Rebuilding America's Schools

Rebuild America’s Schools is working for federal support for local efforts to build, renovate and modernize America’s Schools. Support is building in Congress to modernize schools enabling students to achieve and succeed in the 21^st Century global economy. Modernizing schools creates jobs.

Led by President Obama’s American Jobs Act S. 1600 and H.R. 12 introduced by Senator Reid (D-NV) and Congressman Larson (D-CT) school modernization bills include:

· The Rebuilding America’s Schools Act H.R. 2394, S. 796

· Fix America’s Schools Today or FAST, H.R.2948, S. 1587

· Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act, H.R. 2914

The goal of all of all these bills is: Modernizing, renovating and repairing schools and generating American jobs.

The American Jobs Act: S. 1600, H.R. 12 Modernizing Over 35,000 Schools – From Science Labs and Internet-Ready Classrooms to Renovated Facilities: The President is proposing a $25 billion investment in school infrastructure that will modernize at least 35,000 public schools – investments that will create jobs, while improving classrooms and upgrading our schools to meet 21^st century needs. This includes a priority for rural schools and dedicated funding for Bureau of Indian Education funded schools. Funds could be used for a range of emergency repair and renovation projects, greening and energy efficiency upgrades, asbestos abatement and removal, and modernization efforts to build new science and computer labs and to upgrade technology in our schools. The President is also proposing a $5 billion investment in modernizing community colleges (including tribal colleges), bolstering their infrastructure in this time of need while ensuring their ability to serve future generations of students and communities. The range of critical repairs and needed construction projects would put hundreds of thousands of Americans – construction workers, engineers, maintenance staff, boiler repairman, and electrical workers – back to work.

The American Jobs Act will be debated in the Senate this week. Please contact your Senators to express your support for the American Jobs Act and modernizing your schools.

The Rebuilding America’s Schools Act, H.R. 2394 (Rangel-NY) and S. 796 (Rockefeller-WV) will extend Qualified School Construction Bond, (QSCB) and Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) programs to continue important financial support QSCBS and QZABs are currently giving school districts to build, renovate and modernize schools across America.

Qualified School Construction Bonds: Jobs are being created as School construction projects continue across the country with support from Qualified School Construction Bonds. Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs) financed $6.8 billion to modernize schools in 2010 and are financing $2.1 billion in school construction projects to build and renovate schools and generating JOBs in 2011. States using QSCBs in 2011 are: California, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Oregon, Massachusetts Pennsylvania and Texas. These 2011 QSCBs are from 2009 and 2010 allocations. Extending the Qualified School Construction Bond program will continue to modernize schools in states such as Montana, Florida, Virginia, Arizona, Missouri, Utah, North Carolina, Maine, Vermont, South Carolina, Illinois and every state needing modern schools.

Fix America’s Schools Today or FAST, S. 1587 sponsored by Senator Brown (D-OH) , H.R. 2948 sponsored by Congresswoman DeLauro (D-CT). Funded through existing Title I formulas, school districts would be required to use federal funds for deferred maintenance, repairs and component or system replacements to existing facilities or to supplement their current maintenance and repair efforts so that public school buildings and grounds are operated in a healthy and efficient manner. The FAST proposal offsets its initial cost over 10 years by ending tax breaks for fossil fuels.

Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act sponsored by Rep. Schakowsky (D-IL), a cost-effective plan to put over 2 million people to work for two years. A key piece of Congresswoman Schakowsky’s bill is: The School Improvement Corps to create 400,000 construction and 250,000 maintenance jobs by funding positions created by public school districts to undertake school rehabilitation improvements. The legislation will also provide assistance to help repair schools in states hit by natural disasters.

Rebuild America’s Schools urges you to call Member of Congress and Senators to ask that they support and co-sponsor these bills to help modernize your schools and create jobs in communities across America.

Thank you for your support of Rebuild America’s Schools.

MODERNIZING SCHOOLS SUPPORTS STUDENTS AND GENERATE JOBS

September 3, 2011

Modernizing American Schools Helps Students and Creates Jobs

Rebuild America’s Schools is working for federal support for local efforts to build, renovate and modernize America’s Schools to enable students to achieve and succeed in the 21^st Century global economy. Rebuild America’s Schools wrote to President Obama requesting that his Jobs Plan include school facilities in our country’s infrastructure priorities as we all work to generate JOBS and build America’s economy.

An Editorial in the New York Times about Jobs Creation makes a critical point that job creation is more important than budget cuts. The need for school construction is cited as one of the national needs that are worth fighting for to create jobs. The Times points out that public school buildings in the United States are on average over 40 years old and in need of an estimated $500 billion in repairs and upgrades. Efforts to enhance our nation’s school facilities as part of our country’s infrastructure priorities include:

Qualified School Construction Bonds: Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs) are financing $2.1 billion in school construction projects to build and renovate schools and generating JOBs. States using QSCBs in 2011 are: California, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Oregon, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Texas. These QSCBs are from 2009 and 2010 allocations. Extend the Qualified School Construction Bond program so these bonds can continue to modernize school in states including Montana, Florida, Virginia, Arizona, Missouri, Utah, North Carolina, Maine, Vermont, South Carolina, Illinois and every state needing modern schools.

The Rebuilding America’s Schools Act, H.R. 2394 and S. 796 will extend Qualified School Construction Bond, (QSCB) and Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) programs to continue important financial support QSCBS and QZABs are currently giving to school districts to build, renovate and modernize schools across America.

Fix America’s Schools Today, or FAST is an example of a $50 billion school renovation program that would employ 500,000 workers. Funded through existing Title I formulas school districts would be required to use federal funds for deferred maintenance, repairs and component or system replacements to existing facilities or to supplement their current maintenance and repair efforts so that public school buildings and grounds are operated in a healthful and efficient manner. The FAST proposal offsets its initial cost over 10 years by ending tax breaks for fossil fuels.

Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) will introduce the Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act, a cost-effective plan to put over 2 million people to work for two years. A key piece of Congresswoman Schakowsky’s bill is: The School Improvement Corps to create 400,000 construction and 250,000 maintenance jobs by funding positions created by public school districts to do needed school rehabilitation improvements. This will also provide assistance to help repair schools in states hit by natural disasters.

MODERNIZING SCHOOLS IN AMERICA WILL GENERATE JOBS

March 28, 2011

Qualified School Construction Bonds

Building and Modernizing Schools

School districts across the country are making great use of the Qualified School Construction Bond program started by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In 2010, QSCBs financed over $6.67 billion in school construction projects across America.

For example, 125 Texas, 37 Michigan, 78 Ohio and 62 Missouri school districts are using QSCBs to build, renovate and modernize schools. State authorities in Tennessee, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York issued QSCBs to finance school construction projects in their states.

Rebuild America’s Schools is collecting information about the successful usage of Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs) and Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABs ) to build, renovate and modernize schools in states across the country.

Please select a state below to see how QSCBs are being used in many states.

Rebuild America’s Schools is also collecting information about how the QSCBs are being used in other states and school districts.

Please contact RebuildAmericasSchools@comcast.net for more information.

Sample Usage by State

DELAWARE