[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted by a verified resident. It represents the opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of South King Media or its staff.]
At this week’s Highline School Board meeting, I used my public testimony to raise concerns about Agenda Item 10.4—a $651,000 (75%) cost overrun on a single construction project. I want to sincerely acknowledge and thank the board and district leadership for taking the time to discuss this item at length following my comment.
During that discussion, the district leaned heavily on the fact that the agenda packet listed “insurance proceeds” as the revenue source. While I appreciate the board taking time to discuss the budget publicly, simply typing “insurance proceeds” on a final closeout document is not proactive transparency. The public packet provided zero actual documentation, insurance verification, or justification for how nine separate change orders were allowed to balloon a no-bid “emergency” contract by 75%. Taxpayers shouldn’t have to show up to a meeting and demand answers just to get basic financial context behind a half-million-dollars in change orders. Proactive transparency means showing the actual data and receipts before the final vote, not just offering verbal reassurances after the fact.
Furthermore, this reactive approach to governance highlights a broader crisis of priorities. While the board was willing to discuss construction costs, a highly effective, established principal remains inexplicably sidelined and isolated in a district office role.
Paying a proven school leader to sit in administrative limbo is an egregious waste of taxpayer resources and a profound disservice to our students and staff.
I have formally asked the board and Superintendent Duran to produce the actual insurance documentation for Item 10.4 and to provide a concrete timeline for resolving this unacceptable personnel situation.
I am glad the board opened the floor to discuss financial data this week—it is a positive step forward. But our community deserves a district that consistently prioritizes proactive transparency, verified data, and student outcomes over vague paperwork and punitive HR tactics.
– Kristen Price
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