The County Commission on Wednesday approved hiring Franklin Associates Architects to begin drawing up plans for the new North River Elementary School.
It is to replace Dupont, Rivermont, and Alpine Crest Elementary Schools on the Dupont site on Hixson Pike.
County Mayor Weston Wamp said the building will be designed for 800 to 1,000 students and could cost as much as $50 million.
County Commissioner Warren Mackey said the county needs to see more new schools coming out of the ground to replace the county's many "raggedy" schools.
County Commissioner Joe Graham noted the commission's issuance of $260 million in bonds, saying much of that would go for new schools.