PD-17-00001 Marian Meadows Full Record with Index (2)

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Marian Meadows Rezone and Subdivision Final Environmental Impact Statement 3-134 To accommodate additional students under the scenarios with a substantial full-time family population, either a substantial expansion of the existing school would be needed, including acquisition of a substantial amount of land, or one or more new school sites and new school buildings would be required. To serve the projected maximum demand of 260 students, from 8 to 12 new classrooms would be needed, as well as specialty classrooms and support facilities including assembly, gymnasia, and food service. This would be equivalent to doubling the size of the existing school. The local school district has considerable discretion in deciding the size and location of new schools. The site of a new school or expanded school that meets state guidelines would vary according to the grades served and the size of the student population. To serve elementary school students, a site of 5 to 15 acres would be recommended with 10 to 25 acres for a middle school and 20 to 40 acres for a high school. The proposed development alone would not justify a new middle or high school by the student populations it would produce. The advantages of a single large school to serve the area include having flexibility in filling classrooms as the student population for given grades fluctuates, and benefiting from decreased administrative and operating costs. A single school also contributes to community identity. Development of an additional school to serve the demands of this development (as well as cumulative development) would have some advantages in possibly reducing transportation costs. Such a strategy would decrease flexibility somewhat and increase administrative and operating costs. Depending on how students were assigned, it also could contribute to perception of a different community identity for different areas of the district. State financing of new schools can range from nothing to a maximum of about 70 percent. The existing school in Easton was expanded with no contribution from state funds because it did not meet the state- established need criteria based on the assessed value of the district (White 2008). State match funds in Washington come from the Common School Construction Fund. Bonds are sold on behalf of the fund then retired from revenues accruing predominantly from the sale of renewable resources from state school trust lands set aside by the Enabling Act of 1889 (primarily timber sales but also other leasing income from farmland or sources as wind and solar energy developed on trust lands). If these sources are insufficient to meet needs, the Legislature can appropriate funds or the State Board of Education can establish a moratorium on certain projects. School districts may qualify for state match funds for specific capital projects. To qualify, a project must first meet a state-established criteria of need. This is determined by a formula that specifies the amount of square footage the state will help finance to provide permanent structures for the unhoused enrollment projected for the district. If a project qualifies, it can become part of a state prioritization system. This system prioritizes allocation of available funding resources to school districts statewide based on seven prioritization categories. Funds are then disbursed to the districts based on a formula that calculates district-assessed valuation per pupil relative to the whole state-assessed valuation per pupil to establish the percent of the total project cost to be paid by the state. The state contribution can range from nothing to about 70 percent of the project’s cost (OSPI 2008b).