Call your Senate representatives. Ask for $100 billion to modernize our public school facilities.

Take Action - Tweet Congressional Leaders and Representatives! 

Share the State of our Schools Report 2021 and ask for $100 billion to modernize school facilities in the reconciliation package.

@SenSchumer @SpeakerPelosi @SenJoeManchin @SenatorSinema Plz #fundschoolfacilities at $100B in #reconciliationbill to help close the $58B growing gap. Facts and stats https://bit.ly/3hclF6H #StateofOurSchools2021

@BobbyScott @SenJackReed TU 4 introducing #RebuildAmericasSchoolsAct, #Congress must #fundschoolfacilities at $100B in #reconciliationbill. @SenSchumer @SpeakerPelosi @SenJoeManchin @SenatorSinema learn about the annual $58B gap here: https://bit.ly/3hclF6H #StateofOurSchools2021

While Congress included emergency repairs for facilities as an allowable use in the COVID-19 relief packages, it did not address not address the long standing need for whole school modernizations, particularly in our low wealth and high need communities. Evidence and research prove that school facilities are critical to the health, safety, and equitable learning opportunities for students and our government must make long term investments to rebuild America’s dilapidated school buildings so that the 55 million educators and students that spend their days in these classrooms can thrive, educationally and emotionally. 

In order to fulfill President Biden’s promise to build back better, Congress must provide states with $100 billion in direct grants, as included in the Rebuild America’s Schools Act, championed by Chairman Scott and Senator Reed. This formula grant would address the annual $57 billion gap in our public school facilities that will continue to grow unless Congress makes an adequate investment. 

This is a once in a generation opportunity to ensure our nation’s educators and students are working and learning in modern facilities that foster health and well-being, serve as vibrant community centers, and can withstand extreme weather and other natural disasters.

A 2020 GAO report on school facilities found that 54% of U.S. public districts have 2 or more major building systems needing to be upgraded or replaced in many of their schools. This means thousands of schools have inadequate ventilation from outdated HVAC systems and windows that can’t open, lavatories in poor condition so students and staff can’t keep their hands clean, roof leaks causing flaking plaster and paint that falls on surfaces, making cleaning and disinfecting more difficult--among many other health and safety challenges.

Schools all across the country have been in decrepit condition and low-income districts––in rural, urban and suburban communities--do not have the resources to make major repairs, modernize, or build new schools. Congress must make a major long-term investment in our future by including $100 billion in the reconciliation package to modernize our public school facilities so they are healthy, safe, educationally inspiring, environmentally sustainable, and resilient.

Tell them: We want to retain local and state control of public school facility planning, decision making, design and construction, but our communities need a fair share of federal funding for our public school facilities. We need a local, state and federal partnerships to ensure our public school facilities are healthy, safe, educationally appropriate and ready to serve communities for ongoing needs and emergencies.

Show them: Connect with BASIC on twitter

@BuildUSschools  #RebuildAmericasSchools #FixOurSchools #Schoolinfrastructure

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