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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 1999

News Release

State-by-State Data Reveals Gap in School Modernization Funding

"Despite Strong Evidence, House Committee Ignores Dire Need for School Funding"

Washington, D.C. -- State-by-state data released by the National Education Association (NEA) today reveals a yawning gap in school construction and technology funding--a gap ignored by the House Ways and Means committee. The committee rejected tax credits on some $25 billion of school modernization bonds that would improve the public schools serving 90 percent of America's children, but passed tax breaks for a wealthy 10 percent. "The Ways and Means committee action was simply irresponsible," said NEA President Bob Chase. "The economic viability of this nation depends on safe and modern schools and students who are proficient in using technology. In the face of record increases in student enrollment and the demands of a 21^st Century workforce, this tax bill is simply foolish."

NEA compiled data for all fifty states which demonstrates a dire need for increased school modernization funding. Total public school enrollment nationwide increased by more than 16 percent over the last decade and is projected to increase an additional 3 percent by the year 2008. States and localities will have to build an estimated 6,000 new schools to meet these surging enrollment demands. This construction could cost as much as $73 billion.

The state-by-state NEA fact sheets combine statistics from the General Accounting Office, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, and other sources that measure the conditions of public school buildings, the computer-to-student ratios, environment and safety indicators, enrollment data, the amount of interest paid on school debt, and the amount each state would receive under three major federal school modernization bills. This data is posted on NEA's web site at http://www.nea.org/lac/modfacts/.

According to the NEA data, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Archer's own state of Texas has 76 percent of its schools in need of upgrades and repairs to restore buildings to "good" overall condition. The current student-to-computer ratio in Texas is 11 students per computer, a ratio that will only worsen under a projected enrollment increase of almost 10 percent by 2008. In addition, Texas reports a $9.1 billion cost for immediate new construction and repair needs and an estimated $6.4 billion need by the year 2003. (Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Texas School Performance Review: Facilities, May 1999)

President Bill Clinton decried the gap revealed in the NEA data in a speech in Des Moines, Iowa today. Speaking at Hiatt Middle School, Clinton called on Congress to respond quickly to the need demonstrated in the research. According to the General Accounting Office, about one-third of America's public schools--attended by more than 14 million students--need "extensive repair or replacement of one of more buildings."

NEA President Bob Chase noted the strong bipartisan support behind several common sense school modernization plans and lauded the efforts of Rep. Nancy L. Johnson (R-CT), and Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), sponsors of leading House school modernization bills. "We urge Congress to pass provisions included in the Rangel and Johnson bills that are backed by an impressive 160 bipartisan cosponsors," said Chase. "These provisions would help state and local schools ensure that all children attend school in buildings that are safe, modern, not overcrowded, and technology ready."

Chase called on Congress to reject the so-called Education Savings Account provision (Coverdell) included in the Ways and Means tax package, which provides some $4 billion in federal tax subsidies to primarily wealthy families who already have their children in private and religious schools. "This money would be much better spent on school modernization in schools where 90 percent of children attend rather than tax breaks for a few," said Chase.

In the face of swelling baby boom echo enrollment numbers, NEA also supports a continuation of the program started last year by Congress to reduce class size by hiring 100,000 new qualified teachers. Reducing class size is a proven strategy for improving student achievement. Federal funding for school construction, by helping to build new classrooms, is a necessary component to reducing class size.

Note: to receive data from your state, visit NEA's web site at http://www.nea.org/lac/modfacts/ or call us at 202-822-7200.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.