Auburn School District School Bond Proposition on November Ballot

The proposed measure will build the district’s fifth middle school on district property on Sumner-Tapps Highway E., replace Cascade Middle School on ASD property on I St. NE and 40th St. NE and replace Alpac Elementary School at its current site. Cascade is 59 years old and Alpac is 54 years old.

This school year, more than 1,100 middle school students attended classes in 43 portables across the four middle schools and the district is adding two more portables for the 26-27 school year. If approved, this package will address middle school crowding across the district. The average cost of the bond if approved is estimated at $1.10 per $1,000 of assessed valuation and the total bond package would not exceed $491 million.

More than 40 ASD community members, parents and staff served on a 2023 citizens' committee to determine facility needs. The committee examined the district’s facilities, evaluated the need for new facilities and made recommendations to accommodate district facility needs for the next 10 years. After meeting for 12 weeks, the committee presented its highest priority projects to the board.  In November 2024, the bond package on the ballot received 55 percent approval, in November 2025 it received 54% approval but bonds require a 60% supermajority. Since the majority of the community approved the proposition, the board is asking the community to consider it again.

Old schools are costly to maintain and lack essential features of new schools. Auburn takes care of its facilities, but after more than 50 years, these schools divert money from the educational operating budget for repairs. 

The Auburn School District is committed to providing students with the best environment for learning.  During the last eight years, the district built Bowman Creek Elementary and Willow Crest Elementary. The district razed and replaced Olympic Middle School, Chinook Elementary, Dick Scobee Elementary, Lea Hill Elementary, Pioneer Elementary and Terminal Park Elementary. All projects came in on-time, on-budget and are high-quality schools that will last for generations. Complete information about the upcoming proposition is available on the district website at www.auburn.wednet.edu/2026election