Multiple El Paso County schools will benefit from this year’s round of grant awards from the Colorado Department of Education’s annual Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) program.

School districts Harrison D-2, Widefield D-3 and Peyton School District 23-JT, along with the charter Mountain Song Community School, are among the 14 recipients for the state grant aimed at addressing decaying public school infrastructure.

The funding comes after the Colorado Board of Education approved $179 million for the awards during its regular meeting Jun. 11.

BEST grants are intended to improve health, safety, security and technology in public schools across all Colorado school districts, BOCES, charter schools, and the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind.

“Every student in Colorado deserves to learn in a safe, well-maintained school,” said Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova. “BEST grants make that possible by funding essential upgrades — like new roofs, asbestos abatement, and improved security systems — especially in communities that couldn’t take on these costly projects alone.”

This funding comes from a combination of income earned from the Colorado State Land Board, marijuana excise taxes, spillover from the Colorado Lottery and interest earned. Winning applicants will be expected to contribute approximately $55.2 million in matching funds, representing $234 million in total project costs.

Some projects, like Widefield D-3’s, are contingent upon the approval of bond elections by voters living within school district boundaries. In the event that any awardee fails to secure their matching funds, a list of backup projects may receive the state funding instead.

In El Paso County, this list includes the Jenkins Middle School repairs and Palmer High School renovations in Colorado Springs D-11, a K-8 renovation and addition for the Colorado Springs Charter Academy, and HVAC upgrades in D-3.

If the D-3 bond passes, over $16 million will be allocated for health and safety upgrades for its North Preschool. Specifically, the funding would be used for asbestos removal, necessary improvements required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, and termite mitigation to protect building integrity.

“In 2021, termites were discovered within the building, causing significant damage to doors, walls, and casework,” the application read. “Despite spending over $110,000 on professional termite mitigation efforts, the problem persists, with new instances of termite activity still occurring.”

At the Mountain Song Community School, which was determined to be second in terms of greatest need across the state, just under $4 million will go towards a renovation and addition to its current facility, built in 1901.

Because of the building’s age, the school lacks many of the modern-day health and safety requirements found in public schools. This includes insufficient special education classrooms, no elevator for its three stories and no cafeteria or kitchen.

“Without a kitchen and cafeteria, or a safe way to store and transport food, the school has no sustainable way of providing essential healthy meals to its students, nearly half of whom experience food insecurity,” the school wrote in its application.

Mountain Song was previously awarded BEST grant funding for the 2023-24 school year, but was unable to address all needs outlined in that application “due to unforeseen conditions and cost escalation.” The school plans to match this year’s grant funding through its own financing and additional gifts, grants and donations.

D-2 is slated to allocate over $2.7 million to replace the rooftops at Giberson Elementary, Panorama Middle School and Sierra High School. The state money received will be matched by capital reserve dollars, according to the district’s plan.

In Peyton, over $1 million will be used to replace the 20-year-old roof of the Junior-Senior High School. Matching funds will come from the district’s capital reserve.

Since 2008, BEST grants have awarded over $4 billion for school improvement projects in almost every district in the state. Of these grants, approximately $2 billion were awarded to “small rural” districts with under 1,000 students, $1 billion to urban districts, and nearly $1 billion to rural school districts.