LARGO, Md. — Prince George's County Council has greenlit a resolution to move forward with a project to build eight new schools in the county through a mix of public and private funds.
The approval comes after the county council was unable to get the necessary votes to advance to the second phase of the plan last week.
Under the Blueprint Schools Program developers finance the construction, and Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) pays for the new buildings over a 30-year period. The goal of the plan is to expedite the construction of these facilities.
"Over the next four years, blue-print phase two schools will create more than 8,000 seats at 8 schools. Six of those will of course be elementary schools and two of those K-8 academies," Prince George's County Superintendent Millard House III said during a news conference ahead of the council vote.
The second phase of the project includes the following schools:
- Fairwood Area Elementary in Bowie
- Margaret Brent Elementary in New Carrolton
- Springhill Lake Elementary in Greenbelt
- Templeton Elementary in Riverdale Park
- James Duckworth Elementary in Beltsville
- Hyattsville Elementary in Hyattsville
- Robert Frost Area PK-8 in New Carrolton
- Brandywine Area PK in Brandywine
The eight new buildings would replace 14 existing schools that are outdated and require modernization according to House III.
Fairwood Area Elementary and Margaret Brent Elementary set to open as soon as 2026.
Jason Washington who oversees the execution of the overall plan as the Director of Alternative Infrastructure Planning and Development for PGCPS, says the areas where the new buildings will be constructed were prioritized in part due to school conditions. "That's how the schools were selected. This was a process that was collaborative with the state and local officials to make sure there was equitable distribution," he said.
With just one out of the eight new buildings in south county, District 8 Council Member Edward Burroughs did not support the resolution. "Kids in the Southern part of the county deserve quality schools as well. The kids of the southern part of the county go into buildings every single day that in the winter the heat is not working, and in the summer the air condition is not working," he told WUSA9.
Ahead of the vote, other members of the Council including the Chair Jolene Ivey said the eight new schools are a win for the entire county, "This is something that is so needed. We need these schools built."
Two Prince George's County mothers who have been advocating for school improvements also spoke during the Tuesday morning news conference organized by Council Member Wanika Fisher.
Mother of two, Marina Martinez called on the unanimous support of the council saying, "It's time to stand together and fight for our kid's future."
Fresi Bonilla, who also has children in Prince George's County said the resolution went beyond having new facilities for students. "It's not just about education. It's about creating wealth in our county," she added.
Following the council's approval, the state's Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC) will have to also approve the resolution during a July 23 meeting.