Washington, D.C. — With long-term federal infrastructure investment, schools can deliver critical health and learning benefits to students while supporting the transition to a 100 percent clean energy future, according to a new report from the Center for American Progress.
In his American Jobs Plan, President Joe Biden called for $100 billion to upgrade school infrastructure. CAP’s new report reviews the need for federal school infrastructure funding, the benefits of both immediate and long-term school infrastructure upgrades, and the ways in which these upgrades can spur greater climate action.
“Congress should direct long-term federal funding toward the advancement of healthy, resilient, and energy-efficient schools that can truly support student learning,” said Kevin DeGood, director of Infrastructure Policy at CAP. “These long-term investments in school infrastructure should advance climate resilience, energy efficiency, and healthy, productive learning environments.”
The report recommends several ways in which Congress can enhance school infrastructure:
- Increase the electrification and proliferation of zero-emission school buses.
- Accelerate K-12 school retrofits to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment.
- Build climate-resilient K-12 schools.
In addition to targeted school infrastructure funding, the report urges Congress to invest in complementary education and clean energy policies that will advance green, pollution-free schools. This includes the enactment of long-term clean electricity tax credits to incentivize increased renewable energy generation, making school upgrades such as solar installations more affordable.
Read the report: “The Compound Benefits of Greening School Infrastructure” by Elise Gout, Jamil Modaffari, and Kevin DeGood
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327.