School Officials Electric School Bus Sign On Letter

Dear President Biden and Members of Congress:

As representatives of school districts across the country, we write to encourage your administration to take action on school bus electrification consistent with your commitment to reach all new zero-emission American-made buses by 2030. Deploying zero-emission school buses would help meet our climate goals while reducing harmful air pollution, protecting children’s health, and even boosting academic performance.

The anticipated recovery, or Build Back Better, package presents a critical opportunity to advance school bus electrification and to build back better and greener after the devastation of COVID-19. A federal investment of $30 billion over 10 years would jumpstart the electric transition of the nation’s school bus fleet. This level of federal funding would cover the price differential, training, and infrastructure costs for half of the nation’s school bus fleet.

Nearly 95 percent of America’s school buses run on diesel, a fossil fuel that has been shown to cause numerous health problems, including asthma, bronchitis, and cancer. Each year, pollution from cars, trucks, and other vehicles cuts short an estimated 58,000 lives, and increases the risk of lung cancer, stroke, and heart disease. This pollution also makes people more vulnerable to diseases like COVID-19. Transitioning to all-electric school bus fleets would prevent the release of 5.3 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year, and protect our kids’ lungs by keeping diesel fumes out of the air inside and outside of the buses.

As of today, legislation pending in Congress would provide a huge boost to electric school buses. Electric school buses are essential, we need to ensure that the $30 billion for electric school buses remains in the Clean Future Act. We need safe transportation as soon as possible. Our climate, our health, and our kids are depending on it.

Sincerely,

Arizona

• Lela Alson, Phoenix Elementary Governing Board President, Maricopa County

California

• Kathy Kaiser, Chico Unified School District Board Vice President, Butte County

• J. Chad Chase, Montecito Unified School District Board Vice President, Santa Barbara County

• Jessica Har, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Board Member, Monterey County

• Clifford Thompson, Oakland Unified School District Board Member, Alameda County

• Shanthi Gonzales, Oakland Unified School District Board President, Alameda County

• Craig Foster, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board Member, Los Angeles County

• Bonnie Turnbull, Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board Trustee, El Dorado County

• Sam Davis, Oakland Unified School District Board Member, Alameda County

• Cipriano Vargas, Vista Unified School District School Board President, San Diego County

• Kevin Beiser, San Diego Unified School District Board Trustee, San Diego County

• Cherise Kahund, Mt. Diablo Unified School District Board President, Contra Costa County

• Maria G. López, Lynwood Unified School District Board President, Los Angeles County

• Timothy D. Shannon, Twin Rivers Unified School District Director of Transportation Services, Sacramento County

• Carolyn Fowler, Los Angeles Unified School District Government Affairs Advisor, Los Angeles County

• Lauri Kemper, Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board Member, El Dorado County

• Nick Melvoin, Vista Unified School District School Board Member, San Diego County

• Sharon L. Boggs, Brisbane School District Board Member, San Mateo County

• Sabrena Rodriguez, Ventura Unified School District Trustee, Ventura County

• Florence Wong, Burlingame Elementary School District Board Member, San Mateo County

• Linda Fowler (J.D.), Twin Rivers Unified School District Board Member, Sacramento County

Colorado

• Kitty Sargent, Boulder Valley School District Board Trustee, Boulder County

Florida

• Sarah Leonardi, Broward County Public Schools Board Member, Broward County

• Rocco Diaz, Broward County Public Schools Board Alternate Student Advisor, Broward County

• Shirley Brown, Sarasota County Schools Board Chair, Sarasota County

• Luisa Santos, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Board Member, Miami-Dade County

Illinois

• Bruce Brown, Champaign Community Unit School District No. 4 Board Member, Champaign County

• Peggy Patten, Urbana School District No. 117 Board of Education Member, Champaign County

• Amy Armstrong, Champaign Community Unit School District No. 4 Board President, Champaign County

• Chris Kloeppel, Champaign Community Unit School District No. 4 Board Member, Champaign County

• Anne Hall, Champaign Community Unit School District No. 116 Board Member, Champaign County

Iowa

• Charlie Eastham, Iowa City Community School District Board Member, Johnson County

Massachusetts

• Jason DeFalco (Ed. D), Blackstone Millville Regional School District Superintendent, Worcester County

• Steve Angelo, Arlington Public Schools District Director of Transportation, Middlesex County

• John Portz, Watertown Public School District Board Member, Middlesex County

• Mark Sideris, Watertown Public School District Committee Member, Middlesex County

• Deepika Sawhney, Lexington Public School District Committee Member, Middlesex County

• David M. Stokes, Watertown Public School District Committee Member, Middlesex County

• Tracy O’Connell Novick, Worcester Public School District Committee Member, Worcester County

• Sarah Wolf, Manchester Essex Regional School District Board Member, Essex County

• Bridget Ray-Canada, Newton Public School District Committee Member, Middlesex County

• Ada Rosmarin, Milton Public Schools Committee Member, Norfolk County

• Brian E. Allen, Worcester Public School District Chief Financial and Operations Officer, Worcester County

• Laura Clancey, Worcester Public School District Committee Member, Worcester County

• Paul Ruseau, Medford Public School District Committee Member, Middlesex County

• Catherine Bowen, Belmont Public School District Committee Member, Middlesex County

• Mea Quinn Mustone, Medford Public School District Committee Member, Middlesex County

• Laurie Hunter, Concord Public School District Superintendent, Middlesex County

• Martha Simon, Burlington Public Schools Committee Member, Middlesex County

• Jared M. Stanton, Concord Public School District Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations, Middlesex County

• Charles D. Whitten, Ipswich Public Schools Committee Member, Essex County

• Jessica Corwin, Sunderland Public Elementary School Committee Member, Franklin County

• Elizabeth Exton, Arlington Public Schools Committee Member, Middlesex County

• Deb Clapp, Worthington Public Schools Committee Member, Hampshire County

• Colleen Marrie Cormier, Woburn Public Schools Committee Member, Middlesex County

• Paul Desmond, Northborough-Southborogh Regional School District Committee Member, Worcester County

• Kathleen Shields, Newton Public School District Committee Member, Middlesex County

• Ruthanne Fuller, Newton Mayor, Middlesex County

• Alicia Bowerman, Newton City Counselor, Middlesex County

• Julie L. Hackett (Ed.D.), Lexington Public School District Superintendent of Schools, Middlesex County

• Scott A. Bokun, Lexington Public School District Committee Member, Middlesex County

Michigan

• Susan Baskett, Ann Arbor Public School District Board of Education Secretary, Washtenaw County

• Brian Johnson, Ann Arbor Public School District Board President, Washtenaw County

• Jessica Kelly, Ann Arbor Public School District Board Vice President, Washtenaw County

• Jeff Gaynor, Ann Arbor Public School District Board Trustee, Washtenaw County

• Krystie DuPree, Ann Arbor Public School District Board Trustee, Washtenaw County

• Ernesto Querijero, Ann Arbor Public School District Board Trustee, Washtenaw County

• Rebecca Lazarus, Ann Arbor Public School District Board Treasurer & Parliamentarian, Washtenaw County

• Howard “Mac” Dashney, Lansing Public School District Pupil Transportation Management and Operations Institute Owner, Eaton County

• Tim Throne, Oxford Community School District Superintendent, Oakland County

• Brian Flaggs, ABC Student Transportation General Manager (Detroit Public School District), Wayne County

• Terri Aman, Kalamazoo Public School Executive Supervisor of Transportation and Operations, Kalamazoo County

• Kenni Jean Schrader, Three Rivers Community School District Transportation Director, St. Joseph County

Minnesota

• Samir Sant, Robbinsdale Independent School District No. 281 Board Member, Hennepin County

Montana

• Betsy Kohnstamm, Whitefish Unified School District Board Trustee, Flathead County

Nebraska

• Barbara Baier, Lincoln Public School District Board Member, Lancaster County

New Mexico

• Mildred Lementino, Zuni Public School District Board Vice President, McKinley County

New York

• Joseph L. Ricca, White Plains Public School District Superintendent, Westchester County

North Carolina

• Thelma Byers-Bailey, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education Vice Chair, Mecklenburg County

• Martha Geitner, Asheville City Schools Board Member, Buncombe County

• Natalie Beyer, Durham Public Schools Board Member, Durham County

Oregon

• Rev. Eilidh Lowery, Portland Public School District Board of Education Chair, Multnomah County

• Rita Moore (PhD), Portland Public School District Board Member, Multnomah County

Pennsylvania

• Mike Belmonte, Woodland Hills Public School District Board Member, Allegheny County

• James Crisfield, Wissahickon Public School District Superintendent, Montgomery County

• Amber Concepcion, State College Area School District Board Member, Centre County

• Paul Champagne, East Penn School District Board of Directors Vice President, Lehigh County

• Matthew Mehalik (Ph.D.), Pine Richland Public School District Director, Allegheny County 

• Jacqueline Guy, Springfield Public School District Board Director, Delaware County

• Jennifer Wilson, Hatboro-Horsham Public School District Board President, Montgomery County

• Ian Roberts, Millcreek Township School District Superintendent, Erie County

• Jonathan Kassa, North Penn School District Board Director, Montgomery County

• Shrina Patel, Upper Merion Area Public School District Board Member, Montgomery County

Texas

• Dani Hernández, Houston Independent School District Board Member, Harris County

• Rocky Wilson, Poteet Independent School District Trustee, Atascosa County

• Juan Luis Esparza, Santa Rosa Independent School District Board Member, Cameron County

• Jack Youngkin, Garland Independent School District Director of Transportation, Dallas County

• Lynn Boswell, Austin Independent School District Trustee, Travis County

• Noelita Lugo, Austin Independent School District Trustee, Travis County

Virginia

• Karl Frisch, Fairfax County Public School District Board Member, Fairfax County

• Elaine Tholen, Fairfax County Public School District Board Member, Fairfax County

Washington

• Chris Greacen, Lopez Island School District Board Member, San Juan County

• Jennifer Poole, Lopez Island School District Board Chair, San Juan County

• TJ Heller, San Juan Island School District Board Director, San Juan County

Wisconsin

• Nicole Boyd, Bayfield Public School District Board Member, Bayfield County

• Beth Paap, Bayfield Public School District Superintendent, Bayfield County

• Minza Karim, Middleton Cross Plains Area School District Board Member, Dane County

• Timothy Nording (Ph.D.), Eau Claire Area School District Board President, Eau Claire County

• Amy Riddle-Swanson, School District of the Menomonie Area Board Member, Dunn County

• Joshua Clements, Eau Claire Area School District Board Member, Eau Claire County