Forest Grove School District officials told the budget committee that the district continues to use voter-approved 2022 bond funds for major capital projects, including a planned two-story, 76,000-square-foot replacement for Cornelius Elementary and seismic and security work across the district.

Why it matters: Bond-funded capital projects significantly raise the district’s near-term capital budget and explain a high share of total district expenditures for the coming year. Those projects affect where and how students are housed and can change facility capacity and program space for career-technical education.

Key points

- Cornelius replacement: Dr. West said bond funds are supporting a new two-story, 76,000-square-foot Cornelius Elementary School designed to meet current seismic-safety standards and to provide flexible learning spaces, a family resource center and pre-kindergarten classrooms.

- Bond scope: Budget materials presented to the committee show bond proceeds are also funding seismic retrofits, security upgrades, expanded CTE facilities at Forest Grove High School and additional early-learning classroom space. The presentation identified approximately $121,000,000 in bond-authorized spending supporting those capital projects.

- Oversight and timing: The district’s citizen bond oversight committee continues to meet regularly, district staff told the committee, and projects remain active across multiple years as construction schedules proceed.

- Budget impact: Capital projects were cited as the main reason the district’s capital-projects fund is a larger share of total spending this year; district staff said the capital percentage will shrink in future years as bond work completes.

Committee discussion and context

Committee members asked how long the bond-driven capital spending will affect the budget and whether the district carries reserves to pay for unexpected repairs while projects continue. Eileen said the capital projects fund is high this year because of ongoing construction work and that the district maintains smaller general-fund allocations for emergency building repairs when needed.

Ending note: Officials emphasized that the bond program is the primary source of near-term capital spending and that the bond oversight committee provides regular reporting on project status.