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Here’s where Puyallup’s $800M school bond stands and what happens next

Stories by Tacoma News Tribune journalists, with AI summarization

This list of stories illustrates challenges for Puyallup’s $800 million school bond proposal. The district uses 221 portable classrooms and schools like Spinning and Waller Road face closure due to failing infrastructure. Early election results twice showed over 60% support for the bond, but the proposal has struggled to reach the required turnout of 28,216 votes.

If passed, the funding would build a new elementary school, rebuild others, and expand schools in the district.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

Capital projects director Brady Martin shows one of the makeshift clocks installed in classrooms at Spinning Elementary School in Puyallup, Washington, on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. The aging school’s clock system no longer works properly, often moving class bells off by a couple of minutes. By Tony Overman

NO. 1: THIS CROWDED PIERCE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS 221 PORTABLES AND IS ASKING FOR $800M

The district said it would have to consider closing some of its aging schools if its bond doesn’t pass. | Published January 31, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alexis Krell

Spinning Elementary School in Puyallup, Washington, sits adjacent to busy Pioneer Way and the train tracks, shown on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. A proposed $800 million bond for the Puyallup School District would include building a new school further away from the busy roadway and train tracks. By Tony Overman

NO. 2: PUYALLUP HAS AN $800 MILLION SCHOOL BOND ON THE BALLOT. EARLY ELECTION RESULTS ARE IN

Without the funding, the district said it would have to consider closing some of its aging schools. | Published February 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alexis Krell

Spinning Elementary School in Puyallup, Washington, sits adjacent to busy Pioneer Way and the train tracks, shown on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. A proposed $800 million bond for the Puyallup School District would include building a new school further away from the busy roadway and train tracks. By Tony Overman

NO. 3: THE $800M PUYALLUP SCHOOL BOND HAD 63 PERCENT APPROVAL, BUT STILL FAILED. HERE’S WHY

“The school district has over 200 portables district-wide and a lot of that pressure is at the high-school level,” a school district spokesperson said. | Published February 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isabela Lund

Spinning Elementary School in Puyallup, Washington, sits adjacent to busy Pioneer Way and the train tracks, shown on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. A proposed $800 million bond for the Puyallup School District would include building a new school further away from the busy roadway and train tracks. By Tony Overman

NO. 4: PUYALLUP’S SCHOOL BOND IS ON THE BALLOT. WHY DID PROPERTY TAXES ALREADY GO UP?

Without the $800 million, district leaders say they’ll have to close some of their aging Puyallup-area schools. | Published April 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isabela Lund

Spinning Elementary School in Puyallup, Washington, sits adjacent to busy Pioneer Way and the train tracks, shown on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. A proposed $800 million bond for the Puyallup School District would include building a new school further away from the busy roadway and train tracks. By Tony Overman

NO. 5: PUYALLUP SCHOOL BOND BACK ON BALLOT. IS THERE RECORD OF HOW YOU VOTED LAST TIME?

In the lead up to the second election, some voters have received a text from the Yes campaign, thanking them for voting “yes” in the February election. | Published April 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isabela Lund

Spinning Elementary School in Puyallup, Washington, sits adjacent to busy Pioneer Way and the train tracks, shown on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. A proposed $800 million bond for the Puyallup School District would include building a new school further away from the busy roadway and train tracks. By Tony Overman

NO. 6: UPDATED: EARLY ELECTION RESULTS FOR PUYALLUP’S $800 MILLION SCHOOL BOND

If passed, the bond would allow the district to expand three high schools, replace three elementary schools and build a new elementary school. | Published April 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isabela Lund

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.