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District starts 2026 bond planning, estimates $250M–$300M capacity; seeks consultant by mid-June
Summary
Hillsboro School District staff and a bond-planning team outlined early steps for a potential 2026 bond measure, described a strategy to capitalize on levy/bond payoff capacity and said they have issued a request for proposals for consultants with the goal of naming a firm at the June 17 board meeting.
District staff told the board they have begun planning for a potential 2026 bond measure that would follow the district’s strategy used in prior cycles to take advantage of capacity created when older bonds are paid off.
Why it matters: The district said it expects some tax-rate capacity to free up when earlier bonds are retired; staff and an outside advisor (Piper Sandler) modeled scenarios that show a possible bonding capacity in the range of approximately $250 million to $300 million under conservative assumptions. Staff cautioned that grant awards (such as a state “awesome” grant referenced in the presentation), bond-market conditions and any bond-sale premiums will affect the final amount.
Process and timeline: Staff said the district has issued a request for proposals and plans to select a consultant to support bond development and community engagement; the goal is to present a recommended consultant at the June 17 board meeting. The district intends to convene a bond development committee that will gather community input, refine a universe of capital needs (facilities, technology renewal, deferred maintenance) and develop package options for public feedback. Staff named community leaders who will co-chair the committee, including Erica Lopez and former Hillsboro Mayor Steve Cowell.
Prior bond context and funding notes: Presenters reviewed the 2017 bond’s outcomes and noted that in that cycle the district leveraged state grant funds and bond sale premiums to increase project capacity. Staff said the district does not expect to replicate the exact premium levels from 2017 but described the current payoff capacity as a reason to start planning now. They also said the district will partner with consultants to package projects and present options to voters.
Board role and next steps: Staff asked for board participation in proposal review if members are available and committed to an expedited schedule. If a consultant is selected in mid-June, staff said the development committee will immediately begin pulling together project lists and public outreach planning with a likely public engagement period to follow.
Attribution: Presentation and values above reflect staff comments during the board work session and the bond-planning presentation included in the meeting packet.
