Agenda Item
i. Modernization of Druid Hills High School (Not to Exceed $185,000,000) ~ Updated 12.5.2025
Summary: Presented by: Mr. Erick Hofstetter, Chief Operating Officer, Division of Operations
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education reaffirm its commitment to modernizing Druid Hills High School on its current Haygood Drive Campus, preserving the historic core building while undertaking complete modernization of other structures and authorizing the Superintendent to proceed with final planning, design development, procurement, and construction activities necessary for the modernization project - up to 1,600 total seats for the modernized school - at a cost of Construction Estimated at Completion at $185,000,000.
Why: The modernization of Druid Hills High School aligns with the district’s long-term capital improvement plan and supports the goal of ensuring high-quality learning environments for present and future students. Additionally, a series of community engagements revealed:
Strong community sentiment with many parents, students, and neighborhood stakeholders supporting modernizing DHHS on its current campus
Recognition of the importance of undertaking a modernization project that is fiscally responsible, environmentally sustainable, and reflective of community priorities
. Recognition and acknowledgment that a promise was made to a community in April 2022, and that promises should be kept
While other relocation options were feasible and logical, those options would alter history. Relocating DHHS would mean it would no longer be Druid Hills High School; it would be a new high school in a new community.
Details: Reaffirmation of the DeKalb County Board of Education's May 31, 2022, commitment and authorization to proceed allows for appropriate investments and resources to develop a viable and compliant plan within the guidance necessary to meet or exceed all scope and sequence expectations in preparation for final approval of a guaranteed maximum price contract for construction.
Financial impact: E-SPLOST VI - $10,000,000 Planning and Pre-Construction Services
E-SPLOST VII - Construction Estimated at Completion $185,000,000 (Pending Approval Nov 2026)
Contact: Mr. Erick Hofstetter, Chief Operating Officer, Division of Operations, 678-676-1470
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
Demographics and Forecast Figure 1 - Heat Map DHHS Student Addresses
Druid Hills High
School
Figure 2 - DHHS Students by Feeder Elementary
Attendance Area
Feeder Area DHHS %
Students
Avondale ES 411 28%
Briar Vista ES 181 13%
Fernbank ES 276 19%
Laurel Ridge ES 216 15%
McLendon ES 245 17%
Other (outside of 118 8%
attendance area)
Total 1,447 100%
½ of the student
body lives east
of this line
Figure 3 - Planned Housing Development
Executive Park (near CHOA): Lullah Hills
(North DeKalb Mall
About 600 multi-family units
Redevelopment):
80 townhomes
~1,700 multifamily
Kensington:
~350 new apartments
~1,500 more proposed, long-
term
Figure 4 - DHHS Attendance Area - Preliminary Forecast (DCSD Staff)
Year K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 9-12 Total
2021 409 367 395 405 359 375 362 375 319 416 337 316 287 1,356
2022 411 423 384 417 396 359 363 361 375 393 376 324 304 1,397
2023 415 424 442 378 422 400 320 387 345 433 364 355 298 1,450
2024 465 439 439 478 394 439 400 327 402 444 391 371 319 1,525
2025 475 470 453 439 460 415 442 410 347 476 344 367 322 1,509
2026 435 488 479 453 440 470 399 444 419 407 411 333 328 1,480
2027 435 447 498 479 453 450 452 401 454 491 352 399 298 1,540
2028 435 447 456 497 480 464 432 455 410 533 425 341 357 1,655
2029 435 447 456 456 498 490 446 435 465 481 461 412 305 1,658
2030 435 447 456 456 456 510 472 448 444 545 416 446 368 1,775
Demographics and Forecast
Druid Hills High
School
Figure 5 - DHHS Students by Race & Ethnicity Category
Student Race & Ethnicity
Other &
Multiple
Asian
6%
10%
Black,
Non-
Hispanic, Hispanic
All Races 38%
17%
White,
Non-
Hispanic
29%
Demographics and Forecast
Druid Hills High
School
Figure 6 - DHHS students by Home Language
Demographics and Forecast
Druid Hills High
School
Enrollment History and Preliminary Forecast
Grade Figure 7 - Historic Enrollment and Preliminary Forecast
Year 9 10 11 12 Total 1,800 1,693
1,575 1,594
2021 408 331 310 289 1,338 1,600 1,426 1,468 1,447 1,423 1,451
1,338 1,349
2022 390 350 314 295 1,349 1,400
1,200
2023 421 358 349 298 1,426
1,000
2024 427 367 363 311 1,468
800
2025 433 331 353 330 1,447 600
2026 380 390 329 325 1,423 400
2027 448 333 376 294 1,451 200
0
2028 492 404 332 346 1,575
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
2029 452 439 399 304 1,594
Historic Enrollment Preliminary Forecast
2030 506 399 429 360 1,693
Figure 8 – DHHS Attendance Area - Enrollment and Preliminary Forecast
Year K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 9-12 Total
2021 409 367 395 405 359 375 362 375 319 416 337 316 287 1,356
2022 411 423 384 417 396 359 363 361 375 393 376 324 304 1,397
2023 415 424 442 378 422 400 320 387 345 433 364 355 298 1,450
2024 465 439 439 478 394 439 400 327 402 444 391 371 319 1,525
2025 475 470 453 439 460 415 442 410 347 476 344 367 322 1,509
2026 435 488 479 453 440 470 399 444 419 407 411 333 328 1,480
2027 435 447 498 479 453 450 452 401 454 491 352 399 298 1,540
2028 435 447 456 497 480 464 432 455 410 533 425 341 357 1,655
2029 435 447 456 456 498 490 446 435 465 481 461 412 305 1,658
2030 435 447 456 456 456 510 472 448 444 545 416 446 368 1,775
About 11% attend schools
other than Druid Hills HS
Larger Kindergarten Cohorts
are resulting in larger 9th
grades, 9 years later