School Districts in California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Virginia Announced as Winners
Alexandria, Va. — On June 16, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) and Go Green Initiative (GGI) announced the first ten school districts selected to participate in a multi-year initiative to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in school facilities across the country.
Each school district will receive $50,000 in grant funding and on-the-ground technical assistance to develop and implement board-approved IAQ Management and GHG Reduction Plans. The program specifically targets low-income and Tribal school districts, helping them build capacity to address health and environmental factors that directly affect student learning.
“Every student deserves a safe, healthy learning environment—and that starts with the air they breathe,” said Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, Executive Director and CEO of NSBA. “Poor indoor air quality is linked to increased absenteeism, lower test scores, and decreased teacher retention rates, all of which directly undermine student achievement. Through this groundbreaking partnership with the Go Green Initiative, NSBA is proud to help school boards implement real, measurable solutions to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We applaud these ten districts for their leadership and commitment to student and staff well-being and educational success.”
The ten school districts selected for the 2025–2026 cohort are:
- EPA Region 1: Boston Public Schools, Boston, MA
- EPA Region 2: Salamanca City Central School District, Salamanca, NY
- EPA Region 3: Alexandria City Public Schools, Alexandria, VA
- EPA Region 4: Bibb County School District, Macon, GA
- EPA Region 5: East St. Louis School District 189, East St. Louis, IL
- EPA Region 6: Grants Cibola County Schools, Grants, NM
- EPA Region 7: North Daviess R-III, Jameson, MO
- EPA Region 8: Arlee Joint School District No. 8, Arlee, MT
- EPA Region 9: Standard School District, Bakersfield, CA
- EPA Region 10: Dufur School District 29, Dufur, OR
“This first cohort of school districts represents a historic moment of national attention to the impact indoor air quality (IAQ) has on student health and learning,” said Jill Buck, M.S., Ed., founder and CEO of the Go Green Initiative. “Each school district was chosen from a pool of applicants representing all ten EPA regions and will set the standard for energy-efficient IAQ management. We congratulate the leaders of these school districts for their extraordinary commitment to student well-being, and we look forward to working with them to create healthier learning conditions for the nearly 100,000 students in their care.”
As part of the program, participating school districts will:
- Enact school board policy to address IAQ management and GHG reduction;
- Conduct baseline assessments of air quality and emissions;
- Provide training for key district stakeholders;
- Develop and implement districtwide IAQ and GHG reduction plans; and
- Measure, quantify, and report outcomes.
District onboarding will begin this summer, with full implementation scheduled for on Sept. 1.
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About the National School Boards Association
Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) purpose is to ensure each student everywhere has access to excellent and equitable public education governed by high-performing school board leaders and supported by the community. With members spread across the United States, the Virgin Islands, and Canada, NSBA is the only national organization representing school boards. Along with its member state associations and member public school districts representing locally elected school board officials serving millions of public school students, NSBA believes that public education is a civil right necessary to the dignity and freedom of the American people and that each child, regardless of their ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, identity, or citizenship, deserves equitable access to an education that maximizes their individual potential. For more information, visit nsba.org.
About the Go Green Initiative
The Go Green Initiative, headquartered in Pleasanton, CA, is the global leader in fully comprehensive environmental action plans for schools. By promoting environmental stewardship on campuses from preschools through universities, the GGI works to involve families, businesses and local governments in the common goal of protecting human health through environmental stewardship. Since its inception in July 2002, the Go Green Initiative has been endorsed by the National School Boards Association, National Recycling Coalition, adopted by nine State PTA Boards, implemented in all 50 U.S. states and in 73 countries. There are currently over 2.5 million students and teachers in registered Go Green schools. More information is available at www.GoGreenInitiative.org.