Full Title: The Compound Benefits of Greening School Infrastructure
Author(s): Elise Gout, Jamil Modaffari, and Kevin DeGood
Publisher(s): Center for American Progress
Publication Date: May 17, 2021
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
Across the country, more and more students are returning to their classrooms after what has been, for some, nearly a year of online learning. The school closures brought on by COVID-19 have underscored how critical the physical environment is to student well-being and educational success. And yet, for large populations of students—particularly those in communities with fewer resources and in Black, Latino, and other communities of color—going back to school means going back to broken-down facilities with poor insulation and outdated ventilation systems.
This report will review the need for federal school infrastructure funding, the benefits of both immediate and long-term school infrastructure upgrades, and the ways in which these upgrades can spur greater climate action. All students, regardless of their background, deserve access to a safe and healthy learning environment that will foster their growth and set them up for long-term success. Strong and targeted federal investment will enable the education sector to lead the country in its transition to a more equitable and just 100 percent clean future, including—and perhaps especially—for the country’s youngest generations.