rebuild and enlarge Mead Elementary School
• remodel Old Redmond School House for preschool
• replace portables at Explorer Community School
• other capital projects to provide special education program space and to address Title IX and Americans with Disability Act facility compliance

What it would do:

• address the district's most urgent needs
• address overcrowding and aging facilities
• reduce the district's reliance on portable classrooms. By September 2016, there will be 168 portables, or 14% of all classrooms. That's equal to seven elementary schools!

How we would build:

These schools would be built using specific cost-effective design principles and planning recommended by a parent/community task force.

What it would cost:

The $398 million bond measure would maintain the 2015 tax rate. The district is paying off past bonds and construction levies. As those items are paid off, these bonds would replace the items that have been repaid.

This measure is part of a long-term plan to meet the district's housing needs through 2029-30, developed by the Long-Term Facilities Planning Task Force. Three subsequent bond measures will meet the longer-term needs of the district. The subsequent measures would also maintain the 2015 tax rate.

When is the vote:

Ballots will be due April 26.

Source:  LWSD website