BATON ROUGE - School board members approved moving forward with bids Thursday night for a  new $32 million facility in the southern part of the parish.

Jefferson Terrace Elementary off Bluebonnet Boulevard will be replaced with a larger school near its current location.

"It's going to provide a 21st-century environment for those who get to attend this school," said program director Marcus Williams with joint venture CSRS-Tillage.

The new school with grades Pre-k through 8th will have updated technology and flexible classrooms that can combine for shared lessons.

Construction will begin next year and is expected to be completed by 2020. The school board is scheduled to vote on a name for the school in two weeks.