BPS says 92 percent of schools have cooling, six buildings still lack heat solution

BOSTON — August 13, 2025 — Boston City Council presses BPS on school cooling as six buildings remain without adequate heat solutions. Appearing before the Committee on Education on August 13 — the third day of an active city heat emergency — BPS Chief Operating Officer Brian Ford and facilities directors Anthony Pena and Kayla Jackson reported that 92 percent of the district's 132 buildings now have some form of cooling, up from 32 percent in 2021, after approximately $8 million in federal ESSER funds paid for roughly 6,400 window AC units across 80 schools. A roughly $15.3 million state grant is funding HVAC work at the Lee, Bates, and Kenney schools, with completion targeted for December 2026, while the Otis school is being addressed through a Renew Boston Trust partnership. A filter and maintenance contract for existing window units was signed only days before the hearing. When Councilor Julia M. Mejia pressed for the total cost of fully HVAC-ing all BPS buildings, Ford confirmed an estimate of $1.3 billion — drawing a sharp reaction from the committee — and said $200 million could realistically improve about 20 buildings.