Episode Details

California’s school cooling program, launched in 2020 to upgrade aging HVAC systems using utility funds, was abruptly halted in 2024, leaving hundreds of districts with broken air conditioners and no money to fix them. Only a fraction of the thousands of schools that applied actually received funding—mostly for assessments, not major upgrades. An audit blamed a convoluted funding process for the shutdown, forcing schools to risk missing deadlines. With $200 million left over, lawmakers now debate whether to use just $70 million in interest for a virtual power plant instead of completing the promised school upgrades. As temperatures rise and classrooms grow hotter, advocates push to release the funds for student well-being, while others seek alternative uses, leaving the fate of school cooling in legislative limbo.

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