The Canutillo Independent School District is developing plans and designs to build new schools and improve facilities under a $387 million bond after the school board in December ratified and approved the purchase of three properties in growing neighborhoods.
The district is holding a community meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Canutillo High School to go over some of those plans and to gather input from residents on the designs.
Under the bond, which voters approved in May 2024, the district will relocate and rebuild Canutillo Middle, Deanna Davenport Elementary and Alderete Middle schools, and build a brick-and-mortar campus for Northwest Early College High School, which currently uses portables. The bond will also be used for safety and security upgrades and improvements throughout the district.
“What we’re trying to do is make it like a one-stop shop where parents could come in and see all those projects in one location and give us feedback because we’re still pretty much in the schematic design of all these projects,” board President Armando Rodriguez said about the coming meeting. “It’s important for us to get as much input as we can, so that way we’re able to get the look at what the community wants with these campuses.”
The bond comes as Canutillo ISD continues to operate under a budget deficit and a series of budget cuts it made to address it. District leaders hope the improvements made under the bond will attract new students and bring in more revenue from the state, whose public school funding is largely based on attendance.
Canutillo ISD expects to begin the design phase of the construction projects and upgrades Jan. 29, according to the district bond schedule published on its website.
It will begin obtaining permits and taking contractor bids in March. Upgrades to existing schools are expected to be completed this year and the new school buildings are expected to open throughout 2027.
New Canutillo ISD schools
Canutillo Middle School is slated to be built on the 50-acre Johnny Bean Horse Farm at 6201 Strahan Drive off Artcraft and Upper Valley roads.
The district budgeted $107 million to purchase land and build a new campus, according to the district’s website.
Canutillo ISD paid $6.6 million for the property, which was appraised at $7.1 million, according to documents provided by Rodriguez.
The purchase of the farm drew criticism from some residents and school board members after Superintendent Pedro Galaviz signed the contract for the purchase without board approval. The board voted to ratify the purchase in December.
Rodriguez said the board was concerned the property would be purchased by developers and pushed Galaviz to complete it quickly.
“We told them to hurry up and get it under contract because we were scared somebody could take that property, and then we would have to be back at square one,” Rodriguez said.
The purchase of the farm includes a 1982 mobile home located on the property “as is,” according to purchase documents obtained by El Paso Matters through an open records request.
Deanna Davenport Elementary will be built on a 25-acre property near the corner of Northwestern Drive and Hunter Foster Drive with a $74 million budget. The property cost $8.65 million and was appraised at $8.71 million.
A groundbreaking is scheduled for October. The school is expected to open in January 2027.
Alderete Middle is expected to be built on a 20-acre property on the corner of Resler Drive and Cimarron Canyon Drive with a $107 million budget.
Though the Canutillo ISD school board approved the land purchase in December, it has not disclosed the cost of the property.
Rodriguez said the transaction is scheduled to close in late February and needs permission from the seller before disclosing the price.
Groundbreaking ceremonies for both middle schools will be held in January and will open in August 2027.
Canutillo ISD set a budget of $40.5 million to build a permanent facility at Northwest Early College High School.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for October 2026 and the campus will be completed in January 2027.
Renovations
The remainder of Canutillo ISD’s campuses that are not being rebuilt will get a series of improvements, including safety and security upgrades, general repairs, new roofs and new heating and cooling systems.
Canutillo High School will also get new baseball and softball field lights and upgrades to its career and technical education program.
All upgrades are expected to be completed by August 2026.
Below is the budget to make improvements for each campus:
- Bill Childress Elementary
- $7.4 million
- Canutillo Elementary
- $9.7 million
- Canutillo High
- $16.5 million
- Silvestre and Carolina Reyes Elementary
- $2.2 million
- Gonzalo and Sofia Garcia Elementary
- $7.1 million
- Jose H. Damian Elementary
- $7.4 million
Make plans
What: Canutillo ISD bond progress community meeting.
When, where: 6 p.m. Thursday, Canutillo High School cafeteria, 6675 S. Desert Blvd.
Of note: The Canutillo Independent School District will share updates on plans and designs for new-school construction as part of its $387 million bond.
The post Canutillo ISD begins designing new schools, reveals cost of land purchases appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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