Prop. 1: Expand, Replace, and Build Schools

Proposition 1 aims to address student overcrowding and enhance the learning environment across the district with key improvements, including:

• Expansion of Emerald Ridge, Rogers, and Puyallup High Schools to accommodate up to 1,800 students at each school, ensuring more space for student growth.

• Replacements of Mt. View, Spinning, and Waller Road Elementary Schools to address aging facilities, support growth, and prioritize student safety.

• Building a New Elementary School in the Sunrise Area (on district-owned property near Emerald Ridge High School and Glacier View Junior High) to address local growth and enhance student safety.

These projects will address overcrowding, aging facilities, and the district's growth needs.
 

Proposition 1 addresses critical building space, to accommodate our growing student population, and to maintain aging facilities. The implications of the Washington State Supreme Court's September 2023 decision, which found the Court determining that school construction funding is not solely the state’s responsibility, or part of “basic education,” directly impacted school districts across the state, including Puyallup School District.

As we look towards the future, we are concerned by data indicating that some elementary and high schools (if not already) will be over capacity. PSD projects that our junior highs will exceed built capacity by 2028. Last year, the School Capacity and Utilization Task Force investigated solutions for classroom capacity impacts. Their recommendations focused on supporting housing options for students until a bond can be passed. 

Learn more about our current enrollment projections in the October 2024 SCUT meeting materials. 

If Proposition 1 does not pass, the voter-approved Capital Levy will remain in place for its six-year duration. However, future funding measures may require tax increases to address the same needs. 

For the bond measure to pass, it must meet two requirements: validation and approval.

• Failure to meet the supermajority: If fewer than 60% of voters approve the measure, it will not pass. 
• Failure to meet validation requirements: If total voter turnout is less than 40% of the November 2024 general election turnout, the measure cannot be validated and will not pass. 

The commitment to roll back the capital levy is written into the bond resolution, ensuring we fulfill our promise to the community. 
 
The bond proposal represents $130M of the total $175M allocated from the 2024 levy. The remaining difference arises because collections from the capital levy will begin prior to the issuance of the bonds, enabling some project funding to be sourced from early collections. Specifically, $45M in collections from the first two years are not included in the rollback.

No. The September 2023 Washington State Supreme Court decision that school construction funding is not solely the state's responsibility, or part of "basic education," means that construction funding is a collaborative effort between local communities and the State Legislature.  

The state does provide funding for some important school operations:

• Salary & Benefits​
• Preventative maintenance ​
• Equipment maintenance agreements​
• Parts for repairs​
• Supplies for servicing equipment​
• Health & safety inspections​
• Septic & sewer pumping​
• Contracted repairs/services​
• Staff training​
• Software licenses and maintenance agreements​
• Internet Connectivity

While local capital levies are essential for maintaining and updating school infrastructure such as HVAC, roofs, and flooring, bonds fund major construction projects such as rebuilds and new school buildings. Proposition 1 focuses on seven major construction projects with plans to build a new elementary school located near Emerald Ridge High School and Glacier View Junior High to support future growth in the southeast region of the district.

Schools in Washington receive funding for "basic education" through the state's prototypical funding model, which is based on the Legislature's assumptions about the resources needed for basic education. However, this state funding may not always cover the full costs of operating and maintaining school districts.

To address these gaps, districts often rely on voter-approved bonds and levies.

Capital levies provide funding for short-term critical needs like modern technology, enhanced building security, and renovation projects, significantly impacting the quality of education. Levies can be approved for up to six years, offering reliable funding for these projects.

On the other hand, bonds fund long-term investments like new school construction and major infrastructure improvements. Together, bonds support physical growth, while levies sustain educational operations, helping schools ensure students have access to the resources they need to succeed.

Learn more about Public School funding

Many school districts can qualify for additional financial assistance from the state of Washington to help build or modernize facilities. The state determines the amount of square footage each student needs (the amounts are different for elementary, middle, and high schools) and assigns a dollar amount per square foot based on current average construction cost estimates.

Both new construction and remodeling projects can be eligible for state assistance. While these matching funds are helpful for bond projects, only a limited percentage of actual costs are typically covered using this formula, leaving the rest of the cost to the school district and the local community (via approval of a bond or capital levy).

Over the past decade, citizen and staff committees have evaluated hundreds of projects identified through various sources. The Bond Advisory Committee selected the proposed package from a list of nine critical need projects prioritized by the 2021 Citizens Facility Advisory Committee (CFAC) and the School Capacity and Utilization Task Force. Sources included:

• 2021 Study & Survey (Observed Deficiencies and Predicted Renewals)​

• 2021 Citizens Facilities Advisory Committee Report​

• 2023-28 Capital Facilities Plan​

• 2022 HVAC Deficiencies Report​

• Preventative Maintenance Reports​

• Department of Health Inspections​

• State Mandated Programs (Clean Buildings Act, Lead in Water)​

• School Facility Requests​

Watch the Puyallup School Board study session on November 15, 2024, to learn more. 

If you have additional questions, please reach out to us at communications@puyallupsd.org. 

In the Spring of 2023, the Puyallup School District launched a new five-year Strategic Plan. District Priority #5 in the Plan focuses on “Facilities, Safety, and Security,” ensuring that the district will ensure the timely repair and maintenance of schools and support facilities in order to maintain a safe work and learning environment for students and staff.

Prop 1 is an $800M bond measure that, if approved, seeks to maintain a tax rate of $4.14 per $1,000 of assessed property value by rolling back the voter-approved 2024 capital levy. 

While the bond measure itself seeks to maintain the tax rate, if the state legislature votes to change educational funding, taxpayers could possibly see adjustments to the February 2026 tax rate. However, the outcome of this decision will not be known until the 2025 state legislative session concludes. 

The total tax rate of $4.14 per $1,000 includes all existing bonds, the Capital Levy, and the EP&O Levy. If Proposition 1 passes, this cumulative tax rate is planned to remain at $4.14, unless impacted by legislative action.

Exemptions from taxes may be available; call Pierce County Assessor at 253.798.2169 or visit Property Tax Exemptions & Deferrals | Pierce County, WA - Official Website (piercecountywa.gov)  

If you know the assessed value of your property, you can calculate the amount of tax by multiplying your assessed value by the tax rate.

Find your assessed property value using the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer’s Property Tax & Value Search tool. 

Yes! Seniors, or individuals with other qualifying circumstances, may apply for tax relief, exemption, or deferral by calling the Pierce County Tax Exemptions Office at (253) 798-2169 or by visiting the Pierce County Elections website.  

Yes! Limited-income individuals and people experiencing disabilities, or other recognized circumstances, may qualify for tax relief, exemption, or deferral.

Call the Pierce County Tax Exemptions Office at (253) 798-2169 or visit the Pierce County Elections website to apply for this exemption.  

If property values go up, the tax rate is adjusted downward. The school district cannot collect more than the amount approved by voters. Increases in property values do not generate more revenue for the school district. 

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