Like hundreds of local families, I have been left scrambling last month after finding out my child’s school — one of 39 in the city — would switch to remote learning due to extreme heat. Days with a dangerously high heat index are happening earlier and earlier, and so many of us are now regularly forced to make accommodations or rearrange work schedules to be home with kids whose school buildings cannot house students safely in extreme temperatures. Though the schools remained open by “going remote,” we know that virtual schooling is not a workable solution for most families and does not provide quality schooling for most students.

Our families, our communities and our futures depend on our children’s education. But our changing climate is increasingly compromising the environments where our children learn, grow, and thrive. No one wants to send their children to school in crumbling buildings without air conditioning in scorching temperatures.

Our region is not alone in addressing aging school buildings and outdated heating and cooling systems. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, roughly 36,000 schools across the country need to replace or update their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Whether it is increased heat waves or more regular wildfires happening in other parts of the country, we must respond to our changing climate in ways that ensure children have a safe environment and the educational opportunities they need to thrive.

Now, thanks to once-in-a-generation federal funding opportunities in community-based local and regional infrastructure, we can. Regional K-12 public schools have a unique opportunity to secure historic federal funding through the Renew America’s Schools Prize. This $180 million investment is designed to help school communities make upgrades that will decrease energy use and utility costs, improve indoor air quality and foster healthier learning environments. This is not just a funding opportunity, it’s a transformative chance for school districts to build capacity, conduct energy audits and implement energy improvement projects across school facilities. School districts have the opportunity to significantly enhance indoor air quality and create energy-efficient and resilient learning environments for our children.

Recognizing the unique challenges regional school districts and local municipalities face when applying for federal funding, we have established the Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipal Project Hub. This hub is not just a resource, but a vital link connecting local municipalities and school districts to the resources and expertise needed to identify and secure new federal funding opportunities. Our aim is to help make school buildings more resilient to the climate crisis while lowering district operating costs.

All students deserve learning environments that protect them from the changing climate. Our team at the Hub is here to support school districts’ efforts to reduce energy use and utility costs while improving indoor air quality and healthy environments and creating safer, climate-resilient educational spaces.

Let’s work together to create a brighter, healthier and more equitable future for all our students and communities.

Megan Zeigler is chief operating officer of Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipal Project Hub.

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