Year Bond $$ Schools Pass/Fail
1998 160 million Elementary schools: Audubon, Franklin, Juanita, Lakeview, Mann,
Rose Hill, Thoreau, Twain; Kirkland and Redmond Jr. High;
Redmond High School Pass
2006 $436 million Lake Washington HS, Finn Hill Jr. High, Rose Hill Jr. High,
International, Community, Bell Elementary, Frost Elementary,
Keller Elementary, Muir Elementary, Rush Elementary,
Sandburg Elementary, Carson Elementary Pass (used $424M)
2010 $234 million (Proposed two new elementary schools, Additions at Redmond
HS, Additions at Eastlake HS, new choice Middle School, Juanita
HS modernization) Fail
2011 $65.4 million Additions at Redmond HS, Additions at Eastlake HS, New STEM Pass
School
Feb. 2014 $755 million (Proposed three new elementary schools, one new Middle school,
Two new choice High Schools, additions at Lake Washington High
School, Juanita HS Modernization, Kamiakin Middle School, Kirk
Elementary, Mead Elementary, Rockwell Elementary.) Fail
April 2014 $404 million (Proposed three new elementary schools, one new Middle school,
One new choice High School, addition at Lake Washington High
School, Juanita HS Modernization.) April 22 Vote
2018 Proposed no information
2022 Proposed no information
Enrollment and school buildings listed in District Progress Reports http://www.lwsd.org/News/publications/Pages/Annual-Report.aspx
Year Enrollment Schools/Buildings Notes
2002-2003 23,476 48 schools LWSD had 25 Elementary Schools, 7 Jr. High Schools, 4 Sr. High Schools and 12 choice schools.
2003-2004 23,629 (increase of 153) 48 schools
2004-2005 Not listed 45 buildings References a planned elementary school in Redmond Ridge:
“The final school to be modernized under the 1998 Bond is Rose Hill Elementary, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Construction began in late spring with a scheduled welcoming of students and staff in September 2006. The 54,000 square-foot building is designed to support the district’s current and future educational programs. Site 41, a new elementary school to open in Redmond Ridge, will begin construction in the summer of 2005 and open in the fall of 2006.” This would be Rosa Parks Elementary.
2005-2006 24,332 (increase of 703) 48 schools There is a full page explanation of the “modernization” program for buildings; (page 10).
2006-2007 23,696 (decrease of 636) 49 schools (completion of Rosa Parks)
2007-2008 23,722 (increase of 26) 49 schools
2008-2009 23,937 (increase of 215) 50 schools (Rachel Carson Elementary School) Construction began on new LWHS in 2009 and district considers shift to 4 year High School)
2009-2010 24,178 (increase of 241) 50 schools
2010-2011 24,330 (increase of 152) 50 schools LWHS and Finn Hill Jr. High opens fall 2011, Environment opens fall 2011; John Muir being constructed; Bell Elementary beginning modernization.
2011-2012 24,912 (increase of 582) 50 schools
So, to be clear, I am not “anti-school”, “anti-children” a “denier” or against the bond process in its entirety. What I am is a proponent of fiscal responsibility and an obligation to actually do the math of school growth vs. building. The district has steadily increased enrollment an average of 200 students 8 out of the past 9 years; yet they have only built two new schools in that time and have re-built (“modernized”) existing schools at current enrollment capacity in most cases.
In addition the District seems oblivious to the correlation between “award winning schools” and the current housing trend in the District’s geographical area for the last 10 years.
Yes, I get the connection between rejecting the bond issue and not having the money for building more schools. But what is my assurance that the District will use those funds wisely to build for the future?
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