On July 26, Governor Ralph Northam announced plans to invest $500 million to improve ventilation and air quality in public schools.
The commonwealth will allocate $250 million in federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to upgrade school air ventilation systems, while the other $250 million will come from local matching funds. The announcement was made in part in response to covid-19 concerns as the new school year draws near.
Funds will be reimbursed to those school divisions completing HVAC projects at a minimum of $200,000 per school division based on average daily membership.
“Air quality is a key part of maintaining safe and healthy learning environments for our students across the commonwealth,” the governor said in a release. “This investment will help families, educators, and students feel more confident about the quality of the air they breathe as we return to in-person learning five days a week this fall.”