Bill Text: NJ SCR119 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges President and Congress of United States to include school construction funding in "Build Back Better Act."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-09-22 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [SCR119 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-SCR119-Introduced.html
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 119
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 22, 2022
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Urges President and Congress of United States to include school construction funding in "Build Back Better Act."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Concurrent Resolution urging the President and Congress of the United States to include school construction funding in the "Build Back Better Act."
Whereas, Extensive research has indicated that the condition of school buildings and facilities has a profound impact on student health, thinking, and achievement; and
Whereas, The importance of school building conditions as it relates to student outcomes is underscored in a 2014 Dear Colleague letter from the Office of Civil Rights at the United States Department of Education, which states, "Structurally sound and well-maintained schools can help students feel supported and valued. Students are generally better able to learn and remain engaged in instruction, and teachers are better able to do their jobs, in well-maintained classrooms that are well-lit, clean, spacious, and heated and air-conditioned as needed."; and
Whereas, Despite the clear evidence that sound school infrastructure leads to positive educational outcomes, the average age of a school building nationwide is nearly 50 years old, and the United States Government Accountability Office found in a 2020 study that about half of public school districts nationwide need to update or replace multiple building systems or features in their schools; and
Whereas, The challenge of maintaining and modernizing school buildings, and constructing new buildings, is one that disproportionately affects poor and low-wealth school districts that often lack access to a sufficient amount of capital funding for facilities needs; and
Whereas, With respect to school construction needs in this State, the New Jersey Schools Development Authority has estimated that at least $1.6 billion is required over time to merely address current seating capacity needs in the 31 "SDA districts," which include some of the State's poorest school districts; and
Whereas, Estimates for the amount of funds necessary to address infrastructure needs in all school districts across the State are often in the several billions of dollars; and
Whereas, While New Jersey has recently taken steps to focus more attention and resources on the issue of school construction, the need is so great as to require a multitude of funding sources, including assistance from the federal government; and
Whereas, The President and Congress of the United States have the opportunity to include transformative funding for school infrastructure and construction in the "Build Back Better Act," which passed the House of Representatives as H.R.5376 on November 19, 2021; and
Whereas, The "Build Back Better Act" is a significant social spending package that impacts a wide range of public policy areas and includes provisions such as: free universal preschool services for three and four year-old children; an affordable child care program for certain low-income families; expansions of the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit; and the provision of four weeks of paid family leave; and
Whereas, Given the "Build Back Better Act's" support for various early childhood and education initiatives, it is fitting and proper that the bill's provisions be expanded to include funding for school infrastructure and school construction projects, which funding is necessary to ensure a quality learning environment for students in New Jersey and across the country; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):
1. The Legislature respectfully urges the President and Congress of the United States to include among the provisions of the "Build Back Better Act" funding for school infrastructure and school construction to ensure that children all across New Jersey and the United States have better opportunities to succeed in school facilities that are conducive to learning and foster positive educational outcomes.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or Secretary of the Senate to the President and Vice-President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and every member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the President and Congress of the United States to include among the provisions of the "Build Back Better Act" funding for school infrastructure and school construction.
Extensive research has indicated that the condition of school buildings and facilities has a profound impact on student health, thinking, and achievement. Despite the clear evidence that sound school infrastructure leads to positive educational outcomes, the average age of a school building nationwide is nearly 50 years old, and the United States Government Accountability Office found in a 2020 study that about half of public school districts nationwide need to update or replace multiple building systems or features in their schools. The challenge of maintaining and modernizing school buildings, and constructing new buildings, is one that disproportionately affects poor and low-wealth school districts that often lack access to a sufficient amount of capital funding for facilities needs.
With respect to school construction needs in this State, the New Jersey Schools Development Authority has estimated that at least $1.6 billion is required over time to merely address current seating capacity needs in the 31 "SDA districts," which include some of the State's poorest school districts. Estimates for the amount of funds needed to address infrastructure needs Statewide are often in the several billions of dollars. While New Jersey has recently taken steps to focus more attention and resources on the issue of school construction, the need is so great as to require a multitude of funding sources, including assistance from the federal government.
The President and Congress have the opportunity to include transformative funding for school infrastructure and construction in the "Build Back Better Act," which passed the House of Representatives as H.R.5376 on November 19, 2021. The "Build Back Better Act" is a significant social spending package that impacts a wide range of public policy areas and includes provisions that support early childhood education and other education-related initiatives. Given the "Build Back Better Act's" support for these initiatives, it is fitting and proper that the bill's provisions be expanded to include funding for school infrastructure and school construction projects, which funding is necessary to ensure a quality learning environment for students in New Jersey and across the country.
