POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Leaders with Polk County Public Schools are updating students, staff and the community about AC systems in buildings – which have been a hot topic the past couple of days.
Some teachers and staff members working in Polk County filed a complaint against the school district amid claimed ongoing AC unit issues a day before the start of the 2023-24 school year.
In a recent news release, the school district explained the maintenance department received 755 work orders for AC issues since Aug. 1. And more than 600 of them reportedly have been closed out.
"PCPS maintenance crews have been working diligently to finish all remaining repairs," school district leaders said in the release. "The district is assigning maintenance staff from other trades to assist with A/C work orders."
Overtime pay was also authorized for night and weekend work to make sure quick fixes.
The school district explains it's prioritizing repairs in rooms that are used by students without working air conditioning. Portable AC units are reportedly being used where possible as well.
Schools also have the possibility of relocating students if rooms are without working AC, school district leaders explain.
"We’ve been experiencing some of the hottest temperatures in recorded history," school district leaders said online. "This has created a surge in the number of A/C issues that we typically experience this time of year.
According to the release, PCPS is in contact with other school districts in the region that are also running into issues with keeping AC systems working.
"We appreciate the patience of our students and staff as we do the necessary work to ensure their comfort and safety," school district leaders wrote.
The Polk Education Association teachers union members attended an "AC grievance meeting" with the district on Friday afternoon and plan to bargain with the district on Wednesday.
"The pressure of having this grievance filed really kind of lit a fire," Stephanie Yocum, the president of the Polk Education Association, said.
While Yocum is pleased with the many quick repairs, she is calling for more transparency as to when the remaining units will be fixed.
"Even if it's an estimate, we need a timeline in which they expect these to be completed within a month. Are there parts waiting? Are we looking at two weeks or are we looking at three months, which again, is unacceptable at this point," Yocum said.
Even once the repairs are made, Yocum hopes the union's grievance will spark long-term change.
"We need to see policies and procedures change. Knowing that we have deficiencies can't be an excuse," she said.