Duplin County Public Schools plan major renovations in 2026

2026 is poised to be a year of upgrades and renovations for Duplin County Public Schools. A $32.4 million dollar needs-based school construction grant has been awarded to begin work at East Duplin High School, but this is just one step in a larger plan set into play last August.

“In August, the school district proposed a comprehensive construction plan involving Wallace-Rose Hill, North Duplin Jr-Sr, North Duplin Elementary, James Kenan and East Duplin,” Superintendent Daren Tyndall said in an interview with Duplin Journal. “Receiving this grant provides partial funding for that broader plan, and the district hopes to secure funding for the remaining projects in the future.”

The grant comes as part of the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund (NBPSCF), which uses revenue from the North Carolina Education Lottery to provide construction funding for schools. NBPSCF grants have a spending cap, and schools cannot request more than the allowed amount. Because of this limit, only two Duplin County schools qualified for submission.

“Out of the 115 traditional public school districts in NC, 10 were selected, with two of the schools selected being high schools,” Tyndall said. “One of the two high schools awarded the grant was East Duplin.”

Tyndall said the grant will fund a new gym with a public lobby, hallways and restrooms, as well as general renovations throughout the school, including updated floors, walls, ceilings and lighting. The project will also cover renovations to the Career & Technical Education (CTE) buildings, staff restrooms, existing locker rooms, and improvements to secure the front entry.

Construction on the project is expected to begin within 24 months of receiving the grant. While plans for renovations at other schools are under consideration, no additional projects have been finalized at this time.