[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted Oct. 17 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.]
When voters consider Highline Public Schools’ construction bond this November, I hope they understand something important about how it came to be: This is a plan developed by members of our community, not simply a proposal handed down by the school district.
As members of Highline’s Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC), we believe the condition of our schools matters and that decisions about public investments should be shaped by the communities they serve.
CFAC was established in 2015 to give community members a meaningful role in planning for Highline’s school facilities. Committee members are selected by community groups or by lottery, not chosen by the district. The committee includes parents, students, educators, labor representatives, community organizations, and local jurisdictions. We bring different experiences and perspectives, but share a responsibility to consider the needs of the entire district.
Over the past two years, CFAC has worked to develop the next phase of Highline’s long-term school construction plan. We spent time understanding the conditions and needs of schools across the district, weighing priorities, evaluating options, and considering the long-term financial implications of our decisions.
Equity was central to those conversations.
Highline serves students across communities with different resources and needs. Some students attend recently constructed schools with modern classrooms, while others learn in buildings that are decades past their intended useful life. A student’s opportunity to learn in a safe, healthy, functional school should not depend on their neighborhood or which school they attend.
Our goal was not simply to identify the oldest buildings. We considered building conditions, health and safety, student impact, capacity, long-term costs, and the feasibility of different projects. We also considered how each investment would advance equity across the district.
Financial responsibility was equally important.
As committee members, we understand that our recommendations involve hundreds of millions of dollars in public investment. We take that responsibility seriously.
One of the clearest lessons from our work is that delaying necessary construction makes it more expensive. Buildings continue to deteriorate, maintenance needs increase, and construction costs
Investing now is not just about addressing current needs. It is about making responsible decisions for the long term.
The resulting bond recommendation reflects years of community planning, careful consideration of alternatives, and a commitment to balancing student needs with financial realities. It builds on the progress voters supported through previous bonds and continues the work of improving school facilities throughout our district.
We know that asking our community to support a school bond is significant. These are real financial commitments for families and property owners. That is precisely why the community’s involvement in developing this proposal matters.
We did not arrive at this recommendation casually, and we did not all begin with the same priorities. We asked questions, challenged assumptions, and made compromises.
Ultimately, we returned to a shared conviction: Every Highline student deserves a school that supports their education, safety, and future.
This bond is our community’s plan for meeting that responsibility.
– Mika Sundberg, Erik Hustad, and Pat Thompson
Current Capital Facilities Advisory Committee members
The authors are current members of Highline’s Capital Facilities Advisory Committee. The views expressed are their own and do not represent an official position of the committee or Highline Public Schools.
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