Commission approves $33.9 million appropriation for Frayser high school after advocates press for speed

The commission voted to amend the FY 2025 capital budget and appropriate $33,910,683 from Memphis and Shelby County Schools for construction of a new Frayser high school. Community advocates, parents and students urged immediate appropriation and noted more than 600 displaced students had been assigned to multiple campuses; several speakers described longstanding building deficiencies and the need for a modern facility with STEM spaces and athletic fields.

Commissioners discussed schedule expectations and the possibility that, depending on design and procurement, ground‑breaking could begin in spring or summer; administration officials said the final year of allocations in the project schedule is FY2028 and that the target opening cited by MSCS was fall 2027 but they could not guarantee the earlier date. Bond counsel and finance staff said timing will be affected by the multi‑year capital plan, competing projects and financing. Several commissioners underscored the need to parallel capital investments with a county‑wide facilities plan and to address deferred maintenance across a larger set of schools. The appropriation passed with a strong majority.

Commissioners asked MSCS and bond counsel to keep the commission updated on the design, procurement timeline, minority‑contracting goals and the anticipated construction schedule and to ensure the project contains the program elements the community requested.