A Playbook for State Leaders:

Helping Schools Make the Most of Elective Pay

Elective Pay unlocks new uncapped, noncompetitive funding for efficient, healthy, resilient school infrastructure.

State leaders are uniquely well-positioned to drive this funding toward school campuses most in need of upgrades.

We're thrilled to introduce a new playbook, in partnership with the National Center on School Infrastructure, to support state leaders to help schools make the most of Elective Pay and energy tax credits.

In November, the IRS began sending the first round of Elective Payments to districts that have filed for clean energy tax credits. Districts across the country seek to follow in their footsteps over the next decade.

State leaders can ensure that schools in their states draw maximum benefit from Elective Pay and direct dollars to communities who need them most.

This playbook outlines the opportunity, actions, and clear steps that motivated state leaders can take to organize their resources and programs so that these federal funds and the cost-saving clean energy technologies they unlock can advance healthier, more cost-effective, more resilient school facilities for generations of students, educators, and staff.

State leaders can take action in five domains to ensure that schools in their states draw maximum benefit from Elective Pay:

  1. Expand awareness and understanding of clean energy technologies and Elective Pay.

  2. Support planning and analysis to transition to clean energy.

  3. Align and increase state investment in school infrastructure.

  4. Foster supportive conditions for districts to transition to clean energy.

  5. Build the capacity of district and state leaders to achieve a transition to clean energy.

Each recommendation is supported with examples from states throughout the nation and includes links to artifacts. Click the sample pages below to download.

What’s Included in the Playbook?

  • Part I: The Opportunity — An overview of the benefits of clean energy and the new opportunity for school districts through the Elective Pay.

  • Part II: Domains for State Action — The five domains of action for state leaders. Includes a table that maps the actions to specific leadership roles.

  • Part III: Catalog of State Actions — A set of detailed recommendations for state leaders organized into the five domains from Part II. Includes examples from state leaders doing this work.

Who is this Playbook For?

  • State agencies including education agencies, budget directors, energy offices, public health departments, and school construction authorities

  • State legislators

  • Governor’s offices

  • Utilities and public utility commissions

  • Green banks

  • Professional associations of superintendents, school boards, business/finance officers and facilities leaders

Click here for our latest updates on federal funding for school infrastructure.