High schools in the mid-county region had experienced sustained overutilization for more than a decade. Therefore, the Board of Education's requested FY 2019-2024 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) included funding for a new high school on the Crown site in the City of Gaithersburg to address capacity needs in the region. Due to fiscal constraints, the County Council approved multiple one-year delays to the project during prior CIP cycles. During the County Council's review of the FY 2019-2024 Amended CIP, language was included indicating the Council's expectation that the new school would relieve overcrowding at Quince Orchard and Richard Montgomery high schools.

Planning funds were approved beginning in FY 2020, followed by subsequent appropriations for construction and additional funding to address significant escalation in construction costs and impacts to the construction industry resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the FY 2025-2030 CIP, the Board of Education approved a phased construction approach in order to maintain the project schedule and address budget constraints. Phase I included construction of the core facility and auditorium shell, while Phase II includes completion of the auditorium interior, shelled classroom spaces, and stadium turf. An FY 2026 appropriation of $20 million was approved to complete Phase II work.

On March 26, 2026, the Board of Education approved a boundary study recommendation to relocate Thomas S. Wootton High School to the Crown farm site upon completion of construction. The relocation will provide a comprehensive high school to utilize a modern educational facility, while the existing Wootton High School building will be repurposed to support future secondary capital construction needs. The relocation of Thomas S. Wootton High School to the Crown Farm site remains scheduled for August 2027.