Kennewick School District has until Oct. 15 to tell the state it plans to pursue $61 million in matching construction money, a deadline tied to a planned February 2027 bond measure that would replace two of the district's oldest middle schools.
The district has identified Horse Heaven Hills Middle School and Highlands Middle School as priority replacement projects, according to reporting first published by the Tri-City Herald and mirrored on Yahoo News. Highlands was built in 1959 and renovated in 1994. Horse Heaven Hills dates to 1993. Both buildings became age-eligible for state matching funds roughly six months ago.
An August contract request for architectural services also listed Hawthorne and Washington elementaries as a "potential project," though the Herald's reporting notes discussions remain early and no final decisions have been made on scope or price for any of the four buildings.
Why the Oct. 15 date matters
The deadline exists because of a COVID-era waiver on student enrollment eligibility rules that is set to expire, according to the Herald's reporting. That waiver has let more districts statewide qualify for the state's School Construction Assistance Program, known as SCAP, which provides matching funds for major new construction or modernization projects — but only after a district secures local funding and meets the program's eligibility rules, according to OSPI's SCAP program page.
If Kennewick voters approve a bond in the Feb. 9 special election, the district could draw on that $61 million in state matching money, which would also let it reduce how much of the project cost falls on local property owners through the capital levy. The district has said it's aiming to keep the overall tax rate near $3 per $1,000 of assessed value, though that figure could shift once a final bond amount is set.
A hurdle bigger than a levy
Unlike school levies, which need only a simple majority, Washington bonds require 60% voter approval to pass, a higher bar the Feb. 9 measure will have to clear, as detailed in earlier Herald coverage mirrored on AOL.
Kennewick's recent ballot history is mixed. Voters approved a $125 million bond in February 2019 that funded a new Kennewick High School, additions at Kamiakin and Southridge high schools, and replacements for Amistad and Ridge View elementary schools, according to AppleValleyNewsNow. But the district's operating levy failed twice during the 2022-23 cycle, forcing $30 million to $38 million in budget cuts before voters finally approved it, according to AOL.
Kennewick isn't alone in racing state funding windows. Neighboring Richland and Pasco districts have separately pursued bonds and levies for new comprehensive high schools in recent election cycles, part of a broader regional pattern of districts trying to line up state dollars before eligibility rules change.
What's next
The Kennewick School Board plans a study session Oct. 21 at 5:30 p.m. at Highlands Middle School to review funding options and facility needs, according to the district's own reporting cited in the Herald's coverage. That session comes six days after the state notification deadline, meaning the district will have already committed to pursuing the SCAP funds before the board publicly digs into project details with residents.
Still unresolved: the final list of projects and total bond size, whether Hawthorne and Washington elementaries end up folded into the measure or handled separately, and whether the board will formally vote to place the bond on the Feb. 9 ballot. Residents who want to weigh in on the district's facility priorities can attend the Oct. 21 session at Highlands Middle School, or check the Kennewick School District's bonds and levies page for updates as the plan takes shape.
