School & District Management Download

How to Get the Feds to Pay After You Make Your School Buildings Greener

By Mark Lieberman & Francis Sheehan — October 13, 2023 1 min read
Green ideas environment
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Thousands of school buildings across the country need billions of dollars’ worth of major repairs, renovations, and additions. The federal government can help with a big chunk of the cost—if districts have sustainability in mind.

Congress last year passed a massive spending package that included a new program that creates incentives for school districts to make their buildings more energy-efficient with projects centered around solar and geothermal systems.

Unlike a traditional grant program, there’s no limit to how many incentives schools nationwide can get, and there’s also no limit to how big each incentive can be.

See Also

Photo of excavator by new high school.
iStock / Getty Images Plus

Districts just need to finance the upfront costs of the project, complete the work, and then fill out some Internal Revenue Service forms to get their cash rebates.

Every district will be eligible for a rebate worth 30 percent of the project cost. Some districts will be eligible for the federal government to cover up to 60 percent of the total cost of their green building project, if they meet certain eligibility criteria.

This program could be lucrative for school districts that choose to take advantage of it. Here’s how it works.

Click Here to Download the Guide

    A version of this article appeared in the November 01, 2023 edition of Education Week as How to Get the Feds to Pay After You Make Your School Buildings Greener

    Events

    This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
    Sponsor
    Student Absenteeism Webinar
    Attendance Isn't an Attendance Problem
    Boost attendance by strengthening relationships, belonging, and support with practical strategies from Doug Fisher & Nancy Frey.
    Content provided by Corwin
    This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
    Sponsor
    School & District Management Webinar
    The Principal's Role in Collective Efficacy and Student Outcomes
    Learn practical strategies that help principals translate their confidence into stronger collective teacher efficacy and student outcomes.
    Content provided by Otus

    EdWeek Top School Jobs

    Teacher Jobs
    Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
    View Jobs
    Principal Jobs
    Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
    View Jobs
    Administrator Jobs
    Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
    View Jobs
    Support Staff Jobs
    Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
    View Jobs

    Read Next

    School & District Management What Excites and Scares Principals Walking Into New Jobs
    Four principals talk about how they’re approaching their new jobs
    7 min read
    Image of a silhouette of a person facing a red door and around the door are symbols of work relationships, organizational charts, collaboration, communication, teamwork, and coordination.
    iStock + DigitalVision Vectors
    School & District Management Spotlight Spotlight on Driving Successful School Changes During Times of Constraint
    Discover proven strategies to lead successful school change despite budget constraints, political pressures, and leadership challenges.
    School & District Management Immigration Enforcement Takes Heavy Emotional Toll on K-12 Educators
    A new report documents how keeping students safe and focused became difficult amid ICE presence.
    3 min read
    School PatrolsLos Angeles, CA - August 14: Ron Gochez, a history teacher at Maya Angelou and member of Union del Barrio, looks for ICE activity during a patrol on the first day of school around Maya Angelou High School on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
    Ron Gochez, a history teacher and member of Union del Barrio, looks for ICE activity during a patrol on the first day of school around Maya Angelou High School on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. A new report found K-12 educators took on more work this past school year to care for immigrant students.
    Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
    School & District Management Opinion Principals, Don't Start the School Year Without This Commitment
    Are you spending your time on what matters most for students? Here’s how to take stock.
    Rebecca A. Huggins
    3 min read
    Collage-style illustration of a teacher figure high-fiving a student at a table where she is working with multiple students. The background shows another teacher helping a student, a whiteboard with lessons and a view of desks in a classroom.
    Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Canva