Statewide proposal would create dedicated fund for routine school repairs; superintendents urge $30 million start

Advocates for public-school maintenance urged the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee on Monday to establish a state program to fund routine but essential school repairs, saying local budgets routinely defer projects that later become costly renovations.

The proposal in House Bill 7239 would create a District Repair and Improvement Project (DRIP) program modeled on the state’s LOSIP municipal infrastructure program and would allow districts to carry forward funds across fiscal years, supporters said.

Supporters said the measure matters because minor capital needs — leaking roofs, boilers, HVAC dampers, failing gym floors and aging restroom fixtures — are regularly cut when municipal budgets tighten, producing larger costs and disruptions later.

“The DRIP program would allow districts to save money long term by preventing costly repairs or replacements,” said Iris White, acting superintendent of Bristol Public Schools. “These are not just building repairs. They are investments in our students’ future and their ability to learn.”

Superintendents and facilities directors from small and large…