Tri-Cities largest school — the biggest high school in WA — must add more portable classes

Washington state’s largest school just keeps getting bigger.

Six portables are being move from other Pasco schools to Chiawana High School as enrollment at the district’s two high schools continues to boom.

This fall, Chiawana is expecting to have over 3,100 students — that’s 33% more students than what its main building is rated for.

The portables will add space for about 12 classrooms for English, math, health, social studies, science and technical education.

With the addition of the 1,775-square-foot portables in the northwest parking lot, Chiawana will have 16 portables, or 32 classrooms, outside.

In all, Pasco estimates more than 1,300 students between their two high schools will be served in portable classrooms — most of them at Chiawana High.

“Looking back historically over the last eight years, grades 9-12 have averaged a 3% growth year over year,” wrote district spokesperson Anna Tensmeyer in an email. “If that statistic comes to fruition, Chiawana could see an increase of 94 students next year and 280 the following three years.”

Total cost to install and furnish the six portables was not immediately known.

Chiawana was built to serve about 2,350 students when it was built in 2009.

By Washington law, school districts aren’t allowed to build new buildings for projected growth, only for the population that they currently serve.

Pasco High, the next largest Tri-Cities high school, has 2,450 students.

Richland High School served 2,200 students last year. And 1,800 students were served at Kamiakin High School in Kennewick.

Portables are a common solution districts use to partly address surges in population on school campuses. Plenty of construction preparation and foundation work goes into installing them, and they’re subject to the same building code standards as other buildings.

Nearly all also have HVAC connections and are ADA accessible.

Though they’re generally safe, portables can pose security risks for students and teachers.

Unlike new school buildings being built in Washington, portables do not have security vestibules to screen visitors. Trips to the restroom also can mean students and teachers must dress for the weather.

Pasco population growth

Pasco has experienced overwhelming population increase in recent decades and that’s expected to continue.

Over the next 20 years, the city is projected to grow by another 50,000 people.

2020 U.S. Census Bureau numbers listed the city at 77,100.

Tensmeyer said the nearby Amazon warehouses, currently under construction, may “impact the overall estimated population growth over the next few years.” That facility is expected to bring 1,500 jobs alone to the area.

Neither Pasco, Kennewick or Richland school districts said they were buying new portables for this upcoming school year, but all said they would be moving a number of units between campuses in response to shifting enrollments.

2 school bonds planned

“We are planning to address any influx of students by using portables and by running a bond in February 2023, Tensmeyer said. “The bond is part of our long-term facilities management plan, which addresses ways to alleviate overcrowding in our schools and improve the learning environment for students in our district.”

That bond will add a third comprehensive high school and a small innovative high school for a total of 2,600 students.

It would also pay for a new softball field at Pasco High, enhanced vocational equipment at the two existing high schools and reserve funds to buy land for future schools.

The projects in total will likely cost about $195.5 million. Both of the proposed schools would begin serving students in fall 2025 if a majority of district voters say “yes” to the measure.

The Pasco School Board has yet to vote on placing the measure on the ballot.

Richland School District also is aiming to put a bond measure for a third comprehensive high school on the February ballot.

School officials and staff are still considering several options so an estimated price tag and timeline for that project has yet to be nailed down.

After a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in May left 21 dead, Richland school officials said they were interested in taking a safety and security approach to their next bond project.