A new report out today says the Seattle Schools face "substantial, costly repairs" to fix deteriorating buildings and classrooms.
The report, from the Council of the Great City Schools, studied 50 of the country's largest school districts.
Speaking to the report, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said, "Our children deserve better than crumbling school buildings and half-century-old science labs. This report is further proof that Seattle's schools critically need the funds proposed by the President in the American Jobs Act."
Today's news appears to be part of the President's push for a ground swell of support for the Jobs Act, which was rejected by the U.S. Senate earlier this week.
The average age for Seattle school buildings is 50-years old. The list does not include all Seattle Public Schools that need renovation or repair but does list Aki Kurose, Boren, Broadview-Thomson, Fairmount Park, John Marshall, Meany, Montlake, Salmon Bay and (old) Van Asselt under the category of needing renovation, repair, and modernization needs totaling more than $15-million.
Topping the list of districts with problems is San Diego, where schools need an estimated $7.7-billion in repairs. Chicago schools rank 2nd with needs identified totaling more than $6.6-billion.
Teresa Wipple, a spokeswoman for the Seattle School District, says none of the repairs needed locally pose a safety concern.
No money has yet been earmarked by the feds to make repairs identified in the report. Boren has been closed for rennovation but may be re-opened to deal with increased enrollment.
