The designees for the Maryland Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC) agreed to support the construction of a replacement school building for Talbott Springs Elementary School, in Columbia. The decision reverses an earlier IAC decision, and follows a re-evaluation and redesign of the project by Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) to address issues previously outlined by the IAC.

The revised feasibility study plans for an 84,625-square-foot replacement facility with capacity for 631 students. The replacement school will be constructed on the current school site, and the existing building will be demolished. The new building will provide a safer student drop off, more energy efficient HVAC and natural light to all classrooms; the projected completion date is fall 2022.

The IAC approval makes the project eligible to receive state funding. The Howard County Board of Education voted on May 17, 2018, to move forward with a replacement school, and the project has already earned Howard County Government planning approval.