Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
On July 27, U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Tony Gonzales (TX-23), and Don Davis (NC-1) joined parents of the Parkland school shooting victims—Lori Alhadeff, Max Schachter, and Tony Montalto—to introduce new bipartisan school safety legislation to require silent panic alarms in public schools nationwide and invest in school resource […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $58 million in grant funding to help protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities across the country. Thanks to an expansion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, projects that remove sources of lead in drinking water are now, for the first time, eligible […]
In late 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Renew America’s Schools federal grant program, enacted to set aside $500 million for energy-efficient lighting, HVAC systems, building insulation, and renewable energy sources for K-12 schools in need. The goal is for these major investments to lead to healthier learning environments and lower energy […]
In Massachusetts, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced that 42 school districts have been awarded nearly $3 million in grant funds to facilitate physical security enhancements and help ensure the safety of students and educators. The administration awarded $2,910,000 in federal grant funds through the Safer Schools and Communities Initiative. The federal funds are managed in Massachusetts by the Office […]
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign recently celebrated the achievements of 17 K-12 schools and districts that implemented exemplary projects to improve the energy and environmental performance of their facilities. Led by the DOE’s Building Technologies Office, the campaign is an interagency effort supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency […]
Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU), a historically Black university located in Charlotte, N.C., is giving its more than 150-year-old campus a facelift this summer as the Department of Facilities rolls out upgrades in academic, athletic, administrative, and residential buildings across the campus. The initiative, spearheaded by Director of Facilities Erna Perkins-Jones, began nearly three years […]
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the approval of 48 Smart Schools Investment Plans focused on reimagining education in an evolving age and boosting school security. The approved plans, totaling $13.2 million, are part of the $2 billion Smart Schools Bond Act, a sweeping education technology program established in 2014. “Investing in our children’s education […]
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the first round of selectees for the Renew America’s Schools grant program, a competitive award that will support the implementation of energy improvements in public K-12 schools across the country. Following “unprecedented” demand for the funding, the DOE chose 24 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in 22 states to share […]
The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) has awarded over $20 million to harden the perimeters of K-12 schools across the state. The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved the LDOE’s Stronger Connections Grant program allocations to 39 traditional public and public charter systems. According to the LDOE, the funds will be used […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering more funding to help school districts across the country make the switch to alternative fuel bus fleets. In late April, the agency launched a $400 million round of grants under its Clean School Bus Program, with applications due by Aug. 22. The funding is made possible by […]