Puyallup School District says it's facing overcrowding 'crisis', appeals for voters to OK bond measure



PUYALLUP, Wash. -- The Puyallup School District is growing fast and officials say they are faced with a 'crisis' unless a new bond measure passes that would raise millions of dollars to build learning space for kids.

Rita Larry's children go to school in the Puyallup School District and she worries about overcrowding. One of her daughters spends the entire school day in a portable classroom and Rita is worried about her safety.

"If something happens, when you’re in a portable you’re kind of out there by yourself but if you’re in the school they can lock the school down," Larry said.

The district says portable classrooms are necessary. Some schools within the district are over capacity and learning space is at a minimum. Portables are the only solution as classrooms fill up.

"We have a crisis in the Puyallup School District when it comes to housing students and finding space for the number of students that we have," said Brian Fox, the district's executive director of communications.

The district hopes residents will  vote for a bond measure increase that would raise over $250 million to build a new elementary and remodel four other elementary schools within the district.

The last four bond measures have failed. District leaders say it's been 12 years since a bond measure passed.