I’m in Baton Rouge with the NBC School Pride team working to renovate Lanier Elementary here. Thanks to Nash Molpus Crews (pictured with me) and John Haffner from Tulane University’s Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives, I learned there’s a specific reason some Louisiana schools, including Lanier, are in such poor physical shape: the state government spends zero dollars on school facilities! Nash sat with me for an interview, and afterward the Cowen Institute blogged about it. We are thrilled that School Pride came to Louisiana, since our facilities needs are so great.  Spending on school facilities in Louisiana is fourth-lowest in the nation, and we are one of only nine states where the state government takes no role in supporting facilities.  As a result, countless school facilities are in poor condition, and far too many of our students and teachers spend each day in buildings that are literally crumbling down around them.  This is why we supported the bill to create the Louisiana Statewide Educational Facilities Authority in the recently-adjourned legislative session, and why we will continue to do all we can until every student in Louisiana has a school that is warm, safe, and dry. Visiting Lanier yesterday, it was amazing to see what can be done in just one week when a school and community rally together with a little extra financial support and organization.  The school was a hive of activity with volunteers painting, fixing ceilings, lighting, and air conditioning, renovating the playground and more.  School Pride host Jacob Soboroff interviewed Nash for the show, and we appreciated the opportunity share information and focus more attention on school facilities in Louisiana. We’d like to thank the School Pride team for coming to Louisiana, and encourage you to watch the show when it premiers on September 24.  Read more about it at their official website, follow on Twitter at twitter.com/NBCSchoolPride, and you can even sign up to volunteer at www.schoolpridevolunteers.com.  You can also click here to read more about the importance of school facilities and what you can do to help.  We all have a role to play in building great schools! Read the entire blog post here. We’re unveiling the renovated school to the kids on Saturday. School Pride debuts on NBC Friday September 24 at 8PM/7C. Photo by John Haffner.

I’m in Baton Rouge with the NBC School Pride team working to renovate Lanier Elementary here. Thanks to Nash Molpus Crews (pictured with me) and John Haffner from Tulane University’s Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives, I learned there’s a specific reason some Louisiana schools, including Lanier, are in such poor physical shape: the state government spends zero dollars on school facilities! Nash sat with me for an interview, and afterward the Cowen Institute blogged about it.

We are thrilled that School Pride came to Louisiana, since our facilities needs are so great.  Spending on school facilities in Louisiana is fourth-lowest in the nation, and we are one of only nine states where the state government takes no role in supporting facilities.  As a result, countless school facilities are in poor condition, and far too many of our students and teachers spend each day in buildings that are literally crumbling down around them.  This is why we supported the bill to create the Louisiana Statewide Educational Facilities Authority in the recently-adjourned legislative session, and why we will continue to do all we can until every student in Louisiana has a school that is warm, safe, and dry.

Visiting Lanier yesterday, it was amazing to see what can be done in just one week when a school and community rally together with a little extra financial support and organization.  The school was a hive of activity with volunteers painting, fixing ceilings, lighting, and air conditioning, renovating the playground and more.  School Pride host Jacob Soboroff interviewed Nash for the show, and we appreciated the opportunity share information and focus more attention on school facilities in Louisiana.

We’d like to thank the School Pride team for coming to Louisiana, and encourage you to watch the show when it premiers on September 24.  Read more about it at their official website, follow on Twitter at twitter.com/NBCSchoolPride, and you can even sign up to volunteer at www.schoolpridevolunteers.com.  You can also click here to read more about the importance of school facilities and what you can do to help.  We all have a role to play in building great schools!

Read the entire blog post here. We’re unveiling the renovated school to the kids on Saturday. School Pride debuts on NBC Friday September 24 at 8PM/7C.

Photo by John Haffner.