Laramie County trustees concur with East High capacity study, recommend additions and reconfiguration

The Laramie County School District #1 board of trustees on June 2 concurred with a state-backed capacity study that recommends adding 413 seats to East High School through additions and selective interior reconfiguration.

The study, prepared by FDA and presented to the board, concluded that an addition plus targeted reconfiguration is the most cost-effective remedy compared with building a new school on the existing site or on a new site. “Addition and select space reconfiguration of East High School to address the capacity needs, both now and in the future,” Maureen Raszewski, vice president with FDA, summarized for the board.

Why it matters: East High is currently overcapacity and projected to remain so under the district’s enrollment projections. The recommended remedy aims to relieve overcrowding in areas cited in the study — notably cafeteria throughput and parking availability — while keeping capital and long-term maintenance costs lower than the other options.

Details of the recommendation and process: The FDA analysis estimated the addition would provide about 413 seats, roughly 17 new classrooms, including general science and CTE/lab space where needed. The consultant said the approach preserves design flexibility so the district’s architect can finalize classroom adjacencies and program spaces at design phase. The study used a 20-year present-value analysis comparing first-cost, maintenance and operating costs to reach its conclusion.

Next steps and timeline: With board concurrence, the state construction department will present the study to the School Facilities Commission (scheduled June 25) and prepare a legislatively driven budget request for design money. Shelby Carlson, municipal facilities division administrator with the State Construction Department, told trustees the district will seek design funding in the 2026 legislative cycle and, if design is approved, could request construction funding in 2027. Construction of an addition/reconfiguration was estimated by state project staff at roughly 16 to 18 months once funded, and district staff said the overall timeline from now to project completion would likely be about three to four years under the expected funding sequence.

What the board and staff highlighted: Board members and district staff stressed that the recommendation was driven by capacity projections that look eight years from implementation to meet statutory and rule-based review windows. Trustee questions focused on parking, locker space and the longevity of a reconfigured solution versus a wholly new building. John Rexworth, project manager supervisor with the state construction department, said construction time will depend on the final design—e.g., adding a wing is different from adding a third story in the middle of the building.

Funding context: Shelby Carlson said the district will seek roughly $3.5 million for design (final figure to be confirmed) in the 2026 session; construction funding would be requested separately in 2027. Board members noted that legislative funding is uncertain and that prior statewide projects had fluctuated in the biennial process.

Discussion vs. decision: Trustees held an extended discussion during the work session on alternatives — including boundary (triad) changes — before making the formal concurrence vote. The board’s concurrence is a formal step that allows the state to request design funds; it does not itself appropriate construction money or set a final design.

Board action: The motion to concur with the most cost-effective remedy study pertaining to East High passed on a board vote at the June 2 meeting. The concurrence forwards the study to the School Facilities Commission and supports a future design funding request to the legislature.

Looking ahead: District and state staff said design-phase work will be used to finalize answers to outstanding questions raised by trustees — especially parking, specific classroom breakdowns and how construction will minimize program disruption. If the legislature approves design and later construction funds, district officials expect to involve the architect and the East High community in detailed programming and site choices before construction begins.