Too hot or too cold? Why Wake could adjust its school classroom thermostats
Wake County school classrooms are expected to get more uncomfortable as part of a cost-cutting measure to help pay for other items in the budget.
Wake County school administrators presented Tuesday a proposal to change thermostat settings that would allow rooms to get as cold as 69 degrees and as warm as 74 degrees. The school board tentatively agreed Tuesday to make the temperature change, reversing changes made five years ago to make schools more comfortable.
The board also tentatively agreed Tuesday to drop proposed cuts to maintenance spending and to nix increased school employee dental costs.
The board will hold a budget work session next week. The board will vote on the proposed budget on May 6 to send to commissioners.
Wake identifies $18.7 million in budget cuts
Wake is looking at thermostat settings because Superintendent Robert Taylor unveiled last month a budget that asks the Wake County Board of Commissioners for a $40.3 million increase for next school year. The budget also included $18.7 million in budget cuts, called “strategic repurposing” by staff.
The cuts include saving $2.5 million by eliminating employer contributions to employee dental insurance starting in January. This cut would impact 16,000 employees in the district’s dental plan. It would cost workers $28 more a month, or $336 annually.
Administrators also proposed cutting $600,000 in maintenance spending.
In response to concerns from board members, staff presented Tuesday a plan to come up with $3.1 million to cover the dental and maintenance costs.
Proposed change to school thermostats
Wake can save $500,000 by making HVAC temperature settings one degree higher and one degree lower.
Currently, thermostats at schools are set for a range of 70 degrees to 73 degrees. HVAC systems attempt to get room temperatures within that range.
Multiple Wake schools have had to close early when failing HVAC systems led buildings to be too hot or too cold.
Under the proposal, thermostats would be changed so that school temperatures can range from 69 degrees to 74 degrees.
During an informal vote, the board agreed to support the thermostat changes.
Coordinating teachers kept
The board balked Tuesday at a proposal to eliminate 15 coordinating teachers positions to save $1.8 million. Coordinating teachers coach and mentor classroom teachers.
Under Tuesday’s proposal, the coordinating teachers could be reassigned to other roles, such as filling vacant classroom teaching positions.
The board will now have to find a way to replace the $1.8 million that would have come from the coordinating teacher positions to cover restoring the maintenance and dental cuts.
The board backed the proposal from staff to repurpose $1 million in Community Use funds to pay for background checks on school volunteers and school utility costs. Community Use funds come from the money groups pay to rent school facilities, such as athletic fields and classrooms.
According to Wake’s presentation, a historical review found that the $1 million can be used without impacting the Community Use program.
This story was originally published April 22, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
