Senator Hochadel Applauds $12 Million in State Funding for Air Quality Improvements for Schools in Cheshire, Meriden, Middletown and Middlefield

Senator Jan Hochadel, D-Meriden, celebrated Monday the release of more than $12 million in state grants for school HVAC upgrades, ensuring that students in Cheshire, Meriden, Middletown and Middlefield receive instruction in healthy classroom environments conducive to learning.

“Clean air and temperature-controlled classrooms are essential to a healthy learning environment. These grants will ensure that students in Cheshire, Meriden, Middletown, and Middlefield have the necessary support to thrive academically,” Senator Hochadel said. “State funding will cover between 50% and 75% of these projects, minimizing the impact of these vital upgrades on local taxpayers.”

The grants announced Monday by the Department of Administrative Services include:

-$48,375 to review and replace rooftop units and a Direct Digital Control (DDC) system at Dodd Middle School in Cheshire. This grant will pay for roughly 50% of the project.

-$240,933 to fund the replacement of boilers, hot water recirculators, and combustion air systems at Doolittle Elementary School in Cheshire. This grant will pay for roughly 50% of the project, which also includes upgrading the school’s DDC.

-$161,448 to replace the boilers and hot water holding tanks at Highland Elementary School in Cheshire. This grant will pay for roughly 50% of the project.

-$310,754 for air conditioning at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Meriden. This grant funds more than 75% of the project.

-424,183 for air conditioning at John Barry Elementary School in Meriden. This grant funds more than 75% of the project.

-$554,951 for air conditioning at Lincoln Middle School in Meriden. This grant funds more than 75% of the project.

-$274,409 for air conditioning at Nathan Hale Elementary School in Meriden. This grant funds more than 75% of the project.

-$292,127 for air conditioning at Roger Sherman Elementary School in Meriden. This grant funds more than 75% of the project.

-$2,167,096 to install cooling systems in Bielefield Elementary School in Middletown. This grant funds roughly 66% of the project.

-$2,167,096 to install cooling systems in Farm Hill Elementary School in Middletown. This grant funds roughly 66% of the project.

-$2,167,096 to install cooling systems in Moody Elementary School in Middletown. This grant funds roughly 66% of the project.

-$2,167,096 to install cooling systems in Snow Elementary School in Middletown. This grant funds roughly 66% of the project.

-$1,239,030 to replace ventilators and upgrade building management system controls at Regional School District 13’s Middlefield Memorial School. This grant funds roughly 51% of the project.

The state HVAC Indoor Air Quality Grant program was established in 2022 to assist Connecticut school districts with repairs and upgrades to ventilation and indoor air quality systems to support healthy learning environments.

###