In 2024–25, roughly one in five districts (19 percent) had to cancel school days due to facilities issues, impacting 2 million students, according to a September report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
“Many public school facilities are outdated or poorly maintained,” the report states. “Facility issues, including plumbing leaks and extreme indoor temperatures, can disrupt instruction or even result in cancelled classes.”
These findings are based on a nationally representative survey of public school districts that concluded that affected students lost an estimated 3.5 days of learning because of the closures.
Though research suggests that modern and well-maintained facilities that feature healthy indoor environments contribute to better student outcomes and health, reduced absenteeism and higher rates of teacher retention, in the academic year considered, 47 percent of districts had chronic problems with facilities.
“States offer financial and technical support, like help with planning and assessing facility needs. But school district leaders told us that budget cuts and competing priorities make it hard to fully fund facility improvements,” the GAO explained.
Many districts, grappling with funding constraints, have implemented strategies such as investments in preventive maintenance, but 55 percent of survey respondents said their most recent facilities budget was insufficient to meet campuses’ needs.
“Districts often faced difficulty implementing capital projects and many deferred maintenance, which can lead to higher costs in the longer term,” the report reads. “GAO found that districts with limited capacity to conduct preventive maintenance had more chronic facility problems and more disruptions to instruction.”
To combat these challenges, in addition to spending on preventive maintenance and cost-saving measures, leaders engage in careful facilities planning so dollars go toward top priorities, leverage expertise and try and build community buy-in for capital projects.
Across the country, district leadership shared mixed feelings on the efficacy of state and federal policies on school facilities. “For example, an estimated 73 percent said that limited state formula funding for facilities hindered their ability to meet their facility needs,” the GAO said. “However, some states have implemented practices that survey respondents and others found helpful. For instance, according to research we reviewed, some states directed dedicated revenue sources to school facilities (e.g., from excise taxes), which helped support facilities funding. Others provided incentives to encourage districts to prioritize preventive maintenance.”
Additionally, certain states support districts in keeping capital projects within timeframe and budget by offering adaptable building design plans and expediting permitting.
Addressing facilities issues
Survey respondents identified the following areas, detailed in the report, as state-level practices that could help address systemic facilities issues:
- Financial supports such as dedicated state funding for facilities, bond supports and new funding approaching
- Assistance monitoring conditions of facilities and planning for future investments
- Data tracking and technical assistance
- Cost-reduction strategies such as encouraging preventive maintenance, investing in energy efficiency, consolidating or closing schools, adopting purchasing power strategies and supporting districts’ capital projects
“Public school facilities are critical in supporting student learning, civic life, and the long-term economic growth of the nation,” the GAO asserted.
