What you need to know
Designed by VLK Architects, the same firm which designed the recently completed Gus Almquist Middle School, the new schematics show the school will be designed for a maximum capacity of 2,400 students.
The expansion of the campus will include flexible learning spaces, an outdoor events plaza and a significantly different entrance than what is currently in place.
With this approval, the firm will begin developing the final design of the school.
How we got here
Last May, voters approved the use of $522 million to expand and improve district facilities as HISD is growing. The bond included three propositions.
Proposition A—the largest of the three at $471.5 million—funds several major campus projects, including construction of two new elementary schools and expansion of the Ninth Grade Center into a full high school.
At $10.5 million, Proposition B provides funding for new instructional technology devices, such as classroom computers and audio-video equipment.
Proposition C provides $40 million for the renovation of the administrative building at 200 College St. into a districtwide academic center with space for several alternative education programs.
What's next?
Construction on the build-out of the ninth grade center to a full high school is set to begin in June 2025 and will take about two years to complete, representatives of VLK Architects said.
