Last week, as the mercury rose and pushed classrooms into sweltering temperatures, Denver Public Schools (DPS) released students early at more than a dozen campuses without air conditioning.

But even schools with cooling systems — East High, for example — can feel oppressive in the district’s aging buildings when outside temperatures top 90 degrees in August and September.

During Wednesday’s school board meeting, DPS Superintendent Alex Marrero will provide an update on the district’s heat mitigation.

Last fall, Denver voters approved a nearly $1 billion bond package that included funding to air condition 29 campuses.

In the spring, district officials installed “indoor quality sensors” that monitor temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and detect airborne contaminants. Each cost about

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