FOLSOM RANCH OFFICIAL: FCUSD’S NEXT HIGH SCHOOL

I―ALAYNA WAGNER ―

t was more than one year ago when Folsom Ranch residents came together in a wave of activism to ensure the new high school to serve Folsom Ranch would be built here, rather than in Rancho Cordova. In spring of 2024, an advisory committee of community members from each city was chosen, and unanimously agreed that the new high school should be located in Folsom Ranch.

At the September 2024 Special Board Meeting, a Study Session on Facilities, FCUSD staff presented to the board the plan to build the next three schools in the district:

1. New comprehensive high school in Folsom Ranch, to open Fall 2029

2. New small, specialty high school in Rancho Cordova, to open Fall 2029

3. Third elementary school in Folsom Ranch, to open Fall 2028

The comprehensive high school will also be a middle-high school combination model, with a shared spine but separate amenities and campuses on either side. This model, originally called “Mather-Morrison”, was designed for Rancho Cordova originally. The middle school is not opening at the same time as the high school, but rather, they will build out the minimum necessary to complete the high school project.

The school district is currently speaking to landowners in Folsom to finalize their land acquisition for the future Folsom Ranch high school site. However, despite the promises to be conscientious of taxpayer dollars, the district does not typically negotiate on land prices and the process lacks public oversight. Ideally, the district would present at a future Facilities meeting the comparison of the parcels in terms of necessary setbacks, challenges with topography and utilities, access roads, and of course, the asking price of the land.

The funding source for these schools, and especially the high school, estimated at $518M in 2023 dollars, is unclear. The district is proposing a new $500M bond, meaning some monies would come out of Measure M as well to build out all three planned schools. Outgoing FCUSD trustee Tim Hooey, who represents Folsom Ranch, was strictly against further spending on Measure M. Incoming FCUSD trustee, YK Chalamcherla, (succeeding Tim Hooey), has not publicly shared his stance on Measure M’s future, or what he would need to see in a future city or district-wide bond in order to support it.

Please keep an eye out for a tentatively scheduled January Facilities meeting for more information.