Century-Old Ely Schools to Be Replaced With $98M State Grant After 20-Year Push

The State Board of Finance approved the $98 million grant on April 7, clearing the way for White Pine County's first new K-8 school in over two decades.

The White Pine County School District moved closer to building its first new K-8 public school in Ely in more than two decades after a state board approved a $98 million grant at its April 7 meeting. The funding will allow the district to replace two century-old school buildings plagued by asbestos, mold, and accessibility problems — a goal the district has pursued for roughly 20 years.

State Grant Unlocks Long-Sought School Construction

The $98 million grant was made possible through Assembly Bill 224, sponsored by Assemblywoman Erica Mosca (D-Las Vegas) during the 2025 legislative session. The bill was designed to support small, rural school districts with serious facilities needs that lack the financial means to address them independently. It requires the State Board of Finance to issue approximately $100 million in general obligation bonds to provide grants financing school capital improvements.

White Pine County School District Superintendent Adam Young described the approval as a milestone after years of effort. 'It's really exciting,' Young said. 'It's a little bit hard to believe, honestly, because we've been working on this for so long. It's really been a great example of partnership and how things can actually get done for the betterment of students in our state.'

Buildings Date to 1909 and 1913, Riddled With Safety Concerns

The new school will replace David E. Norman Elementary School, built in 1909, and White Pine Middle School, built in 1913. Young cited asbestos, mold, and accessibility as among the issues the schools face. Costs related to frequent asbestos abatement and roof replacement have placed a significant drain on the district's already limited capital funds.

'Keeping the doors open on those schools comes at a significant cost in operations for the school district that would be better spent on student programming,' Young said. The district serves approximately 1,200 students.

District Already Moving Forward on Design and Construction Planning

The district is not waiting for the state to sell bonds and transfer funds before beginning preliminary work. Young said the district started working with an architect in August on conceptual designs for the new school and has been gathering feedback from community members. A construction manager at risk has already been contracted and is ready to begin work.

The new school will be located next to White Pine High School. Young expressed concern about potential cost increases from delays, pointing to the experience of the Elko County School District, which faced difficulties last year when no contractors bid on a new school in Owyhee.

Budget, Timeline, and the Fate of Historic Buildings

The district estimated last year that the new K-8 school would cost approximately $100 million to build. Young acknowledged uncertainty about whether that figure has risen since, and said it is possible the project could be scaled down from its original vision in order to stay within budget. He noted that all of the district's capital funds are currently being used to keep its other campuses operational.

If all necessary steps proceed as planned, Young said the new school could open as early as the 2028–29 school year. 'I am an optimist, so I believe that that can happen, but these dominoes need to fall for it to happen,' he said. As for the fate of the historic buildings, Young said it remains uncertain, and the school board intends to seek public input on what should happen to them.

What we know

• The State Board of Finance approved a $98 million grant for the White Pine County School District at its April 7 meeting.
• The grant was enabled by AB224, sponsored by Assemblywoman Erica Mosca (D-Las Vegas), which requires the State Board of Finance to issue approximately $100 million in general obligation bonds.
• The new K-8 school will replace David E. Norman Elementary School (built 1909) and White Pine Middle School (built 1913).
• The schools face issues including asbestos, mold, and accessibility problems, with frequent asbestos abatement and roof replacement draining capital funds.
• The White Pine County School District serves approximately 1,200 students.
• The district began working with an architect in August on conceptual designs and has already contracted with a construction manager at risk.
• The new school will be located next to White Pine High School.
• The district estimated last year that the new school would cost approximately $100 million to build, and Young said the project could potentially be scaled down to stay within budget.

Why it matters

For Ely and White Pine County, the approval of this grant represents the culmination of roughly two decades of advocacy for students attending schools that are more than a century old. The buildings' ongoing maintenance costs — driven by repeated asbestos abatement and roof repairs — have diverted limited district funds away from student programming. A new, modern K-8 facility would consolidate two aging campuses, improve safety and accessibility, and free up resources for education rather than infrastructure emergencies in one of Nevada's smaller rural communities.

What’s next

The next step is for the state to sell general obligation bonds and transfer the grant funds to the district. In the meantime, the district continues conceptual design work with its architect and has a construction manager at risk in place. Young has said the school could open as early as the 2028–29 school year if all necessary steps fall into place. The school board also plans to seek public input on the future of the historic David E. Norman Elementary and White Pine Middle School buildings.

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