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

  • Construction Begins on New University Research Vessel

    Boat-building company All American Marine recently announced that it has begun construction on a new catamaran research vessel for the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) in Port Aransas, Texas, according to a news release.

  • Florida District Completes Construction on New Leadership Institute

    Pinellas County Schools near Tampa, Fla., recently announced that construction is complete on the new Dr. Michael A. Grego Leadership Institute, according to a news release. The district partnered with Rowe Architects for the project’s design and with Skanska for construction services.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.