In anticipation of enrollment growing by 600 students over the next five to six years, the Merced City (California) district is planning to build a new school.
The Merced Sun-Star reports that school will be an elementary or middle school, depending on the demographics of the more then 2,000 homes expected to be built in North Merced during that time frame. And the cost would range between about $42 million and $55 million.
The new campus would be the 20th school added to 12,000-student district. The process from planning to opening a new school could take four to six years, according to Superintendent Julianna Stocking.
In the meantime, the school board has addressed overcrowding by moving sixth graders from elementary school to middle school campuses beginning in 2026-27.
Based on projected enrollment numbers with from the district's demographic study, the new school will be a middle school. A new middle school would cost about $55 million; the cost for a new elementary school is about $42 million.
Stocking says the district owns land at three potential sites in north Merced for a new school.
Mike Kennedy has been writing about education forAmerican School & Universitysince 1999. He also has reported on schools and other topics for The Chicago Tribune, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Times and City News Bureau of Chicago. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.
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