The Gervais School District received a vote of support from its community Tuesday.
The district’s facility needs were becoming dire. After eight failed bond attempts since 1997, school leaders said the district would have to disband if its latest proposal failed.
The $28 million bond had more than 73% approval in Wednesday morning returns from the secretary of state’s office.
“I’m definitely doing the happy dance today,” said Gervais Superintendent Dandy Stevens. “The district is so incredibly thankful to the voters for supporting our bond.”
Many other school districts did not fare as well. Of 17 bonds and levies on the ballots, six were clearly passing in initial results and eight appear to have failed. Three were too close to call, and final results won’t be available for days.
Bonds are used for facilities, and levies are used for educational purposes such as paying teachers. When districts don’t have enough money in their general funds to address everything while maintaining current programs and staff, they turn to local options. In their bond campaigns, districts painted challenging pictures of aging facilities, overcrowding and student needs.
Gervais staff along with parents have been working since December to tell the public that its facilities were no longer adequate for students. If the district didn’t get money for repairs, school leaders were considering splitting up the district among neighboring districts.
“I think that when the voters understood the magnitude of what was happening with the facilities and what the ultimate outcome could have been should the bond fail again, they came together to support staff and students,” Stevens said.
The district is already moving forward on project planning and hopes to get construction started next spring, according to Stevens.
Oregon Coast Community College and four other school districts have reason to start making their own plans that include smaller projects along with some big-ticket items.
Oregon Coast, which received 64% approval, will add a trades education facility. Banks, where 60% of voters approved replacing an existing bond, will build a new high school. Willamina, which appeared to be winning easily but the exact tallies were unclear, plans to add five new classrooms.
Portland Public, with 71% approval for renewing a five-year levy, will be able to pay for more than 600 teachers. Eugene, with 75% approval for renewing an existing levy, will receive the equivalent of 205 teaching positions.
Three districts will be waiting for the final count but have reason to hope.
Molalla River, which had a slim 50.5% approval in initial returns, wants to build a new middle school to replace a 70-year-old building. Oakland, which had 51% approval, wants to replace its partially condemned gym.
Fern Ridge, which hasn’t passed a bond since 2014, was losing by a single vote out of 2,597 counted so far.
The remaining districts have some tough decisions ahead.
Oregon’s school buildings average more than 40 years old, according to the Oregon Department of Education, and many of the districts were seeking to replace or add buildings. The Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching Program helps qualifying districts campaign for such big projects by offering up to $12 million in matching funds.
It wasn’t enough to persuade some voters.
A 2020 assessment said the Coquille School District needed $61 million to get all its buildings up to code. After bond campaigns were rejected twice in 2021, the district pared back its request to bare necessities this year. The $14.6 million bond with a promise of a $6 million match from the state was failing 35% to 65%.
Following a failed 2022 bond attempt, Crook County also narrowed its request to its most urgent maintenance needs. Their bond was failing with only 47% approval.
Estacada, one of the few districts dealing with significant enrollment growth, wanted to replace its high school with a new building and reconfigure its remaining buildings to add an elementary school. It was receiving 39% approval.
Pine Eagle, which wanted to build a new gym, had 40% approval from its community. Three Rivers, which hasn’t passed a bond since 2000, needs roof repairs on every building in the district. It was losing with 32% approval. Junction City wanted to update its athletic fields as well as add a cafeteria, gym and classrooms. It was losing with 43% approval.
Tiny Ukiah needs repairs to its 100-year-old building. With 94 ballots counted so far, the district has received only 37 yes votes.
Tuesday’s losses will likely add to the layoff and budget shortfall discussions leading up to the 2025 legislative session.
Bend-La Pine was counting on a five-year levy to shore up its budget. Without the expected $112.6 million, the district told voters it would have to cut 180 positions and raise class sizes an average of four students. The levy was losing with only 43% of ballots in support.
– Jake Arnold, OSBA
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