$55m budget approved for Houston County new middle school. When will it open?

A high-value ninth middle school will be built for the Houston County School District.

The district’s board of education unanimously approved Tuesday afternoon the guaranteed maximum price of $55 million for the construction of Veterans Middle School, marking further progress toward the development of the district’s 40th educational campus. The $55 million isn’t the final cost of the school — the district can spend up to about $55.8 million

Veterans Middle School’s groundbreaking event will occur toward the end of April, HCSD spokesperson Jennifer Jones told The Telegraph.

The school, which will be located near Veterans High School, is scheduled to open at the beginning of the 2027-2028 academic year, Jones added.

The construction of a new middle school was to provide relief for Bonaire Middle and Perry Middle schools, according to the district’s facilities plans listed in its 2022-2027 Education Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax community presentation.

The opening of Veterans Middle School was one of the district’s main priorities for its current E-SPLOST fund cycle. The cycle will run for five years, ending March 31, 2027, or until a cap of $190 million is reached, whichever comes first.

An E-SPLOST is a one-cent sales tax that lasts a maximum of five years or until an established cap is reached that allows school systems to provide funds for improving safety and security, facilities, technology, transportation and more.

The HCSD is currently under an agreement with the Parrish Construction Group for Veterans Middle School’s development, according to district documents presented at the board meeting.

The board of education approved naming “Middle School No. 7” as Veterans Middle School back in August.

This story was originally published April 9, 2025 at 10:32 AM.