As Stafford County continues to experience rapid population growth, school officials are moving forward with plans to open two new elementary schools—ES18 and ES19—in Fall 2026. These additions aim to relieve overcrowding in existing schools and are central to the school division’s redistricting plans under Scenario Green, which is currently under public review.
The Stafford County School Board recently reviewed projections showing both ES18 and ES19 will open at 95% capacity. The redistricting scenario ensures no elementary school will exceed 100% capacity in the first year of implementation. By 2030, only three schools are projected to be over capacity.
Strategic Locations and Design
ES18 is being constructed at 580 Stafford Plaza Drive, next to a new high school under construction, near a Walmart on Route 17 (Warrenton Road). The 131,000-square-foot, three-story building will accommodate about 1,070 students. The site includes playfields, paved play areas, and a transportation bus depot.
Meanwhile, ES19 is located adjacent to Brooke Point High School at 80 Black Hawk Drive. Like ES18, the new school will also house 1,070 students and feature similar infrastructure. Both schools are based on a prototype design, saving the county more than $5.6 million in design costs.
Demographic Considerations and Concerns
School officials highlighted key demographic information for both schools as part of the redistricting plan. ES18 is projected to open with 51% of its students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and 17% as English Language Learners (ELL). ES19 will serve a population with 50% free or reduced lunch and 24% ELL.
Concerns have emerged regarding the shifting demographics at other schools affected by redistricting. Rocky Run Elementary, in particular, is expected to see a sharp increase in its ELL population, rising from 16% to 26%. School Board members emphasized the need for adequate support staffing, pull-out classroom space, and Level 2 special education program tracking to support the changing student body.
Construction on both schools is already underway. Groundbreaking for ES18 took place in September 2024, while ES19 followed in October. Both schools are on track to be completed by June 2026 and open in August of that year.
Community members will be able to learn more and offer input during a public town hall meeting scheduled for Monday, April 1, at North Stafford High School at 6 p.m. A formal public hearing will follow on Monday, April 8, at 7 p.m. at the Bandy Complex, 31 Stafford Avenue.
