State Looks At The State Of Its Classrooms

When the school bells ring this month, ten percent of all students -- nearly 6,000 kids -- will attend class in a trailer. A new study before the state school board shows that local school systems will need more than $6 billion to provide adequate classrooms in the next five years.

According to the study, thirty-three percent of the money is needed for new schools, 30 percent is needed for additions to existing schools and 28 percent of the money for renovations to upgrade older schools.

Eight percent would buy furnishing and equipment and one percent to buy land.

In 1996, the state passed a $1.8 billion school construction bond, which made a small dent in the capital needs of local schools.