Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez introduced a bill this week that would require the state to create a master plan for climate resilient schools. SB 1182, The Climate Resilient Schools Act, would coordinate state-wide action to provide schools with clear information, direction and support to adapt and modernize their facilities and operations in alignment with the state’s climate adaptation, decarbonization, and extreme heat goals, while also ensuring the state is positioned to utilize new federal incentives resulting from the Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy upgrades.

In response to the introduction of SB 1182, Jonathan Klein, co-founder of UndauntedK12, released the following statement:

“Far too many schools – and especially schools in communities of color – lack the essential infrastructure in the face of climate-fueled extreme weather. The Climate Resilient Schools Act will provide the sound, statewide planning we need to achieve scalable, equitable and cost-effective solutions for climate change impacts on school facilities. The passage of SB 1182 would also help reduce upfront costs for schools by helping unlock federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. We must ensure schools do not leave this funding on the table.

“State-wide planning for schools is needed. Children struggle to learn in a classroom above 90 degrees. Unfortunately, we see this play out in test scores and learning inequities. Children of color, low-income children and children living in rural communities are more likely to attend a school with lack of cooling, and 5% of the gap in test scores between Black and Hispanic students and white students can be directly attributed to disproportionate exposure to extreme heat in classrooms.

“Passing the Climate Resilient Schools Act will help position schools to better achieve lifesaving cooling, greater resilience to the impacts of climate change, cleaner air, and cost savings – it’s a win for students, schools and communities. We stand ready to work with the California State Assembly, Senate,” said Newsom.

Read this article online at the Lake County Record Bee, here.