Folsom Cordova Unified switches up order for building new elementary schools
The order of new elementary schools built in Folsom will change. On Thursday, May 7, the Folsom Cordova Unified School District school board approved shifting the building order of two elementary schools.
Initially, the district planned to first build a school, Granite Springs Elementary, west of Oak Avenue Parkway and north of Mangini Parkway in the new Folsom Plan Area south of Highway 50. Now, the next Folsom Plan Area elementary school will be at 14886 Grand Prairie Road in the Folsom Plan Area’s east side. It will be called Rocky Ridge Elementary School.
Environmental concerns near the initial school site, particularly regarding benzene vapor, were raised at Toll Brothers development, a 1,424-lot residential subdivision in Folsom Ranch, which FCUSD said is delayed by more than a year, according to the meeting packet. This purported delay has reduced enrollment projections compared to the other site.
On June 2, Toll Brothers spokesperson Heather Reeves said environmental concerns have not been identified, and the project is ahead of schedule.
“This development has not been delayed,” Reeves wrote in an email. “In fact, we are ahead of schedule in the buildout of this community.”
If inhaled, benzene vapor can cause blood cell damage and leukemia, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Granite Springs Elementary’s infrastructure, such as utilities, could also be impacted by the alleged delay. That site will continue to be vetted to host a school, but the order of schools being built is shifted to keep the opening date of a new school on track.
“Furthermore, housing construction in the Toll Brothers area has been delayed, with residential projects now expected to begin in 2028,” the FCUSD May 7 meeting packet states. “This postponement also means infrastructure for the school, which is provided by the developer, will be delayed by one to two years.”
The Folsom Plan Area is expected to bring 13,000 homes in the next 25 to 30 years, of which about 5,000 are already built, bringing roughly 10,000 new residents, according to the City of Folsom. Many of these homes are on the eastern portion closer to the Grand Prairie Road location, sparking the pivot to put Rocky Ridge Elementary School first.
“That kind of moved us to move us to where that growth is coming, and it’s coming up to the east area,” Executive Director of Facilities Development Craig Rouse said at the Thursday night school board meeting.
It will cost between $65 million and $68 million to build Rocky Ridge Elementary School, according to Griffin. The school district is working with home construction company Lennar to acquire the site. Griffin said the district is putting a hold on purchasing the Granite Springs Elementary site until residential construction starts.
“By engaging early with the city, the district can obtain land parcels located in developing regions that also meet environmental suitability requirements for school construction,” Griffin said. “Once sites are identified, the district works directly with developers to negotiate and finalize land purchases.”
Granite Springs Elementary is planned for 2031, according to Griffin, who said the timeline could change.
This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 4:07 PM.
CORRECTION: This story was updated May 16 to clarify that environmental concerns involving benzene vapor were identified at the nearby Toll Brothers development in Folsom Ranch, which was already delayed by more than a year, according to the Folsom Cordova Unified School District. The delay reduced enrollment projections. The story was updated June 17 to reflect Toll Brothers position that environmental concerns have not been identified and the project is ahead of schedule while also referring to Folsom Cordova Unified School District’s meeting packet that alleges concerns and delays.
