Federal funding comes from infrastructure law grant program for K-12 public schools to make energy upgrades to decrease costs
Pittsburgh Public Schools and Wilkinsburg School District to make needed energy upgrades to ensure schools remain open, energy-efficient, and safe learning environments
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and Summer Lee (D-PA-12) announced $15,300,000 in competitive grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to lower energy costs for Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) and Wilkinsburg School District (WSD). The funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) will enable the districts to upgrade and repair their school facilities to become more energy efficient, increase the availability of air conditioning in schools in disadvantaged communities, and ensure that schools can provide a safe learning environment. Thanks to this funding, schools can perform the necessary maintenance and energy upgrades required to remain open and continue serving the children of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
“Everyone deserves to learn in a safe and comfortable environment. This funding will lower costs of energy and address pressing maintenance issues to ensure that Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg schools can remain open to continue educating students,” said Senator Casey. “Thanks to the infrastructure law, we are making needed upgrades to our schools and lowering energy costs while doing it.”
“Investing in our schools is investing in our future, and this funding from the Department of Energy is a crucial step toward ensuring that all students in Pittsburgh have access to safe and comfortable learning environments,” said Senator Fetterman. “The backlog of repairs in these schools has been piling up since the pandemic, and this funding will help to make up for lost time. Upgrading these facilities will provide students and teachers with safe and climate-controlled classrooms while reducing energy costs for schools. This project will also bring much-needed job opportunities to our communities, creating a brighter future for our students and building a stronger, more inclusive workforce.”
“This is an exciting grant that will help schools in Wilkinsburg improve facilities and maintenance, freeing up more for students,” said Congressman Deluzio. “This is especially powerful because these investments will help increase building efficiency and help schools serve students in any weather. I am proud to announce this $15.3 million job-creating federal investment in school facilities, and I will continue to support our students, teachers, and schools in every way I can.”
"Our children deserve safe, comfortable, and energy-efficient schools that truly reflect our commitment to their futures. This funding is a monumental step towards ensuring that our students, teachers, and parents in Pittsburgh have the facilities they need to thrive. It's about more than just infrastructure—it's about investing in our communities, creating job opportunities, and promoting a better learning environment for our kids. We’re talking about real improvements that will make a daily difference in the lives of our students and educators. By prioritizing these improvements, we are putting our people first and paving the way for a brighter, more equitable future for all. When our schools flourish, our communities flourish, and that’s a win for everyone," said Congresswoman Lee.
The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize and Grant. Created by IIJA, the program is a three-phase investment to help K-12 public schools make energy upgrades that will decrease energy use and costs, improve indoor air quality, and foster healthier learning environments for students and teachers Pittsburgh Public Schools and Wilkinsburg School District were selected to receive the full grant amount available, totaling $15,300,000.
This funding will support PPS and WDS efforts to repair schools with “high need for maintenance, repairs, and/or replacement of various energy infrastructure systems. Since the COVID-19 pandemic the school districts have struggled to upgrade the school to meet students’ changing needs, due to a shrinking student population and shrinking tax revenue. Thanks to this funding, Pittsburgh Public Schools and Wilkinsburg School District can mitigate the impact of lost tax revenue; ease the transition for students and families into potentially renewed and energy efficient schools; catch up on deferred maintenance to ensure schools provide an energy efficient and safe learning environment; increase the percentage of schools with air conditioning; and prepare the workforce of the future.
Senator Casey has long supported investments to increase energy efficiency in schools. Last month Senator Casey urged DOE to support PPS and WDS funding request. In 2023, Casey and Fetterman successfully advocated for William Penn School District to receive a similar grant for energy efficiency projects.
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