Dive Brief:
- Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo announced a new program to fix up schools in need of repairs as part of the state’s 2016 budget.
- The program will assess the condition of schools statewide before developing a plan for prioritizing schools’ needs.
- In total, $20 million is allocated for the program, which Raimondo said would be the first comprehensive review of the state’s school buildings.
Dive Insight:
In 2011, a U.S. Department of Education survey found that an estimated 14 million American students attended schools in need of repairs; two-thirds of schools had unhealthy environmental conditions. The situation is even more dire in the nation’s tribal school system, where President Barack Obama made additional funding for crumbling schools a priority this spring. When asked, around 43% of schools say their poor working conditions interfere with learning.
Though many states face substantial financial barriers to making capital improvements, some states, like Rhode Island, have taken the issue into their own hands. Colorado, to provide another example, offers sizable competitive state grants to fix up the state’s neediest schools. Districts must match the state’s dollars, but the program has been popular and frequently sees more schools apply than can be funded.