Winners Represent Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Washington
During the NSBA 2026 Annual Conference, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) and the Go Green Initiative announced ten winners selected for the second cohort of their national Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction program.
This year's winners represent a significant impact on student health and opportunity, covering 606 schools and 373,343 students. Reflecting the program's commitment to supporting underserved communities, 73.6% of the students served by these grant recipients qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Winners will receive $45,000 in grant funding and specialized technical assistance to improve air quality and energy efficiency within their facilities. This EPA-funded initiative specifically targets low-income and Tribal school communities to ensure that students in every environment have access to healthy, sustainable learning spaces.
“Providing a healthy environment where students can focus and thrive is a fundamental responsibility of school leadership,” said NSBA Executive Director and CEO Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs. “By addressing indoor air quality and energy efficiency, these districts and schools are making a vital investment in the long-term health of their students and staff. We are proud to support these boards as they take proactive, science-based steps to ensure their buildings are safe, sustainable, and conducive to learning.”
The ten grant recipients selected for the 2026-2027 cohort are:
- EPA Region 1: Lawrence Public Schools, Lawrence, Massachusetts
- EPA Region 2: Lackawanna City School District, Lakawanna, New York
- EPA Region 5: Southeast Delco School District, Folcroft, Pennsylvania
- EPA Region 4: The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Miami, Florida
- EPA Region 5: School City of East Chicago, East Chicago, Indiana
- EPA Region 6: Monroe City Schools, Monroe, Louisiana
- EPA Region 7: Ferguson-Florissant School District, St. Louis, Missouri
- EPA Region 8: Takini School, Howes, South Dakota
- EPA Region 9: Tolleson Union High School District, Tolleson, Arizona
- EPA Region 10: Taholah School District #77, Taholah, Washington
“We are thrilled to welcome this second group of dedicated school communities into the program,” said Jill Buck, Founder and CEO of the Go Green Initiative. “Improving air quality is not just a facilities issue; it is about ensuring that every child, regardless of their zip code, has a healthy place to learn. By joining this initiative, these recipients are taking a critical step toward implementing effective strategies to reduce pollutants and emissions. We look forward to working alongside them to build a healthier future for their students.”
The winners will begin onboarding this summer, with official program implementation starting Aug. 1, 2026. Participants in this program will sign a Memorandum of Understanding that they will complete the following steps with the assistance of qualified staff from the EPA and Go Green Initiative:
- Enact school board policy to address both IAQ management and GHG reduction;
- Complete baseline IAQ and GHG assessments;
- Ensure that key school district stakeholders complete training;
- Complete a plan to manage IAQ and reduce GHG emissions;
- Enact IAQ management and GHG reduction plans districtwide; and
- Measure, quantify and report IAQ and GHG’s after plan implementation.
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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