Supporting the Stewardship of America’s Public School Facilities

The Yakima school district went 16 years without asking voters to pass a construction bond. This spring, it finally did, and the measure passed by a hair, just over Washington state’s 60 percent supermajority threshold for approving bonds. “We live in a community that’s very high-poverty,” Superintendent Trevor Greene said, “and for a community to…

As the Detroit school district marks the end of its first month of the 2026-27 school year, more than half of its schools now have full air conditioning throughout the building, according to Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. Vitti gave an update on Detroit Public Schools Community District’s ongoing project to modernize its HVAC systems at Tuesday’s…

Voters went to the polls for a special school election on Sept. 15, to vote on school construction questions.  Statewide, the New Jersey School Boards Association learned of six boards of education with proposals on the ballot.   Under the Educational Facilities and Construction and Financing Act of 2000, the state will fund at least 40%…

Guam Department of Education Superintendent Judith Won Pat, in response to requests by both the Guam Legislature and the Guam Education Board, uploaded a comprehensive list that shows a school’s age, square footage, and what it would cost to fix or replace what is bad. The list can be found here: https://www.gdoe.net/District/Department/19-Guam-Education-Board/1844-Reporting-Requirements.html. Each of the…

As Southern California faces more frequent and intense heat waves, a new Chapman University study finds that some students may be spending their school days on campuses that become dangerously hot during extreme heat events. Researchers found that outdoor surfaces at some Orange County public schools reached nearly 122 degrees Fahrenheit — conditions that can…

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors approved a $426.5 million overhaul of its aging facilities as deferred maintenance costs continue to mount. As part of the 10-year master plan, experts urged the supervisors at their Sept. 8 meeting to consider demolishing the historic Fresno County Plaza Building after they determined the old facility was too…

Seven Kentucky school building projects sit unfinished, waiting on the General Assembly to provide the final 50% of money promised to school districts who have outdated and unsafe facilities, superintendents told lawmakers on the Joint Interim Committee on Education. Asking for a promised $102.9 million to replace some buildings constructed between the 1920s and 1950s,…

Springfield Public Schools has allocated over $14 million to upgrade heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems across the district. The project has reduced the number of schools lacking air conditioning from 30 down to eight. The major facilities initiative represents a joint venture between Springfield Public Schools, the Parks Department, the Department of Capital Asset…

Ohio is awarding approximately $14.3 million to nine public charter schools for facility improvements, expansion, and other capital needs as part of a new round of federal education grants. The facilities awards are part of a broader $20.7 million package announced by Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) which…

Charter schools in South Carolina will soon have the ability to apply for public funds to finance school construction projects, a development that one leading advocate described as a “game changer” for the growing sector. The state budget approved last month sets aside $75 million for rural and charter school capital projects and establishes a…

Flooded hallways. Classrooms with temperatures reaching 110 degrees. Black mold. Nearly one in five school districts cancelled classes because of issues like these during the 2024-25 school year.   When school facilities fall into disrepair, they can become a danger to students, teachers, and other staff. And when schools close, student learning is disrupted.   Today’s WatchBlog…

Milwaukee Public Schools families have already heard about the possibility that the district could shutter five north side schools where enrollment has declined. But MPS officials revealed a broader scenario Sept. 14 of what could be accomplished with the savings and other funding sources: investing $355 million over the next decade to address critical maintenance…