Last February, the Federal Way Public Schools asked voters to approve a $245 million dollar bond to rebuild its schools and Memorial Stadium, as well as fund construction of a 900-seat performance auditorium and an Environmental Studies Center.

The ballot measure failed to pass, earning six percentage points short of the necessary 60 percent supermajority approval.

The school district is trying again. But this time, the price tag is a mere $149 million.

"After the bond failed by only several hundred votes, we thought it would be in our best interest to hire a professional public research company to find out what our community wants" said Diane Turner, spokeswoman for the FWPS. "The bond now on the ballot is the direct result of that survey."

Turner said the district hired a Portland, Oregon-based firm, Conkling, Fiskum and McCormick, to conduct a telephone survey of 400 adults residing in Federal Way about the management and direction of Federal Way's public schools.

Among the questions posed was "What grade would you give the Federal Way School District for its overall performance?"

42 percent gave an A or B, 42 percent rated C or lower, with 16 percent undecided.

In response to "What are some of the primary reasons the bond failed in February?" 37 percent said the schools didn't need to be fixed, 29 percent cited lack of information and 23 percent gave poor fiscal management as the main reason.

After digesting those and other survey answers, the district whittled down the proposed bond to cover the rebuilding of just 5 schools - Lakota Middle School and Valhalla, Panther Lake, Lakeland and Sunnycrest Elementary Schools.

Construction is planned through 2012.

Of the $149 million bond, $34 million covers the rebuilding of Lakota, and rebuilding the four elementary schools will cost $70 million.

$45 million will pay for the construction of a new service center near Celebration Park. The complex will house the district's central kitchen, bus barn and facility maintenance services.

If voters pass the bond next month, Washington State will contribute $20 million in matching funds, which will be used for upgrades and repairs - such as new roofs, heating systems and earthquake reinforcement - at 23 additional schools around the district. At several schools, cinder fields will be replaced with natural turf. Memorial Field would receive a face-lift,.

District officials are quick to point out that if the bond passes, there won't be an increase in the tax rate - residents will still pay $4.28 per $1000 of property valuation - or about $428 per $100,000.

"We heard time and time again that the last bond was just too big, too much," Turner explained. "This time we've covered just the basic essentials - and all district facilities built before 1990, except for Federal Way High School, will receive high-priority repairs and upgrades, thanks to the matching funds."