Dearborn Schools Look To Make Upgrades With Unused COVID Money

DEARBORN, MI — The Dearborn Public School system said Wednesday it is setting aside unused COVID-19 relief money to upgrade its building's heating, ventilation and air condition.

The district said it has set aside roughly $40 million from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund to make infrastructure upgrades before September of 2023.

The projects will improve the air-quality in schools by adding air-conditioning, upgrading electrical systems, improving windows and replacing boilers.

Live in Dearborn? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone.

A 2019 evaluation of the district's school buildings showed it would cost more than $54 million at the time to install air conditioning throughout all of the district’s 32 school buildings. And construction costs have increased significantly since that time due to a shortage of employees, supplies and equipment in the construction industry.

So the district's Executive Director of Business Services and Operations Thomas Wall, said the district also plans to use money it saved by using previous COVID-19 relief programs, in addition to the $40 million.

The district is still in the early planning stages and hasn’t finalized which buildings or projects will be targeted for improvements. But it did say the projects could start next summer and finish by summer 2023.