IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls School District is sharing public feedback about plans to modernize Skyline and Idaho Falls high schools.
“We’re excited to report we had 1,217 individuals take part in this community engagement effort,” reads a post on the district’s webpage. “We are eager to share those results.”
Idaho Falls patrons, students and staff participated in the online survey from February to March aimed at fleshing out “concerns,” “appreciations” and “questions” revolving around the looming project. The school district first floated plans to remodel Skyline and rebuild Idaho Falls last year — a $100 million proposal that will likely result in an August bond measure.
It’s too early to tell exactly how much the project’s price could impact local taxpayers, but conservative, 1 percent growth projection from 2018-2028 peg the annual property tax increase at $73 per $100,000 of taxable value. A less conservative growth rate of 3 percent during those years would bring annual tax hikes to $6 per $100,000 of taxable value.
Idaho Falls’ current monthly levy rate is $4.24 per $100,000 of taxable value.
The online survey prioritizes feedback gleaned from respondents in the form of comments and “stars” to mark specific areas of interest. Results stressed achieving long-term stability through the project, upgrading both high schools, and choosing an appropriate location of a newly build Idaho Falls High School.
“I would like to think that we are building a school to accommodate for our future, and not just what we see as the current needs,” wrote one respondent.
Other popular areas of interest include:
- Funding the project
- Classroom designs
- Repurposing of the current Idaho Falls High School
- Vocational learning and university preparation
View the entire feedback report here.
Idaho Falls trustees are combing through the data and will likely make a final decision for moving forward with the project sometime in May.
