"Seventy-five percent of our nation's school buildings remain inadequate to meet the needs of school children," according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. Public school districts nationwide have spent over $20 billion each year over the past three years on school building projects, and spending levels are expected to remain at or near these levels for the next few years.
In order to address the shortcomings of existing schools and create healthier environments for students, state and local leaders have begun building "high performance" schools. Building Healthy, High Performance Schools: A Review of Selected State and School District Initiatives, offers a resource to school districts that are planning to build high performance schools. The report illustrates the policies, programs, and practices that have been adopted by states and school districts to incorporate a high performance approach in school planning, design, and construction.