$10 Million Difference: Why Building Accessible K-12 Schools Now Saves Money and Honors Equity & Inclusion

Creating a High School Campus That Welcomes Everyone—Including Our Grandparents

As Burlington-Edison begins conversations about the needs of the high school, I want to bring forward one essential truth: Accessibility benefits all of us—especially in a community like Skagit County, where we have the highest proportion of residents aged 85+ in Washington State.

Right now, our high school—spread across multiple buildings—has just one elevator and one ramp. That means students with injuries, disabilities, or mobility challenges face daily obstacles simply moving between classes. And it's not just students who are affected. Our teachers, custodians, families, and especially our grandparents are part of the school community too.

Here's what many people don't realize: More than 2.4 million children nationwide are being raised by their grandparents. In Skagit County, with our aging population, this number is significant. These grandparents attend parent-teacher conferences, school concerts, athletic events, and volunteer opportunities—or at least, they try to. When schools aren't accessible, these dedicated caregivers are shut out from their grandchildren's education.

National data shows that 8–14% of high schoolers have a documented disability, and many more struggle with temporary injuries each year. But accessibility isn't only for a small group. Ramps, elevators, clear signage, safe lighting, wider hallways, visual alarms, and sensory-friendly layouts help everyone—whether they are carrying instruments to band class, recovering from a sports injury, or navigating a busy hallway with anxiety. And here's the best part: building accessibility into a new school from the start costs less than 1% of the total project budget. Studies show that retrofitting later can cost 2% to 20% of the total—up to 20 times more expensive. On a $50 million project, that's the difference between spending $500,000 now or $10 million later.

We are also a community with blended families and rising numbers of grandparents raising grandchildren—about a quarter of whom have disabilities themselves. They deserve a school they can enter safely and with dignity when they come to concerts, games, conferences, and events.

Creating a truly accessible campus is about honoring every student and every family . As we start the discussion about the future of the high school campus, I hope we consider architectural partners who specialize in universal design, ADA+ standards, and inclusive K–12 environments. A school created with accessibility in mind becomes a school that welcomes everyone. This is our chance to think forward and create a campus that reflects a community that values equity, belonging, and the success of every child—and supports the families who help raise them.

Respectfully,

April Patterson
Managing Broker - Keller Williams
Military Relocation Professional 
Accessibility Real Estate Specialist
Proud US Navy Veteran
#HousingForAll #AccessibilityMatters
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