CSHS, which was originally intended for around 1,300 students when it opened more than 20 years ago, served 1,700 last year. That number is expected to jump to well over 2,000 and approach 3,000 over the next few years.

“If we don’t build a new high school, how could we handle all the growth we all expect?” said Dr. Kent Frison, the district’s associate superintendent of operations and finance. “We looked at a number of alternatives (to building a new school) and none of them were acceptable.”

CCUSD has nearly $24 million at its disposal, but would have to make up the difference if costs are higher, as expected. Voters passed a bond issue in 2000, giving the district $11.5 million for a new high school. The district also has $12.3 million available through a state School Facilities Board fund to construct new schools.

“The funds from the bond in 2000 might have seemed like a lot of money at the time,” Frison said, “but in today’s economy, it doesn’t go very far.”

The governing board vote on a second high school vote came out of a recommendation from the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee that the district formed in January.

As a temporary fix to ease overcrowding during the 2006‑07 school year, Cactus Shadows will use a handful of classrooms at the former Black Mountain Elementary adjacent to the high school. Black Mountain is moving to the old Sonoran Trails campus this summer, while Sonoran Trails is being shifted to the district’s new campus near 54th Street and Pinnacle Peak Road.

Reach the reporter at jason@thedesertadvocate.com.