LETTER: The high cost of school construction: A call for reform

Excessive soft costs 

• 35-45% of school construction budgets are consumed by soft costs – engineering, design and planning – before a single nail is driven or cement poured. 

• These costs must be reined in and redirected toward actual construction. 

Over-engineered, standalone projects 

• Each school is often custom-designed for its community, driving up costs unnecessarily. 

• A standardized building model based on student population (e.g., 600-700 students) could streamline design and reduce costs. 

Flawed construction outcomes 

• Example: a school in Moses Lake was shut down due to electrical and structural failures, despite passing engineering reviews and inspections. 

• Taxpayers bear the burden of these oversights. 

Maintenance nightmares 

• Inherited buildings required 15 years of fixes due to poor mechanical design – thermostat issues, glycol failures and more. 

• Standardized structures would allow for better bidding, improved quality and easier maintenance. 

Emotional vs. practical planning 

• School construction is often driven by emotion and aesthetics, not basic needs and long-term functionality. 

• High costs force districts to rely on portable classrooms, which are not sustainable solutions. 

A warning to policymakers 

• Without reform, taxpayers will vote no on future school bonds – not out of apathy, but because they simply can’t afford the current model. 

Rock Witte
Ephrata 

Editor’s Note: I spoke with Mr. Witte on Wednesday and his point is that school construction needs to achieve an economy of scale that makes school construction and maintenance feasible. Much of the costs associated with building a new school is prep work and overhead costs that escalate costs for taxpayers. While there are shared contracting opportunities through the state and our federal government, it is vital that area districts use those options and improve cooperation to ensure we provide cost-effective education for our children. In those points, I think many readers agree with Mr. Witte.