LWSD to Place Capital Projects Levy on April 23 Ballot
Levy will address immediate capacity needs and district-wide safety measures
Redmond, Wash. – At its December 3 meeting, Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD) Board of Directors passed Resolution No. 2259 to place a Capital Projects Levy on the April 23, 2019 ballot. This measure, if passed, authorizes a six-year levy totaling $120 million or an average of $20 million per year for six years.
Levy funds would pay for critical projects to address rapid enrollment growth and student safety and security. Proposed projects include: classroom additions at Lake Washington High School, including auxiliary gyms and commons; classroom additions at Carson Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Rose Hill Elementary, and Twain Elementary, including expansion of core facilities where feasible; and support student safety by adding exterior security cameras at elementary schools and create entry modifications for security at Eastlake, Redmond and Lake Washington High Schools. (Juanita High School’s entry modifications will be added during the current construction project.)
Lake Washington School District is growing rapidly. LWSD’s official October 1 student enrollment was 29,987 students. This represents 417 more students than last year’s October 1 count. For the last 10 years, from 2008 to 2018, the district’s enrollment grew by approximately 620 students each year. That is the size of a large elementary school. A total of 6,218 more students are in LWSD schools today than 10 years ago, representing 26 percent growth.
The district needs additional schools and classrooms to meet growing enrollment needs. In 2016, voters passed the first of four planned bond measures that will fund school construction projects needed through the 2029-2030 school year. These projects were recommended by a community member-based task force. The second of four planned bond measures went to voters in 2018. That bond did not receive the necessary 60% to pass. This levy will help address the immediate critical capacity needs of the district. LWSD will continue to look at solutions to address our aging facilities and ongoing capacity needs.
The tax rate for construction will be maintained at the estimated 2019 rate of $1.16 per $1,000 assessed valuation (AV) through the combination of prior bonds and the 6-year capital projects levy. The overall tax rate per $1,000 of AV, including this measure and previously approved bond and levy measures is estimated to remain at the 2019 rate of $2.60.
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About Lake Washington: Lake Washington School District is a high-performing public school district serving Kirkland, Redmond, and Sammamish, Washington. It is the third largest district in the state of Washington, with nearly 30,000 students in 54 schools.