ALBANY — State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball has announced, during Farm-to-School Month, that $10 million is now available through Round 2 of New York’s Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program. The program will support projects in New York schools that improve meal preparation and distribution for Kindergarten through Grade 12 students. First announced in Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2023 State of the State, the program will provide $50 million over five years to eligible applicants to facilitate the on-site processing and preparation of fresh, nutritious meals, increase the use of more healthy, local New York food products, and provide a boost to New York farmers.

Commissioner Ball said, “Here at the Department, we are working hard to ensure our farmers are New York’s best and first customer across the board, and that includes our schools. The Regional School Food Infrastructure program provides a tremendous opportunity to collaborate with our partners across the state to strengthen our food system and provide delicious, healthy and locally sourced meals to our students by ensuring our schools have the equipment they need to cook from scratch and use ingredients made by our farmers and producers. I’m excited to see the progress made by one of the first recipients of this program and encourage eligible organizations across the state to apply to the second round.”

WASHINGTON — Lewis Ferebee, chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools, stands at the top of a staircase at John Lewis Elementary when he’s approached by a couple of his constituents for handshakes. He has to reach down a bit — the third-grade boys only stand about waist-high to Ferebee.

The school got a face-lift three years ago. The renovations transformed the noisy, open-concept hallways — relics of the Open Education Movement from the ’60s and ’70s — into individual classrooms. Teachers can now talk to their students without the distracting din of chatter from other classrooms, but the garage doors that double as windows can be opened when teachers want to do activities that involve getting students from multiple classrooms working together.

The work that went into John Lewis Elementary highlights something unique about DC Public Schools. Since 2007, its Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization has kept and systematically worked through a schedule for upgrading schools. At the time, the district reportedly had a backlog of 20,000 work orders.

The oldest wooden schoolhouse in the U.S. is a small building in St. Augustine, Fla., with records that date back to 1740. While this particular building is no longer used for teaching and learning, plenty of other classes across the country take place in dignified and historic structures.
Divide Public School, in Montana, was built in 1870. It is the only school in Divide School District 4, serving six students ranging from first to fifth grade. The Divide School is an example — albeit an extreme one — of what these historic school buildings often have in common: They are home to rural, private, charter and independent schools.
Whether schools are protecting six students or 6,000, technology can help them maintain physical security. Today’s camera systems are proactive. They have video analytics that identify and track potential concerns, and they back up footage to a cloud database that isn’t erased after only a few days.
Outdated systems, on the other hand, are reactive, forcing IT professionals or first responders to manually sift through hours of low-quality video to identify an individual or investigate an incident.
Too often, historic school buildings have security systems that are 20 years old or older. They have none of the capabilities of newer systems, and thanks to the often fragile infrastructure and red tape associated with historic buildings, they can be difficult to upgrade.
 

NORTHBROOK, IL — With each of its schools aged between 58 and 75 years old, officials from Northbrook District 28 are seeking input from residents regarding the future of Greenbriar School, Meadowbrook School, Westmoor School and Northbrook Junior High School.

In January, potential building improvements, adding up to a total of $80 million,were proposed at the four schools as part of a 10-year facilities master plan. The recommendations were made by DLA Architects at a board of education meeting.

Officials said the improvements would address the areas of accessibility, life safety, operation and maintenance, and capital improvements, with the proposed money spread out as follows:

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Shelby County Schools is taking a close look at all of the buildings it owns to help determine if some schools should close or consolidate.
For the first time in a decade, a top-to-bottom assessment of all of MSCS’s 200 buildings could impact future school closures, consolidations, and school district investments.
This week, during a school board committee meeting, Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins unveiled that the results from an evaluation she had requested had been completed and she wanted the findings before moving forward with decisions on buildings owned by MSCS.
Earlier this summer, Dr. Feagins talked about how the school district has accumulated $1 billion in deferred maintenance while addressing aging infrastructure and air conditioning problems.
“We face an aging infrastructure that continues to plague our best opportunity to provide the type of educational experience that our students desire,” said Dr. Feagins.
The MSCS school building evaluations are expected to examine conditions and replacement expenses for improving the district’s buildings.
 

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Independent School District released a short survey on Wednesday to solicit ideas on how its closed schools can be repurposed into facilities for the community’s use.
The fifteen schools, which were closed last September as part of the district’s “rightsizing” plan, would be used to meet community needs, according to San Antonio ISD.
Available buildings could have a range of uses, from educational services to affordable housing centers. Other recommendations include senior centers, playgrounds, mental health resources and fine arts buildings.
Community members will be able to select the level of priority they give each repurposing option in the survey.
 

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - Monday, October 7 in the Laramie County School District #1's Board of Trustees meeting, The Wyoming State Construction Department FEA Committee's recommendation of the Most Cost Effective Remedy study (MCER) for LCSD#1 elementary schools was passed.
In speaking with the School Facilities Division Administrator, which is a branch of State Construction Department they say that their job is to annually evaluate all statewide educational facilities for issues with either capacity or condition.
And this study was created to address the issues found within Cheyenne elementary schools.
Shelby Carlson, School Facilities Division Administrator says, "evaluation identified seven elementary schools in the Cheyenne area that either had a capacity or condition concern, and so the study was put in place to look to evaluate those needs."
The results of this study as according to Carlson means that around town schools will be changing.
Some changes will be the building of the new Arp and a new 5 and 6th grade school in the South Triad. Hobbs will be upgraded in the Central Triad. And building of a new school that is currently called "Saddle Ridge II" in the East Triad
 

Funding for public schools is a big issue on the November ballot with more than ten billion dollars on the line in the statewide ballot measure Prop 2. 
The proposition would help school districts repair, upgrade, and construct new facilities, though opponents say it would just overburden taxpayers with more debt.
Ongoing construction at West Portal Elementary in San Francisco will replace rows of portable classrooms into a state-of-the art facility.  
"A lot of students were in our temporary classrooms that were decades old," said West Portal Elementary teacher Emily Harris. 
Harris has seen the challenges students and faculty face daily.  
"When students are in those kinds of learning environments, they don't have enough space for their own physical bodies," said Harris. 
SFUSD parent Satindar Dhillon has two children who have attended classes inside what they call "portables." He's voting yes on Prop 2 to upgrade more schools across the state. 
"When you see nice facilities, it does make you feel better and more comfortable about going to the school," said Dhillon. 
But opponents say wealthier districts have an advantage over underserved communities since local districts are required to match funds to secure state school bond money. 
 

Seven school districts will share more than $360 million in new state lottery-funded grant awards for school construction, renovation projects and other capital improvements. Among the projects funded by the grants are plans to consolidate schools into one campus, increasing access to career and technical education and modernizing facilities for students, faculty and the surrounding community.

The grants, awarded under the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund (NBPSCF), represent the largest annual allocation under the program, created by the General Assembly in 2017 from state lottery revenues. The grants are in addition to the state’s lottery-supported Public School Building Capital Fund and the Public School Building Repair and Renovation Fund, from which all 115 districts receive an allocation each year.

In Fresno Unified, the state’s third-largest school district with 71,000 students, the watchword for repairing schools is “worst, first.”
Two-thirds of the 103 schools are more than 50 years old, and with age comes burst pipes, air conditioning on the fritz and other demands. Add a commitment to property owners in this largely low-income community to stabilize property taxes, and the result is tough decisions and compromises.
Its neighbor Central Unified faces similar challenges to address the needs of aging buildings with limited resources.
A small tax base per student limits the taxing capacity in many Central Valley communities. Modesto City Schools has been patiently addressing cramped quarters in its elementary schools one bond at a time. Eventually, every school will have a multipurpose room serving as a spacious cafeteria and auditorium so that every school can do assemblies. Measure X, if it passes, will mark another milestone toward that goal.
In California, the list of school buildings needing attention is long and growing. This year, a record 252 school districts are seeking $40 billion worth of renovation and new construction projects, including classrooms for the youngest students, transitional kindergartners, and space for “maker labs” and innovative career explorations for high schoolers.
 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the New York State Department of Health $5 million to address indoor air quality issues and greenhouse gas reduction in schools.
According to a press release from the department, the funds will be used to expand the already existing New York State School Environmental Health Program, which provides information on policies, practices and free resources to schools that want to improve their environments.
Healio spoke with Michele Herdt, MPH, PhD, director of the New York State School Environmental Health Program, about the funding and how it will be used to improve indoor air quality in schools as well as mitigate its harmful effects.
Healio: Where does poor air quality come from in schools?
Herdt: The entire building is considered when discussing air quality. Contaminants (chemicals, dust/particles, odors) contribute to poor air quality. Contaminants come from outdoor sources such as vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, construction activities, wildfire smoke and pollen. Contaminants could also come from indoor sources such as cleaning supplies, carpets, cooking, pests, renovations and building repairs. Building systems may also affect air quality. Classrooms need to get enough fresh air and exhaust stale air, maintain appropriate classroom temperatures and humidity, and must address water damage and signs of mold if they appear.
 

This week, green schoolyards will be inaugurated at five more Milwaukee Public Schools thanks to Reflo’s Green and Healthy Schools program in partnership with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.
The five schoolyards this year, serving six schools – Milwaukee Sign Language School and Morse Middle School for the Gifted and Talented; Forest Home Avenue School; Greenfield Bilingual School; Lincoln Avenue School and Story Elementary School – were funded with $8.4 million from these partners and others, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
An official unveiling is set for Tuesday morning at Milwaukee Sign Language School and Morse Middle School for the Gifted and Talented, 7900 W. Acacia St., where the largest schoolyard greening project so far includes a densely planted and biodiverse microforest.
Forest Home Avenue School, appropriately, has also gotten a microforest.
Thirty-one schools in MPS have now taken part in the project, not counting schools like Maryland Avenue Montessori, which created its own greening project with some of the same partners before the Reflo program started in 2018.
As part of the greening, large sections of nonporous pavement at the schoolyards is removed and replaced with natural areas that not only serve as play and learning spaces but also help keep hundreds of thousands of gallons of stormwater on site and out of the combined sewer system.
The schools take part in the planning of each schoolyard transformation.
This helps prevent sewage releases into Lake Michigan.
 

PORTLAND (WGME) -- For the first time in more than 25 years, the state will take a hard look at school construction and renovation needs, plus how to pay for it.
Governor Janet Mills says she recognizes all Maine kids should be able to attend a safe, modern, efficient and accessible school regardless of where they live.
Now, leaders will figure out how to get there.
With a quiet bill signing, Mills created a new Commission on School Construction.
“I think we've seen in recent years a great disparity among communities,” Mills said.
"We'll have 120 students here this year. Pre-K to 5," Sebago Elementary School Superintendent Steve Connolly said.
The CBS13 I-Team recently surveyed every school district in Maine.
Out of nearly 550 schools, the average age of a building is 54 years old.
Sebago Elementary School is one of the oldest.
"One side of the hall was constructed in 1954,” Connolly said. “1986 they constructed the other side of hall."
 

In June, Greenbrier County Schools announced a comprehensive energy savings project that will significantly enhance the energy efficiency of school facilities throughout the county. After an extensive three-year analysis of all school lighting, HVAC systems, and utility costs, the CMTA Engineering Firm began the $14 million project. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, the school system was eligible for over $2 million in federal credits, bringing the project cost down to $12 million.

The project’s primary goals are to modernize infrastructure, reduce energy consumption, and generate substantial savings of approximately $500,000 annually to the school system and community. The project included replacing outdated HVAC systems, installing energy efficient LED lighting, and implementing advanced energy management systems across all schools in the county. Other than financial savings, the project also creates a healthier and more comfortable learning environment for students and staff, supporting the districts commitment to provide high-quality education.

With the installation of the solar panels at Rupert Elementary and Western Greenbrier Middle School, they now have the most extensive solar array of any school site in West Virginia, making these two schools net zero energy-cost facilities. Additionally, Rainelle Elementary School will receive solar panels in the summer of 2025, reducing consumption costs.

Maybe your child’s classroom leaked during this year’s winter storms or shut down early — or entirely — during recent heat waves.
This guide is for parents and families that want to better understand the condition of their child’s school — and how to advocate to get it fixed.
My school has a problem right now — how do I get help?
Start local. Your child’s teacher and the principal should be able to explain how to request repairs.
Here’s how it works in Long Beach Unified, where Alan Reising oversees facilities and operations:
Every school has a plant supervisor. This person is in charge of custodial services and investigates maintenance issues — whether they’re identified by a student, teacher, administrator, or parent. 
If the repair requires any of the district’s 85 skilled craftspeople like an electrician or plumber, the plant supervisor submits a work order to the district. These orders are categorized as emergency, urgent, or routine. 
The district prioritizes work orders based on severity. Response times vary from minutes for problems that could lead to serious injuries to “ I don't know when…but we'll get to it” for routine maintenance. 
“We don't have the latitude of having an unlimited resource budget to have individuals waiting for a call,” Reising said.
Reising, who’s also the chair of the Coalition for Adequate School Housing, says smaller and rural districts may have even fewer resources.
 

When the Idaho Statesman and ProPublica teamed up to report on crumbling school buildings last year, we recognized that it would be a challenge to capture the attention of readers and officials.

Idaho residents already knew that their own school buildings were in bad shape and that state law made it hard for districts to raise the money to fix them. We were unsure whether additional reporting would change anything.

To have a chance at impact, we set out to do the most comprehensive possible version of the story to show that the problems were statewide. We needed to take readers into schools so they could see what was broken and the effect on students and staff in a way that wouldn’t be easy to ignore. And because we couldn’t visit every school ourselves, we needed to get people in every part of the state to help us document what was happening locally.

Through ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network, we spent about nine months reporting and heard from 106 of the state’s 115 superintendents and 233 students, parents, teachers and others.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A school closure in Alexandria has caused concern among parents after potential lead exposure was detected at Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School. 
The school remains closed while health officials work to address the issue. 
Administrators are meeting with families, faculty, and staff to provide updates and share available resources.
The Virginia Department of Health and the Alexandria Health Department have scheduled a webinar for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. to answer questions and provide critical health information. The meeting will be held via Zoom, and health leaders are strongly encouraging students, staff, and their families to attend.
According to the Alexandria Health Department, students and staff should get their blood lead levels tested. 
 

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsinites in November will choose whether to approve nearly $3.5 billion in referendums to build, renovate or maintain schools across the state.

There are at least 140 referendum questions from 121 school districts on the Nov. 5 ballot, asking for around $4.29 million in funding increases for building and maintaining school facilities, covering operational costs or both, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Many of those referendums will ask for increased revenue limits, which result in increased property tax for residents.

As part of the 121 total school districts, around 55 districts are asking for a combined $3.46 billion to cover the cost of new construction, to fund capital projects or to maintain and modernize old structures, DPI data showed.

Hundreds of public schools across Washington are located in areas where they could suffer damage in a major earthquake. But more than a decade after the state set out to evaluate school seismic risks, the information is difficult to access and harder to verify.

In the last school year, more than 378,000 students attended schools with buildings constructed before the adoption of modern seismic codes and that have no risk evaluations or retrofits, according to data from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction obtained through a public records request. The majority of seismic risk data collected by school districts and the state is not shared with the public.

An additional 167,000 students attended schools already assessed as having “high” or “very high” seismic risks, based on their locations and building conditions.

Compiling the school seismic data is aimed at determining the scope of vulnerabilities across the state to prioritize building improvements and to inform emergency planning. 

The V.I. Board of Education expressed concern during a Saturday meeting that auxiliary agencies are not doing enough to ensure that issues with school systems and infrastructure are appropriately flagged. However, one board member expressed that the issue really lies with the lack of responsiveness by education officials.‌
“Those agencies are supposed to also walk through the schools, etc, and they’re supposed to provide citations,” said board member Winona Hendricks during the meeting. “There’s no way that a school could be without air conditioning for one year in a kitchen…the health department has not provided a citation or explanation, Fire[Service] has not,” she continued. She called for the board to obtain access to “a copy of the opening of school reports for some or all of the auxiliary agencies.”
‌The discussion arose out of recent incidents which highlighted the lack of adequate facilities to ensure smooth operations in the territory’s public schools. Problems with the lack of air conditioning in school kitchens have been reported at the St. Croix Educational Complex and the Lockhart K-8 school. The kitchen at the Eulalie Rivera Elementary School is out of commission due to a delayed rehabilitation process. Ms. Hendricks also indicated unspecified issues at the Joseph A. Gomez Elementary School that the board needed to probe.‌