Closure occurred after cross-town busing for desegregation caused enrollment to plummet as African American students were bused out of the neighborhood, but few white students reciprocated by attending Douglass.

[4] Subsequently, the school district used the building for storage, and it fell into a state of disrepair.

[4][6] The current building was started in 2006 and the new Douglass High School opened to students in fall 2008.

Douglass High School has an active alumni association with more than 500 members in seven chapters across the United States.

The association raises funds for scholarships and other purposes, and its member alumni lobbied public officials to reopen the school.