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City and schools present $370.9 million five‑year CIP; Huntington Middle School gets $21 million state grant
Summary
Officials reviewed the Newport News Public Schools capital improvement plan and recent state and city funding commitments, including a $21 million state award for Huntington Middle School and a city pledge for bus replacements and 1-to-1 technology funds.
School facilities and city finance officials told a joint meeting that the school division’s five‑year capital improvement plan (FY25–29 and beyond) totals about $370.9 million and that the city and state have committed several large grants and cash-capital items to the program.
A school division presenter said the division was awarded $21,000,000 from the School Construction Assistance Program for construction of Huntington Middle School, representing roughly 30% of that project’s cost. The presenter also said the division received $2,100,000 in a second round of state funds for a safe-and-secure entrance at Yates Elementary School and $1,500,000 from the General Assembly for safety and security upgrades at Richneck Elementary School.
The school division described an FY25 request of $141.9 million, with major items including HVAC and roof replacements and a Warwick High School renovation. The city approved $10,000,000 in capital for schools in FY25, including $2,000,000 dedicated for school bus replacement and $2,800,000 for design of Warwick High School renovation; the city also provided $3,100,000 in additional cash capital that the presenter said was used for a 1-to-1 computer initiative and staff salaries.
Officials described larger CIP projects later in the plan: a combined Denbigh High School renovation and design estimated at $58.8 million, HVAC replacements at multiple high schools, and a five‑year total request of $370.9 million. The presenter said the division used $31.8 million of ESSRA funds (as allowed by restrictions) for HVAC replacements.
City staff said direct local funding for school operations has risen from about $110,000,000 in 2019 to $123,000,000, an increase the presenter characterized as roughly 11%, and that the city has fully funded each superintendent’s operating budget request since 2019. City staff also noted the city will carry the debt service for the Huntington Middle School project under the city’s public-buildings debt category.
Other items raised in discussion included: the division’s large propane bus fleet (the presenter said it is the Commonwealth’s largest), rising costs for buses (noting a March 2024 price of about $163,000 for a 71-passenger propane bus), roughly 90 portable classrooms across 26 sites, and modular units currently in use at Warwick and Denbigh. Council members asked about capacity planning and whether renovations could increase high-school capacity; school staff said Heritage High School is the only high school with spare capacity and that planned renovations are intended to replace modular classrooms rather than expand capacity.
Council and board members discussed improved staff-level alignment of CIP preparation and recommended scheduling at least one annual joint council–board meeting—suggested timing: early fall so results and budget inputs can be synchronized. State-level advocacy was also urged, including support for current proposals under consideration by the General Assembly.
