Richmond Public Schools will need $43.7 million in the next 18 months to make immediate repairs to dozens of school buildings that have fallen into disrepair and pose safety concerns, school officials say.
While a budgeted $10 million — along with some state grant money — will put a dent in overall costs, Chief Operating Officer Dana Fox said the division is unsure of where the additional funds will come from.
“This is our cry for help to folks with the city and with the state and with the federal government to ensure that we are providing the resources needed,” Fox said at a news conference on Monday afternoon.
The announcement comes following the release of the division’s facilities condition assessment report that outlines which of the division’s schools need the most work and which it should prioritize in future capital improvement plans.
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Dana Fox, chief operating officer for Richmond Public Schools, talks to the media at John Marshall High School in Richmond on Monday. At its current rate, the division anticipates it will need $1.1 billion to fix and maintain its existing structures through 2095, according to the division’s recently released facilities condition assessment report.
Richmond Public Schools reports a needed $7.1 million in immediate funds for the remainder of this year to address existing damages at its facilities.
A new report conducted by the Maryland-based consulting firm Bureau Veritas found that Richmond Public Schools will need $1.1 billion through 2095 to repair and maintain its existing facilities.
Current needs
The assessment, conducted earlier this year by Maryland-based global consulting firm Bureau Veritas, consists of 50 individual reports from different school buildings. The Richmond School Board paid the company nearly $500,000 to put together the report.
In it, the firm found that several school facilities have serious electrical, structural, mechanical, fire and plumbing issues.
The report found that the division will need $36.6 million next year alone to address critical fixes, with nearly half of the funds being used to improve roofs.
There are several schools that reported roof leaks, including Woodville Elementary School, which was built in 1954, and Barack Obama Elementary School, built in 1921. Both have not had any “significant renovations since.” Nearly half of the schools inspected have mold problems associated with water leaks.
Also, several schools’ ceiling and floor tiles may contain asbestos, the report reads. While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that asbestos is dangerous only when disturbed, there is considerable risk if there is water damage present as it can lead to the release of fibers in the air.
Other immediate repairs include replacing doors and windows, replacing aging HVAC systems, addressing electrical power systems and fixing exterior walls.
On Monday, John Marshall High School Principal Monica Murray talks about the school’s new exterior wall.
The report also found that many of the schools do not have fire sprinkler systems because of their age. There are numerous reports of heating and cooling problems with many schools relying on window units.
In the past few years, the division has had several reported fires — most notably, William Fox Elementary School, which burned down in February 2022. The elementary school was not retrofitted with sprinklers, and its fire alarm panels failed. It is slated to reopen in fall 2025.
John Marshall High School recently reopened its courtyard after retrofitting one of its exterior walls.
According to Fox, several of these reported issues are the result of neglect. With limited funds, the division has to prioritize projects considered critical. If there isn’t money available, then they are either patched up or operate in disrepair.
“Time certainly makes it more expensive, and it makes it a more daunting task,” Fox said. “Year over year, the costs are going to get higher the longer we wait.”
The division is currently working on fixing several of its roofs as well as its exterior walls. John Marshall High School recently reopened its courtyard after retrofitting one of its exterior walls. Previously, the wall saw several of its bricks crumble, causing structural concerns — a cost that could have been avoided if it were addressed sooner, Fox added.
John Marshall High School recently retrofitted one of its exterior walls. Previously, the wall saw several of its bricks crumble, causing structural concerns — a cost that could have been avoided if it were addressed sooner, said Dana Fox, RPS’ COO.
At its current rate, the division anticipates it will need $1.1 billion to fix and maintain its existing structures through 2095, the report states.
While the division faces considerable infrastructure needs, Fox said she is hopeful that through this report, which ranks school facility projects by priority and cost, it will be able to acquire more funding.
Recent local elections resulted in a new School Board as well as a new mayor-elect, all of whom ran on campaigns pushing for additional school funding. Now, many are hopeful there will be more funding poured into the division’s coffers.
Last month, Richmond schools’ Superintendent Jason Kamras told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that his team has been meeting and working with Mayor-elect Danny Avula to discuss plans for the future of the division.
“They’ve been very clear that they want to be as helpful as they possibly can,” Kamras said.
RVA 100: 100 people, places, things that you should know about Richmond
The RVA 100 are the people, places, things that make Richmond so special. The Times-Dispatch will be highlighting 100 quintessential Richmond icons starting Aug. 1 and running throughout the year.
Submit your ideas for what and who we should feature at go.richmond.com/rva100yourturn.
Chimborazo Park is laden with city history and lore while also letting park-goers experience all of Richmond.
As a child, when the Legendary Santa called you by name, that memory was priceless.
Starting today, we're launching our RVA 100 series, which highlights the people, places and objects that define the Richmond region. For 100 days, we’ll showcase a different quintessential Richmond icon. First up: Agecroft Hall.
This story is part of RVA100, our series that highlights the people, places and objects that define the Richmond region. We’re exploring hidden histories and colorful backstories.
This story is part of RVA100, our series that highlights the people, places and objects that define the Richmond region. We’re exploring hidden histories and colorful backstories.
This story is part of RVA100, our series that highlights the people, places and objects that define the Richmond region. We’re exploring hidden histories and colorful backstories.
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Bill "Bojangles" Robinson is dancing in the aluminum statue that stands in Jackson Ward, the majority Black neighborhood where he grew up in racially segregated Richmond. But Robinson, a trailblazer as a Black entertainer in early 20th-Century America, didn't forget his home town or the challenges facing Black students there.
That's why the Astoria Beneficial Club led the effort to honor him with the statue dedicated on June 30, 1973, almost a quarter-century after his death in 1949.
This story is part of RVA100, our series that highlights the people, places and objects that define the Richmond region. We’re exploring hidden histories and colorful backstories.
This story is part of RVA100, our series that highlights the people, places and objects that define the Richmond region. We’re exploring hidden histories and colorful backstories.
This story is part of RVA100, our series that highlights the people, places and objects that define the Richmond region. We’re exploring hidden histories and colorful backstories.
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This story is part of RVA100, our series that highlights the people, places and objects that define the Richmond region. We’re exploring hidden histories and colorful backstories.
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This story is part of RVA100, our series that highlights the people, places and objects that define the Richmond region. We’re exploring hidden histories and colorful backstories.
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This story is part of RVA100, our series that highlights the people, places and objects that define the Richmond region. We’re exploring hidden histories and colorful backstories.
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