Teachers and activists are rebuilding crumbling schools with sustainable retrofits

Students and teachers are increasingly impacted by climate change, facing extreme heat, poor indoor air quality, and lost learning time due to extreme weather and aging school facilities. A coalition of school districts, teachers, and advocates see the solutions in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA provides federal reimbursements for schools that install solar panels, geothermal systems, and electric vehicles, helping to improve facilities, reduce emissions, and save on energy costs. These funds are unlimited and  noncompetitive. Despite the benefits, only a few of the 13,000 U.S. school districts have taken advantage of this opportunity so far.