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District outlines early-learning capacity needs, seeks six-classroom modular addition at Early Learning Center
Summary
District staff said current early-learning capacity serves about 900 students across programs and warned the Fair Start for Kids Act’s move to full‑day ECAP could require roughly 11 additional classrooms; capital staff proposed a 6‑classroom standalone modular building estimated at $5–8 million as initial response.
District staff told the Clover Park School District board the early‑learning program currently serves about 900 students across ECAP, special‑education early learning and Head Start spaces, and described capital and programmatic steps needed to preserve capacity if state policy expands full‑day requirements.
Executive Director Jen Herbal and Director of Capital Projects Rick Ring presented capacity and a potential capital solution. Herbal said the district has capacity to serve about 900 students, with the largest concentration in the Early Learning Center and roughly 336 special‑education early-learning students. She said changes in the Fair Start for Kids Act could require half‑day ECAP classrooms to become full‑day by the 2026–27 year to meet entitlement requirements; that shift would reduce the number of students served unless the district adds classrooms. Herbal said the district estimates needing about 11 additional classrooms to maintain current service levels and noted the state expansion also alters age ranges that could increase demand (children eligible at age 3 rather than a later cutoff).
Rick Ring said capital staff are recommending a six‑classroom standalone addition at the Early Learning Center site in Lakewood as an initial, rapid response. He described delivery options—prefabricated modular construction using KCDA pre‑negotiated contracts (shorter timeline and potential cost savings) versus traditional design‑bid‑build methods—and estimated a wide project cost range of $5 million to $8 million at the current scoping stage. Ring said the preferred procurement and delivery approach would use KCDA contracts and modular manufacture to reduce schedule duration; he estimated 15 to 18 months for the project after board approval and said preliminary feasibility work (site survey, early design) could begin within weeks.
Ring described site considerations including possible demolition of a 1,700‑square‑foot building (built in 1956), a 9,000‑square‑foot addition footprint, parking and playground expansions, drainage, and safety measures (including fencing along the railroad tracks). He said the project would be constructed on an occupied site, requiring safety measures during construction. On funding, Ring said the proposed work would be paid from the district’s capital projects fund—existing local capital dollars, not bond proceeds—and that details on abatement, furniture and technology costs would be included as scoping refines.
Why it matters: The potential state move to full‑day ECAP will increase demand for classroom space; without added capacity the district risks losing the ability to serve the same number of early-learning students under new entitlement rules.
Ending: Ring and Herbal said staff will proceed with feasibility and preliminary design work and return to the board with refined cost estimates and a recommended delivery method.
