WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced that she helped introduce the Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2019. The bill would allocate an investment of $100 billion for school infrastructure projects, a $70 billion grant program, and a $30 billion tax credit bond program targeted to low-income schools with facilities that pose health and safety risks to students and staff. The bill would also expand access to high-speed broadband in public schools to provide reliable and high-speed internet access for digital learning.
“In Nevada and across the country, the poor conditions in our schools are jeopardizing the health and safety of students in the classroom. I’m co-sponsoring the Rebuild America’s Schools Act because we can’t expect to educate our kids when their schools are falling apart,” said Senator Rosen. “This bill would provide much-needed investments in our public school infrastructure, all while creating over 1.9 million jobs in the process. We must continue to find practical solutions that invest in our education system so that we are helping all of our children succeed.”
BACKGROUND: Rosen co-sponsored the House companion of this legislation last Congress. The Rebuild America’s Schools Act would award schools grants based on repair and renovation needs. The bill would require states to provide 10 percent in matching funds from school districts and a comprehensive study of public school conditions at least once every five years to ensure schools are meeting minimum health and safety standards. School districts must develop a 10-year master plan for their facilities within 180 days of earning the grant. The grants mandate a gradual shift towards 100 percent green practices for buildings by fiscal year 2024.
In addition to co-sponsoring legislation that would make investments to our nation’s public schools, Rosen also supports increasing public school teacher pay and public education funding.
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