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CFAC Meeting Summary - February 2, 2026

Highline’s community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) is approaching a capital bond recommendation. If placed on ballots and approved by voters, a November bond would fund the next round of school replacements and critical maintenance needs districtwide.  

Below is a summary of the February 2 CFAC meeting to bring you up to date with the group’s discussion about potential bond projects.  

Community Feedback Invited on Bond Planning Priorities

As CFAC members work toward a final recommendation this spring, they want to understand how the community prioritizes key bond planning factors. A districtwide ThoughtExchange launched February 17. Students, staff, families and community members are invited to review the bond planning factors identified by CFAC and rank them in order of priority. You will also be asked to share which factor you ranked first and why. Share your thoughts in this ThoughtExchange.

Additional opportunity for feedback will be sought from several school communities with potential relocation impacts. 

CFAC members will receive a report of your feedback on bond planning priorities to inform their final bond recommendation to the Highline School Board this spring. The school board will make a final decision about placing a bond package on November ballots. 

Meeting Materials & Recording 

• Agenda
• Bond package worksheet for small group discussions 
• Slides 
  • Pages 25-28 were completed during the meeting. They represent the bond packages drafted in small group discussions. Each member rotated through all four tables to work toward consensus with a small group on a bond package for four different dollar amounts. 
• Livestream video recording 
  • Welcome (0:06)
  • Updates & Analysis (5:05)
  • Recap Last Meeting (13:55)
  • Additional Analysis from Bassetti Architects (18:15)
  • Gallery Walk (30:05)
  • Draft/Refine Bond Packages for Four Bond Amounts in Rotating Small Groups (42:18)
  • Small Group Report Out (1:45:19)
  • Bond Amount & Package Preferences & Closing (1:53:00)

Enrollment Update  

Student enrollment is up slightly this school year (from 16,851 up to 16,907). 

Highline’s enrollment is projected to stay stable for the next year or two, with gradual growth expected thereafter, and by 2029-2030, enrollment is anticipated to return to near 2020-2021 levels.   

• Elementary (grades K-5) enrollment is expected to grow, beginning next school year. 
• Secondary enrollment in grades 9-12 is expected to decline temporarily, with delayed increases as larger elementary cohorts advance.   

Tax Rate Updates and Implications for Bond Planning 

Contrary to the King County Assessor's earlier projection of an 8.15% decline, the district's assessed value grew by 0.82%, resulting in steady tax rates and favorable conditions for bond planning.   

Why Do Predicted Tax Rates Change for School Bonds & Levies? 

School district bonds and levies request specific dollar amounts from voters, not tax rates. Tax rates will vary due to factors outside the district's control, such as changes in assessment of individual home values and regional property values.    

Highline lists the projected tax rate for proposed bonds and levies in the voter’s pamphlet and on our website. However, the actual tax rate can vary. This is why the focus of bond planning is on the total amount requested.   

Recap of January CFAC Meeting & Ideas 

Members reviewed five bond package ideas generated in their January meeting and the emerging priorities that aligned across the packages.

They identified emerging priorities across the bond ideas: replacing aging comprehensive schools (prioritizing Sylvester and Cascade), securing long-term homes for Big Picture and Choice, and addressing district-wide critical maintenance needs. 

• See slides 12-21 or read the January meeting summary. 

Projects Under Consideration

The number of projects that can be included in a final recommendation for a bond depends on the total amount of the bond. The following projects are under consideration by CFAC: 

• Sylvester Middle School
  • Rebuild (full replacement)
       
• Cascade Middle School 
  • Rebuild (full replacement) at the Salmon Creek Site, 614 Southwest 120th Street, Burien
     
• Chinook Middle School
  • Partial rebuild & modernization 
     
• Big Picture, CHOICE Academy, and the Realistic Transition Program (RTP) and Career Based Services (CBS)
  • Partial rebuild & modernization at the Southern Heights Site, 11249 14th Avenue South, Burien 
  • Building a shared campus on the current Manhatten/Woodside site. 
     
• Hilltop Elementary School
  • Partial rebuild & modernization 
     
• Valley View Early Learning Center 
  • Rebuild on lower end of site 
     
• Critical Needs Fund 
  • For emergency & required upgrades districtwide 

Analysis of School Relocation Ideas 

Bassetti Architects provided additional information about the school relocation ideas generated by CFAC members at previous meetings.  

• CFAC discarded the idea of potentially rebuilding Sylvester Middle School at the Manhattan/Woodside Site due to cost concerns and the new field constructed at the current site. Rebuilding Sylvester at the Woodside/Manhattan site would be significantly more expensive ($224M) than at the existing site ($180.3M) due to a larger site area, challenging topography, and the need for extensive retaining walls to accommodate a track and field. 
   
• They reviewed the need for significant renovation and new construction to create a cohesive, accessible campus at the Southern Heights Site that could be shared by Big Picture and CHOICE Academy. This cost is estimated at $50 million, which is less than constructing a new shared facility at the existing adjacent sites. Ensuring sufficient transportation to off-site internships was flagged as a concern to be addressed. 

Why do some projects include an alternative site?

Big Picture & CHOICE at Southern Heights Site, 11249 14th Avenue South, Burien 

CFAC is considering the Southern Heights Site to create a modern shared campus by repurposing the upgraded classroom wings at the Southern Heights Site and replacing the main office, gym and food service building that was demolished after a 2024 arson fire. Architects recommend enclosing the two separate classroom wings and attaching them to a new portion of the shared facility. This proposal leverages existing funding streams allocated after the fire.  

Cascade Middle School at Salmon Creek Site, 614 SW 120th Street, Burien 

Current building requirements limit the space available to rebuild at Cascade’s current site, which would require a more expensive three-story building on a small footprint. CFAC is considering rebuilding Cascade at the former Salmon Creek Elementary Site (less than a mile south of Cascade) because it offers more space for the school and a track and field. This also would allow students to remain at Cascade during construction. Architects have confirmed this option is feasible and less expensive. Rebuilding Cascade at the Salmon Creek Site is estimated to cost $44 million less than rebuilding at the existing site and is a preferred option by CFAC members.

Gallery Walk & Reflections on Bond Ideas from January Meeting 

Members reviewed the draft bond ideas generated in January and projects in a short gallery walk. 

Small Group Activity: Drafting Bond Packages at Four Different Amounts 

In small group rotations, members collaboratively drafted bond packages for four different dollar amounts ($450, $500, $550 and $650 million), seeking consensus each time, with support from staff facilitators remaining at each table. 

Members Indicate Preference for Bond Amount and Packages 

After reviewing the packages drafted by each group for each amount, members indicated the bond amount and package they thought the Highline community would be most willing to support. A slightly higher number of preferences (7) were for the $500 million amount. 

There was unanimous support across all bond package ideas for building a new Sylvester Middle School at the existing site and building a new Cascade Middle School at the Salmon Creek Site, as well as including funding for critical needs. 

Potential projects, listed by number of times included in one of the preferred bond packages: 

Rebuild Sylvester	21
Rebuild Cascade at Salmon Creek Site	21
Fund Critical Needs - districtwide	21
Rebuild/Modernize Big Picture/CHOICE at Southern Heights Site	16
Design-only: Chinook	9
Rebuild Valley View	8
Design-only: Hilltop	8
Modernize/Rebuild Chinook	5
Design-only: Valley View	5
Modernize/Rebuild Hilltop	4

Preferred Bond Package Ideas 

Here are six bond package ideas that were preferred by one or more CFAC members at their February meeting. 

Idea A -- $500 Million Bond Package

• Replace Sylvester on site         
• Replace Cascade at Salmon Creek Site         
• Replace Valley View     
• Design Chinook     
• Critical Needs (may need increased for Chinook, Hilltop, CHOICE, Big Picture)     
• COST: $500M (plus critical needs funds for the four schools that wait)     

Idea B -- $650 Million Bond Package

• Replace Sylvester on site         
• Replace Cascade at Salmon Creek Site 
• Modernize/partially replace Chinook 
• Rebuild & Remodel Southern Heights (for CHOICE & Big Picture) 
• Design Hilltop 
• Design Valley View 
• Critical Needs (plus critical needs for Hilltop & Valley View to wait) 
• COST: up to $650M ($613.7M for SYL, CAS, CHI, SH, plus the cost of design work and critical needs for Hilltop & Valley View) 

Idea C -- $450 Million Bond Package 

• Replace Sylvester on site         
• Replace Cascade at Salmon Creek Site     
• Rebuild & Remodel Southern Heights (for CHOICE & Big Picture)         
• Critical Needs (increase for Chinook, Hilltop & Valley View) 
• COST: $452.4M (plus critical needs funds for the three schools that wait)     

Idea D -- $550 Million Bond Package

• Replace Sylvester on site         
• Replace Cascade at Salmon Creek Site 
• Rebuild & Remodel Southern Heights (for CHOICE & Big Picture) 
• Modernize/partially replace Hilltop 
• Design Chinook (they added $10M) 
• Critical Needs (includes $6.1M for Chinook & Valley View to wait) 
• COST: $545.4M     

Idea E -- $500 Million Bond Package Idea

• Replace Sylvester on site         
• Replace Cascade at Salmon Creek Site     
• Rebuild & Remodel Southern Heights (for CHOICE & Big Picture)
• Replace Valley View         
• Critical Needs (may need increased for Chinook & Hilltop)         
• COST: $517.9M (plus critical needs funds for the 2 schools that wait)         

Idea F -- $550 Million Bond Package Idea

• Replace Sylvester on site         
• Replace Cascade at Salmon Creek Site 
• Replace Valley View 
• Rebuild & Remodel Southern Heights (for CHOICE & Big Picture) 
• Design Chinook (they added $10M) 
• Design Hilltop (they added $5M) 
• Critical Needs (plus critical needs fund for Chinook & Hilltop to wait) 
• COST: $532.9M (plus critical needs funds for two schools that wait)     
   

Next Meeting

The next CFAC meeting is March 9, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the boardroom at Highline Public Schools' central office, 15675 Ambaum Blvd SW in Burien. The public is welcome to attend in person to listen or to view the livestream. 

CFAC Process and Past Meetings 

CFAC meeting summaries covering 2024-25 and 2025-26 work sessions are available on the Capital Facilities Advisory Committee webpage in the News Feed section.