Commissioners Agree to Spend $300 Million On Guilford Schools

Financial help is on the way for an ailing infrastructure in the Guilford County Schools district, as $300 million has been freed up for construction and renovation projects.

Guilford County voters approved a bond referendum for the much-needed overhaul last November. And after years of discussion, county commissioners unanimously approved spending the money at Thursday's meeting.

It was the final step in a drawn-out debate over how to address the aging infrastructure of Guilford County schools, with many students attending classes in buildings deemed inappropriate for use. Angie Henry, chief financial officer for the district, tells the News & Record that practically every school in the system requires attention.

A spending plan was drawn up in March. One of the first steps will involve construction and renovation related to schools damaged by a tornado that struck east Greensboro three years ago. And many other aging school buildings will need to be rebuilt or replaced.

Still, the $300 million in bond spending is just a start, representing a fraction of the overall $1.6 billion estimated price tag for construction and renovation.