Latino schools are still severely overcrowded, says Abreu, and projections show the problem getting worse. And they are working to ensure that the construction boom reinforces efforts to improve what goes on inside the schools. Both groups worry, for example, that building new additions may make some schools just too big. They point to research showing that small schools work better for children. We always need to be building toward better educational outcomes, not just bricks and mortar.
High schools are another critical area.
Most high school students are attending overcrowded facilities, Leavy says. That crunch led President Clinton to call for federal funds to modernize schools. Leavy's group is gearing up to play a role in national efforts to deal with overcrowding and school construction. We want to build broad public support for state and federal cost sharing with local school districts. The need for all levels of government to invest in rebuilding America's schools has never been more urgent.