After a school year marked by sweltering classrooms and early dismissals, Houston ISD says it’s working to avoid a repeat of last year’s air conditioning failures.
KPRC 2’s Re’Chelle Turner got a closer look Wednesday morning at ongoing HVAC repairs and learned that 25 HISD campuses are set to receive new air conditioning equipment this school year.
Here’s a look back at how the A/C issues have unfolded across Houston ISD campuses:
In May 2024, shortly after a powerful derecho knocked out power to large portions of the Houston area, Superintendent Mike Miles faced criticism for reopening schools despite widespread outages.
Many campuses, including Heights High School, had no working air conditioning, prompting frustration from parents and staff.
Throughout the 2024–25 school year, HVAC failures continued to impact multiple campuses. Heights High School once again faced issues in May 2025, forcing an early dismissal during a severe heatwave.
RELATED: Heights High School dismisses early after dealing with A/C issues during Houston heatwave
Other schools that reported A/C problems during the year included Pugh Elementary, Eliot Elementary, Wheatley High School, Henderson Elementary, and Westbury High School. At Wheatley, students described classroom conditions as unbearable as outside temperatures topped 100 degrees and heat warnings were in effect.
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Students report unbearable heat inside Wheatley High School