BOSTON (WHDH) - Boston Mayor Michelle Wu revealed a plan to invest $2 billion into making Boston Public Schools facilities more environmentally friendly.
The plan, which Wu announced Thursday, will include an overhaul of BPS facilities, starting with a $605 million investment into the FY23-27 Capital Plan.
“The Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools is a pledge to listen to and rebuild trust with our communities,” Wu said. “This is a new, all hands on deck approach, with new financial resources, planning tools, and staff capacity to deliver urgent improvements to our school buildings. With students, families, and educators at the table, we’ll continue investing until every school can cultivate the healthy, nurturing environment our kids deserve.”
The projects in the initial FY23-27 Capital Plan include 14 new school construction or major renovation projects, as well as “significant upgrades” to athletic facilities at White Stadium. Additional district-wide improvements include energy and water efficiency upgrades, solar panel installation, bathroom and kitchen renovations, schoolyard improvements and water fountain and air conditioner installation.
Wu’s press office noted that only nine new schools have been built in Boston in the past 40 years, leaving many schools in need of previously deferred maintenance.
“Every child deserves a modern, up-to-date and well-equipped learning environment that stimulates their creativity and fuels their excitement about learning,” said Brenda Cassellius, the outgoing Superintendent of Boston Public Schools. “The City’s commitment to creating 21st-century school buildings and classrooms across Boston is an important step forward for our students and families, and for the entire BPS community.”
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