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Board authorizes administration to proceed on Renew America Schools grant that could fund about $14 million in upgrades
Summary
Board authorized an amendment to the district’s contract to pursue the Department of Energy’s Renew America Schools program; staff said LRSD’s federal allocation is about $11.25 million with a $3.6 million match that together would leverage roughly $14 million for infrastructure projects across qualifying schools.
Facilities and finance staff told the board they have pursued the Department of Energy’s Renew America Schools opportunity for roughly two years and that the district’s federal allocation is approximately $11.25 million. The program requires a matching portion; district staff said the match totals about $3.6 million but that the grant allows administrative and oversight reimbursements (about $1.9 million) that reduce net local match burden.
Staff described a priority scope of infrastructure items across qualified schools (17 schools currently qualify based on free/reduced lunch thresholds), and said the district has already completed some of the initial assessments required (ASHRAE level two audits) and developed plans. The timeline depends on DOE approval of a budget continuation; staff said they would submit the continuation and expect DOE action in the next 30–90 days. Work is reimbursable on a drawdown basis, which led staff to caution the board about cash‑flow and reimbursement timing.
The board moved and approved an amendment to the contract with Performance Services Inc. to continue work on the grant application and program implementation if funded. Staff noted that if funding does not flow, the contract is effectively null and void.
What to watch next: DOE approval of the budget continuation and the district’s ability to manage reimbursable spending and match requirements.
