Wichita Public Schools announces more than $20 million in grants, including $15 million DOE award for energy upgrades

Wichita Public Schools told the Board of Education on June 9 that its grants office has secured more than $20 million in competitive funding this year, including a U.S. Department of Energy award the district described as a $15,000,000 DOE grant with an additional district match.

“We have secured over $20,000,000 in competitive grant funding,” said Holly Wilson, a district grants presenter, at the meeting. She said the dollars will “improve facilities, save utilities, enhance school safety, and expand after school programs” across the district.

District presenters outlined the largest awards and how officials plan to use them. District staff described the DOE award as funding “energy efficient upgrades at 30 schools” and said the project is expected to reduce annual utility spending and energy use; the district reported an anticipated annual savings of roughly $650,000 and estimated energy savings of 15–30 percent at participating schools once work is complete.

Denise Fuco described competitive school-improvement grants the district wrote and won: she said the district applied for 53 grants and was awarded 51 totaling about $2,700,000 affecting roughly 30 schools, funding items such as behavior interventionists, CSI/ISI coaches, mentors and night school programs.

Lauren Gokin said the district has 21st Century Community Learning Center grant recommendations pending at the state board that would cover two after-school programs with about $1,250,000 each over five years and that they would begin in August if funded.

Rob Dixon presented technology awards including a roughly $250,000 award for a “Code to the Future” immersive elementary coding program at Spate Elementary, a Verizon Innovative Learning STEM lab for another school (described as about $450,000), and a $25,000 Education First AI cohort grant for Coleman Middle School to support sensors and classroom vertical farms tied to AI curricula.

Chris Sneson described a $40,000 grant from the Susan Crown Exchange’s Million Coach Challenge to train coaches using evidence-based modules from The Ohio State University; the district said the award runs 18 months with potential renewal and will pilot in the fall with the Greater Wichita Athletic League.

Holly Wilson and staff said many grants are cross-department collaborations and that more documentation (grant lists, community survey results and projected school-level work) will be posted on the district website and in an upcoming annual report.

Board members asked for details about the DOE project; Tadonna Neal, who the district identified as leading community and student engagement for the DOE grant, said the district circulated a survey to staff, parents and the community and that the highest priorities were building envelope work, lighting and controls — projects officials said will deliver the fastest return on investment.

No formal board action on the grants was taken at the meeting; staff said some grant awards are still awaiting official announcement and that the district will return with implementation details and dashboards to track energy savings.