Columbus City Schools announced $60 million in capital improvement projects at a Monday morning press conference. Planned projects include heating and air conditioning replacement, roof replacements and parking lot improvements at 11 schools.
The press conference was held at Salem Elementary School, which will get $6 million to renovate the building, including the addition of an outdoor classroom and a new playground.
In December of last year, the district made budget cuts that totaled more than $50 million, which included cutting staff and closing buildings.
At the press conference, CCS Superintendent Angela Chapman explained the funding for the projects will come from the district's facilities budget, which is a different budget than the one that supports staffing.
“We have several budgets that we operate as a district, and we have our facilities, our capital improvement budgets, which we have permanent improvement dollars that are earmarked solely for facilities,” Chapman said. “We could not spend those dollars on staffing even if we wanted to.”
Chapman added that some of the project funds are also from the school levy voters passed in November 2023, which included permanent improvement funds.
“Every upgrade is part of a larger commitment to pour into our neighborhood schools, protect the investments our community has made, and give students spaces that support their success,” Chapman said.
The district expects many of the projects will be finished before students return to school in August.
