HOPEWELL, Va. - Governor Northam announced Monday that Virginia plans to invest $500 million to improve ventilation and air quality in public schools.
Virginia will allocate $250 million in federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding for the necessary ventilation upgrades and match it. The upgrades will provide ventilation systems that clean and disperse air, to decrease the risk of various airborne illnesses including COVID-19.
This announcement marks the start of “Investment Week.”
“Air quality is a key part of maintaining safe and healthy learning environments for our students across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Northam. “This investment will help families, educators, and students feel more confident about the quality of the air they breathe as we return to in-person learning five days a week this fall.”
Funding will be allocated to school divisions based on their average daily membership, with a minimum allocation of $200,000 per school division. The funds will be granted as reimbursements to divisions completing HVAC projects.
