Mary Scott NabersThroughout the U.S., projects to upgrade, modernize and stabilize basic infrastructure will launch over the next several years. The infrastructure needs are critical, and public officials are committed to meeting the challenge of protecting public assets and providing safe and high-quality services to citizens.
Airport spending over the next decade is expected to reach historic levels. Bridges that have been deemed structurally unsound will be rebuilt, refurbished or replaced. Water treatment plant upgrades or total replacements, along with the removal of corroded water pipelines, are planned in hundreds of regions. Other major infrastructure projects are currently in the planning and design phases.
America’s educational infrastructure is already being aggressively upgraded. Technology modernization will be a major consideration for every type of upcoming project. While federal funding will continue to support many infrastructure initiatives, the amount of funding made available will obviously be less. The good news is that the required funding is being made available locally, and the commitment required by public officials is extremely strong at state and local levels of government. Examples of school district projects almost ready to launch throughout the country follow.
An extremely large school district initiative was recently approved for funding by citizens in the Hays County Independent School District in Texas. County officials received funding approval related to four bond propositions that cumulatively totaled $934 million. A new high school in Buda, tagged with a cost of $400 million, will be constructed. About $469 million is allocated for construction projects that include districtwide renovations and improvements to numerous other school facilities.
New school buses will be purchased, four outdoor, covered multipurpose centers for athletics and fine arts will be created and technology upgrades will be installed throughout the entire district. The new technology installations have a projected cost of more than $16 million. When completed, the high school will have a capacity for 2,800 students, dedicated spaces for career and technical education, fine arts areas, and athletic enhancements. No final timelines have been announced but stakeholders believe construction will be launched soon after the planning phase has been completed.
Funding for a new elementary school building in Fairbury, Illinois, will be handled locally by a $38 million bond package that voters approved. The effort will focus on serving the needs of pre-K through fourth grade students in the district. The project, which marks a significant restructuring of the district’s elementary education system, will consolidate three existing schools (Chatsworth, Chenoa and Fairbury) into a single, modern facility. When completed, the building will offer multipurpose areas, enhanced teaching rooms and a more efficient, open and functional structure for the students. The project is still in the planning and design phase, but construction procurement solicitation documents may be released by late 2025 or early 2026.
Officials at the Jackson County School System in Georgia have announced plans to build a $200 million K-12 educational complex that will consolidate elementary, middle and high school students on a single, state-of-the-art campus.
The new facility will be designed to accommodate the county’s growing student population while streamlining educational services and improving operational efficiency. In addition to classroom buildings, the campus development will include extensive athletic facilities—a new track and turf stadium, a soccer field, multiple practice fields and a modern baseball and softball complex. These upgrades will enhance student experiences and provide opportunities for athletic development at all grade levels. Currently in the planning phase, no timeline has been announced for construction.
Students in the South Shore Massachusetts School District will soon have a new vocational high school facility. The project will relieve the overcrowding issue at another local vocational high school where students are being turned away for lack of space. The new facility will also be available for the South Shore Tech Night Program, which provides vocational education and training for adults. The vocational facility will accommodate 900 students, and the 250,000-square-foot building will be designed to enhance various types of trade skills and expertise. Currently in the design development phase, the project will release bidding documents for construction services in 2026. The school is expected to be completed and open for the 2028 school year.
Voters in Missouri approved a $225 million bond for school facility construction projects in the Lee Summit School District. Currently, however, no decision has been made related to the possible consolidation of two existing school systems—the Westview Elementary and the Lee Summit Elementary School. Both systems have experienced student declines. Currently, Greenwood and Hazelgrove Elementary schools both are allocated $44.5 million for the construction of new buildings. Whichever decision is made—to consolidate or not to consolidate—more than $70 million has been allocated for district-wide improvements to HVAC systems, parking facilities, roofs and more.
A $32 million expansion project will renovate Pleasant Lea Middle School. Planning documents also allocate $1.2 million for classrooms at the Municipal Aerospace Hangar. Another $72 million will cover costs for high school athletic upgrades, band field upgrades at three campuses, new classroom furniture, and general capital improvements. Construction solicitations have not yet been issued for any of the projects.
Almost every type of school project will include technology implementations, and most school projects are being designed with top-of-the-line safety components. Interested contractors are advised to immediately get involved at the local level as planning documents are being completed. The upcoming summer months offer excellent opportunities to meet stakeholders and school officials.
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