2026 Facility Study Group

Team Charge / Purpose 

• To develop an accurate understanding of where the school district is today and to identify / reimagine the educational facility needs of tomorrow.
• To evaluate the current condition, functionality and future needs of school buildings / infrastructure.
• To develop and present a bond package recommendation to the Ephrata School Board that supports long-term student success, accommodates future growth and aligns with the district's educational goals and financial resources.

Facility Conditions and Community Survey Findings

Superintendent Ken Murray met with community members in September and October 2026 and shared the following Facility Committee summary at the October 2026 School Board Meeting:

State OSPI facility condition scores highlighted stark infrastructure disparities across the district, rating Columbia Ridge and Ephrata Middle School in like-new condition while Grant and Parkway scored low. In follow-up surveys and listening sessions, community members and staff voiced clear reservations about property tax rates, overall project costs, and previous location proposals. Survey results revealed an overwhelming mandate to prioritize replacing the aging Grant Elementary, with respondents firmly demanding that the new facility be constructed directly adjacent to its existing location.

Murray presented a streamlined 20-year, $37.4 million local bond structured with interest rate cushions to keep tax rates steady and avoid the substantial increases of the previous ballot attempt. The financing plan leverages several existing and anticipated financial adjustments, including the expiration of the District's capital levy at the end of 2026, a built-in step-down in payments on the 2019 bond, and savings generated when the District chose to defease the remaining SCAP funds associated with the 2019 bond. Together, these factors create an opportunity to rebuild Grant Elementary while helping minimize the impact on local taxpayers.

The projected cost of the Grant Elementary replacement is $49.2 million. Approximately $11.8 million is anticipated to come from School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP), with the remaining $37.4 million funded through a 20-year bond. The estimated total District tax rate, including existing District taxes and the proposed bond, is $3.67 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

The estimated total District tax rate under the current proposal is approximately $1.00 per $1,000 of assessed property value lower than the estimated rate associated with the previous proposal voters rejected in February of 2026. In addition, when compared to the known 2026 total District tax rate, the current projections indicate an estimated increase of approximately $0.07 per $1,000 of assessed property value beginning in 2028. A full copy of the Community Facility Study Group Recommendation is linked below under “October 26, 2026 School Board Meeting.”

During the Regular School Board Meeting on November 23, 2026, the Ephrata School Board will determine whether to place the measure before voters as part of the February 9, 2027, or April 27, 2027, election.