Governor Shapiro has secured $275 million in his first two budgets to fund school infrastructure repairs, including heating and air conditioning upgrades, window replacement, lead and asbestos abatement, and other improvement projects
Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro announced that the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) has approved 208 investments in Pennsylvania school facilities, totaling $175 million, under the new Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program that was created by the 2023-24 bipartisan budget. This program, proposed by Governor Shapiro in his first budget address and secured in his first budget, provides grants of up to $5 million to public school districts and career and technical schools for critical safety and environmental repair projects — ensuring facilities are modern, safe, healthy, and conducive to learning.
Last month, Governor Shapiro also announced $75 million of new investments in 109 Pennsylvania school districts, career and technical education centers, and charter schools through the Department of Education’s new Environmental Repair Grant Program to eliminate lead, mold, asbestos, and other environmental hazards. Altogether, this brings the total investment in environmental repairs and upgrades for Pennsylvania schools to $250 million since Governor Shapiro took office, creating facilities that are safe and healthy for students and teachers alike.
The Governor and bipartisan group of legislators built on that progress by including another $25 million for Solar for Schools, in the 2024-25 budget.
“Our students deserve safe and healthy schools to learn in, and our teachers deserve modern and well-maintained classrooms to teach in, so when I took office, I worked to bring Democrats and Republicans together to invest in our kids and their future,” said Governor Shapiro. “In just two years, we’ve secured $275 million to repair and upgrade our schools – and we’re driving that out to hundreds of district across the Commonwealth. Here in Pennsylvania, we’re working together to get stuff done and deliver real results for the people we serve.”
The Department of Community and Economic Development announced the opening of the new program earlier this year. Eligible improvement projects included roof repairs and roof replacement; installation of HVAC equipment; installation of boilers; safety projects including lead and asbestos abatement; accessibility projects; and window repairs/replacement.
“Governor Shapiro knows that our young people are Pennsylvania’s most valuable resource, but learning can be difficult for them if their classrooms aren’t safe, healthy, and accessible,” said Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger. “The investments made today through the Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program will upgrade school facilities for thousands of students across the Commonwealth and make sure they have environments where they can learn, grow, and thrive.”
A full list of the approvals is available on the CFA’s website, including these investments:
- Allegheny County: $5 million to the Pittsburgh Area School District to install HVAC Digital Control Systems at its 11 school facilities replacing existing controls that are over 30 years old. The project will provide more effective control of indoor pollutants and control exhaust airflow.
- Berks County: $2.5 million to the Antietam School District for an emergency construction project at the Stony Creek K-3 Center stemming from the catastrophic flooding the district experienced in July 2023. Funding will be used to build a new K-3 addition to a building that wasn’t flood-damaged. The district also received nearly $7.9 million through PDE’s Environmental Repairs Grant program for repairs and construction at the site of the former Antietam Middle-Senior High School. Students are currently attending school in modular units and local churches.
- Erie County: $1 million to the Northwestern School District for roof replacement at Northwestern Middle School. The project will address a critical need to replace the building’s aging roof and ensure a warm, dry learning environment and improve indoor air quality.
- Lackawanna County: $1 million to the Valley View School District for roof and window replacement projects at its High School/Middle School. The new roof and 80 new windows will increase the overall energy efficiency and security of the building.
- Philadelphia County: $5 million to the School District of Philadelphia for several projects at the Overbrook High School auditorium including roof replacement, complete asbestos and lead paint abatement, installation of fire-retardant seats, repairs to water-damaged and moldy ceilings and walls, installation of new lighting fixtures, and a new HVAC unit.
- York County: $2.3 million to the York County School of Technology for replacement of 78 rooftop HVAC units and its original boiler unit. The upgrades will improve efficiency, temperature control, and indoor air quality.
“Students in every zip code across the Commonwealth deserve to learn in classrooms that are up-to-date, safe environments,” said Education Secretary Dr. Khalid Mumin. “Repairing and replacing old equipment and facilities helps to ensure that we can keep our kids learning in spaces that are safe, healthy, and productive for them. Today’s learners are the future of Pennsylvania, and we want to make sure we’re able to prepare them for a competitive future through a world-class education in school buildings and classrooms free from harmful materials.”
Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has made a total of $275 million available for school infrastructure improvements across Pennsylvania, addressing key environmental hazards and ensuring safer learning spaces. Governor Shapiro is committed to continuing these vital investments, ensuring every student in Pennsylvania has the opportunity to thrive in safe and healthy learning environments.
This school year, students across the Commonwealth are benefitting from substantial new investments secured by Governor Shapiro that will give every student the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. The 2024-25 budget includes a historic $1.1 billion in total increases in K-12 public education funding, the largest year-over-year increase in Commonwealth history.
To ensure that all districts get more of the support they need to serve our students, the 2024-25 budget includes funding for:
- Historic Basic Education Funding: Building on the investments in the Governor’s first budget, the 2024-25 budget makes another historic down payment in K-12 education funding in Pennsylvania with an increase of $1.1 billion. Of this funding, nearly $526 million will be distributed through a new adequacy formula to drive dollars to the schools that need them most.
- Increases to Special Education: Governor Shapiro’s budget increases special education funding by $100 million to ensure that school districts have the basic resources necessary to provide high-quality special education services to students with disabilities and special needs.
- Cyber Charter Reimbursement: The 2024-2025 budget sets aside $100 million to reimburse schools for payments they must make to cyber charter schools.
- Career and Technical Education and Dual Enrollment: Creating real opportunity for students includes expanding options for them to gain experience, training, and advanced credit for college while still in high school. The Governor’s budget includes a $30 million increase for Career and Technical Education and continues $7 million in support of dual enrollment.
- School Safety and Security and Mental Health Services: Every student deserves to be safe and feel safe in their school. The 2024-25 budget continues a $20 million annual investment in school safety and security improvements and provides $100 million in sustainable funding for environmental repairs and other facility projects in schools – $25 million of which is set aside for solar projects at schools. This budget also delivers $100 million to put more mental health and physical safety resources in our schools.
- Providing Period Products for Students: No student should have to miss school due to not being able to afford basic necessities like menstrual hygiene products. The Governor’s budget invests $3 million to provide menstrual hygiene products at no cost to students in schools.
- Investing in Early Childhood Learning: Every child in Pennsylvania deserves the support and resources to succeed, from infancy through adulthood. The budget invests an additional $2.7 million in the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program and an additional $15 million for the Pre-K Counts program.
- Universal Free Breakfast for Students: Students cannot be expected to focus, learn, and succeed on an empty stomach. The Governor’s budget ensures that 1.7 million students across Pennsylvania will receive free breakfast at school, regardless of their income.
- Supporting Student Teacher Stipends: To further strengthen the educator pipeline and address the education workforce shortage, the 2024-25 budget doubles funding for student teacher stipends, for a total of $20 million to support Pennsylvanian’s training to become certified and committed educators in the Commonwealth.
