32 schools in one Northern Colorado school district don't have air conditioning, and classes are being cut short

Nine months after voters approved a mill levy to provide Poudre School District with $49 million a year for school improvements, 32 of those schools still remain without air conditioning. PSD, which primarily serves Fort Collins, is one of the largest school districts in Northern Colorado. However, they are the only district that has needed to start the first seven days of their school year with early release for thousands of kids due to classroom temperatures.

Since the mill levy was approved, only two schools underwent construction for the addition of air conditioning, leaving 32 others to go through the 2025-2026 school year without sufficient cooling systems.

The district declined multiple interview requests in the last week from CBS News Colorado about the situation. However, via statement, a district spokesperson said many schools currently have swamp coolers or other cooling devices scattered throughout their building. However, those devices are not enough to cool the building for the whole day.

As a result, PSD has elected to start their school year with seven straight days of early release for all elementary and middle school students. That means those grades are let out two hours early, resulting in some students being let out of school shortly after 12 p.m.

"If we stay in the school too long it gets hot," said Makai Palmer, an elementary school student in PSD. "(Most of the day) it's fine. But, when it gets too hot, we have to leave."

PSD says their decision to call early release for more than a week of classes is the result of a series of factors including the number of consecutive days in which the forecast projects temperatures to exceed 90 degrees, at least one day over 95 degrees and a heat index rating.

Many parents have taken to social media and more to express their frustrations with the district, noting the early release often causes adults to have to either skip work or pay for day care.

Brandon Santoni is a local parent. He walked to pick up his son from school on Monday just after 1 p.m. Fortunately he works from home, but he had sympathy for those who do not have the same capabilities.

"We are a little bit flexible in our workday schedule, so we can make it here for the early release and then he has supervision at home. So, for us, it's not too much of an inconvenience. But I can imagine the other end of the spectrum where people are at the office and need afternoon care, it could be a little more difficult," Santoni said.

For Makai, he is fortunate to have an extended family that can help his immediate family during this time. On Monday he was picked up by his grandfather, Robert Ingram.

"We are able to kind of work around it. I can pick up my grandson, if I can't then grandma can get him. If mom can't get him then great grandma will pick him up," Ingram said.

With some parents suggesting a later start to school, the district said they align their start dates with testing schedules and a nearby community college so high schoolers can coordinate studies with college credits.

"I think we are fine at the time it starts," Santoni said.

CBS News Colorado reached out to three other nearby major school districts to inquire why only PSD had issues with the warmth of late. Weld RE-4, which largely serves Windsor as well as parts of Severance and Greeley, confirmed all of their school buildings have air conditioning. The Greeley-Evans school district said their buildings also have air conditioning. Nearby Thompson School District, which predominantly serves Loveland and other towns, said half of their school buildings have air conditioning. A spokesperson said a majority of the other buildings have air conditioning at least in common areas.