Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

DFW-Area District Plans New Middle School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/18/22

The Richardson Independent School District in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex recently approved a budget for the construction of a new middle school. The district’s board of trustees voted on April 11 to approve $81 million toward the construction of the new Lake Highlands Middle School. The new facility will stand three stories tall and have the capacity for about 1,500 students.

“We are very excited for this,” said RISD Assistant Superintendent Sandra Hayes. “This is the first time that the district has taken on creating a new school since the early 2000s, with the exception of Memorial Park Academy. We're very excited to get this off and running.”

Construction is scheduled to begin this summer and finish by August 2024, according to local news. The project is part of a wider district initiative to move from the junior high school system (in which sixth-graders attend elementary school) to the middle school system (in which sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders attend middle school).

After construction on Lake Highlands Middle School is complete, the district plans to demolish the existing junior high school and use the space for middle school amenities like parking, flatwork, paving, tennis courts, site lighting and landscaping, according to local news. The project’s total budget—including demolition and site renovations—is $94 million. Funds will come from a $750-million bond package from 2021.

The budget does take into account the increased price of construction. “Back in 2019-20, new construction in the metroplex was running around $300 a square foot,” Hayes said. “Currently, at the price that we're seeing industrywide, the cost per square foot is about $350 now due to escalation. That’s what we’re seeing in the construction world and hearing from our neighbors that are also building schools.”

The district’s goal is to convert all junior high campuses to middle school campuses by the 2030–31 school year, according to a district presentation.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • golden trophies with falling confetti

    Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 New Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning is happy to announce that we’re now accepting entries for the 2026 New Product Awards! The awards program recognizes the outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are considered particularly noteworthy.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.