Proposed School Projects: Next Steps Announced By DeKalb School District

DEKALB COUNTY, GA — DeKalb County School District officials will hold a news conference Monday to announce its plans to improve schools and infrastructure district-wide.

It will take place at 2:45 p.m. at the DeKalb County School District Administrative and Instructional Complex, 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd., in Stone Mountain. Here's a link to the live steam.

Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris and DeKalb Board of Education Chair Vickie Turner will outline the improvements under the comprehensive master plan, which will be funded by the recently approved Education- Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, E-SPLOT.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and engagement, we continue to invite the community to hear about the transformational projects we have planned as part of the continuation of approved E-SPLOST funding,” said Watson-Harris in a statement.

The DeKalb County E-SPLOST referendum was passed Nov. 2 by voters with an 81 percent vote of approval.

It will impose a one percent sales and use tax on goods and services purchased in DeKalb County for the next five years. The district estimates the tax will bring in $660 million to $700 million in revenue and fund school improvements and program enhancement projects.

E-SPLOST projects include building a new Cross Keys High School; the creation Sequoyah School cluster, including a new middle school, high school, and nearby Dresden elementary school; repurposing McNair High School into a Career Tech Academy; merging Dunaire and Allgood elementary schools into a new school with an early learning center and rebuilding Hawthorne Elementary.

Other projects include replacing Avondale High School with a new building and stadium to become the Performing Arts Academy; setting up a Cyber Technology and Engineering Academy with a conversion of Towers High School; rebuilding Dresden Elementary School; rebuilding Stoneview Elementary School; rebuilding Jolly Elementary School, the creation of a K-8 at Austin Elementary; additional early learning centers; and additional technological infrastructure improvements.