00:00Every spring, every fall, this time of year, August, September, we are fighting the air conditioning wars.
00:08And they're holding their breath as kids start filing back to school.
00:15School districts around the country are heading back to class, some sooner than others.
00:20Houston, Texas is home to the eighth largest district in the country.
00:23The city is also located in one of the country's hottest states.
00:27So when the A.C. is on the fritz, people notice.
00:30Am I going to keep the kid home, you know, because it's 90 degrees in the classroom?
00:34I'm a working parent. I don't really have that luxury.
00:37Leah Kiefer has two daughters who attended Harvard Elementary School in the Houston Independent School District last year.
00:44Harvard Elementary opened its doors in 1898.
00:48In 1980, the main part of the school was demolished and expanded.
00:51However, historic pieces remain throughout the school.
00:54When a building is that old, utilities can be a challenge.
00:58It does get challenging at times, but our team steps up and addresses pretty much every single work order in a timely manner.
01:08Gianni Ledesma is the executive director for facility maintenance operator for the Houston Independent School District.
01:15School District's records obtained by SAN show more than 1,000 urgent and emergency maintenance requests last August alone.
01:22There was no A.C. upstairs or downstairs August 16th, and the temperature in one classroom read 90 degrees.
01:30That's eight degrees above what the district deems acceptable.
01:33It was out of control. It was something that was out of control, something that happened that couldn't be foreseen.
01:38This year, school starts two weeks earlier than two years ago, which doesn't sit well with many parents.
01:45It frustrates me as an HIC parent and a Houston taxpayer that we're spending money on that really expensive chiller as a temporary solution without really fixing the HVAC issues.
02:00But for now, a large device in the parking lot called a chiller will kick on as temporary aid when the HVAC has issues.
02:09It's the district's answer to keep kids comfortable and hopefully help put parents' concerns on ice.
02:15It happens rarely, very rare, but I can't say it's not going to stop, but it may happen.
02:21Houston is not the only school district that opened earlier this school year.
02:25Other districts around the country face their own battles.
02:29Straight Arrow News talked to students, parents, and experts around the country.
02:32To hear their perspective, download the Straight Arrow News app today.
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