Copyright The Boston Globe
The urgency of these issues was confirmed when the Massachusetts School Building Authority invited Lexington into its highly competitive funding program in 2022. Only 15 percent of districts applying for MSBA funding were selected that year. Lexington has spent several years studying multiple options to expand and modernize the town’s high school: renovation, addition, and new construction. After extensive analysis and comprehensive community input, a proposed new construction design, known as “Bloom,” was selected. The MSBA approved this design as the most educationally sound and cost-effective solution. The new Lexington High School will provide the technology, science labs, and flexible learning spaces students need to thrive. The school’s extensive use of green technology will lower ongoing operating costs while creating healthier, energy-efficient spaces. From collaborative classrooms to outdoor learning areas, every detail is designed to support student success today and adaptability for decades. If funding for the school plan is approved, the school’s doors will open in fall 2029. This is the fastest, most efficient, and least disruptive path forward for our community. Lexington Town Meeting members and voters face a clear choice: Invest in a modern, sustainable facility that will serve Lexington for generations or continue patching a 70-year-old facility that no longer meets our students’ needs. If funding for the school plan is not approved, Lexington would be forced to withdraw from the MSBA program, losing an estimated $121 million in state reimbursement and valuable time. High school building projects are expensive, and few districts attempt such large-scale projects without state support. Upon withdrawal, Lexington would restart the application process from the beginning, with no guarantee of being selected again. Required feasibility studies, design work, and local approval processes would have to be repeated. Based on how long it took Lexington to enter the MSBA process and how long other towns have waited after failed votes, this would likely delay the project five to six years. Meanwhile, students would remain in overcrowded, deteriorating facilities with growing maintenance costs. Inflation in construction costs would add millions of dollars to any future project, and without state support, local taxpayers would probably bear the full burden. Lexington recently adopted new zoning to encourage multifamily housing development under the MBTA Communities Act. As our community grows, so will our need for facilities that can support every student’s success. Lexington’s proactive approach to housing only underscores the critical need for a new high school. Some residents are concerned that this housing growth could mean the new Lexington High School will be too small. But enrollment in Lexington’s elementary schools — students who will attend high school from 2029 onward — continues to trend downward. When population growth from new housing is added, the increase can be accommodated without overcrowding. The selected design is based on MSBA guidelines and can grow as Lexington grows. The Bloom plan is designed for 2,395 students at 85 percent capacity, but it could accommodate about 1,100 more students through various strategies, including increasing class sizes, repurposing existing office space, and future building expansion, should Lexington’s enrollment grow beyond current projections. The total estimated cost of about $660 million is a significant investment, but one that reflects the size and timing of the project. Lexington’s high school enrollment is among the largest in the state, and bigger schools naturally cost more to build. Construction prices have also surged dramatically since 2020, and public-sector projects face stricter standards than private construction. Even so, Lexington’s projected cost per square foot is comparable to the average for several recently completed Massachusetts high schools of similar size and scope. While the overall price reflects the high costs of today’s construction market, the MSBA’s rigorous oversight will ensure every dollar is spent wisely and that Lexington’s project is responsibly managed. The facts are clear: Delaying would cost more, and doing nothing would solve nothing. MSBA partnership, thoughtful design, and strong fiscal oversight from both the state and the town make this project the best, most cost-effective opportunity Lexington has to replace its aging high school. Let’s act now to secure state funding, contain costs, and deliver the school our students need for generations to come.
