What this bill does: AB 1822 would authorize the State Allocation Board to include “an efficient response to extreme heat and climate change” in its priorities for the construction and leasing of projects to schools districts whose pupils will benefit most.

Why it matters: Climate change is an immediate and existential threat to schools, families, communities, and our state. Data from the 2024-25 school year shows that almost 750,000 California students lost a cumulative 8.8 million instructional hours due to school closures and disruptions from extreme weather. And in just the first half of this school year, more than 1,000 California schools have already been impacted by closures and disruptions due to extreme weather, losing over 55,000 hours of instructional time (70% of those due to extreme heat).

Climate change will continue to exacerbate these kinds of impacts, with school districts across the State anticipating an increase in the frequency, intensity, and duration of these kinds of events. It is critical that our School Facilities Program recognize these threats and support school districts to prepare for and respond to these kinds of impacts.

Future state school bonds, which local educational agencies rely on to match local funding, should explicitly authorize the SAB to consider extreme heat and climate change threats when prioritizing projects for school facilities. Otherwise, California risks investing billions in state and local dollars in school facilities projects that do not adequately equip schools to provide a safe and healthy instructional environment for their students in a changing climate.