Staff at the Bend-La Pine school district are recommending a $268.3 million bond for the May ballot. It would be a record bond for Oregon’s fifth largest district. Superintendent Shay Mikalson says the money is needed for building maintenance, as well as new schools to keep up with population growth.
"In this bond, there is a recommendation for a new high school as well as a new elementary school. We have 18 elementary schools and half of those are at or over capacity right now and all of our high schools are near or over capacity," he said.
Mikalson says the district is already using portable classrooms and re-purposing libraries and teacher lounges into classroom spaces. The school board is expected to vote early next year on whether to put the bond on the ballot.