Agnes Baran lives down the street from the construction site for the new Cleveland High School on Polenta Road in Clayton. She has a daughter headed to high school in a year and keeps a close eye on the progress at the construction site.

"I think it's really necessary that we do get another high school in this area just to minimize the overcrowding," Baran said. "But I think if they keep building the way they are, this high school is not going to be enough."

Most of the county's current high schools are overcrowded, Superintendent Ed Croom said. That's why the district started construction on Cleveland High School and Corinth-Holders High School on Applewhite Road in Wendell. They are scheduled to open in 2010.

"Opening these two high schools is critical, number one for the instructional well-being of those kids. But also the safety of those children," Croom said.

But about a month ago, school officials said they would delay the openings if the county and state cut their funding.

Monday night, County Commissioners voted to fund the school district at the same level as the current year plus $1 million. The county had to dip into its reserve fund to do so.

"The County Commissioners of Johnston County and the board of education of this county are intent, I say that with emphasis, are intent on seeing those two high schools do open on time," said Chairman Wade Stewart.

The school district had asked for an additional $2 million to deal with growth and with higher utility bills.

"County Commissioners, we feel like, have done what they could do. And we're going to be as frugal as we can be," Croom said.

The new schools have room for about 1,600 students each. But the district does not have the money to buy furniture for the entire schools, Croom said. They will open the schools at about half of their capacity, and hope there will be more money to go around the next year.

The district will decide which students will go to the new schools in three to four months.