07.27.23

Education Leaders Propose Bill to Rebuild America’s Public Schools

WASHINGTON – Today, House Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) and Representative Donald Norcross (NJ-01) introduced the Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2023. The legislation invests more than $130 billion in our schools’ physical and digital infrastructure, and the resources are targeted at high-poverty schools with facilities that pose health and safety risks to students and staff.

“Chronic neglect of America’s public schools has forced students and teachers across the country to learn and work in outdated and hazardous school buildings. Moreover, dilapidated and poorly ventilated school facilities pose significant health threats that make it harder for teachers to teach and students to learn," said Ranking Member Scott. “The Rebuild America's Schools Act invests $130 billion in our nation’s physical and digital infrastructure, improves students’ academic recovery efforts, and creates more than 2 million jobs over the next five years. It is far past time to improve public education infrastructure."

"Every student deserves a safe and healthy learning environment to pursue their full potential," said Representative Norcross. "Our children are our country’s greatest asset, and we must invest in rebuilding, repairing, and sustaining our schools. That's why I'm proud to introduce the Rebuild America's Schools Act with my colleagues, which will make our nation's public schools safer and healthier while creating over 2 million jobs across the country. This investment in our schools will provide a state-of-the-art learning environment and ensure that our children have access to a high-quality education.”

“Improving school infrastructure is critical to the health, safety, and well-being of America’s students and our communities.  Investing in school infrastructure is a moral and economic imperative.  The Rebuild America’s Schools Act would provide dedicated, long-term investments in improving America’s schools and ensuring every student can learn in a safe, healthy, modern classroom.  Passing this bill would help improve school facilities, put more people to work, and improve student academic outcomes,” said Senator Reed.

America’s public schools are in dire need of investment to make up for decades of neglect. In June 2020, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 54 percent of school districts across the country must replace or update critical infrastructure in more than half their buildings. Crumbling school facilities with asbestos, contaminated water, and mold pose significant health and safety threats to more than 50 million students and 3 million teachers in public schools.

The Rebuild America’s Schools Act would:

  • Invest $100 billion in grants and $30 billion in bond authority targeted at high-poverty schools with facilities that pose health and safety risks to students and staff;
  • Create over 2 million jobs based on an Economic Policy Institute analysis that each $1 billion spent on construction creates 17,785 jobs;
  • Require states to develop comprehensive state-wide public databases on the condition of public-school facilities; most states do not track school facility conditions and this would provide much-needed insight into the condition of our public schools; and
  • Improve broadband and Wi-Fi in public schools.

The legislation has 64 original cosponsors in the House: Stevens (MI-11), McBath (GA-07), Dean (PA-04), Wilson (FL-24), Escobar (TX-16), Scott (GA-13), Panetta (CA-19), Sánchez (CA-38), Norton (DC), Takano (CA-39), Sablan (MP), Bonamici (OR-01), Thompson (MS-02), Smith (WA-09), Jacobs (CA-51), Castor (FL-14), Moore (WI-04), Casten (IL-06), Lieu (CA-36), McGovern (MA-02), Garcia (TX-29), Frankel (FL-22), Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Titus (NV-01), Sarbanes (MD-03), Plaskett (VI-At-Large), Balint (VI), Ivey (MD-04), Green (TX-09), DeSaulnier (CA-10), Davis (IL-07), Pocan (WI-02), Sherman (CA-32), Brown (OH-11), Mfume (MD-07), Hayes (CT-05), Strickland (WA-10), Pingree (ME-01), Trone (MD-06), Courtney (CT-02), Wild (PA-07), Omar (MN-05), Beyer (VA-08), Morelle (NY-25), Napolitano (CA-31), Larson (CT-01), Lee (CA-12), Porter (CA-47), DeGette (CO-01), Cuellar (TX-28), Gallego (AZ-03), Scanlon (PA-05), Schakowsky (IL-09), Ruppersberger (MD-02), Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09), Garamendi (CA-08), Ross (NC-02), Soto (FL-09), Vargas (CA-52), Mrvan (IN-01), Brownley (CA-26), Raskin (MD-08), García (IL-04)

The legislation is endorsed by: 21st Century School Fund, A4LE: The Association for Learning Environments, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), American Institute of Architects (AIA), American School Superintendents Association (AASA), Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), Heart of America (HOA), International Unions of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers , [Re]Build America's School Infrastructure Coalition (BASIC), Rebuild America’s Schools Coalition, National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO), National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS), National Council on School Facilities (NCSF), National Education Association (NEA), SafeTraces, Somfy North America, Teach Plus, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Rentokil Terminix, National Pest Management Association (NPMA), National PTA

Read the bill text of the Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2023 here.

Read the fact sheet for the Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2023 here.

Read the section-by-section for the Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2023 here.

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