Texas K–12 District to Build New Elementary, High Schools

The High Island Independent School District on the Bolivar Peninsula in Southeast Texas recently announced that construction on a new elementary school and a new high school will begin in January 2026, according to local news. Funding will come from a $27.9-million bond passed in May 2025.

The project consists of building separate elementary and high-school buildings that will share a new gym and library facility. Construction has an estimated completion date of August 2027, local news reports. Once the new facility opens, the existing high school and elementary buildings will be demolished and replaced with school parking.

According to local news from April 2025, the existing facilities are 76 years old and are aging out of use. Three buildings—extracurricular facilities used for cheerleading, weight training, and athletics—have been condemned. Further review indicated that renovation and repair would cost almost as much as building new facilities.

“This will meet our needs,” said High Island ISD Superintendent David Walker. “This school is a part of the community in a lot of ways. If we didn’t have the school, we wouldn’t have our community.”

12NewsNow reports that design and construction plans will be finalized by September and that groundbreaking is scheduled for January 2026. The project should involve “very minimal traffic issues in moving students and everything,” said Walker.

The bond had originally promised no tax rate increase for local taxpayers. Instead, the district will implement a tax rate decrease of 8 cents, even with the bond’s passage.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • School Construction Projects Boom as Education Systems Address Aging Facilities and Growth

    Construction opportunities are almost always abundant, but currently there are more than usual construction projects being launched for public school campuses. Common objectives include major renovation or expansion of aging facilities, total replacement of inefficient classrooms, upgrades to lighting, technology, and security equipment, and adding new sports and cultural facilities.

  • KI Wall Demonstrates New Solutions at NeoCon 2025

    KI Wall attended NeoCon 2025 in Chicago, Ill., last month to showcase its new architectural wall systems and collaborations, according to a news release. Its customizable, design-forward wall solutions are intended to support creativity in work, education, and healthcare environments.

  • ClassVR headsets

    Avantis Education Revamps Hardware for ClassVR Solution

    Avantis Education recently announced the launch of two new headsets for its flagship educational VR/AR solution, ClassVR. According to a news release, the Xcelerate and Xplorer headsets expand the company’s offerings into higher education while continuing to meet the evolving needs of K–12 users.

  • The Role of Unified Communications in Hyflex Education

    Academic technology and pedagogy have evolved in ways few could have imagined a decade ago. Today, hybrid/flexible (or hyflex) learning environments — a mix of in-person and remote instruction — are the new normal. However, as promising as it sounds, making hyflex work smoothly is no small feat.

Digital Edition