Bonita Unified School District received 159 air conditioning service requests during the first week of school. That number grew to 234 by Sept. 9, up from 184 during roughly the same period last year.

The requests created significant demand on the District’s maintenance and operations staff as students returned to campuses during the summer heat.

For at least one family, the problems have raised concerns about classroom conditions and how schools respond when cooling systems fail.

“Kids sitting in their classrooms sweltering is not acceptable,” said Kaitlyn Byrd, whose son attends Roynon Elementary School in La Verne.

Byrd said her son, who is particularly sensitive to heat, told her his classroom’s air conditioner was not working the week of Aug. 17. She said she is frustrated by what she considers a lack of communication from the school.

“We have no way to check with our kids during the school day,” Byrd said. “They need a contingency plan/cooling center on every campus at the very least.”

On Aug. 24, her son’s teacher notified parents through ParentSquare that another work order had been submitted to inspect the air conditioner, although it had worked throughout the day.

During the first week of school, the District received 159 air conditioning service requests, according to a statement sent to La Verne Daily News from the Bonita Unified School District. As of Aug. 31, 73 work orders had been closed and 86 were scheduled for repairs or follow-up.

The District said it is prioritizing the most critical requests while working through the remaining orders. It has hired contractors, purchased additional portable HVAC units and provided fans to address classroom temperature concerns while repairs are underway.

Outside vendors are assisting District employees at Roynon, Grace Miller and Ekstrand elementary schools and Lone Hill Middle School.

Maintenance and operations employees conduct preventive HVAC maintenance throughout the academic year and summer, the statement said. The District also uses the Pelican Energy Management System to monitor classroom temperatures and HVAC conditions and identify areas that may need attention.

However, the age and condition of some equipment continue to contribute to recurring service needs.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Sonia Eckley told the Board of Education at the Sept. 2 meeting that the District spent about $600,000 on HVAC repairs during the 2025-206 school year. That amount included the salaries of District HVAC technicians.

Replacing the aging systems would require a significantly larger investment.

Cost estimates prepared in 2022 and adjusted for inflation place the cost of replacing an elementary school’s HVAC system at approximately $3 million, Eckley said. Replacement costs were estimated at about $5 million for Ramona Middle School and $8 million for a high school.

Lone Hill Middle School’s system could cost approximately $11 million to replace because of the campus’s particular circumstances, she said.

The estimates could change once the projects are put out to bid.

“The price isn’t the price until you go out for bid,” Eckley said.

The District is also exploring alternatives to replacing entire systems. Eckley said the District worked with an architect last year to design a classroom improvement project that has received approval from the California Division of the State Architect.

Construction cannot begin while classes are in session. The District expects to seek bids around April or May, with work beginning after the school year ends.

If the alternative proves successful, the District could use a similar approach at other campuses experiencing comparable HVAC problems, she said.

Aging school cooling systems are a nationwide concern. A 2020 U.S. Government Accountability Office report estimated that 41% of school districts needed to update or replace heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in at least half their schools, representing about 36,000 schools.

In a follow-up email, the District said, "the older they get, the harder it is to repair them and replace parts, which are often unavailable. District staff regularly conduct preventative maintenance, but as with anything, aged equipment fails."