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School Modernization

President Obama's Economic Recovery Plan includes billions of dollars for education. Specifically, the President wants the money used to improve technology and energy-efficiency in the nation's public schools. As NBR's Darren Gersh reports, there are some questions about how the money will be spent.

Related NBR Stories & Links

• 01-26-09: President Obama Gets Into The Green of Things
• 01-23-09: The New Economic Recovery Plan May be Too Little Too Late
• 02-18-08: "The New Business of Education"
• 07-23-07: Green Buildings

External Links/Articles*

• American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
  The AASA helped develop the education portion of the Economic Recovery Bill. The organization's executive director, Dan Domenech, is interviewed in Darren Gersh's report. This links to a January 16, 2009 letter authored by Domenech that explains the main education features in the House version of the legislation.
• American Enterprise Institute (AEI)
  AEI is a private, nonpartisan, not-for-profit public policy research institute. One of the institute's scholars, Frederick Hess, is interviewed in Darren Gersh's report. This links to a January 8, 2009 article Hess authored. The article is titled "Silver Cloud, Dark Lining," and it focuses on the education spending portion of the economic stimulus plan shaped by Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress.
• Anacostia High School
  Anacostia High is located in Washington DC. As Darren Gersh explains in his report, it is one of eight Washington DC public schools already scheduled to be modernized.
• Fanning/Howey Associates
  Fanning/Howey is an architecture, engineering, and planning firm focused on designing schools, university buildings, religious facilities, and recreation centers. The firm designed Phelps High School in Washington DC. One of Fanning/Howey's architects, Ed Schmidt, is interviewed in Darren Gersh's report. This links to information Fanning/Howey presents about the Phelps High School project.
• Phelps Architecture, Construction & Engineering High School
  Phelps High School is located in Washington DC. It is a career academy that opened in 2008. The school's principal, Michael Johnson, is interviewed in Darren Gersh's report.
• U.S. House of Representatives (PDF document)
  This links to a copy of the House version of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009" (HR 1). Discussions of the provisions for "Green High-Performing Public School Facilities" begin on page 165.
• The White House
  This links to the "Economy" section of The White House website. The section currently features "The President's American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan." The plan includes a discussion about the modernization of schools.

*Clicking these external links will take you off the NBR web site on PBS.org. NBR has no affiliation with these sites.