Multiple Fort Worth ISD schools send students home early amid broken AC, hot temperatures
Multiple Fort Worth Independent School District campuses sent students home early on Friday after an air conditioning outage was caused by a damaged cable impacted by external road construction contractors.
District officials said on X, formerly known as Twitter, just before 2 p.m. on Friday that the issue was resolved after initially posting about ongoing repairs at 10 a.m. The damaged cable had impacted “the district’s central controls for internet and AC,” officials said.
The temperature in Fort Worth was expected to reach 111 degrees on Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office. Weather throughout the week has been marked by high 90s to low triple digits.
“It may take time for the school buildings to cool down to the ideal temperatures,” spokesperson Jessica Becerra said in a statement. “We understand the importance of providing a comfortable learning environment for your child’s education, and we want to assure you that their well-being remains our top priority.”
There were nine schools and eight campuses affected in various areas throughout the district:
Carroll Peak Elementary School
Luella Merrett Elementary School
Metro Opportunity School
North Side High School
Rolling Hills/Westpark elementary schools (same campus)
Springdale Elementary School
S.S. Dillow Elementary School
Waverly Park Elementary School
This is the district’s second AC-related issue within the first week of school. When students returned to class on Monday, there were 25 Fort Worth schools that had no AC in certain parts of buildings, which was caused by extreme heat affecting schools’ HVAC systems. Students were relocated to other areas with working AC.
North Side High, Springdale Elementary and S.S. Dillow Elementary were among the 25 that experienced AC troubles earlier in the week in addition to Friday.
All Fort Worth ISD campuses have full access to AC now, according to Cesar Padilla, another district spokesperson.
Officials have highlighted that the school board approved $11 million earlier this year to replace rooftop HVAC units at 22 schools.
“This strategic initiative reflects our dedication to enhancing the learning experience and ensuring the comfort and safety of all,” Padilla said.
This story was originally published August 18, 2023 at 4:01 PM.
