RPS details $25 million in facility upgrades over the past two years

Richmond Public Schools has released a list of facility improvement projects the division has completed during the current and previous school years, as well as those underway across the district's 26 schools.

The division spent nearly $23 million on 48 projects during the last school year, varying from air conditioning and fire alarm upgrades to roof and sink replacements. RPS estimates it will spend $2.5 million on similar projects this school year – the amount budgeted for capital improvement plans.

Click or tap on the points to see more information about the projects for each school. Zoom in and out of the map using your fingers or the buttons on the top right corner.

The majority of funding for projects from the previous school year came from state and federal grants, Patrick Herrel, the district's new chief operating officer, said at an October meeting. RPS received some grants a few years after the division had applied for them, moving multiple projects from prior years into the 2024-2025 school year.

The release of the projects gives insight into how the division is attempting to mitigate problems within its aging buildings. 

Full list of projects:

Before the school year began, teachers and staff raised concerns about school conditions over the summer across the district. A spotlight was shone specifically on Elizabeth D. Redd Elementary, where mold was visible on armrests in the school’s auditorium and asbestos was present. RPS officials have since maintained that the school is safe to use.

“It was flagged by the teacher that accessed [the auditorium],” said Bobby Hathaway, the division’s director of facilities, speaking to School Board members at a September meeting. “I thanked her for bringing it to our attention because had she not brought it to our attention, it could have been in a worse situation.”

The division is spending $1.5 million on the school’s roof, and officials are working on weekends to complete the project, the document stated.

In light of the concerns, some Board members have asked for more transparency from the district on facility projects it works on, including Ali Faruk (3rd District), who has proposed creating a public-facing maintenance tracker to show progress on the projects the division has conducted. The division’s facilities team already has a similar tracker that is only internal.

School Board considers a public-facing maintenance tracker to demonstrate progress on facilities

“I know that – for myself – it’s one of the most common things I hear about from constituents.”

The RichmonderVictoria A. Ifatusin

Thomas C. Boushall Middle has received the most money in improvements, with $2.26 million going towards an entire roof replacement for the school and upgraded fire alarm systems. The completion of the roof is still in progress, according to the document.

G.H. Reid Elementary and Thomas H. Henderson Middle had the highest number of projects, which included light upgrades, wall and door installations, and a wheelchair ramp specifically for the elementary school.

The division has completed 27 of the projects listed in the document, mostly coming from the last school year. Eight projects from the last school year are still in progress, while 13 projects are scheduled for summer 2026.

Contact Reporter Victoria A. Ifatusin at vifatusin@richmonder.org