Hillsborough school leaders are proposing to build a new high school in the southern part of the county.
- School would be cost $50 million, open by 2020
- Lennard High School is 116 percent full
- Location of school has to be approved by Commission
The school would cost $50 million to build and be located on the north side of CR-672 (Balm Road) and East of U.S. Highway 301.
"This new high school will accommodate about 2,300 or 2,400 students and based on the projections already we can probably get pretty close to filling the high school," said Lorraine Suarez, general manager of growth management and planning.
Suarez said the school is needed to deal with residential growth in South County. The area is the fastest-growing part of the district.
Currently high school students who live in the area attend East Bay or Lennard High schools. However, even after recently adding additional space, East Bay is near capacity and Lennard High is overcrowded. The school is 116 percent full.
"None of this is unexpected, but we can only build the school when we have the funds available to us, which comes from impact fees, which come from new growth," Suarez said.
In past years, the economic downturn stalled new growth. This year, new homes are being built and families are moving into South County. Residents said they are excited about the possibility of a new high school there.
"I think any school for Wimauma would be beneficial to get the kids in this community closer to home," said parent Ciera Infante.
The location of the new high school will still have to be approved by the Hillsborough County Commission. The site was initially designated for a middle school. However, after evaluating the student populations, school leaders decided that a high school would be needed at that location instead.
Hillsborough commissioners are expected to weigh in on the issue by early next year. If it's approved, a new high school could be open to students in South County by 2020.