Pasco Schools Move Up Plans for New High School in Wesley Chapel as Enrollment Surges

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL - Pasco County’s school system is facing two very different realities at once: declining enrollment on the west side of the county, and overcrowded classrooms on the east.

Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation in Wesley Chapel

Nowhere is the growth more visible than in Wesley Chapel. Wiregrass Ranch High School has exceeded 140% of its intended capacity this fall, while Wesley Chapel High School is also nearing its limit. District projections show that more than 4,000 additional students could arrive in the coming years as new housing developments continue to expand the area.

To ease the strain, Superintendent John Legg is asking the school board to speed up construction of a new high school along State Road 54 near the Country Walk subdivision. The plan calls for the school to open in 2028—two years earlier than originally scheduled.

“We’ve been watching that area for some time,” deputy superintendent Betsy Kuhn said during discussions on the plan. “They’re growing faster than we were anticipating. We are moving fast on it.”

Because the site sits between Wiregrass Ranch and Wesley Chapel high schools, district leaders say it may not be best suited for traditional rezoning. Instead, the new school could become a magnet program, with health care education being one of the leading possibilities. Such a program could tie into a career-training partnership with AdventHealth.

While the district still has available seats in schools on the west side of the county, Legg noted that the distance makes redrawing boundaries impractical. “We can’t rezone east Pasco into west Pasco. The geography is too big,” he said. “It’s an hour and a half drive on a good day from Zephyrhills to Trinity or Anclote.”

Central Pasco schools also have little flexibility. Cypress Creek High is already at more than 90% of capacity, and Land O’ Lakes and Sunlake high schools each exceed 105%.

The proposal will be presented to the Pasco County School Board during a workshop on Tuesday. If approved, the district plans to begin design work quickly to keep the accelerated timeline on track.

For more updates on Wesley Chapel schools, community growth, and local news, visit www.wesleychapelcommunity.com and follow Wesley Chapel Community on Facebook, X, and Instagram.