TALLADEGA, Ala. – The current Talladega High School building was built in the early 1970s, more than 40 years ago. The time has now come for the Talladega City Board of Education to make a push for a new school and more, and they are asking for help from the City of Talladega.
Talladega City Schools Superintendent Dr. Quentin J. Lee is looking to the future in proposing a new facility that would cost upwards of $50 million, as he asked for financial support from the city to get the project off the ground.
The “Round Palace” has seen it’s better days, with lots of adaptations needed for adequate electrical outlets to plug up computers, printers, smart boards, and other advanced, internet-ready technology.
The school and sports field are not located on the same campus. Lee wants everything to be built at the site of the former Zora Ellis Junior High School in the heart of the city.
Once completed, it would house grades seven through twelve. The plans also include two gyms and a new football stadium with track and field facilities.
Lee has proposed three options for the City of Talladega’s involvement in the project: In Plan A, the city would allocate one penny of the sales tax towards the district; in Plan B, the city would allocate half a penny; in Plan C, the city would take on the project as part of its capital improvement plan. There’s also the last option that Lee hopes to avoid – no investment at all.
Lee pointed out that after several years of declining enrollment, the numbers rose for the current school year. Lee points out the benefits to students as well as an opportunity for a new high school to help the city grow and prosper.
If funding plans can be secured, Lee said construction could start in the summer of 2026, taking approximately three years to complete the entire project.
