News & Press

Investing in building repairs and sustainable infrastructure is already making a difference for our students.

The oldest school buildings in Ann Arbor Public School System (Bach Elementary and Community High) were both built in 1922, two years after women achieved the right to vote. That’s an amazing piece of local history, but it also highlights a major need for the school district: upgrading current school buildings to meet the educational challenges of the 21st century.

In 2019, citizens of Ann Arbor voted to undertake a major bond initiative, called the AAPS Capital Program, for Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) to improve learning environments for students. In the state of Michigan, school districts don’t receive state funds earmarked for making capital improvements to buildings. Instead, school districts typically rely upon sinking funds, bonds, and grants for capital projects. These sources are separate from the general fund and can only be used for specific projects. The passage of the 2019 bond was a mandate from the citizens of Ann Arbor to bring district schools up to standard.

Together with the sinking fund, the AAPS Capital Program is undertaking three essential initiatives to strengthen the district. First, critical infrastructure is being updated and installed. Second, school buildings and campuses are undergoing renovations to meet the needs of students and staff today. Third, the program is creating 21st-century, healthy, high-performance learning environments across the entire district, transforming current school facilities and building new ones.

Key Takeaways:

  • AAPS has made significant progress in the first phase of the AAPS Capital Program and is on track to complete phase one projects by the end of the 2024/2025 school year.
  • AAPS is making strategic use of resources such as the sinking fund, AAPS Capital Program Bond, and grant funding to give taxpayers the best return on their investment in the district.
  • AAPS is committed to creating healthier, more sustainable, higher-quality learning environments for students by investing in critical areas, particularly: air conditioning, lighting, mechanical, weatherproofing, parking lots, and playgrounds.

Since the bond passed, the district has been concentrating on the first step of the AAPS Capital Program: completing urgent infrastructure upgrades that would make the greatest impact on current AAPS students and families. Below are six major improvement areas, which are now implemented across the school district.

1. Air Conditioning in All Schools

Air conditioning can go unnoticed when it is functioning but becomes uncomfortably obvious when missing. The US experienced the third hottest summer on record in 2022. Stephanie Corona, Gilbane Project Executive for the AAPS Capital Program, shared that “those early fall/late spring [days] we’re averaging 90 degrees inside the building.” Now that Michigan schools start in August, and with overall summer temperature increases continuing, students are experiencing more hot days in the classroom—making air conditioning an essential utility in schools.

Excessive heat negatively affects student learning. A Harvard study in 2018 showed that not only does learning decrease on hot days, but even a one degree increase in the average temperature across the school year reduced student performance by a full percentage point. Also, when schools have to shut down due to extreme heat, learning is disrupted, and parents have to scramble to find last-minute childcare.

The critical upgrades to cooling and heating in AAPS school buildings support learning by making classrooms more comfortable and keeping kids in school even when the temperatures rise. This includes 2,620,711 SF of air conditioning provided at 27 schools as of the end of the 2023 school year, with the district on track to have air conditioning in all schools by the end of 2025.

Lawton Elementary School – Air Conditioning
Lawton Elementary School – Air Conditioning

Further, AAPS is using Michigan’s geography to reduce climate impact by investing in geothermal cooling and heating (which uses underground systems to regulate building temperatures). Geothermal is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fossil-fuel fired systems (boilers, furnaces, etc.) and rooftop air conditioning units that use harsh chemicals for cooling. This sustainable system reduces the district’s carbon footprint and uses less energy to create consistent temperatures year-round.

2. Enhanced Lighting

Fluorescent lighting has been standard in classrooms for many years. Fluorescent light tubes are cheaper to produce, use less electricity, and put off less heat than older incandescent bulbs. However, fluorescent lighting has a nearly imperceptible flicker at 100 Hz that studies have shown increases headaches and eyestrain. On the other hand, studies have shown that full-spectrum, dynamic lighting that can be adjusted based on activity type contributes to improved learning outcomes.

Corona shared that “during every engagement, six different schools, every kid, in every grade [said] they want to have a view of the outside, they don’t want harsh fluorescent lights, they want natural light.”

AA Steam A-C Light Media Center
Ann Arbor STEAM – Air Conditioning & LED Lighting

In response, the district has replaced 9,212 outdated fluorescent light fixtures with high-efficiency LED fixtures. LED lighting lasts longer, uses significantly less electricity, and produces consistent full-spectrum “natural” light. AAPS has also installed adjustable switches in the classrooms to support dynamic lighting, so teachers have the flexibility to adjust lighting to the needs of specific activities.

Corona is positive about the impact of the improvements: “Students have a better learning environment. The early air conditioning and lighting projects have had some great benefits.” High-efficiency, adjustable LED lighting contributes to a supportive learning atmosphere and is another step toward meeting our environmental sustainability goals.

Tappan Middle School – Solar Array
Tappan Middle School – Solar Array

3. Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Improvements

Systems that work and run efficiently are critically important for the daily operations of a successful school. When everything is working well, good systems are almost invisible.  Plumbing that flushes toilets, delivers hot and cold water to sinks, and supplies drinking water to fountains and water bottle stations is essential for a safe, sanitary, functional school. Through the Capital Program, every AAPS school provides filtered water for drinking. AAPS has also upgraded the plumbing systems to longer-lasting materials that protect water quality and mitigate the risk of burst pipes. Touchless sinks, installed through the sinking fund, help reduce the risk of spreading germs through contact with faucet handles, and prevent water from being left running through an open tap. Improving water delivery systems throughout the AAPS buildings reduces wastewater and makes water usage more efficient.

The mechanical system upgrades at AAPS not only include the addition of air conditioning but, in many schools, the improvement of ventilation (the delivery of fresh air to the classroom) and filtration (filtering of the air) to student learning environments. In addition to reducing the transmission of germs, Harvard’s study on foundations for student success demonstrated that enhanced ventilation and filtration support better cognitive function for students and staff.

Electrical system improvements include installing rooftop solar panels that supply electricity to the building. This investment will reduce electricity costs and increase the environmental sustainability of the district by producing clean, renewable energy. To date, the district has installed over 2 megawatts (MW) of capacity, which could power 348 million cell phones –enough to charge every cell phone in the U.S. and Canada!

4. Weatherproofing

Large buildings, especially large older buildings, tend to have roof problems. Leaking roofs and stormwater cause damage to buildings that grow into long-term problems and expensive repairs. Roofs that don’t leak are a basic necessity for schools. Installation of 107,313 SF of new roofs and 97,787 SF of roof repairs are successfully resolving these issues, so classrooms stay safe and dry in any season. The change may seem simple, but it has made all the difference for the district, minimizing school disruption for roof repairs and maintaining a comfortable learning environment regardless of the weather.

Weatherproofing also includes addressing storm water, protecting the schools and surrounding areas from the damage of water runoff and flooding. Major improvements, including stormwater pipe repair and replacements, have been completed at Bach Elementary, Carpenter Elementary, Skyline High, and Thurston Nature Center. Throughout the district, AAPS is making progress at redirecting stormwater into storm sewers, bioswales, rain gardens, and retaining areas to reduce future flooding.

5. Resurfacing Parking Lots

Although it is also a necessity, restoring parking lots and fixing surfaces and drives throughout the district has been a priority for AAPS. Well-maintained parking lots with smooth surfaces are safer and more accessible for everyone, especially people using mobility aids. Resurfaced parking lots, bus lanes, and car pick-up lanes contribute to an improved experience for students, parents, and staff as they travel to and from school. These improvements demonstrate AAPS’s commitment to addressing safety concerns and paying attention to the details that impact all aspects of the school environment.

Improved paving at Haisley Elementary School parking lot
Haisley Elementary School – Paving

6. Enhanced Playgrounds

Playground areas are essential to a positive student experience. Play and recreation are central to learning, and studies have shown that time spent outside has both physical and mental health benefits. The district has completed the first phase of playground improvements, upgrading thirteen elementary school playgrounds over the past three years, with priorities of safety, accessibility, and durability. AAPS has invested in equipment that is more engaging, longer lasting, and more inclusive of all students.

Bryant Preschool playground
Bryant Preschool playground

The overall plan for playgrounds and recreation within the district goes far beyond these first few steps. Moving forward, AAPS will be creating more features and a greater variety of outdoor spaces for students to engage in play, recreation, and outdoor activities. This includes making outdoor spaces a greater part of the learning experience and, as Corona described, bringing the “outside inside” to the classroom. With enhanced outdoor spaces, AAPS is setting students up for a more integrated experience of the natural environment and human environments.

Students Are Benefiting

Investments made through the bond and sinking funds over the last five years are already making a big difference for students and teachers in Ann Arbor Public Schools. Staff are glad to see these kinds of investments: “The unilateral upgrades to the lighting, air conditioning, touchless sinks—that was nice to see those improvements across the district,” said Heather Kellstrom, Executive Director of Instructional and Information Technology.

Upgraded internal systems, lighting, and climate control have made classrooms a more comfortable learning environment. Enhanced outdoor spaces, from better parking and transportation facilities to improved playgrounds and recreational areas, keep students safe and encourage mental and physical health. Finally, sustainability initiatives encourage students to be mindful of how they can positively impact the environment.

The district looks forward to the major building projects to come, but the infrastructure investments today ensure that AAPS students gain an immediate benefit from a great learning environment. As the district moves forward with new construction, each project will build upon and include the same elements added to our existing buildings: sustainable geothermal climate control, solar panels, excellent lighting, and outstanding outdoor spaces. Our students have a vivid present and a bright future.