Beginning in early 1998, a community task force spent one year researching the concept of a sober high school, modeled after Sobriety High in Edina, Minnesota. The task force sought partnership agreements between McKinney ISD and other school districts in Collin County to serve not only McKinney students, but students throughout the county and beyond.

The task force's vision became a reality in October 1999 when the McKinney Superintendent and the McKinney School Board approved the decision to establish this unique scholastic approach to dealing with one of today's societal problems. From July through early October 1999, the staff of four molded and formed Serenity High. A mission statement, goals, policies and procedures were carefully developed to provide a framework for Serenity. Input for the name of the school, as well as ideas for meeting student needs surfaced from conversations with students in recovery. Not only did the staff want a safe haven for students to earn their high school diplomas, additional accommodations were made to include group counseling and bonding of the students.

As a culmination of those efforts, and with the support of the Superintendent and the School Board, the dream became a reality when Serenity High opened October 11, 1999 with 1 Principal, 2 teachers, 1 administrative staff and 1 student!

From 1999 until present day Serenity has had carefully measured growth. Each year the number of graduates has increased to a total of 120 students as of Spring 2007. Course offerings, community service involvement and expansion of support groups have also kept pace with the growing school.