HCPSS Board of Education Selects Mission Road Site for High School #13

March 9th, 2018

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Board of Education voted yesterday to move forward with the Mission Road site for new high school #13. The Board directed staff to complete the acquisition of Mission Road for the purposes of constructing the new high school, which is slated to open in 2023.

The Mission Road site is located at 8601 Route 1 Chase Land Subdivision and is approximately 77 acres in size. The site can accommodate an elementary and high school campus to serve future HCPSS student population growth, in addition to recreation and parkland with a water tower. Howard County Government is in the process of acquiring this property under an MOU negotiated in May 2016.

Construction is scheduled to start in December 2019 and be completed by September 2023. The total estimated project cost for high school #13 is $124 million.

The Board considered two sites for the future high school, Mission Road and Troy Park. The Board directed staff to continue the steps to land bank portions of Troy Park for use of a future school.

The Board’s review included considerations, such as air quality testing, an environmental assessment and student travel time. In anticipation of the site selection, the Board reviewed a report on Feb. 8 and held a public hearing on Feb. 22.