ALLENTOWN, September 9, 2024 – Allentown and Salisbury Township school districts today were awarded state grant funding to help address repairs, upgrades and environmental hazards in their school buildings, according to state Reps. Peter Schweyer, Mike Schlossberg, Josh Siegel and state Sen. Nick Miller, all D-Lehigh.
“Every Pennsylvania child and teacher needs to have a comfortable learning environment to nurture their young minds,” said Schweyer. “Many schools don’t have the funds they need to make the necessary upgrades and repairs to their heating and air conditioning units. This will go a long way to ensure our children are comfortable while they are in school.”
“There are building in the Allentown School District that pre-date subjects taught in history class. Harrison-Morton Middle School was built when the Civil War was fresh in the minds of many Allentownians,” said Schlossberg. “These historic buildings desperately need improvements to meet our expectations for world-class education in 2024. We fought hard to secure these funds and I am thrilled to see Allentown students will see those benefits.”
“As state legislators and servants to our communities, we are constantly working to find ways to maximize the quality of life for our neighbors, as when our communities thrive, we thrive and that success is extended to our commonwealth in general,” said Siegel. This is exactly what this newly acquired state funding looks to do, allowing for safer environments for our future leaders to learn in. I was proud to work with my colleagues in the state House and state Senate to bring this funding back home to the Lehigh Valley.”
“Our students and staff deserve safe, clean spaces where they can succeed,” said Miller. “This first round of investments will enable both Allentown and Salisbury to make significant building improvements, setting the stage for a better learning environment for our students. I’m proud to work alongside Reps. Schweyer, Siegel and Schlossberg to bring these essential resources back to the Lehigh Valley.”
Schweyer said the breakdown of the funding the school districts in the legislators’ Legislative Districts is as follows:
- Allentown School District: $114,293.
- Salisbury Township School District: $459,899.
Added Schweyer, “As the parent of two daughters in the Allentown School District, I have seen firsthand what no heat in the winter and no A/C in June can mean for students trying to learn. I am pleased to see this much needed money coming to our schools. It will make a huge difference for our children.”
The money comes from the state’s Public School Environmental Repairs Program, made possible by funding Schweyer, Schlossberg, Siegel and Miller all voted for in the 2023-24 state budget. Grants under the program can be used by schools to fix environmental hazards in their school buildings, including removing lead in water sources and in paint, as well as asbestos and mold removal and remediation.
A total of $75 million was available for the competitive grant program established in 2023, and 109 school districts and technical centers across the state received grants in this round. Projects require a cash match of 50% of total eligible project costs. More information is available on the Department of Education’s website.