Bond measures in the Highline and Kent school districts were passing, and Auburn’s measure was trailing.
Bond measures for the Highline and Kent school districts were leading Tuesday night, and one in the Auburn School District was trailing.
Highline’s $299.9 million bond measure had 65 percent of the vote, according to an update from King County after 1 a.m. Wednesday. If the measure passes, it would be the first for the Highline district in a decade.
The district has proposed building schools and remodeling others. Highline High School, which is more than 90 years old, would be rebuilt, for example, and Olympic Elementary would be renovated.
The district also would construct a middle school, and an elementary to replace Des Moines Elementary, also nearly a century old.
The funds would also go toward safety and security improvements in buildings across the district, and officials would develop designs for future rebuilds of Pacific Middle School and Evergreen and Tyee high schools.
“We are grateful to Highline voters for supporting our students by providing safer schools and room to learn,” Superintendent Susan Enfield said in a news release sent Tuesday night. “We pledge to continue our record of good stewardship of bond funds and on-time, on-budget construction projects.”
Kent’s $252 million bond measure was leading with 65 percent. If it passes, the district will build two new elementary schools, add classrooms, renovate outdoor athletic facilities and improve safety systems. The same measure failed in the April special election by fewer than 300 votes.
And in Auburn, a $456.1 million bond measure was just short of the needed 60 percent threshold, with 59.75 percent of the vote, according to the early Wednesday update. All bond measures require 60 percent approval, and must reach a minimum voter turnout.
The district wants to build two elementary schools and rebuild four others, plus two middle schools. All the buildings that will be rebuilt are at least 50 years old.