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Parents, custodians and unions urge Rialto Unified to change air-conditioning policy after a hot summer
Summary
Multiple public commenters, custodial staff and unions at the Aug. 20 Rialto Unified board meeting urged the district to revise its 2013 HVAC policy so air conditioning runs whenever staff or students are present; the board directed staff to review policy options and technical fixes.
Public commenters, custodial employees and union representatives told the Rialto Unified School District board on Aug. 20 that the district’s current air-conditioning policy leaves staff and some students working in dangerously hot classrooms and facilities and must be revised.
Christina Costa, who identified herself to the board as CSEA president, urged a specific policy change: "air conditioning must be in operation whenever staff members or students are present in the school or public facility," she said, adding that existing language allowing AC to be off outside of student hours leaves custodians and staff unprotected. Costa read multiple written statements from custodians reporting prolonged shifts in high heat, denied or delayed work orders to reactivate AC, and suggested adjusting the energy technician’s schedule so someone can change set points later in the day when staff remain on campus.
The push for policy change was echoed by parents and other community members. Anna Gonzalez, a parent and community leader, said staff at several sites are "struggling to just be in some of the facilities" and asked the district to consider battery storage that would let the district capture solar-generation value while addressing temperature control at campus sites.
Board members acknowledged the concern and described competing obligations. Vice President Joseph Martinez said past rules were intended to prevent large campuses from using public funds to run AC for a few unscheduled visitors, asking rhetorically, "If there's two people on campus, why would the whole campus AC be on?" He also proposed technical fixes — infrared occupancy sensors and occupied/override switches — as partial solutions.
Board member Dara Williams supported a policy review and recommended bringing suggested edits back for consideration. The board did not adopt an immediate policy change during the meeting; rather, members discussed balancing health and safety concerns with fiscal stewardship and the technical limits of campus HVAC systems.
Why it matters: Custodial and classified staff said hot conditions have produced headaches, medical concerns and unsafe work environments; unions argued that staff safety and student learning conditions require reconsideration of a policy adopted in 2013. The issue could require changes to staffing schedules for facilities personnel, firmware or controls upgrades, and budget allocations for energy management and possibly battery storage.
What happens next: Board members asked staff to research policy language options and technical fixes. A formal policy revision or administrative regulation would require subsequent discussion and a public vote at a future board meeting.
