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Douglas School District Growth and Expansion

Over the next 24-30 months, district patrons will see major changes in district facilities. We are excited to announce that not only will there be an addition to Douglas Middle School, but the district will also be building a new elementary school.
Aerial Rendering of new elementary school
 

The WHY Behind this project:

  • With the beddown of the B-21 Mission at Ellsworth Air Force Base in the near future,  Douglas School District 51-1 will see unprecedented student growth of approximately 100 students/year over the next 15 years, according to the Department of the Air Force estimate.
  • The next-generation bomber will bring thousands of new airmen, support personnel, and their families to the Box Elder community. 
  • The expected student growth of military-connected students far exceeds existing building capacity. 
  • Planning for the impact the base expansion will have on DSD 51-1 has been underway since 2018.  The District has worked diligently to collaborate, plan, prepare, and secure funding for this project with two primary goals: to ensure we have adequate facilities to welcome new families and their children, and to continue meeting the educational needs of every student we serve.   
 

FUNDING:
This $42 million appropriation constitutes a major portion of the total funds needed for this project. In the Spring of 2025, the South Dakota Legislature supported DSD 51-1 with a $15 Million, no-interest loan to be paid back over the next 20 years.  The final portion of resources will come from DSD 51-1 resources that have been saved and allocated for this project.  

Aerial view DSD properties

NEXT STEPS:
Extensive planning has guided our growth and expansion efforts to this point, and the District is now entering the next phase of the journey, turning our new elementary school into a reality. District leaders are working closely with local, state, and federal partners to prepare for construction. While specific next steps are still being finalized, we anticipate starting construction on Elementary School #1 as soon as the funding becomes available to proceed.