PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh Public Schools students at nearly 40 facilities will be learning remotely because of the heat on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Superintendent Wayne Walters activated the district's extreme heat protocol, which will transition to 39 facilities to remote instruction. The list of schools can be found on Pittsburgh Public Schools' website.

Pittsburgh Public Schools switches these facilities to remote learning when the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures reaching at least 85 or when the heat index is projected to hit at least 90.

Grab and Go Meals will still be available at several locations, which are also listed on the school's website.

Pittsburgh Public Schools says the health and safety of students and staff is a "top priority" and exposure to excessive heat can cause heat-related illnesses. 

Fort Worth ISD trustee Wallace Bridges wants the district to be careful in its consideration of school closures.

At a May 14 board workshop, Bridges highlighted the district’s need to balance fiscal responsibility with community impact. There’s a lack of trust between the community and the district, he said. 

During the meeting, trustees and Superintendent Angélica Ramsey received an update on the district’s $2 million master facilities plan. The presentation revealed that Fort Worth ISD’s middle schools face $130 million in deferred maintenance needs, with nearly half categorized as in poor condition.

“We must consider not just the numbers but the impact on the communities we serve,” Bridges said. “It’s more than just numbers on that paper. People’s lives are affected by this.”

In April, Fort Worth ISD hosted community meetings at six middle schools, informing parents and residents that closures could be coming.

The plan indicated that renovations to the schools would be costly and student consolidation would be more cost-efficient. The district is considering the closure of McLean 6th Grade Center, Daggett Middle School, Kirkpatrick Middle School and either Morningside Middle School or William James Middle School.

Connecticut has awarded local school districts $122 million for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades, the state's Department of Administrative Services announced Monday.
Norwalk received the most funding of any district — more than $21.5 million to be spent across six schools — followed by Montville ($15.5 million), Waterbury ($9.3 million), Thompson ($8.8 million) and Stamford ($6.8 million). Altogether, 48 districts received state money, funding more than 100 HVAC projects.
In a news release Monday, top lawmakers praised the HVAC grant program, as did several advocates and the superintendent of one district receiving funds.
"A healthy physical environment in a school is foundational to learning," said Fran Rabinowitz, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents. "These grants promote healthy air for our students and staff. Although there is much more work to be done, we are all very appreciative of the continuing support that this funding provides."
 

Hamilton Southeastern Schools was among 13 schools and districts nationwide recognized as Solutions Strategists for improving energy efficiency and student health through the federal Efficient and Healthy Schools Program.

The program is coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy, according to an announcement from the school district.

“We are proud of the work we have done at HSE to improve our systems,” stated Bob Rice, HSE Schools’ energy manager. “We have reduced our energy use by installing solar arrays, enhancing the efficiency of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, and have made sustainable changes to our food services program. Not only have these improvements lowered our operating costs, but these changes also provide an opportunity for our students and administration to lead by example at a national level.”

According to the announcement, schools represent the third-largest sector of commercial energy use in the United States.

In the wake of last week's catastrophic storm, in which the death toll is still rising and over 200,000 citizens are still without power, several Houston ISD schools reopened on Monday despite problems with air conditioning and food service.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire even voiced his concerns about opening HISD schools too soon.
"Let me shoutout and thank Dr. Blaine from Spring Branch for using the good judgment of not forcing these young people into schools when they don't have power; their resources are limited," Whitmire said at a press conference on Monday. "Thank you for the good judgment. I wish all the school districts would realize if you don't have basic services, you can't study. You can't get to a school without energy and then be referred down the road. We need to take care of people first." 
As of Monday morning, Chron confirmed that the A/C units at a handful of campuses, including Heights High School, East Early College, Rusk Middle School, Pershing Middle School, Northside High School, and Hogg Middle School, were out, according to parents reporting issues in the Supporters of HISD Magnets and Budget Accountability Facebook group.
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) unveiled comprehensive, evidence-based guidance aimed at preventing the spread of infections in K-12 schools. This new guidance includes practical measures that schools can implement to combat respiratory viruses like influenza, stomach viruses such as norovirus, and bacterial illnesses including strep throat.
“CDC has updated actions schools can take to prevent germs from spreading and keep kids healthy and learning,” said CDC Director Mandy Cohen, M.D., M.P.H. “This update puts lessons learned into actionable steps schools can follow to keep our kids, teachers, and school staff safe.”
 

Nature inspired the design of John Lewis Elementary School in Northwest D.C.

"We have our outside treehouse. I was pretty scared when I first saw that,” said Principal Nikeysha Jackson. “The kids loved it. It is their favorite thing in the building."

The district’s first net-zero building has all the bells and whistles: an outside amphitheater, eco-friendly ponds and solar panels. And as Jackson points out, all of the classrooms have retractable garage doors.

“Usually in the mornings, they'll be open as kids are walking in, and then they close them,” Jackson said. Some people teach with them open all day long.”

This new building is part of a long-term city effort to get all its schools in good shape. Not all of them are as impressive as John Lewis, but many were in worse shape a few decades ago.

‘Planning isn’t reacting’
In 1992, a group of parents filed a lawsuit against Washington over fire code violations. Mary Filardo, executive director of the 21st Century School Fund, had children in D.C. Public Schools at the time.

She said there were a number of fire code violations: “because doors were chained shut, so that kids wouldn't be able to get out. Because the doors weren't working properly. There were breaches in the plaster and in the ceilings, because of roof leaks and other problems.”

A small group of Robert Russa Moton High School students in Farmville began gathering in secret months before an April 23, 1951, walkout to protest the unequal conditions of school facilities for Black students.
“It was the same type of secrecy that was developed during the Manhattan Project,” said John Stokes, one of the walkout’s organizers. “We had to trust everyone so we could pull this thing off.”
Students decided to report a fake disturbance downtown, luring Moton Principal M. Boyd Jones away from school on the day of the protest.
“Mr. Jones did not want any of us to become involved with anything that wasn’t right in the neighborhood,” Stokes said. “So, at the time, he leaves. He goes down to find out who the troublemakers were.”
When Jones returned to school, the strike was in full force. About 400 students gathered in the auditorium to hear a speech from 16-year-old student Barbara Johns before walking out of the school in protest.
White students in the district enjoyed indoor plumbing and attended schools made of brick, while Black students used outhouses and some took classes in tar-paper shacks outside Moton High School, which were added to deal with overcrowding.
One Moton student recalled using an umbrella on rainy days, so ink wouldn’t run all over her paper.
“They had put up tar-paper shacks that were not fit for animals to inhabit. It leaked in there,” Stokes said. “They had no real siding. So, we knew we were being programmed for failure.”
But it wasn’t just the facilities that were unequal: so were curriculum materials and other resources. Stokes said he and his twin sister couldn’t go to school until they were about 8 years old because the division didn’t provide buses for Black students at the time, and they lived too far away to walk.
“The strike was on for two weeks … two whole weeks,” Stokes said.
 

The Education Supervisory Financial Commission is concerned that the Guam Department of Education could lose $41 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds that has not been encumbered.

During the commission's monthly meeting on Thursday, a review of the ARPA year-to-date financial records raised concern among commission members.

“What are you going to do with $41 million before it's given back?” Carol Hinkle-Sanchez, managing attorney of the Civil Law Center, asked GDOE comptroller Adam Shin.

GDOE received $239,427,921 in ARPA funds and has spent $39,491,564.93 to date, according to GDOE. With $19,991,246.32 and $138,836,812.76 encumbered, according to GDOE, that left $41,108,296.99 in available funds as of April 25.

While Hinkle-Sanchez said she recognized that the procurement process is lengthy, she questioned why the department had not yet encumbered the available funds.

Many Mississippi districts are using notable portions of their federal COVID-19 emergency funding to improve school buildings, most likely to address long-standing issues around underfunding for capital projects, according to research from FutureEd, an education analysis organization affiliated with Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy.

Of the 60% spent through March of this year across the state in American Rescue Plan funds, 42% —  or $362.6 million — had gone toward building improvements, according to FutureEd.

The lion’s share — $296.8 million — funded reconstruction and remodeling projects like HVAC replacements and upgrades. That was followed by maintenance and upkeep at $27.6 million, new building purchases and construction at $20.5 million, and architecture and engineering fees at $14.8 million. 

The U.S. Department of Education today announced the 2024 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees.

Across the country, 41 schools, 10 districts, three postsecondary institutions, and one early learning center are being honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and offer effective sustainability education. The honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 24 states. Half of this year’s honorees are located in underserved communities.

In addition, one state education official is recognized with the Director’s Award. This year, it is George Garcia of the California Department of Education.

“This year’s U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools are leading school transformation in states that will help ensure all students in all communities have the opportunity to grow to become strong and healthy learners,” stated U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “This year’s awardees range from early learning centers to postsecondary institutions. Notably, half are located in under-resourced communities. These awards represent thousands of students, and countless hours of hard work in schools and on college campuses, ensuring equitable access to healthy, climate-resilient learning environments where students are prepared for the sustainability challenges of the present and future.”

President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda is providing unprecedented resources for K-12 schools to invest in healthier, more sustainable buildings and infrastructure—from removing lead pipes, to installing clean, reliable solar energy, to purchasing electric school buses. Schools across the country are putting these funds to use to cut harmful air pollution, including climate pollution, and invest in equitable, healthy, resilient, and sustainable schools. To ensure that schools have access to the many resources and technical assistance available to them through the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Administration is today hosting the first-ever White House Summit for Sustainable and Healthy K-12 School Buildings and Grounds.

On the week of February 5, several stalls in the bathrooms at public high school Luis Felipe Crespo in Camuy, Puerto Rico, had padlocks on them for no apparent reason. Fed up with the many other maintenance issues at their school, three students, including 17-year-old Alaisha Torres Soto, decided to make a video showing the bathrooms’ conditions. The text overlaid on the video, which they posted on their graduating class’ TikTok account, read: “Uniforme completo jóvenes” (Students, wear your full uniforms). As they walk around the restroom, they point out the ridiculousness of having to wear their uniform correctly when the school can’t even provide running water, toilet paper, mirrors, functioning soap dispensers, and working stall doors.

After multiple setbacks over the past year, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School in Binghamton will have access to extra capital funds to renovate and improve conditions at the school.

The funds come from a provision in the recently passed New York State Budget, and will allow the Binghamton City School District to access two times their multi-year cost allowance for building aid from the state, meaning the district will receive 10 years of funding up front, as opposed to the normal five years of funding.

While there is not yet a set dollar amount the district will receive, the project itself is estimated to cost $52 million.

According to Binghamton City School District Superintendent Tonia Thompson, renovations without the increased funding would have taken up to 25 years — with the funding, they will be completed in the next five.

SALT LAKE CITY — Publicly funded facilities are not open to the public, and that's the case for the tennis courts and fields at a handful of Salt Lake City high schools.

Peter Bublik said the courts in the Granite School District, specifically Skyline and Olympus high schools, used to be open on evenings and weekends but are now locked up. Bublik said he had played tennis on those courts several times for nearly a decade.

"It seemed like they were kind of locking up more and more, and now they're just locked permanently," Bublik said.

A spokesman for Granite School District, Ben Horsley, said the schools are locking them due to vandalism, with one primary issue: dog owners.

"These are not dog parks," Horsley said.

He said the new tracks, turf fields, and tennis courts are closed to dogs, but that does not stop people from bringing their pets and not cleaning up after them.

Wichita school officials want to know if voters would support a series of bond issues to rebuild and renovate schools over the next two decades. On Monday, consultants hired by the school board laid out four options ranging from a major investment in 27 new or renovated schools to doing nothing but focusing on deferred maintenance needs at existing buildings. All four plans outlined by the Ohio-based firm Woolpert include consolidating either 18 or 19 schools — a process district officials say is different than a closure because students and staff at low-attendance schools would all be moved together into a different building.

Nearly 30 people gathered outside the Pittsburgh Public Schools administration building in Oakland Monday afternoon to rally against the potential closure of school buildings.

The rally, which started an hour before the school board’s scheduled public hearing, was organized by the advocacy organization 412 Justice. It drew dozens of people who chanted “Fund our schools” and “Nothing about us without us” as they called on school directors and administrators to reconsider plans that could lead to the possible closure and consolidation of some schools as the district faces a growing budget deficit and declining enrollments.

ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands – A commitment of $384.8 million to demolish and replace three elementary schools on St. Croix, one on St. Thomas and repair a school lunch warehouse on St. Thomas mark the latest milestones in FEMA’s collaboration with the Territory to rebuild school infrastructure across the U.S. Virgin Islands which were damaged during hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. 

The prudent replacement of Lew Muckle Elementary School is made possible under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 which clears a path for the demolition and rebuilding of seven of the 11 buildings located on a 3.94-acre parcel in Sion Farm.

Eulalie Rivera Elementary school in Grove Place is also receiving prudent replacement costs to repair damages to school grounds and replace 12 structures including bleachers, athletic field bathroom and classrooms. 

FEMA has also obligated funds to repair the grounds and replace ten buildings at the Juanita Gardine Elementary School in Estate Richmond. Buildings to be replaced at this school include classrooms, offices, the auditorium, and an auxiliary building. 

For years, school district officials had grand designs to revamp the campus of McKinley Elementary in Santa Monica.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District intended to build a two-story building with eight state-of-the-art classrooms and a modernized front office. The project had already been funded by a previous bond measure and splashy renderings were publicized by district staff.

Last year, however, a district-hired inspector discovered dangerous levels of toxic vapors percolating in the soil at the proposed construction site, a parking lot on the northeast end of campus. Since then, state regulators have concluded the contaminants likely migrated underground from a dry cleaner across the street.

Although these hazardous fumes were not detected above state health limits inside school buildings, regulators determined the contamination could pose a risk to public health if the ground were disturbed or new construction was sited on top.

CONCORD, MI -- Voters are being asked to consider a millage renewal to fund continued building maintenance for a western Jackson County school district.

A five-year renewal of Concord Community Schools’ sinking fund is on the May 7 election ballot. Last renewed in 2019, the millage is set to expire along with the 2024 tax levy, according to the proposal.

If passed by voters, the currently authorized millage rate of 1.9213 mills - or about $1.92 on each $1,000 of taxable property value - would be renewed for 2025-29. Concord Community Schools would collect about $358,034 in 2025 if the millage is approved and levied in May, officials said.