Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Construction topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Superintendent says new high school likely to open fall 2027 under three-year funding plan
Summary
Dr. Bennett told the DeSoto School Board on Jan. 28 that state funding indicators show a three-year funding cycle for the new high school, which would make the district safer to assume an opening in fall 2027 rather than fall 2026.
At the Jan. 28 DeSoto School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Bennett updated the board on the district's new high school project and said consultants and the district expect a three-year state funding cycle, which affects the project schedule.
"When we went to Tallahassee and visited with them, all the indicators are a 3 year funding cycle, not a 2 year," Dr. Bennett said. He explained the implication: construction would begin once the first funding piece arrives and continue through subsequent funding steps, making the overall project a two-year construction effort rather than a single year.
Because of legislative timing and recent hurricanes, Dr. Bennett said the safer assumption for planning is that the school will open in the fall of 2027 rather than fall 2026. "It would just take too many moving pieces," he said.
Dr. Bennett also said an architect will be on site at the high school on Thursday to meet with teachers and department chairs about classroom design ideas. The meetings are part of design outreach ahead of funding availability.
