United States General Accounting Office

GAO Report to Congressional Requesters

February 1995 SCHOOL FACILITIES

Condition of America’s

Schools

GAO/HEHS-95-61

GAO United States

General Accounting Office

Washington, D.C. 20548

Health, Education, and

Human Services Division

B-259307 

February 1, 1995

The Honorable Carol Moseley-Braun

The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy

The Honorable Claiborne Pell

The Honorable Paul Simon

The Honorable Paul Wellstone

United States Senate

The nation has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in school

infrastructure to create an environment where children can be properly

educated and prepared for the future. Almost exclusively a state and local

responsibility, this infrastructure requires maintenance and capital

investment. However, public concern is growing that while laws require

children to attend school, some school buildings may be unsafe or even

harmful to children’s health. Recently, for example, a federal judge would

not allow the schools in our nation’s capital to open on time until

thousands of life-threatening fire code violations were corrected.

Similarly, noncompliance with asbestos requirements kept over 1,000 New

York City schools closed for the first 11 days of the 1993 school year.

Although such situations may be well publicized, little information exists

documenting the extent to which the nation’s schools may lack the

appropriate facilities to educate their students.

Widely quoted studies1

 conducted in recent years report that school

facilities are in poor condition. While these studies documented some

problems and provided much anecdotal information, they had different

methodological problems limiting their usefulness. Further, the

Department of Education has not assessed the condition of the nation’s

school facilities since 1965. Accordingly, you requested that we conduct a

study that could be used as a basis for determining the condition of the

nation’s school facilities.

In response to your request and subsequent discussions with your office,

this report presents national information on (1) the amount of funding that

the nation’s public elementary and secondary schools report needing to

improve inadequate facilities and (2) the overall physical condition and

prevalence of schools that need major repairs. Another report is

forthcoming shortly that will report the location of and other demographic

1

Education Writers Association, Wolves at the Schoolhouse Door: An Investigation of the Condition of

Public School Buildings (Washington, D.C.: 1989); American Association of School Administrators,

Schoolhouse in the Red: A Guidebook for Cutting Our Losses (Arlington, Va.: 1992).

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analyses for schools that need major repairs. These reports are the first in

a series responding to your request.2

Results in Brief Based on estimates by school officials in a national sample of schools, we

project that the nation’s schools need about $112 billion3

 to repair or

upgrade America’s multibillion4

 dollar investment in facilities to good

overall condition.5

 Of this, $11 billion (10 percent) is needed over the next

3 years to comply with federal mandates that require schools to make all

programs accessible to all students and to remove or correct hazardous

substances such as asbestos, lead in water or paint, materials in

underground storage tanks (UST), and radon or meet other requirements.

About two-thirds of America’s schools reported that all buildings were in

at least overall adequate condition, at most needing only some preventive

maintenance or corrective repair. However, about 14 million students

attend the remaining one-third of schools that reported needing extensive

repair or replacement of one or more buildings.6

 These schools are

distributed nationwide. Also, problems with major building features, such

as plumbing, are widespread even among those schools reported in at

least adequate condition. Almost 60 percent of America’s schools reported

at least one major building feature in disrepair, needing to be extensively

repaired, overhauled, or replaced. Most of these schools had multiple

problems. In addition, about half reported at least one unsatisfactory

environmental condition in their schools, such as poor ventilation, heating

or lighting problems, or poor physical security. Most of these schools also

had multiple unsatisfactory environmental conditions. Some district

officials we spoke to told us that a major factor in the declining physical

condition of the nation’s schools has been decisions by school districts to

defer vital maintenance and repair expenditures from year to year due to

lack of funds.

2

Subsequent reports will address (1) the capability of schools to meet education reform goals and the

needs of 21st century education, (2) state role in school facilities, and (3) the relationship of facility

conditions to select school and staffing data.

3

Sampling error is + 6.61 percent.

4

No complete national data has been compiled for current replacement value of school buildings.

Researchers have used the $422 billion estimate made by the Education Writers Association in Wolves

at the Schoolhouse Door.

5

“Good” condition means that only routine maintenance or minor repair is required. “Overall”

condition includes both physical condition and the ability of the schools to meet the functional

requirements of instructional programs.

6

Any one school may have more than one building.

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Background Elementary and secondary education, the nation’s largest public

enterprise, is conducted in over 80,000 schools in about 15,000 districts.

America’s public schools serve over 42 million students. About 70 percent

of schools serve 27 million elementary students; 24 percent serve

13.8 million secondary students; and 6 percent serve 1.2 million students in

combined elementary and secondary and other schools.

America’s traditional one-room school houses have been replaced by

larger facilities that may have more than one building. Comprising

classroom, administrative, and other areas like gymnasiums and

auditoriums, a school may have an original building, any number of

permanent additions to that building, and a variety of temporary

buildings—each constructed at different times. Buildings that have been

well maintained and renovated at periodic intervals have a useful life

equivalent to a new building.

A number of state courts as well as the Congress have recognized that a

high-quality learning environment is essential to educating the nation’s

children. Crucial to establishing that learning environment is that children

attend school in decent facilities. “Decent facilities” was specifically

defined by one court as those that are “...structurally safe, contain fire

safety measures, sufficient exits, an adequate and safe water supply, an

adequate sewage disposal system, sufficient and sanitary toilet facilities

and plumbing fixtures, adequate storage, adequate light, be in good repair

and attractively painted as well as contain acoustics for noise control....”7

More recently, the Congress passed the Education Infrastructure Act of

1994,8

 in which it stated that “improving the quality of public elementary

and secondary schools will help our Nation meet the National Education

Goals.”9

 Despite these efforts, studies and media reports on school

facilities since 1965 indicate that many public elementary and secondary

schools are in substandard condition and need major repairs due to

leaking roofs, plumbing problems, inadequate heating systems, or other

system failures.

7

Pauley v. Kelly, No. 75-C1268 (Kanawha County Cir. Ct., W. Va., May 1982); Edgewood Independent

School District v. Kirby, N. 362, 516 (259th Dist. Ct. Travis Cty., Tex., June 1, 1987), rev’d. 761 S.W. 2nd

859 (Ct. App. Tex., 1988), rev’d. 777 S.W. 2nd 391 (1989).

8

The Education Infrastructure Act of 1994 was introduced by Senator Carol Moseley-Braun and was

passed as part of Improving America’s Schools Act (P.L. 103-382, Oct. 20, 1994).

9

The National Education Goals are set forth in Goals 2000: Educate America Act (P.L. 103-227,

March 31, 1994). The goals concern (1) school readiness; (2) school completion; (3) student

achievement and citizenship; (4) teacher education and professional development; (5) math and

science achievement; (6) adult literacy and lifelong learning; (7) safe, disciplined, and alcohol- and

drug-free schools; and (8) parental participation.

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Although localities generally finance construction and repair, with states

playing a variety of roles,10 federal programs have monies to help localities

offset the impact of federal activities, such as Impact Aid,11 improving

accessibility for the disabled, and managing hazardous materials.

However, these programs do not totally offset all costs. For example, prior

GAO work found that federal assistance provided for asbestos management

under the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act of 1984 did not meet the

needs of all affected schools. From 1988 through 1991, the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) received 1,746 qualified applications totaling

$599 million but only awarded $157 million to 586 school districts it

considered to have the worst asbestos problems. EPA was aware of the

shortfall in federal assistance but believed that state and local

governments should bear these costs.12

Because of the perception that federal programs—as well as current state

and local financing mechanisms—did not begin to address the serious

facilities needs of many of America’s schools, the Congress passed the

Education Infrastructure Act of 1994. The Congress then appropriated

$100 million for grants to schools for repair, renovation, alteration, or

construction.

Scope and

Methodology

To determine the amount of funding needed to improve inadequate

facilities and the overall physical condition and prevalence of schools that

need major repairs, we surveyed a national sample of schools and

augmented the survey with visits to selected school districts. We used

various experts to advise us on the design and analysis of this project. (See

app. III for a list of advisers.)

We sent the survey to a nationally representative stratified random sample

of about 10,000 schools in over 5,000 school districts. The sample was

designed for the Department of Education’s 1994 Schools and Staffing

Survey (SASS), which is sponsored by the National Center for Educational

Statistics.

10School Construction Specification and Financing, National Survey Data 1994, MGT of America, Inc.,

prepared for Hawaii’s State Department of Education (Tallahassee, Fla.: 1994). See also our

forthcoming report on state role in school facilities.

11The Impact Aid program is administered by the Department of Education and provided $12 million in

fiscal year 1994 for constructing and renovating schools in districts that educate “federally connected”

children, such as those whose parents live and/or work on military installations and Indian

reservations.

12Toxic Substances: Information on Costs and Financial Aid to Schools to Control Asbestos

(GAO/RCED-92-57FS, Jan. 15, 1992).

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

features, such as roofs; framing, floors, and foundations; exterior walls

and interior finishes; plumbing; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

(HVAC); and electric power; (2) the status of environmental conditions,

such as lighting, heating, and ventilation; (3) the amount districts and

schools had spent in the last 3 years or plan to spend in the next 3 years

due to federal mandates that require managing or correcting hazardous

materials problems and providing access to all programs for all students;

and (4) an estimate of the total cost of needed repairs, renovations, and

modernizations to put all buildings in good overall condition. (See app. IV

for a copy of the questionnaire.)

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 school buildings.

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 nationally representative estimates. All of

the data are self-reported, and we did not independently verify their

accuracy. (See the forthcoming report on location and demographic

analyses of schools in need of major repair for a detailed description of

our data collection methods and analysis techniques, confidence intervals,

and the like.)

In addition, we visited 41 schools in 10 selected school districts varying in

location, size, and minority composition. During these visits, we observed

facility conditions and interviewed district and local school officials to

obtain information on facilities assessment, maintenance programs,

resources, and barriers encountered in reaching facility goals. (See app. I

for profiles on the districts visited.)

We conducted this study from April 1994 to December 1994 in accordance

with generally accepted government auditing standards.

Principal Findings

Schools Report Needing

Billions to Improve

Facilities

On the basis of our survey results, we estimate that the nation’s schools

need $112 billion to complete all repairs, renovations, and modernizations

required to restore facilities to good overall condition and to comply with

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federal mandates. (See fig. 1.) This amount includes $65 billion—about

$2.8 million per school—needed by one-third of schools for which one or

more entire building needs major repairs or replacement. Another 40

percent of schools (those in adequate or better condition) reported

needing $36 billion—about $1.2 million per school—to repair or replace

one or more building features,13 such as the plumbing or roof, or to make

other corrective repairs.

Figure 1: School Officials Report

Billions Needed for Repairs and to

Comply With Federal Mandates in the

Next 3 Years

Note: “Other” includes lead in water/paint, underground storage tanks, radon, and other

mandated requirements.

Almost two-thirds of the schools reported needing $11 billion—an average

of $.2 million per school—to comply with federal mandates over the next 3

years. Of this amount, about $5 billion (54 percent) is needed to correct or

remove hazardous substances, such as asbestos, lead in water or paint,

materials contained in UST, and radon or meet other requirements while

13Building features include roofs; framing, floors, and foundations; exterior walls, finishes, windows,

and doors; interior finishes and trims; plumbing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; electrical

power; electrical lighting; and life safety codes.

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about $6 billion (55 percent) is needed by schools to make programs

accessible to all students. (See fig. 1.)

This $11 billion is in addition to the $3.8 billion reported spent by

three-quarters of all schools in the last 3 years to comply with federal

mandates. (See fig. 2.) Of the money schools reported that they spent to

comply with federal mandates, $2.3 billion (60 percent) went to correct or

remove hazardous substances—primarily asbestos—while $1.5 billion

(40 percent) went to make all programs accessible to all students.

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Figure 2: Amount Schools Reported

Spending Over the Last 3 Years and

Need in the Next 3 Years to Fulfill

Federal Mandates

Type of Requirement

Amount Needed (In Millions)

Accessibility

Reported spent in the last 3 years

Radon

5500

1500

1000

500

0

1519

Other Requirements

201

2380

Asbestos

1728

2395

Correct USTs

302 303

14 32

5183

2000

2500

Lead in Paint/Water

387

46

Reported needed in the next 3 years

Note: Other mandated requirements may include those governing pesticides or other chemicals

and the like.

District officials we spoke with reported that they must also comply with

many state and local mandates. For example, one urban district reported

how federal, state, and local regulations govern many of the same areas

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such as hazardous materials management and some aspects of indoor air

quality. In addition, officials cited numerous state health and sanitation

codes, state safety inspections for building features, as well as city zoning

ordinances, local building codes, and historic preservation regulations. By

1992, the enormity of the requirements as well as decades of capital needs

underfunding have resulted in only the 2 newest of their 123 schools

complying with all current codes.

The district further described how these regulations and the

accompanying cost could apply to the installation of air conditioning. For

example, air conditioning could be installed in a building for $500,000.

However, this may also require an additional $100,000 in fire alarm/smoke

detection and emergency lighting systems as well as $250,000 in

architectural modifications for code compliance. Additionally, the location

of outside chillers may be regulated by zoning and historic preservation

ordinances.

In our visits to selected districts, officials from major urban areas reported

needing billions to put their schools into good overall condition. (See table

1.)

Table 1: Major Urban School Districts

Report Needing Billions to Bring

Schools Into Good Overall Condition

Dollars in billions

Urban school district Amount needed

New York City $7.8

Chicago 2.9

Washington, D.C. 0.5

New Orleans 0.5

Two-Thirds of Schools

Adequate but Millions of

Students Must Attend

Other One-Third

School officials reported that two-thirds of the nation’s schools are in

adequate (or better) condition, at most needing only some preventive

maintenance or corrective repair. However, about 14 million students

must attend the remaining one-third (25,000 schools), in which at least one

building is in need of extensive repair or replacement. Even more

students, 28 million, attend schools nationwide that need one or more

building feature extensively repaired, overhauled, or replaced or that

contain an environmentally unsatisfactory condition,14 such as poor

ventilation. (See tables 2 and 3.) These schools are distributed nationwide.

14Environmental factors include lighting, heating, ventilation, indoor air quality, acoustics for noise

control, energy efficiency, and physical security of buildings. Although flexibility of instructional space

is included as an environmental factor in our questionnaire (see app. IV), we are not addressing those

issues in this report. They will be addressed in a forthcoming report.

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Table 2: Millions of Students Attend

Schools With Less-Than-Adequate

Physical Conditions Building feature

Number of

schools

Estimate of students

affected

Roofs 21,100 11,916,000

Framing, floors, foundations 13,900 7,247,000

Exterior walls, finishes, windows,

doors 20,500 11,524,000

Interior finishes, trims 18,600 10,408,000

Plumbing 23,100 12,254,000

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning 28,100 15,456,000

Electrical power 20,500 11,034,000

Electrical lighting 19,500 10,837,000

Life safety codes 14,500 7,630,000

Notes: See appendix IV for survey question.

Ranges for building or building feature condition were excellent, good, adequate, fair, poor, or

replace. A building or building feature was considered in less-than-adequate condition if fair,

poor, or replace was indicated.

Table 3: Millions of Students Attend

Schools With Unsatisfactory

Environmental Conditions Environmental condition

Number of

Schools

Number of

students affected

Lighting 12,200 6,682,000

Heating 15,000 7,888,000

Ventilation 21,100 11,559,000

Indoor air quality 15,000 8,353,000

Acoustics for noise control 21,900 11,044,000

Physical security 18,900 10,638,000

Note: See appendix IV for survey question.

Physical Condition Specifically, about one-third of both elementary and secondary schools

reported at least one entire building—original, addition, or temporary—in

need of extensive repairs or replacement. (See fig. 3 and pictures in app.

II.) About 60 percent (including some schools in adequate condition)

reported that at least one building feature needed extensive repair,

overhauling, or replacement; and three-quarters of those schools needed

multiple features repaired. Features most frequently reported in need of

such repairs were HVAC; plumbing; roofs; exterior walls, finishes, windows,

and doors; electrical power; electrical lighting; and interior finishes and

trims. (See fig. 4 and pictures in app. II.) Further, while 41 percent of all

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schools reported unsatisfactory energy efficiency, 73 percent of those

schools with exterior walls, windows, and doors and 64 percent of those

with roofs in need of major repair reported unsatisfactory energy

efficiency. These unrepaired features not only reduce energy efficiency

but may also have an adverse environmental effect on students. As one

Chicago elementary school principal told us, “Heat escapes through holes

in the roof; the windows leak (the ones that are not boarded up) and let in

cold air in the winter so that children must wear coats to class.” Following

are some other examples:

• In New Orleans, the damage from Formosan termites has deteriorated the

structure of many schools. In one elementary school, they even ate the

books on the library shelves as well as the shelves themselves. (See app.

II.) This, in combination with a leaking roof and rusted window wall,

caused so much damage that a large portion of the 30-year-old school has

been condemned. The whole school is projected to be closed in 1 year.

• At a Montgomery County, Alabama, elementary school, a ceiling weakened

by leaking water collapsed 40 minutes after the children left for the day.

• Water damage from an old (original) boiler steam heating system at a

60-year-old junior high school in Washington, D.C., has caused such wall

deterioration that an entire wing has been condemned and locked off from

use. Steam damage is also causing lead-based wall paint to peel.

• Raw sewage backs up on the front lawn of a Montgomery County,

Alabama, junior high school due to defective plumbing.

• A New York City high school built around the turn of the century has

served as a stable, fire house, factory, and office building. The school is

overcrowded with 580 students, far exceeding the building’s 400 student

capacity. The building has little ventilation (no vents or blowers), despite

many inside classrooms, and the windows cannot be opened, which makes

the school unbearably hot in the summer. In the winter, heating depends

on a fireman’s stoking the coal furnace by hand.

• In Ramona, California, where overcrowding is considered a problem, one

elementary school is composed entirely of portable buildings. It had

neither a cafeteria nor auditorium and used a single relocatable room as a

library, computer lab, music room, and art room.

• Last year, during a windstorm in Raymond, Washington, the original

windows of an elementary school built in 1925 were blown out, leaving

shards of glass stuck in the floor. The children happened to be at the other

end of the room. This wooden school is considered a fire hazard, and

although hallways and staircases can act as chimneys for smoke and fire,

the second floor has only one external exit.

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• In rural Grandview, Washington, overcrowded facilities are a problem. At

one middle school, the original building was meant to house 450 students.

Two additions and three portables have been added to accommodate 700

students. The school has seven staggered lunch periods. The portables

have no lockers nor bathrooms and are cold in the winter and hot in the

spring/summer.

• In a high school in Chicago, the classroom floors are in terrible condition.

Not only are floors buckling, so much tile is loose that students cannot

walk in all parts of the school. The stairs are in poor condition and have

been cited for safety violations. An outside door has been chained for 3

years to prevent students from falling on broken outside steps. Peeling

paint has been cited as a fire hazard. Heating problems result in some

rooms having no heat while other rooms are too warm. Leaks in the

science lab caused by plumbing problems prevent the classes from doing

experiments. Guards patrol the outside doors, and all students and visitors

must walk through metal detectors before entering the school. (See app. II

and fig. 6.)

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Figure 3: Percent of Buildings

Reported in Less-Than-Adequate

Condition

Percent of Buildings

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Temporary

Original

Permanent Addition

Building type

28 26

18

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Figure 4: Building Repairs Reported

Needed in America’s Schools Percent of schools

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

HVAC

Plumbing

Roofs

Exterior Walls, Finishes, Windows, Doors

Electrical Power

Electrical Lighting

Interior Finishes and Trims

Life Safety Codes

Framing, Floors, Foundations

Building feature

36

30 27 27 26 25 24

19 18

Note: Life safety codes could include such things as stairwells, adequate exits, panic hardware,

fire extinguishers, rated corridor doors, fire walls, sprinkler systems, and the like.

During our school visits, we found wide disparities between schools in the

best or even average condition and schools in the worst condition, and

these schools were sometimes in the same district.

Environmental Conditions About 50 percent of the schools reported at least one unsatisfactory

environmental condition; while 33 percent reported multiple

unsatisfactory conditions. Of those, half reported four to six unsatisfactory

conditions. Those conditions most frequently reported to be unsatisfactory

were acoustics for noise control, ventilation, and physical security. (See

fig. 5.) Additionally, three-quarters of schools responding had already

spent funds during the last 3 years on requirements to remove or correct

hazardous substances such as asbestos (57 percent), lead in water or paint

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(25 percent), materials in USTs such as fuel oil (17 percent), radon

(18 percent), or other requirements (9 percent). Still two-thirds must

spend funds in the next 3 years to comply with these same

requirements—asbestos (45 percent), lead (18 percent), UST (12 percent),

radon (12 percent), or other requirements (8 percent).

Figure 5: Percentage of Schools

Reporting Unsatisfactory or Very

Unsatisfactory Environmental Factors

Percent of schools

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Acoustics for Noise Control

Ventilation

Physical Security

Air Quality

Heating

Lighting

Environmental conditions

28 27 24

19 19

16

We saw numerous examples of unsatisfactory environmental conditions

during our school visits:

• In the Pomona, California, school district, the student body has increased

37 percent over the last 10 years. Some schools must have five staggered

lunch periods to accommodate all students. As a result of overcrowding, in

one elementary school, students are housed in temporary buildings

installed in 1948 that are unattractive, termite ridden, dark, and

underequipped with electrical outlets. The temporary buildings get very

hot as well as very cold at times because of poor insulation.

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• A Raymond, Washington, high school—a three-story structure with walls

of unreinforced concrete with roof and floor not adequately secured to the

walls that may not withstand earthquakes—contains steam pipes that are

not only extremely noisy but provide too little or too much heat from room

to room.

• In Richmond, Virginia, schools in the district close early in September and

May because the heat, combined with poor ventilation and no air

conditioning, creates health problems for students and teachers, especially

those with asthma.

• A Chicago elementary school, built in 1893 and not painted for many years,

has walls and ceilings with chipping and peeling lead-based paint,

asbestos, and several boarded-up windows. Some rooms have inadequate

lighting due to antiquated lighting fixtures that are no longer

manufactured, so bulbs could not be replaced when burned out. One

section of the school has been condemned due to structural problems.

However, the auditorium and gym in this area are still used. The school

was scheduled for closure in 1972 but remained open due to community

opposition to the closure with promises of renovation by the district. (See

app. II.)

Insufficient Funds

Contribute to Declining

Physical Conditions

District officials we spoke to attributed the declining physical condition of

America’s schools primarily to insufficient funds, resulting in decisions to

defer maintenance and repair15 expenditures from year to year. This has a

domino effect. Deferred maintenance speeds up the deterioration of

buildings, and costs escalate accordingly, further eroding the nation’s

multibillion dollar investment in school facilities. For example, in many

schools we visited, unrepaired leaking roofs caused wall and floor damage

that now must also be repaired. New York school officials told us that,

while a typical roof repair is $600, a full roof replacement costs $300,000,

and painting and plastering 10 rooms on a top floor that has been damaged

by water infiltration costs $67,500 plus $4,500 to replace damaged floor

tiles. In other words, for every $1 not invested, the system falls another

$620 behind. In addition, unrepaired roofs cause energy costs to increase

as heat escapes through holes, further depleting already limited funds.

Further, due to lack of routine maintenance in the Chicago district, many

schools have not been painted since they were painted 20 years ago with

lead-based paint.

15We are referring to maintenance as the upkeep of property and equipment while repair is work to

restore damaged or worn-out property to a normal operating condition.

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• In an elementary school in New York City, repair problems had not been

addressed since the school was built 20 years ago. Problems that could

have been addressed relatively inexpensively years ago have now caused

major problems such as sewage leaking into the first grade classrooms, a

leaking roof that is structurally unsound, and crumbling walls.

• Similarly, in Chicago, we visited an elementary school whose roof, the

principal told us, had needed replacement for 20 years. Because it had

only been superficially patched, rather than replaced, the persistent water

damage had caused floors to buckle and plaster on the walls and ceilings

to crumble. It had also flooded parts of the electric wiring system. One

teacher in this school would not turn on her lights during rainstorms for

fear of electrical shock; in another classroom the public address system

had been rendered unusable. Buckets had to be placed on the top floor of

the school to catch the rain.

Some district officials we spoke with reported that they had difficulty

raising money for needed repairs and renovation due to an anti-tax

sentiment among voters resulting in the failure of bond issues as well as

passage of property tax limitations. About one in three districts reported

that they have had an average of two bond issues fail in the past 10 years.

Further, school officials told us that often bond proceeds are far less than

needed for repairs. For example, in Pomona, California, a $62.5 million

bond issue was submitted to the voters after a survey indicated that the

$200 million needed for repairs would be rejected. At the time of our

survey, 6 percent of districts had a bond issue before the electorate.

However, as one survey respondent commented, “the current public

attitudes about the economy and education are generally so negative that

passing a bond referendum is a fantasy.” Other states have reduced school

funding by passing property tax limitations. One survey respondent

reported, “The state’s contribution to local schools has dropped by

40 percent over the last few years...” According to another survey

respondent, “This is a 1913 building which many of the taxpaying citizens

feel was good enough for them...it is looked at as a monument in the

community. Unless some form of outside funding is arranged, the citizens

may never volunteer to replace this building since it will require raising

their taxes.”

Further, districts reported a lack of control over some spending priorities

as they must fund a large portion of federal mandates for managing or

correcting hazardous materials as well as making all programs accessible

to all students. A recurring theme in comments from survey respondents

was, “Unfunded federal and state mandates are one of the prime causes of

Page 17 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
B-259307 

lack of funds for replacing worn-out heating and cooling equipment, roofs,

etc....” Another survey respondent stated, “The ADA requirements were a

major reason we had to replace two older schools. These costs, when

added to other costs for renovations and modifications, resulted in overall

costs for repairs which exceeded the costs for new facilities.” On the other

hand, Chicago school officials told us that due to limited funds and the

installation of one elevator costing $150,000, very few schools are able to

provide program access to all students.

In looking at the uses of bond proceeds in the districts, the average

amount of the most recently passed bond issue was $7 million. While

about 3 percent was provided for federal mandates, 54 percent was

provided for school construction and 38 percent for repairing, renovating,

and modernizing schools. The remaining 5 percent was spent for

purchases of computers and telecommunications equipment.

Districts also said that they must sometimes divert funds initially planned

for facilities maintenance and repair to purchase additional facilities due

to overcrowding. This has resulted from both demographic and mandated

changes. For example, additional funds were required for construction and

purchase of portables due to large immigrant influxes as well as

population shifts in districts or climbing enrollment due to overall

population increases. Further, some mandated school programs, such as

special education, require additional space for low pupil-teacher ratios.

One survey respondent described the competing demands on limited funds

as follows: “Our school facilities are not energy efficient or wired for

modern technology. Our floor tile is worn out and the furniture is in poor

shape. Our taxpayers don’t want to put any more in schools. Our teachers

want better pay. Our students and parents want more programs and

technology. HELP!!!”

Building Age—by Itself—Is Not

Significant

While some studies cite building age as a major factor contributing to

deteriorating conditions, older buildings often have a more sound

infrastructure than newer buildings. Buildings built in the early years of

this century—or before—frequently were built for a life span of 50 to 100

years while more modern buildings, particularly those built after 1970,

were designed to have a life span of only 20 to 30 years. A study of English

school facilities found that the schools built during the 1960s and 1970s

were built quickly and cheaply and have caused continuing maintenance

Page 18 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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problems.16 As one survey respondent commented, “the buildings in this

district are approximately 20 years old, but the exterior siding was inferior

from the beginning...it has deteriorated and ruptured extensively....” A

principal in Chicago stated about her 1970s building, “Our most pressing

problem is that the school is crumbling down around us.... From the

beginning, this building has had serious roof problems. Water leaks

throughout the building from the roof and from the walls. Pools of water

collect in the floors of the classrooms. One wall has buckled and is held in

place with a steel stake. The windows leak and let cold air in....” According

to some school officials, the misperception about the age factor has been

reinforced because older buildings are sometimes not maintained but

allowed to deteriorate until replaced.

Three schools we visited in Chicago presented a good example of the

difficulty of using age to define condition. All three were built between

1926 and 1930 and had the same design and basic structure. Today, their

condition could not be more different. One school had been allowed to

deteriorate (had received no renovation since the 1970s) until it reached a

point where local school officials classified it as among those schools in

the worst physical condition. The second school had received some recent

renovation because of community complaints about its condition and was

classified as a typical school for the school district. The third school had

been well maintained throughout the years, and now school officials

classified it as a school in the best physical condition. (See pictures

contrasting the three schools in fig. 6.)

16Repair and Maintenance of School Buildings, National Audit Office, Report by the Controller and

Auditor General, London, England, Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed July 25, 1991.

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Figure 6: Same Age (60+), Same Design; Now Examples of Best, Typical, and Worst of Chicago Schools

Conclusions Two-thirds of America’s schools report that they are in adequate (or

better) overall condition. Still, many of these schools need to repair or

replace one or more building feature, manage or correct hazardous

materials, or make all programs accessible to all students. Other schools

have more serious problems. About 14 million students are required to

attend the remaining one-third of schools that have one or more entire

buildings in less-than-adequate condition, needing extensive repair or

replacement. These schools are distributed nationwide.

Our survey results indicate that to complete all repairs, renovations, or

modernizations needed to put school buildings into good overall condition

and comply with federal mandates would require a projected investment

of $112 billion. Continuing to delay maintenance and repairs will defer

some of these costs but will also lead to the need for greater expenditures

as conditions deteriorate, further eroding the nation’s multibillion dollar

investment in school infrastructure. In addition, if maintenance continues

Page 20 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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to be deferred, a large proportion of schools that are in only adequate

condition and need preventive maintenance or corrective repair will soon

deteriorate to less-than-adequate condition.

As one survey respondent observed, “It is very difficult to get local

communities to accept this burden (facilities construction/renovation).

Our district, one of the wealthiest in the state, barely passed a bare bones

budget to renovate. It must be a national crisis.”

Agency Comments We spoke with Department of Education officials at the National Center

for Educational Statistics who reviewed a draft of this report and found

the report well done and generally approved of the approach. In addition,

staff from the Office of the Undersecretary provided us with technical

comments that we incorporated into our report. They did not comment,

however, on our methodology, reserving judgment for the detailed

technical appendix in our forthcoming report.

Copies of this report are also being sent to appropriate House and Senate

committees and all members, the Secretary of Education, and other

interested parties.

If you have any questions about this report, please contact Eleanor L.

Johnson, Assistant Director, who may be reached at (202) 512-7209. A list

of major contributors to this report can be found in appendix VII.

Linda G. Morra

Director, Education and

 Employment Issues

Page 21 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Contents

Letter 1

Appendix I 

District Profiles

26

Chicago, Illinois 26

Grandview, Washington 28

Montgomery County, Alabama 29

New Orleans, Louisiana 30

New York, New York 31

Pomona, California 33

Ramona, California 34

Raymond, Washington 35

Richmond, Virginia 36

Washington, D.C. 37

Appendix II 

The Worst of the

Worst

39

Appendix III 

Project Advisers

42

Appendix IV 

GAO Questionnaire

for Local Education

Agencies

45

Appendix V 

Data Points for Report

Figures

63

Appendix VI 

GAO Contacts and

Staff

Acknowledgments

65

Page 22 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Contents

Tables Table 1: Major Urban School Districts Report Needing Billions to

Bring Schools Into Good Overall Condition

9

Table 2: Millions of Students Attend Schools With

Less-Than-Adequate Physical Conditions

10

Table 3: Millions of Students Attend Schools With Unsatisfactory

Environmental Conditions

10

Table I.1: Chicago, Illinois 26

Table I.2: Grandview, Washington 28

Table I.3: Montgomery County, Alabama 29

Table I.4: New Orleans, Louisiana 30

Table I.5: New York, New York 31

Table I.6: Pomona, California 33

Table I.7: Ramona, California 34

Table I.8: Raymond, Washington 35

Table I.9: Richmond, Virginia 36

Table I.10: Washington, D.C. 37

Table V.1: Data for Figure 1: School Officials Report Billions

Needed for Repairs and to Comply With Federal Mandates in the

Next 3 Years

63

Table V.2: Data for Figure 2: Amount Schools Reported Spending

Over the Last 3 Years and Need in the Next 3 Years to Fulfill

Federal Mandates

63

Table V.3: Data for Figure 3: Percent of Buildings Reported in

Less-Than-Adequate Overall Condition

63

Table V.4: Data for Figure 4: Building Repairs Reported Needed in

America’s Schools

64

Table V.5: Data for Figure 5: Percentage of Schools Reporting

Unsatisfactory or Very Unsatisfactory Environmental Factors

64

Figures Figure 1: School Officials Report Billions Needed for Repairs and

to Comply With Federal Mandates in the Next 3 Years

6

Figure 2: Amount Schools Reported Spending Over the Last 3

Years and Need in the Next 3 Years to Fulfill Federal Mandates

8

Figure 3: Percent of Buildings Reported in Less-Than-Adequate

Condition

13

Figure 4: Building Repairs Reported Needed in America’s Schools 14

Figure 5: Percentage of Schools Reporting Unsatisfactory or Very

Unsatisfactory Environmental Factors

15

Figure 6: Same Age, Same Design; Now Examples of Best,

Typical, and Worst of Chicago Schools

20

Page 23 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Contents

Abbreviations

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

HVAC heating, ventilation, air conditioning

SASS Schools and Staffing Survey

UST underground storage tank

Page 24 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Page 25 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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District Profiles

We visited 41 schools in 10 selected school districts that varied by

location, size, and ethnic composition. During these visits, we observed

facility conditions and interviewed district and local school officials to get

information on facilities assessment, maintenance programs, resources,

and barriers encountered in reaching facilities goals. We asked officials to

show us examples of “best,” “typical,” and “worst” schools and verified the

reliability of these designations with others. In some small districts, we

visited all schools.

Chicago, Illinois

Overview

Table I.1: Chicago, Illinois

Enrollment 400,000

Number of schools 553

Racial composition 56% black

30% Hispanic

14% other

Students on free or reduced lunch 67%

Type Urban

Minimum estimated to make all repairs $2.9 billion

Chicago is a large urban district whose school officials rated their school

facilities, overall, as in fair to poor condition. Widespread disparities exist,

however, between schools in the best and worst condition. About

15 percent of the schools were built before 1900, and over half are more

than 50 years old. Slightly more than 25 percent were built during the

fifties and sixties to handle the baby boom, and 20 percent were built

during the last 25 years. However, a number of the newer structures are

temporary buildings or “demountables” (large sections of prefabricated

frames put together on a cement slab). These buildings now show major

structural damage, and the seams of the buildings are splitting apart.

Permanent buildings also have structural damage. For example, we visited

two schools that had chained exit doors to prevent students from either

being hit by debris from a cracking exterior brick wall—in a “typical”

Chicago school—or falling on collapsing front steps—in a “worst” school.

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Schools in the worst condition need new exterior building envelopes

(roofs, tuck pointing, windows, and doors), have asbestos or lead-based

paint, suffer ceiling and floor problems from leaky roofs, and need to

replace outdated electrical and plumbing systems. Schools in the best

condition tend to be newer, need few or no repairs, have a more flexible

space design, contain electrical systems capable of housing new

technology, have air conditioning, and offer brightly colored walls and low

ceilings. However, condition does not depend on age alone; three schools

we visited typifying best, worst, and typical were all over 60 years old.

Officials report that their biggest facility issues are deferred maintenance

and overcrowding. They say that a shortage of funds, caused by a lack of

taxpayer support, hinders the district from either upgrading or maintaining

its facilities. About 30 to 40 percent of needed repairs have been deferred

from year to year for decades with priority given to repairs that ensure

student safety. Additionally, some federal mandates—particularly lead and

asbestos removal abatement programs—have caused major expenditures

as most schools built between 1920 and 1979 contain asbestos, and all

schools were painted with lead paint before 1980.

Overcrowding began in the seventies with a great increase in the Hispanic

population. However, in some instances, individual schools may be

overcrowded, while neighboring schools remain underenrolled. One

official told us that this is due in part to the problems caused by gang

“turf” and the threat of extreme violence or even death to individuals who

wander into “enemy” territory. School officials are reluctant to reassign

students if the receiving schools are in territory controlled by a different

gang than that of the overcrowded school the children presently attend.

Facilities Financing Officials estimate that they need $2.9 billion to put schools in good overall

condition. While the primary source of school funding is local property

taxes, smaller amounts of state and federal funds are also used. Although

the 1994 school facilities budget is $270 million (10 percent of the total

education budget), only about $50 million is used for maintenance and

repair. To obtain funds for building and renovating, the district relies on

bonds, we were told, as politicians hesitate to ask anti-tax voters for even

a minimal increase in taxes.

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Grandview,

Washington

Overview

Table I.2: Grandview, Washington

Enrollment 2,800

Number of schools 5

Racial composition 67% Hispanic

32% white

1% other

Students on free or reduced lunch 65%

Type Small town, rural

Minimum estimated to make all repairs $24.5 million

This small agricultural town in rural Washington has five schools. While

the high school, built in 1978, is in excellent condition, the other four

schools, built between 1936 and 1957, need to be totally renovated or

replaced over the next 10 to 20 years. In addition, a student population

increasing annually at about 4 percent since 1986 has resulted in

overcrowding. Although Grandview’s middle school was built to house 475

students, current enrollment stands at about 700. One elementary school

designed for 375 students now has 464. Another crowded elementary

school converted the gymnasium into two classrooms. The district

currently has 14 portable classrooms in use and anticipates needing 4

more in the next 3 years.

Facilities Financing Grandview schools have an annual budget of $13.5 million, about 2 percent

of which goes for maintenance. They receive funding from local tax levies

and from the state and general apportionment of about $4,000 per student.

They are also eligible for state equalization funding contingent on passing

their levy. New construction and renovation are funded by bond issues

and state funding assistance contingent on passing the bond issue. An

$11 million bond issue to build a new middle school to alleviate crowding

failed in February 1994 and again in the fall of 1994. Funding problems

include public resistance to raising taxes and decreased state assistance

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District Profiles

due to a reduction in the timber sales on the public lands that support

school construction funding.

Montgomery County,

Alabama

Overview

Table I.3: Montgomery County,

Alabama

Enrollment 35,000

Number of schools 54

Racial composition 45% black

55% white

Students on free or reduced lunch 58%

Type Urban

Minimum estimated to make all repairs $150 million

Many of Montgomery County school facilities are old but are generally in

fair condition. However, approximately 10 percent of the schools need to

be replaced. In the last 20 years, about 8 schools were built. The oldest

building is a portion of an elementary school built in 1904.

Schools built during the early 1900s are not air conditioned and need new

roofs. At one elementary school we visited, a ceiling recently collapsed

just 40 minutes after the children left for the day. Some schools have had

students in “temporary” buildings for years. In addition, many repairs and

renovations are needed to maintain schools, accommodate overcrowding

and comply with federal mandates.

Overcrowding problems have resulted in the use of 284 portable buildings

to house students. In the 1980s, Montgomery County’s student population

increased, creating the need for new elementary schools. Court-ordered

desegregation also increased student populations at some schools through

voluntary student movement, through a minority to majority transfer

process. This process allowed minority students to attend any school in

the county with a more than 50-percent majority of white students.

Primarily, we were told, minority students chose to attend schools on the

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east side of town because the school facilities were better equipped and

nicer. To provide adequate instructional space for the influx of children at

the east side schools, portable rooms were added.

Facilities Financing Lack of money prohibits the district from making needed facilities repairs.

The operations and maintenance budget has dropped 10 percent in the

past 3 to 4 years. The current facilities budget is $1 million of a $6 million

total education budget. The district has no capital improvement budget.

On June 28, 1994, voters defeated a local tax referendum for bond money

the county had planned to use to remove all portable buildings, make all

needed repairs and renovations, and build new schools located so that

children from the west side of town would not have to travel so far for

better school accommodations.

New Orleans,

Louisiana

Overview

Table I.4: New Orleans, Louisiana

Enrollment 85,000

Number of schools 124

Racial composition 90% black

10% other

Students on free or reduced lunch 85%

Type Urban

Minimum estimated to make all repairs $500 million

New Orleans’ public schools are rotting away. Suffering from years of

neglect due to lack of funds for repair and maintenance, New Orleans

students attend schools suffering from hundreds of millions of dollars’

worth of uncorrected water and termite damage. Fire code violations are

so numerous that school officials told us, “We don’t count them—we

weigh them.”

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District Profiles

Most of the buildings have no air conditioning, though the average

morning relative humidity in New Orleans is 87 percent. One high school

recently had an electrical fire that started in the 80-year-old timbers in the

roof. No one was hurt but the students were sent to other buildings for the

rest of the year. An elementary school, built in 1964, was condemned and

closed in 1994 due to water and termite damage.

Facilities Financing New Orleans uses local property taxes and federal asbestos loans to

upgrade its buildings. The district has submitted five bond issues to the

voters in the last 20 years, for a total of $175 million, but only two of the

bond issues have passed. The school facilities annual budget in 1994 is

$6 million or 2 percent of the total education budget. This has decreased in

the past 10 years from $9 million (4 percent of the education budget).

New York, New York

Overview

Table I.5: New York, New York

Enrollment 700,000

Number of schools 1,229

Racial composition 38% black

36% Hispanic

19% white

7% Asian

Students on free or reduced lunch 64%

Type Urban

Minimum estimated to make all repairs $7.8 billion

New York has extremely diverse school facilities—while conditions are

generally bad, some schools are models for 21st century learning. The

“best” school we saw—a $151 million state-of-the-art science high

school—was only blocks away from an example of the “worst”—another

high school in a 100-year-old building that had served as a stable, fire

house, factory, and office building. This high school’s elevators do not

work, its interior classrooms have no windows, it has little ventilation and

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District Profiles

no air conditioning, and its heating depends on a fireman’s stoking the coal

furnace by hand.

Overcrowding and generally poor condition of the school buildings—many

over 100 years old and in need of major renovation and repair—are New

York’s main facilities problems. Since the fiscal crisis in the 1970s,

maintenance and repair of the city’s school buildings have been largely

neglected. Twenty years of neglect compound problems that could have

been corrected much more cheaply had they been corrected earlier. As the

city seeks the funds for repairing leaking roofs, plumbing problems that

cause sewage to seep into elementary school classrooms, and ceilings that

have caved in, its school enrollment is dramatically increasing. After losing

more than 10 percent of its population in the sixties, a vast migration of

non-English speaking residents in the last 3 years has resulted in

overcrowding in 50 percent of New York’s schools. One school is

operating at over 250 percent of capacity. Because classrooms are

unavailable while under repair, in some cases improvements are

postponed.

Facilities Financing The New York City schools’ maintenance, repair, and capital improvement

budget is approved annually by the city council. While the state provides

some loan forgiveness, the city is largely responsible for all of the costs.

Each school is allocated a maintenance and repair budget based solely on

square footage. As a result, schools—even new schools—frequently

cannot repair problems as they arise, which often leads to costly repairs in

the future. In 1988, the estimated cost of upgrading, modernizing, and

expanding the school system by the year 2000 was over $17 billion. The

total capital backlog at that time was over $5 billion. The capital plan for

fiscal year 1990 through fiscal year 1994 was funded at $4.3 billion—barely

20 percent of the amount requested.

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District Profiles

Pomona, California

Overview

Table I.6: Pomona, California

Enrollment 29,000

Number of schools 35

Racial composition 67% Hispanic

13% black

12% white

8% Asian-Pacific

Students on free or reduced lunch 70%

Type Suburban

Minimum estimated to make all repairs $200 million

Although district officials generally describe their school facilities overall

as “adequate to fair,” some individual schools are excellent while others

have severe problems. The oldest school was built in 1932. The worst

schools were built in the mid-1950s to early 1960s and face many repair

problems—poor plumbing, ventilation, lighting, leaking roofs, and

crumbling walls. In contrast, one new school that opened last fall is state

of the art. Only three schools have been built in the last 20 years.

Like many school districts in California, Pomona’s biggest facilities issue is

overcrowding. Because the student body has increased 37 percent in the

last 10 years, the district relies on what school officials call “God-awful”

portables—bungalows that are ugly, not air conditioned, termite-ridden,

dark, and have too few electrical outlets. The portables generally provide

sufficient classroom space but leave schools suffering from a severe lack

of common-use areas and space for student movement. For example, some

schools have to schedule five lunch periods to handle overcrowded

campuses.

Facilities Financing In 1991 the district passed a $62.5 million bond measure—significantly

short of the $200 million it says it needs to put its schools in good overall

condition. Officials attribute their facilities’ financial problems to state

cutbacks, the passage of Proposition 13 in 1979, which greatly reduced

local tax revenues, and unfunded federal mandates that drain the district’s

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budget. As a result, the district must function without enough facilities

staff and continue to defer maintenance and repair while using temporary

“band-aid” measures. However, the passage of Pomona’s 1991 bond

measure and two 1992 state bond measures increased the district’s capital

improvement budget to $14 million or about 16 percent of the district’s

$85 million education budget. Pomona’s maintenance and repair budget is

usually about 2 percent of the education budget.

Ramona, California

Overview

Table I.7: Ramona, California

Enrollment 6,500

Number of schools 9

Racial composition 78% white

18% Hispanic

4% other

Students on free or reduced lunch 35%

Type Small town, rural

Minimum estimated to make all repairs $4 million

Ramona is a small but growing rural community in central San Diego

County. Four of its nine schools are more than 25 years old; its oldest was

built over 50 years ago. Although Ramona’s oldest schools tend to be well

constructed, they suffer from seriously deteriorating wiring and plumbing

and inadequate or nonexistent heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and

communications systems. The school district also suffers from the lack of

an adequate, stable funding source that would allow it to modernize and

expand its facilities. Consequently, most of Ramona’s schools are

underbuilt and must rely on portables for overcrowding. One elementary

school we visited consisted only of portables, with no cafeteria nor

auditorium. One portable served as a library, computer lab, music room,

and art room. In contrast, two new schools built in the last 5 years are

bright, have flexible space, and are wired for the latest technology. The

portables are difficult to maintain, and repair costs are higher in the long

run than if real additions had been built in the first place. The most

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District Profiles

common repair needs in Ramona’s schools are roofs, signal systems

(alarms, bells, and intercoms), and paving.

Facilities Financing Officials attribute its facilities’ funding problems to the community’s

inability to pass a bond issue—two attempts in the past 8 years have

failed—their small rural district’s competitive disadvantage in applying for

state funds, and the state’s emphasis on building new schools rather than

retrofitting.

The district’s facilities budget varies each year but comprises (1) a new

building program that uses matching state funds, (2) a routine

maintenance budget that is about 2 percent of the district’s $30 million

education budget ($600,000), and (3) a deferred maintenance budget that

is 0.5 percent of the education budget ($150,000) and is supposed to be

matched by the state but rarely is in full.

Raymond, Washington

Overview

Table I.8: Raymond, Washington

Enrollment 760

Number of schools 3

Racial composition 69% white

21% Asian

5% Hispanic

5% Native American

Students on free or reduced lunch 50%

Type Small town, rural

Minimum estimated to make all repairs $14 million

Raymond is a western Washington town that has not recovered from the

timber industry downturn of the early 1980s. The town and student

populations have declined, and the demographics have changed

dramatically. All three Raymond schools are old and two may be unsafe.

The high school was built in 1925. It is a three-story structure of

unreinforced concrete that may not safely withstand the possible

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earthquakes in the area. In addition, the building’s systems are old and

inadequate. Steam pipes are noisy and provide too little or too much heat

from room to room. One 1924 elementary school is built of wood—a

potential fire hazard—and will be closed in 2 years. A third school was

built during the 1950s and will receive a major remodeling and new

addition next year.

Facilities Financing Raymond recently passed its first bond issue since the 1950s to fund the

remodeling of and addition for an elementary school. A bond issue

proposed in 1990 to build a new facility for grades kindergarten to 12

failed. The public does not want to spend money on school maintenance

and construction, and the tax base is too low to raise adequate funding.

According to the school superintendent, the Columbia Tower (a Seattle

skyscraper) has a higher assessed value than the entire district of

Raymond. The district’s budget is $4 million, which is made up of local

levies and state funding. Over the next 2 years, they will ask for a levy

increase of $75,000, specifically for needed repairs.

Richmond, Virginia

Overview

Table I.9: Richmond, Virginia

Enrollment 28,000

Number of schools 58

Racial composition 88% black

12% other

Students on free or reduced lunch 68%

Type Urban

Minimum estimated to make all repairs $100 million

Renovation presents the biggest facility issue for the Richmond schools.

Their 58 buildings are visually appealing yet old-fashioned compared with

21st century learning standards. Many, if not most, of the district’s

renovation needs are due to the buildings’ age: The average building was

built around the time of World War II. Ninety percent of the buildings lack

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central air conditioning; many schools close early in September and

May/June because the heat and poor ventilation creates breathing

problems for the children.

In the past 20 years, 20 schools have been closed; only 2 new schools have

opened.

Facilities Financing Richmond is a poor city: the average family income is $17,700. The

facilities director says he usually asks for $18 million but only gets

$3 million and about 3 percent of the education budget for maintenance.

He says city planners and voters view the buildings as architectural

landmarks and think of them in terms of 1950s standards of learning. Also,

the money he would have used for renovations has been spent on meeting

“federal codes.”

The district has tried twice to get the state to match funds for deferred

maintenance but was rejected each time. New construction gets funded

through bond issues.

Washington, D.C.

Overview

Table I.10: Washington, D.C.

Enrollment 85,000

Number of schools 164

Racial composition 89% black

12% other

Students on free or reduced lunch 62%

Type Urban

Minimum estimated to make all repairs $460 million

With a capacity of 110,000 students, many of Washington’s school facilities

are old and underused. Only 22 schools of 164—mainly elementary—have

been built in the last 20 years. According to the district’s facilities

manager, the average age of Washington’s schools is 50 years. While

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structurally sound, these older buildings house old—sometimes

original—systems, such as the heating and air conditioning or electrical

systems, which have major repair problems.

Washington schools have many urgent repair needs, according to the

district facilities manager. Old boiler systems have steam leakages causing

such infrastructure erosion that whole school wings have been

condemned and cordoned off; leaky roofs are causing ceilings to crumble

on teachers’ and students’ desks; fire doors are warped and stick. In

addition, the district was under court order to fix the most serious of an

estimated $90 million worth of fire code violations by the start of the

1994-95 school year. These violations included locked or blocked exit

doors, defective or missing fire doors, broken alarms, malfunctioning

boilers, and unsafe electrical systems. Some of the schools also lack air

conditioning and are so poorly insulated that children must wear coats to

keep warm in winter weather.

Facilities Financing From the school district’s total operating and capital budget of about

$557 million in fiscal year 1994, about $100 million (18 percent) was

allocated to school maintenance and capital improvement. Of this,

approximately $25 million (including salaries) goes to the district’s

facilities office, with the balance given directly to the schools for their

on-site maintenance and operations. The building maintenance budget has

declined from about 18 percent to 14 percent of the total school budget in

the past 10 years.

Funds for school maintenance and repair and capital improvements come

from the District of Columbia’s general budget, over which the Congress

has authority. Until 1985, the District’s capital improvement program was

financed only through money borrowed from the U.S. Treasury. After

1985, the District was given authority to sell general obligation bonds in

the capital markets. From 1985 through 1994, the schools received

$314 million to finance capital improvements: $232 million through general

obligation bond issuances, $59 million borrowed from the U.S. Treasury,

and $23 million from District tax revenue.

Page 38 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix II 

The Worst of the Worst

Page 39 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix II 

The Worst of the Worst

Page 40 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix II 

The Worst of the Worst

Page 41 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix III 

Project Advisers

The following individuals advised this report either by (a) serving on our

expert panel on January 31, 1994; (b) helping with the development of our

questionnaire; or (c) reviewing a draft report.

Allen C. Abendabc

Chief

School Facilities Branch

Maryland State Department of Education

Phillip T. Chenb

Construction Technician

Division of Construction

Department of Facilities Management

Board of Education of Montgomery County (Maryland)

Greg Colemanab

Capital Asset Management Administrator

Office of Infrastructure Support Services

U.S. Department of Energy

Laurel Cornisha

Director of Facilities

U.S. Department of Education

Impact Aid

School Facilities Branch

(Mr.) Vivian A. D’Souzab

Acting Director

Division of Maintenance

Department of Facilities Management

Board of Education of Montgomery County (Maryland)

Kenneth J. Ducotebc

Director

Department of Facility Planning

New Orleans Public Schools

Robert Feilda

Director

Committee on Architecture for Education

American Institute of Architects

Page 42 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix III 

Project Advisers

William Fowlerabc

Education Statistician

U. S. Department of Education

National Center for Education Statistics

Lawrence Friedmanbc

Associate Director

Regional Policy Information Center

North Central Regional Educational Laboratory

Thomas E. Glassb

Professor

Department of Leadership and Educational Policy Studies

Northern Illinois University

Terence C. Goldena

Chairman

Bailey Realty

Thomas Groomsa

Program Manager

Federal Design Office

National Endowment for the Arts

Shirley J. Hansena

President

Hansen Associates

Alton C. Halavinb

Assistant Superintendent for Facilities Services

Fairfax County Public Schools

Fairfax County, Virginia

Bruce Hunterb

Executive Director

American Association of School Administrators

Eddie L. Kingb

Auditor

Inspector General

Department of Education

Page 43 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix III 

Project Advisers

Andrew Lemera

President

Matrix Group, Inc.

William H. McAfee IIIb

Facilities Manager

Division of Facilities Management

District of Columbia Public Schools

Roger Scottbc

Program Director

Southwest Regional Laboratory

Richard L. Siegela

(Former) Director of Facilities Services

Smithsonian Institution

Lisa J. Walkera

Executive Director

Education Writers Association

Tony J. Wallbc

Executive Director/CEO

The Council of Educational Facilities Planners International

William M. Wilderb

Director

Department of Facilities Management

Board of Education of Montgomery County (Maryland)

Page 44 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix IV 

GAO Questionnaire for Local Education

Agencies

Dear Survey Respondent:

The U. S. General Accounting Office (GAO) has been asked by the United States

Congress to obtain information about school facilities, such as physical condition and

capacity. While several limited studies have been done recently, no comprehensive

national study of school facilities has been done in 30 years.

The Congress needs this information to shape the details of federal policy, such as

funding for the School Infrastructure Act of 1994. All responses are confidential.

We will report your data only in statistical summaries so that individuals cannot be

identified.

This questionnaire should be answered by district level personnel who are very

familiar with the school facilities in this district. You may wish to consult with other

district level personnel or with school level personnel, such as principals, in answering

some questions.

We are conducting this study with only a sample of randomly selected schools, so the

data on your school(s) is very important because it represents many other schools.

Please respond even if the schools selected are new. If you have questions about

the survey, please call Ms. Ella Cleveland (202) 512-7066 or Ms. Edna Saltzman (313)

256-8109.

Mail your completed questionnaire in the enclosed envelope within 2 weeks to:

Ms. Ella Cleveland

U.S. General Accounting Office

NGB, Suite 650

441 G St., NW

Washington, DC 20548

Thank you for your cooperation in this very important effort.

Sincerely yours,

Linda G. Morra

Director

Education and Employment

Page 45 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix IV 

GAO Questionnaire for Local Education

Agencies

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THIS QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Sometimes you will be asked to "Circle

ALL that ALL that apply." When this instruction

appears, you may circle the numbers next

to more than one answer.

EXAMPLE:

If any of the following statements

are true for this school, please

circle the number of the

appropriate answer.

Circle ALL that apply.

This school teaches only

postsecondary

(beyond grade 12) or adult

education students...................... 1

This school is no longer in

operation..................................... 2

This school is a private

school, not a public

school.......................................... 3

This institution or

organization is not a

school...........................................4

If your answers are "teaches only

postsecondary" and "a private school," circle

the numbers 1 and 3.

2. Sometimes you will be asked to "Circle

one." When this instruction appears,

circle the number next to the one best

answer.

EXAMPLE:

Does this school currently house

any of its students in instructional

facilities located off of its site, such

as rented space in another school,

church, etc.? Circle one.

Yes................1

No.................2

If your answer is "No," circle the number 2.

3. Sometimes you will be asked to write

in a number. Please round off to the

nearest whole number. Do not use

decimals or fractions. Please be sure your

numbers are clearly printed so as not to

be mistaken for another number.

EXAMPLE:

What is the total amount of this

most recently passed bond issue?

$ .00

total amount of most recently

passed bond issue

If your answer is $8,500,435.67, write

8,500,436 in the space provided.

Page 46 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix IV 

GAO Questionnaire for Local Education

Agencies

SECTION I. DISTRICT INFORMATION

1. What would probably be the total cost

of all repairs/renovations/modernizations

required to put all of this district’s schools

in good overall condition? Give your best

estimate. If all of this district’s schools are

already in good (or better) overall condition,

enter zero.

Overall condition includes both physical

condition and the ability of the schools to

meet the functional requirements of

instructional programs. Good condition

means that only routine maintenance or

minor repair is required.

$ .00

2. On which of the sources listed below is

this estimate based? Circle ALL that apply.

Does not apply -- all schools

already in good (or better) overall

condition.........................................................0

Sources

Facilities inspection(s)/assessment(s)

performed within the last three years by

licensed professionals.....................................1

Repair/renovation/

modernization work already

being performed and/or contracted

for....................................................................2

Capital improvement/facilities

master plan or schedule.................................3

My best professional judgment.....................4

Opinions of other district

administrators.................................................5

Other (specify:_________________

____________________________)...............6

1

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Agencies

3. During the last 3 years, how much money has been spent in this district on the federal

mandates listed below? Include money spent in 1993-1994. If exact amounts are not readily

available, give your best estimate. Enter zero if none. Circle "1" if spending was not needed.

Federal

Mandates

Spending

Not Needed Amount Spent

Accessibility for

student with disabilities 1 $ .00

Managing/correcting:

Asbestos 1 $ .00

Lead in water/

paint 1 $ .00

Underground storage

tanks (USTs) 1 $ .00

Radon 1 $ .00

Other (specify:

)1$ .00

2

Page 48 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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Agencies

4. How much money will probably need to be spent in this district during the next 3 years

on these federal mandates? If exact amounts are not readily available, give your best estimate.

If spending will not be needed, circle "1." If unknown, circle "2."

Federal Mandates

Spending Will

Not Be Needed

Amount

Unknown Probably Needed

Accessibility for

students with

disabilities 1 2 $ .00

Managing/correcting:

Asbestos 1 2 $ .00

Lead in water/paint 1 2 $ .00

Underground storage

tanks (USTs) 1 2 $ .00

Radon 1 2 $ .00

Other (specify:

) 1 2$ .00

5. Are these spending needs for federal mandates included in your answer to question 1?

Circle one for each mandate listed.

Federal Mandates

Does Not Apply--

Not Needed/

Unknown

Yes--

Included

No--NOT

Included

Accessibility for

students with

disabilities 1 2 3

Managing/correcting:

Asbestos 1 2 3

Lead in water/paint 1 2 3

Underground storage

tanks (USTs) 1 2 3

Radon 1 2 3

Other (specify:

) 123

3

Page 49 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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Agencies

6. In what year was a bond issue most recently recently passed for this district? district? Enter the last two

digits of the year.

19

7. What 7. What was the total amount of this most recently recently passed bond issue?

$ .00

8. How much money did this most recently passed bond issue provide for the items listed

below? Enter zero if none.

Items Amount Provided

Construction of new schools $ .00

Repair/renovation/modernization

of existing schools $ .00

Asbestos removal $ .00

Removal of Underground Storage

Tank (USTs) $ .00

Removal of other environmental

conditions $ .00

Purchase of computers $ .00

Purchase of telecommunications

equipment $ .00

Access for students with

disabilities $ .00

9. During the last 10 years, how many bond issues have failed to pass?

bond issues failed to pass

10. Do you currently have a bond issue before the electorate? Circle one.

Yes..................1

No...................2

4

Page 50 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix IV 

GAO Questionnaire for Local Education

Agencies

SECTION II. SCHOOL INFORMATION

This section asks about the first school shown on the Instruction Sheet enclosed with this

survey.

1. NAME OF SCHOOL: Please enter the

name of the first school shown on the

Instruction Sheet.

SCHOOL’S SURVEY

IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:

Please enter the Survey Identification

number of the first school shown on the

Instruction Sheet.

2. If any of the following statements are

true for this school, please circle the

number of the appropriate answer. Circle

ALL that apply.

This school teaches only

postsecondary (beyond

grade 12) or adult

education students 1

This school is no longer

in operation 2

This school is a private

school, not a public school 3

This institution or

organization is not a school 4

STOP! IF YOU MARKED ANY OF THE

ABOVE STATEMENTS GO TO THE

NEXT SCHOOL INFORMATION

SECTION.

3. Which of the following grades did this

school offer around the first of October,

1993? Circle ALL that apply.

Grade 1.......................1

Grade 2.......................2

Grade 3.......................3

Grade 4.......................4

Grade 5.......................5

Grade 6.......................6

Grade 7.......................7

Grade 8.......................8

Grade 9.......................9

Grade 10...................10

Grade 11...................11

Grade 12...................12

Pre-kindergarten.......13

Kindergarten.............14

Ungraded (including

ungraded special

education students).....15

5

Page 51 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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Agencies

4. What was the total number of Full

Time Equivalent (FTE) students enrolled

in this school around the first of October,

1993?

total FTE students

5. Does this school house any of its

students in instructional facilities located

off of its site, such as rented space in

another school, church, etc.? Circle one.

Yes.............1

No..............2----> GO TO

QUESTION 8

6. How many of this school’s Full Time

Equivalent (FTE) students are housed in

off-site instructional facilities?

FTE students housed off-site

7. How many total square feet of off-site

instructional facilities does this school

have? If exact measurements are not readily

available, give your best estimate.

total square feet off-site

8. How many original buildings, attached

and/or detached permanent additions to

the original buildings, and temporary

buildings does this school have on-site? If

this school does not have any permanent

additions or any temporary buildings on-site,

enter zero for these categories.

On-Site

Buildings Number

Original

buildings

Attached and/or

detached permanent

additions to

original buildings

Temporary buildings

9. How many total square feet do the

original buildings, the attached and/or

detached permanent additions, and the

temporary buildings have? If exact

measurements are not readily available, give

your best estimate. If this school does not

have any permanent additions or any

temporary buildings on-site, enter zero for

these categories.

On-Site

Buildings Total Square Feet

Original buildings

Attached and/or

detached permanent

additions to

original buildings

Temporary buildings

6

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Agencies

10. What is the overall condition of the original buildings, the attached and/or detached

permanent additions, and the temporary buildings? Refer to the rating scale shown below,

and circle one for EACH category of building. If this school does not have any permanent

additions or any temporary buildings on-site, circle "0."

Overall condition includes both physical condition and the ability of the buildings to meet the

functional requirements of instructional programs.

Rating Scale

Excellent: new or easily restorable to "like new" condition; only minimal routine

maintenance required.

Good: only routine maintenance or minor repair required.

Adequate: some preventive maintenance and/or corrective repair required.

Fair: fails to meet code and functional requirement in some cases; failure(s) are

inconvenient; extensive corrective maintenance and repair required.

Poor: consistent substandard performance; failure(s) are disruptive and costly; fails most

code and functional requirements; requires constant attention, renovation, or replacement. Major

corrective repair or overhaul required

Replace: Non-operational or significantly substandard performance. Replacement required.

On-Site Buildings

School does

not have Excellent Good Adequate Fair Poor Replace

Original buildings N/A 1 2 3 4 5 6

Attached and/or detached

permanent additions to

original buildings

0 1 2 3 45 6

Temporary buildings 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

11. What would probably be the total cost of all repairs/renovations/modernizations

required to put this school’s on-site buildings in good overall condition? Give your best

estimate. If this school’s on-site buildings are already in good (or better) overall condition, enter

zero.

$ .00

7

Page 53 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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Agencies

12. On which of the sources listed below is this estimate based? Circle ALL that apply.

Does not apply -- already in good (or better) overall condition 0

Sources

Facilities inspection(s)/assessments(s)performed within the

last three years by licensed professionals 1

Repair/renovation/modernization work already

being performed and/or contracted for 2

Capital improvement/facilities master plan or schedule 3

My best professional judgment 4

Opinions of other district administrators 5

Other (specify:__________________________) 6

13. During the last 3 years, how much money has been spent on the federal mandates

listed below for this school’s on-site buildings? Include money spent in 1993-1994. If

exact amounts are not readily available, give your best estimate. Enter zero if none. Circle

"1" if spending was not needed.

Federal Mandates Spending Not Needed Amount Spent

Accessibility for students with

disabilities 1 $ .00

Managing/correcting:

Asbestos 1 $ .00

Lead in water/paint 1 $ .00

Underground storage

tanks (USTs) 1 $ .00

Radon 1 $ .00

Other (specify: ) 1 $ .00

8

Page 54 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix IV 

GAO Questionnaire for Local Education

Agencies

14. How much money will probably need to be spent during the next 3 years on these federal

mandates for this school’s on-site buildings? If exact amounts are not readily available, give

your best estimate. If spending will not be needed, circle "1." If unknown, circle "2."

Federal Mandates

Spending Will

Not Be Needed Unknown Amount Probably Needed

Accessibility for students

with disabilities 1 2 $ .00

Managing/correcting:

Asbestos 1 2 $ .00

Lead in water/paint 1 2 $ .00

Underground storage

tanks (USTs) 1 2 $ .00

Radon 1 2 $ .00

Other (specify:

_________________)

1 2$ .00

15. Are these spending needs for federal mandates included in your answer to question 11?

Circle one for each mandate listed.

Federal Mandates

Does not apply--

Not Needed/

Unknown

Yes

Included

No-NOT

Included

Accessibility for students

with disabilities 1 2 3

Managing/correcting:

Asbestos 1 2 3

Lead in water/paint 1 2 3

Underground storage

tanks (USTs) 1 2 3

Radon 1 2 3

Other (specify:

____________________)

9

Page 55 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix IV 

GAO Questionnaire for Local Education

Agencies

16. Overall, what is the physical condition of each of the building features listed below for

this school’s on-site buildings? Refer to the rating scale shown below, and circle one for EACH

building feature listed.

Rating Scale

Excellent: new or easily restorable to "like new" condition; only minimal routine maintenance

required.

Good: only routine maintenance or minor repair required.

Adequate: some preventive maintenance and/or corrective repair required.

Fair: fails to meet code or functional requirement in some cases; failure(s) are inconvenient;

extensive corrective maintenance and repair required.

Poor: consistent substandard performance; failure(s) are disruptive and costly; fails most code and

functional requirements; requires constant attention, renovation, or replacement. Major corrective

repair or overhaul required.

Replace: Non-operational or significantly substandard performance. Replacement required.

Building Feature Excellent Good Adequate Fair Poor Replace

Roofs 1 2 3 4 5 6

Framing, floors, foundations 1 2 3 4 5 6

Exterior walls, finishes,

windows, doors

1 23 4 5 6

Interior finishes, trims 1 2 3 4 5 6

Plumbing 1 2 3 4 5 6

Heating, ventilation, air

conditioning

1 23 4 5 6

Electrical power 1 2 3 4 5 6

Electrical lighting 1 2 3 4 5 6

Life safety codes 1 2 3 4 5 6

10

Page 56 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix IV 

GAO Questionnaire for Local Education

Agencies

17. Do this school’s on-site buildings have sufficient capability in each of the communications

technology elements listed below to meet the functional requirements of modern educational

technology? Circle one for EACH element listed.

Technology Elements

Very

Sufficient

Moderately

Sufficient

Somewhat

Sufficient

Not

Sufficient

Computers for instructional

use 1 2 3 4

Computer printers for

instructional use 1 2 3 4

Computer networks for

instructional use 1 2 3 4

Modems 1 2 3 4

Telephone lines for modems 1 2 3 4

Telephones in instructional

areas

12 3 4

Television sets 1 2 3 4

Laser disk players/VCRs 1 2 3 4

Cable television 1 2 3 4

Conduits/raceways for

computer/computer network

cables

12 3 4

Fiber optic cable 1 2 3 4

Electrical wiring for

computers/communications

technology 1 2 3 4

Electrical power for

computers/communications

technology 1 2 3 4

11

Page 57 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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Agencies

18. How many computers for instructional use does this school have? Include computers at

both on-site buildings and off-site instructional facilities.

computers for instructional use

19. How well do this school’s on-site buildings meet the functional requirements of the

activities listed below? Circle one for EACH activity listed.

Activity Very Well Moderately Well Somewhat Well Not Well At All

Small group instruction 1 2 3 4

Large group (50 or more

students) instruction

12 3 4

Storage of alternative student

assessment materials

12 3 4

Display of alternative student

assessment materials

12 3 4

Parent support activities, such as

tutoring, planning, making

materials, etc.

12 3 4

Social/Health Care Services 1 2 3 4

Teachers’ planning 1 2 3 4

Private areas for student

counseling and testing 1 2 3 4

Laboratory science 1 2 3 4

Library/Media Center 1 2 3 4

Day care 1 2 3 4

Before/after school care 1 2 3 4

12

Page 58 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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Agencies

20. How satisfactory or unsatisfactory is each of the following environmental factors in this

school’s on-site buildings? Circle one for EACH factor listed.

Environmental

Factor

Very

Satisfactory Satisfactory Unsatisfactory

Very

Unsatisfactory

Lighting 1 2 3 4

Heating 1 2 3 4

Ventilation 1 2 3 4

Indoor air

quality 1 2 3 4

Acoustics for

noise control 1 2 3 4

Flexibility of

instructional

space (e.g.,

expandability,

convertability,

adaptability) 1 2 3 4

Energy

efficiency 1 2 3 4

Physical security

of buildings 1 2 3 4

13

Page 59 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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Agencies

21. Does this school have air conditioning in classrooms, administrative offices, and/or

other areas? Circle ALL that apply.

Yes, in classrooms 1

Yes, in administrative offices 2

Yes, in other areas 3

No, no air conditioning in this school at all 4 ---> GO TO QUESTION 23

22. How satisfactory or unsatisfactory is the air conditioning in classrooms, administrative

offices, and/or other areas? Circle one for EACH category listed.

Air Conditioning in:

Very

Satisfactory Satisfactory Unsatisfactory

Very

Unsatisfactory

Classrooms 1 2 3 4

Administrative Offices 1 2 3 4

Other areas 1 2 3 4

23. Does this school participate in the National School Lunch Program? Circle one.

Yes 1

No 2

24. Regardless of whether this school participates in the National School Lunch Program,

around the first of October, 1993, were any students in this school ELIGIBLE for the

program? Circle one.

Yes 1

No 2-----> GO TO QUESTION 27

Don’t Know 3-----> GO TO QUESTION 27

25. Around the first of October, 1993, how many applicants in this school were approved

for the National School Lunch Program? Enter zero if none.

applicants approved

14

Page 60 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
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Agencies

26. Around the first of October, 1993, how many students in this school received free or

reduced lunches through the National School Lunch Program? Enter zero if none.

recipients

27. How many students in this school were absent on the most recent school day? If none

were absent, please enter zero.

students absent

28. What type of school is this? Circle one.

REGULAR elementary or secondary 1

Elementary or secondary with SPECIAL PROGRAM EMPHASIS--

for example, science/math school, performing arts high school,

talented/giftedschool, foreign language immersion school, etc. 2

SPECIAL EDUCATION--primarily serves students with disabilities 3

VOCATIONAL/TECHNICAL--primiarily serves students being

trained for occupations 4

ALTERNATIVE--offers a curriculum designed to provide alternative

or nontraditional education; does not specifically fall into the

categories of regular, special education, or vocational school 5

29. Does 29. Does this school offer a magnet program? program? Circle one.

Yes..................1

No....................2

IF THIS IS THE LAST SCHOOL LISTED ON YOUR INSTRUCTION SHEET,

PLEASE GO DIRECTLY TO THE LAST PAGE OF THIS QUESTIONNAIRE.

15

Page 61 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix IV 

GAO Questionnaire for Local Education

Agencies

COMMENTS

Do you have any comments you would like to make about school facilities? Circle one.

Yes 1 ------> PLEASE USE THE SPACE BELOW

No 2

20

Page 62 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix V 

Data Points for Report Figures

Tables in this appendix provide data for the figures in the report.

Table V.1: Data for Figure 1: School

Officials Report Billions Needed for

Repairs and to Comply With Federal

Mandates in the Next 3 Years

Amount needed to All schools

Make all repairs required to put schools in good overall condition $101,200,000,000

Provide accessibility for disabled students 5,183,407,780

Manage/correct asbestos 2,395,445,006

Manage/correct lead in water and paint 386,647,141

Manage/correct underground storage tanks 303,004,301

Manage/correct radon 31,521,318

Manage/correct other requirements 2,380,065,108

Table V.2: Data for Figure 2: Amount

Schools Reported Spending Over the

Last 3 Years and Need in the Next 3

Years to Fulfill Federal Mandates

Federal mandate

Reported spent in

the last 3 years

Reported needed in

the next 3 years

Accessibility for students with disabilities $1,519,755,380 $5,183,407,780

Manage/correct asbestos 1,728,277,353 2,395,445,006

Manage/correct other requirements 200,885,750 2,380,065,108

Manage/correct lead in water/pains 46,241,652 386,647,141

Manage/correct underground storage

tanks 302,014,949 303,004,301

Manage/correct radon 13,854,263 31,521,318

Table V.3: Data for Figure 3: Percent of

Buildings Reported in

Less-Than-Adequate Overall Condition

Type of building Percentage of less-than-adequate buildings

Temporary buildings 27.9

Original buildings 26.2

Attached and/or detached

permanent additions to original

buildings 17.9

Page 63 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix V 

Data Points for Report Figures

Table V.4: Data for Figure 4: Building

Repairs Reported Needed in America’s

Schools Type of building feature

Percentage of schools reporting

less-than-adequate building features

HVAC 36.4

Plumbing 29.8

Roofs 27.3

Exterior walls, finishes, windows, doors 26.6

Electrical power 26.4

Electrical lighting 25.4

Interior finishes, trims 24.1

Life safety codes 19.0

Framing, floors, foundations 17.9

Table V.5: Data for Figure 5:

Percentage of Schools Reporting

Unsatisfactory or Very Unsatisfactory

Environmental Factors

Type of environmental condition

Percentage of schools

reporting unsatisfactory or

very unsatisfactory

environmental conditions

Acoustics for noise control 28.1

Ventilation 27.1

Physical security of buildings 24.2

Indoor air quality 19.2

Heating 18.9

Lighting 15.6

Page 64 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Appendix VI 

GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments

GAO Contacts Eleanor L. Johnson, Assistant Director, (202) 512-7209

Edna M. Saltzman, Project Manager, (313) 256-8109

Staff

Acknowledgments

D. Catherine Baltzell, Supervisory Social Science Analyst

Ella F. Cleveland, Subproject Manager

Harry M. Conley III, Statistician

Nancy Kintner-Meyer, Evaluator

Steven R. Machlin, Statistician

Deborah L. McCormick, Senior Social Science Analyst

Sara J. Peth, Technical Information Specialist

William G. Sievert, Technical Advisor

Kathleen Ward, Technical Advisor

(104781) Page 65 GAO/HEHS-95-61 Condition of America’s Schools
Ordering Information

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