Write an article about CPS school board to consider green schools pilot program
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The Chicago Board of Education on Thursday will vote on a resolution that aims to make schools more environmentally friendly and safe.
The proposal would use the cash-strapped district’s limited resources to invest in energy-efficient projects that proponents say could save money in the long run.
If approved, the resolution would establish a healthy green schools pilot program at Chicago Public Schools with the goal of investing in at least 12 clean energy projects at neighborhood schools by the end of the 2025-26 school year. Those projects could include rooftop solar, heat pumps or geothermal systems that use stable underground temperatures for heating and cooling buildings.
But a dozen projects is a drop in the bucket among the district’s 500-plus schools, which have $14 billion worth of infrastructure needs, according to a 2024 analysis by CPS officials.
CPS likely can’t pursue a higher volume of upgrades right now.
The district borrows every year to pay for building construction and repairs because it doesn’t have dedicated revenue. CPS then spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually to repay that debt. Those payments make up about 10% of the operating budget, tying up cash that could be used for school resources.
That’s one of the reasons CPS now has a $529 million structural deficit. CPS and school board officials would like Springfield lawmakers to allow them to go to referendum to ask voters for small, temporary taxes to fund specific projects. All school districts in Illinois other than Chicago’s have that option.
CPS has yet to say how much they plan to borrow for capital projects this year.
Anusha Thotakura, the board member introducing the green schools resolution, said it’s one way to help make sure the limited amount of money for repairs and renovations is used efficiently. The energy projects would take advantage of federal and state renewable and clean energy rebates to secure savings over their lifespan, according to the resolution. Bidders for the projects would be required to calculate the net costs and savings of a clean energy system.
“The goal is to look at where we can optimize for efficiency, where are there opportunities for us at a low upfront cost which potentially would be offset by some of these state and federal incentives,” Thotakura said. “To identify opportunities and definitely address our budget gap, not further add to it.”
Thotakura added that the savings the projects create in the long-run would dwarf the upfront cost of implementing them — though those savings likely wouldn’t be realized for many years. Solar panels typically pay for themselves within 5 to 15 years, according to Consumer Affairs.
“This is not just good for our schools and for the health of our kids, it’s also good for the bottom line because these upgrades are going to save CPS millions in utility and maintenance costs over time,” Thotakura said.
In a statement, CPS said the resolution “reflects CPS’s long-term vision for cleaner, healthier, and more energy-efficient school buildings. Through strategic clean energy investments, the pilot will advance CPS’s sustainability goals while improving building performance and reducing long-term operational costs.”
The projects would focus on smaller-scale investments and piggyback off of work the district already does to improve its facilities. For example, Thotakura said, if a school needs a new boiler, the pilot program would look at the viability of instead installing a heat pump that saves money over time.
And if a school is slated for a partial or full roof replacement, the program would analyze whether the school is in a good location for solar panel installation during that repair.
The resolution also establishes a “Healthy Green Schools Fund” to collect ongoing tax credits and rebates the district receives from those projects. The funds would be reinvested in building improvements focused on student health, such as installing water filters that remove lead, repairing water damage and removing mold and asbestos.
Students would be directly involved in the program. The resolution directs CPS to partner with local labor unions as well as school staff to develop curriculum to teach students about green energy jobs and train them to help with project installations at their schools.
The projects will be slated for schools in communities that have historically faced economic barriers and environmental damage. The district will partner with local environmental justice organizations to implement the program.
Thotakura noted that the district has already been making energy efficiency investments. It has upgraded thousands of light fixtures, and more than 100 HVAC efficiency projects have been recently completed or are in process, according to a CPS presentation from June 2024.
And 62 CPS buildings have received LEED Certification, the district said. LEED certification means a building or space uses less energy and water, reduces carbon emissions and creates a healthier environment for residents and workers.
More than 700 projects have received ComEd rebates, the district said, leading to more than $4 million in expected or received incentives. In 2024 the district announced it would buy 50 electric school buses over the next three years thanks to a $20 million federal grant.
In May, CPS was awarded a gold certification from the Healthy Green Schools and Colleges program launched by the Healthy Schools Campaign. It was the first district to achieve certification in the nationwide program, which has around a dozen districts working toward certification.
CPS also agreed to investments in green policies over four years in the new Chicago Teachers Union contract. Those include installing solar panels at 30 schools, adding composting at 25 schools, creating a joint initiative to remove lead pipes from service lines and the creation of a joint Green Schools and Climate Change Preparedness Committee.
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