The Dallas Independent School District unveiled options Thursday to either largely renovate or rebuild schools badly damaged by the last year’s tornado.
Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said he hopes the board of trustees will decide how to move forward inside the next two weeks so they can have the schools back open by August 2022.
“What we expect from you in two weeks is which plan we go for,” Hinojosa told trustees.
No matter which plan is chosen, badly damaged Cary Middle School will have to be replaced and will become PreK – 8th grade.
The other two options center around whether to renovate the damaged Thomas Jefferson High School or completely rebuild it, along with Walnut Hill Elementary, which will become a career institute building.
Choosing to rebuild both buildings will place the total project price tag at just under $200 million, according to the district. While renovation would put the estimated expense just over $130 million.
Either way, Hinojosa told reporters there will be funding for the project from a combination of district funds, insurance money and bond money.
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“I am very comfortable with option two(rebuild), the only reason I am recommending option one is because it is less money,” Hinojosa said.
