Douglas School District Growth and Expansion
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.
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.
Q: Why does the district need to build a new elementary school?
A: With the upcoming standup of the B-21 Mission at Ellsworth Air Force Base, Douglas School District 51-1 is projected to experience significant student growth, estimated at approximately 100 students per year over the next 15 years, according to Department of the Air Force estimates. US Air Force estimates that the total EAFB population will increase from 7,728 in FY 22 to 11,792 in FY 41. The next-generation bomber will bring thousands of new airmen, support personnel, and their families to the Box Elder community, creating student enrollment pressures that far exceed the district’s current building capacity.
Q: How will the new elementary school be funded?
A: This $42 million approved in early 2026 T-HUD appropriation constitutes a major portion of the total funds needed for this project. In the spring of 2025, the South Dakota Legislature approved a no-interest loan of $15 million for Douglas School District 51-1, to be repaid over the next 20 years. The remaining funds needed to support the new school will come from district resources that have been saved and specifically allocated for this project.
Q: Why did the district elect to build a new elementary school instead of a middle school or high school?
A: Before 2021, district planning focused on growth in the upper grades, identifying a new high school as the area of greatest need. However, following ongoing demographic studies from RSP and Associates (Link to the latest RSP Demographic Study, Box Elder area) that relate to the School District and Community growth, combined with the anticipated growth at Ellsworth AFB, projections shifted. The study revealed that 74% of the expected growth will be in children in the birth-to-11 age range. As a result of this study, combined with the district’s facilities master plan, the district’s facility planning priorities shifted toward addressing elementary and middle school needs. Enrollment at the high school remains steady and does not reflect the rapid growth occurring in the younger grades, making it critical to focus resources on schools that will accommodate the incoming students in early education and middle school programs.
Q: How was the location selected for a new elementary school?
A: Planning for the impact of the Ellsworth Air Force Base expansion on Douglas School District 51-1 has been underway since 2018. The site near Prairie View Estates and Creekside was not the only parcel reviewed at the time of purchase; many factors were considered.
The district’s current footprint is highly centralized, with all schools located in close proximity. While this has provided convenience, as the district enrollment grows, it has also contributed to increasing traffic congestion, particularly during peak morning drop-off and afternoon pickup times. Traffic flow and safety were key considerations in planning for a new school site, as the district seeks to improve accessibility and reduce strain on existing roadways.
This new location was selected and purchased in 2022 following an in-depth analysis of current student populations, residential patterns, and projected growth areas within Box Elder. This careful review ensured the chosen location best supports both current families and anticipated future enrollment.
Although expanding into a new area outside the current cluster of schools may initially feel like a shift for families, it is a strategic decision designed to better serve the community long-term. This new elementary school property site is also approximately 20 acres and will provide ample space to support a thoughtfully designed learning environment, future growth, and a variety of outdoor educational and recreational opportunities for students.
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.
Q: How will this new elementary school, away from the rest of the district schools, affect bus routes?
A: At this time, there are no definite answers. With support from RSP and Associates, new boundaries will be drawn in the area around the new school location. Families with elementary-age children, K-5, who reside within the 2.5-mile radius of the new school will have the option to walk to school, or parents can drop them off. Families who reside outside the 2.5-mile radius of the new school will have the option to be transported by our bus transportation services each school day if desired.
Q: What will happen to the existing elementary schools in the district? Will they all stay the same?
A: While the new elementary school will provide educational services for students in PreK through 5th grade who live within the new boundary area, we plan to maintain our current elementary school configurations in our existing buildings: Badger Clark (PreK–3), Francis Case (PreK–3), and Vandenberg (4–5). Retrofitting these buildings to serve older students would require significant costs, especially to update restroom facilities.
As part of our ongoing facilities maintenance plan, we have begun to remodel and upgrade 6 existing elementary classrooms per year. Those upgrades include furnishings, lighting, and other enhancements. Francis Case Kindergarten classrooms are on the schedule to be remodeled during the summer of 2026.
Q: When will a new boundary area be determined for the new elementary school?
A: At this time, the district does not have a set timeline for when construction on the new school will begin. Even though federal funding has been approved, the timing for when the funding becomes available is unknown. Once funding is secured and construction starts, the project is expected to take about two years to complete. The district will share updates and begin planning for boundary changes well in advance, giving families time to share input on the process through Community Meetings, allowing time to prepare for any transportation or schedule adjustments that may affect them. Final approval of the new boundary lines rests with the Board of Education, following recommendations from the Superintendent.
Q: How will staffing be decided for the new school when it opens?
A: While there is nothing fully decided yet, once we have a completion date for the new school, we will be working with our current staff, solidifying the educational needs of students and what positions will need to be hired to best support our families.
Q: What plans are there for improvements to the existing roads around the new school property?
A: When the timeline for construction is finalized, a new street will be built to connect Creekside Drive and Freude Lane. Douglas School District and The City of Box Elder will partner, per a pre-arranged agreement signed in November 2021, to provide street improvements surrounding the new school.
The Next Phase of Growth: Q & A
The latest information released by Ellsworth Air Force Base indicates the B-21’s are expected to begin arriving in 2027. This anticipated influx will likely accelerate personnel arriving at Ellsworth and bring enrollment growth, making it even more critical for the district to plan strategically to meet the needs of incoming students and families.
Our district looks at local growth annually through a demographic study. The most recent review in February 2026 shows similar growth patterns to 2024 and 2025, with approximately 74% of the student growth coming from the highest growth expectations in children ages birth to 11.
Q: What’s next for Douglas Middle School?
A: Beginning in the winter of 2025, the Facilities Master Planning Committee, made up of more than 30 members, including Douglas staff, the Board of Education, and community partners, began working to define the next steps for district facilities. At that time, there was still uncertainty regarding if and when additional funding would be available for a new elementary school. After a thorough review and a series of meetings, the committee unanimously identified that the most urgent need was to address overcrowding at Douglas Middle School, which is currently over its functional capacity. This addition and upgrade will be completed using the district’s current capital outlay funds, without the need to wait and rely on additional federal funding.
The Douglas School Board approved the proposed addition on March 23, 2026, increasing the school’s functional capacity from 612 to 742 students, adding 89 parking spaces, and includes a new bus drop-off loop. Construction on the middle school will begin in the summer of 2026. Additional details about the project and its completion timeline are available HERE.
Q: What is the prioritization of a new Douglas High School?
A: The construction of a new Douglas High School is not currently a top priority. While early projections (2018–19) suggested significant secondary level growth prompting initial plans for a new high school, updated demographic studies and ongoing coordination with Ellsworth Air Force Base have shifted the district’s focus. Current data indicates that the most immediate need is at the elementary level, and district resources are being prioritized accordingly.
The district will continue to monitor enrollment trends and evaluate the potential need for a future high school, but any decision will be made carefully to ensure responsible and strategic use of resources.
Q: What additional facilities needs does the district have?
A: Each year, the District prioritizes facility improvements and updates across the district.
The Facilities Master Plan Summary is updated regularly. This planning document highlights potential next steps the district will be taking to address district facilities needs. The district is currently in the final stages of finalizing a grant, which will assist with resources to further define overall district facility needs.
Q: How much is spent on facilities improvements each year?
A: The district has a capital outlay budget of approximately $3 million annually. The District continues to prioritize needs, update facilities, and perform needed maintenance to improve and extend the life expectancy of existing facilities
The Douglas School District looks forward to sharing more updates as this important work progresses, and we appreciate the continued support of our families and the surrounding community.