At its Nov. 10 meeting, Wayzata’s seven-member school board voted 6-1 in favor of moving forward with a special election in April 2026 to ask residents to fund almost half a billion for new facilities and upgrades, including an eight-lane pool with a diving well.
The board followed recommendations from district leadership and its Community Task Force on Facilities, an 18-member group that met four times during the fall to review key data and explore potential options for addressing the district’s long-term facility needs.
“Our student enrollment projections show that by the 2027–28 school year, Wayzata Public Schools will exceed available building capacity at every grade level. To prepare for that growth—and to ensure our facilities align with our strategic goals for academic excellence and student well-being—we have developed a long-term facilities proposal,” said the district.
That proposal includes building a new elementary and middle school, adding to Wayzata High School, upgrading classrooms, upgrading kitchens and cafeterias, and building “a new 8-lane pool at Wayzata High School.”
Dr. Chace Anderson, the superintendent, told board members that the district has surpassed 13,000 students this year. Anderson, who has been at the district’s helm for 18 years, announced he will retire at the end of the 2025-26 school year.
The school board’s 6-1 vote does not appropriate funds or issue bonds to pay for the projects; it only authorizes the district to ask voters for approval. The special election will be held on April 14, 2026. The district has submitted its facilities proposal to the Minnesota Department of Education and is awaiting approval.
Voters would be asked three questions during the special election.
The first question would ask whether an existing multi-million dollar technology levy should be extended. The second question would ask whether the district should issue $465 million of general obligation bonds to fund new buildings and various upgrades.
Finally, the third question would ask whether the district should issue $31 million of general obligation bonds that would include construction of an 8-lane swimming pool at Wayzata High School that would also be permitted for community use.
The question about the swimming pool is contingent on whether voters approve the $465 million bond issuance. Approval of those questions will result in property tax increases.
For a home valued at $650,000, approval of the questions would add $396 per year in property taxes.
The only vote against scheduling the special election came from Director Valentina Eyres who wondered if a swimming pool was a need or a want. She also questioned why the referendum was not put before voters during regularly scheduled elections.
“Why didn’t we plan to include [the] referendum questions in November this year or next year in order to be fiscally responsible and make sure that we are transparent with the taxpayers,” said Eyres. “Doing it in April feels [like] a form of voter suppression to me because not as many voters will be [showing up].”
