Editorial: School Dist. 4 has Earned "Yes" Vote for Referendum
One week from today, voters in the county’s fastest-growing school district will have the opportunity to chart the future of education.
Anderson School Dist. 4, home to six schools, is experiencing unprecedented growth, which is expected to increase the student population by almost 40 percent in the decade ahead. The district, which topped 3,000 students for the first time in 2022, currently has 3,107 students, and projects to top more than 4,300 students in the next 9 years.
More than 3,000 new houses are currently under construction or recently completed in the district, which serves Pendleton and the area surrounding it.
This level of growth is particularly of concern in a district where most of the schools are already full or nearly full, with little room for adding teachers or classrooms.
The referendum asks voters in the district to approve $115 million in general obligation bonds to meet the challenges posed by the accelerated student growth.
The funds will be used to build a new high school and implement extensive upgrades at the other schools.
Two elementary schools, Mt. Lebanon and La France, are completely out of classroom space. Without upgrades, the only solution to meet the growing number of students would be increased class sizes, something that almost every student suggests is a bad idea, particularly in elementary schools.
Pendleton High School added almost 10 percent more students this academic year, and is near its limits without some relief.
There are few options for building and improving facilities aside from issuing general obligation bonds.
If approved by voters, the funds would be used for building a new high school on property the district owns just behind the current high school and converting the current high school into Riverside Middle School and moving sixth-grade students into that middle school. The location of the two facilities will also save money in the future, with some shared facilities.
Meanwhile, upgrades and renovations would make room for growth at Mt. Lebanon and La France elementary schools. Pendleton Elementary School and Townville Elementary would also see improvements. In addition, La France and Townville cafeterias will be expanded and updated.
The total costs of all projects is $148 million, some of which will be covered by the district’s wise conservation of the penny-sales tax funds.
The cost of the projects if approved by voters?
Owners of a $100,000 home would pay an additional $64 per year in taxes, or $32 per year for those with homestead exemption. A $200,000 homeowner would pay an additional $128 ($96 with homestead exemption), and a $300,000 homeowner would pay an additional $192 ($160 with homestead exemption).
But it is the potential cost to the school district if the referendum is not approved that is important.
Overcrowded classrooms and infrastructure impose taxing burdens with serious long-term consequences. Retaining good teachers, something of a trademark with Dist. 4, will become more difficult. Student achievement nearly always suffers in larger classrooms. Longer pick-up/drop-off lines pose safety issues. Even general safety issues pose more challenges with overcrowded hallways and schools.
Anderson School Dist. 4 has a proven track record of financial responsibility and accountability. The district has proven it can be trusted to navigate the challenges of the next decade, and are deserving of the support of voters to provide them with the tools needed to serve the students of the district.
The Anderson Observer editorial board endorses and fully supports a “yes” vote on the referendum for Anderson School Dist. 4 schools and their future. Anything less would send a clear message that voters do not value quality education.