St. Johns County plans to build 4 new schools in next 5 years

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Four new schools in the next five years.

That’s the plan for St. Johns County, one of the fastest-growing counties in the state.

The St. Johns County School Board approved a 5-year plan Tuesday morning and it includes plans to build one new elementary school, three new K-8 schools along with a school expansion at South Woods Elementary in Elkton.

The district said building the new schools will reduce the percentage of portable classrooms used in the district from 19% to 1% by 2025.

The district has said no new high schools will be built in the next five years because the district has maxed out its credit card, so to speak, and can’t borrow any more money. But Beachside High School in the Beachwalk community is expected to be finished next summer and open for the 2022-23 school year.

The district’s long-term plan calls for 19 new schools in the next 20 years.

The school district grew more than 7% this year and the census showed a 44% increase in the county population in the last 10 years.