Cumberland County Schools leaders are seeking $610 million from county commissioners for new school construction, major repairs, and facility upgrades as part of the district’s long-term facilities modernization plan.
The requests include funding for a new E.E. Smith High School, three new elementary school construction projects, additional classroom expansion, and a multi-year maintenance proposal tied to repair needs identified through a districtwide facilities assessment.
School board members approved the funding requests on Monday as part of a broader package of consolidation and facility planning actions, including moving closer to closing three schools. The funding requests now move to the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, which pays for school construction and major capital facility needs. The state primarily funds instructional operations.
On February 3, county commissioners approved a $98.5 million wish list for state lawmakers. Part of the request includes $30 million for education—$15 million for improvements to school buildings and facilities, and $15 million for “a new state-of-the-art school” to replace E.E. Smith High School’s existing campus.
In total, the school district asked for $610 million from county commissioners across construction and maintenance proposals.
The largest single request is $150 million for construction of a new E.E. Smith High on the school’s current campus. The current campus, which sits on 27 acres, is inadequate, according to school officials. But moving the campus of the historically Black school has faced public resistance.
In 2024, county commissioners voted to build a new E.E. Smith High after more than a year of discussions about the fate of the school.
Additional construction requests include:
- $50 million for a new elementary school on the J.W. Coon campus.
- $40 million for a new elementary school on the Ferguson-Easley campus.
- $40 million for construction of a new Stedman Elementary School.
- $20 million for a classroom addition at Gray’s Creek High School.
- $10 million in remaining construction funding for contingency needs and early design work.
Separately, the board is requesting $300 million over seven years to address high-priority maintenance needs identified in the district’s facilities assessment conducted by MGT of America .
District facilities data shows the largest repair cost categories include HVAC system replacements and repairs, roofing work, electrical infrastructure upgrades, and life-safety improvements. The upgrades include ones required under the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure school buildings are accessible to students, staff, and visitors with disabilities.
District leaders said the funding is intended to help address aging buildings, reduce long-term maintenance costs and respond to shifting enrollment patterns across the county.
$800 Million Tab for School Facilities
The district’s facilities assessment identified more than $800 million in total repair, replacement, and capital improvement needs across school district facilities.
The assessment evaluated building conditions, enrollment trends, facility utilization, and long-term infrastructure needs across the district. Findings were grouped into priority repair categories based on urgency, including major system failures, safety issues, and structural needs.
District officials said the $300 million maintenance request is intended to address the highest-priority repair categories first through a multi-year capital improvement plan.
E.E. Smith High Remains Central Focus
Board members repeatedly emphasized the importance of prioritizing the new E.E. Smith High as part of the district’s long-term facilities strategy.
Board member Deanna Jones said she supports addressing facility needs across the district but wants to ensure major capital projects—particularly E.E. Smith—remains a priority.
“E.E. Smith was on the consent agenda and we all agreed to that,” Jones said on Monday during the board meeting. “I just want to make sure that when it comes to future plans on what we’re doing with that school, they are not being short changed in any way when we are rebuilding that school.”
Jones said board members share a common focus on student outcomes even as members debate project sequencing and funding timelines.
“I don’t want anyone to get it twisted—we are all here for the children and what’s best for them,” she said.
Board member Mary Hales also emphasized the importance of ensuring visible progress on the E.E. Smith project as other facility decisions move forward.
“We need to see the brick and mortar on a new E.E. Smith High School first,” Hales said. “Since so many of you voted for these other schools, that school needs to be a major priority.”
According to district planning, the timeline for approved projects will depend on coordination of debt scheduling with county officials, recommendations from architects and engineers, construction market conditions, and district staffing capacity.