Wheaton High School was built in 1954. The Thomas Edison High School of Technology is located on this site and will be modernized at the same time. Scheduling of this modernization is consistent with the MCPS long-range plans to renew aging facilities on a rational and periodic basis. The modernization will include an addition to this facility due to projected enrollment growth. Due to fiscal constraints, in the FY2009-2014 CIP, the County Council delayed high school modernizations one year beyond the Board's request, with a two year delay for Wheaton High School. Planning funds for this project were approved in FY 2012. An FY 2013 appropriation was approved to continue planning the modernizations for both Wheaton HS and the Thomas Edison School of Technology. An FY 2015 appropriation was approved for the balance of funding for Wheaton HS and to begin planning Edison. An FY 2015 supplemental appropriation of a $2.5 million contribution from the Junior Achievement of Greater Washington was approved to include a Junior Achievement Finance Park at the Thomas Edison High School of Technology. In FY 2016 appropriation was approved for construction funds for Edison. These modernizations are scheduled to be completed by January 2016 for the Wheaton High School building, August 2017 for the Edison High School building and August 2018 for the site. The Board of Education, in the FY2017-2022 CIP included funds to build out the shell at Wheaton High School. An FY 2017 appropriation was approved for construction to build out the shell. An FY 2022 supplemental appropriation and transfer in the amount of $779,000 was approved from this project to the Charles W. Woodward High School Reopening project.

MCPS asserts that this project conforms to the requirement of relevant local plans, as required by the Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Act.