California decision-makers haven\u2019t kept their promise to keep it cool in schools.<\/p>\n
Despite a 2020 program, CalSHAPE, that provided utility ratepayer funding to let state schools evaluate their air conditioning and then use the funds to pay for upgrades, many of the schools never got them.<\/p>\n
The California Energy Commission cut the program short<\/a> by 2 years in 2024, leaving just 172 of more than 4,500 schools that needed upgrades to their heating and cooling systems with funding to improve their systems.<\/p>\n Schools are upset that lawmakers aren\u2019t making it a priority to prevent students from sweating in the California heat.<\/p>\n Schools are upset that lawmakers aren\u2019t making it a priority to prevent students from sweating in the California heat. Temecula Valley Unified School District<\/p>\n \u201cThere are periods of the school year where it\u2019s pretty much baking all day long, and some of the older units can\u2019t keep up,\u201d Greg Page, energy management specialist for the Temecula Valley Unified School District, told CalMatters.<\/a> \u201cOur team is working by emergency pretty much nonstop during those hot times.\u201d<\/p>\n The district received $4.6 million in funds during phase 1 of the energy commission\u2019s program, the evaluation stage, and managed to survey 30 schools in the district for upgrades. Temecula Valley managed to even apply some upgrades early with the money, fixing some HVAC systems and replacing some air filters and thermostats.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia’s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n But the district wasn\u2019t able to replace around a third of its aging heating and cooling systems across the district because they were unable to apply for phase 2 funds.<\/p>\n Another district, Torrance Unified School District, wasn\u2019t able to replace critical cooling systems after identifying 300 air conditioning units beyond use. They also missed the window to apply.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was money that was pulled back unjustifiably,\u201d Keith Butler, deputy superintendent of Torrance Unified School District, told CalMatters. \u201cThis is a good use of funds that has been set aside already \u2013 we just wanted it to go back out to finish the work.\u201d<\/p>\n Another district, Torrance Unified School District, wasn\u2019t able to replace critical cooling systems after identifying 300 air conditioning units beyond use. They also missed the window to apply. Google Maps<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been band-aiding what we have,\u201d Butler added, \u201cbut there will be a point where they are not working in the not too distant future.\u201d<\/p>\n Why pull the funds? The commission attributed it to budget constraints, but an audit provided more context.<\/p>\n A 2025 audit <\/a>from the California Public Utilities Commission\u00a0found the energy commission\u2019s complicated funding process halted it from accepting more applications. The process left school districts at risk of missing deadlines connected to a complex legal process that requires the commission to return any unspent funds to utilities once the program ends.\u00a0<\/p>\n It ultimately recommended that the state energy commission find a way to spend all the money or let the state legislature pass a law to let ratepayers have the money back. <\/p>\n \u201cThe CalSHAPE funding was initially collected by the utilities from ratepayers,\u201d Elaine Kahan, a spokesperson for the commission, told CalMatters. \u201cIt is assumed that when the funds are returned to the utilities that they could be returned to ratepayers or offset the collection of additional funds from ratepayers.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The money returned to ratepayers would likely only be between $2 and $24, according to CalMatters.<\/p>\n Lawmakers are now weighing whether to spend $70 million in interest on the funds towards a virtual power plant energy program.\u00a0 Los Angeles Times via Getty Images<\/p>\n It ultimately recommended that the state energy commission find a way to spend all the money or let the state legislature pass a law to let ratepayers have the money back. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images<\/p>\n PG&E, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric\u00a0told the outlet they plan to return funds to customers through either bill relief or use them to offset rising bills.<\/p>\n Lawmakers are now weighing whether to spend $70 million in interest on the funds towards a virtual power plant energy program.\u00a0<\/p>\n But advocates say that turns a blind eye to sweating schoolchildren.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to kneecap this program out of some philosophical argument about how programs should be funded?\u201d JuNelle Harris, founder of Clean Air Allies, a nonprofit that advocates for healthy air in schools, told CalMatters.<\/p>\n \u201cThat just seems to me like bad government. If the money is there and the program is working, why would we not use that money and try to make the program as successful as possible?\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order last year directing the energy commission to examine ratepayer-funded programs \u201cwhose funding might more appropriately come from a source other than ratepayers.\u201d<\/p>\n CalShape\u2019s fate will go down to Newsom and state lawmakers. Staff in the state Senate<\/a> have recommended that the program be extended.<\/p>\n Negotiations between the governor\u2019s office and the legislature are expected to continue through August, the state\u2019s hottest month.<\/p>\n The California Post reached out to the governor\u2019s office for comment.<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t
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