Press Release
☷Biden Harris Administration Announces $47 Million in New Funding to Support School Infrastructure Investments
U.S. Department of Education ( By Press Release office)
Jan 06,2024
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The Biden - Harris Administration just announced some big news today . They ' re giving out over $37 million in grants over five years to help improve school infrastructure . They ' re also giving another $10 million grant to focus on school buildings specifically . This investment from the U . S . Department of Education is all about making sure that every student has access to healthy and modern learning environments . U . S . Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona is even visiting Virginia to talk about it with some important people in education . This is a big step towards creating better schools for everyone and protecting the environment at the same time . NCSI will also help SASI grantees improve their knowledge of school infrastructure by providing targeted technical assistance . And today , the U . S . Department of the Treasury is giving out new information on how school districts can apply for tax credits for clean energy infrastructure through the Inflation Reduction Act . This act is the biggest investment in clean energy ever in the U . S . and presents a great opportunity for K - 12 school districts to receive direct pay . The NCSI will assist states and districts in understanding federal opportunities that support school infrastructure , including these new tax credits . The Department is working closely with the Biden - Harris Administration to lead school infrastructure efforts , including an initiative on Infrastructure and Sustainability . This initiative includes the U . S . Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools recognition award , commitments from the private sector for school infrastructure and sustainability , a yearly Green Strides Tour , monthly Infrastructure and Sustainability News , and other public engagement activities related to these topics . The Department also collaborates with federal agencies like Treasury , the U . S . Department of Energy ( DOE ) , and the U . S . Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) to provide resources , funds , and tax incentives that improve access to healthy , safe , sustainable , and modern school facilities . For example , the DOE now oversees the Renew America ' s Schools program , which focuses on energy improvements in public school facilities . They also have the Efficient and Healthy Schools Program , which uses the technical expertise of DOE labs to benefit schools and offers recognition for their efforts . The Energy CLASS Prize helps districts identify and implement energy and health improvements . The EPA is currently involved in several air quality initiatives , including a significant investment in clean school buses through grants and rebates . Another round of rebates worth $500 million is available until January 31 . They also have water quality programs like the Voluntary School and Childcare Lead Testing and Reduction Grant . The Community Change Grants offer an additional $2 billion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution in underserved communities . By working together with these different agencies in the areas of schools , climate , environmental justice , and infrastructure , the White House published a toolkit in April 2022 that shares Federal resources for addressing school infrastructure needs . An updated version of this toolkit is expected to be released in 2024 . For more information about each program ' s awards , you can visit the SASI award page here and the NCSI award page here . You can also check out the ED Infrastructure and Sustainability Initiative for more details on public engagement efforts in these areas .
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