Matzie: More than $540K secured for 16th District school repairs, improvements

AMBRIDGE, Sept. 9 – School districts in the 16th Legislative District will have funding for repairs and upgrades to ensure students and staff enjoy a healthy learning environment thanks to new grants totaling $540,363, state Rep. Rob Matzie announced today.

Matzie, D-Beaver, said the funding – awarded through the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Environmental Repairs Grant program – includes $381,778 to Central Valley School District and $158,585 to Freedom Area School District.

“Our students thrive with the best educators, support staff and curriculum, but they also need modern, safe classrooms that keep them warm, breathing clean air and protected from any environmental hazards,” Matzie said. “That’s why I fought for budget funding that will support equipment upgrades, repairs and any other improvements our schools need. Our kids – and the educators and school staff who work so hard to support them – deserve no less.”

The funding is part of a package of $75 million secured in the state’s 2023-24 budget and awarded under the PDE Environmental Repairs Grant program. Schools can use the money to improve water infrastructure and eliminate contamination, install point-of-use treatment devices to reduce lead and other contaminants, remediate mold or asbestos contamination and perform other projects that remediate environmental hazards.


More about the funding is available here: https://www.education.pa.gov/Teachers%20-%20Administrators/School%20Construction%20and%20Facilities/Pages/Environmental-Repairs-Rewards.aspx

More about the program is available here: https://www.education.pa.gov/Teachers%20-%20Administrators/School%20Construction%20and%20Facilities/Pages/SchoolEnvironmentalRepairsProgram.aspx#3