• Implementation Year: 2026–2027
• No changes will take place during the 2025–2026 school year, this year will be used to plan

The school board vote will occur in May of 2025.

The Eagle Creek building houses Summit Charter School, serving over 1,400 students and generating $2 million+ in funding annually. This funding goes to serving Estacada's students. The committee recommended maintaining this structure as-is.

• Reduces overcrowding across the district
• Aligns schools by grade level instead of geographic boundaries
• Provides focused learning environments for smaller age groups
• Maximizes use of existing buildings without new construction

Yes.

The 7th and 8th grade students will have:

• A separate wing
• A separate teaching staff
• A separate curriculum
• A separate entrance with designated office staff
• A separate bell schedule
• Designated supervision to ensure a safe, age-appropriate environment.

• Families were surveyed earlier this year - 91% supported planning for change
• A committee of parents and community members reviewed data and options
• Their recommendation was presented to the school board for consideration

This will help reduce immediate overcrowding and ensure that each of our existing buildings' capacity use is maximized. Student population projections predict that all schools will be over capacity by the year 2030. 

We are committed to:

• Providing frequent updates
• Listening to your concerns and questions
• Creating and sharing thoughtful transition plans

Student enrollment in our district is growing, and most of our schools are now full. The current middle school building does not have enough space for the number of students coming in. The high school is the only building with extra room. By moving 7th and 8th grade students into their own area at the high school, we can make sure there is enough space for everyone and keep class sizes manageable for all grade levels.

River Mill's capacity is 500 students. River Mill currently has 507 students. 

Clackamas River Elementary's capacity is 450 students. Clackamas River currently has 436 students.

Estacada Middle School's capacity is 542. Estacada Middle School currently has 456 students. 

Estacada High School's capacity is 900 students. Estacada High School currently has 557 students. 

The district's overall capacity is just under 2,400 students. Population projections below suggest that all district buildings will be over capacity by 2030. 

Each elementary will have a staggered start time (around five minutes apart) to ensure that buses and parents can drop off children at each school, similar to how our elementaries and middle school schedules are currently structured. The district will work collaboratively with its transportation team to create efficient routes to accommodate the new plan. 

The current overcrowding at River Mill Elementary will soon mean that students will have reduced music and PE time due to scheduling conflicts. Students will be housed in portable classrooms. Bathroom, cafeteria, and gym spaces are becoming crowded and overused. Supervision and emergency response becomes more difficult.

The district will utilize the close distance between all schools to intentionally provide mentorship opportunities for older grade levels to visit younger students. This allows students to still benefit from their peers, while allowing each school to focus on providing a more age-appropriate learning environment. 

The average cost to build an elementary school in Oregon exceeds $60 million. This type of construction is not possible within the district's annual budget. Because the district is funded by the state per student, the district does not receive more tax dollars when new residents move in to the community. The state uses a set funding formula, and the overall “pie” of funding doesn’t grow when a community grows. Instead, the state just reduces the size of the slice it contributes, assuming that local property taxes will cover a greater share. As a result, even with more students and families moving in, the district doesn’t actually receive more total funding to build new schools.