KEY EFFICIENCY PROVISIONS FOR SCHOOLS

This is a compilation of several provisions brought forth by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, download a complete summary of the Act.

Department of Education
  • Construction
    The Act provides $450 million for "repair and restoration of roads; replacement school construction; school improvements and repairs; and detention center maintenance and repairs."
  • Green Schools
    The Act includes a $53.6 billion State Fiscal Stabilization Fund administered by the federal Department of Education that will provide, among other things, funds to governors for use in restoring the state funding levels of school districts. Roughly $9 billion of this fund will be available for discretionary use by governors in addressing "public safety and other government services," which may include school modernization, renovation, and repair consistent with a recognized green building rating system.
  • Impact Aid
    The Act provides $100 million for Impact Aid, a federal program that provides financial assistance to school districts that are financially affected by reduced property tax bases due to tax-exempt federal activities and properties (such as Indian lands, military bases). After providing for management and oversight, forty-percent of this funding is to be distributed by formula, and the remaining 60% is to be awarded as competitive grants. Among the criteria to be considered for the competitive grants is "[t]he extent to which the new design and proposed construction utilize energy efficient and recyclable materials" and "[t]he extent to which the new design and proposed construction utilizes non-traditional or alternative building methods to expedite construction and project completion and maximize cost efficiency."
Bureau of Indian Affairs
  • Construction
    The Act provides $450 million for "repair and restoration of roads: replacement school construction; school improvements and repairs; and detention center maintenance and repairs."


The above agency guidance related to implementation is still in the interim guidance stage and final guidance for many provisions are still forthcoming.