Students in Lake Washington High School’s AP US Government & Politics classes get first-hand experience in the legislative process. As part of the class, students crafted Senate Bill (SB) 5171, which bans gender-based price discrimination on similar products
Building Excellence Construction Levy
On February 8, 2022 voters approved this levy to fund school construction to make sure our students have room to learn in our fast-growing district.
The Facility Advisory Committee provided recommendations for future facility projects to accommodate our rapid enrollment growth and continue to provide learning environments that promote excellence for students. The board considered these recommendations, received information and feedback from the Levy Advisory Committee and considered multiple options for addressing short and long-term capacity needs in seven study sessions between January and September 2021. This levy would fund the first step of three funding measures to provide required student space by 2034.
Our current situation:
- LWSD has grown by 7,300 students since 2008.
- LWSD is projected to grow by another 3,500 students by 2030.
- If no work is done, LWSD will have 83% of schools at or over capacity by 2030.
Growing Reliance on Portable Classrooms
This levy will fund school construction to help reduce the number of students learning in portable classrooms.
Right now, at our current growth rate, we will have 3,700 students housed in portables by 2030. That’s 2,600 elementary students and 1,100 secondary students.
The levy will provide funding to build critical classroom space across our district.
- Add a new elementary school on underdeveloped land on Redmond Elementary Campus, with up to 24 classrooms for about 550 students.
- Additions at Finn Hill, Kirkland and Redmond middle schools, providing capacity for 600 more students.
- Additional high school capacity for about 1,200 more students.
- Acquisition of property for future schools.
FAQ
- Lake Washington needs more classrooms for students to support our rapid enrollment growth.
- The levy provides funding to build critical classroom space across our district:
- Add a new elementary school on underdeveloped land on Redmond Elementary Campus, with up to 24 classrooms for about 550 students
- Additions at Finn Hill, Kirkland and Redmond Middle Schools with capacity for 600 more students.
- Additional high school capacity for about 1,200 more students.
- Acquisition of property for future schools.
- Why does our district need a capital construction levy?
- How were the projects selected?
- What will the proposed levy pay for?
- What are the estimated project costs?
- How do you know how many more students are coming?
- What about the impact of COVID on enrollment?
- Does the school district regularly collaborate with cities to monitor and plan for increasing school district growth?
- How does the district plan for facility needs?
- Can’t you just add more portables if you need more space?
- How do district construction projects support sustainability?
- What is the amount of the Building Excellence Construction Levy?
- What is the Building Excellence plan?
Why does our district need a capital construction levy?
How were the projects selected?
What will the proposed levy pay for?
What are the estimated project costs?
How do you know how many more students are coming?
What about the impact of COVID on enrollment?
Does the school district regularly collaborate with cities to monitor and plan for increasing school district growth?
How does the district plan for facility needs?
Can’t you just add more portables if you need more space?
How do district construction projects support sustainability?
What is the amount of the Building Excellence Construction Levy?
What is the Building Excellence plan?
