District News
Report lists SPS among school districts needing building renovations, modernization
Seattle Public Schools was listed among the nation’s major city public school districts which have substantial construction, renovation, modernization, and deferred maintenance needs because of the age and size of their school buildings, shifting populations, and the need to devote substantial resources to instructional personnel to meet their core academic mission.
The Council of the Great City Schools, the nation’s primary coalition of large urban public school districts, surveyed its 65 member school systems to determine the scope and scale of that need.
The average age for Seattle Public School Buildings is 50 years old. The list does not include all Seattle Public Schools needing renovation, repair, modernization and deferred maintenance, but does list Aki Kurose, Boren, Broadview –Thomson, Fairmount Park, John Marshall, Meany, Montlake, Salmon Bay and (old) Van Asselt under the category of needing renovation, repair and modernization needs totaling $27.7 million.
Please see the news release below for additional information:
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Communications & Outreach, Press Office
400 Maryland Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202
FOR RELEASE:
Oct. 14, 2011
CONTACT: Public Affairs, (202) 401-1576 or Press@ed.gov
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FACING MILLIONS IN SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, ACCORDING TO NEW REPORT
President’s American Jobs Act would direct $365 Million to Washington to help
The U.S. Education Department, in advance of remarks today by Secretary Arne Duncan on the proposed American Jobs Act, spotlighted a new report by the Council of the Great City Schools showing that Seattle and other urban school systems face substantial, costly repairs to deteriorating buildings and classrooms.
According to the report, Seattle needs substantial resources, including $15.2 million for renovation, repair and modernization of its schools.
Under the American Jobs Act, the administration estimates that Washington could receive $365 million for modernization efforts to rebuild crumbling buildings and classes, which could help Seattle begin work on long overdue upgrades to schools and classrooms.
“Our children only get one shot at a good education. They deserve better than crumbling school buildings and half-century-old science labs. This report is further proof that Seattle’s schools critically need the funds proposed by the President in the American Jobs Act,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “The Act will provide billions for school modernization, which will help give our children the world-class education they deserve.”
Some of the nation’s largest school districts have some of the country’s oldest and most overcrowded school buildings. The President’s American Jobs Act plan will invest $30 billion in enhancing the condition of these schools—with $25 billion going to K-12 schools for repair, renovation and modernization. While this bill would help finance long overdue repairs, it would also create needed jobs and help put hundreds of thousands of Americans back to work.
The report released today surveyed 50 of the largest school districts in the country to determine the scope and scale of repairing and upgrading facilities. The survey determined that the school districts have substantial construction, renovation, modernization and deferred maintenance needs because of the age and size of school buildings, shifting populations, and the need to devote resources to instructional personnel to meet their core academic mission.
For more on the American Jobs Act of 2011, see http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/legislative/reports/american-jobs-act.pdf.
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Jo Ann Webb
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Communications and Outreach
(202) 401-0316 (voice)
(202) 401-3130 (fax)