(The Center Square) – The Seattle School Board unanimously approved $5 million to increase the Montlake Elementary School modernization project’s budget to a total of $84.9 million.
East Seattle’s Montlake Elementary School modernization project is funded through the Building Excellence V (BEX V) Capital Levy. The levy rate for 2023 is set at 68 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for 2023 and is expected to generate $1.4 billion from 2020 through 2025.
Half of the $5 million in one-time additional funding comes from the BEX V Capital Levy. The other half comes from the Buildings, Technology, and Academics/Athletics Capital Levy, which has a rate of 47 cents per $1,000 in assessed value.
The project will increase the elementary school’s building capacity for up to 500 K-5 students through a new three-story addition, create new outdoor learning spaces and construct a gymnasium.
According to Richard Bess, director of capital projects and planning for Seattle Public Schools, Montlake Elementary School has completed the State Environmental Policy Act process and the City of Seattle’s departure process.
Bess was questioned by the Seattle Public Schools board of directors as to why $5 million was needed for the project. He said that the inflation factor was much higher than originally anticipated.
“We are currently experiencing somewhere between a 6-8% [inflation factor] on an annual basis – that’s why it’s required for this project,” Bess said at Wednesday’s Seattle Public Schools board meeting. “I will note that the community was very clear that the [opportunity to play] was very important to Montlake Elementary School and that’s why we’re asking for a budget transfer.”
The action report noted that if the $5 million increase were not approved, the school district’s qualification for state funding through the Washington state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction would be jeopardized.
The Montlake Elementary School Modernization and Addition Project construction began this summer. It is expected to be completed in summer 2025.
Montlake Elementary School had 184 students enrolled in the 2022-2023 school year. Those students have been moved to John Marshall School through spring 2025 during construction.
