The district has finished three years of construction in the 2018 bond program and is ready to take on year four, starting in January 2022.
Construction first started in the spring of 2019 and to date, 54 of 60 school sites have experienced some phase of the construction process, meaning they are either under active construction, are in design and planning for construction, or are completed.
Overall, the bond program is on track to deliver the improvements promised to the community on time and on budget. And as of October 2021, the bond program has invested $455 million into work in the community.
Thanks to premiums and interest on bond proceeds, grants and reimbursements, the total approved bond program has grown from the original $619.7 million to over $758 million.
The additional funds allow the district to deliver more work than originally promised to the community without affecting the taxpayers’ levy rate. Additional projects that will be addressed because of these funds are improvements identified in the 2019 boundary adjustment process, such as the new seven-classroom addition at Kennedy Elementary School. The additional funds will also address projects that were identified as needs during the design, planning and assessment of projects, such as significant HVAC replacements and upgrades at McKay High School. Lastly, the additional funds will help address some of the projects that were identified as needs during the facility planning process that would not fit within the original $619.7 million package.
As the district enters the fourth year of work in the bond program, nine schools are currently operating while under construction and are well on the way to completion in 2022. Sixteen schools will wrap up design and planning and move into active construction in 2022. A summary of bond work across the district as of December 2021 follows.
The 2018 bond program promises to relieve overcrowding and prepare schools for future enrollment, expand career and technical education programs, increase safety and security including seismic safety, and protect the community’s investment in district facilities.
For more information about the 2018 bond program, please visit www.salemkeizer.org/projects-status
Construction complete/substantially complete* (29 schools)
Construction ongoing (nine schools)
Starting construction in 2022 (16 schools)
Starting design and planning in 2022 for construction in 2023 (six schools)
*“Substantially complete” means the building can operate as a school although contractors may still be on-site for a few weeks or months finishing up details.