MIDDLETON, Idaho — After yet another failed attempt to pass a school levy, Middleton School District may still have a path forward to build its long-awaited new elementary school—this time, without raising local taxes.
Related | Middleton School District levy would prevent teacher cuts while adding two armed officers to schools
“Our levy didn't pass, obviously disappointed that it didn't pass,” said Superintendent Marc Gee. “There's any number of reasons why that happened, but what it comes down to is we put it out there to our patrons and they said no.”
Just days before Tuesday’s election, the district was approved for $11.1 million from the Public School Facilities Cooperative Fund, a state program that helps school districts build or repair facilities when they can’t raise funds locally.
The district plans to combine that $11 million with $8 million in state modernization funds, which together would cover roughly two-thirds of the cost to build a new elementary school.
 

FERNDALE — The Ferndale School Board approved the city’s Capital Facilities Plan during its Oct. 28 meeting. The plan looks at needed and planned projects, both with and without funding. 

Between 2025-2032 there is about $40 million in planned minor capital renovations. These would be funded through the district’s general fund, impact fees, a potential capital facilities levy, bonds and grants. 

Ferndale School District is facing a deficit in classroom space when looking over a 20-year period, especially at the elementary level. 

According to Assistant Superintendent for Business and Support Services Mark Deebach, the new high school brings in possibilities and flexibility in addressing potential space issues at the high school level.

Due to this deficit there is about $150 million in major unfunded capital projects. 

In 2030, the transportation building will need to be remodeled and a new North Bellingham Elementary School will need to be built. 

The transportation building was initially slated for work with the 2006 bond attempt, but never happened and the building has only worsened with time. According to Deebach, some busses do not fit in the shop.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland Schools expects to close 23 buildings and operate 29 fewer schools under a sweeping restructuring plan that would amount to the district’s largest overhaul in decades.

Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Warren Morgan said the changes are necessary to confront steep drops in enrollment, rising operating costs and a looming $150 million deficit. Changes would take effect before the 2026-2027 school year.

The plan, introduced to the school board Wednesday night, would save CMSD at least $30 million annually if approved. Those savings would mostly come from the district cutting administrative staff, including principals and assistant principals, on account of reducing the number of schools.

Morgan told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that the number of teachers should stay roughly the same as CMSD’s footprint shrinks, but some layoffs and new hires may occur, as the schools need different personnel.

More than half of Minnesota school districts that asked voters to approve operating levies and bond questions to pay for K-12 education costs got the support they were looking for this election cycle. 

“I think our districts made the case” for more local funding, said Kirk Schneidawind, executive director of the Minnesota School Boards Association. “Minnesotans are very, very proud of their local public schools.”

Districts across the state rely on a mix of federal, state and local money to fund school personnel salaries, technology purchases, building upkeep and renovations and other education programming costs. But increasing numbers of districts are turning to local tax dollars to fund larger portions of their budgets. 

This week nearly 100 school funding questions were on Minnesota ballots. Sixty-three percent of those were approved. 

Nearly 70 percent of operating levies passed and 64 percent of capital project questions passed. Fewer bond questions — which tend to be heftier sums of money invested in things like new school buildings — passed with only a 52 percent approval rating. 

AMHERST, Wis. (WSAW) - Sixth-grade science students at Amherst Middle School are ditching textbooks for hands-on learning as they work to reduce their school’s energy consumption.

It’s part of the Renew Our Schools Challenge, a competition involving eight Wisconsin schools. For five weeks, the sixth graders work to create the most ways to lower energy bills in their building.

Last year was Amherst’s first time in the competition, where they placed third, but students noticed several areas for improvement, including overuse of lights, heat and electronics.

“We plugged a watt meter into a desktop computer, and we found that there was a ton of vampire load being taken there. So, it’s essentially an appliance that’s plugged in that still uses energy even though it’s off,” said Margo Smith, a science teacher at Amherst Middle School.

VERMILION, Ohio — Vermilion voters rejected a 30-year, $47 million school bond levy Tuesday, leaving the district’s long-delayed maintenance projects – including leaking roofs, failing HVAC systems and deteriorating infrastructure – in limbo.

Issue 25 failed with 59.74% of voters rejecting it, according to unofficial results from the Lorain County Board of Elections.

Vermilion Local School District hadn’t asked voters for an operating levy since 2008 and has relied on its general fund for capital repairs—a strategy officials have acknowledged is unsustainable. The general fund is primarily allocated for teacher and staff salaries and benefits, with just 24% available for other needs. Without dedicated funding, routine maintenance problems have compounded into an estimated $14 million in critical repairs.

McALLEN — The district held a town hall meeting on Oct. 28 and presented information on the state of its school buildings, which are in need of repairs or expansions, in preparation for a possible $335 million bond that officials say won’t increase a tax rate.
The McAllen school district partnered up with MGT, an education facilities consultant, on systematically looking at each building’s age, infrastructure and other areas. The report also collected feedback from the district’s Facilities Forecast Advisory Committee, which is made up of school officials, parents and community members.
The report presented at UTRGV McAllen ISD Collegiate Academy is about 160 slides long and goes over the methodology from MGT, a demographics overview, enrollment projections, schools capacity and utilization, and, most importantly, the district-wide conditions overview with specific findings and the cost summary.
 

In Fayetteville, AR, parents at McNair Middle and Vandergriff Elementary are voicing concern after a cell tower was built directly on school property, specifically on a playground, according to KFSM-TV Students call it an eyesore and say it’s eating into their play space. But parents, like Courtney Norton, worry about something bigger: radiation exposure.

“We had no idea it would be placed right where kids play,” Norton said. “We’re worried about both short-term and long-term effects, especially on developing children.”

Radiation oncologist Dr. Foster Lasley says while most tower radiation is non-ionizing, newer 5G frequencies raise questions, particularly for children whose bodies are still developing. “I’m not sure it’s a great idea to put this right next to a school,” Lasley said. 

States like California require towers to be at least 3,000 feet from schools. Norton says Fayetteville has no such rule, leaving the tower “on the playground and next to an elementary school.”

North East Independent School District is asking voters to consider its first bond in 10 years, but unlike many other recent proposals across the region, this one doesn’t fund new schools. Instead, it focuses on maintaining and upgrading existing campuses.

It all started with a costly equipment issue at Madison High School. In 2021, the chillers needed replacing.

“Those chillers at Madison were on R-22 refrigerant, which started getting phased out in 2003 and then became obsolete in 2010, so they couldn't be repaired. They had to be replaced,” said Superintendent Sean Maika with North East ISD.

Maika says that's when the district started considering a bond package, which led to the $495 million proposal on the ballot this week

“This bond isn't about building new, it's about maintaining the investment that our community has made over time,” Maika said.

NORTH SMITHFIELD – Parents and volunteers say new insurance requirements are shutting community programs out of local schools, with youth leagues and booster clubs struggling to afford coverage to use town fields and gyms.

At last Tuesday’s School Committee meeting, resident Valerie Fleury said the district’s building-use rules have become so restrictive that fundraisers, senior projects, and after-school activities are being canceled outright.

“This issue is having a significant negative impact on our community,” said Fleury, who spoke on behalf of 17 groups including the North Smithfield Athletic Association, Music Education Association, and Youth Soccer. “There are very few groups in town that are not being negatively impacted.”

The Eastern Local School District is reproposing a tax levy for school renovations to avoid funding cuts within the schools.

According to Eastern Superintendent, Nick Dettwiller, the schools’ facilities including lighting, HVAC, roofs, plumbing, windows, and mechanical systems are nearly 30 years old. Replacing the elementary school’s roof alone would cost over $2 million, which represents 65% of the district’s general fund balance at the end of the school year.

Eastern was given a plan from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission for a $35 million renovation plan for both buildings:

State Share: 75% (approximately $26.5 million)
Local Share: 25% (approximately $9.4 million)
Maintenance Requirement: an additional 0.5 mill levy for long-term upkeep.

The plan takes advantage of a state partnership program that may not be available again. If the levy is not approved, the funding will be given to another district that can pass a levy for their local share.

The vast majority of urban, public grade schools in California are paved-over “nature deserts” sorely lacking in trees or shade — leaving most of the state’s 5.8 million school-age children to bake in the sun during breaks from the classroom as rising global temperatures usher in more dangerous heat waves.

That’s the conclusion by a team of California researchers from UCLA, UC Davis and UC Berkeley who studied changes in the tree cover at 7,262 urban public schools across the Golden State from 2018 through 2022.

The ongoing joint project, which drew from urban tree canopy maps developed by study partners the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the U.S. Forest Service, revealed that 85% of the schools lost about 1.8% of tree cover on average in that time span.

The situation appears to be just as worrisome today, the team said.

The researchers also collaborated with the nonprofit Green Schoolyards America, which found in its own 2024 study that California’s public K-12 schoolyards have a median tree cover of just 6.4%. And more than half of that canopy exists only as decoration at school entrances, in parking lots and along campus perimeters.

Governor Ned Lamont, Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, and Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Commissioner Michelle Gilman today announced the launch of a new, interactive data visualization dashboard showcasing the State of Connecticut’s School Construction Grant Program. 

The dashboard, hosted on the state’s open data portal, provides an accessible, transparent view of school construction projects across Connecticut. Since Fiscal Year 2020, the state has awarded 314 grants totaling nearly $4 billion to districts to build, expand, and modernize school facilities. 

“Providing funding for modern, safe, and inspiring schools is one of the smartest investments we can make for Connecticut’s children, teachers and families," Governor Lamont said. "Every school building project represents an opportunity for students to learn, for educators to succeed, and for communities to grow. This dashboard gives residents a clear view of how the state is supporting that progress and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability.” 

The launch event took place at the new Cromwell Middle School, a $69 million project supported by the state through a 49.64% reimbursement rate, resulting in an estimated $34 million state grant. The Cromwell project exemplifies the strong partnership between state and local governments in providing safe, modern learning environments for students. 

“Today’s launch is about more than numbers; it’s about school facilities that meet the needs of our students and educators,” said Lt. Governor Bysiewicz. “In this new dashboard, residents can see how state dollars are improving schools in their communities. Since FY2020, Connecticut has invested almost $4 billion in school buildings. The Cromwell Middle School project is the perfect example of what happens when state and local partners work together.” 

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — In the southwest part of Grand Island, developing -- including housing -- continues to be built.

What does this mean for the city as it goes 5, 10, 15 even 25 years into the future? It's a question Grand Island Public Schools is working to answer as part of a master facilities plan.

Grand Island Public Schools said data shows Grand Island could grow by up to 20,000 people by 2050. Superintendent Matt Fisher said this would lead to an increase in students.

“So, when you start breaking that down, what does that mean for our preschool? What does that mean for our elementaries? What does that mean for our MS and what happens with our high school as that growth happens?" Fisher said. "That’s really what we are trying to position ourselves for and to really think about. What will we need 25 years from now?”

To address its facilities needs with a growing population, GIPS plans to undergo a facilities master plan where the district will gather feedback from stakeholders to hear what they want to see when it comes to schools.

Dive Brief:
Following a win in Arizona by low-income school districts over built-in state disparities in facilities funding, plaintiffs have sued California over something similar. A group of students, parents and advocacy organizations are contending the state’s reliance on local bond financing to meet the bulk of school facilities’ capital needs systematically widens the gap between have and have-not districts.
“State funding for modernization of aging school facilities … provides more funding to wealthy districts based on their local wealth, enabling them to meet local funding requirements more easily, which in turn qualifies them for more state bond matching funds,” say the plaintiffs in the complaint, filed Oct. 23 with the California Superior Court in Alameda County.
The funding gap violates the equal protection and education clauses of the state’s constitution, the plaintiffs say. The lawsuit seeks to rewrite the funding formula so it’s more needs-based and less reliant on how successful, and how quickly, districts are in generating their share of the funds.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — In 2022, Township High School District 214 ordered a comprehensive facility condition assessment to identify needs in its six high schools and specialized schools. Officials said the results indicate around $850 million is required to fix up the buildings over a number of years.

Critical infrastructure repairs, accessibility improvements, and modernization of learning environments to support current and future programs are among the areas that need to be addressed.

As part of a desired "community-wide conversation about the future of its school buildings," the district is inviting residents to weigh in. The district is offering the following opportunities:

Community members peppered their Montclair school officials with questions Thursday night on construction projects that voters approved three years ago in a $187.7 million bond referendum.

Figures the district’s architect of record presented show the district has bid out about $77.63 million worth of its projects comprising about 41% of the total budget. Conor O’Brien, a project executive at Legacy Construction Management Inc., said the district is on track to finish the work in 2029.

Heightened Interest: The update on school construction given by Superintendent Ruth B. Turner and the district’s architects carried increased weight amid the district’s $19.6 million deficit. It’s a shortfall that has prompted the district to ask voters for a $1,738 tax increase on the home assessed at the township’s average of nearly $640,000 in two ballot questions. The alternative, according to school officials, would force the district to lay off over 100 staff members and cut programs.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — Murfreesboro City Schools is anticipating a kindergarten boom next year, and they might need a new school to keep up with the anticipated growth.
This year, the district enrolled about 9,000 students, which is a 360 student decrease from last year.
The district’s smallest enrollment numbers are in August, September and May. They normally peak around Christmas time. Right now, sixth grade is down 48 students this year compared to last year. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the district has lost over 200 sixth grade students.
Several districts around the state, including in the Murfreesboro area, are seeing lower kindergarten numbers. But MCS Director of Schools Trey Duke said the district is anticipating an increase in kindergarteners next year.
“In this changing educational environment with vouchers, with charter schools, with the push for homeschooling, with a continued push for school choice, it’s becoming really difficult for us to really do some long-term forecasting of where we need growth,” Duke said.
 

At an elementary school in southwest Boise, Idaho, in the fall of 2020, children in pre-K went to their recess on the playground, laughing and climbing ladders to reach the slide. One 3-year-old boy sat on the sidelines.

The loose woodchips prevented the boy, who uses a wheelchair, from joining his classmates. There were no swings he could use or textured panels or blocks he could play with. The only student in the class who used a medical stroller, he was relegated to watching his classmates play as a staff member stood with him.

Another year, he often spent recess inside his classroom.

“It was heartbreaking,” said his dad, Grant Schlink, at a neighborhood park where he pushed his son laying back on a swing made of a large circular disk that curved up on the sides. The boy, now 8, sported sunglasses and Converse shoes. The Schlinks requested that their child’s name not be used to protect his privacy.

The playgrounds at Silver Sage Elementary excluded children like Schlink’s son, even though they had been updated by the West Ada School District in 2016 — decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act required new construction to be fully accessible to all students.

A dire warning in Montgomery County about the state of public school buildings as the superintendent says the district is running out of money.
FOX 5's Maureen Umeh was at Magruder High School. It's one of the campuses that has been in need of repair for decades now, and those repairs may not come even if money is available. That's because  MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor says there simply is not enough money to fix all the schools in the county that need help. He says, on top of that, enrollment has been declining sharply.
Aging schools in crisis
Umeh says Montgomery County Public Schools has faced criticism for repeatedly requesting increased funding without fully accounting for inflation and long-term cost escalation. Officials say the district’s annual budget appeals to the county council overlook key financial factors, leading to recurring shortfalls.
Taylor is asking for $2.7 billion over six years to replace and renovate dozens of aging buildings, including Eastern Middle, Sligo Middle, and Damascus High School. Silver Spring International Middle School would close altogether under his proposal. MCPS operates more than 230 buildings, and many are more than 50 years old. Now Taylor says even that multi-billion dollar ask only covers half of the actual facility needs. Parents say something needs to be done now.