Dealing with an overcrowded high school and denied a bond to build a comprehensive second high school, Maricopa Unified School District is creating an additional high school as a “career academy.”

Plans are for a July 2022 opening.

MUSD is in the process of purchasing 80 acres, known as the “Cortona” site, on the southwest corner of Farrell Road and Murphy Road currently owned by Maricopa 250 LLC. Board member Torri Anderson recused herself from the decision, stating a conflict of interest.

“I am excited for the children in our city,” Governing Board President AnnaMarie Knorr said in a district announcement Friday. “The additional high school will not only address overcrowding but will arrive with its own identity and focus. It is not meant to be a cookie cutter replication of Maricopa High School, this is about expanding opportunities. It is important to us that each school continues to develop its own unique culture and programming to meet the diverse needs and interests of all our scholars.”

The district received funding through the state’s School Facilities Board that would have started a typical school with a full offering of extracurriculars. But it needed extra funding from taxpayers to complete, funding that did not come, when voters rejected a bond.

The new plan, according to the announcement, is “an initial phase of four modular academies of learning communities.” The capacity allowed by SFB funding is 1,330 students, which would place up to 333 students in each academy.

For the first phase, MUSD has $26 million from SFB, including $3.75 million for land acquisition,

“We are stewards of taxpayer money, and we are committed to building a high school that maximizes every dollar in the first phase while providing an infrastructure set for expansion into future phases,” Superintendent Tracey Lopeman said. “Programming will follow a similar path. We will identify
foundational programs that will blossom into the career academies and learning communities that help shape young people into responsible citizens, great employees, and wonderful neighbors right here in Maricopa.”

The district has stakeholders developing programming ideas.

The announcement from the district noted initial ideas of global learning, additional career and technical education options, a community college partner, transitioning programming and agriculture.

Phase 1
● School Facilities Board capacity is 1,330 students, so each Academy or Small Learning Community (SLC) will house approximately 333 students or 13.32 teaching stations at 25 students per station (SFB metric).
● The architects propose a design with 14 teaching spaces per Academy or SLC. With 26 students per teaching space, which would be 80% utilized, the teaching spaces would provide an excess capacity of 350 students [100% utilization is 30 students/TS].

MUSD may seek bonds from voters for Phase 2 expansions, which could use existing modulars to house two academies/SLCs instead of all four and adjust the facility footprint with new construction to meet future growth needs.

According to MUSD, the Cortona property was chosen after evaluating land options and considering location, infrastructure, floodplain, size, topography and price.

“The Cortona property is priced the best, it is not impacted by the floodplain and is in an area of our city that is predicted to see substantial growth,” Business Director Jacob Harmon said.