The District sold our 2025 general obligation bonds on Tuesday, June 3 and had great results. Piper Sandler, the financial firm underwriting our bonds, received $477 million in orders for our $97.7 million in available bonds. This drove interest rates lower and resulted in higher net bond proceeds. To buy the bonds at an above-market interest rate, investors are willing to overpay us for the privilege of receiving a guaranteed rate of return. Thus, we received an extra $7.9 million above the bonds’ par value. This means the District will garner $104.9 million in net proceeds from the bond sale, which will be available for projects authorized by the voters when they approved our ballot measure. This does not raise the estimated amount of money that people pay in taxes beyond our bond language or lengthen the time of repayment.

“We’re thrilled with the outcome of the bond sale and deeply grateful to our community for their support. I’m especially excited about the projects ahead and the positive impact they’ll have on future generations,” said Superintendent Dr. Charan Cline. “Ten of our students had the opportunity to attend the bond sale in Portland and see exactly how this process works. It gave them a front-row seat to how public financing supports their own schools,” said Cline.

 Among those attending were Ridgeview High School junior Lane Romanick and sophomore Vlad Correa-Diaz, both of whom said the experience gave them a new understanding of how taxes and investing connect.

“I learned a lot about where tax dollars go, and it was cool to see how the bond is directly supporting the district and Ridgeview. It feels good to know these improvements are happening,” said Romanick.

Correa-Diaz was fascinated by the mechanics of the bond market. “It was awesome seeing the bond sale in real time. I didn’t realize investors all over the country want to buy these bonds because they’re safe, since they’re backed by taxes,” he said. “I liked learning how even small changes in interest rates matter.”

With funds now secured, construction and upgrades can begin across the district.