Ridgefield School District’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to put a bond before voters that, if passed, would build new schools to help alleviate overcrowding, accommodate population growth, modernize technical education opportunities for students, replace temporary, less secure and inefficient portable classrooms with permanent ones, and make necessary repairs and upgrades at the district’s older school sites. The bond will be listed as Propositions 10 and 11 on the April 23, 2024 Special Election ballot and requires approval by a 60 percent supermajority to pass.

Each proposition requires a 60 percent supermajority in order to pass, and Proposition 11 can only pass if Proposition 10 passes. However, if it achieves the required 60 percent approval from voters, Proposition 10 can still pass even if Proposition 11 falls short.  

You can find a comprehensive list of the most frequently asked questions and answers here, or by scrolling to the bottom of this webpage.

• A new 75,000 square foot elementary school located at 7025 N. 10th Street (click to see a PDF of the floor plan) ~ $46 million

• A 23,000 square foot expansion at Ridgefield High School with 10 new classrooms and space designated for future College, Career, and Technical Education program classrooms (click to see a PDF of the floor plans) ~ $20 million

• A new metals shop that meets current industry standards, allowing for students to practice the technical skills required for job eligibility upon graduation 

• Roof repairs and replacements (including mechanical replacements) on the original buildings at Ridgefield High School, Union Ridge Elementary, and South Ridge Elementary ~ $4 million

• A new 125,000 square foot intermediate/middle school serving grades 5-8 in the southeast portion of the district east of I-5 ~ $107 million

• An addition at Ridgefield High School, including a new wrestling room, a new locker room, and renovation of the existing locker rooms  ~ $11 million

• Ridgefield High School track and field re-surface (these facilities have an average 10-12 year lifespan and are due for scheduled replacement) ~ $1.3 million

• Playground expansions and accessibility updates at South Ridge Elementary and Union Ridge Elementary schools ~ $500k

• Revisions to the Ridgefield High School band room to accommodate for the number of additional students participating in the school's music programs ~ $200k

• A new 75,000 square foot K-4 Elementary School with capacity for 600 students to help alleviate overcrowding at the district's other elementary schools

• Includes an 8-plex classroom building, providing much-needed additional instructional space that is more permanent than using portable classroom buildings

• The district already owns the land, and the site is permitted and ready to begin construction, and if approved by voters, the new school would open in the Fall of 2025.

Go on a virtual tour of the new elementary school in the below video:

• A 23,000 square foot expansion at Ridgefield High School

• Features a new metal shop and classroom

• 9 new general education classrooms to expand total capacity

• Space designated for future Career and Technical Education (CTE) classrooms

The last time voters in Ridgefield approved a bond to build new schools was February of 2017. At the time, we had 2,826 students enrolled in the district. Now, our current enrollment is at 4,163 students, an all-time high for Ridgefield School District! That means that we've added 1,337 students since we last added permanent classroom space by building a new school.

See the graph below charting our enrollment growth from the 2014-15 school year to the present 2023-24 school year (source: OSPI Report Card)

• Based on 2020 Census data, Ridgefield saw the highest growth rate by far among cities in Clark County

• From 2010 to 2020 (the two most recent Census years), the city population more than doubled from 4,763 residents to 10,319. That’s a 116.6 percent increase!

• The total district population is 21,369 residents based on the most recent Census

• According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management, Ridgefield has been tabbed as the state’s fastest-growing city three times in the past decade.

The total bond request is $190 million. The 2024 bond program will also leverage an estimated $11.7 million in state assistance revenues along with utilizing more than $10.5 million in school impact fees collected from real estate development to cover design and project management costs.

The current school tax rate for 2024 is projected to be $2.53 per $1,000 in assessed home values. If voters approve the bond, collections would begin in 2025 and the resulting projected tax rates would be:

If only Prop 10 passes:

• $3.11 per $1,000 in assessed home values, a $0.51 increase

• With a median home value in Ridgefield of $627,852, the projected cost increase would be $320.20 per year, or $26.68 per month

If both Prop 10 and Prop 11 pass:

• $3.89 per $1,000 in assessed home values, a $1.30 increase

• With a median home value in Ridgefield of $627,852, the projected cost increase would be $816.21 per year, or $68.02 per month

The RSD develops construction budgets based on actual construction costs in the local area, verified by third-party cost estimators.

Funding:

• Proposed bond amount: $190 million

• State Matching Grant funds: $11.7 million

• School impact fees: $10.5 million

• Total project funding: $212.2 million