Expenditures are programmed in the six-year period to open a new high school on the Crown Farm site to address overutilization in the mid-county region. Although an FY 2019 appropriation for planning was recommended by the Board of Education for this new school, the County Council delayed the funds by one year to begin in FY 2020. An FY 2020 appropriation is recommended for planning to begin the architectural design for the project. Once the planning is complete, a recommendation will be included in the next full CIP regarding the phasing and completion date for the opening of this new high school.
This is going to be delayed again. There is no money for the operational debt service costs.
If the county doesn't turn its financial problems around it will never happen or happen after extreme budget cuts to MCPS operating budget. The county already a problem with the debt service costs compared to lower revenue trends. All indicators point at this getting worse. Woodward is going to be a real problem and will be the last school built until there can be massive re-allocation out of the MCPS budget to cover their operating debt for new schools. Combine this problem with the massive amount of deferred maintenance that MCPS has been piling up and Crown will be 20 years down the road if it ever gets built.