Olentangy high schoolers heading to the Delaware Area Career Center this fall will find construction crews still at work on the building's east side, but also a dramatically larger menu of career programs waiting for them when classes begin Aug. 17.
The expanded Cosmetology wing, part of a 100,000-square-foot building project that broke ground in April, is on track to open within the first month of the school year. It will double the number of students the program can serve, Superintendent Jay Poroda told the Delaware Gazette.
"We're on track to open the expanded Cosmetology space within the first month of school, allowing us to serve twice as many students in one of our most popular programs," Poroda said.
Three new or expanded programs will also accept enrollment this fall: Electrical Trades, Veterinary Science and an expanded Clinical Medical Assisting track. A Licensed Practical Nurse program is in development but still awaiting state approvals, with no confirmed launch date.
Growth driving the build-out
DACC's enrollment has surged 94 percent since fiscal year 2015, climbing from 725 students to 1,408. The school honored a record 654 completers at its May 2026 ceremony.
The building project adds 50,000 square feet of new construction and renovates another 50,000 square feet on the Consolidated Campus at 4565 Columbus Pike in Delaware. Construction will continue throughout the 2026-27 school year as additional academic, healthcare and adult education spaces come online, Poroda said.
Olentangy connection
Students from Olentangy Liberty, Olentangy Orange and Olentangy Berlin high schools attend DACC, and Dr. Kevin Daberkow represents Olentangy Schools on the DACC Board of Education. At the April 16 groundbreaking, student ambassadors from all three Olentangy high schools participated.
Board of Education President Ted Backus, who has served nearly two decades on the board, said at the April groundbreaking that the expansion "is an investment in every family in our community. It means more students in and around Delaware County will have access to the programs they need."
What families should know
DACC is also placing a reduced 10-year renewal levy on the November 2026 ballot, according to the Delaware Source. That is separate from the building expansion.
Families interested in the new programs or enrollment for the 2026-27 school year can visit delawareareacc.org or call 740-548-0708.
