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Teachers, union and parents press MCPS on failing HVAC systems; board asks for disaggregated complaint data
Summary
Teachers, union leaders and parents told the school board that failing HVAC systems have left classrooms too hot or too cold at many MCPS campuses, and trustees asked staff for a school‑by‑school report and an update to the fiscal management committee on June 26.
Parents, teachers and the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) told the board May 8 that too many schools experience extreme temperatures because HVAC repairs are delayed or incomplete.
David Stein, president of MCEA, told trustees that numerous campuses remain unacceptably hot or cold and cited multiple schools — Loiterman Middle School, Takoma Park Middle, Westland Middle, Watkins Mill High and others — as examples. Stein said promised HVAC repairs have been repeatedly delayed and called conditions “OSHA complaints waiting to happen.” Several parents and board members added accounts of closing schools early or sending students home during heat events.
Superintendent Dr. Monifa Taylor said the district acknowledges long‑standing infrastructure neglect and is prioritizing campuses, but she warned that federal tariffs, supply‑chain delays and contractor availability have constrained repairs. Taylor told the board that the district has prioritized the most untenable campuses and will be fighting needed repairs over multiple years.
Board members asked for clearer data. Natalie Zimmerman asked for a disaggregated report showing complaints by school and the frequency of out‑of‑contract temperatures (below 55°F or above 80°F) over the last five years and for notes on subsequent HVAC updates. Dr. Taylor agreed to provide follow‑up and the fiscal management committee scheduled an update on the HVAC backlog for June 26.
District staff committed to follow up with principals on specific buildings cited by trustees (New Hampshire Estates, Waters Landing were raised in questions about waterproofing that is tied to ventilation and air‑flow) and said that on‑site engineers are assessing several campuses to determine whether targeted design solutions or larger replacements are required.
No immediate systemwide remedy was announced May 8; staff emphasized capital and operating limits and the need for a multi‑year infrastructure program.
