2023 Bond Projects

What?
A new comprehensive high school (like Chiawana and Pasco High Schools).  

• Serves 2,000 students with a size of 299,413 square feet.  
• Built on land the district already owns.
• Offering Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programming with a signature CTE Agriculture program.
   

Where?
Located at Road 60 and Burns Road  

When?

• Construction to begin in summer 2023.
• Anticipated opening Fall 2025

Why?
Building a new comprehensive high school will help alleviate the overcrowding at our other high schools. Chiawana High School is the largest high school in Washington, and Pasco High School is the sixth largest. Both are overcapacity.

How much: $185,363,750
Local Bond: $139,922,928 
State Match: $45,440,822 

What?
A small innovative high school called the Career & College Academy, developed with the input of business and industry leaders, families, and students.     

• Serves 600 students with a size of 65,000 square feet.  
• Built on land the district already owns. 
• Like Delta High School, but will only serve Pasco students.  
• The innovative program will allow every student to graduate with a credential or industry certification and hands-on experience to help students move into a career or educational path beyond high school. 
   

Where?
Located at Salt Lake Street near Curie STEM Elementary

When?

• Construction to begin in spring 2024.
   
• Anticipated opening Fall 2025.

Why?
Building a small innovative high school will help relieve the overcrowding at our other high schools. If we only add a comprehensive high school, we would need to begin adding portable classrooms within one year.

The program will add unique career path options to meet the learning needs of more students.

How much: $37,984,375
Local Bond: $37,984,375  
State Match: $0

What?
Athletic field and facility improvements including adding a softball field at Pasco High School.   

Where?
Pasco High School  

When?

• Construction will begin Spring 2026​

• Estimated completion Fall 2026​

Why?
The Pasco High School girl softball players do not have a field at their high school. They currently travel to the HAPO Center to practice and play games.  

How much: $2,000,000
Local Bond: $2,000,000  
State Match: $0

What?
Enhance and modernize CTE spaces at Chiawana and Pasco High Schools.    

Where?
Pasco (PHS) and Chiawana High School (CHS)  

When?

• Construction starts Spring 2026​

• Improvements to CHS STEM and Agriculture Science Labs​

• Improvements to PHS Trade Programs and ​CTE Food and Nutrition programs​

• Estimated completion Fall 2027​

Why?
CTE improvements in our existing high schools will help ensure that our programs mirror industry equipment and facilities so that students are prepared to work in these high demand career areas. Together with high school #3, each large comprehensive high school will offer signature CTE programs for all students.

How much: $12,000,000
Local Bond: $11,092,000  
State Match: $908,000  

What?
The purchase of additional land for future schools.    

Why?
The district wants to continue to be excellent stewards of public dollars. Purchasing land now is a prudent way to plan and save for future growth. 

How much: $7,500,000
Local Bond: $7,500,000  
State Match: $0  

Bonds are for building! A bond provides funding for capital projects such as purchasing property for schools, constructing new schools, or modernizing existing schools. Bonds are sold to investors who are repaid with interest over time from property tax collections, generally between 10-25 years. 

We are running a bond in February 2023 as a part of our Long-Term Facilities Management Plan, which addresses ways to alleviate overcrowding in our schools and improve the learning environment for students in our district. 

Our comprehensive high schools are over capacity.

• Chiawana was built for 2,348 students, but during the 21-22   school year Chiawana served 3,126 students at its peak in October 2021.
• Pasco High School was built to serve 1,808 students and last year served 2,448 students at its peak in October 2021.
• The district estimates that over 1,300 students between both schools will be served in portable classrooms for the 22-23 school year.

The City of Pasco projects its population will grow by 50,000 within the next 20 years, leading to continued enrollment growth for Pasco schools. The 2023 bond preliminary scope includes adding a new third comprehensive high school and a small innovative high school which would create room for 2,600 students, alleviating overcrowding in current high schools and allowing room for enrollment growth. 

The bond also includes adding a softball field at Pasco High School, enhancing Career & Technical Education (CTE) equipment and space at Chiawana and Pasco High Schools and purchasing land for future growth.  

Bonds require a super majority to pass, which is 60%. For a bond to pass, the election must also be validated, meaning voter turnout must be equal to 40% of the voters who cast ballots in the last general election. 

The taxpayer portion of the overall bond cost is $195.5 million, with an estimated tax rate of $0.31* per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Below are property tax scenarios showing the difference of $0.31 from the current tax rate of $1.85 in 2022 and an estimated tax rate of $2.16 in 2024.
* bond rates may change due to fluctuations in lending market interest rates and changes in annual assessed property values.

Yes! Washington State law provides two tax benefit programs for senior citizens and individuals who are disabled: property tax exemptions and property tax deferrals. For more information on qualifications, please contact your local county assessor’s office. 

You can register to vote by visiting the VoteWA website.