Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air Launches First-Of-Its-Kind Framework for Coordinated Action Worldwide
-- Internatinal WELL Building Institute 09/22/2026 [ abstract]
More than 200 Commissioners from over 40 countries, including many of the world’s most distinguished scientists, public health luminaries, technical experts, building practitioners, business leaders and advocates working to advance healthy indoor air, collaborated over the past year to develop the Global Framework for Action. The far-reaching roadmap sets out nine interconnected levers of market transformation, 40 strategic focus areas and nearly 180 recommendations to drive systemic change and deliver healthier indoor air at scale.
-- Press Release
Voter Support Dips as Schools Seek to Borrow More Money
-- Education Week National: 09/21/2026 [ abstract]
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 tax itself is a lot to ask.” Now, the work the bond is paying for is visible: Crews have repaved parking lots and begun upgrading playgrounds, and the district of more than 15,000 students is choosing a contractor to replace two aging elementary schools, which will be the district’s first new elementary school buildings in a generation.
-- Grace Jiang
DPSCD makes progress on long-needed air conditioning upgrades
-- Chalkbeat Detroit Michigan: 09/17/2026 [ abstract]
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 board meeting. The investment is part of the district’s $700 million facility master plan, which was implemented in 2022. The plan includes rebuilding, reopening, or demolishing certain schools. DPSCD received the money for the project through one-time federal COVID relief funding. In 2018, about 34% of schools had full air conditioning, Vitti said.
-- Micah Walker
School breakdowns available on GDOE site
-- The Guam Daily Post Guam: 09/16/2026 [ abstract]
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 schools under DOE's purview has a list that identifies the various parts of  the school's campus, the year it was built, and what the school needs in dollars for 2026.
-- Jojo Santo Tomas
Voters Decide Construction Questions in Special School Election
-- New Jersey School Boards Association New Jersey: 09/16/2026 [ abstract]
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% of eligible school construction costs through annual debt service aid. 
-- School Board Notes
Seven unfinished school buildings await money promised by legislature
-- The News-Enterprise Kentucky: 09/15/2026 [ abstract]
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, the superintendents said in a written presentation that the seven districts “represent Kentucky’s backbone — communities that have stretched every local dollar, met every state requirement, and trusted the General Assembly to honor its commitment. The final 50% is not just a budget line. It is a promise kept.”
-- Valarie Honeycutt Spears
A ‘game changer’: SC sets aside $75M for rural, charter school capital projects
-- The State South Carolina: 09/15/2026 [ abstract]
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 formal structure for evaluating and prioritizing the facility needs of public schools across the state.  
-- Zak Koeske
MPS considers $355M for maintenance, new school construction
-- USA Today Network Wisconsin: 09/15/2026 [ abstract]
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 issues, upgrade certain amenities and build three new schools.  
-- Rory Linnane
K-12 Students Lost Millions of Days in Classrooms Due to School Facility Issues
-- Government Accountability Office National: 09/15/2026 [ abstract]
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 post looks at our new report about facilities issues in K-12 public schools. 
-- Jacqueline M. Nowicki
Fresno County approves new facilities plan for $425.6M
-- Midvalley Times California: 09/15/2026 [ abstract]
FRESNO – 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 costly to renovate.  “The plaza building has reached the end of its useful life,” County Chief Operating Officer Ed Hill said.
-- Alexa Vazquez
Chapman Study Finds Some Orange County Schools Face Extreme Heat Risks
-- Chapman News California: 09/15/2026 [ abstract]
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 affect students during recess, physical education and other activities held outdoors.
-- Robert Hitchcock
Springfield invests $14 million to bring AC to more school buildings
-- WWLP-22 News Massachusetts: 09/15/2026 [ abstract]
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – 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 Management and the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Together, these entities have invested more than $1 billion into constructing new schools and renovating existing facilities across the city.
 
-- Areta Odiah
Ohio awards $14.3 million for charter school facility upgrades and expansion
-- American School & University Ohio: 09/15/2026 [ abstract]
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 also earmarks $6.4 million to support four schools that are expanding existing programs or opening new campuses. In Ohio, charter schools are referred to as community schools.
-- AI
Can real-time data fix the UK's 32,000-school energy problem?
-- Civil Service World International: 09/15/2026 [ abstract]
How do you improve energy efficiency across an estate of 32,000 schools when energy costs are rising? The answer starts with changing the way we look at public buildings. Imagine if schools could tell us exactly how they're performing, in real time? Great British Energy's Smart Schools pilot is demonstrating how real-time data can transform the way estates are managed and improved, creating benefits for pupils, staff, and the community.
-- Paul Broadbent
Building Problems Forced Students to Lose 3.5 Million Days of Learning in 2024-25
-- Education Week National: 09/14/2026 [ abstract]
School facility problems—from plumbing emergencies to extreme indoor temperatures—forced 1 in 5 districts to cancel classes during the 2024-25 school year. Those closures affected an estimated 2 million students and culminated in the loss of about 3.5 million days of learning, according to a new report from Congress’ nonpartisan investigative arm. The newly released report from the Government Accountability Office is the latest reminder of the deteriorating condition of America’s school infrastructure and the growing need for major improvements to the nation’s school buildings—which are about a half-century old on average.
-- Arianna Prothero
Heat, Fires, Hurricanes, Floods: How Climate Change Is Keeping Kids From School
-- The 74 National: 09/14/2026 [ abstract]
With five simple words last year, Maine issued guidance that speaks volumes about how extreme weather is changing school. The law, Temperature Standards for School Buildings, clearly calls for each district in the state to set minimum and maximum temperature limits under which schools can operate. 
-- Wayne D'Orio
Pennsylvania elementary school adds 346 solar panels, offsets AC load, and eyes decades of savings
-- Yahoo News Pennsylvania: 09/14/2026 [ abstract]
Cambria Heights Elementary in Cambria County, Pennsylvania has brought a 346-panel rooftop solar array online to help offset added electricity demand from a new air-conditioning system and lower utility costs for years to come, WJAC reported. Here's what to know According to WJAC, the district worked with a state-approved energy savings company on the installation, and state funding provided more than $1 million for the project. Cambria Heights Elementary has a new heating system and energy-efficient lighting as well, which will help the district reduce wasted energy.
-- Aaron Goldstein
Juneau schools could get nearly $5 million for HVAC upgrades
-- Juneau Empire Alaska: 09/13/2026 [ abstract]
A school energy project that had not advanced beyond planning last spring is moving toward construction, with work now envisioned over the next three summers. The Juneau School District says funding discussions indicate almost $5 million could go toward new heating and ventilation controls at Kax̱dig̱oowu Héen Elementary, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, Sít’ Eetí Shaanáx̱-Glacier Valley Elementary, Harborview Elementary, and Thunder Mountain Middle School. The district has completed the energy audits required under the federal Renew America’s Schools program. The proposed work centers on direct digital controls, computerized systems that allow building operators to schedule equipment, monitor conditions, identify faults, and manage mechanical components from a central interface. The U.S. Department of Energy says modern controls can also enable remote oversight and more precise operation of heating and ventilation equipment.
-- Jeffery Kennett
Torrance Schools Swelter as $520 Million AC Bond Fails to Reach the Ballot
-- hoodline California: 09/12/2026 [ abstract]
Torrance Unified School District classrooms are baking through a Southern California heat wave with just 25% of them air conditioned, according to a district spokesperson, and a $520 million bond that could have funded a fix never even made it onto the November ballot. Parents behind a petition drive that gathered more than 1,500 signatures wanted district leaders to ask voters for the money. Instead, families are left with portable fans, ice blocks, and hydration stations while they wait for a longer-term solution.
-- Jake Rodriguez
Older schools can get too hot to safely learn
-- The Courier Ohio: 09/12/2026 [ abstract]
UPPER SANDUSKY — Aging school facilities and hot weather can be an uncomfortable, even dangerous combination. Upper Sandusky Exempted Village Schools closed for four out of five days the week of Aug. 31, when Northwest Ohio was under a heat advisory. Superintendent Eric Landversicht said he had to close school Tuesday through Friday of that week. “We’ve got very old buildings, and some of them were built before air conditioning was even a consideration,” he said.
-- Sara Arthurs
New sales tax could generate $1.27 billion over 3 years for school construction, state estimates show
-- Cardinal News Virginia: 09/09/2026 [ abstract]
The sales tax dedicated to school construction on the ballot this fall could generate more than $1.27 billion over the next three years, if it’s approved in all 47 counties and cities that are considering it this year. These estimated revenue projections come from the Virginia Municipal League, based on data from the Virginia Department of Taxation. The estimates were provided Tuesday to members of the state’s Commission on School Construction and Modernization during its first meeting in more than three years.
-- Meghan Mangrum
47 localities will vote on sales tax for school construction, as state officials prepare to reexamine need
-- Cardinal News Virginia: 09/08/2026 [ abstract]
Voters in 47 Virginia localities will decide whether to approve a 1% sales tax to fund school construction costs in their communities this November. Local leaders across the state raced to get the referendums on the ballot ahead of an August deadline after legislation passed this year gave communities this new route for raising funds to fix aging schools. Now, the referendums are one of the main topics of a gathering this week of the state’s Commission on School Construction and Modernization, which is meeting for the first time in more than three years.
-- Meghan Mangrum
Delaware districts may miss out on state money for new schools
-- Spotlight Delaware Delaware: 09/08/2026 [ abstract]
For the third year in a row, Delaware school districts are unlikely to have enough money to build new school buildings, despite concerns about overcrowding in the southern part of the state.  Last month, the Delaware Department of Education said in an email to the state’s 19 districts that it is prioritizing school construction projects that cost $15 million or less – an amount that is effectively too low to build a modern school from the ground up. 
-- Julia Merola
Missouri Kâ€"12 District Cuts Ribbons on Two New Middle Schools
-- spaces4learning Missouri: 09/08/2026 [ abstract]
Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, Mo., recently celebrated the completion of two new middle school facilities with ribbon-cutting ceremonies, according to a district news release. The district officially opened the new Pipkin Middle School and Reed Academy on Sept. 3, both of which were funded through the $220-million Proposition S bond program approved by voters in 2023. The new Pipkin Middle School measures about 114,750 square feet and replaces a 101-year-old facility located about a quarter-mile away. The district partnered with Paragon Architecture for the school’s design and Crossland Construction for construction. The project had a budget of about $53.1 million, local news reports.
-- Matt Jones
Renovate Or Raze: K-12 Developers, School Districts Face Difficult Development Choices
-- NYC Office of the Mayor New York: 09/08/2026 [ abstract]
NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) President and Chief Executive Officer Celeste A. Ramirez today officially opened the new John Dewey Annex in Gravesend, adding critical middle school capacity for families in Brooklyn. The new annex is one of 10 new school facilities opening across New York City for the 2026–27 school year, together adding 4,656 seats citywide and providing students with modern classrooms, specialized learning spaces and facilities designed to support students with a range of educational needs.
-- Press Office