Colleagues,
Some exciting news from Leicester High School!!
Voters in Leicester approved a ballot measure that will raise $13 million to expand vocational programming at Leicester High School.
We thank Dr. Brett M. Kustigian, Leicester Superintendent of Schools, for sharing this terrific news with us!!
David
Leicester voters approve $50 million school renovation project
<![if !vml]>
<![endif]>
<![if !vml]><![endif]>Jesse Collings Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Nov. 4, 2026
LEICESTER – Voters in Leicester approved a ballot measure that will raise $13 million to expand vocational programming at Leicester High School.
Voters approved the measure, which appeared on the Nov. 3 ballot as Question 10, by a margin of 2,947 votes in favor to 1,793 opposed, according to preliminary results published by the Leicester Town Clerk’s office.
The measure approves $13 million from the Leicester tax base to contribute to an overall $49.8 million project to expand vocational options for students and renovate several buildings on Leicester High’s campus. The remaining money will come from state funds, already approved by the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and grants the district has already received.
"I want to express my deepest gratitude to the residents of Leicester for supporting the LHS building/renovation project and the expansion of Career Technical Education," Leicester Superintendent Brett Kustigian stated in a letter to the community. "The approval of this project, combined with the significant investment, is historic and it will benefit our entire community for years to come. Thank you for your trust, vision and commitment to our students."
The project involves renovating several buildings the district acquired in 2022 following the closure of Becker College. After the district purchased those buildings, it relocated its high school to the former Fuller Campus Center, a modern building constructed in 2012. The district then used the previous high school building to launch its vocational education program, eventually starting programs in early education and care, building and property maintenance, health assisting, culinary arts, electrical and hospitality management.
<![if !vml]>
<![endif]>Leicester also entered agreements with the Clinton and Shrewsbury public schools to accept students who wanted to enter the vocational programs offered at Leicester.
The project that voters approved will fund renovations to the former Borger Academic Center, which will be turned into a space for programs in HVAC and plumbing, which Leicester has been unable to offer due to space and cost restraints.
The proposal would also renovate the former Swan Library building. The district would relocate its early childhood education program out of the old high school and move the district’s preschool out of Leicester Middle School. The Fuller Campus Center will also be renovated to expand the science labs, currently in Borger, into new, modern classrooms.
"This project comes with profound responsibility. As a steward of taxpayer dollars, I am committed to full transparency, rigorous financial responsibility and meticulous oversight," Kustigian stated. "I will provide frequent updates and deliver a high-quality project while maximizing the value of every taxpayer dollar invested."
Kustigian has said the district, which had previously been losing students, is growing enrollment thanks to the expansion of the vocational programs. Approximately 40 students from Clinton and Shrewsbury currently attend Leicester High School, and Kustigian said the current ninth grade class at Leicester High is the largest class in school history.
In order to appear on the ballot, the measure had to be approved by a vote at Town Meeting on Oct. 27, which passed with 284 in favor and 21 opposed.
Chapter 74 Vocational Technical & Agricultural Education
LEARNING THAT WORKS FOR MASSACHUSETTS
David J. Ferreira
MAVA Communications Coordinator
DavidFerreira