Farmington’s Board of Education passed a resolution Monday asking district voters to approve a $111.8 million construction and building improvement referendum. The referendum question also asks voters to allow bond dollars previously approved but not yet used for an addition to Middle School East be applied to this project. The election has been set for Tuesday, February 15th, 2005. Approval of the bond election will finance key construction and building improvement projects that are needed to help the district accommodate current and future enrollment growth.

Growth Is Filling District 192’s Buildings
The Farmington community has grown steadily over the past decade. Between 1998 and 2004, enrollment increased by 44% to 5,500 students. Demographic experts working with the district project this growth to continue. One result of this growth is that Farmington’s schools are at or near their capacity. Kindergarten enrollments will meet existing building capacity next year. While two elementary schools are already at capacity, total elementary capacity will be exceeded by 2007. Middle School East is forecast to reach capacity in 2005 with Middle School West following in 2007. Farmington’s high school will exceed its 1,200 student capacity by 2008. With this trend expected to continue into the next decade, the district must prepare now to provide adequate learning spaces for these new and existing students.

Facility Planning Process
Monday’s vote was the latest step in a planning process that began last winter. The School Board commissioned a 40-member committee of citizens, students and staff to study the short and long-range facility needs of the district. Their task was to review the reports of prior growth planning committees, receive and evaluate available demographic data, and bring recommendations to the school board on how to best accommodate this increasing student enrollment. Following four months of intensive data collection and analysis, the committee issued its report to the Board in August. Their recommendations form the basis of this bond referendum.

Proposed Solution
The proposed bond referendum will finance a solution which helps accommodate enrollment growth into the next decade while minimizing the amount of new construction. The referendum includes:

Construction of a new 2,000 student High School;
Conversion of the current high school to serve as a 6-8th grade middle school;
Minor enhancements to Middle School West so it can serve 6-8th grade students;
Conversion of Middle School East to serve as an elementary school;
Construction of an additional elementary school to accommodate growth in the younger grades and to move kindergarten students back into their neighborhood schools;
Completion of several maintenance and program enhancements that support student achievement such as classroom instructional resources and facility improvements.
The Facility Improvement Plan’s key to accommodating Farmington’s rising student enrollment is the construction of a new 2,000 student high school facility. This campus would be located on land recently purchased on Flagstaff Avenue in western Farmington. The current high school cannot be expanded any further on its site and structurally cannot support vertical expansion. In addition, the core facilities (spaces used by all students such as cafeterias, gyms, athletic fields or parking) will be inadequate for the increased enrollment. Construction of a new high school also provides a solution to middle school enrollment needs by allowing the current building to be converted into a middle school.

Additional space will be created at the middle school level by changing the grade configuration of the secondary schools. Ninth grade students, who were part of the high school as recently as 1999, will return to the high school when the new building opens. The district will then have two middle schools, each serving grades 6 through 8. While offering some significant educational and co-curricular advantages to students, this change reduces the number of grades and students at the middle school level. This prevents the need for an additional middle school. It will also support student achievement by reducing the number of school building transitions for Farmington students. With the former high school and the current Middle School West serving grades 6 through 8, the district will have adequate space for its rapidly growing middle school population.

To meet space needs at the elementary level, the current Middle School East will be modified for elementary use and a 6th elementary building will be constructed. Middle School East’s basic design was used for the district’s newest building, Meadowview Elementary. This additional space will also allow kindergarten students now served at the District Kindergarten Center to move back to their home elementary schools. As with the middle school grade reconfiguration, this move will support student achievement by reducing the number of school building transitions for students.

Operating the New Facilities
An operating levy will not be included with this bond referendum. Because the lead time to plan and build a high school is much longer than smaller buildings, operating dollars will not be needed as soon. Rather than collect operating dollars before they are actually needed, the School Board has delayed an operating levy referendum until a date closer to the occupancy of the high school.

State Funding
Farmington taxpayers will receive some significant assistance from the State of Minnesota in paying the costs of the bond. Minnesota Debt Service Equalization funding will pay approximately 50% of the bond costs during the first two years. Over the life of the bonds, the state will pay approximately 18% of the cost. As a result, the estimated tax impact on a $200,000 residential home would be approximately $140. More detailed information on the tax impact is posted on the district’s web page, www.farmington.k12.mn.us.

Study and Election Timeline
The Facility Study Committee completed four months of study and analysis in July and presented their findings to the School Board in August. Following the Board’s acceptance of their report, the district sought community and staff input on the plan including two public meetings in September. Once the plan was finalized and approved by the School Board, a detailed plan known as the Review and Comment document had to be prepared and submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education for their approval. The State’s review and approval of the Farmington’s Review and Comment document was required before a vote could be authorized. With that requirement met, the School Board authorized the February referendum election.

Superintendent’s Comments
Commenting on Monday night’s School Board approval of the election question, Farmington Superintendent Bradley Meeks noted, “The Facility Improvement Plan that this bond supports provides the new space that our district will need to accommodate both new enrollment growth and the needs of students already in the lower grades. It also updates current facilities and learning resources in ways that will support student success. The fact that the state will cover a significant portion of the cost during the initial years makes this a very attractive package for our community.”

For More Information
Further information about the referendum is available on the district’s web site, www.farmington.k12.mn.us. These materials include School Board presentations and information on the Facility Study Committee’s work including a copy of their Facility Improvement Plan recommendation. Questions and comments are welcomed and encouraged. They can be submitted by e-mail at, district@farmington.k12.mn.us or by calling 651-463-5011. Residents will receive complete information about the referendum in January when additional community meetings will also be held.

District Information
Farmington Schools/Independent School District 192 serves over 5,500 students and 22,000 residents through its Kindergarten through 12 grade and Community Education Programs.  The district’s Mission Statement, “Excellence, Integrity and Innovation,” reflects its on-going commitment to providing the best educational services and highest student achievement possible to the communities it serves.  For more information, please contact the Farmington Schools at (651) 463-5011.