For K-12 school districts struggling with deferred maintenance, help might be on the way.
Citing the direct connection between learning and learning environment, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) recently introduced the Rebuild America's Schools Act, a proposal to invest $100 billion in the physical and digital infrastructure of schools across America, according to Construction Equipment Guide.
The federal government only covers school repair costs in cases of disasters. The bill, which is being introduced with an identical bill in the House by Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, would provide $100 billion in federal grants and school construction bonds over the next decade to help build and renovate schools.
The bill provides formula funds to states for local competitive grants for school repair, renovation and construction. These grants focus assistance on communities with the greatest financial need, encourage green construction practices, expand access to high-speed broadband to ensure that all students have access to digital learning, contain state matching criteria and outline permissible criteria for spending.
Dan Hounsell is editor-in-chief of Facility Maintenance Decisions and FacilitiesNet.com.
