Oregon voters approve $860 million in school bonds, rejecting one

Voters in eight Oregon school districts approved bond measures totaling roughly $860 million on Tuesday night, authorizing spending to replace aging structures and install safety upgrades. The only measure to fail was a $48 million bond in Harney County School District No. 3.

The national average age of school buildings is 49 years, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. In Oregon, some facilities currently in use are 98 years old. Districts sought funding for specific repairs, including new roofs, emergency alert systems, and seismic improvements.

In the Willamette Valley, voters approved bonds in North Clackamas, Gladstone, Reynolds, Silver Falls, and Hillsboro districts. Southern Oregon saw approval in Grants Pass and Glide. The Reynolds district, for example, approved a $162.5 million measure that includes replacing 72-year-old Glenfair Elementary and building new athletic facilities at Reynolds High School.

The Gladstone School District, which serves approximately 1,600 students in Clackamas County, appears to have passed a $55.3 million bond. The district will receive an additional $10.2 million in state matching funds. Interim superintendent Karen Gray stated that the projects focus on infrastructure upgrading and repair rather than cosmetic changes. She noted that the district last received bond approval nearly 20 years ago and that a smaller financial ask helped secure support this time.

The Hillsboro district approved a $430 million bond, with more than half allocated to roofing, plumbing, and seismic updates. Superintendent Travis Reiman described the process as the culmination of almost two years of planning and community input. The measure also funds a new classroom for Liberty High School’s fire science program.

The Silver Falls district voted to consolidate three aging elementary schools into a single K-8 school and replace Silverton Middle School. The Glide district, serving about 700 students in Douglas County, approved a $16.5 million bond to construct new buildings on its campuses. The Corvallis district also renewed a staff levy that has been in place for 20 years.

Harney County School District No. 3 was approved for a $10.2 million state matching grant, but the district will not receive those funds because its bond failed. A committee will oversee construction projects in the districts that passed their measures.