(Radio Iowa) – Waterloo residents are gathering signatures to put a $165-million bond question on the ballot to consolidate the West and East high schools at what’s now Central Middle School. Middle schoolers would move to the current West and East high buildings.

Shelly Smith is leading the petition effort and opposes the plan. The school board approved using state funds so residents won’t see a tax increase, but even so, Smith says the project’s price is too high.

“We’ve been using that allocation to make property repairs and maintenance repairs to our existing buildings,” Smith says. “So while it’s not costing us more, it is taking away resources that we’ve already got planned and budgeted.”

Board members supporting the plan says updates are needed and high schoolers will have easier access to the Career Center that’s located at Central Middle School.

Smith says the massive project won’t address the challenges the district is struggling with.

“How is this helping our student achievements, our student proficiency, because our students are not proficient with reading and writing,” Smith says. “How is it helping with attendance and prevent dropouts and how is it helping with graduation rates? How do we improve the education our students are receiving? A building won’t do that.”

Organizers have until August 12th to gather about 24-hundred signatures to either have an election or the school board can withdraw the approved plan.

(Meghan McKinney, Iowa Public Radio)