FAQ Proposed Facility Concept

Frequently Asked Questions about Proposed Facilities Concept

Q. Why is it that relatively new schools are already overcrowded?

A. New schools in Central Valley School District are built to house a maximum number of students. This ‘capacity’ is set by our School Board, which has directed that new high schools be built to house up to 1,800 students and new elementary schools to house up to 600 students. Low interest rates have fueled rapid residential development in some parts of the district, generating increased enrollment and overcrowding in some schools.

Q. How does the district plan for growth?

A. Constantly. For more than 20 years, Central Valley School District has worked with community groups in on-going 2-3 year cycles to plan for growth. These community planning committees review current school facilities, consider student enrollment projections and make recommendations to the Board regarding facility needs for the future. The current planning committee, Community Linkages, is continuing to evaluate the most current population growth and development data available, to project facilities needs for the short and long-term.

Q. Why isn’t the district getting money from developers through impact fees to cover the cost of building new schools in growing areas?

A. Public school districts are not legally authorized to impose or collect impact fees. Governmental agencies are empowered to do so. Central Valley School District serves a geographic area under the jurisdiction of three governmental agencies: City of Liberty Lake, City of Spokane Valley and Spokane County. The district is currently in discussions with these agencies about impact fees. If residential impact fees were collected, a one-time revenue infusion of approximately $1500 – $2000 per home, or $450,000 - $600,000 for a new 300-home development would be generated. This revenue would typically cover less than 5% of the cost of a new school building.

Q. Can we use University Center (the old University High School) to house overflow students from crowded schools?

A. Our district has been using University Center (U-Center) to house students displaced by school remodeling. This is a special use exemption granted by the state for a limited number of years. Currently, South Pines Elementary is housed at U-Center during the school’s year-long remodel. Early childhood programs (pre-K) are also housed at U-Center and part of the facility is used as a district support site for transportation. The district is explicitly forbidden by the state from using the former University High School site to serve K-12 students for regular education, unless the students are displaced because their home school is being remodeled.

Q. Why can’t the district just build another elementary school to address crowding in Greenacres and Liberty Lake?

A. Currently, the cost to build a new 600-student elementary school is about $12 million. The State of Washington will not provide financial assistance, due to under-utilized elementary school space in the southwestern part of our district. The school district does not have the financial reserves to build a new school. Therefore, the funding must be raised within the district, typically through a bond measure. 

Q. Who decides which components of the proposed concept will be implemented?

A. The School Board has directed staff to seek community input and has asked for a report in March 2005. After considering all comments submitted by the community, the Board will decide which components of the concept will be changed or implemented.

For more information, contact us.