This resource, developed in partnership between The Aspen Institute’s This Is Planet Ed and the World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative, outlines the potential opportunities in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to support schools in taking climate action. The report provides information about tax credits, potential financing mechanisms, and grants in the IRA. We provide a short description of the provision, highlight the lead agency and eligible beneficiaries, and discuss the potential benefits to schools.

Healthy school environments can affect the attendance, concentration and performance of both students and educators.  This website presents information and funding on key topics about establishing and enhancing healthy school environments. 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced more than $80M, the first tranche of funding in a $500M investment, to make clean energy improvements in K-12 public schools. Funds will empower school districts to make upgrades that will lower facilities’ energy costs and improve student learning environments. Other funding opportunities and resources specifically for schools are made available on this site.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a historic investment in the health, equity, and resilience of American communities. With unprecedented funding to support state and local waste management infrastructure and recycling programs, EPA will improve health and safety and help establish and increase recycling programs nationwide. 

EPA's 3Ts - Training, Testing, and Taking Action - Here you will find information and recommendations to prepare schools, childcare facilities, and states to build a voluntary implementation program to reduce lead levels in drinking water. 

Access on-demand webinars on a variety of topics related to healthy schools and energy savings plus health.

EPA, as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, has awarded grants to seven universities under the 2013 “Healthy Schools: Environmental Factors, Children’s Health and Performance, and Sustainable Building Practices” Request for Application (RFA). This Healthy Schools STAR Research will improve the understanding of the relationship between environmental factors in K-12 educational facilities and the safety, health and academic performance of children, and the effectiveness of teachers and staff.

Sign up for EPA’s National Center for Environmental Research listserv to receive announcements on new funding opportunities, upcoming research meetings and webinars, and special announcements.

On October 11, 2022, the White House hosted a Summit on improving Indoor Air Quality, bringing together public health and ventilation experts, private sector and education leaders, and other stakeholders to highlight the benefits of improved indoor air quality.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced projects that have been selected to receive over $30 million in grant funding under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. This grant funding, and additional funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help make rapid progress on the goal of addressing lead and removing lead pipes across the country.

Interactive guide to help schools and childcare providers identify potential funding sources for lead remediation and water quality-related projects. This guide lists 4 federal programs, 79 state programs, and 115 foundations/companies providing funding opportunities.

With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s new Clean School Bus Program provides $5 billion over the next five years (FY 2022-2026) to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models. EPA solicited applications for $500 million through the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates for zero-emission and low-emission school bus rebates as the first funding opportunity.  

Technical Resources for Schools (Ventilation, HVAC system Operation)

Promote a healthy learning environment at your school to reduce absenteeism, improve test scores and enhance student and staff productivity.

The “Clean Air in Buildings Challenge” is a call to action and a set of guiding principles and best practices to assist building owners and operators with reducing risks from airborne viruses and other contaminants indoors. 

The following piece is a case study written by the New Jersey Climate Change Education Initiative, showcasing its efforts to expand climate change education in New Jersey.  

K-12 school districts spend nearly $8 billion annually on energy costs, the second largest expense after teacher salaries. Aging facilities combined with limited school budgets result in deferred maintenance of facilities with an estimated $270 billion needed for infrastructure repairs.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is challenging organizations to set ambitious, portfolio-wide GHG emission reduction goals. This new effort provides additional opportunities for peer exchange and technical assistance to meet the urgent call to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

The National Environmental Education Foundation’s Climate Superstars Challenge is an online environmental challenge that gets kids excited about the environment and how they can take an active role in caring for its future. During the challenge, middle school classrooms and after-school programs in grades 6-8 complete short tasks geared towards environmental literacy and energy efficiency. Classes that complete a specified number of tasks are entered into a prize drawing.  Consult the program website for specific dates and registration links.

The Vitamin N Challenge was inspired by Richard Louv’s book on Vitamin N that includes 500 practical ideas to leading a nature-rich life. Join the challenge to help youth on summer break spend time outdoors.

Pre-College University launched the Environmental Justice Academy, with funding by the Department of Energy’s Office of Legacy Management, to introduce individuals to the field of Environmental Justice. The free courses are designed for all skill levels and include Environmental Justice 101 and Climate Justice.

The Xerces Society free resources for educators and parents include a new invertebrate exploration activity book, YouTube channel for youth, monarch toolkit, and identification and monitoring guides. All of the resources are designed to help inspire the next generation to care for invertebrates.

Allergy & Asthma Network offers a podcast series, Kids Breathe Better! This podcast series is designed to give parents and caregivers helpful tips and strategies to manage their child’s asthma symptoms. The host is a pediatric nurse practitioner with over 35 years of experience in working with children with asthma. 

Parents and schools need to partner to care for students with asthma and life-threatening allergies, as well as other related conditions.

This Guide explains how schools can use EXHALE strategies, individually or in combination, to help people with asthma achieve better health outcomes.

July 8, 2022 webinar recording. Webinar speakers include Secretary Miguel Cardona, Dr. Ashish Jha, as well as CDC and EPA subject matter experts.

Tree-Plenish is a non-profit that helps schools host community tree-planting events to offset their school's energy consumption. Tree-Plenish supports schools every step of the event hosting process from picking the right species all the way to setting up on the day of the event. Tree-Plenish orders and ships the saplings, creates a custom website for each school's event, and provides mentorship support. The event comes at no cost to the school.

This report provides examples of efforts in all three Pillars of the ED-GRS award: 1) reducing environmental impacts; 2) improving health and wellness; and 3) offering effective environmental and sustainability education.  Awardees must document progress in all of these Pillars in order to be selected for the federal recognition award.