Amid rapid growth, Johnston County $250M bond aims to build and renovate schools

On Tuesday, the Johnston County School Board approved a $250 million bond issue that would create new schools in one of the state's fastest-growing counties.

It's a pressing issue for many parents and teachers wanting to foster the best learning environment for students, a growing number of whom are taking classes in mobile units. The board approved the resolution in a 7-0 vote.

Research shows Johnston County was the fastest-growing county in North Carolina between 2010 and 2020, with an average of 500 new homes being built a year.

Officials estimate that JCS is adding 730 new students a year and 73 percent of their 44 schools are exceeding capacity. They have 186 mobile units right now containing 201 classrooms.

The bond aims to provide money for a new high school ($102 million), two new elementary schools ($96 million), and renovations to four additional (two elementary, one high school, one middle school) schools ($55.5 million).

This would provide room for 5,429 students and they would be able to remove 146 mobile units.

There are over 35,000 students in the county, making it the seventh largest school district.

Schools are overcrowded, and school board members say it's time to build new schools and renovate the ones they have. Board members say this is the first step at getting ahead of the school overcrowding crisis in the county.

Parents agree the school system desperately needs the bond to be passed.

"They're building all these new neighborhoods and don't have any place for these kids to go to school," said Erica Fisher.

"Johnson County is the fastest growing county in the state of North Carolina," said April Lee with the Johnston County Teachers Association. "The growth is not stopping. It's continuing to just grow at a rate that unfortunately we have not planned well to keep up."

Teachers said it’s challenging to do their jobs when 73 percent of the schools are over capacity — meaning that many students are taught in mobile units.

"We've got growing pains and we need additional seats," said Todd Sutton on the school board.

The next step would be county commissioners approving the bond referendum. It would go to the voters on the ballot in the fall.

This is just the first of what would be three referendums to meet all of the county needs at $720 million through 2026.