United States General Accounting Office

GAO Report to Congressional Requesters

June 1996 SCHOOL FACILITIES

Profiles of School

Condition by State

G O A

years

1921 - 1996

GAO/HEHS-96-148

GAO United States

General Accounting Office

Washington, D.C. 20548

Health, Education, and

Human Services Division

B-272038 

June 24, 1996

The Honorable Carol Moseley-Braun

The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy

The Honorable John F. Kerry

The Honorable Claiborne Pell

The Honorable Paul Simon

The Honorable Paul Wellstone

United States Senate

This report is the last in a series1

 addressing your request for a

comprehensive review of the condition of America’s school facilities. The

report organizes state-level information gathered from our work on school

facilities into individual profiles for the 50 states and the District of

Columbia.

This report presents new information on the roles individual states play in

support of school facilities. Each profile describes the financial and

technical assistance provided by each state as well as the facilities

information collected and maintained by that state.

Each profile also presents the following state-specific results from our

1994 survey of school facilities previously not available in a state-by-state

format2

• the condition of school buildings and building features;

• the adequacy of environmental conditions;

• the extent to which facilities are meeting the functional requirements of

education reform and technology;

• the reported range of amounts needed to bring schools into good overall

condition; and

• the money needed to address federal mandates for managing and

correcting environmental hazards and providing access to programs for

the disabled.

1

School Facilities: Condition of America’s Schools (GAO/HEHS-95-61, Feb. 1, 1995); School Facilities:

America’s Schools Not Designed or Equipped for 21st Century (GAO/HEHS-95-95, Apr. 4, 1995);

Technology: America’s Schools Not Designed or Equipped for 21st Century (GAO/T-HEHS-95-127, Apr.

4, 1995); School Facilities: States’ Financial and Technical Support Varies (GAO/HEHS-96-27, Nov. 28,

1995); School Facilities: Accessibility for the Disabled Still an Issue (GAO/HEHS-96-73, Dec. 29, 1995);

and School Facilities: America’s Schools Report Differing Conditions (GAO/HEHS-96-103, June 14,

1996).

2

The state-level results from our 1994 survey of school facilities have been presented in prior reports in

this series: GAO/HEHS-95-95, Apr. 4, 1995; GAO/HEHS-96-73, Dec. 29, 1995; GAO/HEHS-96-103,

June 14, 1996.

Page 1 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
B-272038 

In creating these profiles, we had to omit much contextual and

explanatory information presented in the other reports in this series.

Therefore, we have included three appendixes to assist the reader in

understanding the state profiles. Appendix I provides a guide to reading

the profiles, including definitions of terms and sources of the data shown.

To show exactly what our survey of school facilities asked and how it was

asked, appendix II presents a copy of the school survey. To help readers

understand the many technical choices that were made in the design and

analysis of the data, appendix III details the methodology.

Information for this report was gathered through two separate data

collection efforts. Information on the condition of school facilities was

gathered from our survey of school building conditions conducted in 1994.

The survey was sent to a nationally representative sample of about 10,000

schools and included questions on the physical condition of buildings and

the estimated costs to make needed repairs. The survey also included

questions on spending needs to address federal mandates. These data

were self-reported by school-level officials and not independently verified.

All data for federal mandates are from estimates made by school officials

on the basis of their understanding of these mandates. We did not attempt

to verify the self-reported data nor did we attempt to assess the accuracy

of officials’ understanding of the mandates.

Information on state involvement in school facilities was obtained from

telephone interviews we conducted in 1995 with state education agency

(SEA) officials responsible for school facilities in all 50 states. These

interviews focused on the financial and technical assistance states

provided to local education agencies (LEA) and on the data states collected

on the condition of their facilities. Although we did not independently

verify the information reported to us by state officials, we provided the

officials with a draft of the narrative section describing their state’s

program for their review. We incorporated their comments and included

information they provided on recent changes to state programs as

appropriate.

We administered our survey of school facility conditions from May to

October 1994. We conducted our study of state involvement in school

facilities from October 1994 to September 1995. Using information from

these studies, we compiled this report from March to May 1996 and

conducted our work in accordance with generally accepted government

auditing standards.

Page 2 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
B-272038 

As agreed with your office, unless you publicly announce its contents

earlier, we plan no further distribution of this report until 30 days from the

date of this letter. At that time, we will send copies to appropriate

congressional committees and all members of the Congress, the Secretary

of Education, and other interested parties.

Please contact me on (202) 512-7014 or Eleanor L. Johnson, Assistant

Director, on (202) 512-7209 if you or your staff have any questions. GAO

contacts and staff acknowledgments are listed in appendix LV.

Carlotta C. Joyner

Director, Education and

 Employment Issues

Page 3 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Contents

Letter 1

Appendix I 

Guide to State Profiles

12

General Context 12

State’s Role in School Facilities 14

Extent of Facilities Needs Reported by Schools 15

Federal Mandates 17

GAO Reports Providing Further Information 18

Appendix II 

Questionnaire for

Local Education

Agencies

20

Appendix III 

Technical Appendix

31

Scope and Methodology Overview 31

National Survey of School Facilities 31

Interviews With State Officials Responsible for School Facilities 37

Appendix IV 

State Profile: Alabama

38

Appendix V 

State Profile: Alaska

41

Appendix VI 

State Profile: Arizona

44

Appendix VII 

State Profile:

Arkansas

47

Page 4 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Contents

Appendix VIII 

State Profile:

California

50

Appendix IX 

State Profile:

Colorado

53

Appendix X 

State Profile:

Connecticut

56

Appendix XI 

State Profile:

Delaware

59

Appendix XII 

State Profile: District

of Columbia

62

Appendix XIII 

State Profile: Florida

65

Appendix XIV 

State Profile: Georgia

68

Appendix XV 

State Profile: Hawaii

71

Appendix XVI 

State Profile: Idaho

74

Page 5 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Contents

Appendix XVII 

State Profile: Illinois

77

Appendix XVIII 

State Profile: Indiana

80

Appendix XIX 

State Profile: Iowa

83

Appendix XX 

State Profile: Kansas

86

Appendix XXI 

State Profile:

Kentucky

89

Appendix XXII 

State Profile:

Louisiana

92

Appendix XXIII 

State Profile: Maine

95

Appendix XXIV 

State Profile:

Maryland

98

Appendix XXV 

State Profile:

Massachusetts

101

Page 6 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Contents

Appendix XXVI 

State Profile:

Michigan

104

Appendix XXVII 

State Profile:

Minnesota

107

Appendix XXVIII 

State Profile:

Mississippi

110

Appendix XXIX 

State Profile: Missouri

113

Appendix XXX 

State Profile: Montana

116

Appendix XXXI 

State Profile:

Nebraska

119

Appendix XXXII 

State Profile: Nevada

122

Appendix XXXIII 

State Profile: New

Hampshire

125

Appendix XXXIV 

State Profile: New

Jersey

128

Page 7 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Contents

Appendix XXXV 

State Profile: New

Mexico

131

Appendix XXXVI 

State Profile: New

York

134

Appendix XXXVII 

State Profile: North

Carolina

137

Appendix XXXVIII 

State Profile: North

Dakota

140

Appendix XXXIX 

State Profile: Ohio

143

Appendix XL 

State Profile:

Oklahoma

146

Appendix XLI 

State Profile: Oregon

149

Appendix XLII 

State Profile:

Pennsylvania

152

Page 8 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Contents

Appendix XLIII 

State Profile: Rhode

Island

155

Appendix XLIV 

State Profile: South

Carolina

158

Appendix XLV 

State Profile: South

Dakota

161

Appendix XLVI 

State Profile:

Tennessee

164

Appendix XLVII 

State Profile: Texas

167

Appendix XLVIII 

State Profile: Utah

170

Appendix XLIX 

State Profile: Vermont

173

Appendix L 

State Profile: Virginia

176

Appendix LI 

State Profile:

Washington

179

Page 9 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Contents

Appendix LII 

State Profile: West

Virginia

182

Appendix LIII 

State Profile:

Wisconsin

185

Appendix LIV 

State Profile:

Wyoming

188

Appendix LV 

GAO Contacts and

Staff

Acknowledgments

191

Tables Table I.1: Survey Questions About Condition of Buildings,

Building Features, Environmental Factors, Facility Needs for

Educational Reform, and Technology

17

Table I.2: Survey Questions About Federal Mandates 18

Table I.3: Guide to GAO Reports on School Facilities 19

Table III.1: Frequency Distribution of Amounts Reported Needed

to Repair or Upgrade Schools to Good Overall Condition

34

Abbreviations

ADA Americans With Disabilities Act

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

FTE full-time equivalent

HVAC heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

LEA local education agency

NCES National Center for Education Statistics

SASS School and Staffing Survey

SEA state education agency

VCR videocassette recorder

TV television

Page 10 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Page 11 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix I 

Guide to State Profiles

Appendixes IV through LIV contain profiles for each of the 50 states and the

District of Columbia. The information in the profiles is taken from our

1994 survey of school building conditions (see app. II) and from interviews

we conducted in 1995 with officials in each state education agency (SEA).

For a detailed discussion of the methodology used in these studies, see

appendix III.

Each state profile provides information on the (1) general education

context for the state, (2) state’s role in school facilities, (3) extent of

facilities needs reported by schools, and (4) amounts schools reported

spending and needing to spend to address federal mandates for

managing/correcting hazardous substances and providing access to

programs for the disabled. The following information is a guide to the data

presented in each state profile.

General Context This section presents background information obtained from a variety of

sources. Because different information sources often produce slightly

different definitions of common terms and different statistics on the same

item, the following are definitions of the terms as we use them and a brief

description of how we obtained the data.

Number of Schools This is the number of public elementary and secondary schools located in

each state. We obtained data for the 50 states from interviews with state

officials. Data for the District of Columbia were obtained from the U.S.

Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).3

Total Enrollment on or

About October 1, 1993

This enrollment figure is the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) students

enrolled in public schools in the state on or about October 1, 1993. We

obtained these data from interviews conducted with state officials. Data

for the District of Columbia were obtained from NCES and represent fall

1993 enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools.4

 All

enrollment numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand.

3

Digest of Education Statistics 1995, U.S. Department of Education, NCES (Washington, D.C.:

Oct. 1995), p. 105.

4

Digest of Education Statistics 1995, p. 53.

Page 12 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix I 

Guide to State Profiles

State Revenues for

Kindergarten Through

Twelfth Grade Education,

1993-94

These revenues are revenues from state sources available for expenditure

for public elementary and secondary schools for school year 1993-94. They

include revenues for capital outlay and debt service and revenues for the

SEA. These data were obtained from the National Education Association.5

We calculated revenues per student by dividing the total state revenues by

the total enrollment. The actual (not rounded) figure for total enrollment

was used for this calculation.

State Funding for Facilities This refers to the amount of financial assistance provided by the state to

LEAs for school facilities construction in state fiscal year 1994. We obtained

these data from interviews with state officials. Amounts include both

grants and loans to LEAs for capital outlay or debt service for school

facilities construction, renovation, or major maintenance. The amounts do

not include funding for maintenance and operations provided through

basic education support programs and are not adjusted for any differences

in construction costs among states. Ten states had no regular, ongoing

program to assist LEAs with capital construction costs in state fiscal year

1994; these are noted by the phrase “no assistance provided.”6

 Officials in

two states reported that the amount of financial assistance provided for

facilities could not be determined; these are marked “unknown.” One state

did not report the amount of assistance it provided; this is noted by “data

not provided.”

Number of SEA

Facilities-Related Staff

This item gives the number of FTE staff in the SEA with responsibilities for

school facilities. We obtained these data from interviews conducted with

state officials. In two states (South Dakota and West Virginia), the FTEs

shown are not situated in the SEA but are in other state agencies that have

the primary responsibility for school facilities. In three states (California,

Hawaii, and Maryland), FTEs in other state agencies with significant

numbers of staff carrying out facilities activities are shown in addition to

those located in the SEA.

5

National Education Association, 1994-95 Estimates of School Statistics (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 1995),

p. 38.

6

Officials in two of these states (Missouri and Texas) told us that recent legislation had passed

authorizing state financial assistance for facilities beginning after state fiscal year 1994. We provide

details of these new programs in the section “State’s Role in School Facilities.”

Page 13 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix I 

Guide to State Profiles

Other State Agencies

Involved in School

Facilities

This item lists the state agencies outside the SEA that are involved at least

to some extent in school facilities activities. This information was

obtained from interviews with state officials.

Percent of Schools

Reporting at Least One

On-Site Building in

Inadequate Condition

We obtained these data from our nationwide survey of school building

conditions. School officials were asked to rate the overall condition of

buildings on an adequacy scale of excellent, good, adequate, fair, poor, or

replace. The response categories fair, poor, and replace have been

combined into a single category labeled inadequate. See survey question

10 in appendix II for the full text of this question and definitions of

adequacy ratings.

Percent of Schools

Reporting a Need to

Upgrade or Repair On-Site

Buildings to Good Overall

Condition

We obtained these data from our nationwide survey of school building

conditions. The overall condition includes both the physical condition and

the ability of the buildings to meet the functional requirements of

instructional programs. See question 11 of the survey (app. II).

Reported Range of

Amounts Needed to

Upgrade or Repair a

School to Good Overall

Condition

Our survey asked school officials to report the total cost of all

repairs/renovations/modernizations needed to put their schools’ on-site

buildings into good overall condition. These figures show the range of the

amounts reported by school officials. See question 11 of the survey (app.

II).

State’s Role in School

Facilities

We obtained the information in this section entirely from interviews

conducted in 1995 with SEA and other state officials with significant

involvement in school facilities.

Financial Assistance This section discusses state financial assistance programs for school

facilities. It includes state grant and loan programs to provide districts

with capital outlay or debt service for school facilities construction,

renovation, or major maintenance.

Technical Assistance This section discusses the information and guidance states provide to LEAs

on funding, construction requirements, planning and architectural matters,

Page 14 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix I 

Guide to State Profiles

education specifications,7 and other facilities-related issues. It also refers

to compliance review activities carried out by states, including reviewing

architectural plans and other documents for conformance with fire and

building codes, education program specifications, or other state

requirements.

Facilities Information This section discusses the data states collect on the physical condition of

school buildings as well as other types of facilities-related information

they may maintain, such as building inventories. It includes data states

collect on a regular, ongoing basis or information collected as part of a

one-time study of school facilities.

Extent of Facilities

Needs Reported by

Schools

This section presents data obtained from ratings given by school officials

to various aspects of school condition on our survey of school facilities.

Percent of Schools With

Inadequate Facilities

This table shows the percent of schools in the state with at least one

(1) inadequate building of any type, (2) inadequate building feature,

(3) unsatisfactory environmental factor,8

 and (4) inadequate building and

one inadequate building feature. The latter is a proxy measure for the

percent of schools in the state with the most serious facilities needs. The

following describes the scales used and how we reported out responses.

Building Features To rate the condition of buildings and building features, respondents were

asked to use a scale of excellent, good, adequate, fair, poor, or replace.

Responses of fair, poor, or replace were combined into a single category

labeled inadequate. The list of building features included one item—life

safety codes—that is not a feature in the conventional sense. However,

school officials we consulted with during the survey design concurred that

a major focus of facilities maintenance concerns and expenses was the

school’s meeting local codes to ensure the preservation of life and safety

7

Education program specifications provide detailed requirements for school facilities needs such as

large- and small-group instruction and properly constructed and outfitted science laboratories.

8

The data for this analysis may differ slightly from data shown in other reports in this series. For the

state profiles, we considered a total of eight environmental factors—lighting, heating, ventilation,

indoor air quality, acoustics for noise control, flexibility of instructional space, energy efficiency, and

physical security of buildings. Our report, School Facilities: America’s Schools Report Differing

Conditions, does not include flexibility of instructional space in its analysis of environmental factors;

our report, School Facilities: America’s Schools Not Designed or Equipped for 21st Century, does not

include energy efficiency in its analysis of environmental factors.

Page 15 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix I 

Guide to State Profiles

of those using the school facilities. These codes vary widely by

jurisdiction, but all schools are required to conform to such codes. The

section on building features was the most logical place to include this

information in the survey.

Environmental Factors To rate the condition of environmental factors, respondents were asked to

use a scale of very satisfactory, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and very

unsatisfactory. Responses of unsatisfactory and very unsatisfactory were

reported as unsatisfactory. We also reported in this section the percent of

schools in the state reporting air conditioning in classrooms.

Facilities Needs for

Educational Reform

Some activities associated with educational reform have implications for

the facilities in which they occur. For example, certain instructional

programs or techniques may require that schools have space for

small-group instruction. To rate how well school buildings met the

functional requirements of specified activities related to educational

reform, respondents were asked to use a scale of very well, moderately

well, somewhat well, and not well at all. The data reported are for those

rating “not well at all.”

Technology To rate the sufficiency of technology elements, respondents were asked to

use a scale of very sufficient, moderately sufficient, somewhat sufficient,

and not sufficient. The data reported are for those rating not sufficient. We

also reported the average number of students per computer in the state.

Table I.1 references the survey question corresponding to each

aforementioned item. The full text of each question appears in appendix II.

Page 16 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix I 

Guide to State Profiles

Table I.1: Survey Questions About

Condition of Buildings, Building

Features, Environmental Factors,

Facility Needs for Educational Reform,

and Technology

Item

Survey question

number

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type

(original, addition, or temporary) 10

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 16

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 20

Building features 16

Environmental factors 20

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms 21

Facility needs for educational reform 19

Technology 17

Average number of students per computer 4 and 18

Federal Mandates This section presents data obtained from our survey of school facilities

and shows the percent of schools reporting needing to spend money on

federal mandates in the last 3 and the next 3 years.

Money Reported Needed

and Spent on Federal

Mandates in the Last 3

Years

Data for the last 3 years are presented for the percent of schools indicating

that money was spent on federal mandates (presented relative to the

national average), those indicating that spending was not needed, and

those indicating that no money was spent. The four categories in the table

are mutually exclusive. We asked about spending in the last 3 years to

grasp the amount being spent on these items within the context of actual

budgets.

Money Estimated Needed

for Federal Mandates in the

Next 3 Years

The table for the next 3 years is similar to the table for the last 3 years

described above, except that “no money spent” is replaced by a category

labeled “unknown.” As noted above, the four categories shown are

mutually exclusive. We asked these questions to grasp the amount of

money needed to address these needs given what was already spent. We

particularly phrased this question in terms of money needed rather than

money “planned” to be spent, to grasp the magnitude of the need in this

area without the constraints of budget realities.

Table I.2 references the survey question corresponding to each item. The

full text of each question appears in appendix II.

Page 17 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix I 

Guide to State Profiles

Table I.2: Survey Questions About

Federal Mandates Item Survey question number

Money reported needed and spent on federal mandates in

the last 3 years 13

Money estimated needed for federal mandates in the next

3 years 14

A more detailed discussion of the technical choices made in the analysis of

the data on federal mandates appears in appendix III.

GAO Reports

Providing Further

Information

More detailed information on each topic presented in the profiles,

including sampling errors, appears in the reports shown in table I.3.

Page 18 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix I 

Guide to State Profiles

Table I.3: Guide to GAO Reports on

School Facilities Topic GAO report

Overall condition of buildings

Condition of building features

Estimated costs to bring schools into

good overall condition

School Facilities: Condition of America’s

Schools (GAO/HEHS-95-61, Feb. 1, 1995)

and School Facilities: America’s Schools

Report Differing Conditions

(GAO/HEHS-96-103, June 14, 1996)

Environmental conditions School Facilities: America’s Schools Not

Designed or Equipped for 21st Century

(GAO/HEHS-95-95, Apr. 4, 1995); School

Facilities: Condition of America’s Schools

(GAO/HEHS-95-61, Feb. 1, 1995); and

School Facilities: America’s Schools

Report Differing Conditions

(GAO/HEHS-96-103, June 14, 1996)

Functional requirements for education

reform

Technology

School Facilities: America’s Schools Not

Designed or Equipped for 21st Century

(GAO/HEHS-95-95, Apr. 4, 1995)

Federal mandates School Facilities: Condition of America’s

Schools (GAO/HEHS-95-61, Feb. 1, 1995);

School Facilities: America’s Schools

Report Differing Conditions

(GAO/HEHS-96-103, June 14, 1996); and

School Facilities: Accessibility for the

Disabled Still an Issue (GAO/HEHS-96-73,

Dec. 29, 1995)

State role in school facilities School Facilities: States’ Financial and

Technical Support Varies

(GAO/HEHS-96-27, Nov. 28, 1995)

All percentages in the profiles have been rounded to whole numbers and

may differ from those in the original reports. For the same reason,

percentages in the tables on federal mandates may not always add to

100 percent. Sampling errors associated with the data in the profiles are

not shown but may be found in the original reports. A discussion of

sampling errors appears in appendix III.

Page 19 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

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Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

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Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

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Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

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Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

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Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

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Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

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Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

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Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

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Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

Page 29 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix II 

Questionnaire for Local Education Agencies

Page 30 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix III 

Technical Appendix

Scope and

Methodology

Overview

We obtained the information presented in this report primarily through

two data collection efforts. The first of these was our survey of school

building conditions conducted in 1994. This survey was sent to a nationally

representative sample of about 10,000 schools and included questions on

the physical condition of buildings, the estimated cost to make needed

repairs, the extent to which schools were able to meet facility

requirements of education reform, and whether schools had sufficient

technology capability. In addition to the school survey, in 1995 we

conducted telephone interviews with SEA officials in all 50 states to gather

information on state-level involvement in school facilities. These

interviews focused on the amount and type of financial assistance states

provided to LEAs, the technical assistance and compliance activities they

performed, and the data they collected on the condition of facilities.

This appendix describes the methodology used in the school survey,

including considerations made in the analysis of the data from this

technically complex study. It also describes the methodology used to

interview SEA officials.

National Survey of

School Facilities

To determine the physical condition of America’s 80,000 schools, including

the extent to which they have the capacity to support 21st century

technology and education reform for all students, we surveyed a national

sample of public schools and their associated districts and augmented the

surveys with visits to selected schools districts. We consulted with various

experts on the design and analysis of this project.9

We sent surveys to a nationally representative sample of about 10,000

public schools in over 5,000 associated school districts. For our sample,

we used the public school sample for the Department of Education’s

1993-94 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), which is a multifaceted,

nationally representative survey sponsored by NCES and administered by

the Bureau of the Census.

We asked about (1) the physical condition of buildings and major building

features, such as roofs, framing, floors, and foundations; (2) the status of

environmental conditions, such as lighting, heating, and ventilation;

(3) how well schools could meet selected functional requirements of

education reforms, such as having space for small- and large-group

instruction; (4) the sufficiency of data, voice, and video technologies and

9

See School Facilities: Condition of America’s Schools (GAO/HEHS-96-61, Feb. 1, 1995), app. III, for a

full list.

Page 31 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix III 

Technical Appendix

the infrastructure to support these technologies; (5) the amount of money

schools spent in the last 3 years or planned to spend in the next 3 years on

selected federal mandates; and (6) an estimate of the total cost of needed

repairs, renovations, and modernizations to put all buildings in good

overall condition. (See app. II for a copy of the survey.)

We directed the survey to those officials who are most knowledgeable

about facilities—such as facilities directors and other central office

administrators of the districts that housed our sampled schools. Our

analyses are based on responses from 78 percent of the schools sampled.

Analyses of nonrespondent characteristics showed them to be similar to

respondents. Findings from the survey have been statistically adjusted

(weighted) to produce estimates that are representative at national and

state levels. All data are self-reported, and we did not independently verify

their accuracy. We administered the survey between May and

October 1994 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing

standards.

Survey Participants For our review of the physical condition of America’s schools, we wanted

to determine physical condition and spending as perceived by the most

knowledgeable school district personnel. To accomplish this, we mailed

questionnaires to superintendents of school districts associated with a

nationally representative sample of public schools. We asked the

superintendents to have district personnel, such as facilities directors who

were very familiar with school facilities, answer the questionnaires. The

questionnaires gathered information about a variety of school facility

issues, including spending associated with federal mandates. For our

school sample, we used the sample for the 1993-94 SASS.

Sampling Strategy The 1993-94 SASS sample is designed to give several types of estimates,

including both national and state-level estimates. It is necessarily a very

complex sample. Essentially, however, it is stratified by state and grade

level (elementary, secondary, and combined). It also has separate strata

for schools with large Native American populations and for Bureau of

Indian Affairs schools. A detailed description of the sample and discussion

of the sampling issues are contained in NCES’ technical report on the

1993-94 SASS sample.10

10Robert Abramson and others, 1993-94 Schools and Staffing Survey: Sample Design and Estimation,

NCES.

Page 32 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix III 

Technical Appendix

Survey Response We mailed our questionnaires to 9,956 sampled schools in 5,459 associated

districts across the country in May 1994. We did a follow-up mailing in July

1994 and again in October 1994. After each mailing, we telephoned

nonresponding districts to encourage their responses. We accepted

returned questionnaires through early January 1995.

Of the 9,956 schools in the original sample, 393 were found to be ineligible

for our survey.11 Subtracting these ineligible schools from our original

sample yielded an adjusted sample of 9,563 schools. The number of

completed, usable school questionnaires returned was 7,478. Dividing the

number of completed, usable returns by the adjusted sample yielded a

school response rate of 78 percent.

We compared nonrespondents with respondents by urbanicity, location,

state, race and ethnicity, and poverty and found few notable differences

between the two groups. On the basis of this information, we assumed that

our respondents did not differ significantly from the nonrespondents.12

Therefore, we weighted the respondent data to adjust for nonresponse and

yield representative national estimates.

Analytic Decisions on

Spending Data

The analyses of school spending on facilities in this report are based on

data from three survey questions: 11, 13, and 14 (see app. II). The dollar

amounts reported by schools for each of these questions varied greatly.

Table III.1, for example, shows the extreme variation in the amounts

schools reported needing to repair or upgrade schools to good overall

condition (survey question 11), by school level.

11Reasons for ineligibility included school was no longer in operation, entity was not a school, entity

was a private rather than public school, and entity was a postsecondary school only.

12Detailed sample and response information for each sample stratum is available upon request from

GAO. See appendix LV for appropriate staff contacts.

Page 33 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix III 

Technical Appendix

Table III.1: Frequency Distribution of

Amounts Reported Needed to Repair

or Upgrade Schools to Good Overall

Condition

Amount reported needed

Elementary

schools

Secondary

schools Combined

Total

(percent)a

$0 9,290 3,056 597 12,943 (16)

$1 to less than $100 22 22 (0)

$100 to less than $1,000 643 213 24 879 (1)

$1,000 to less than $100,000 10,179 3,276 500 13,955 (18)

$100,000 to less than

$1 million 18,882 5,477 952 25,311 (32)

$1 million to less than

$6 million 15,760 6,048 689 22,497 (28)

$6 million to less than

$15 million 1,394 1,379 92 2,865 (4)

$15 million to less than

$50 million 312 588 42 943 (1)

$50 million to less than

$100 million 12 4 16 (0)

$100 million or more 19 5 23 (0)

Total (percent) a 56,500 (71) 20,053 (25) 2,900 (4) 79,454 (100)

aSlight discrepancies in row and column totals are due to rounding.

Except in one case, our examination of those cases reporting extreme

amounts did not produce convincing evidence that the information

reported was inaccurate. For example, in the case of the amounts needed

to repair or upgrade schools to good overall condition, the average school

construction cost in 1994 was $6 million for an elementary school and

$15 million for a high school. However, our site visits revealed one new

school that cost more than $151 million to build. We also know that, in

some cases, costs of repair can be greater than cost of replacement. For

these reasons, we did not exclude as outliers any reported amounts,

except as discussed below.

Our initial analyses published in our first report on school facilities

produced estimates at a national level. Upon examining the data for

reporting state-level estimates, we found an amount reported in one state

appeared to be out of range for a realistic estimate of the specific item in

question. Because sample surveys use weights to produce population

estimates and this particular respondent carried a large weight, this

extreme amount greatly affected survey results for this item. Therefore,

we adjusted this response to equal the median of the amounts reported for

this item by other respondents in the same state. Unless otherwise noted,

Page 34 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix III 

Technical Appendix

national averages in this report that involve this item in the computation

use this adjusted amount.

Sampling Errors All sample surveys are subject to sampling error, that is, the extent to

which the results differ from what would be obtained if the whole

population had received the questionnaire. Since the whole population

does not receive the questionnaire in a sample survey, the true size of the

sampling error cannot be known. It can be estimated, however, from the

responses to the survey. The estimate of sampling error depends largely on

the number of respondents and the amount of variability in the data.

Variability in the data was particularly relevant to analyses of school

spending on facilities. The wide range of dollar amounts reported reduced

the precision with which we could produce dollar estimates. For this

reason, reported amounts needed to repair or upgrade schools to good

overall condition are limited to the range of actual dollar amounts

reported in the sample and do not include state-level estimates. For similar

reasons, estimates on spending for federal mandates are limited to the

national average and median dollar amounts spent and needed per school

and the percent of schools in each state spending or needing to spend

above and below the national average.

Nonsampling Errors In addition to sampling errors, surveys are also subject to other types of

systematic error or bias that can affect results. This is especially true when

respondents are asked to answer questions of a sensitive nature or that are

inherently subject to error. Lack of understanding of these issues can also

result in systematic error. Bias can affect both response rates and the way

respondents answer particular questions. It is not possible to assess the

magnitude of the effect of bias, if any, on survey results. Rather,

possibilities of bias can only be identified and accounted for when

interpreting results. This survey had three major possible sources of bias:

(1) bias inherent in all self-ratings or self-reports (2) bias due to the

complexity of this particular subject matter, and (3) sensitivity of

compliance issues.

Bias inherent in self-rating may impact survey results because the integrity

of the data depends upon respondents’ providing honest and accurate

answers to survey questions. The results of this report are affected by the

extent to which respondents accurately reported expenditures and the

extent to which they provided accurate estimates for projected spending.

Page 35 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix III 

Technical Appendix

When, as in this case, responses are not verified, the possibility of this kind

of bias always exists.13

Such bias may impact the survey results concerning technology in three

ways. First, the self-ratings or self-reports of technological sufficiency may

be overly optimistic for several reasons. In our analyses, we included as

“sufficient” responses that indicated moderate and somewhat sufficient

capability as well as very sufficient capability. This could indicate a wide

range of sufficiency, including some responses that are very close to “not

sufficient.” In addition, our analyses showed that without any objective

standards with which to anchor their responses, schools indicating

“sufficient” computers had computer/student ratios from 1:1 to 1:292 (a

median of 1:11) for those schools that had computers. About 300 schools

that indicated they had no computers for instructional use said that was

sufficient. Finally, technology experts who regularly consult with school

systems report that the level of knowledge among school administrators

and staff of possible use and application of technology in schools is

low—further increasing the likelihood that these sufficiency estimates are

overly optimistic.

Second, assessing the physical condition of buildings is also a very

complex and technical undertaking. Moreover, many facilities problems,

particularly the most serious and dangerous, are not visible to the naked

eye. Further, any dollar estimates made of the cost to repair, retrofit,

upgrade, or renovate are just that—estimates—unless the school has

recently completed such work. The only way school officials actually

know what such work costs is to put it out for bid. Even then, cost

changes may occur before the contracted work is completed. Therefore,

estimates and evaluations reported are subject to inaccuracies.

A third kind of bias that may occur results from the sensitivity of

compliance issues. Our interest in securing information on compliance

with federal mandates put us in a highly sensitive area. For example,

respondents may have perceived that accurately reporting problems in

providing access for disabled students would make the school vulnerable

to lawsuits, despite assurances of confidentiality. Consequently, in such

sensitive areas, schools may have tended toward underreporting or made

conservative estimates.

13Respondents’ misunderstanding of certain legal requirements also may occur. For example, in a

study of implementation of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), we found that 28 to 35 percent

of the barrier removal efforts to comply with legal requirements planned by owners and managers of

establishments covered by ADA were not necessary. See Americans With Disabilities Act: Effects of

the Law on Access to Goods and Services (GAO/PEMD-94-14, June 21, 1994).

Page 36 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix III 

Technical Appendix

Interviews With State

Officials Responsible

for School Facilities

To determine the extent to which states provided funding and technical

assistance and compliance review for school facilities and maintained

information on the condition of school buildings, we conducted telephone

interviews with state officials responsible for school facilities in all 50

states. In nearly all cases, we spoke with SEA staff responsible for school

facilities. In a few states, we also spoke with officials in other state

agencies extensively involved in school facilities. We supplemented this

information with supporting documentation provided by state officials. We

conducted this study from October 1994 to September 1995 in accordance

with generally accepted government auditing standards. All data were

self-reported by state officials. We did not independently verify this

information, although, where necessary for clarification, we conducted

follow-up telephone interviews. The focus of our study was state fiscal

year 1994. Typically, this covered the period from July 1, 1993, to June 30,

1994.

Page 37 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix IV 

State Profile: Alabama

Figure IV.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 32

Attached or detached permanent addition 19

Temporary building 32

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 84

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $1,200 to $10,000,000

Number of schools 1,800

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 717,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,863,676,000

Per student $2,599

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $9,790,992

Per student $14

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 5

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal, State Department of Health,

Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission, State

Building Commission, Department of Risk Management

Insurance

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Through 1994, Alabama provided facilities funding through two broad appropriations categories. One

was the state’s basic education support program, called the Minimum Program Fund, which gave LEAs

$55 per “earned teacher unit” for capital projects. The other, called the Local Boards Program, gave

LEAs aid for facilities maintenance also on an earned teacher unit basis. In addition, the state also

issues bonds for school construction from time to time as needs are identified. In 1985, Alabama

issued $130 million worth of bonds for K-12 school improvements; a similar bond issue was approved

for sale in 1996.

This funding approach, however, is affected by recent court decisions that found the state’s school

finance system unconstitutional because the flat rate for distributing funds did not consider local ability

to raise revenues. Plaintiffs and defendants have agreed to suspend the Minimum Program Fund and

Local Boards Program temporarily and provide all state aid for 1995 as block grants while the legislature develops a plan to eliminate inequities among LEAs.

The Department of Education has two units that provide technical help. The Plans and Surveys Unit

helps LEAs assess building needs through such means as pupil locator maps, which are used to

determine school sites, consolidation needs, grade regrouping, and transportation routes. The School

Architect Unit reviews and approves proposed drawings and specifications to ensure their compliance

with state standards and their educational adequacy. Unit staff also process architectural and construction contracts, monitor construction, and attend final inspections of completed facilities.

The Department maintains a building inventory, called the Site and Facility Enumeration, which is

updated annually. LEAs are responsible for completing the survey, which includes such items as the

construction date, gross area, type of construction, roof type, primary heat source, and accessibility.

The survey also requires the LEA to rate the overall condition of the building on a four-point scale from

“excellent” to “should be razed.”

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 38 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix IV 

State Profile: Alabama

Figure IV.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 39

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 59

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 63

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 37

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 30

Framing, floors, foundations 27

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 29

Interior finishes 30

Plumbing 38

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 43

Electrical power 24

Electrical lighting 30

Life-safety codes 25

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 15

Heating 22

Ventilation 26

Indoor air quality 23

Acoustics 33

Space flexibility 48

Energy efficiency 47

Physical security 36

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 98

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 32 Television 15

Printers 36 VCR/laser disc 35

Networks 59 Cable TV 33

Modems 62 Conduits 62

Modem lines 55 Fiber optic cable 75

Instructional area

phone lines 64

Wiring for

communications 44

Power for

communications 34

Average number of students per computer: 17

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 29

Library or media

center 6

Laboratory

science 42

Teacher planning 10

Private testing/

counseling areas 20

Parent support 30 Day care 83

Social and health

services 41

Before and

after-school care 63

Assessment

material storage 34

Assessment

material display 32

Page 39 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix IV 

State Profile: Alabama

Figure IV.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 34 0 36 30

Accessibility for the disabled 48 3 25 24

All mandates(b) 56 3 15 26

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 21 2 48 29

Accessibility for the disabled 39 4 27 31

All mandates(b) 43 4 14 39

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 40 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix V 

State Profile: Alaska

Figure V.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 37

Attached or detached permanent addition 22

Temporary building 23

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 80

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $4,000 to $46,824,300

Number of schools 463

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 122,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $655,884,000

Per student $5,397

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $273,956,043

Per student $2,254

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 6

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Community Regional Affairs, Department of

Administration, Office of Management and Budget

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Alaska has two main financial assistance programs; one provides for debt service and the other

provides direct grants for capital projects. The debt service program, in existence since 1970, reimburses cities and boroughs at a set percentage of their debt service payments until the bonds are

retired. The legislature annually makes the final decision on whether the bond program will be fully

funded. The percentage of eligible reimbursement varies from 70 to 100 percent and is currently up to

70 percent for new bonds. The capital projects program provides grants for specific construction

projects. Beginning in 1994, LEAs must contribute 2 to 35 percent of the cost, depending on their

ability to pay. To obtain funding under either program, LEAs submit project applications, which are

ranked by the Department of Education on a specified set of criteria and are funded on a priority basis.

The legislature also awards some discretionary grants directly to LEAs for facilities projects.

Some school districts in the state are located in areas without local governments that collect taxes.

Because of this, these districts cannot issue bonds. Consequently, school construction is funded either

by the capital projects grant program or by special appropriation.

Department staff provide limited technical assistance to LEAs. They review construction plans and

design documents for conformance with education specifications but not for compliance with building or

fire codes. Their assistance is primarily in helping LEAs with grant applications and state-required

facility plans and providing training on new regulations or programs as needed.

The Department keeps copies of LEA-prepared facility plans, which are required every 6 years under

state law. Department staff are also gathering data to develop (1) a comprehensive building record

inventory, which would include items such as site acreage, building description, square footage, and

primary systems used in the building; (2) an educational adequacy survey to measure how well the

structure of a facility meets curricular requirements; and (3) a building condition survey to assess the

physical adequacy of facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Page 41 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix V 

State Profile: Alaska

Figure V.2: Extent of Reported Facilities

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 45

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 69

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 80

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 44

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 33

Framing, floors, foundations 27

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 38

Interior finishes 35

Plumbing 33

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 45

Electrical power 49

Electrical lighting 41

Life-safety codes 30

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 28

Heating 39

Ventilation 52

Indoor air quality 50

Acoustics 32

Space flexibility 56

Energy efficiency 44

Physical security 27

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 5

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 36 Television 35

Printers 36 VCR/laser disc 46

Networks 56 Cable TV 56

Modems 57 Conduits 67

Modem lines 54 Fiber optic cable 91

Instructional area

phone lines 61

Wiring for

communications 52

Power for

communications 45

Average number of students per computer: 8

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 14

Large group

instruction 51

Library or media

center 31

Laboratory

science 62

Teacher planning 31

Private testing/

counseling areas 41

Parent support 33 Day care 89

Social and health

services 41

Before and

after-school care 63

Assessment

material storage 47

Assessment

material display 29

Page 42 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix V 

State Profile: Alaska

Figure V.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 37 9 27 27

Accessibility for the disabled 37 9 19 34

All mandates(b) 50 15 11 24

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 31 16 30 22

Accessibility for the disabled 41 13 23 22

All mandates(b) 46 27 11 16

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 43 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix VI 

State Profile: Arizona

Figure VI.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 27

Attached or detached permanent addition 14

Temporary building 29

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 85

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $400 to $30,000,000

Number of schools 1,238

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 673,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,486,377,000

Per student $2,209

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total Unknown

Per student Unknown

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

None

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Arizona has two programs that provide state funding for capital purchases, including school facilities,

each of them part of the state’s foundation funding program. Each LEA receives this state funding as a

block grant, with the amount of funding for capital projects based on a per-pupil rate that varies inversely with the assessed valuation per pupil. Under one of the two programs, the LEA can decide

whether to apply the funding to capital purchases or to operations. The state does not monitor how

much LEAs spend on facilities, but officials estimate that about 30 percent is spent on capital projects.

Under the second program, the LEA is required to use the funding for facilities, equipment, buses, or

other capital purchases.

State officials reported they do not provide technical assistance or perform compliance reviews

related to facilities.

The state legislature recently authorized a statewide school facilities inventory and needs assessment.

The study, published in 1995, collected facilities condition information from each LEA using both

questionnaires and site visits.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 44 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix VI 

State Profile: Arizona

Figure VI.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 41

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 64

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 69

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 36

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 30

Framing, floors, foundations 23

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 21

Interior finishes 23

Plumbing 40

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 38

Electrical power 36

Electrical lighting 32

Life-safety codes 28

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 16

Heating 20

Ventilation 30

Indoor air quality 20

Acoustics 26

Space flexibility 53

Energy efficiency 38

Physical security 25

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 68

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 16 Television 17

Printers 18 VCR/laser disc 23

Networks 46 Cable TV 30

Modems 61 Conduits 56

Modem lines 58 Fiber optic cable 84

Instructional area

phone lines 62

Wiring for

communications 36

Power for

communications 28

Average number of students per computer: 12

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 35

Library or media

center 12

Laboratory

science 44

Teacher planning 11

Private testing/

counseling areas 31

Parent support 29 Day care 72

Social and health

services 26

Before and

after-school care 50

Assessment

material storage 37

Assessment

material display 39

Page 45 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix VI 

State Profile: Arizona

Figure VI.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 51 11 18 20

Accessibility for the disabled 44 12 11 32

All mandates(b) 68 17 6 9

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 38 8 40 14

Accessibility for the disabled 61 12 14 13

All mandates(b) 62 17 8 13

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 46 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix VII 

State Profile: Arkansas

Figure VII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 17

Attached or detached permanent addition 12

Temporary building 14

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 78

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $200 to $10,650,000

Number of schools 1,119

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 443,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,233,248,000

Per student 2,784

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $4,764,506

Per student $11

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 3

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Health, State Building Services, State

Fire Marshal

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Arkansas currently has three facility funding programs. The first was recently approved by the state

legislature and covers three types of financial aid. Funding for repair, renovation, buses, and other

capital items is available to all districts that meet the state’s minimum millage requirement, submit a

facility needs assessment, and meet financial need requirements. Funding for construction and site

acquisition is available based on enrollment growth, and funding for debt service is available to LEAs

with bonded construction debt. The second program, a revolving loan fund begun in 1951, is for a

variety of capital expenses. It provides up to $500,000 per year, with the maximum amount for any LEA

based on the number of students. Loans are for 8 years; rates are set by the State Board of Education

and are usually 1 to 1.5 percent above current bond interest. When loan requests outstrip the amount

in the revolving fund (currently $22 million), the state sells some of the loans to banks. The loan fund

covers its own operating expenses. A third program, which funded energy conservation and was

funded from a court settlement related to oil company overcharges, will end in 1996.

The Department of Education provides information to LEAs on facilities regulations, compliance with the

Americans With Disabilities Act, and hazardous materials. At LEA request, the Department provides

assistance with facilities planning. It also reviews school construction plans for compliance with state

requirements for space and seismic design standards in new construction.

The Department conducted a one-time facilities inventory in 1986 using self-reported data from LEAs.

Information included numbers of buildings and rooms, acreage, original construction dates, dates of

additions, condition of buildings, and fire protection information for insurance. The Department plans to

conduct a statewide facility needs assessment in 1996.

Page 47 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix VII 

State Profile: Arkansas

Figure VII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 25

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 42

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 62

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 20

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 22

Framing, floors, foundations 14

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 20

Interior finishes 15

Plumbing 22

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 19

Electrical power 14

Electrical lighting 19

Life-safety codes 9

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 8

Heating 8

Ventilation 12

Indoor air quality 10

Acoustics 18

Space flexibility 42

Energy efficiency 34

Physical security 21

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 96

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 10 Television 7

Printers 18 VCR/laser disc 22

Networks 37 Cable TV 13

Modems 64 Conduits 43

Modem lines 56 Fiber optic cable 85

Instructional area

phone lines 59

Wiring for

communications 34

Power for

communications 20

Average number of students per computer: 12

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 30

Library or media

center 1

Laboratory

science 26

Teacher planning 4

Private testing/

counseling areas 8

Parent support 11 Day care 87

Social and health

services 12

Before and

after-school care 74

Assessment

material storage 14

Assessment

material display 12

Page 48 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix VII 

State Profile: Arkansas

Figure VII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 45 1 40 15

Accessibility for the disabled 42 3 39 16

All mandates(b) 63 4 17 16

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 54 3 23 21

Accessibility for the disabled 59 2 21 19

All mandates(b) 75 3 13 9

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 49 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix VIII 

State Profile: California

Figure VIII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 32

Attached or detached permanent addition 14

Temporary building 24

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 87

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $600 to $30,000,000

Number of schools 7,666

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 5,090,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $15,409.241,000

Per student $3,027

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $52,000,000

Per student $10

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 20

Number of facilities-related staff (FTEs) in

other state agencies with major responsibility 188

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Office of Public School Construction, Office of Regulation Services-Division of the State Architect, State Fire

Marshal’s Office

Financial

Assistance

California has three main financial assistance programs for school construction--the Lease-Purchase

programs for Growth/New Construction, Modernization, and Reconstruction--which award funding on a

per project basis. They have been funded mainly through state bonds, with priority going to proposals

submitted by LEAs willing to contribute half of the project cost and to LEAs with a substantial portion of

their enrollment in multitrack year-round schools. (In their proposals, LEAs can opt to contribute half the

project cost or contribute nothing.) The state also has separate programs that (1) provide dollar-fordollar matches of amounts LEAs deposit in deferred maintenance funds, (2) help buy and install

portable classrooms for LEAs impacted by emergencies or excessive growth, (3) help pay for asbestos

abatement, and (4) help pay for air conditioning and insulation. Most of these programs received no

funding in 1994, because voters defeated a $1 billion bond proposal. The only funding provided was

$52 million for the deferred maintenance program, which does not depend on state bond sales. In

March 1996, voters approved $3 billion for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary facilities.

Several state agencies share responsibility for school facilities. Department of Education staff review

proposed school sites and building plans for educational adequacy and safety, develop building and site

selection standards, and help LEAs with project applications and facilities planning. The Office of

Regulation Services within the Division of the State Architect, under the Department of General Services, reviews all building plans for compliance with pertinent building codes and laws on handicapped

access, fire suppression, and structural safety. It also supervises the inspection process, meets with

architects and engineers to resolve questions of code interpretation, and develops regulations on

structural safety and accessibility. The State Allocation Board (SAB) allocates funds for construction,

modernization, and deferred maintenance projects. The Office of Public School Construction, within the

Department of General Services, staffs the SAB, administers construction funds, and helps LEAs with

application documentation and SAB policy.

The Division of the State Architect maintains records of building projects dating back to the 1930s but

does not have an inventory of all school buildings. The state does not conduct any formal data collection on the condition of schools.

State's Role in Facilities

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 50 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix VIII 

State Profile: California

Figure VIII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 43

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 71

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 87

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 40

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 40

Framing, floors, foundations 28

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 42

Interior finishes 46

Plumbing 41

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 41

Electrical power 32

Electrical lighting 42

Life-safety codes 21

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 31

Heating 25

Ventilation 29

Indoor air quality 22

Acoustics 34

Space flexibility 70

Energy efficiency 60

Physical security 41

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 67

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 37 Television 21

Printers 40 VCR/laser disc 41

Networks 70 Cable TV 50

Modems 70 Conduits 80

Modem lines 68 Fiber optic cable 93

Instructional area

phone lines 65

Wiring for

communications 69

Power for

communications 56

Average number of students per computer: 21

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 15

Large group

instruction 51

Library or media

center 19

Laboratory

science 58

Teacher planning 21

Private testing/

counseling areas 46

Parent support 39 Day care 76

Social and health

services 41

Before and

after-school care 64

Assessment

material storage 48

Assessment

material display 40

Page 51 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix VIII 

State Profile: California

Figure VIII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 45 9 21 25

Accessibility for the disabled 35 18 13 34

All mandates(b) 58 14 9 19

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 46 8 27 19

Accessibility for the disabled 42 12 22 24

All mandates(b) 59 15 9 16

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 52 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix IX 

State Profile: Colorado

Figure IX.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 21

Attached or detached permanent addition 12

Temporary building 16

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 89

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $2,000 to $15,000,000

Number of schools 1,427

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 625,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,427,506,000

Per student $2,284

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $65,656,512

Per student $105

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0.49

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Labor and Employment, Department of

Public Health and Environment

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Facilities

Information

In Colorado, state school construction funding is part of the state’s equalized basic aid support program.

LEAs are required to set aside at least $202 (but no more than $800) per pupil of their basic aid funding

for facilities construction and major maintenance and insurance and risk management reserves. Basic

aid is typically a combination of state and LEA funding. The state portion of basic aid, and therefore of

the facilities component, varies among the LEAs on the basis of their property valuation per student.

State officials reported they do not provide technical assistance or perform compliance reviews

related to facilities.

State officials reported they collect limited or no information on facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Page 53 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix IX 

State Profile: Colorado

Figure IX.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 32

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 58

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 63

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 23

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 26

Framing, floors, foundations 9

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 24

Interior finishes 26

Plumbing 28

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 41

Electrical power 31

Electrical lighting 27

Life-safety codes 17

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 22

Heating 29

Ventilation 37

Indoor air quality 24

Acoustics 22

Space flexibility 46

Energy efficiency 40

Physical security 13

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 28

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 21 Television 17

Printers 24 VCR/laser disc 30

Networks 37 Cable TV 29

Modems 62 Conduits 50

Modem lines 57 Fiber optic cable 88

Instructional area

phone lines 45

Wiring for

communications 38

Power for

communications 33

Average number of students per computer: 13

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 5

Large group

instruction 38

Library or media

center 5

Laboratory

science 37

Teacher planning 10

Private testing/

counseling areas 22

Parent support 16 Day care 65

Social and health

services 25

Before and

after-school care 45

Assessment

material storage 25

Assessment

material display 23

Page 54 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix IX 

State Profile: Colorado

Figure IX.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 35 14 26 25

Accessibility for the disabled 36 11 12 41

All mandates(b) 55 15 11 19

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 24 23 36 17

Accessibility for the disabled 52 17 18 13

All mandates(b) 52 24 10 14

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 55 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix X 

State Profile: Connecticut

Figure X.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 27

Attached or detached permanent addition 14

Temporary building 8

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 77

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $600 to $35,000,000

Number of schools 1,006

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 490,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,700,937,000

Per student $3,471

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $137,541,140

Per student $281

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 9

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Environmental Protection, Department of

Public Works, Department of Health Services, Department of Public Safety-State Fire Marshal and State

Building Department

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Connecticut provides facilities financial assistance through two programs. LEAs may use the funds for

direct costs or debt service, and the source of the funding is sale of state bonds. The first program

provides grants for construction, renovation, roof replacements, and energy efficiency projects costing

at least $10,000. All LEAs are eligible and receive from 20 to 80 percent of project costs on the basis of

a formula that considers local wealth and real estate valuation as well as the project’s square footage

and projected enrollment. A second program funds regional projects such as special education,

vocational agriculture, and interdistrict magnet schools. These projects are eligible for higher state

funding rates--in some cases up to 100 percent. The Department of Education prepares prioritized lists

of approved projects, which are subsequently reviewed and approved by the governor and state

legislature. Projects are prioritized in three categories: those designed to meet mandated educational

programs, those to enhance them, and those that address nonprogram needs such as roof replacements, space for support services, or energy conservation improvements. Projects to correct building

or fire code violations are also eligible for state reimbursement of from 20 to 80 percent but are approved directly by the Department and do not require legislative approval.

School Facilities Unit staff review and approve architectural plans for compliance with building, health,

and fire codes as well as for federal safety and accessibility standards.

The Department limits its information collection to the records, forms, and documentation associated

with the projects under review at any given time. General information on facilities condition is not

collected.

Page 56 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix X 

State Profile: Connecticut

Figure X.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 32

Framing, floors, foundations 11

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 23

Interior finishes 22

Plumbing 25

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 32

Electrical power 29

Electrical lighting 21

Life-safety codes 28

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 9

Heating 24

Ventilation 35

Indoor air quality 18

Acoustics 28

Space flexibility 48

Energy efficiency 37

Physical security 22

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 22

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 26 Television 25

Printers 30 VCR/laser disc 35

Networks 64 Cable TV 42

Modems 55 Conduits 63

Modem lines 52 Fiber optic cable 91

Instructional area

phone lines 53

Wiring for

communications 55

Power for

communications 41

Average number of students per computer: 14

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 30

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 58

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 68

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 30

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 5

Large group

instruction 34

Library or media

center 13

Laboratory

science 44

Teacher planning 11

Private testing/

counseling areas 23

Parent support 23 Day care 73

Social and health

services 10

Before and

after-school care 54

Assessment

material storage 27

Assessment

material display 19

Page 57 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix X 

State Profile: Connecticut

Figure X.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 35 18 25 21

Accessibility for the disabled 24 12 25 40

All mandates(b) 46 28 12 14

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 29 22 33 16

Accessibility for the disabled 17 22 35 25

All mandates(b) 32 28 22 18

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 58 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XI 

State Profile: Delaware

Figure XI.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 30

Attached or detached permanent addition 8

Temporary building 36

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 97

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $26,000 to $15,000,000

Number of schools 165

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 107,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $459,796,000

Per student $4,305

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $29,373,300

Per student $275

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 2

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal’s Office, Department of Natural

Resources and Environmental Control, Department of

Health and Social Services-Division of Public Health,

Department of Administrative Services-Division of

Facilities Management, State Budget Office

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Delaware provides funding for school facilities through three programs. One program provides funding

to LEAs for major capital improvements projects costing more than $175,000. The program requires

LEAs to contribute 20 to 40 percent of project costs, depending on ability to pay. The second program,

which is for scheduled maintenance and repairs, provides each LEA with a portion of available funding

based on the size of the LEA’s enrollment. LEAs must match the state’s allocation at 40 percent to

participate. The third program is the annual maintenance program, which provides funding to LEAs for

unscheduled repairs using a flat-rate formula that considers building age and enrollment.

The Department of Public Instruction provides information to LEAs on program procedures and requirements and offers guidance on interpreting rules and regulations. It also provides assistance with

planning upon LEA request, and, from time to time, it provides training on topics such as minimizing

costs. The Department performs minimal compliance duties; architectural plans are reviewed at the

local level for compliance with building codes and other requirements.

The Department is developing a computerized inventory of floor and site plans. It also reviews LEA lists

of planned projects but does not collect information on the condition of facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 59 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XI 

State Profile: Delaware

Figure XI.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 40

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 70

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 65

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 31

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 36

Framing, floors, foundations 18

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 36

Interior finishes 38

Plumbing 50

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 48

Electrical power 44

Electrical lighting 38

Life-safety codes 26

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 9

Heating 26

Ventilation 30

Indoor air quality 26

Acoustics 19

Space flexibility 49

Energy efficiency 46

Physical security 22

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 42

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 44 Television 33

Printers 53 VCR/laser disc 61

Networks 66 Cable TV 45

Modems 83 Conduits 77

Modem lines 83 Fiber optic cable 93

Instructional area

phone lines 82

Wiring for

communications 70

Power for

communications 49

Average number of students per computer: 18

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 16

Large group

instruction 30

Library or media

center 29

Laboratory

science 59

Teacher planning 14

Private testing/

counseling areas 21

Parent support 32 Day care 77

Social and health

services 34

Before and

after-school care 52

Assessment

material storage 34

Assessment

material display 39

Page 60 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XI 

State Profile: Delaware

Figure XI.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 32 23 9 36

Accessibility for the disabled 60 7 7 26

All mandates(b) 63 19 0 18

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 47 30 19 4

Accessibility for the disabled 60 14 16 10

All mandates(b) 75 20 2 3

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 61 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XII 

State Profile: District of Columbia

Figure XII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 49

Attached or detached permanent addition 21

Temporary building 0

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 97

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $240,000 to $25,700,000

Number of schools 173

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 81,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total Not applicable (N/A)

Per student N/A

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total N/A

Per student N/A

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) N/A

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

N/A

Because the District of Columbia is not a state and is organized as a single school district, it was not included in our review

of state support of school facilities. However, District of Columbia schools were included in our national survey of school

building conditions, and the relevant data from that survey are reported here.

Page 62 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XII 

State Profile: District of Columbia

Figure XII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 49

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 91

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 73

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 50

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 67

Framing, floors, foundations 51

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 72

Interior finishes 46

Plumbing 65

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 66

Electrical power 50

Electrical lighting 53

Life-safety codes 51

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 40

Heating 31

Ventilation 34

Indoor air quality 32

Acoustics 52

Space flexibility 52

Energy efficiency 54

Physical security 37

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 47

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 22 Television 22

Printers 31 VCR/laser disc 31

Networks 37 Cable TV 26

Modems 50 Conduits 50

Modem lines 53 Fiber optic cable 58

Instructional area

phone lines 53

Wiring for

communications 46

Power for

communications 41

Average number of students per computer: 17

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 30

Library or media

center 13

Laboratory

science 46

Teacher planning 10

Private testing/

counseling areas 22

Parent support 14 Day care 47

Social and health

services 30

Before and

after-school care 46

Assessment

material storage 31

Assessment

material display 21

Page 63 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XII 

State Profile: District of Columbia

Figure XII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 8 2 3 88

Accessibility for the disabled 7 0 1 92

All mandates(b) 20 1 1 77

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 7 4 22 67

Accessibility for the disabled 38 56 4 2

All mandates(b) 69 24 2 4

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 64 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XIII 

State Profile: Florida

Figure XIII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 18

Attached or detached permanent addition 11

Temporary building 21

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 85

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $354 to $28,970,500

Number of schools 2,446

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 1,994,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $5,940,285,000

Per student $2,979

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $579,182,541

Per student $290

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 72

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Labor and Employment Security,

Housing and Rehabilitation Services, State Fire

Marshal's Office

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Florida has eight financial assistance programs, all funded from a gross receipts tax on utilities and

motor vehicle licensing revenue. Two programs allocate funds to LEAs on the basis of district enrollment growth relative to statewide growth and are restricted to projects identified in LEA 5-year facility

plans. A third provides maintenance funding based on square footage, age, and replacement costs of

buildings. The other programs provide funds for specific projects such as joint-use facilities. The state

also has one program that targets project funding to LEAs with limited ability to raise local revenues.

In fiscal year 1996, the Department of Education’s school facilities staff was cut from 72 full-timeequivalent positions to 28. Before these changes, the Department was highly involved in facility

planning, design, construction, and safety; all responsibility for these areas has since been given to the

district school boards. Department staff are acting as consultants when asked and continue to provide

some technical assistance to LEAs. The Department also continues to implement the state’s training

and certification program for building code inspectors of educational facilities. It is also responsible for

developing facility regulations, although many of these will now be considered guidelines rather than

requirements. Regarding compliance activities, the Department provides building plan review for LEAs

that cannot afford to pay for these services. Previously, the Department reviewed nearly all plans for

building code compliance and conducted on-site structural inspections of new construction. Other

activities formerly done by the Department include conducting facilities-related research, performing

postoccupancy reviews, and administering a product evaluation program.

Florida collects facilities information through two programs. The Florida Inventory of School Houses is a

computerized, annually updated inventory with detailed information on sites, buildings, and rooms,

including a condition rating (satisfactory or unsatisfactory) for each room and facility assigned by state

inspectors. Its square footage data are used to allocate state-provided maintenance money, and its

ratings determine eligibility for state funding (buildings rated unsatisfactory are not eligible for state aid,

except to correct life/safety problems). The second program is a requirement that LEAs submit an

educational plant survey at least once every 5 years. The survey includes a proposed building plan and

data on existing facilities, programs, and projected enrollment growth. The survey dictates what

projects can be undertaken as state aid is generally restricted to survey recommended projects.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 65 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XIII 

State Profile: Florida

Figure XIII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 31

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 57

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 80

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 25

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 23

Framing, floors, foundations 20

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 25

Interior finishes 32

Plumbing 32

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 40

Electrical power 28

Electrical lighting 27

Life-safety codes 9

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 16

Heating 18

Ventilation 35

Indoor air quality 31

Acoustics 28

Space flexibility 57

Energy efficiency 54

Physical security 34

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 98

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 29 Television 9

Printers 29 VCR/laser disc 29

Networks 66 Cable TV 20

Modems 65 Conduits 68

Modem lines 63 Fiber optic cable 88

Instructional area

phone lines 62

Wiring for

communications 64

Power for

communications 42

Average number of students per computer: 12

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 43

Library or media

center 9

Laboratory

science 44

Teacher planning 16

Private testing/

counseling areas 26

Parent support 24 Day care 69

Social and health

services 23

Before and

after-school care 43

Assessment

material storage 29

Assessment

material display 29

Page 66 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XIII 

State Profile: Florida

Figure XIII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 45 25 12 18

Accessibility for the disabled 39 18 11 32

All mandates(b) 54 29 5 12

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 49 12 25 14

Accessibility for the disabled 42 6 19 33

All mandates(b) 65 13 8 14

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 67 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XIV 

State Profile: Georgia

Figure XIV.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 18

Attached or detached permanent addition 9

Temporary building 15

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 62

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $375 to $14,000,000

Number of schools 1,766

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 1,227,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $3,130,675,000

Per student $2,552

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $151,170,000

Per student $123

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 18

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal's Office, Department of Human

Resources

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Georgia provides construction aid to LEAs through a system of annual entitlements, which are computed on the basis of a district’s demonstrated need relative to total needs statewide. LEAs may let

entitlements accrue and request funding for specific projects as needs arise, allowing them to undertake

significant projects rather than make minor repairs year after year. They can also obtain advances on

future entitlements. State law requires LEAs to submit a 5-year comprehensive facilities plan and

contribute 10 to 25 percent of project costs, with the percentage dependent on ability to pay. Georgia

recently established a second entitlement program to help LEAs experiencing exceptional growth. In

this program, LEAs earn entitlements on the basis of their increase in enrollment relative to the total

increase in enrollment statewide.

Staff in the Department of Education’s Facilities Services Section, recently reduced by one-third as part

of a general downsizing of the Department, provide a number of technical assistance services to LEAs.

Field consultants are assigned to LEAs and assist district staff develop long-range plans, conduct

organizational studies, and move through the application process. Department staff provide training to

LEA staff and others on such topics as program planning, facilities standards, architect selection, and

building code changes. The Department’s architect staff review all project plans for compliance with

state education program facility standards and building codes and serve as an information center for

hazardous materials.

All LEAs must prepare a local facilities plan at least once every 5 years. The plan is based upon

defined education program needs and includes an architect’s assessment of building conditions and

details about improvements and new construction needed, including cost estimates. The plan also

includes an annually updated facilities inventory. To qualify for state funding, facility plans must be

validated by an outside survey team and approved by the Department of Education.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 68 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XIV 

State Profile: Georgia

Figure XIV.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 26

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 37

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 48

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 18

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 24

Framing, floors, foundations 9

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 14

Interior finishes 11

Plumbing 18

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 16

Electrical power 17

Electrical lighting 14

Life-safety codes 10

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 7

Heating 12

Ventilation 12

Indoor air quality 8

Acoustics 12

Space flexibility 36

Energy efficiency 32

Physical security 17

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 93

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 12 Television 15

Printers 14 VCR/laser disc 29

Networks 34 Cable TV 13

Modems 48 Conduits 58

Modem lines 53 Fiber optic cable 87

Instructional area

phone lines 72

Wiring for

communications 44

Power for

communications 38

Average number of students per computer: 13

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 23

Library or media

center 0

Laboratory

science 38

Teacher planning 14

Private testing/

counseling areas 12

Parent support 17 Day care 65

Social and health

services 22

Before and

after-school care 44

Assessment

material storage 21

Assessment

material display 20

Page 69 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XIV 

State Profile: Georgia

Figure XIV.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 35 5 39 21

Accessibility for the disabled 57 11 19 13

All mandates(b) 69 8 15 8

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 22 4 46 28

Accessibility for the disabled 35 7 35 22

All mandates(b) 44 5 23 28

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 70 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XV 

State Profile: Hawaii

Figure XV.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 16

Attached or detached permanent addition 6

Temporary building 11

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 73

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $10,000 to $40,000,000

Number of schools 240

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 180,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,074,180,000

Per student $5,975

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $133,088,000

Per student $740

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 18

Number of facilities-related staff (FTEs) in other

state agencies with major responsibility 99

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Accounting and General Services,

Department of Budget and Finance, Department of

Health, State Fire Marshal’s Office, Department of Land

and Natural Resources

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Because Hawaii has a single school system with no independent local districts, school construction is

entirely state funded. The major funding source is the State Educational Facilities Improvement Special

Fund, created in 1989 to provide $90 million per year for 10 years. The Department of Education

prioritizes projects for this program and submits them for approval by the legislature. The legislature

also has discretion to appropriate other moneys for specific projects.

The school construction process involves several other agencies besides the Department of Education.

The Department initiates the project request, contributes to preliminary design from an educational

perspective, and obtains approval for any variances from educational specifications. Actual design,

engineering, bidding, contracting, and inspection of projects is handled by the Department of Accounting

and General Services, which has responsibility for all state-owned buildings. This agency also reviews

the plans to ensure their compliance with building codes. The Department of Budget and Finance

approves the advertisement for bid, ensures that all needed permits have been obtained, reviews

allotment requests, and releases funds.

The Department of Education maintains an annually updated inventory of school buildings and other

facilities. This inventory includes information on construction type, designed and actual use, square

footage, and air conditioning. The Department also collects information on the condition of schools

through an annual school inspection program that uses teams of staff, administrators, students,

parents, community members, and/or legislators to assess buildings and grounds from a user perspective. These teams evaluate several building aspects, including interiors and exteriors, grounds, furniture, health and safety, and sanitation, using standards developed by the Department of Education and

the Department of Accounting and General Services. In addition to these efforts, the Department of

Accounting and General Services and the Department of Education conduct annual school inspections

to identify needed major repair and maintenance projects.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 71 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XV 

State Profile: Hawaii

Figure XV.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 21

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 57

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 78

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 18

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 16

Framing, floors, foundations 14

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 16

Interior finishes 17

Plumbing 20

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 37

Electrical power 27

Electrical lighting 17

Life-safety codes 5

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 8

Heating 6

Ventilation 26

Indoor air quality 21

Acoustics 38

Space flexibility 54

Energy efficiency 17

Physical security 40

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 18

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 39 Television 5

Printers 45 VCR/laser disc 30

Networks 72 Cable TV 19

Modems 76 Conduits 82

Modem lines 80 Fiber optic cable 90

Instructional area

phone lines 75

Wiring for

communications 75

Power for

communications 61

Average number of students per computer: 16

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 3

Large group

instruction 36

Library or media

center 25

Laboratory

science 49

Teacher planning 20

Private testing/

counseling areas 31

Parent support 33 Day care 76

Social and health

services 21

Before and

after-school care 24

Assessment

material storage 39

Assessment

material display 28

Page 72 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XV 

State Profile: Hawaii

Figure XV.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 34 20 24 22

Accessibility for the disabled 16 25 24 35

All mandates(b) 32 28 15 24

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 21 12 28 38

Accessibility for the disabled 20 14 22 44

All mandates(b) 26 21 10 43

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 73 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XVI 

State Profile: Idaho

Figure XVI.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 27

Attached or detached permanent addition 15

Temporary building 13

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 87

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $500 to $20,000,000

Number of schools 642

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 237,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $580,978,000

Per student $2,454

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $7,015,342

Per student $30

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0.74

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Labor and Industrial Services, State Fire

Marshal, Department of Health and Welfare

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Idaho has two programs that provide funding for facility improvement. The first, funded with state

lottery revenues, is distributed to LEAs on the basis of attendance and may be used for construction,

renovation, major maintenance, and school buses. The second program, funded through appropriations, is for technology. Funds from this program, which can be used for both facilities and equipment,

are distributed to LEAs on the basis of attendance and through competitive grants. Grant proposals are

ranked by a private contractor, and projects are fully funded in rank order until the appropriation is

depleted.

Department of Education staff provide information and training to LEAs on facilities regulations and

processes and on architectural matters. They review architectural plans for all school facilities projects

(including those that do not receive state funding) to ensure that the state’s education specifications are

met.

In 1992, in response to a legislative mandate, Idaho published a one-time, statewide study of the

condition of school facilities that included data on construction, renovation, replacement, and technology

needs. An independent contractor made on-site inspections to gather information for the study.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 74 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XVI 

State Profile: Idaho

Figure XVI.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 32

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 56

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 64

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 31

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 31

Framing, floors, foundations 20

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 18

Interior finishes 18

Plumbing 32

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 37

Electrical power 29

Electrical lighting 24

Life-safety codes 20

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 13

Heating 20

Ventilation 36

Indoor air quality 26

Acoustics 35

Space flexibility 54

Energy efficiency 42

Physical security 22

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 26

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 25 Television 23

Printers 32 VCR/laser disc 44

Networks 56 Cable TV 43

Modems 64 Conduits 72

Modem lines 59 Fiber optic cable 91

Instructional area

phone lines 72

Wiring for

communications 51

Power for

communications 37

Average number of students per computer: 13

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 30

Library or media

center 13

Laboratory

science 34

Teacher planning 12

Private testing/

counseling areas 19

Parent support 16 Day care 86

Social and health

services 29

Before and

after-school care 76

Assessment

material storage 30

Assessment

material display 30

Page 75 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XVI 

State Profile: Idaho

Figure XVI.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 42 1 38 19

Accessibility for the disabled 39 5 29 27

All mandates(b) 57 4 24 16

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 28 4 49 18

Accessibility for the disabled 46 7 24 23

All mandates(b) 55 7 14 24

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 76 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XVII 

State Profile: Illinois

Figure XVII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 29

Attached or detached permanent addition 9

Temporary building 4

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 89

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $500 to $20,000,000

Number of schools 4,300

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 1,750,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $3,611,500,000

Per student $2,064

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total No assistance provided

Per student

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 11

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Public Health, State Environmental

Protection Agency, Department of Energy, State Fire

Marshal

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Illinois does not currently provide state funding for school construction and renovation. From 1973 to

1980, the state provided a portion of the cost of school facilities projects. The state share ranged from

30 to 80 percent and was based in part on assessed valuation per pupil.

The Department of Education provides facilities-related information to LEAs, but its main facilitiesrelated activity involves approving LEA requests to raise levies up to 5 mills, without a popular vote, to

correct school facility life/safety problems. The Department’s architects review the problems and the

accuracy of the LEAs’ cost estimates to correct them.

In the early 1990s, the Department conducted a school facilities inventory that included information on

asbestos, accessibility, and life safety hazards.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 77 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XVII 

State Profile: Illinois

Figure XVII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 31

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 62

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 70

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 31

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 23

Framing, floors, foundations 21

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 30

Interior finishes 26

Plumbing 38

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 45

Electrical power 28

Electrical lighting 28

Life-safety codes 24

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 14

Heating 21

Ventilation 29

Indoor air quality 19

Acoustics 29

Space flexibility 55

Energy efficiency 38

Physical security 24

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 27

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 30 Television 23

Printers 39 VCR/laser disc 44

Networks 58 Cable TV 43

Modems 66 Conduits 69

Modem lines 63 Fiber optic cable 87

Instructional area

phone lines 64

Wiring for

communications 53

Power for

communications 41

Average number of students per computer: 19

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 14

Large group

instruction 46

Library or media

center 18

Laboratory

science 47

Teacher planning 15

Private testing/

counseling areas 37

Parent support 23 Day care 79

Social and health

services 26

Before and

after-school care 69

Assessment

material storage 33

Assessment

material display 36

Page 78 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XVII 

State Profile: Illinois

Figure XVII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 53 14 20 14

Accessibility for the disabled 36 10 33 20

All mandates(b) 59 16 13 12

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 36 31 21 12

Accessibility for the disabled 54 10 23 12

All mandates(b) 46 35 6 14

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 79 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XVIII 

State Profile: Indiana

Figure XVIII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 28

Attached or detached permanent addition 12

Temporary building 3

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 85

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $1,800 to $75,155,500

Number of schools 1,905

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 964,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $2,991,907,000

Per student $3,102

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $149,863,628

Per student $155

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 4

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal, Office of the Building Commissioner,

State Department of Health, State Tax Board

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Indiana has three programs that provide funds for school facilities. One program provides LEAs with an

annual grant of $40 per pupil to service bonded debt incurred for capital projects. The other two

programs use revolving funds to provide loans to LEAs for direct costs of school construction and major

maintenance. The first of these funds originated when Indiana gained statehood and currently provides

loans of up to $15 million to LEAs ranking in the lowest 40 percent in assessed valuation per pupil.

Seventy-five percent of the revolving fund must be loaned for capital improvement projects and 25

percent for technical infrastructure or equipment. The second program targets LEAs that need additional classrooms because of higher-than-average student-to-classroom ratios or because of damage

from such things as fires or natural disasters. LEAs may borrow $4,000 per pupil (up to $250,000 per

school) at 1 percent interest. The original source of this fund was unclaimed state bonus checks

awarded to soldiers who served in World War II and the Korean War.

Department of Education staff provide information on facilities guidelines and advise LEA officials on

planning, financing, and construction of facilities projects.

The Department recently completed a statewide facilities inventory containing data on the age, size,

type of heating system, and presence of alarm system for each building. Information was self- reported

by the LEAs using a written survey and did not include information on facilities condition. Department

staff will update this information as LEAs submit construction and renovation project plans.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 80 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XVIII 

State Profile: Indiana

Figure XVIII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 29

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 56

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 67

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 28

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 15

Framing, floors, foundations 14

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 22

Interior finishes 21

Plumbing 29

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 43

Electrical power 34

Electrical lighting 29

Life-safety codes 25

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 23

Heating 21

Ventilation 29

Indoor air quality 21

Acoustics 33

Space flexibility 55

Energy efficiency 37

Physical security 18

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 54

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 16 Television 13

Printers 18 VCR/laser disc 24

Networks 42 Cable TV 27

Modems 51 Conduits 52

Modem lines 55 Fiber optic cable 83

Instructional area

phone lines 58

Wiring for

communications 43

Power for

communications 32

Average number of students per computer: 11

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 10

Large group

instruction 35

Library or media

center 6

Laboratory

science 33

Teacher planning 15

Private testing/

counseling areas 24

Parent support 18 Day care 70

Social and health

services 9

Before and

after-school care 48

Assessment

material storage 27

Assessment

material display 23

Page 81 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XVIII 

State Profile: Indiana

Figure XVIII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 47 8 20 24

Accessibility for the disabled 48 16 10 25

All mandates(b) 67 14 7 12

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 45 3 37 15

Accessibility for the disabled 53 17 21 9

All mandates(b) 56 19 12 14

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 82 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XIX 

State Profile: Iowa

Figure XIX.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 15

Attached or detached permanent addition 8

Temporary building 8

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 79

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $800 to $8,500,000

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Number of schools 1,555

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 497,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,324,702,000

Per student $2,665

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total No assistance provided

Per student

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 1.2

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal's Office, Department of Natural

Resources-Bureau of Energy

Iowa does not provide financial assistance for facilities.

For projects costing $25,000 or more, Department of Education staff review plans for educational

adequacy. They can offer guidance to LEAs on design modifications but cannot require LEAs to make

any changes.

The Department of Education maintains an inventory of buildings, including information on building age,

type, number of floors and accessibility using surveys completed by LEAs. This annual inventory,

halted for several years by lack of staff, was recently reimplemented and includes new information on

room utilization and the availability of appropriate curriculum space.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 83 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XIX 

State Profile: Iowa

Figure XIX.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 19

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 50

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 67

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 17

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 21

Framing, floors, foundations 7

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 16

Interior finishes 16

Plumbing 21

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 25

Electrical power 17

Electrical lighting 22

Life-safety codes 13

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 10

Heating 11

Ventilation 24

Indoor air quality 17

Acoustics 28

Space flexibility 55

Energy efficiency 33

Physical security 24

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 22

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 15 Television 4

Printers 16 VCR/laser disc 21

Networks 44 Cable TV 13

Modems 48 Conduits 50

Modem lines 44 Fiber optic cable 85

Instructional area

phone lines 55

Wiring for

communications 31

Power for

communications 15

Average number of students per computer: 11

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 33

Library or media

center 9

Laboratory

science 29

Teacher planning 5

Private testing/

counseling areas 16

Parent support 21 Day care 84

Social and health

services 19

Before and

after-school care 64

Assessment

material storage 20

Assessment

material display 21

Page 84 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XIX 

State Profile: Iowa

Figure XIX.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 64 11 12 14

Accessibility for the disabled 45 6 20 28

All mandates(b) 73 9 6 12

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 47 2 33 18

Accessibility for the disabled 44 14 22 20

All mandates(b) 57 12 13 19

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 85 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XX 

State Profile: Kansas

Figure XX.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 34

Attached or detached permanent addition 14

Temporary building 19

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 88

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $500 to $15,000,000

Number of schools 1,500

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 437,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,249,528,000

Per student $2,858

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $7,000,000

Per student $16

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 1

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Health and Environment, State Fire

Marshal, Department of Human Resources

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

In Kansas, all unified school districts that pass bond measures for school construction or major maintenance are eligible to receive state funding for debt service. The funding is a demand transfer, similar to

an entitlement program. The amount received is determined using a formula based on the school

district’s ability to pay. Under this formula, wealthier districts receive little or no funding from the

program.

The Department of Education reviews architectural plans for compliance with fire and safety codes and

the Americans With Disabilities Act, and it responds to facilities-related questions from LEAs.

In 1991-92, the Department conducted a one-time inventory of all schools in the state. The information

included the number, age, location, and use of facilities. They do not collect information on the condition of facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 86 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XX 

State Profile: Kansas

Figure XX.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 38

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 55

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 74

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 34

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 28

Framing, floors, foundations 20

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 27

Interior finishes 26

Plumbing 32

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 42

Electrical power 32

Electrical lighting 25

Life-safety codes 18

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 22

Heating 22

Ventilation 35

Indoor air quality 24

Acoustics 30

Space flexibility 57

Energy efficiency 50

Physical security 22

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 63

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 23 Television 18

Printers 28 VCR/laser disc 35

Networks 44 Cable TV 31

Modems 47 Conduits 57

Modem lines 44 Fiber optic cable 89

Instructional area

phone lines 62

Wiring for

communications 41

Power for

communications 34

Average number of students per computer: 10

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 53

Library or media

center 16

Laboratory

science 40

Teacher planning 13

Private testing/

counseling areas 30

Parent support 21 Day care 87

Social and health

services 24

Before and

after-school care 61

Assessment

material storage 33

Assessment

material display 34

Page 87 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XX 

State Profile: Kansas

Figure XX.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 60 8 17 15

Accessibility for the disabled 50 8 14 27

All mandates(b) 67 11 11 10

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 47 9 33 11

Accessibility for the disabled 48 13 23 16

All mandates(b) 63 14 15 8

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 88 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXI 

State Profile: Kentucky

Figure XXI.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 24

Attached or detached permanent addition 13

Temporary building 18

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 81

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $500 to $200,000,000

Number of schools 1,366

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 640,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $2,184,182,000

Per student $3,415

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $66,380,260

Per student $104

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 11

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal's Office; Department of Housing,

Building, and Construction; Health Department; Division

of Water; Division of Air Quality

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Kentucky provides construction funding to LEAs through three programs. The first requires participating

LEAs to levy at least $.05 per $100 of property assessment for school facilities, which the state equalizes at 150 percent of the statewide average per pupil assessment. The second program, which is part

of the state’s basic foundation funding, provides each LEA with a capital outlay allotment of $100 per

student. Under the third program, the School Facilities Construction Commission appropriates available

funding to LEAs on the basis of their proportion of all unmet facility needs in the state.

The Department of Education assists LEAs through all phases of the construction process including

facility planning, site selection, budgeting, and construction. It provides help in such areas as architect

selection, bidding costs, property disposal, hazardous materials, and construction finance. Department

staff also consult on architectural, legal, and engineering issues and provide training to local committees

responsible for developing facility plans. They also review architectural plans for conformance with

education specifications and ensure that plans are submitted to the Department of Housing and Building

Construction for compliance with various building and life/safety codes. Additional compliance responsibilities include verifying proposed facility plans, inspecting proposed sites and completed construction,

and reviewing such matters as project budget scopes, property leases, and construction management

contracts.

Kentucky maintains a statewide building inventory that provides detailed information on building

systems and construction materials as well as the building age and use. The state also requires that

each LEA prepare a facility plan once every 4 years. The plans include a standard assessment of

building condition, completed by a registered architect or certified engineer, that covers several aspects

of the site, exterior building features, and interior conditions.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 89 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXI 

State Profile: Kentucky

Figure XXI.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 31

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 59

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 63

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 29

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 34

Framing, floors, foundations 14

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 26

Interior finishes 23

Plumbing 24

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 38

Electrical power 25

Electrical lighting 27

Life-safety codes 20

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 15

Heating 18

Ventilation 26

Indoor air quality 19

Acoustics 26

Space flexibility 50

Energy efficiency 44

Physical security 21

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 92

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 13 Television 3

Printers 20 VCR/laser disc 23

Networks 36 Cable TV 8

Modems 57 Conduits 50

Modem lines 56 Fiber optic cable 75

Instructional area

phone lines 67

Wiring for

communications 36

Power for

communications 25

Average number of students per computer: 10

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 4

Large group

instruction 30

Library or media

center 6

Laboratory

science 35

Teacher planning 8

Private testing/

counseling areas 20

Parent support 22 Day care 78

Social and health

services 27

Before and

after-school care 62

Assessment

material storage 26

Assessment

material display 19

Page 90 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXI 

State Profile: Kentucky

Figure XXI.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 47 6 29 18

Accessibility for the disabled 37 7 26 30

All mandates(b) 63 6 14 16

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 34 8 46 12

Accessibility for the disabled 31 11 37 21

All mandates(b) 47 13 19 21

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 91 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXII 

State Profile: Louisiana

Figure XXII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 28

Attached or detached permanent addition 9

Temporary building 25

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 88

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $1,000 to $10,000,000

Number of schools 1,500

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 783,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,912,880,000

Per student $2,443

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total No assistance provided

Per student

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Environmental Quality, State Fire

Marshal's Office, Health Department

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Louisiana does not provide funding for facilities construction. Districts may use state foundation funding

to pay for routine maintenance and repairs but are not required to do so.

Department of Education staff are not involved in providing technical assistance or in any compliance

review activities other than ensuring that the State Fire Marshal has made a site visit to new buildings.

Currently, the Department collects no information on school facilities. Recent legislation required the

development of a facilities database, but it is not clear when implementation will begin.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 92 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXII 

State Profile: Louisiana

Figure XXII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 39

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 50

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 66

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 34

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 28

Framing, floors, foundations 24

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 31

Interior finishes 30

Plumbing 25

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 27

Electrical power 30

Electrical lighting 25

Life-safety codes 28

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 18

Heating 18

Ventilation 7

Indoor air quality 6

Acoustics 28

Space flexibility 53

Energy efficiency 48

Physical security 30

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 96

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 32 Television 18

Printers 39 VCR/laser disc 40

Networks 62 Cable TV 43

Modems 60 Conduits 62

Modem lines 66 Fiber optic cable 88

Instructional area

phone lines 79

Wiring for

communications 47

Power for

communications 39

Average number of students per computer: 21

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 7

Large group

instruction 31

Library or media

center 13

Laboratory

science 44

Teacher planning 13

Private testing/

counseling areas 32

Parent support 25 Day care 82

Social and health

services 26

Before and

after-school care 64

Assessment

material storage 34

Assessment

material display 27

Page 93 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXII 

State Profile: Louisiana

Figure XXII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 50 14 13 24

Accessibility for the disabled 50 10 10 30

All mandates(b) 67 14 3 16

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 42 3 37 18

Accessibility for the disabled 56 12 19 14

All mandates(b) 62 15 6 18

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 94 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXIII 

State Profile: Maine

Figure XXIII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 34

Attached or detached permanent addition 14

Temporary building 13

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 85

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $200 to $16,000,000

Number of schools 739

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 214,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $613,662,000

Per student $2,868

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $43,500,000

Per student $203

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 1.8

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Administrative and Financial ServicesBureau of General Services, State Fire Marshal,

Department of Human Services-Bureau of Health

Engineering, Department of Transportation, Department

of Environmental Protection

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

As part of the state’s foundation funding, Maine provides LEAs with funding to pay debt service on

capital construction bonds. The amount LEAs receive is based in part on assessed valuation per

student and project priority criteria such as overcrowding. Funding may be used for new schools,

additions, land costs, and complete renovations.

Throughout the funding and construction processes, the Department of Education provides information

and assistance on regulations and requirements. The Department advises LEAs on complying with

state education program guidelines, and it coordinates project review and approval with such other

agencies as the State Fire Marshal and the Bureau of General Services.

The Department has not gathered information about the condition of school facilities but plans to gather

inventory information in fiscal year 1997.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 95 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXIII 

State Profile: Maine

Figure XXIII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 38

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 60

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 71

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 36

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 38

Framing, floors, foundations 14

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 33

Interior finishes 24

Plumbing 30

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 37

Electrical power 24

Electrical lighting 18

Life-safety codes 25

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 10

Heating 20

Ventilation 29

Indoor air quality 30

Acoustics 43

Space flexibility 58

Energy efficiency 38

Physical security 33

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 2

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 31 Television 20

Printers 32 VCR/laser disc 44

Networks 63 Cable TV 46

Modems 70 Conduits 73

Modem lines 64 Fiber optic cable 94

Instructional area

phone lines 69

Wiring for

communications 47

Power for

communications 35

Average number of students per computer: 17

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 17

Large group

instruction 43

Library or media

center 25

Laboratory

science 59

Teacher planning 14

Private testing/

counseling areas 24

Parent support 34 Day care 88

Social and health

services 35

Before and

after-school care 88

Assessment

material storage 41

Assessment

material display 43

Page 96 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXIII 

State Profile: Maine

Figure XXIII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 48 3 27 21

Accessibility for the disabled 57 5 21 17

All mandates(b) 68 11 14 6

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 33 5 47 15

Accessibility for the disabled 43 8 37 12

All mandates(b) 58 10 18 15

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 97 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXIV 

State Profile: Maryland

Figure XXIV.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 27

Attached or detached permanent addition 9

Temporary building 6

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 78

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $4 to $30,497,150

Number of schools 1,254

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 771,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,964,857,000

Per student $2,547

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $87,000,000

Per student $113

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 5.5

Number of facilities-related staff (FTEs) in

other state agencies with major responsibility 17.2

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal, Department of General Services,

Office of Planning, Board of Public Works

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Since 1971, Maryland’s Public School Construction Program has provided funding for new construction,

renovation, and additions ranging from 50 to 80 percent of eligible costs based, in part, on LEA ability to

pay. The program is administered by an interagency committee that consists of the State Superintendent of Schools, the Secretary of the Department of General Services, and the Director of the Office of

Planning. All three agencies provide staff for the program on a part-time basis. The facilities funding

process begins in December each year, when all LEAs submit to the interagency committee their

proposed annual capital improvement program, along with an updated 5-year capital plan. The committee, in consultation with local board staff, approves, modifies, or defers each LEA proposal. The

committee then submits a statewide capital improvement program to the State Board of Public Works,

made up of the Governor, Comptroller, and Treasurer, who hold public hearings. The final authorization

for project funding is made by the State General Assembly. Also, under the School Construction

Program, the state assumed debt service payments for LEA construction bonds issued up to June 30,

1967. Finally, the program maintains a fleet of relocatable buildings--the equivalent of over 200

classrooms--for use by LEAs based on need and availability.

The SEA School Facilities Branch reviews and approves, at various stages, school construction projects

that do not receive state funding and cost more than $359,000. Branch staff serve on local planning

committees, provide technical assistance, develop and distribute facility guidelines, conduct workshops

for local board staff, and collect data on energy use for all public elementary and secondary schools.

The School Construction Program maintains inventory information on all public schools as well as LEA

Facility Master Plans that contain condition information and are required to be updated annually.

Additionally, the Program maintains records of the 100 school maintenance inspections conducted

annually by the Department of General Services. They also maintain LEA annual comprehensive

maintenance plans and annual maintenance expenditure reports.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 98 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXIV 

State Profile: Maryland

Figure XXIV.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 31

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 67

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 65

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 31

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 33

Framing, floors, foundations 21

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 30

Interior finishes 27

Plumbing 26

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 50

Electrical power 35

Electrical lighting 34

Life-safety codes 22

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 18

Heating 19

Ventilation 29

Indoor air quality 20

Acoustics 20

Space flexibility 23

Energy efficiency 33

Physical security 13

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 55

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 29 Television 36

Printers 30 VCR/laser disc 52

Networks 44 Cable TV 38

Modems 62 Conduits 62

Modem lines 67 Fiber optic cable 92

Instructional area

phone lines 87

Wiring for

communications 47

Power for

communications 36

Average number of students per computer: 15

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 8

Large group

instruction 39

Library or media

center 16

Laboratory

science 45

Teacher planning 15

Private testing/

counseling areas 28

Parent support 22 Day care 57

Social and health

services 23

Before and

after-school care 37

Assessment

material storage 41

Assessment

material display 26

Page 99 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXIV 

State Profile: Maryland

Figure XXIV.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 54 10 8 29

Accessibility for the disabled 42 2 6 50

All mandates(b) 66 9 5 20

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 61 15 22 3

Accessibility for the disabled 28 30 15 27

All mandates(b) 51 38 6 5

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 100 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXV 

State Profile: Massachusetts

Figure XXV.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 38

Attached or detached permanent addition 12

Temporary building 5

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 92

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $300 to $23,490,000

Number of schools 1,792

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 880,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $2,134,730,000

Per student $2,427

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $170,000,000

Per student $193

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 5

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Energy Resources, Massachusetts Port

Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, Conservation Department, Massachusetts Historic Commission,

State Architectural Access Board

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Massachusetts has provided facilities-related financial aid to LEAs since 1948. The assistance comes

primarily in the form of debt service on projects for construction, renovation, and heating and ventilation,

or major maintenance for life/safety, accessibility, or energy conservation. To be eligible for consideration, projects must cost more than $100,000. The program will repay 50 to 90 percent of the debt

service, the percentage dependent on such factors as the LEA’s income wealth and per pupil real

estate valuation. Projects financed without bonds (and therefore having no debt service) receive a

similarly determined percentage of total costs. Approved projects are placed on one of two annually

developed priority lists. One list targets reductions of minority isolation in urban areas; the other targets

overcrowding. All projects on the lists are funded before addressing the needs identified on the next

year’s list. Funding for the program comes from annual appropriations.

Technical assistance provided by the Department of Education begins with the Department staff holding

a building needs conference for each LEA project that applies for state funding. Department staff advise

LEAs on eligibility, size and space needs, and the appropriateness of the proposed site. Staff visit

each funded project at least three times--before, during, and after construction.

The Department has recently conducted a facilities survey of LEAs that includes information on the

condition of structures and building systems.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 101 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXV 

State Profile: Massachusetts

Figure XXV.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 41

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 75

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 80

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 40

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 41

Framing, floors, foundations 23

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 41

Interior finishes 30

Plumbing 36

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 48

Electrical power 34

Electrical lighting 30

Life-safety codes 22

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 20

Heating 33

Ventilation 42

Indoor air quality 31

Acoustics 41

Space flexibility 51

Energy efficiency 48

Physical security 28

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 12

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 32 Television 35

Printers 43 VCR/laser disc 48

Networks 70 Cable TV 44

Modems 71 Conduits 74

Modem lines 67 Fiber optic cable 88

Instructional area

phone lines 72

Wiring for

communications 61

Power for

communications 49

Average number of students per computer: 16

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 13

Large group

instruction 40

Library or media

center 24

Laboratory

science 49

Teacher planning 13

Private testing/

counseling areas 26

Parent support 20 Day care 79

Social and health

services 23

Before and

after-school care 62

Assessment

material storage 34

Assessment

material display 28

Page 102 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXV 

State Profile: Massachusetts

Figure XXV.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 42 7 17 33

Accessibility for the disabled 18 9 24 49

All mandates(b) 52 13 11 23

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 28 7 41 24

Accessibility for the disabled 28 24 30 19

All mandates(b) 45 25 9 21

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 103 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXVI 

State Profile: Michigan

Figure XXVI.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 19

Attached or detached permanent addition 10

Temporary building 5

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 80

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $500 to $18,000,000

Number of schools 3,325

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 1,534,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $3,541,871,000

Per student $2,309

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $20,227,052

Per student $13

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0.35

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Treasury, State Fire Marshal's Office,

Department of Labor, Department of Natural Resources,

Department of Public Health

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Michigan’s Department of Education does not provide school construction aid, but the Department of

Treasury provides loans to help LEAs meet their debt service obligations. To qualify for a loan, LEAs

must meet certain statutory requirements and must provide information on probable future enrollments

and the condition of existing facilities. LEAs may borrow whatever amount is needed to avoid defaulting

on a loan. The state finances the program by issuing bonds or notes and passes on its interest rate to

LEAs. LEAs determine when they will begin repayment but must either complete repayment within 5

years of the last bond maturity date or increase their millage rate.

Staff at the Department of Education provide information and limited technical assistance on state

requirements to architects and others acting on behalf of LEAs. The state must review facilities projects

costing more than $15,000, but because of the staff’s small size, the Department of Education has

entered into interagency agreements with the Department of Labor and the State Fire Marshal to review

projects for compliance with various building codes. Department of Treasury staff provide information to

LEAs on requirements and procedures of the loan program, and they review educational specifications

of architectural plans for conformance with state guidelines.

Department of Education staff have access to records maintained by the State Fire Marshal’s Office on

all construction projects costing more than $15,000. However, neither the Department of Education nor

the Department of Treasury maintains information on the condition of school facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 104 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXVI 

State Profile: Michigan

Figure XXVI.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 22

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 52

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 61

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 22

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 20

Framing, floors, foundations 11

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 22

Interior finishes 18

Plumbing 22

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 29

Electrical power 24

Electrical lighting 23

Life-safety codes 13

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 12

Heating 17

Ventilation 25

Indoor air quality 15

Acoustics 31

Space flexibility 47

Energy efficiency 40

Physical security 20

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 19

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 37 Television 27

Printers 39 VCR/laser disc 42

Networks 63 Cable TV 27

Modems 64 Conduits 69

Modem lines 58 Fiber optic cable 86

Instructional area

phone lines 63

Wiring for

communications 51

Power for

communications 38

Average number of students per computer: 20

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 13

Large group

instruction 39

Library or media

center 19

Laboratory

science 49

Teacher planning 13

Private testing/

counseling areas 24

Parent support 28 Day care 76

Social and health

services 44

Before and

after-school care 56

Assessment

material storage 38

Assessment

material display 38

Page 105 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXVI 

State Profile: Michigan

Figure XXVI.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 51 9 22 19

Accessibility for the disabled 45 14 19 21

All mandates(b) 60 13 10 17

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 43 4 39 14

Accessibility for the disabled 50 6 24 21

All mandates(b) 58 11 14 18

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 106 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXVII 

State Profile: Minnesota

Figure XXVII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 33

Attached or detached permanent addition 17

Temporary building 16

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 85

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $2,000 to $24,000,000

Number of schools 1,548

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 803,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $2,300,000,000

Per student $2,863

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $122,900,000

Per student $153

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 6

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Petro Fund,

Department of Administration, Department of Public

Safety-Fire Marshal, Department of Public ServiceEnergy Management, Department of Health, Department of Labor and Industries, Department of Energy

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Minnesota has six state funding programs for school facilities. The capital expenditure facilities program, the largest in dollar terms, provides LEAs with, on average, $2 in aid for each $1 they levy for a

total of $128 per student to use for construction, renovation, and major maintenance. The relative

amount of the state and local shares is based in part on each LEA’s ability to pay. The second program

provides project-by-project funding for such projects as cleaning up hazardous materials and correcting

health and safety problems. The amount of funds received is also based on each LEA’s ability to pay.

Of the remaining four programs, two target facilities funding for consolidating LEAs, and two lend

money to LEAs for facilities-related projects, partly on the basis of the LEAs’ tax capacities.

The Department of Education provides LEAs with information on facilities regulations, processes, and

planning, and it conducts workshops on financial and health and safety issues. State law also requires

the Department to review all proposed construction projects costing more than $400,000.

In 1991, the Department conducted a facilities inventory survey containing such information as age,

square footage, and condition of structures and building systems. This inventory was used to estimate

costs for schools that needed replacement or had major deferred maintenance. The department

annually updates its data on facility age and square footage.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 107 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXVII 

State Profile: Minnesota

Figure XXVII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 38

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 57

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 66

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 33

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 32

Framing, floors, foundations 21

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 30

Interior finishes 25

Plumbing 33

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 41

Electrical power 26

Electrical lighting 23

Life-safety codes 28

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 12

Heating 15

Ventilation 36

Indoor air quality 30

Acoustics 21

Space flexibility 56

Energy efficiency 34

Physical security 28

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 19

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 22 Television 17

Printers 22 VCR/laser disc 32

Networks 42 Cable TV 27

Modems 43 Conduits 49

Modem lines 41 Fiber optic cable 72

Instructional area

phone lines 41

Wiring for

communications 7

Power for

communications 25

Average number of students per computer: 10

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 7

Large group

instruction 38

Library or media

center 12

Laboratory

science 46

Teacher planning 17

Private testing/

counseling areas 29

Parent support 19 Day care 74

Social and health

services 20

Before and

after-school care 50

Assessment

material storage 28

Assessment

material display 26

Page 108 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXVII 

State Profile: Minnesota

Figure XXVII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 54 18 18 10

Accessibility for the disabled 39 19 16 25

All mandates(b) 56 27 10 8

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 39 11 36 14

Accessibility for the disabled 49 23 21 8

All mandates(b) 49 27 12 12

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 109 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXVIII 

State Profile: Mississippi

Figure XXVIII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 14

Attached or detached permanent addition 10

Temporary building 19

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 82

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $200 to $4,000,000

Number of schools 872

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 503,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,031,476,000

Per student $2049

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $36,000,000

Per student $72

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 4

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Environmental Quality, State Board of

Health, State Fire Marshal's Office

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Mississippi provides funding for school facilities construction through two programs. One program

provides LEAs with annual entitlements at a flat rate of $24 per student. LEAs may let their entitlements accrue and request the funding for specific projects as needs arise, and they may also obtain

advances on anticipated future entitlements. If requests from LEAs outstrip funds available, the

Department of Education prioritizes requests on these factors: gravity of the building’s condition, the

LEA’s ability to pay, environmental needs, and enrollment growth of the LEA. Part of the money

appropriated for this $20 million program goes to retire the debt on earlier state bonds used to fund

school construction. Mississippi’s second program provides about $16 million annually for school

facilities and transportation, with allocations to LEAs on a per student basis.

Upon request, Department of Education staff provide LEAs with technical assistance such as information needed to help LEA officials determine reasonable project costs. Regarding compliance activities,

Department staff review and approve architectural drawings for all state-funded projects to ensure that

projects meet building codes and education specifications.

The Department of Education maintains a building inventory showing the age, location, type of space,

handicapped accessibility, and overall condition of each building. The inventory is updated through

surveys to LEAs every 5 years. The Department also annually updates information on the number of

classrooms with and without air conditioning.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 110 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXVIII 

State Profile: Mississippi

Figure XXVIII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 28

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 50

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 54

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 20

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 27

Framing, floors, foundations 18

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 22

Interior finishes 21

Plumbing 28

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 26

Electrical power 20

Electrical lighting 19

Life-safety codes 16

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 8

Heating 11

Ventilation 9

Indoor air quality 9

Acoustics 22

Space flexibility 41

Energy efficiency 35

Physical security 28

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 97

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 17 Television 5

Printers 20 VCR/laser disc 37

Networks 38 Cable TV 32

Modems 54 Conduits 56

Modem lines 56 Fiber optic cable 85

Instructional area

phone lines 63

Wiring for

communications 27

Power for

communications 20

Average number of students per computer: 14

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 2

Large group

instruction 28

Library or media

center 5

Laboratory

science 39

Teacher planning 3

Private testing/

counseling areas 12

Parent support 22 Day care 80

Social and health

services 30

Before and

after-school care 76

Assessment

material storage 22

Assessment

material display 23

Page 111 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXVIII 

State Profile: Mississippi

Figure XXVIII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 30 5 39 25

Accessibility for the disabled 57 4 22 17

All mandates(b) 63 6 15 15

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 34 2 44 20

Accessibility for the disabled 55 0 25 20

All mandates(b) 65 1 12 22

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 112 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXIX 

State Profile: Missouri

Figure XXIX.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 24

Attached or detached permanent addition 4

Temporary building 12

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 90

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $300 to $10,000,000

Number of schools 2,000

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 852,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,674,188,000

Per student $1,965

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total No assistance provided

Per student

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 2

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Natural Resources, Division of Energy

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

The Missouri Legislature authorized two new facilities funding assistance programs for school districts

effective state fiscal year 1996. The first program established a state bonding authority that will issue

bonds for LEA capital projects. Under this program, the state guarantees the bonds, which gives them

a higher rating and consequently a lower interest rate for LEAs. Additionally, the bonding agent pays

administrative costs. The second program is a revolving fund for construction projects, with 75 percent

of the fund awarded as 10-year loans and 25 percent as grants. To be eligible, the project must be part

of a long-range capital improvement plan submitted by the LEA; LEA wealth and enrollment growth are

considered in determining which projects receive funding. The legislature has not yet appropriated

funds for the revolving fund programs, but the Department intends to request funding for fiscal year

1997.

The Department conducts four workshops a year for support service personnel and provides LEAs with

information on the Americans With Disabilities Act, asbestos abatement, and safety and security issues.

The Department currently does not collect information on the condition of school facilities. Department

officials said they hope to begin doing so when the revolving fund program is funded.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 113 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXIX 

State Profile: Missouri

Figure XXIX.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 27

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 48

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 58

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 23

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 20

Framing, floors, foundations 12

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 23

Interior finishes 22

Plumbing 30

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 36

Electrical power 24

Electrical lighting 18

Life-safety codes 10

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 5

Heating 10

Ventilation 13

Indoor air quality 8

Acoustics 22

Space flexibility 43

Energy efficiency 37

Physical security 14

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 51

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 23 Television 7

Printers 33 VCR/laser disc 26

Networks 52 Cable TV 17

Modems 60 Conduits 53

Modem lines 59 Fiber optic cable 88

Instructional area

phone lines 65

Wiring for

communications 34

Power for

communications 26

Average number of students per computer: 15

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 2

Large group

instruction 33

Library or media

center 6

Laboratory

science 42

Teacher planning 4

Private testing/

counseling areas 10

Parent support 10 Day care 72

Social and health

services 19

Before and

after-school care 54

Assessment

material storage 22

Assessment

material display 17

Page 114 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXIX 

State Profile: Missouri

Figure XXIX.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 45 11 27 17

Accessibility for the disabled 59 7 16 18

All mandates(b) 70 11 10 9

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 38 4 42 16

Accessibility for the disabled 56 6 22 16

All mandates(b) 68 6 11 15

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 115 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXX 

State Profile: Montana

Figure XXX.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 16

Attached or detached permanent addition 8

Temporary building 8

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 70

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $250 to $12,000,000

Number of schools 898

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 163,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $471,794,000

Per student $2,894

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $1,000,000

Per student $6

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0.1

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Justice Department-State Fire Marshal, Department of

Commerce-Building Codes and Standards, Department

of Natural Resources-Energy Division

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Montana provides facilities funding to LEAs through a debt service subsidy program begun in 1993. To

be eligible for the subsidy program, a LEA must have a taxable valuation per pupil that is lower than the

statewide average. For qualifying LEAs, all facilities projects for which bonds were sold after July 1,

1991, are entitled to funding. If the annual program appropriation is less than the total amount needed

for all qualifying projects, funding is prorated, with each LEA receiving the same percentage of its

entitlement.

The Department of Education provides information to LEAs on state funding for facilities, school bond

election procedures, and requirements of state accreditation standards for school facilities. No compliance activities were reported.

State officials reported they collect limited or no information on facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 116 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXX 

State Profile: Montana

Figure XXX.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 20

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 45

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 69

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 18

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 19

Framing, floors, foundations 9

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 15

Interior finishes 15

Plumbing 19

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 21

Electrical power 14

Electrical lighting 15

Life-safety codes 14

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 5

Heating 9

Ventilation 21

Indoor air quality 13

Acoustics 23

Space flexibility 51

Energy efficiency 34

Physical security 18

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 13

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 17 Television 15

Printers 19 VCR/laser disc 25

Networks 48 Cable TV 42

Modems 47 Conduits 62

Modem lines 38 Fiber optic cable 82

Instructional area

phone lines 53

Wiring for

communications 39

Power for

communications 25

Average number of students per computer: 8

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 3

Large group

instruction 45

Library or media

center 9

Laboratory

science 35

Teacher planning 6

Private testing/

counseling areas 20

Parent support 16 Day care 92

Social and health

services 31

Before and

after-school care 80

Assessment

material storage 29

Assessment

material display 29

Page 117 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXX 

State Profile: Montana

Figure XXX.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 44 3 34 19

Accessibility for the disabled 36 5 30 28

All mandates(b) 62 6 15 17

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 25 2 56 17

Accessibility for the disabled 29 7 37 26

All mandates(b) 48 6 19 27

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 118 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXI 

State Profile: Nebraska

Figure XXXI.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 30

Attached or detached permanent addition 10

Temporary building 6

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 75

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $900 to $19,000,000

Number of schools 1,200

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 284,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $553,183,000

Per student $1,945

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total No assistance provided

Per student

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Justice Department-State Fire Marshal, Department of

Commerce, Department of Natural Resources

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Nebraska does not provide financial assistance for facilities.

State officials reported they do not provide technical assistance or perform compliance reviews

related to facilities.

In 1993, the results of a one-time survey examining the reported condition of Nebraska schools were

published by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. The study also included such related issues as LEA

population changes, delayed maintenance, and ability to implement technology.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 119 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXI 

State Profile: Nebraska

Figure XXXI.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 35

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 44

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 61

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 29

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 20

Framing, floors, foundations 14

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 23

Interior finishes 19

Plumbing 24

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 36

Electrical power 21

Electrical lighting 20

Life-safety codes 18

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 7

Heating 17

Ventilation 33

Indoor air quality 21

Acoustics 26

Space flexibility 47

Energy efficiency 38

Physical security 21

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 38

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 11 Television 2

Printers 10 VCR/laser disc 12

Networks 43 Cable TV 31

Modems 56 Conduits 62

Modem lines 46 Fiber optic cable 83

Instructional area

phone lines 44

Wiring for

communications 33

Power for

communications 21

Average number of students per computer: 10

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 60

Library or media

center 11

Laboratory

science 35

Teacher planning 13

Private testing/

counseling areas 30

Parent support 24 Day care 91

Social and health

services 24

Before and

after-school care 74

Assessment

material storage 22

Assessment

material display 19

Page 120 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXI 

State Profile: Nebraska

Figure XXXI.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 47 7 19 26

Accessibility for the disabled 40 12 18 29

All mandates(b) 59 14 13 13

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 28 10 48 14

Accessibility for the disabled 49 14 22 15

All mandates(b) 48 21 14 17

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 121 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXII 

State Profile: Nevada

Figure XXXII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 21

Attached or detached permanent addition 5

Temporary building 10

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 83

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $500 to $16,000,000

Number of schools 403

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 236,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $445,787,000

Per student $1,891

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total No assistance provided

Per student

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0.25

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Public Works Board, Bureau of Health Protection, State

Fire Marshal

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

In 1995, the Nevada Legislature made a one-time appropriation of $500,000 to cover extraordinary

need in two school districts. Other than this appropriation, the state does not currently provide funding

assistance for facilities.

State officials reported they do not provide technical assistance or perform compliance reviews

related to facilities.

The Department of Education maintains an inventory of schools, including information on number and

square footage of buildings, and it also maintains information on class size. The inventory is updated

about every 2 years to provide information for the legislature during the budget process. No information

on facilities condition is collected.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 122 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXII 

State Profile: Nevada

Figure XXXII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 23

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 42

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 57

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 22

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 18

Framing, floors, foundations 24

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 27

Interior finishes 19

Plumbing 16

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 30

Electrical power 18

Electrical lighting 16

Life-safety codes 15

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 16

Heating 21

Ventilation 23

Indoor air quality 20

Acoustics 8

Space flexibility 54

Energy efficiency 32

Physical security 14

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 70

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 14 Television 4

Printers 16 VCR/laser disc 14

Networks 27 Cable TV 15

Modems 28 Conduits 44

Modem lines 26 Fiber optic cable 78

Instructional area

phone lines 27

Wiring for

communications 28

Power for

communications 25

Average number of students per computer: 21

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 0

Large group

instruction 27

Library or media

center 12

Laboratory

science 72

Teacher planning 1

Private testing/

counseling areas 6

Parent support 14 Day care 90

Social and health

services 21

Before and

after-school care 29

Assessment

material storage 14

Assessment

material display 20

Page 123 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXII 

State Profile: Nevada

Figure XXXII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 65 7 14 14

Accessibility for the disabled 48 1 9 42

All mandates(b) 83 6 8 4

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 35 0 58 7

Accessibility for the disabled 66 6 19 8

All mandates(b) 79 2 9 10

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 124 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXIII 

State Profile: New Hampshire

Figure XXXIII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 33

Attached or detached permanent addition 5

Temporary building 16

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 87

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $250 to $8,500,000

Number of schools 459

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 182,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $98,400,000

Per student $540

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $15,327,295

Per student $84

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 1.62

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal, Department of Environmental

Services, Department of Health and Human Services,

Governor's Commission for Handicapped Accessibility

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Since 1956, New Hampshire has reimbursed LEAs for a percentage of construction debt incurred

through bonds, capital reserve fund expenditures, or tax levies. The state contribution ranges from 30

to 55 percent, with consolidated and cooperative districts receiving the higher percentages. LEAs can

receive an extra 20 percent for portions of projects attributable to the construction of kindergartens.

(New Hampshire is the only state without mandatory kindergarten.) The state reimburses districts for

the longest period of time required by the funding instruments or for 5 years, whichever is longer.

The Department of Education provides information to LEAs--particularly to business managers--on

facilities regulations and requirements, including advising on needs assessments and educational

program requirements. Department staff have also helped plan a workshop for the New England

School Development Council. The department provides mandatory review and approval for all projects

receiving state funding.

The Department maintains information limited to financial records and the plans of projects submitted

within the past 5 years but does not collect information on the condition of facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 125 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXIII 

State Profile: New Hampshire

Figure XXXIII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 38

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 59

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 78

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 36

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 20

Framing, floors, foundations 16

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 36

Interior finishes 24

Plumbing 28

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 49

Electrical power 33

Electrical lighting 20

Life-safety codes 16

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 14

Heating 25

Ventilation 47

Indoor air quality 27

Acoustics 44

Space flexibility 69

Energy efficiency 51

Physical security 22

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 0

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 44 Television 27

Printers 43 VCR/laser disc 44

Networks 66 Cable TV 27

Modems 68 Conduits 69

Modem lines 59 Fiber optic cable 89

Instructional area

phone lines 66

Wiring for

communications 58

Power for

communications 36

Average number of students per computer: 21

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 14

Large group

instruction 49

Library or media

center 21

Laboratory

science 47

Teacher planning 28

Private testing/

counseling areas 38

Parent support 38 Day care 86

Social and health

services 28

Before and

after-school care 61

Assessment

material storage 44

Assessment

material display 34

Page 126 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXIII 

State Profile: New Hampshire

Figure XXXIII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 46 7 26 21

Accessibility for the disabled 29 8 35 28

All mandates(b) 70 13 4 13

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 37 4 41 19

Accessibility for the disabled 29 13 41 18

All mandates(b) 49 11 17 23

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 127 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXIV 

State Profile: New Jersey

Figure XXXIV.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 17

Attached or detached permanent addition 13

Temporary building 1

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 87

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $400 to $30,000,000

Number of schools 2,287

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 1,147,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $4,690,291,000

Per student $4,089

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $69,945,000

Per student $61

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 20

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Community Affairs-Bureau of Fire Safety,

Department of Health, Department of Environmental

Protection, Department of Law and Public Safety-Office

of the Attorney General

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

New Jersey provides funding for capital outlay projects, including school facilities construction, through

a debt service aid program. LEAs receive a percentage of their annual debt service requirement on the

basis of their degree of financial need which is currently measured by property valuation and income.

To receive funding, LEAs must pass a bond referendum or enact a bond ordinance and be eligible for

state foundation aid. All eligible LEAs receive funding. If the amount appropriated is too low to provide

all LEAs with 100 percent of the entitlement, funds are prorated to give each LEA the same percentage

of the entitlement amount.

The Department of Education provides information to LEAs on facilities regulations, processes, and

cost estimates as well as architectural, engineering, and legal matters. Staff make site visits on request

to provide guidance on the use of space, and they inspect sites proposed for private schools for the

handicapped. They also review education specifications and architectural plans for compliance with

applicable codes, and they review and approve LEA 5-year plans containing enrollment projections, a

capacity analysis, and a list of capital projects needed to meet the projected enrollment.

State officials reported they collect limited or no information on facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 128 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXIV 

State Profile: New Jersey

Figure XXXIV.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 19

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 53

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 69

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 19

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 25

Framing, floors, foundations 12

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 18

Interior finishes 18

Plumbing 20

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 33

Electrical power 21

Electrical lighting 20

Life-safety codes 15

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 12

Heating 10

Ventilation 22

Indoor air quality 8

Acoustics 30

Space flexibility 61

Energy efficiency 34

Physical security 20

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 22

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 20 Television 11

Printers 24 VCR/laser disc 25

Networks 42 Cable TV 32

Modems 38 Conduits 55

Modem lines 34 Fiber optic cable 86

Instructional area

phone lines 63

Wiring for

communications 41

Power for

communications 34

Average number of students per computer:14

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 16

Large group

instruction 28

Library or media

center 16

Laboratory

science 43

Teacher planning 12

Private testing/

counseling areas 26

Parent support 18 Day care 80

Social and health

services 17

Before and

after-school care 53

Assessment

material storage 29

Assessment

material display 20

Page 129 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXIV 

State Profile: New Jersey

Figure XXXIV.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 42 20 24 14

Accessibility for the disabled 34 19 26 21

All mandates(b) 51 31 12 6

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 38 12 38 12

Accessibility for the disabled 45 25 21 9

All mandates(b) 55 27 10 8

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 130 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXV 

State Profile: New Mexico

Figure XXXV.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 26

Attached or detached permanent addition 14

Temporary building 14

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 94

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $1,000 to $19,000,000

Number of schools 712

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 310,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,152,782,000

Per student $3,720

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $28,763,442

Per student $93

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 4

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Public Works Board, Bureau of Health Protection, State

Fire Marshal

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

New Mexico provides financial aid to LEAs for school facilities through three programs. The first

provides funding for building and renovating classrooms or purchasing portables to LEAs with a critical

need. To be eligible, LEAs must be bonded to capacity and unable to meet facilities needs because of

low property wealth. To receive assistance under this program, LEAs apply to a council consisting of

state officials from the executive and legislative branches as well as from three education agencies.

The council develops funding criteria, visits LEAs that apply for funding, and determines which projects

to fund and at what level. The second program provides funding primarily for major maintenance,

buses, and school furnishing projects. To be eligible for state aid under this program, a LEA must pass

a 2-mill levy lasting a maximum of 3 years. The state pays the difference between the amount raised

by the local levy and the LEA’s guaranteed program amount, which is calculated using three factors--the

tax rate of the levy, a flat dollar amount, and a LEA’s total program units as derived from the New

Mexico equalization funding formula. Under the third program, LEAs apply directly to the legislature for

direct appropriations to support construction, maintenance, and other projects. The legislature decides

which projects to fund under this program.

The Department of Education provides information and guidance on facilities regulations and requirements, facilities planning, and such related issues as accessibility and energy. The Department reviews

architectural plans for compliance with education specifications.

The Department is planning a survey of all schools to determine the number of classrooms, but it does

not plan to collect information on the condition of school facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 131 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXV 

State Profile: New Mexico

Figure XXXV.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 30

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 69

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 75

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 26

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 29

Framing, floors, foundations 21

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 22

Interior finishes 21

Plumbing 43

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 38

Electrical power 40

Electrical lighting 38

Life-safety codes 22

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 21

Heating 24

Ventilation 33

Indoor air quality 23

Acoustics 32

Space flexibility 60

Energy efficiency 37

Physical security 24

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 70

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 36 Television 15

Printers 45 VCR/laser disc 55

Networks 70 Cable TV 52

Modems 79 Conduits 77

Modem lines 58 Fiber optic cable 87

Instructional area

phone lines 57

Wiring for

communications 48

Power for

communications 42

Average number of students per computer: 11

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 4

Large group

instruction 28

Library or media

center 16

Laboratory

science 38

Teacher planning 9

Private testing/

counseling areas 26

Parent support 13 Day care 66

Social and health

services 26

Before and

after-school care 54

Assessment

material storage 27

Assessment

material display 24

Page 132 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXV 

State Profile: New Mexico

Figure XXXV.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 49 8 25 18

Accessibility for the disabled 59 10 13 18

All mandates(b) 62 13 11 14

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 47 9 28 16

Accessibility for the disabled 60 16 12 13

All mandates(b) 60 18 8 14

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 133 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXVI 

State Profile: New York

Figure XXXVI.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 29

Attached or detached permanent addition 8

Temporary building 6

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 90

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $11,000 to $51,728,000

Number of schools 4,700

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 2,699,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $9,241,000,000

Per student $3,424

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $451,000,000

Per student $167

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 24

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Health Department, Department of Environmental

Conservation

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

New York provides facilities funding through a program that provides assistance on an equalization

basis. The program pays from 0 to 95 percent of approved expenditures for construction and debt

service, with the percentage rising as a LEA’s ability to pay decreases. The average percentage paid

by the state is 49 percent. Department approval of expenditures is based upon capacity and labor

market indexed cost allowances.

Facilities-related staff in the Department of Education, recently reduced from 24 to 19 full-time-equivalent positions as part of a general Department downsizing, provide information on regulations and

facilities planning as well as architectural, engineering, and legal issues. Among other things, they also

review architectural plans for compliance with building code and education specifications, assess the

need for new projects, approve sites, issue building permits, approve leases, certify completed projects

for occupancy, and provide on-call assistance for environmental hazard problems. The Department

also oversees a fire inspection program that enforces building and fire codes for existing buildings

through annual inspections conducted by LEA-hired inspectors.

The Department is establishing a comprehensive facilities management program with six components:

a building inventory database, formal building condition assessments, building preservation plans, longrange educational planning, capital assets preservation plan, and preservation actions. Work has

begun on the building inventory. Implementation of the building condition assessments, which will

include evaluations of environment, systems performance, and code compliance, is scheduled for 1997.

In the meantime, the Department continues to maintain other types of facilities information, such as

LEA long-range facility plans and copies of annual fire inspection reports.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 134 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXVI 

State Profile: New York

Figure XXXVI.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 33

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 67

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 76

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 32

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 31

Framing, floors, foundations 17

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 38

Interior finishes 23

Plumbing 28

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 36

Electrical power 18

Electrical lighting 13

Life-safety codes 11

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 16

Heating 21

Ventilation 36

Indoor air quality 24

Acoustics 30

Space flexibility 65

Energy efficiency 30

Physical security 21

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 10

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 20 Television 25

Printers 24 VCR/laser disc 38

Networks 44 Cable TV 36

Modems 49 Conduits 56

Modem lines 55 Fiber optic cable 82

Instructional area

phone lines 58

Wiring for

communications 51

Power for

communications 35

Average number of students per computer: 16

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 18

Large group

instruction 45

Library or media

center 22

Laboratory

science 46

Teacher planning 17

Private testing/

counseling areas 30

Parent support 25 Day care 80

Social and health

services 23

Before and

after-school care 52

Assessment

material storage 38

Assessment

material display 29

Page 135 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXVI 

State Profile: New York

Figure XXXVI.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 38 23 24 15

Accessibility for the disabled 31 14 40 15

All mandates(b) 37 27 6 30

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 26 7 26 41

Accessibility for the disabled 26 9 46 20

All mandates(b) 35 12 7 46

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 136 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXVII 

State Profile: North Carolina

Figure XXXVII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 25

Attached or detached permanent addition 10

Temporary building 24

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 90

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $3,500 to $10,020,000

Number of schools 1,956

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 1,124,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $3,548,747,000

Per student $3,158

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $219,506,574

Per student $195

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 41.5

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Environment-Health and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Department of

Insurance, Department of Labor

North Carolina provides school construction aid to LEAs through several programs. One uses part of

corporate income tax revenues to provide counties with an allotment based on average daily membership. LEAs within a county receive a pro rata share. LEAs let their allotments accrue until they are

ready to use them for a specific project, at which time they must match the state’s revenues for facilities

improvements. A second program uses the first $10 million from the corporate income tax to award

grants to LEAs with the most limited ability to pay to address critical building needs. A third program

uses state sales tax revenues for facilities improvements. State law allows counties to levy two one-half

cent additions to the state sales tax, 30 percent and 60 percent of which respectively goes to schools.

These revenues are distributed to counties on a per capita basis and may be used for public school

capital outlay purposes or to retire any indebtedness incurred by the county for these purposes.

In fiscal year 1996, the number of facility-related staff at the Department of Public Instruction was

reduced from 41.5 full time equivalent employees to 27. Before these cuts, Department staff provided

several types of technical assistance. Upon LEA request, they conducted surveys to determine major

facility needs, available resources, and building capacities. They also researched such topics as school

organization and facility utilization, prepared publications on educational planning, and periodically

sponsored workshops for educators, architects, engineers, and maintenance staffs. Regarding compliance activities, Department staff reviewed and approved all building plans for structural and functional

soundness, safety and sanitation and conformance with state school facility standards. The Department is reviewing which services to continue providing with reduced staffing levels.

A 10-year facility needs assessment is updated and reported every 5 years by the LEAs. All existing

buildings have been surveyed and rated as to condition by Department staff, providing a basis for LEA

assessment. Building rating is determined by several factors, including building age, type of construction, life expectancy, and apparent condition and design adequacy. The Department is compiling

information from the LEA assessments and staff surveys into a computerized school building inventory.

The Department also captures building inventory information during annual inspections of facilities

insured by the state (currently 92 percent of all buildings).

Facilities

Information

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Technical

Assistance

Page 137 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXVII 

State Profile: North Carolina

Figure XXXVII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 36

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 55

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 68

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 28

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 25

Framing, floors, foundations 15

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 22

Interior finishes 19

Plumbing 22

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 34

Electrical power 19

Electrical lighting 20

Life-safety codes 20

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 17

Heating 14

Ventilation 23

Indoor air quality 18

Acoustics 30

Space flexibility 59

Energy efficiency 46

Physical security 22

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 88

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 30 Television 15

Printers 33 VCR/laser disc 31

Networks 51 Cable TV 24

Modems 62 Conduits 66

Modem lines 63 Fiber optic cable 92

Instructional area

phone lines 74

Wiring for

communications 55

Power for

communications 42

Average number of students per computer: 13

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 6

Large group

instruction 27

Library or media

center 7

Laboratory

science 38

Teacher planning 16

Private testing/

counseling areas 25

Parent support 17 Day care 69

Social and health

services 21

Before and

after-school care 33

Assessment

material storage 28

Assessment

material display 27

Page 138 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXVII 

State Profile: North Carolina

Figure XXXVII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 49 7 24 20

Accessibility for the disabled 60 8 17 16

All mandates(b) 64 15 13 8

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 28 11 53 9

Accessibility for the disabled 54 14 24 8

All mandates(b) 58 19 11 12

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 139 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXVIII 

State Profile: North Dakota

Figure XXXVIII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 20

Attached or detached permanent addition 10

Temporary building 7

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 88

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $200 to $100,000,000

Number of schools 453

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 118,500

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $247,078,000

Per student $2,085

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $5,660,000

Per student $48

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 1

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal's Office, State Electrical Board

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

In North Dakota, all public school district construction or renovation projects costing $25,000 or more

require approval by the state Superintendent of Public Instruction. North Dakota has a revolving loan

fund that provides about $5 million each year for school facilities projects. The fund, which originated

from taxes on coal, provides loans to LEAs for projects costing $50,000 or more. To be eligible, LEAs

must have an existing indebtedness equal to at least 15 percent of their taxable valuation. District fiscal

capacity is considered in determining both the interest rate charged (0 to 6 percent) and the amount

loaned.

Staff at the Department of Public Instruction do not provide information or technical assistance to

districts on an ongoing or systematic basis but have provided a seminar for administrators on the school

facilities reference guide. As part of ensuring that accreditation standards are met, Department staff

review school facilities to determine compliance with health safety codes.

In the last year, the state conducted a one-time survey of public school building conditions and now has

an inventory of facilities. The survey gathered information on the condition and adequacy of classrooms and other building space, site and building envelope, mechanical and electrical systems, and

technology. This information will be used to advise the legislature on school facility needs. LEAs will

update the information whenever they go through the construction approval process.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 140 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXVIII 

State Profile: North Dakota

Figure XXXVIII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 23

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 49

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 62

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 20

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 19

Framing, floors, foundations 15

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 22

Interior finishes 18

Plumbing 28

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 32

Electrical power 19

Electrical lighting 18

Life-safety codes 15

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 11

Heating 20

Ventilation 29

Indoor air quality 24

Acoustics 33

Space flexibility 41

Energy efficiency 38

Physical security 18

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 18

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 17 Television 15

Printers 20 VCR/laser disc 31

Networks 37 Cable TV 28

Modems 40 Conduits 56

Modem lines 36 Fiber optic cable 70

Instructional area

phone lines 47

Wiring for

communications 34

Power for

communications 18

Average number of students per computer: 9

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 4

Large group

instruction 37

Library or media

center 16

Laboratory

science 24

Teacher planning 8

Private testing/

counseling areas 16

Parent support 20 Day care 81

Social and health

services 31

Before and

after-school care 73

Assessment

material storage 16

Assessment

material display 23

Page 141 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXVIII 

State Profile: North Dakota

Figure XXXVIII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 54 6 18 21

Accessibility for the disabled 39 4 25 32

All mandates(b) 63 8 10 20

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were as follows:

asbestos, $43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 44 0 42 14

Accessibility for the disabled 39 5 31 25

All mandates(b) 62 4 13 21

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were as

follows: asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 142 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXIX 

State Profile: Ohio

Figure XXXIX.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 33

Attached or detached permanent addition 20

Temporary building 8

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 95

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $800 to $30,000,000

Number of schools 3,600

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 1,807,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $4,486,000,000

Per student $2,483

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $68,600,000

Per student $38

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 3.5

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Division of Building Standards, State Environmental

Protection Agency, State Health Department, State Fire

Marshal

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Ohio provides loans to help LEAs pay debt service on bonds for school construction and major renovation. LEAs repay the money with revenues from a .5 mill levy over a maximum of 23 years, after which

the state forgives the unpaid balance. A LEA’s eligibility for this program is based on the number of

inadequately housed students and the percent of bonded debt, and the amount a LEA receive is based

on its assessed valuation and the condition of its buildings. The Department of Education prioritizes

eligible LEAs on the basis of the number of inadequately housed students, building condition, and LEA

wealth. The program originated in 1952 and was reinstated in 1990 after a lengthy hiatus through the

1970s and most of the 1980s. From 1990 to the present, annual program appropriations have ranged

from about $20 million to nearly $70 million and have improved or replaced a total of about 75 schools.

In 1993, the state made an additional one-time authorization of $45 million for computers and $50

million for electric wiring for communications technology.

The Department of Education provides information and training such as workshops to present changes

in regulations or the funding process. The Department also reviews architectural plans for education

standards and monitors projects for general financial accountability standards.

In 1991, the state published a one-time comprehensive study of the cost to bring all public schools up to

good condition. For the study, the state contracted with consulting architectural firms to visit every

school and assess building condition--with emphasis on structure and systems--using a standard

evaluation instrument.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 143 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXIX 

State Profile: Ohio

Figure XXXIX.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 38

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 76

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 83

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 35

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 33

Framing, floors, foundations 20

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 34

Interior finishes 21

Plumbing 39

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 48

Electrical power 46

Electrical lighting 34

Life-safety codes 30

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 14

Heating 25

Ventilation 33

Indoor air quality 19

Acoustics 40

Space flexibility 71

Energy efficiency 42

Physical security 24

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 16

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 38 Television 16

Printers 51 VCR/laser disc 44

Networks 72 Cable TV 31

Modems 74 Conduits 77

Modem lines 70 Fiber optic cable 95

Instructional area

phone lines 76

Wiring for

communications 63

Power for

communications 51

Average number of students per computer: 25

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 18

Large group

instruction 43

Library or media

center 17

Laboratory

science 51

Teacher planning 17

Private testing/

counseling areas 32

Parent support 30 Day care 89

Social and health

services 32

Before and

after-school care 70

Assessment

material storage 43

Assessment

material display 33

Page 144 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XXXIX 

State Profile: Ohio

Figure XXXIX.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 42 14 6 38

Accessibility for the disabled 37 5 4 53

All mandates(b) 60 13 1 25

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 37 14 33 16

Accessibility for the disabled 58 12 11 19

All mandates(b) 62 18 3 17

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 145 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XL 

State Profile: Oklahoma

Figure XL.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 27

Attached or detached permanent addition 11

Temporary building 16

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 83

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $1,000 to $6,260,000

Number of schools 1,820

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 599,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,680,000,000

Per student $2,803

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total No assistance provided

Per student

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 3

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Labor, Department of Health, Department of Environmental Quality, State Fire Marshal,

Corporation Commission

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Oklahoma does not provide financial assistance for facilities.

The Oklahoma Department of Education provides information and training to LEAs on facilities-related

regulations, requirements, and processes, including planning, architectural, engineering, and legal

issues. State law requires that the Department review all school facility plans for compliance with the

building code and with education specifications before schools are built.

The Department collects and reports LEA-provided inventory information, including the number, age,

location, and use of facilities, as well as the condition of structures and building systems.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 146 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XL 

State Profile: Oklahoma

Figure XL.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 30

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 54

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 64

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 27

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 26

Framing, floors, foundations 18

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 22

Interior finishes 22

Plumbing 32

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 36

Electrical power 27

Electrical lighting 26

Life-safety codes 24

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 16

Heating 19

Ventilation 21

Indoor air quality 17

Acoustics 27

Space flexibility 49

Energy efficiency 43

Physical security 27

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 94

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 23 Television 19

Printers 33 VCR/laser disc 35

Networks 51 Cable TV 33

Modems 63 Conduits 55

Modem lines 58 Fiber optic cable 82

Instructional area

phone lines 60

Wiring for

communications 41

Power for

communications 32

Average number of students per computer: 13

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 2

Large group

instruction 35

Library or media

center 7

Laboratory

science 24

Teacher planning 5

Private testing/

counseling areas 15

Parent support 13 Day care 72

Social and health

services 29

Before and

after-school care 60

Assessment

material storage 22

Assessment

material display 25

Page 147 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XL 

State Profile: Oklahoma

Figure XL.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 58 1 24 18

Accessibility for the disabled 57 3 18 23

All mandates(b) 72 2 14 12

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 47 2 38 13

Accessibility for the disabled 56 4 29 11

All mandates(b) 70 5 12 13

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 148 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLI 

State Profile: Oregon

Figure XLI.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 31

Attached or detached permanent addition 20

Temporary building 11

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 96

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $2,600 to $31,475,000

Number of schools 1,176

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 490,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,174,450,000

Per student $2,395

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total No assistance provided

Per student

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0.02

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal, Department of Energy, Department

of Emergency Services

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

In fiscal year 1995, Oregon provided a one-time appropriation of $10 million in lottery revenues for

school facilities funding. To be eligible for funding, LEAs were required to submit a properly completed

application and provide a 1 to 4 funding match. Thirty-one LEAs, selected through a random drawing of

all eligible LEAs, received funding of up to $500,000 each for facilities construction, renovation, and

maintenance. Oregon is currently adjusting to a rollback in property taxes, and no additional grants are

planned.

The Department of Education provides three 1-day training sessions a year to LEAs on the regulations,

requirements, and processes for complying with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act.

The Department collects information from LEAs on maintenance costs as part of its annual audit report

but does not collect information on the condition of facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 149 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLI 

State Profile: Oregon

Figure XLI.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 39

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 63

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 84

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 30

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 36

Framing, floors, foundations 18

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 31

Interior finishes 17

Plumbing 41

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 47

Electrical power 36

Electrical lighting 29

Life-safety codes 15

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 26

Heating 27

Ventilation 40

Indoor air quality 27

Acoustics 32

Space flexibility 72

Energy efficiency 55

Physical security 29

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 17

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 38 Television 30

Printers 42 VCR/laser disc 36

Networks 66 Cable TV 23

Modems 60 Conduits 68

Modem lines 65 Fiber optic cable 88

Instructional area

phone lines 66

Wiring for

communications 56

Power for

communications 34

Average number of students per computer: 16

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 3

Large group

instruction 45

Library or media

center 8

Laboratory

science 52

Teacher planning 13

Private testing/

counseling areas 19

Parent support 31 Day care 75

Social and health

services 40

Before and

after-school care 54

Assessment

material storage 29

Assessment

material display 30

Page 150 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLI 

State Profile: Oregon

Figure XLI.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 70 6 7 17

Accessibility for the disabled 61 4 3 32

All mandates(b) 84 7 2 7

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 59 9 20 12

Accessibility for the disabled 68 15 5 13

All mandates(b) 70 18 3 9

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 151 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLII 

State Profile: Pennsylvania

Figure XLII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 19

Attached or detached permanent addition 10

Temporary building 5

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 70

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $400 to $23,000,000

Number of schools 3,188

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 1,744,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $5,428,913,000

Per student $3,113

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $184,000,000

Per student $105

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 10

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Labor and Industry, Department of

Environmental Protection, Department of Transportation

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Pennsylvania has a program that reimburses LEAs for school facility construction on the basis of

building capacity, approved expenditures, and a LEA’s ability to pay. To qualify for funding, a project

must first pass through an 11-part approval process administered by the Department of Education.

Once the project is approved, the reimbursement rate is generally based on the building’s capacity to

support present or future enrollments multiplied by a legislated per pupil dollar amount. This rate is

then adjusted for the LEA’s relative wealth.

Department of Education staff provide a limited amount of technical assistance to LEAs; most staff time

is devoted to managing steps in the plan approval process. Regarding compliance activities, Department staff review and approve architectural drawings for conformance with education specifications and

building codes for all projects, regardless of the involvement of state funding. They also review and

approve facility plans for those LEAs submitting project applications.

The Department does not collect substantial facilities data, but it does require that LEAs requesting

reimbursement submit a one-page summary of information that includes a list of each building in the

district, the construction year, construction type, number of stories, and a one-digit code indicating the

building’s condition. Since these summaries are collected when LEAs submit project applications, the

SEA may receive the data from some LEAs only once every 5, 10, or 20 years. The information is

maintained with individual projects and is not compiled.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 152 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLII 

State Profile: Pennsylvania

Figure XLII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 21

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 42

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 57

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 19

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 19

Framing, floors, foundations 10

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 13

Interior finishes 18

Plumbing 20

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 28

Electrical power 16

Electrical lighting 15

Life-safety codes 12

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 11

Heating 17

Ventilation 23

Indoor air quality 12

Acoustics 17

Space flexibility 42

Energy efficiency 38

Physical security 13

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 29

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 18 Television 14

Printers 19 VCR/laser disc 35

Networks 50 Cable TV 27

Modems 55 Conduits 41

Modem lines 44 Fiber optic cable 87

Instructional area

phone lines 49

Wiring for

communications 32

Power for

communications 17

Average number of students per computer: 15

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 9

Large group

instruction 30

Library or media

center 8

Laboratory

science 30

Teacher planning 10

Private testing/

counseling areas 16

Parent support 15 Day care 66

Social and health

services 15

Before and

after-school care 57

Assessment

material storage 24

Assessment

material display 19

Page 153 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLII 

State Profile: Pennsylvania

Figure XLII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 45 17 21 17

Accessibility for the disabled 33 10 24 32

All mandates(b) 55 18 14 13

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 24 4 42 30

Accessibility for the disabled 25 14 38 23

All mandates(b) 44 15 19 23

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 154 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLIII 

State Profile: Rhode Island

Figure XLIII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 29

Attached or detached permanent addition 14

Temporary building 0

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 81

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $50 to $8,000,000

Number of schools 320

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 145,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $414,045,000

Per student $2,857

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $17,008,435

Per student $117

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0.25

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal's Office, Department of LaborDivision of Occupational Safety and Health Agency,

Department of Health, Department of AdministrationBuilding Code Commission and Office of Handicapped

Accessibility

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Rhode Island reimburses LEAs for debt service on capital construction projects. To qualify for aid,

projects must go through a state-level review process to determine the necessity of construction. Once

projects are approved, LEAs can request reimbursement beginning the fiscal year after project completion. The rate of reimbursement is based on the wealth per pupil of the LEA relative to that of the state

as a whole, with the average statewide reimbursement rate being 38 percent. The state also provides a

debt service adjustment for heavily burdened LEAs, although few LEAs have qualified for this entitlement since 1990. An additional 4 percent is available for regional LEAs undertaking renovation projects

and for projects for which 75 percent of the cost is for energy conservation, asbestos removal, and/or

handicapped access.

With only 0.25 full-time-equivalent positions devoted to facilities, the Department of Education provides

limited technical assistance. The staff person provides guidance and responds to questions on the

reimbursement process and shares copies of construction plans and materials with LEAs planning

projects. The Department also performs minimal compliance activities. It reviews and approves plans

against education specifications and square footage guidelines. It also reviews whether core facilities

are sufficient to support enrollment, and it is responsible for obtaining written assurances from LEAs

that all plans have been approved by appropriate state and local agencies.

On the basis of an inventory developed in 1989, Rhode Island has baseline data on its school plant

statewide. The inventory includes, among other things, square footage, age, construction type, primary

use of the building, and grades housed. The Department also asked LEAs to rate the adequacy of the

site; fire safety; and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and electrical systems. The inventory was

updated once, in 1990.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 155 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLIII 

State Profile: Rhode Island

Figure XLIII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 29

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 61

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 75

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 29

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 23

Framing, floors, foundations 26

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 35

Interior finishes 19

Plumbing 27

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 35

Electrical power 34

Electrical lighting 34

Life-safety codes 14

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 25

Heating 26

Ventilation 29

Indoor air quality 30

Acoustics 39

Space flexibility 64

Energy efficiency 40

Physical security 35

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 6

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 37 Television 24

Printers 43 VCR/laser disc 41

Networks 49 Cable TV 17

Modems 67 Conduits 74

Modem lines 52 Fiber optic cable 91

Instructional area

phone lines 67

Wiring for

communications 64

Power for

communications 45

Average number of students per computer: 22

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 11

Large group

instruction 43

Library or media

center 26

Laboratory

science 46

Teacher planning 15

Private testing/

counseling areas 35

Parent support 39 Day care 78

Social and health

services 32

Before and

after-school care 63

Assessment

material storage 38

Assessment

material display 30

Page 156 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLIII 

State Profile: Rhode Island

Figure XLIII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 39 20 28 13

Accessibility for the disabled 38 15 29 17

All mandates(b) 49 24 16 11

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 31 19 31 19

Accessibility for the disabled 28 12 40 20

All mandates(b) 48 18 15 19

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 157 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLIV 

State Profile: South Carolina

Figure XLIV.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 21

Attached or detached permanent addition 14

Temporary building 29

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 78

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $500 to $12,800,000

Number of schools 1,130

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 634,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,467,922,000

Per student $2,314

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $25,807,048

Per student $41

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 6

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal, Department of Health and Environmental Control

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

South Carolina provides financial assistance to LEAs for school construction through two programs.

One provides each LEA with a flat rate of $15 per kindergarten student and $30 per student in grades 1

through 12. The second program, part of the state’s Education Improvement Act passed in 1984,

provides funding to each LEA using a formula that considers LEA ability to pay. Use of the funding is

limited to projects directly related to the instructional program.

Upon LEA request, Department of Education staff provide technical assistance such as conducting

building surveys, assessing building condition, and determining the amount of work needed to bring

buildings to code. They also develop guidance on cost containment and school design considerations

and routinely write informational pieces on facilities maintenance. They review and approve building

plans for compliance with education specifications and building codes for all projects, regardless of the

involvement of state funding. They also review and approve building sites, inspect construction, and

issue occupancy certificates.

In 1993, the Department conducted a one-time study of the condition of school buildings to establish

the level of statewide need. The study used a combination of existing capital improvement studies

submitted by LEAs, state-conducted assessments, and assessments conducted by LEA architectural

staffs.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 158 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLIV 

State Profile: South Carolina

Figure XLIV.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 37

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 52

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 66

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 29

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 7

Heating 13

Ventilation 18

Indoor air quality 19

Acoustics 23

Space flexibility 54

Energy efficiency 29

Physical security 25

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 100

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 33 Television 6

Printers 35 VCR/laser disc 25

Networks 56 Cable TV 30

Modems 55 Conduits 63

Modem lines 50 Fiber optic cable 87

Instructional area

phone lines 62

Wiring for

communications 41

Power for

communications 33

Average number of students per computer: 12

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 7

Large group

instruction 33

Library or media

center 2

Laboratory

science 48

Teacher planning 14

Private testing/

counseling areas 18

Parent support 19 Day care 83

Social and health

services 30

Before and

after-school care 64

Assessment

material storage 30

Assessment

material display 19

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 28

Framing, floors, foundations 21

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 24

Interior finishes 26

Plumbing 28

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 25

Electrical power 24

Electrical lighting 22

Life-safety codes 14

Page 159 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLIV 

State Profile: South Carolina

Figure XLIV.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 44 6 26 23

Accessibility for the disabled 36 5 30 29

All mandates(b) 58 7 19 16

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 36 4 43 17

Accessibility for the disabled 35 6 37 22

All mandates(b) 50 7 16 28

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 160 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLV 

State Profile: South Dakota

Figure XLV.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 20

Attached or detached permanent addition 12

Temporary building 8

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 78

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $200 to $10,100,000

Number of schools 764

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 135,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $165,428,000

Per student $1,223

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total No assistance provided

Per student

Number of facilities-related staff (FTEs) in

State Fire Marshal's Office (lead agency) 4

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Education and Cultural Affairs, Department of Environment and Natural Resources

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

South Dakota does not provide financial assistance for facilities.

In South Dakota, the State Fire Marshal’s Office is responsible for school facilities at the state level.

Before 1994, these responsibilities were shared with the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs.

The Fire Marshal’s Office provides some technical assistance to LEAs. It responds to district questions

on compliance with various building and life/safety codes and provides training to district personnel on

such topics as handling hazardous materials, safety compliance, and building evacuation. The Fire

Marshal’s Office also reviews and approves all renovation and new construction plans for compliance

with building and life/safety codes and is responsible for inspecting all schools every 2 years.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office maintains computerized records of its inspections but does not gather

information on the physical condition of buildings.

Facilities

Information

Technical

Assistance

Page 161 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLV 

State Profile: South Dakota

Figure XLV.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 21

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 45

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 50

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 19

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 26

Framing, floors, foundations 17

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 22

Interior finishes 22

Plumbing 25

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 29

Electrical power 21

Electrical lighting 16

Life-safety codes 22

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 10

Heating 15

Ventilation 26

Indoor air quality 20

Acoustics 24

Space flexibility 38

Energy efficiency 30

Physical security 11

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 11

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 10 Television 8

Printers 10 VCR/laser disc 22

Networks 37 Cable TV 14

Modems 37 Conduits 43

Modem lines 35 Fiber optic cable 70

Instructional area

phone lines 42

Wiring for

communications 23

Power for

communications 15

Average number of students per computer: 9

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 9

Large group

instruction 29

Library or media

center 12

Laboratory

science 29

Teacher planning 10

Private testing/

counseling areas 18

Parent support 19 Day care 88

Social and health

services 26

Before and

after-school care 78

Assessment

material storage 26

Assessment

material display 20

Page 162 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLV 

State Profile: South Dakota

Figure XLV.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 53 8 32 7

Accessibility for the disabled 34 8 36 23

All mandates(b) 60 12 18 10

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 40 2 37 20

Accessibility for the disabled 36 8 23 34

All mandates(b) 52 8 13 28

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 163 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLVI 

State Profile: Tennessee

Figure XLVI.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 19

Attached or detached permanent addition 11

Temporary building 14

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 75

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $500 to $100,500,000

Number of schools 1,302

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 875,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,733,946,000

Per student $2,023

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total Data not provided

Per student

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal's Office, Health Department

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Tennessee provides funding for school facilities through a capital outlay component of its basic education support program. Funding formulas generate each LEA’s capital outlay need on the basis of the

LEA’s average daily membership and on square footage costs. Each LEA contributes a proportionate

share of this amount on the basis of its local fiscal capacity, with the state funding 50 percent of the

total statewide need.

The Department of Education has no staff dedicated to school facilities issues and provides no facilitiesrelated technical assistance to LEAs. Local school systems are responsible for complying with city,

county, and state codes and regulations regarding planning of new buildings, alterations, and safety.

The Department does not review building plans and specifications (this is done by the State Fire

Marshal’s Office). However, the Department is responsible for reviewing such documents for any

projects addressing accessibility for disabled children to ensure that federal requirements are met.

State officials reported they collect limited or no information on facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 164 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLVI 

State Profile: Tennessee

Figure XLVI.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 27

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 56

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 64

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 25

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 22

Framing, floors, foundations 10

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 13

Interior finishes 11

Plumbing 21

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 36

Electrical power 18

Electrical lighting 16

Life-safety codes 21

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 8

Heating 17

Ventilation 19

Indoor air quality 16

Acoustics 22

Space flexibility 49

Energy efficiency 37

Physical security 28

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 95

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 20 Television 7

Printers 23 VCR/laser disc 37

Networks 48 Cable TV 27

Modems 63 Conduits 58

Modem lines 66 Fiber optic cable 94

Instructional area

phone lines 69

Wiring for

communications 39

Power for

communications 25

Average number of students per computer: 19

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 8

Large group

instruction 25

Library or media

center 8

Laboratory

science 44

Teacher planning 8

Private testing/

counseling areas 23

Parent support 18 Day care 79

Social and health

services 41

Before and

after-school care 52

Assessment

material storage 19

Assessment

material display 22

Page 165 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLVI 

State Profile: Tennessee

Figure XLVI.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 38 14 26 22

Accessibility for the disabled 28 7 26 39

All mandates(b) 54 15 17 15

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 37 4 41 19

Accessibility for the disabled 23 10 33 34

All mandates(b) 47 10 16 27

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 166 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLVII 

State Profile: Texas

Figure XLVII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 23

Attached or detached permanent addition 13

Temporary building 13

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 76

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $375 to $18,000,000

Number of schools 6,184

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 3,536,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $8,291,150,000

Per student $2,345

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total No assistance provided

Per student

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 1

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Commission on Fire Protection, Department of Health,

Natural Resource Conservation Commission, Department of Licensing and Regulation, Comptroller of Public

Accounts, Department of Protective and Regulatory

Services, Attorney General

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

In 1995, the Texas legislature authorized a state school facilities funding program as part of major

revisions to the state education code. An appropriation of $170 million for the current 2-year budget

period (1995-97) was made and LEA eligibility for aid is based on formulas designed to assist those

districts with lower wealth and high property taxes and tax debt. Most districts currently receiving aid

are small and rural, with growing enrollment. Code revisions also encourage alternative construction

strategies, such as competitive bids, sealed proposals, and catalog purchases, as well as purchasing

contracts if they provide LEAs with the best facilities value.

The Education Agency provides information and limited training on facilities regulations, design, planning, construction, and operations, as well as on financial, legal, architectural, and engineering issues.

The agency also oversees a state requirement that, for schools built after 1992, LEAs must certify that

the school meets state standards, including space requirements, educational adequacy, and construction quality on the basis of building codes and state and national regulations.

In 1992, Texas conducted a legislatively mandated study of the condition of all school structures and

building systems. Information was gathered through site inspections carried out primarily by architects

and engineers.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 167 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLVII 

State Profile: Texas

Figure XLVII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 27

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 46

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 60

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 23

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 23

Framing, floors, foundations 15

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 16

Interior finishes 18

Plumbing 26

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 26

Electrical power 18

Electrical lighting 18

Life-safety codes 16

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 13

Heating 14

Ventilation 16

Indoor air quality 12

Acoustics 21

Space flexibility 44

Energy efficiency 35

Physical security 18

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 98

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 13 Television 9

Printers 16 VCR/laser disc 17

Networks 31 Cable TV 32

Modems 39 Conduits 46

Modem lines 38 Fiber optic cable 83

Instructional area

phone lines 44

Wiring for

communications 29

Power for

communications 22

Average number of students per computer: 11

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 2

Large group

instruction 32

Library or media

center 9

Laboratory

science 25

Teacher planning 5

Private testing/

counseling areas 14

Parent support 18 Day care 74

Social and health

services 18

Before and

after-school care 50

Assessment

material storage 19

Assessment

material display 17

Page 168 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLVII 

State Profile: Texas

Figure XLVII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 42 7 33 18

Accessibility for the disabled 52 8 26 14

All mandates(b) 59 10 19 12

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 29 10 43 17

Accessibility for the disabled 44 7 27 22

All mandates(b) 48 11 20 20

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 169 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLVIII 

State Profile: Utah

Figure XLVIII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 34

Attached or detached permanent addition 22

Temporary building 3

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 91

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $500 to $20,779,818

Number of schools 716

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 469,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $981,014,000

Per student $2,093

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $9,612,055

Per student $21

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 1.25

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal, State Health Department

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Utah has three facilities funding programs providing LEAs with assistance for renovation, remodeling,

additions, new buildings, land purchase, and debt service. Two of the three funding programs provide

grants; the third program provides no-interest loans. Only districts below the average assessed

property value per student are eligible for state funding. Additionally, districts must have exhausted

alternatives to construction, such as year-round use of facilities, extended class days, and portable

classrooms.

The Department of Education provides LEAs with guidelines on size and use of facilities and assists

them in developing 5-year facilities plans. It also assists LEAs in developing comprehensive emergency management plans for natural disasters and preparedness planning for fires and chemical spills.

The Department reviews architectural plans and makes recommendations on educational specifications

such as space needs.

The Department collects information on the square footage of schools, the number of occupants, and

(for insurance purposes) estimated replacement costs. Districts update the information annually and

also when building or remodeling changes occur. The Department does not collect information on the

condition of facilities.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 170 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLVIII 

State Profile: Utah

Figure XLVIII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 34

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 62

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 72

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 33

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 32

Framing, floors, foundations 34

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 21

Interior finishes 14

Plumbing 33

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 44

Electrical power 25

Electrical lighting 35

Life-safety codes 26

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 14

Heating 22

Ventilation 34

Indoor air quality 21

Acoustics 18

Space flexibility 52

Energy efficiency 40

Physical security 16

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 34

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 7 Television 5

Printers 8 VCR/laser disc 22

Networks 29 Cable TV 39

Modems 54 Conduits 55

Modem lines 71 Fiber optic cable 93

Instructional area

phone lines 78

Wiring for

communications 39

Power for

communications 27

Average number of students per computer: 12

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 14

Large group

instruction 35

Library or media

center 25

Laboratory

science 40

Teacher planning 22

Private testing/

counseling areas 34

Parent support 29 Day care 75

Social and health

services 25

Before and

after-school care 74

Assessment

material storage 35

Assessment

material display 31

Page 171 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLVIII 

State Profile: Utah

Figure XLVIII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 60 5 20 16

Accessibility for the disabled 64 4 12 20

All mandates(b) 76 9 2 14

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 59 6 24 11

Accessibility for the disabled 72 11 13 4

All mandates(b) 76 12 1 10

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 172 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLIX 

State Profile: Vermont

Figure XLIX.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 19

Attached or detached permanent addition 14

Temporary building 18

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 82

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $100 to $7.573,032

Number of schools 320

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 101,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $232,411,000

Per student $2,306

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $16,400,000

Per student $163

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 2

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Labor and

Industry, Agency for Historic Preservation, Department

of Public Service, Department of Agriculture, Agency of

Transportation, Department of Health

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Vermont’s school construction program is in a period of transition. In March 1996, the state repealed all

statutes and rules governing the construction program and funding for new projects, as it began

considering ways to deal with escalating construction costs. If new laws are not enacted by September

1996, all repealed rules are to be reenacted. As of May 1996, new legislation had passed the General

Assembly and was pending the governor's signature.

Before the repeal, Vermont awarded school construction aid for projects meeting eligibility requirements

and demonstrating urgent need as determined by Department of Education criteria. Except for emergencies, projects were funded on a first-come, first-served basis until available funds were exhausted.

Under the new legislation, approved projects would be prioritized by rules established by the State

Board of Education. The new legislation also targets funding towards LEAs with less ability to pay.

Before the repeal, the state provided 30 percent of the cost for most projects. The new legislation

awards LEAs 0 to 30 percent aid based on their property wealth using the same funding categories as

those used in the basic foundation funding program plus a sliding scale. State aid for approved

vocational education projects, formerly 100 percent, would be halted by the new legislation. Finally,

before the repeal, Vermont awarded debt service aid to LEAs eligible for foundation funding at the same

percentage share provided in the general state aid formula. The new legislation caps the

reimburesment rate at 64 percent.

Staff of the Department of Education provide assistance to LEAs through all phases of construction.

Most of the assistance is individualized, but Department staff have also conducted some workshops.

Before the repeal, Department staff also reviewed architectural plans for accuracy and compliance with

locally developed educational specifications and worked with the Department of Labor and Industry to

ensure compliance with building codes.

The Department has periodically surveyed LEA superintendents about anticipated construction projects

and their estimated costs but does not collect information specifically about the condition of school

buildings.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 173 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLIX 

State Profile: Vermont

Figure XLIX.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 21

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 53

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 58

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 20

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 21

Framing, floors, foundations 9

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 18

Interior finishes 20

Plumbing 19

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 40

Electrical power 20

Electrical lighting 21

Life-safety codes 17

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 10

Heating 23

Ventilation 32

Indoor air quality 25

Acoustics 23

Space flexibility 47

Energy efficiency 37

Physical security 23

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 1

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 33 Television 10

Printers 32 VCR/laser disc 38

Networks 66 Cable TV 58

Modems 56 Conduits 69

Modem lines 61 Fiber optic cable 96

Instructional area

phone lines 56

Wiring for

communications 48

Power for

communications 26

Average number of students per computer: 17

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 10

Large group

instruction 41

Library or media

center 14

Laboratory

science 39

Teacher planning 22

Private testing/

counseling areas 34

Parent support 23 Day care 87

Social and health

services 34

Before and

after-school care 55

Assessment

material storage 37

Assessment

material display 33

Page 174 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix XLIX 

State Profile: Vermont

Figure XLIX.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 36 10 26 28

Accessibility for the disabled 28 8 34 29

All mandates(b) 54 11 16 19

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 16 1 63 19

Accessibility for the disabled 36 3 52 9

All mandates(b) 54 3 27 15

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 175 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix L 

State Profile: Virginia

Figure L.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 21

Attached or detached permanent addition 16

Temporary building 11

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 81

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $1,000 to $26,128,000

Number of schools 1,785

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 1,045,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,884,648,000

Per student $1,803

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $108,800,000

Per student $104

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 4

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of the Treasury

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Virginia has two state loan programs for school facilities. The Virginia Public School Authority is a bond

bank that issues about $100 million in bonds annually to LEAs that lack ready access to low-cost

financing. It sells bonds on the public market and uses the proceeds to purchase general obligation

bonds from LEAs. LEAs pay the Authority’s interest rate plus a small percentage to cover administrative costs. A second loan source is the Literary Fund, funded primarily from fines, forfeitures, unclaimed

property, and repayments of prior loans. LEAs may borrow up to $5 million at an interest rate that is

based on the LEA’s ability to pay. Low-wealth districts receive priority for funding. In addition to these

loan programs, Virginia provides grant assistance to LEAs for maintenance projects as part of its basic

education support program. The state’s share of a $5 per pupil allocation is based on the LEA’s ability

to pay. LEAs can use the allocation for maintenance needs or debt service.

The Department of Education has three architects and a support technician who provide technical

advice to LEAs, conduct workshops on such topics as state and federal health and safety requirements,

conduct research, and prepare long-range capital improvement plans for LEAs. The Department is also

responsible for establishing minimum standards for public school construction, such as classroom size

and equipment needs. However, Department staff perform few compliance activities. LEAs submit

copies of final building plans, but the Department does not review them.

In 1991 and 1993, the Department conducted a survey to measure present and future facility needs.

The survey collected summary information at the district level on the number of schools experiencing

various facility problems such as overcrowding and structural concerns. The survey also asked for LEA

estimates of capital improvement, deferred maintenance, and anticipated maintenance needs. In

addition to the survey data, the SEA also maintains records of all construction projects dating back to

the 1950s. It also collects and publishes cost data on new buildings and renovations every year.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 176 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix L 

State Profile: Virginia

Figure L.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 27

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 60

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 58

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 26

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 32

Framing, floors, foundations 21

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 25

Interior finishes 18

Plumbing 32

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 35

Electrical power 24

Electrical lighting 24

Life-safety codes 18

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 14

Heating 17

Ventilation 22

Indoor air quality 20

Acoustics 24

Space flexibility 38

Energy efficiency 36

Physical security 21

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 78

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 31 Television 4

Printers 38 VCR/laser disc 37

Networks 56 Cable TV 18

Modems 54 Conduits 58

Modem lines 53 Fiber optic cable 94

Instructional area

phone lines 56

Wiring for

communications 36

Power for

communications 30

Average number of students per computer: 13

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 10

Large group

instruction 32

Library or media

center 14

Laboratory

science 41

Teacher planning 19

Private testing/

counseling areas 19

Parent support 31 Day care 88

Social and health

services 25

Before and

after-school care 57

Assessment

material storage 38

Assessment

material display 36

Page 177 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix L 

State Profile: Virginia

Figure L.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 43 6 23 28

Accessibility for the disabled 55 5 13 27

All mandates(b) 81 10 4 5

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 25 9 41 24

Accessibility for the disabled 50 11 21 17

All mandates(b) 60 13 9 19

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 178 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LI 

State Profile: Washington

Figure LI.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 38

Attached or detached permanent addition 17

Temporary building 25

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 89

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $300 to $60,000,000

Number of schools 1,860

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 920,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $4,001,741,000

Per student $4,350

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $137,600,000

Per student $150

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 7

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal, State Department of Health-Safe

Schools Program, State Department of Labor and

Industries

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Washington state provides funding assistance for school construction and major renovation as an

entitlement to eligible schools. Project eligibility is based on the age and condition of the building as

well as enrollment growth. The amount of funding LEAs receive ranges from 20 to 90 percent of project

construction costs and is based on assessed real property values divided by the number of students in

the school district. A major source of state funding is timber sales from state lands dedicated to that

use as part of the 1889 common school trust land grant.

The SEA school facilities section staff provide facilities information to school districts and other state

and federal agencies. The section also reviews all state-assisted school construction projects to ensure

compliance with state laws--for example, paying appropriate wages to construction workers or using

minority- and female-owned contractors.

The SEA collects districtwide inventory and condition information when LEAs apply for state funding

assistance. Information collection is ongoing and updates take place, at a minimum, each time a LEA

requests state assistance. The information includes a building condition assessment that rates a

school’s interior, exterior, systems, and safety. The assessment assigns scores using weighted categories based on repair or replacement costs. These scores are used to establish the annual project

priority list for the distribution of state funds.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 179 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LI 

State Profile: Washington

Figure LI.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 44

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 60

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 74

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 38

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 32

Framing, floors, foundations 21

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 34

Interior finishes 31

Plumbing 39

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 52

Electrical power 36

Electrical lighting 38

Life-safety codes 36

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 24

Heating 30

Ventilation 42

Indoor air quality 32

Acoustics 40

Space flexibility 65

Energy efficiency 47

Physical security 35

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 32

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 32 Television 15

Printers 40 VCR/laser disc 41

Networks 60 Cable TV 35

Modems 62 Conduits 61

Modem lines 61 Fiber optic cable 86

Instructional area

phone lines 66

Wiring for

communications 47

Power for

communications 35

Average number of students per computer: 14

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 14

Large group

instruction 47

Library or media

center 16

Laboratory

science 52

Teacher planning 16

Private testing/

counseling areas 30

Parent support 30 Day care 75

Social and health

services 40

Before and

after-school care 67

Assessment

material storage 41

Assessment

material display 36

Page 180 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LI 

State Profile: Washington

Figure LI.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 45 10 24 21

Accessibility for the disabled 43 7 24 25

All mandates(b) 58 14 14 13

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 29 8 35 28

Accessibility for the disabled 46 11 32 10

All mandates(b) 53 13 16 18

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 181 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LII 

State Profile: West Virginia

Figure LII.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 40

Attached or detached permanent addition 25

Temporary building 16

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 88

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $10,000 to $14,000,000

Number of schools 826

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 319,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $1,217,691,000

Per student $3,819

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $0

Per student $0

Number of facilities-related staff (FTEs) in School

Building Authority of West Virginia (lead agency) 10

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal's Office, Department of Health and

Human Resources, Department of Education, Department of Culture and History

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

West Virginia provides state school construction aid through four programs administered by the School

Building Authority of West Virginia, established in 1988 as a separate agency from the Department of

Education. Since 1988, $644 million in school construction funds has been generated, of which $506

million has come from the School Building Authority. The largest funding program provides competitive

grants to LEAs, with grant proposals evaluated against several criteria, such as how well the project

addresses student health and safety and economies of scale. Two smaller programs are tailored to (1)

helping LEAs with emergency situations, such as flood or fire damage, and (2) providing funds for

statewide projects, such as rewiring schools for modern technology. A fourth program helps LEAs with

smaller projects costing between $50,000 and $500,000, such as building health and safety improvements and additional classrooms. To qualify for this program, LEAs must have a comprehensive

maintenance program in place. Because of a court decision against the state’s method of financing

bonds issued by the Building Authority, no money was provided for these programs in fiscal year 1994.

Legislation was later passed to dedicate $230 million to begin financing future construction on a pay-asyou-go basis for the next 10 years.

Staff of the School Building Authority provide guidance as LEAs go through the facility planning and

construction process. They attend job meetings at the LEA to ensure that curriculum requirements are

addressed, that the quality of construction is acceptable, and that expenditures stay within budget.

They also review and approve building plans for projects using state funds and coordinate other state

agencies’ review of plans for compliance with building and fire codes and other state requirements.

Every 10 years, LEAs are required to submit a comprehensive facilities plan, which includes an evaluation of building conditions. A standard rating form is used to evaluate building systems, structures, and

curriculum program space. The weighted ratings are based on how well facilities meet state standards

compared with other buildings in the state. The evaluation, first conducted in 1990 by personnel trained

by the School Building Authority, will be entirely redone in 2000. In the interim, LEAs must re-evaluate

facilities whenever they request state funding.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 182 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LII 

State Profile: West Virginia

Figure LII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 42

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 67

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 82

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 41

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 26

Framing, floors, foundations 35

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 43

Interior finishes 37

Plumbing 38

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 57

Electrical power 29

Electrical lighting 36

Life-safety codes 31

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 24

Heating 34

Ventilation 46

Indoor air quality 31

Acoustics 44

Space flexibility 69

Energy efficiency 58

Physical security 34

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 58

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 16 Television 4

Printers 17 VCR/laser disc 31

Networks 32 Cable TV 14

Modems 57 Conduits 50

Modem lines 52 Fiber optic cable 93

Instructional area

phone lines 72

Wiring for

communications 36

Power for

communications 18

Average number of students per computer: 13

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 19

Large group

instruction 50

Library or media

center 28

Laboratory

science 43

Teacher planning 16

Private testing/

counseling areas 39

Parent support 27 Day care 94

Social and health

services 47

Before and

after-school care 81

Assessment

material storage 40

Assessment

material display 39

Page 183 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LII 

State Profile: West Virginia

Figure LII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 55 2 20 24

Accessibility for the disabled 27 7 29 36

All mandates(b) 63 6 8 24

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 24 5 26 45

Accessibility for the disabled 34 8 31 27

All mandates(b) 44 10 12 35

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 184 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LIII 

State Profile: Wisconsin

Figure LIII.1: General Context and State Roles

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 32

Attached or detached permanent addition 16

Temporary building 5

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 79

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $200 to $7,567,000

Number of schools 2,250

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 850,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $2,188,303,000

Per student $2,575

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total Unknown

Per student Unknown

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 1

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

Department of Industry, Labor, and Human Relations;

Department of Health and Social Services; Department

of Natural Resources

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Wisconsin does not have a specific funding program devoted to school facilities, but its basic education

support program provides reimbursement that can be used for construction expenditures. Under this

program, the state provides aid to LEAs for a percentage of their total education costs per student, with

higher aid given to LEAs with lower property wealth. Through fiscal year 1995, the aid rate ranged from

0 to 70 percent of LEA education costs; the average was 40 percent. Because of differences in the rate

of aid LEAs receive on their expenditures, the Department of Public Instruction cannot determine the

precise amount the state reimburses districts for school facility construction.

The Department of Education provides limited technical assistance to districts. The staff help district

officials interpret the building code and health and safety regulations, present occasional on-site

workshops, coordinate referrals to other state agencies, and provide assistance with LEA facility plans.

The Department does not receive any copies of architectural plans; these are reviewed by other state

agencies.

The Department has limited information on school facilities and the condition of buildings. On the basis

of an inventory developed in 1988, the Department has data on the type of fuel source used in each

building and the date of construction. The Department also keeps records of formal citizen complaints

filed with the state on the condition of facilities. Department staff along with staff from the Department

of Labor, Industry, and Human Relations are responsible for investigating the complaints and may issue

orders to LEAs to correct any code violations found. The Department of Labor, Industry, and Human

Relations also inspects all schools once every 5 years for compliance with building code regulations.

Copies of the inspection reports are routinely provided to the Department of Public Instruction.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 185 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LIII 

State Profile: Wisconsin

Figure LIII.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 33

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 49

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 60

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 32

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 18

Framing, floors, foundations 18

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 23

Interior finishes 19

Plumbing 24

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 28

Electrical power 26

Electrical lighting 18

Life-safety codes 12

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 10

Heating 14

Ventilation 20

Indoor air quality 13

Acoustics 20

Space flexibility 52

Energy efficiency 38

Physical security 19

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 26

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 22 Television 11

Printers 24 VCR/laser disc 24

Networks 45 Cable TV 20

Modems 45 Conduits 52

Modem lines 46 Fiber optic cable 86

Instructional area

phone lines 59

Wiring for

communications 36

Power for

communications 33

Average number of students per computer: 11

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 15

Large group

instruction 32

Library or media

center 13

Laboratory

science 35

Teacher planning 20

Private testing/

counseling areas 30

Parent support 25 Day care 84

Social and health

services 24

Before and

after-school care 71

Assessment

material storage 24

Assessment

material display 18

Page 186 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LIII 

State Profile: Wisconsin

Figure LIII.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 53 13 11 22

Accessibility for the disabled 48 12 16 24

All mandates(b) 68 21 4 7

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 40 5 37 18

Accessibility for the disabled 37 20 24 19

All mandates(b) 60 15 6 19

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 187 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LIV 

State Profile: Wyoming

Figure LIV.1: General Context and State Role

General Context

Percent of schools reporting at least one on-site building

in indequate condition

Original building 18

Attached or detached permanent addition 6

Temporary building 10

Percent of schools reporting a need

to upgrade or repair on-site buildings

to good overall condition 82

Reported range of amounts needed

to upgrade or repair a school

to good overall condition $500 to $16,900,000

Number of schools 402

Total enrollment on or about Oct. 1, 1993 100,000

State revenue for K-12 education, 1993-94

Total $351,479,000

Per student $3504

State funding for K-12 school facilities, 1993-94

Total $8,000,000

Per student $80

Number of SEA facilities-related staff (FTEs) 0.75

Other state agencies involved in school facilities:

State Fire Marshal, Department of Environmental

Quality, Department of Health

State's Role in Facilities

Financial

Assistance

Wyoming dedicated federal mineral royalties from school lands to school capital construction several

years ago and added state mineral royalties in 1994-95. Funding is expected to be about $13 million

per year. Most of the money is made available as grants, but loans can also be provided. To receive

funds, LEAs must be bonded to at least 80 percent of capacity, and the taxable wealth is one determinant of the amount of funding that eligible LEAs receive. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction

reviews project requests, evaluates them on the basis of factors such as space and instructional needs,

and makes recommendations to the State Farm Loan Board, which has final approval. In making

decisions about projects, the Superintendent also uses a 1991 inventory of schools, which prioritized

403 capital projects. Another facilities funding program, not used in the past 5 years, provides funding

for debt service on district capital construction bonds, targeting LEAs that have passed bonds but have

declining tax bases.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Office provides information to LEAs on facilities requirements

and guidance on navigating the state funding process. Staff make occasional site visits at LEA request.

The 1991 inventory of schools, discussed above as being the source of a prioritized list of projects, was

carried out by independent contract inspectors and included detailed information on the condition of

structures and building systems. In 1994, the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Office updated the

information by having districts note any changes that had occurred. In the future, the Office hopes to

carry out an inspection-based study about once every 6 years, with updates 3 years later.

Technical

Assistance

Facilities

Information

Page 188 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LIV 

State Profile: Wyoming

Figure LIV.2: Extent of Reported Facilities Needs

Building Features Environment

Facilities Needs for Educational Reform Technology

Percent of Schools With Inadequate Facilities

Percent of schools

Schools with at least one inadequate building of any type (original,

addition, or temporary) 24

Schools with at least one inadequate building feature 49

Schools with at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor 68

Schools with (1) at least one inadequate building, and (2) one

inadequate building feature 20

Building feature

Percent of schools with

inadequate features

Roofs 24

Framing, floors, foundations 10

Exterior walls, windows, etc. 18

Interior finishes 14

Plumbing 19

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 25

Electrical power 19

Electrical lighting 14

Life-safety codes 15

Factor

Percent of schools with

unsatisfactory factors

Lighting 5

Heating 11

Ventilation 24

Indoor air quality 15

Acoustics 18

Space flexibility 53

Energy efficiency 33

Physical security 22

Percent of schools with air conditioning in classrooms: 13

Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability Element

Percent of

schools

reporting

insufficient

capability

Computers 10 Television 12

Printers 13 VCR/laser disc 21

Networks 33 Cable TV 40

Modems 41 Conduits 51

Modem lines 34 Fiber optic cable 84

Instructional area

phone lines 44

Wiring for

communications 30

Power for

communications 16

Average number of students per computer: 7

Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all" Activity

Percent of

schools

meeting

need "not

well at all"

Small group

instruction 1

Large group

instruction 35

Library or media

center 16

Laboratory

science 31

Teacher planning 1

Private testing/

counseling areas 18

Parent support 7 Day care 91

Social and health

services 19

Before and

after-school care 60

Assessment

material storage 12

Assessment

material display 8

Page 189 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LIV 

State Profile: Wyoming

Figure LIV.3: Reported Federal Mandates Spending

Money

Reported

Needed and

Spent on

Federal

Mandates in

the Last 3

Years

Money

Estimated

Needed for

Federal

Mandates in

the Next 3

Years

Percent of schools

Spending

Spending

 not

 needed

No

money

spent

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 40 6 38 16

Accessibility for the disabled 35 7 30 29

All mandates(b) 66 8 12 14

(a)For those schools reporting spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were asbestos,

$43,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $67,000. Median amounts per school

were asbestos, $6,000; accessibility for the disabled, $6,000; all federal mandates, $12,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Percent of schools

Spending needed

Spending

 not

 needed Unknown

Below average

spending(a)

Above average

spending(a)

Asbestos 36 3 42 18

Accessibility for the disabled 60 7 18 15

All mandates(b) 73 6 7 14

(a)For those schools reporting anticipated spending on federal mandates, national averages per school were

asbestos, $72,000; accessibility for the disabled, $124,000; all federal mandates, $177,000. Median amounts

per school were asbestos, $10,000; accessibility for the disabled, $40,000; all federal mandates, $50,000.

(b)"All" includes, in addition to the categories shown, underground storage tanks, radon, pesticides and other

chemicals, and managing/correcting other environmental hazards (such as lead in water or paint).

Page 190 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
Appendix LV 

GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments

GAO Contacts Eleanor L. Johnson, Assistant Director, (202) 512-7209

Linda Y. McIver, Evaluator-in-Charge, (206) 287-4821

Staff

Acknowledgments

Susan J. Lawless, Senior Evaluator

Stanley H. Stenersen, Senior Evaluator

(104821) Page 191 GAO/HEHS-96-148 School Facilities: State Profiles
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