ISD bond to build new school fails in second consecutive election
The Issaquah School District (ISD) had hoped voters would be more willing to pass a pared-down bond measure on Feb. 11 that will finally allow them to build a new high school and relieve overcrowding at Skyline and Issaquah high schools.
But it did not turn out the way they had hoped. The February bond measure ultimately failed, dealing the district a second consecutive blow after their first attempt to pass a bond failed during the Nov. 2024 general election.
The $231.6 million bond proposal, which required a 60% supermajority to pass, fell short at 49% approval. This was an even worse result than the 50% support the previous bond received in November.
Opponents of the measure cited concerns over financial transparency, the necessity of a new high school, and frustration with what they viewed as the district’s unwillingness to listen to community feedback.
Dave Osmer, co-president of the Committee of Concerned Advocates for Responsible Education (CCARE), an advocacy group that lobbied heavily against the bond, was frustrated by how quickly ISD brought back another bond proposal after the November defeat, instead of taking time to carefully revise their plan.
“We were pretty surprised that they decided that they had to [put up another bond] so quickly after the general election,” Osmer said. “It felt like they were shooting themselves in the foot by not allowing adequate time for additional feedback from the community.”
The most controversial aspect of the bond was the construction of a new high school, which the district argues is needed due to overcrowding, with high schools operating above 95% of permanent capacity, according to ISD.
Osmer cited ISD’s past projection numbers, which had overestimated the number of students within the district, as justification for questioning the need for a new school. For instance, the district’s prediction in 2017 of high school enrollment during the 2023-2024 school year was 6,736, but actual enrollment turned out to be 5,744.
Caroline Thienes, a resident of Issaquah, also questioned the necessity of a full-scale high school versus exploring potentially cheaper alternatives.
“I highly recommend that all current, existing schools be evaluated for expansion, remodeling, and flexibility as student populations go up or down,” Thienes said.
“No” voters took issue with the location of the proposed school, citing traffic congestion, limited emergency access, and environmental concerns. The planned site of the school, Providence Heights, is near Laughing Jacobs Creek, just beyond the southern border of Sammamish. The creek is an endangered kokanee salmon-spawning habitat, raising concerns about erosion of the creek from the school’s water run-off.
With two failed bonds in quick succession, the district faces critical decisions on how to proceed. In an email response to the Sammamish Independent, Mark Sherwood, a spokesperson for ISD, said the district is taking steps to improve financial transparency over future capital projects.
“The district also recently established a Capital Projects Oversight Committee, bringing together members from various school communities, including professionals in finance, construction, engineering and project management,” Sherwood said. “This committee will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. It is responsible for reviewing the progress and financial status of all capital projects and will share updates periodically throughout the year.”
Sherwood, however, did not mention any specific plans for a future bond measure.
The opposition seems ready to keep fighting if another ISD bond proposal goes on the ballot.
“We want to see some creative thinking rather than just throwing money at the problem. And we continue to believe that there are reasonable alternatives that don’t cost as much and still address the issue of the overcrowding,” Osmer said.
