Referendum Fact Sheet

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The demand to attend Wayzata Public Schools has never been greater. The district’s K-12 resident student enrollment is expected to increase twice as fast in the next 10 years as it has in the past decade.

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Wayzata Schools resident enrollment is growing…more capacity is needed

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Continuing Excellence for Each and Every Student

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This growth and need for more capacity is due to: • More births and students moving into the district • More housing—1,200 new homes have been built in the district over the past four years and at least another 1,600 new homes are expected to be built in the next four years • More students already in the schools— most district schools are already at capacity, including the high school, and incoming classes from the district’s three middle schools increase each year • Projections for Wayzata High School suggesting growth by as many as 900 students in the next 10 years • The State’s recent decision to fund all-day Kindergarten that will create the need for 14-16 additional elementary classrooms In addition to creating the need for additional learning spaces, this growth also puts increasing pressure on our building infrastructure, most notably our security, safety and technology systems.

Two school funding questions on February 25, 2014 ballot to address enrollment growth The Wayzata School Board voted unanimously to approve the comprehensive bonding package in question one and the renewal of the technology levy in question two: Question 1: Request to approve $109.645 million in bond funding to expand Wayzata High School, build a new 8th elementary school and upgrade safety, security and technology infrastructure districtwide.

Question 2: Request to renew the existing technology levy, which funds technology equipment, support and training districtwide with approximately $2.7 million annually.

WAYZATA SCHOOL BOND REQUEST High school expansion . . . . . . . . . . . $69,720,000 New elementary school. . . . . . . . . . . . $26,100,000 Districtwide infrastructure. . . . . . . . . . $13,825,000 Total bond request VOTER REQUEST

Q1: $109.645 million bond Q2: Renew existing tech levy

$109,645,000 Annual Tax Impact*

Monthly Tax Impact*

$123

$10

$0

$0

* Tax impacts are based on $333,900 average home value in school district

What if Question 1 passes?

If approved, construction will begin on the high school expansion in winter 2014/15, a search for elementary school land will begin immediately and upgrades to the district’s security and technology infrastructure will begin in summer 2014. The high school expansion and the new elementary school should be open to students in fall 2016.

What if Question 1 fails?

If defeated, all district schools—elementary, middle and high school—will continue to get increasingly crowded. The resident student growth is real and will continue to present space challenges. The district will need to develop a short-term plan to address crowding, as any long-term solution will be delayed by at least a year. After determining what the no vote meant, the district will need to return to voters with an updated recommendation to provide needed space for students.

How was the high school expansion decision made?

The recommendation to expand Wayzata High School, rather than build a second smaller high school or other options, was based on months of work in spring and summer 2013 by the Community Task Force on Facilities, the Citizens Financial Advisory Council, the School Board Facilities Committee, input from staff, and Board and administrative review of: • Enrollment data • Various grade configurations • Information on other large high schools • Case studies of one vs two high schools • Benefits and challenges of one vs two high schools • Impact of expanding current high school • Project cost comparisons • Operating cost comparisons After thorough review, the School Board was unanimous in its decision to expand the current high school over all other options.

Reasons for expansion included: a wider range of opportunities available for all students, concern about disparities that would exist between one larger and one smaller high school, continuing the excellence in place at Wayzata High School, positive case studies of other successful large schools including Wayzata, maintaining community unity, better preparation for the transition to college and long-term operating cost efficiencies. Operating costs alone for a second high school would likely exceed an additional $12 million over the next 20 years.

QUESTION 1 Expand Wayzata High School campus and facility, bringing the total capacity from the current 3,200 to 3,900 students • High school addition:

> Classrooms and Labs > Music and Performing Arts > Physical Education

> Cafeteria and Food Service

• Land purchase/campus expansion • Additional entrance to site • 172,000 Square Feet in additions • Project cost: $62.32 million • Land cost: $7.4 million

Build an 8th elementary school to provide additional districtwide capacity at the elementary level • Capacity 760 students • 83,000 square foot building • Site purchase of 20+ usable acres north of Highway 55 • Project cost: $26.1 million

Invest in District infrastructure • Improve entrance security at all buildings • Upgrade technology infrastructure between buildings • Upgrade energy savings options • Project cost: $13.825 million

QUESTION 2 Renew existing technology levy • $2.7 million per year • Expires in 2016 - renew additional 10 years • No tax increase

Financially sound school district The Wayzata School District is in a good financial position to consider issuing long-term debt through a bond request.

• The school district has a very low debt load when compared to many other school districts (ratio of what it owes to what it owns) • Current High School debt will be paid off in 2017 • AAA bond rating • Careful financial planning has positioned the District on firm footing This means the tax impact of adding more debt is less per homeowner than it would be if the homes were in neighboring districts. As more homes are built, the tax impact may actually decrease as the debt is shared across a larger tax base. The last time voters were asked to approve building bonds was in 1998.

If voters approve the ballot questions, the tax impact on the average Wayzata homeowner ($333,900 value home) would be approximately $10/month for the bond issue. There would be no tax increase for the technology levy renewal.

Learn more Visit www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/referendum, email referendum@wayzata.k12.mn.us or leave a message on the referendum hotline at 763-745-5050.

Where to vote Visit http://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us for your specific polling location.

Excellence. For Each and Every Student.

Prepared and paid for by the Wayzata Schools, 210 County Road 101 N, Wayzata, MN 55391. This publication is not circulated on behalf of any candidate or ballot question.

11/2013