New South Hill Housing Development Will Intensify School Overcrowding

Construction is underway on a 46-lot subdivision at 10798 128th St. E. in South Hill, located within the Hunt Elementary boundary. While modest in size compared to large-scale projects like the Sunrise Master Plan, this new development adds yet another layer of enrollment pressure to already overburdened schools in the Emerald Ridge area—particularly in region 1.

The development straddles the boundaries of Hunt and Sunrise Elementary, both of which are operating above their program capacity. As of October 2024, Hunt Elementary enrolls 707 students in a facility with a program capacity of 686, determined by factors such as class size ratios, specialized program needs, and legal requirements. Sunrise Elementary serves 726 students in a facility with a program capacity to support 684 students. While portable classrooms provide short-term relief—raising Hunt’s capacity to 862 and Sunrise’s to 772—they are not a sustainable long-term solution. Portables place strain on site infrastructure, reduce space for outdoor learning and play, and offer lower security compared to permanent structures.

This capacity pressure continues at the secondary level as well. Ferrucci Junior High is nearing its space threshold, with 816 students enrolled in October 2024 and a program capacity of 906 (1006 with portables). Emerald Ridge High School (ERHS) significantly exceeds its built capacity, enrolling 1518 students with a capacity of 1228; even with portables, the school is nearing its current program capacity limit of 1552. Current and projected enrollment has already exceeded permanent building capacity and is only being accommodated through the use of portable classrooms across these campuses. While portables offer short-term relief, they are not a viable long-term solution.

Each new housing development, no matter the scale, contributes to increasing classroom overcrowding, reduced access to resources, and heightened pressure on teachers and facilities.

While school impact fees will be collected from new development, they fall well short of generating the revenue needed to construct new school buildings. Earlier this year, voters overwhelmingly supported school construction bonds in both the February 11 and April 22 elections, each surpassing the required 60% supermajority. However, both measures ultimately failed to validate due to low voter turnout.

The proposed bonds would have funded a new elementary school within the Sunrise Master Plan area, easing overcrowding in region 1 schools and enabling necessary boundary adjustments. In addition, the bond included funding for a classroom expansion at Emerald Ridge High School.

The expansion at ERHS would have allowed all students to be housed within the main school building—eliminating the need for students to move between portables and the main campus during the school day. A single, secure building supports a closed-campus environment and also enhances student safety, supervision, and access to learning resources throughout the day.

With continued residential growth throughout South Hill and the broader Emerald Ridge region, the need for new school capacity is urgent and growing. Without a validated bond, the district will be forced to make increasingly difficult decisions to house students in already strained facilities—putting the quality of education at risk.

Read more in the Tacoma News Tribune. https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/puyallup-herald/ph-news/article305529311.html

For enrollment projections and the district’s short-term strategies to manage growth without major construction funding, visit the School Capacity and Utilization Task Force.