Politics & Government

State Superintendent Unveils Schools of the Future Report in San Mateo

State Superintendent Tom Torlakson vowed to take schools into the 21st century at a news conference at Aragon High School on Monday.

State Superintendent Tom Torlakson took to the students of on Monday to announce his plans to modernize California schools, and hail the completion of the high school's brand new solar energy panels.

"Do we have energy here?" Torlakson called out to the students after reaching the podium, who responded with cheers and applause.

Introduced Monday for the first time were Aragon's 17,000 solar panels, which were installed on school roofs and are expected to save and generate enough power to offset 48 percent of the energy needs at the school.

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The solar panels will save the San Mateo Union High School District about $1.2 million in annual energy costs, according to school officials.

Torlakson also announce the release of the Schools of the Future Report, a 90-page report that highlights how schools can embrace clean, renewable energy.

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"We believe all students deserve to have buildings that are 21st century," Torlakson said.

The report includes recommendations in eight policy areas; educational impact of design, school site selection and community impact; modernization; funding and governance; high efficiency schools; renewable energy; grid neutral schools; and financing of high performance schools.

Torlakson said making California schools energy-efficient would save the state billions of dollars in years to come.

He emphasized the solar changes at Aragon as an example of how schools can make the most of its resources.

"There's a four-way win in what Aragon High has shown here," Torlakson said. Solar energy, he said, "creates jobs, saves money, protects the environment, and creates tens of thousands of teachable moments."

Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, also attended Monday's event and told San Mateo Patch he was pleased to help "celebrate" the success of renewable energy.

"This is the future, right here in San Mateo," Hill said. "It's the right thing to do."


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