Grand Coulee School District officials seek help for deteriorating school buildings

January 29, 2009

Olympia…Sen. Bob Morton, R-Kettle Falls, met recently with Grand Coulee School District officials about the deterioration of the district’s school buildings. The meeting included a representative from Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ office, and Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, chair of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee.  The district consists of three school buildings – all more than 50 years old. The district recently closed a fourth building that was more than 60 years old. The district serves 655 children in kindergarten through high school.

Shown at Sen. Morton’s desk in the Senate chamber during their visit to Olympia are Donna DeWindler, President, Grand Coulee School Board (sitting), Sheila Stalp from Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ office (standing next to Sen. Morton) and Jeff Loe, Grand Coulee Business Administrator and Acting Superintendent.

All of Grand Coulee’s school buildings have hazardous materials, poor indoor air quality, inadequate insulation for efficient energy utilization and poor water quality. They contain obsolete maintenance systems, and lack appropriate safety measures for students and staff. 

District officials visited Olympia seeking help to build a new school that would house all grades.  

Unexpected costs like the bus garage fire in 2007, which destroyed the structure and six buses, have added to the district’s financial woes. 

“Grand Coulee’s problem is a lack of taxable land,” Morton said. “This district is composed of 80 percent tribal or federal land. Taxable property owners are already paying a local levy of $4.39 per $1,000. The district simply cannot raise the money to qualify for state school construction matching funds.” 

District officials say the impact aid they receive from federal agencies only counts for 10 percent of their budget – and they would have to save all of it for 15 years to have enough to qualify for state matching funds to build a new school. 

Busing children to another district would in some cases result in a 52-mile one-way trip. 

“There is the possibility that the federal stimulus package will include money for school construction, but that is still unresolved,” Morton said. 

Morton added that he is happy the district is involving McMorris Rodgers’ office in the discussions because of the high number of federal agency landowners in the district. 

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Additional contact: Penny Drost (360) 786-7522 or drost.penny@leg.wa.gov