The division's 14th high school was originally planned to open in 2026 but was delayed to the 2029-30 school year due to slowing enrollment trends.

While several Northern Virginia county governments have implemented project labor agreements, no school division in Virginia has done so, making Prince William County Public Schools the first.

Project labor agreements are collective bargaining agreements between building trade unions and contractors. They govern terms and conditions of employment for all craft workers – union and non-union – on a construction project.

“A project labor agreement here will offer a number of things, and I think we should be clear on what these are: It’s a pre-hire agreement negotiated before work begins on a project that sets the stage for how we’re going to move forward with the project,” School Board Chair Dr. Babur Lateef said.

The agreement can have incentives built into it to include women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, local businesses or minority-owned businesses, Lateef said.

“We currently have no safety valve or a regulation that ensures local businesses in the county get current bids on current contracts,” Lateef said.

Moreover, project completions are typically higher when done through a project labor agreement," Lateef added, and it “guarantees” a skilled workforce, reduced labor disputes and improved worker safety.

The resolution ultimately passed in a 6-2 vote, with Brentsville School Board Member Erica Tredinnick and Gainesville School Board Member Jennifer Wall casting the two dissenting votes.