SPOKANE, Wash. — While more people move to the Inland Northwest and settle down in the region, the student population in Spokane Public Schools has dramatically increased. Roughly 30,000 children are enrolled in the SPS district this year, the highest amount since before the pandemic.
Older schools in the district are struggling to keep up with the growth. "This is a beautiful space. Franklin Park has lots of amenities for families," said Heather Holter, the principal at Madison Elementary.
Madison's current building is more than 70 years old. It's a historic building surrounded by a neighborhood that has sent generations of students through its front doors.
"I feel like with a more efficient building, we would just continue to grow," Holter explained.
The principal has led the school for ten years and believes changes and improvements are necessary for a successful future to be a reality.
While she appreciates the history of the building, Holter has also identified several areas of concern. "I don't have enough space in the building." Madison has had to turn to outdoor portables to keep up with the number of students living in the area. Classrooms are full, and the struggles don't stop there.
"We need bathrooms," sighed Holter. "Bathrooms are not a big commodity. So there's one set of bathrooms down this wing. One set for students to use and for kids that need extra support and paraeducators, they have to have that convenience, and it's not in the building."
Growth and time have proven to be challenges weighing heavily on the current infrastructure of the oldest Northside school in the district.
Recent trends in Spokane suggest that the problem isn't going away anytime soon.
Student enrollment took a hit at the beginning of the pandemic, but numbers have slowly and gradually increased each year. Data from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction shows Spokane has an average classroom size of about 18.6 students.
That puts Spokane higher than the state average, currently sitting at 17.8. "Every parent wants a great teacher for their student, and they want them to have a classroom that is safe and comfortable that allows them to focus on their studies," said Spokane Public Schools Superintendent Adam Swinyard.
Madison Elementary will be impacted one way or another on February 13.
Voters will decide whether they want to approve a $200 million bond that would ultimately replace Madison and Adams Elementary while upgrading several other schools throughout the district. "These are schools that are well past their useful age and are in desperate need of modernization," Swinyard explained.
If the bond is passed, Madison is in line for a new two-story building featuring improved technology, more rooms, a larger playground, and a new gym. "We complete the projects within that six-year window, so with the 2018 bond, we came in on time and under budget. That's something that has been a hallmark of Spokane Public Schools," Swinyard said.
As for Madison, the new school would be built on the same footprint as its current building.
It's an idea Principal Holter can get behind. "It would be so wonderful, I think, for the community that we get to keep that piece of history here where these kids can walk to school," said Holter.
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