Every budget contains provisions that are odious and repugnant. So it’s no surprise to know that there are stinkers in the House budget. Tucked away on page 130 of the North Carolina House budget proposal is a provision allocating $500,000 to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI) “to conduct a study to identify high efficiency, next generation heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) and chiller solutions for property owned by the Wake County Public School System [WCPSS].” NC DPI will report on its findings no later than February 15, 2027.
The provision is eye-popping for a number of reasons.
Why is the state of North Carolina providing half a million dollars for an HVAC study to the state’s largest school district with an annual budget of $2.28 billion?
From 2021–2024, WCPSS received $434.2 million in federal Covid-relief funding. The federal money could have been spent on a variety of items — including HVAC repairs — since ensuring air quality and purification was such a high priority for many schools during the pandemic.
According to data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, over 75 percent of the money WCPSS received for Covid relief was spent on salaries and benefits — the highest percentage by far of any school district in North Carolina. How much federal Covid money was spent on HVAC contracts? According to records submitted by Wake County Public Schools, the district spent no Covid money on HVAC repairs. That’s right: zero.
We all know WCPSS has had HVAC issues for years (see here and here). According to one article, WCPSS students have had over 40 days when instruction has either been interrupted or cancelled because heating or AC systems were not working properly.
According to the WCPSS website, the district was supposed to spend $93.2 million on “the maintenance and existing upkeep of HVAC equipment.” However, a review of records completed by WCPSS officials shows those expenditures were never made.
Instead, that money went elsewhere. And most of it — almost $330 million of it — went to boost salaries, provide bonuses, and pay benefits.
WCPSS alluded to some of these costs in a capital facilities meeting earlier this year (see here).
Considering these developments, it’s unfathomable why WCPSS didn’t spend a single dime of federal Covid-relief money on HVAC issues and now asks for state money to “study” these problems.
Now we’re told resolving the HVAC issues is a priority, and fixing the system will take several years and millions of dollars.
To ensure I’m not missing something, I emailed Lisa Luten, chief information officer for WCPSS. I asked her to comment on why the cost of the study was so high. As of Monday morning, I’ve yet to receive a reply.
WCPSS has an HVAC problem.
It also has a board that has refused to spend money on addressing that problem to the detriment of the students, staff, and families who use and fund the system.
Why has the district failed to make repairs even after receiving millions in federal money that could have legitimately been spent on HVAC systems?
Now WCPSS wants the state to pay $500,000 for a study?
WCPSS doesn’t have a funding problem. It has an accountability problem.
The post HVAC study for Wake County Public Schools: A bad idea at a bad time first appeared on John Locke Foundation.
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Author: Dr. Robert Luebke
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