Cheney looks at need for high school in Airway Heights, Medical Lake dealing with student mobility
SPOKANE – Airway Heights will need a new high school to accommodate expected student population growth, but it will remain within the jurisdiction of the Cheney School District.
That’s what Cheney schools Superintendent Robert W. Roettger told the West Plains Chamber of Commerce during a Sept. 20 breakfast meeting at the Shriner’s Event Center, 7217 W. Westbow Blvd.
Medical Lake Superintendent Tim Ames joined Roettger at the breakfast for a presentation on projected student growth in the area surrounding Airway Heights and Fairchild Air Force Base at the breakfast.
The Medical Lake School District generally borders the Cheney School District south of Airway Heights and west of Interstate 90.
While Ames addressed student mobility related to military families, he said the Medical Lake School District has seen a slight reduction in student enrollment this year.
According to Ames, Medical Lake schools are expected to remain stable at or below the five-year average of 1,825 students, at least until the city resolves water capacity issues.
But student population in the adjacent Cheney School District, which includes Cheney and has boundaries bordering Spokane and extending west of Airway Heights, is growing.
School officials expect student enrollment to top 10,000 students in the next 10 years.
That’s more than double the 4,202 students state records show were in Cheney schools during the last school year (2018-19)
As a result, new elementary, middle and high schools will be needed there, Roettger said, noting area education officials are trying to decide how to best accommodate projected growth.
“Are we thinking about a traditional high school,” he asked.
One thing Roettger is sure of – new schools in the Airway Heights and Fairchild Air Force Base areas will remain part of the Cheney School District.
When asked by business leaders if Airway Heights would become its own school district, Roettger’s replied, “Never.”
“We’re stronger together,” he said.
Ultimately, however, voters would have final say on whether or not Airway Heights gets its own school district.
Revised Code of Washington 28A.343.020 allows voters to create a new school district.
Under state law, a sitting school board member would have to request a ballot measure to split the district. Voters in the affected area would then have to approve it.
Roger Harnack can be reached at [email protected].
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, columnist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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