MERIDIAN, Idaho — The West Ada School District hopes to see a monumental levy pass to help handle stresses of a growing treasure valley.
If passed, $50 million would annually be used to build two new elementary schools, a new career and technical education center, and address aging infrastructure.
Many areas on the outskirts of the Boise metropolitana area would receive support with rapid growth causing issues for schools in those areas.
“We have areas of growth in the north. We have areas of growth in the south that we have to be able to address," said Derek Bub, superintendent for the West Ada School District. “Nobody would have guessed seven years ago that Star would be our fastest growing area.”
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The district oversees a massive number of students from multiple cities in the area making it vital to see funding go through for any future growth.
“We currently have 58 schools, serve 40,000 students across an area of almost 400 square miles, so we are a giant school district,” said Bub.
Star Elementary School, over the past decade, has seen its numbers go up from more people moving to the area. And if the trend continues, the school could see higher classroom numbers negatively impacting students.
“We went from three classes at every grade level with a fourth floating class, and then growth moved it to now four at every grade level with a fifth floating class as population moves,” said Carmi Scheller.
Scheller has been in education for 30-plus years and knows the pressures associated with higher class numbers and what could happen if the levy fails.
“It makes me anxious because it means large classes. It means 36 to 38 students with an overcrowded aid so you have another adult in the room which is great but also more people in a small space,” said Scheller.
For more information on the Levy, click here.
