Milford To Make 3rd Attempt At State Funds For High School Rebuild

MILFORD, MA — The third time might be the charm for a plan to overhaul Milford High School.

The Milford Select Board Monday voted to allow Milford Public Schools to submit the high school replacement plan to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), which helps districts fund capital upgrades.

In any given year, many districts submit funding requests to MSBA, but only a few make it to the final round. Last year, Milford made it to the second round, but did not end up getting accepted into the pipeline, Superintendent Kevin McIntyre told the select board.

"I'm going to use the term 'cautiously optimistic' that we're getting closer to moving forward on a project," McIntyre told the school committee on March 9, referring to how far in the process the district got last time.

Even if MSBA accepts Milford into the funding pipeline, it may still take several years for funding to come through for the project.

McIntyre has said the 50-year-old high school building, including HVAC systems and windows, is out of date and too small for the student population. The upgraded high school would also include room for all the district 8th grade classes.

The Milford Select Board unanimously approved the MSBA application, and the school committee voted in favor on March 9. The district has until mid-April to submit the application.