Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) Energy and Sustainability Program Needs Assessment

Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) Energy and Sustainability Program Needs Assessment

Clean Mobility Options Voucher Pilot Program
Community Transportation Needs Assessment

Porterville Unified School District | PUSD Energy and Sustainability Program Needs Assessment

Porterville Unified School District logo

Project Details

Porterville Unified School District's (PUSD) needs assessment's grant term ran from December 2020 to September 2021. For the needs assessment effort, PUSD conducted an initial online survey of community members. The project team collected in-depth data and input from school faculty, elementary, middle and high school students, caregivers, and parents through focus groups, surveys (digital/online questionnaire and personal interviews), and social media tools. PUSD engaged Climate Action Pathways for Schools (CAPS) to support its community engagement plan. CAPS worked with student interns to develop and implement communication tools and materials that supported efforts to engage, inform, and educate community members. Student engagement was a critical aspect of the project and previous experience facilitating student-driven "work-based learning" initiatives had been effective in implementing change at the schools.

To learn more about project implementation, watch this video.

Student interns completing an infrastructure walk audit of pedestrian safety measures at Olive Elementary. 13 students wearing safety vests and COVID masks pose in front of school building. Student interns were the first passengers on the district’s new electric school buses. Student and staff pose in from of bus most wearing COVID masks.

Project Outcomes

Final Report

Funding Details

Voucher Total: $48,802

Community Engagement Activities

1 Community outreach event with dinner provided
1 Transportation survey
3-4 Advisory group meetings
2-3 Pop-up events
4-5 Telephone and video meetings

Community Details

The project covered the school district’s community across Porterville, which includes East Porterville, Central Porterville, Dexter, and North Plano. The school district had a population of 30,660 as of 2018. With a median household income of $39,909, a poverty rate of 30.1%, and an unemployment rate of 7.6% as of October 2019, the community faces interrelated health, environmental and economic challenges. PUSD has one of the oldest diesel school bus fleets in California, including buses with an average age of 14.5 years, and an average odometer mileage of 181,300 miles.

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