Future Planning FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Updated August 9, 2023

The Board of Trustees is in the process of weighing options to address future plans for Highland High School and other critical needs across the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25. This document lists Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Future Planning document published in advance of the Public Forum meeting held on Tuesday, August 8. The FAQs will be updated as the Board of Trustees finalizes any potential bond proposal with additional details.

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DOES THE ESTIMATED BOND FOR SCENARIO B INCLUDE THE COST TO PURCHASE PROPERTY?

No, the estimated bond for Scenario B does not include the cost to purchase property. No property has been purchased to date for this purpose.

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WHERE WOULD THE DISTRICT CONSIDER PUTTING A NEW HIGH SCHOOL?

If the final proposal includes building a new high school, the district will work to locate and purchase a minimum of sixty acres able to reasonably accommodate a new high school.

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WHY IS THE BOARD INCLUDING CHS GYM IN THE BOND? WOULD THE CHS GYM PROJECT BE A NEW BUILD, OR A RENOVATION?

Addressing the size of the Century High School gym has been a discussion topic throughout the CIP process over the past several years. The cost to address this would require a bond or setting money aside for the next 10-15 years. The goal is to build a larger gym facility at Century High School that can accommodate the entire student body. Currently, Century must limit attendance at some events, and wrestling must use a small room initially intended for dance. A larger gym facility would also open up the ability to host certain state championship tournaments and other community events.  Preliminary discussions with the architect and general contractor indicate a new gym attached to the existing building would be more cost effective.

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WILL TWO OPTIONS BE INCLUDED ON THE BALLOT, OR JUST ONE?

The Board will finalize one proposal to include on the November 7 ballot.

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WHAT IS THE BOND EQUALIZATION PROGRAM?

In 2002 the State Legislature passed the Bond Levy Equalization Support Program (Idaho Statute 33-906) that established a formula by which a school district that passes a bond qualifies for partial funding from the State. School districts are assigned a value index based on the district’s market value, average annual unemployment rate, and per capita income in the county. School districts with a value index below “1” are eligible to receive state financial assistance to pay annual bond interest and bond payments.

The amount of state funding available to school districts through the Bond Levy Equalization Support Program varies each year, depending on the amount of money allocated to the program by the State Legislature and school district student enrollment.

The current bond equalization rate for PCSD 25 was 27.28% for FY2023. The bond equalization rate for FY2022 was 22.61%. The ten year average for PCSD 25 is 21.31%.

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HOW WILL THE FINAL BOND PROPOSAL BE COMMUNICATED TO THE PUBLIC?

The deadline to submit the final bond resolution to Bannock County to appear on the November 7 General Election ballot on or before Monday, September 18. At that time, the district will initiate its bond election communications plan to educate the public about the bond proposal. In accordance with state law, the district is prohibited from advocating for the bond and may utilize public funds only to inform and educate about the contents of the proposal.

The district will employ both internal and external communication channels to educate the community about the bond proposal, including Infinite Campus, website, social media, reader boards, newsletters, school and community presentations, media, digital advertising, etc.

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WHAT HAPPENS IF THE BOND PROPOSAL FAILS TO REACH 66.7% OF THE VOTE ON NOVEMBER 7?

If the bond proposal fails on November 7, the Board of Trustees has the option to reconvene and adopt a new bond proposal to run in May 2024 or move forward with rebuilding Highland with the insurance settlement funds only.

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ARE CLASSROOMS AT HIGHLAND BEING REPAIRED?

The restoration process included the inspection, cleaning, repairing, and upgrading facilities at Highland High School.

 

WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR HIGHLAND TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR?

The first day of school is Monday, August 23. Plans are on schedule to return to school at Highland High School for the 2023-2024 school year.

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WHERE WILL BAND, ORCHESTRA, AND CHOIR CLASSES BE HELD?

Working together with Highland’s administration, the district has finalized plans for all displaced instructional, co-curricular, and extracurricular programs that will need to be temporarily relocated in alternate facilities. Please see the most recent update for more details (Plans on schedule to welcome learners back to Highland High School and other SD25 schools August 23).

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WHERE WILL ANY DISPLACED ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES BE HELD?

Working together with Highland’s administration, the district has finalized plans for all displaced instructional, co-curricular, and extracurricular programs that will need to be temporarily relocated in alternate facilities. Please see the most recent update for more details (Plans on schedule to welcome learners back to Highland High School and other SD25 schools August 23).

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HOW DO COMMUNITY MEMBERS SUBMIT COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS TO THE BOARD?

Community members may email feedback or concerns to the Board to feedback@sd25.us

 

This document will be updated with additional FAQs as more details become available.