LINCOLN – William M. Davies, Jr. Career & Technical High School will officially break ground on its building expansion Wednesday, Sept. 16.
School leaders, state officials, community members, and families are invited to gather on the Davies campus to celebrate “this monumental milestone, which marks a transformative step forward in providing safe, modern, and industry-aligned learning environments for Rhode Island students,” states a release.
The capital improvement project begins with a phase one addition that focuses on replacing the school’s aging 1970s wing with state-of-the-art, up-to-date learning spaces. The total appropriation for the first phase is $35 million funded through the Rhode Island Capital Plan Fund through fiscal year 2028.
Spanning 48,000 square feet, the phase one addition has a target completion date of January 2028 and will house the Davies Health Careers, Electrical & Renewable Energy, and Pre-Engineering CTE technical programs, alongside the CTE administrative offices. Additionally, the new space will feature a new art classroom and a large collaboration and seminar space.
Furthermore, Davies has been awarded $3.5 million to support master planning for phase two of the project. Once constructed, this will accommodate the remaining technical programs, classrooms, and student support spaces, allowing the school to fully vacate the 1970s wing.
“This new wing allows our students and staff to vacate old buildings on campus that have served us well beyond their useful life and move into a beautiful, high-tech space that models what they’ll encounter in the real world of work,” said Mary Watkins, director of Davies Career & Technical High School. “We are incredibly excited because this project benefits all of our students, who will rotate through this beautiful space at some point in their four years, whether through their art graduation requirement, visiting our work-based learning CTE office, or accessing the gymnasium. It also strengthens our connection to the local community, allowing Lincoln residents to enjoy the new lobby and facilities when they come to vote, and welcoming visiting athletic teams and spectators.”
Davies has established itself as Rhode Island’s premier public career and technical high school, states the release, recently earning a 3-star rating from the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) “due to remarkable surges in both academic and technical achievement.” Over the last four years, the percentage of Davies students scoring a 3 or higher on Advanced Placement (AP) exams more than doubled, jumping from 17 percent in 2021 to 52 percent in 2025.
Davies students consistently exceed state averages on PSAT/SAT ELA and NGSA Science assessments, maintain a graduation rate of 86-89 percent,(surpassing the state average of 83-85 percent), and achieve 90 percent+ average pass rate across its industry-credentialed career programs.
“The building expansion will ensure that Davies can continue to fulfill Rhode Island’s critical workforce demands,” states the release. “Nine out of 10 technical programs at Davies map directly to undersupplied occupations in the state, preparing graduates for high-wage, high-growth careers in fields such as biomanufacturing, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare.
Members of the press and the public are welcome to attend the groundbreaking ceremony, which is set for 10 a.m. at the school, 50 Jenckes Hill Road in Lincoln. RSVP: www.daviestech.org/groundbreaking.
