3rd high school for Richland? Replace middle schools? Tell school leaders your thoughts
The Richland School District is asking for the public’s help in prioritizing school construction projects for the coming years.
That includes when to build a new comprehensive high school or how soon to replace two aging middle school buildings.
The district has identified $900 million in possible capital projects in the next 20 years and wants to know what parents and voters have to say.
The goal is to replace and upgrade some of the district’s most old and decrepit facilities, as well as create more classroom space for students and teachers.
District administrators and the board are offering three meetings to talk with the public about construction priorities, budgeting strategies and bond plan impacts on taxes.
All three will be at 6:30 p.m.:
Tuesday, April 16, at Leona Libby Middle School (3259 Belmont Boulevard, West Richland)
Wednesday, April 17, at Hanford High School (450 Hanford Street, Richland)
Thursday, April 18, at Richland High School (930 Long Ave., Richland)
“Your participation and insights are crucial in shaping future infrastructure growth of the Richland School District,” staff said in a statement. “This event offers an opportunity for residents, community leaders and the media to engage in meaningful dialogue, ask questions and contribute to informed decision-making.”
In Washington state, bonds are used for building schools while levies pay for learning and education programs that area not funded by the Legislature.
The district needs the support of 60% of voters in the district to pass a bond measure for construction.
Voters across Washington state have been declining bonds and levies at a higher rate since the pandemic. Support for school measures, once thought to be as solid as a rock, has declined as voters face a higher cost of living and with sentiments around some public schools souring.
At last week’s business meeting, the Richland School Board emphasized it is committed to keeping tax rates as flat as possible for property owners as they work to improve school facilities.
Changing strategies
Richland School District is the smallest of the Tri-City “Big 3” school districts, serving more than 14,000 students and employing nearly 1,900 teachers and staff.
For the better part of the last decade, staff and parents have voiced the importance of building a third high school in West Richland to serve one of the fastest growing parts of the state.
Then came the COVID pandemic, which substantially slowed the district’s rate of enrollment growth. Superintendent Shelley Redinger said their schools continue to grow just not as quickly.
A 2020 enrollment forecast showed the number of high schoolers in Richland was supposed to hit 5,500 by 2035 — an increase of about 700 more than are currently enrolled today.
But new projections show they might see 250 fewer students than they thought.
A new high school — which would cost voters nearly $300 million to build — might not be needed until 2035. As a result, the district plans various strategies to ease overcrowding, including moving students and programs around as well as installing portable buildings.
But a recent community survey conducted online in February and March revealed that parents and community members were largely sold on the idea of a third high school.
“A significant number of responses called for the construction of new schools,” Shawna Dinh, the district’s public information officer, wrote in a memorandum describing the results. “The need for a new high school was frequently mentioned, with overcrowding being a common concern... The perception was that new schools are necessary to accommodate the growing student population and alleviate strain on existing facilities.”
The district is still considering placing a bond measure on the Nov. 5 presidential ballot.
As it’s currently laid out, that proposition could include money to replace the Hanford High School roof, build a new innovative secondary school to house Rivers Edge alternative high school and Pacific Crest Online Academy, build a new education and operations center and expand space at Three Rivers HomeLink.
Such a measure also would likely include $23 million in school safety and security projects already funded in a 2023 capital levy.
The district took out a $13 million loan to quickly begin those projects and had planned to repay it over the six-year life of the levy.
But including those funds in a bond would make them quickly available and save taxpayers money. The district plans to cancel the levy if the bond passes.
