Western Placer Eyes Property Next to Lincoln High for Possible Campus Expansion

Western Placer Unified School District is exploring the possibility of expanding the Lincoln High School campus as the district plans for continued enrollment growth across Lincoln.

The district recently held a public hearing to consider whether three parcels of property located at 867 and 879 L Street would be suitable for use as an expansion of an existing school site.

The properties are adjacent to both Lincoln High School, located at 790 J Street, and Phoenix High School, located at 870 J Street.

Together, the proposed expansion area consists of three separate parcels.

The public hearing was held September 15 as part of a process required under California law when a school district considers property for use as a school site.

Lincoln's Growth Is Driving School Planning

The possible expansion comes as Western Placer Unified continues reviewing its long-term facility needs.

The district says Lincoln's continued residential development is creating new challenges involving enrollment and school capacity.

Western Placer is currently updating its Facilities Master Plan, which serves as a long-term roadmap for school construction, modernization and expansion.

A district facilities committee spent the past year examining enrollment trends, growth projections, campus conditions and future capacity needs. Among its recommendations was making better use of existing school campuses before constructing additional facilities.

That could make properties next to existing schools particularly valuable as the district considers its options.

Lincoln High is also expected to play a larger role in accommodating future enrollment.

Beginning with the 2028–29 school year, students from the Lincoln Crossing Elementary attendance area are scheduled to eventually feed into Glen Edwards Middle School and Lincoln High School rather than Twelve Bridges Middle and Twelve Bridges High.

The district has said Twelve Bridges Middle and High schools are projected to exceed their designed capacities within the next several years, while Lincoln High has greater potential to accommodate additional students.

What Happens Next?

The September hearing does not mean construction has been approved or that an expansion will definitely occur.

Instead, the district is evaluating whether the L Street properties are appropriate for school use as it considers its future facility needs.

No specific buildings, classrooms or other improvements for the parcels have yet been publicly announced.

For a city that continues to add new neighborhoods and residents, however, the discussion provides another indication of how Lincoln's growth is affecting more than just housing and roads.

The city's schools are planning for that growth as well.