Baltimore seeks funding for school renovations

Posted by IronPlanet on Feb 29, 2012 4:50:00 AM

Baltimore politicians are attempting to get funding for the construction of new schools from state sources. Many schools in the city are in desperate need of repair and haven't been renovated in years.

The Baltimore Sun reports that Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Chief of Schools Andres Alonso petitioned state legislators to provide funding for new schools in the Baltimore area. The duo was backed by students and teachers as part of the "Transform Baltimore" campaign, which is championing the school repair issue.

"We have demanded that our students improve their academic performance, and they have. We have demanded that our teachers provide more quality education, and they have. Now it's time for us to ensure that the quality of Baltimore City schools facilities meets the quality of these achievements," said Rawlings-Blake.

All told, the schools would likely need $2.8 billion in funding for complete renovations, which is why the city needs to turn to the state for help. However, several legislators expressed doubts about the plan, with one bringing up that it doesn't make sense for one jurisdiction to get significantly more funding than others.

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Topics: Construction, Industry Headlines