Clean Energy, Real Savings: A Porterville Success Story for California Schools

Congressman David Valadao (second from right) tours Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) with CAPS interns, gaining insights into how the district serves as a model for energy conservation

Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) recently hosted Congressman David Valadao to thank him for his support of elective pay tax credits, to show him the district’s clean energy and infrastructure projects, and to advocate for continued support. Elective pay can make these projects significantly more affordable for school districts. Our latest case study highlights how PUSD collaborated with the business community, government, and nonprofits to secure over $25M in state and federal funding to support a range of sustainability efforts, including clean energy projects and green schoolyards. With this funding, the district provided 60 students with opportunities to develop professional and technical skills and achieved $850,000 in electric and natural gas savings within the first two years.

By leveraging elective pay energy tax credits, PUSD invested in electric buses, high-efficiency lighting, automation systems, and fully electric HVAC upgrades. These projects helped the district reduce operational costs while improving indoor air quality and learning environments. These investments not only benefit students and teachers but also contribute to long-term energy savings for the district.

We invited Congressman Valadao to see this work firsthand in the hopes that he would advocate for the continuation of elective pay. Shortly after his visit, he reaffirmed his support for these vital tax credits — recognizing their impact on making clean energy more accessible for public schools.

Want to see how PUSD is leading the way for sustainable school infrastructure?