Montgomery Builds New $100M+ School for 2,000 Students

After decades of aging school buildings, Montgomery is giving its students something brand new: a state-of-the-art high school that could change everything about how kids learn.

Construction on the new Percy Julian High School is now 25% complete along North Eastern Boulevard. Bulldozers and crews are working to transform empty land into what Montgomery Public Schools leaders are calling their future flagship campus.

"Many of our schools around the state, they're 30, 40, 50 years old," said Chad Anderson, Executive Director of Operations for MPS. "And to be given the chance to open up a new school for the teachers and staff and students of a place is exciting."

The numbers tell an impressive story. The main building will span 320,000 square feet with classroom space for 1,500 students. But the full campus will accommodate even more.

"Classroom capacity is 1,500, but that doesn't include your gymnasium, the performing arts area, your band room, your dance room as well," Anderson explained. The school could safely hold upwards of 2,000 students total.

Athletic facilities will cover another 120,000 square feet. Students will have access to a turf football field, fully lit baseball and softball fields, a track, and competition-ready spaces for hosting games. The campus will also include a storm shelter and 1,000 parking spaces to serve students, staff, and visitors.

The Ripple Effect

This project wouldn't have happened without community support. Voters approved a new ad valorem tax that provided the funding Montgomery Public Schools needed to break ground.

"It's time to find the kids a place, and we're just blessed and fortunate that the ad valorem tax passed," Anderson said. "That's where we were able to receive the funds to be able to do something like this."

The investment doesn't stop with Percy Julian. Once the new high school opens in August 2028, the district plans to tear down the old building and construct a brand new Capitol Heights Middle School on that site. One new school is creating a domino effect of educational improvements across Montgomery.

Safety improvements extend beyond the campus too. The Alabama Department of Transportation is requiring a new traffic light near the school to manage traffic flow and keep students safe as they arrive and leave each day.

Construction crews expect to finish by spring 2028, giving staff a few months to prepare before welcoming the first students that August.