The U.S. Department of Education announced eight new grant awards totaling more than $37 million over five years under the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure (SASI) program and one new grant for $10 million over five years under the National Center on School Infrastructure (NCSI) program.
According to the department, this $47 million investment bolsters the capacity of states to support school districts in improving school facilities with the goal of more equitable access to healthy, sustainable, and modern learning environments for all students.
U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said, “Research has shown that modern, well-maintained facilities and healthy learning environments can help schools Raise the Bar by increasing student achievement, reducing absenteeism, and improving teacher retention.”
The SASI program is the first in the department’s history intended to increase state capacity to support underserved school districts to improve their school facilities. States receiving SASI funds will be able to conduct school facility needs assessments in high-need school districts; hire new staff; and develop or improve public school infrastructure data systems, among other actions.
With grants ranging from $2.6 million to $5 million, the SASI program has awarded funding to public education institutions in Alabama, Arizona, California, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Details about the SASI grants are available here.
The NCSI program will establish a national clearinghouse and technical assistance center that will consolidate federal resources related to public school infrastructure improvements. NCSI will also provide targeted technical assistance to SASI grantees to expand state expertise in school infrastructure.
The DOE awarded a $10 million NCSI grant to a consortium including the Institute of Urban and Regional Development at the University of California-Berkeley, 21st Century School Fund, National Council on School Facilities, and Child Trends. Details are available here.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has released new information on how school districts can file for tax credits for clean energy infrastructure through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA provides for the largest investment in clean energy in U.S. history and has created a unique opportunity for K-12 school districts under provisions for direct pay. The NCSI will provide technical assistance to states and districts on federal opportunities that support school infrastructure, including these new tax credits. The Treasury fact sheet is available here.