A 1995 GAO report found that the unmet need for school construction, repair and renovation was a staggering $112 billion. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 75 percent of our schools need funding to bring the buildings into good overall condition. These alarming statistics—coupled with numerous academic studies establishing a clear relationship between the condition of school buildings and the performance of students—should make it clear that serious attention needs to be paid to this issue. This relationship is particularly relevant today as U.S. schools strive to meet the standards set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act. Congress needs to address this issue.