2023 Policy Agenda
In December 2022, the Climate Ready Schools Coalition began engaging Governor Newsom and other state leaders around three vital investments to support decarbonized and climate-resilient schools in the FY24 budget.
$10 million in one-time funding to develop a California Master Plan for Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Schools to coordinate state, county, and local actions and ensure that ongoing state investments in school infrastructure are cost-effective and aligned with the state’s decarbonization targets and with its commitments to children’s health and educational equity.
$10 million in one-time funding over three years for technical assistance to help school districts leverage federal funding and incentives for decarbonization and resilience
$100 million to convert at least 50 high-risk schools in low-income communities and communities of color to high-performing electric heat pump HVAC systems that safeguard indoor air quality and temperature.
Our coalition also asked for leadership and action to:
Establish targets for decarbonizing school building energy systems in alignment with California’s goal of reducing emissions by 48 percent by 2030 and achieving carbon-neutrality by 2045, and targets to protect students from extreme heat with modern electric HVAC systems, shade trees and structures, and related campus improvements
Establish a phase-out date by which state funding used to install or replace school HVAC systems, water heaters, or kitchen appliances must be spent on energy-efficient electric equipment rather than equipment powered by fossil gas (similar to California’s phase-out dates for new fossil fuel appliances and power plants)
Direct all relevant state agencies to leverage funding through the historic federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act to accelerate the transition of California’s school infrastructure to sustainability and climate resilience, giving just priority and assistance to LEAs in communities that are disproportionately impacted both by climate-related hazards and by structural inequities in the state’s economy and education system.
Ensure that an appropriately skilled and trained workforce is employed to undertake all projects pursuant to the Order.
In making these requests, we also acknowledge the Governor's commitment to the School Facility Program and ongoing investments in electric school buses, schoolyard greening, farm-to-school programs, and climate literacy education.
Click here to download the full letter which includes additional context about our requests.
