Almost a third of schools in rural areas and small towns were built before 1950, and more than two-thirds are at least 30 years old. Their conditions vary widely. Although most schools are in adequate condition, state and federal reports indicate numerous buildings have serious structural problems. But peeling paint, leaking roofs, and crumbling foundations are just part of the problem. For some educators, another concern is the inability of rural communities to upgrade and modernize their buildings and introduce new technology to classrooms.
Some rural communities can only dream of chipping away at their repair and renovation needs.
The county has little industry and only about 4,000 taxpayers. That's about all we can put into it. The situation is raising issues of equity that go beyond having a structurally safe or aesthetically pleasing learning environment. Several studies have identified a link between the condition of the school building and student performance. A 1993 study examining small, rural Virginia schools found, for instance, that achievement test scores were up to 5 percentile points lower in substandard buildings.