Bond 2025
Thank you, Lake Oswego community, for your overwhelming support of Measure 3-628. With 72 percent approval and exceptional voter participation, our community has affirmed a $245 million investment in the future of Lake Oswego schools.
This bond’s passage reflects our shared commitment to educational excellence and to providing safe, inspiring spaces where every student can learn and thrive.
We are deeply grateful to every voter who participated and to the many volunteers, parents, staff, and students who helped share our story. Your dedication and heart made all the difference. Your trust humbles us, and your partnership strengthens our schools and our community.
Learn More About Bond 2025
Overview
Community Investment in Lake Oswego Schools
Educational Excellence. Lake Oswego School District (LOSD) serves approximately 6,800 students across 11 schools and is consistently recognized among Oregon’s top-performing K-12 education systems, according to Niche.
Safe. Modern. Resilient. This bond measure represents the final phase of a three-part initiative to build safe, modern, and resilient schools in Lake Oswego.
Maintain Estimated Current Tax Rate. The $245 million bond is projected to maintain LOSD’s current estimated bond tax rate of $2.90 per $1,000 of assessed property value. No increase in the bond tax rate is anticipated.
MEASURE 3-628. Election Date: November 4, 2025
Why Now
Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
- Several schools would receive safety improvements, including new fire alarm systems, secure classroom doors, expanded security camera coverage, emergency communication upgrades, and hardened glass window installations.
Aging Infrastructure.
- Many school buildings are several decades old and rely on outdated systems. Roofs, windows, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems would be repaired or replaced to support healthy, safe, and efficient operations.
Oldest Schools Replacements.
- Forest Hills and Lake Grove Elementary Schools, built in the 1940s, have aging systems and deteriorating infrastructure, including plumbing embedded in concrete and foundations that cannot be seismically upgraded. Replacements would be less costly than major repairs.
Learning Space Capacity.
- Lakeridge and Lake Oswego High Schools would receive expanded and upgraded classrooms for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Career and Technical Education (CTE).
- Palisades Elementary would receive additional classrooms to support growing enrollment.
- Community Transition Program, which supports students with developmental delays preparing for independent living, would receive a dedicated facility.
What the Bond Does
Developed in collaboration with community representatives, this bond proposal is designed to address current needs while maintaining LOSD’s current estimated bond tax rate. If passed, the bond would fund:
Health, Safety, and Security Improvements
- Update fire alarm systems
- Install secure classroom doors and hardened glass windows
- Expand security camera coverage
- Upgrade emergency communication systems
- Add seismic reinforcements to Level 4 “Immediate Occupancy” standards
Facility Preservation and Upgrades
- Improve roof, window, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems
- Restore physical activity facilities
- Replace deficient furnishings, equipment, and technology
Oldest Elementary Schools Replacements
- Rebuild Forest Hills and Lake Grove Elementary Schools at their current sites
Learning Space Expansions
- Add STEM/ CTE classrooms at both high schools
- Purchase and remodel a facility for Community Transition Program
- Add classrooms at Palisades Elementary
School Impact Stories
Proposed Improvements by School
- Forest Hills Elementary
- Hallinan Elementary
- Lake Grove Elementary
- Oak Creek Elementary
- Palisades World Language School
- River Grove Elementary
- Westridge Elementary
- Lake Oswego Middle School
- Lakeridge Middle School
- Lake Oswego High School
- Lakeridge High School
- Community Transition Program
- Uplands (current swing site during construction)
Forest Hills Elementary
Oldest School Replacement
Built in 1946, Forest Hills Elementary is one of our oldest elementary schools and is rated in the poorest condition based on third-party facility condition assessments. Forest Hills has obsolete systems and deteriorating infrastructure, including plumbing embedded in concrete and foundations that cannot be seismically upgraded. Replacement would be less costly than major repairs. If passed, this bond would:
- Construct a new school building for Forest Hills Elementary at its current site.
- Implement sustainable construction materials and design to support healthy, safe, and efficient operations.
- Construct to Level 4 "Immediate Occupancy" standards to withstand a significant seismic event.
- Make right-of-way improvements to the parking lot, sidewalks, and neighborhood traffic patterns.
If LOSD voters pass the bond measure in November 2025, construction at Forest Hills would begin in 2026. During construction, the school community would be housed at Uplands and move into the new school in the fall of 2028.
Hallinan Elementary
Aging Infrastructure
Hallinan, which was built in 1980, relies on outdated systems that need repair or replacement to support healthy, safe, and efficient operations. If passed, this bond would:
- Heating and cooling systems
- Upgrade failing systems and replace broken components
- Interior and exterior surfaces
- Update and repair the asphalt and concrete parking lot, playground, and sidewalks
- Repair and replace worn interior and exterior surfaces and finishes throughout the building: flooring, walls, and ceilings
- Electrical and plumbing systems
- Repair and replace irrigation system to mitigate water damage
- Upgrade failing systems and replace broken components
- Outdoor and recreational spaces
- Replace aging bleacher seating for safety and usability
- Furniture, fixtures, and equipment
- Kitchen: Upgrade outdated and inefficient units
- Classrooms: Replace worn furnishings to support modern learning
- Classrooms: Replace broken and outdated personal devices that every student uses for curriculum and instruction
Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Hallinan would receive safety improvements, which include:
- Replace the obsolete fire alarm system
- Replacing failing interior and exterior lights with LED lighting
Lake Grove Elementary
Oldest School Replacement
Built in 1949, Lake Grove Elementary is one of our oldest elementary schools and is rated in the poorest condition based on third-party facility condition assessments. Lake Grove has obsolete systems and deteriorating infrastructure, including plumbing embedded in concrete and foundations that cannot be seismically upgraded. Replacement would be less costly than major repairs. If passed, this bond would:
- Construct a new school building for Lake Grove Elementary at its current site.
- Implement sustainable construction materials and design to support healthy, safe, and efficient operations.
- Construct to Level 4 "Immediate Occupancy" standards to withstand a significant seismic event.
- Make right-of-way improvements to the parking lot, sidewalks, and neighborhood traffic patterns.
If LOSD voters pass the bond measure in November 2025, construction at Lake Grove would begin after the Forest Hills replacement opens. During construction, the school community would be housed at Uplands.
Oak Creek Elementary
Aging Infrastructure
Oak Creek, built in 1991, relies on outdated systems that need repair or replacement to support healthy, safe, and efficient operations. If passed, this bond would:
Replacing failing and obsolete systems
- Heating and cooling systems
- Upgrade failing systems and replace broken components
- Interior and exterior surfaces
- Update and repair the asphalt and concrete parking lot, playground, and sidewalks
- Electrical and plumbing systems
- Upgrade failing systems and replace broken components
- Security systems
- Replace the obsolete fire alarm system
- Replace interior and exterior lighting with energy-efficient LED
- Furniture, fixtures, and equipment
- Classrooms: Replace worn furnishings to support modern learning
- Classrooms: Replace broken and outdated personal devices that every student uses for curriculum and instruction
Palisades World Language School
Aging Infrastructure
Palisades, built in 1959, relies on outdated systems that need repair or replacement to support healthy, safe, and efficient operations. If passed, this bond would:
- Interior and exterior surfaces
- Replace failing roof on main building (gymnasium roof completed with 2021 bond)
- Update and repair the asphalt and concrete parking lot, playground, and sidewalks
- Repair and replace worn interior and exterior surfaces and finishes throughout the building: doors, flooring, walls, and ceilings
- Electrical and plumbing systems
- Upgrade failing systems and replace broken components
- Security systems
- Replace the obsolete fire alarm system
- Furniture, fixtures, and equipment
- Restrooms: Complete replacement of restroom fixtures (phase 1 completed with 2021 bond)
- Classrooms: Replace broken and outdated personal devices that every student uses for curriculum and instruction
Address Essential Capacity Needs
- Add classrooms and repurpose spaces to support growing enrollment
River Grove Elementary
River Grove was replaced using funds from the voter-passed 2021 bond measure. The new school opened in 2024. For River Grove, the 2025 bond would:
- Fix broken components to protect our community’s investment in the new building
- Replace broken and outdated personal devices that every student uses for curriculum and instruction
Westridge Elementary
Aging Infrastructure
Westridge, built in 1980, relies on outdated systems that need repair or replacement to support healthy, safe, and efficient operations. If passed, this bond would:
Replace failing and obsolete systems
- Interior and exterior surfaces
- Update and repair the asphalt and concrete parking lot, playground, and sidewalks
- Repair and replace worn interior and exterior surfaces and finishes throughout the building: doors, flooring, walls, and ceilings
- Replace exterior brick veneer (phase 1 completed with 2017 bond)
- Repair gutters, downspouts, and storm drains
- Security systems
- Replace the obsolete fire alarm system
- Exterior and interior recreational facilities
- Replace aging bleacher seating for safety and usability
- Replace beams in the exterior covered play area
- Furniture, fixtures, and equipment
- Kitchen: Upgrade outdated and inefficient units
- Classrooms: Replace worn furnishings to support modern learning
- Classrooms: Replace broken and outdated personal devices that every student uses for curriculum and instruction
Lake Oswego Middle School
Lake Oswego Middle School is being replaced using funds from the voter-passed 2021 bond measure. Construction is in progress, and the new school is scheduled to open in fall 2026. For Lake Oswego Middle School, the 2025 bond would:
- Fix broken components to protect our community’s investment in the new building
- Replace broken and outdated personal devices that every student uses for curriculum and instruction
Lakeridge Middle School
Lakeridge Middle School was replaced using the voter-passed 2017 bond fund. The new school opened in 2020. For Lakeridge Middle School, the 2025 bond would:
- Fix broken components to protect our community’s investment in the new building
- Replace broken and outdated personal devices that every student uses for curriculum and instruction
Lake Oswego High School
Aging Infrastructure
Lake Oswego High School, built in 2005, relies on outdated systems that need repair or replacement to support healthy, safe, and efficient operations. If passed, this bond would:
- Heating and cooling systems
- Replace aging air handling units, boilers, pumps, cooling towers, domestic and hydronic piping, exhaust fans, and ductless split systems
- Exterior and interior surfaces
- Repair and upgrade stairways and guardrails
- Improve drainage and repair asphalt walkways, parking lots, and concrete sidewalks
- Complete replacement and repairs of roof, flashing, gutters, downspouts, ladders, stucco, ceiling tiles, walls, carpets, rubber flooring, door frames and doors (not covered in 2017/2021 bonds)
- Exterior and interior paint
- Electrical and plumbing systems
- Install plumbing shutoff valves
- Security systems
- Replace the obsolete fire alarm system
- Replace broken first-floor windows and doors with security glass (vestibule main entrance completed in 2017 bond)
- Replacing failing exterior lights with LED lighting
- Seismic rehabilitation of technology building for earthquake resilience
- Outdoor and recreational spaces
- Replace theater lighting and paint the stage floor
- Replace tennis court lighting, surfacing, and nets
- Replace failing football and baseball field lights
- Replace baseball batting cage
- Replace aging bleacher seating in old gymnasium for safety and usability
- Furniture, fixtures, and equipment
- Kitchen: Upgrade outdated and inefficient units
- Classrooms: Replace broken and outdated personal devices that every student uses for curriculum and instruction
Learning Space Capacity
- Expand and upgrade classrooms for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Career and Technical Education (CTE).
Lakeridge High School
Aging Infrastructure
Lakeridge High School, built in 1970, relies on outdated systems that need repair or replacement to support healthy, safe, and efficient operations. If passed, this bond would:
- Heating and cooling systems
- Replace air handling units, boilers, pumps, cooling towers, domestic and hydronic piping, exhaust fans, and ductless split system
- Install air conditioning in gymnasiums
- Exterior and interior surfaces
- Repair and upgrade interior and exterior stairways and guardrails
- Repair and upgrade drainage, asphalt walkways and parking lots, and concrete sidewalks
- Replace damaged roofs, flashing, gutters, downspouts, ladders, stucco, ceiling tiles, walls, carpets, and rubber flooring
- Exterior and interior paint
- Electrical and plumbing systems
- Replace distribution panels
- Install plumbing shutoff valves
- Repair drinking fountains
- Security systems
- Replace obsolete fire alarm system
- Replace broken first-floor windows and doors with security glass (vestibule main entrance completed in 2017 bond)
- Replacing failing exterior lights with LED lighting
- Outdoor and recreational spaces
- Replace theater lights
- Renovate lower level of athletics building, including locker room, to mitigate flooding and repair failing infrastructure
- Replace baseball batting cage and storage
- Replace tennis court lighting, surfacing, and nets
- Add visitor bleachers at the main field
- Furniture, fixtures, and equipment
- Kitchen: replace outdated appliances and equipment
- Art rooms: replace broken cabinets in classrooms
- Classrooms: Replace broken and outdated personal devices that every student uses for curriculum and instruction
Learning Space Capacity
- Expand and upgrade classrooms for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Career and Technical Education (CTE).
Community Transition Program
Community Transition Program (CTP) building is rated in the poorest condition and educational adequacy in third-party-led assessments. For CTP, this bond would:
Address essential capacity needs
- Purchase and renovate a home near work and public transportation for CTP, which supports students ages 18-21 with developmental delays in the mild to moderate cognitive range.
Uplands (current swing site during construction)
Our Central Office, built in 1961, and the Facility Operations Warehouse, built in 1971, are among the oldest district facilities and are rated in the poorest condition. These buildings cannot house all administrative and support functions, requiring our district to rent additional spaces using general operational budget. This bond would:
Repurpose available facility to consolidate district-wide services
- Reconfigure Uplands Elementary School to consolidate district-wide services -- including superintendent, business services, capital bond, communications, computer networking services, curriculum and instruction, human resources, student services, and teacher and staff development; eliminate rental costs; and create operational efficiencies.
Cost and Oversight
Oversight and Accountability
Bond funds may only be used for voter-approved projects. Oversight includes:
- A citizen-led Bond Accountability Committee
- Regular audits and quarterly expenditure reports
- Monitoring by the Lake Oswego School Board
- Compliance with bond program objectives and state law
Costs
Bonds may be issued in series, each maturing within 26 years. While the LOSD’s total bond tax rate is estimated to remain at $2.90 per $1,000 of assessed value, actual rates may vary based on interest rates and assessed property values.
LO School Bond Fact Sheet -- By the Numbers
FAQs
Your Questions, Answered.
What is a school bond?
A school bond is a funding mechanism used by public school districts to finance major capital projects, such as building or upgrading schools. Bond measures appear on the ballot with specific information about the proposed projects to be completed if voters pass the measure.
Would this bond raise my taxes?
This bond maintains the current estimated tax rate. That’s possible because the 2000 bond, used to rebuild Lake Oswego High School and renovate Lakeridge High School, is scheduled to be paid off in June 2026.
How can I be sure funds will be used responsibly?
Independent financial audits and citizen oversight are built into the bond plan. An independent, citizen-led Bond Accountability Committee (BAC) will monitor spending if the bond passes.
Didn’t we already pass a bond?
Yes. This bond would complete the Facilities Master Plan initiated in 2015 and continue the work funded by the 2017 and 2021 bond measures.
State of Our School Buildings
What is the condition of our schools?
An independent assessment of school facilities identified significant needs. Forest Hills (built in 1946) and Lake Grove (1949) have reached the end of their lifespan and require complete replacement. Most other schools in the district—except for newly rebuilt Lakeridge Middle School, River Grove Elementary, and soon-to-be-completed Lake Oswego Middle School—face space constraints and need improvements and updates.
Why now?
- Forest Hills and Lake Grove Elementary Schools, built in the 1940s, have obsolete systems and deteriorating infrastructure, including plumbing embedded in concrete and foundations that cannot be seismically upgraded. Replacements would be less costly than major repairs. Recent ice storms exposed this vulnerability: in January 2024, a burst pipe at Lake Grove flooded classrooms and displaced students for two months.
- Lakeridge and Lake Oswego High Schools would receive expanded and upgraded classrooms for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Career and Technical Education (CTE). Palisades Elementary would receive additional classrooms to support growing enrollment. Community Transition Program, which supports students with developmental delays preparing for independent living, would receive a dedicated facility.
What projects would the bond fund?
You can find a list of proposed projects for each school on the Bond 2025 webpage.
Will these projects happen without bond approval?
No. Without voter approval, the district will continue basic maintenance, but the proposed projects will not move forward.
Why are bonds used to pay for these projects?
Bonds are the standard way to fund school construction and capital improvements. Bond funds may not be used for daily operating costs like teacher salaries, utilities, and curriculum.
Can bond funds be used for anything else?
No. Bond funds must be used only for the purposes approved by voters and only for schools in the Lake Oswego School District.
More About Our Facilities
When were Lake Oswego schools built?
Elementary Schools
- Forest Hills: 1946
- Hallinan: 1980
- Lake Grove: 1949
- Oak Creek: 1990
- Palisades: 1961
- River Grove: rebuilt 2025
- Westridge: 1980
- Uplands: 1961
Middle Schools
- Lake Oswego Middle School: opening 2026
- Lakeridge Middle School: rebuilt 2021
High Schools
- Lake Oswego High School: rebuilt 2005
Lakeridge High School: 1971
Does the district have unused buildings?
No. All district facilities are in use. Uplands is currently being used to house schools during construction. If the bond passes, it will temporarily house Forest Hills and Lake Grove students and then be reconfigured to consolidate districtwide services, eliminating rental costs and improving efficiency.
Why move district offices into Uplands?
Our current Central Office (built 1961) and Facilities Warehouse (build in 1971) are in poor condition and cannot support all district functions. Repurposing Uplands would create a centralized space and allow us to remove outdated buildings.
Taxes and Comparisons
How much would I pay if the bond is approved?
The bond maintains the current estimated rate of approximately $2.90 per $1,000 of assessed value. About $0.90 of that total is this proposed bond. For a home assessed at $465,000 (median in LO), that’s about $420 per year. Note: Property taxes are based on assessed value, not market value. In Lake Oswego, assessed values are typically about half of market values.
How does LOSD’s tax rate compare to others?
LOSD’s bond tax rate falls in the middle of neighboring districts. Our total property tax rate is about $0.50 higher than the regional average among nine nearby districts.
What’s the difference between renewing the existing rate vs. the estimated tax rate?
This bond is designed to maintain Lake Oswego’s existing school tax rate, not increase it. The 2025 bond would replace expiring bonds from the 2000 measure, which funded projects like rebuilding Lake Oswego High School and additions at Lakeridge High School. Those bonds will be fully paid off in 2026.
While tax rates are not directly set by the election, they are determined annually based on assessed property values and the amount needed to repay debt. LOSD and its financial advisors have used conservative forecasting to minimize the risk of a rate change. In short, the goal of this bond is to fund essential school projects without increasing the rate taxpayers are already paying; it renews the existing rate.
Planning, Oversight, and the Future
How was the community involved in planning?
- Facilities planning for this bond began in 2023.
- In 2023, committees of parents, teachers, and staff reviewed options.
- The district also conducted several voter polls and engaged with parent groups, neighborhood associations, and community organizations through town halls, open houses, and board testimony to gather input.
Has the district considered future enrollment?
Yes. LOSD regularly commissions demographic studies and 10-year enrollment projections from the Population Research Center at Portland State University.
Why maintain elementary schools?
Lake Oswego’s enrollment has remained steady for over 30 years. While individual grade-level cohorts may rise or fall slightly year to year, the overall district population is balanced. Families consistently choose LOSD for its strong academics and neighborhood school model, which is a core value in our community. Maintaining our elementary schools allows LOSD to keep class sizes reasonable and uphold the intimate school environments families expect.
Why, in light of staffing reductions, invest in buildings now?
LOSD made staffing adjustments for the 2025 school year, but it’s important to note that overall staffing levels remain higher than pre-pandemic levels. Our schools are staffed. This bond does not create new schools or expand capacity beyond what already exists. It funds critical improvements and replacements at current schools to ensure they remain safe, healthy, and functional for the students and educators already there.
Can Bond Funds Be Used for More Teachers?
Bond funds can only be used for buildings and capital improvements, not teacher salaries or daily operating costs. Without a bond, when critical building systems fail, costly emergency repairs would have to come from general operating funds, the same funds used for classrooms and staffing. The Lake Oswego Education Association (teachers’ union) has endorsed this bond because educators know that without safe, functional buildings, learning is disrupted.
School District Performance
How does LOSD rank?
Lake Oswego School District is consistently ranked #1 in Oregon and among the top school districts nationwide by Niche, which grades and ranks schools using dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews. All of our elementary, middle, and high schools rank among the best in the state.
What is LOSD’s graduation rate?
Our graduation rate has exceeded 97%, and nearly all students are on track to graduate.
Contact Us
Learn More About the Proposed Bond Measure
Have questions about the Bond 2025 measure or want to learn more? We’re here to help. Please submit your question or comment through our Bond 2025 Contact Form. A member of our team will follow up with you as soon as possible.
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