Improving School Infrastructure for Healthier Students and Communities

This briefing from the World Resources Institute outlines the impact of chronic underinvestment in U.S. K-12 public school infrastructure and proposes specific policy actions for Congress and governors to improve student health, academic performance, and community resilience through clean energy, green grounds, and electric transportation.

• Decades of underinvestment in public school buildings, grounds, and transportation have created significant funding gaps for maintenance and capital improvements, which negatively affects student health (including asthma), attendance, and academic performance, with a disproportionate impact on low-income communities and communities of color.
• To modernize school infrastructure and enhance community resilience, the document recommends that members of Congress maintain energy tax credits and ensure the deployment of funds from the Clean School Bus Program, Safe Streets and Roads for All, and USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry.
• Governors are encouraged to develop funding programs for solar energy, building efficiency, and green school yards, while pursuing policies such as zero emission vehicle requirements for student transport and prioritizing underserved communities for funding.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Improving School Infrastructure for Healthier Students and Communities. https://www.wri.org/research/improving-school-infrastructure-healthier-students-and-communities

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Improving School Infrastructure for Healthier Students and Communities. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/improving-school-infrastructure-healthier-students-and-communities.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Improving School Infrastructure for Healthier Students and Communities |url=https://www.wri.org/research/improving-school-infrastructure-healthier-students-and-communities |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendimproving, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Improving School Infrastructure for Healthier Students and Communities}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/improving-school-infrastructure-healthier-students-and-communities}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }