Warner & Kaine Introduce Bill to Invest in Virginia's Aging Schools

Statement

Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner, a member of the Senate Budget and Finance Committees, and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) and Budget Committees, will introduce the School Infrastructure Modernization Act to spur public and private investment in renovating active historic school buildings. This legislation amends the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit to apply to school buildings that continue to operate as schools. Under current law, the credit applies only for buildings renovated to serve a different function than before. This bill would waive this "prior use' clause for school renovation projects, allowing school districts with aging infrastructure and tight budgets to partner with private entities to finance renovations that the districts otherwise would not be able to afford.

As Mayor of Richmond, Kaine led a coalition that found a novel way to apply the historic tax credit to finance the renovation of a closed public school and reopen it as the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies, today one of America's highest-performing public high schools. Older schools can often be renovated for less money than the cost of new construction. Preservation of historic schools provides students safe and modern facilities in which to learn; supports construction jobs; and maintains the historic character of communities. Warner has previously introduced this legislation with former U.S. Senator Jim Webb along with a dozen bipartisan House sponsors.

"If we want our students to succeed, we need to invest in their learning facilities. This bill is a commonsense solution that creates a pathway for schools with tight budgets to receive the resources they need to renovate and modernize," said Warner. "Many of these schools qualify as historic buildings, and under this legislation, those schools would be empowered to form private-public partnerships to increase classroom capacity and offer jobs to the surrounding community."

"When I was Mayor of Richmond, we used the historic tax credit to help repair and reopen a historic high school, turning it into a jewel of the public school system," said Kaine. "This bill would make it easier for other cities and towns across Virginia and the country to rehab their own historic schools. This is a commonsense way to give students safer, modern spaces in which to learn while supporting construction jobs."

The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program has played a role in rehabilitating historic structures and revitalizing communities for more than 35 years. In the Commonwealth alone, the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HTC) has helped restore more than 1,200 structures since 1997. According to a 2013 analysis, approximately 40% of K-12 schools in Virginia - more than 800 schools -- are at least 50 years old.

Examples of current and former Virginia schools that could be eligible for this tax credit are:

Bland County - Rocky Gap High
Bland County - Bland Elementary
Bland County - Bland High
Bland County - Rocky Gap Elementary
Bristol City - Virginia Middle
Bristol City - Stonewall Jackson Elementary
Bristol City - Highland View Elementary
Buchanan County - Grundy High
Carroll County - Carroll County Education Center
Grayson County - Grayson County High
Grayson County - Fairview Elementary
Grayson County - Bridle Creek Elementary
Grayson County - Baywood Elementary
Lee County - St. Charles Elementary
Lee County - Flatwoods Elementary
Lee County - Thomas Walker High
Lee County - Jonesville Middle
Pulaski County - Claremont Elementary
Roanoke City - Addison Aerospace Magnet Middle
Roanoke City - Woodrow Wilson Middle
Roanoke City - Hurt Park Elementary
Roanoke City - Breckinridge Middle
Roanoke City - Stonewall Jackson Middle
Roanoke City - Wasena Elementary
Roanoke City - Morningside Elementary
Roanoke City - Forest Park Academy
Roanoke City - Forest Park Elementary
Roanoke City - Noel C. Taylor Academy
Roanoke City - Special Situation Schools
Roanoke County - Clearbrook Elementary
Roanoke County - Fort Lewis Elementary
Roanoke County - Fort Lewis Elementary School
Roanoke County - Back Creek Elementary
Russell County - Lebanon Elementary
Russell County - Castlewood Elementary
Russell County - Castlewood High
Russell County - Dante Elementary
Russell County - Swords Creek Elementary
Russell County - Cleveland Elementary
Russell County - Belfast Elk Garden Elementary Annex
Smyth County - Atkins Elementary
Smyth County - Sugar Grove Combined
Washington County - Washington Co. Technical
Wise County - Union High
Wise County - Central High
Wythe County - Fort Chiswell High
Wythe County - George Wythe High
Wythe County - Rural Retreat Middle
Wythe County - Sheffey Elementary
Wythe County - Speedwell Elementary
Clarke County - Boyce Elementary
Clarke County - Berryville Primary
Clarke County - D.G. Cooley Elementary
Covington City - Covington High
Rockingham County - John C. Myers Elementary
Rockingham County - Linville-Edom Elementary
Rockingham County - Dayton Learning Center
Warren County - 15th Street School
Warren County - A.S. Rhodes Elementary
Winchester City - Garland R. Quarles Elementary
Brunswick County - James S. Russell Middle
Charlotte County - Early Learning Center
Charlotte County - Bacon District Elementary
Charlotte County - old Phenix Elementary
Greensville County - Greensville County High
Henry County - Sanville Elementary
Henry County - Axton Elementary
Henry County - John Redd Smith Elementary
Lunenburg County - Kenbridge Elementary
Lunenburg County - Victoria Elementary
Martinsville City - Brown Street Gym
Pittsylvania County - Southside Elementary
Pittsylvania County - Stony Mill Elementary
Pittsylvania County - Blairs Middle
Pittsylvania County - John L. Hurt Elementary
Pittsylvania County - Whitmell Elementary
Alexandria City - Mount Vernon Elementary
Alexandria City - T.C. Williams Minnie Howard Campus
Arlington County - Hoffman-Boston Elementary
Arlington County - Oakridge Elementary
Arlington County - Tuckahoe Elementary
Arlington County - McKinley Elementary
Arlington County - Taylor Elementary
Arlington County - Ashlawn Elementary
Arlington County - Randolph Elementary
Arlington County - Barcroft Elementary
Arlington County - Abingdon Elementary
Fairfax County - Fairview Elementary
Fairfax County - Burke School
Fairfax County - Mount Vernon High
Fairfax County - Marshall Road Elementary
Fairfax County - Flint Hill Elementary
Fairfax County - Parklawn Elementary
Fairfax County - Mantua Elementary
Fairfax County - Poe Middle
Fairfax County - Belvedere Elementary
Fairfax County - Timber Lane Elementary
Fairfax County - Quander Road School
Fairfax County - Weyanoke Elementary
Fairfax County - Bailey's E.S.for the Arts and Sciences
Fairfax County - Gunston Elementary
Fairfax County - Glen Forest Elementary
Fairfax County - Herndon Middle
Fairfax County - Rose Hill Elementary
Fairfax County - Irving Middle
Fairfax County - Little Run Elementary
Fairfax County - Cameron Elementary
Fairfax County - Archer Elementary
Fairfax County - Bucknell Elementary
Fairfax County - Jackson Middle
Fairfax County - Wakefield Forest Elementary
Fairfax County - North Springfield Elementary
Fairfax County - Waynewood Elementary
Fairfax County - Keene Mill Elementary
Fairfax County - Herndon Elementary
Fairfax County - Mosby Woods Elementary
Fairfax County - Ravensworth Elementary
Fairfax County - Garfield Elementary
Fairfax County - Haycock Elementary
Fairfax County - Stratford Landing Elementary
Fairfax County - Bren Mar Park Elementary
Fairfax County - Washington Mill Elementary
Fairfax County - Belle View Elementary
Fairfax County - Twain Middle
Fairfax County - Cooper Middle
Fairfax County - Thoreau Middle
Fairfax County - Woodlawn Elementary
Fairfax County - Marshall High
Fairfax County - Clifton Elementary
Fairfax County - Braddock Elementary
Fairfax County - Sandburg Middle
Fauquier County - Warrenton Middle
Fauquier County - W.C. Taylor Middle
Loudoun County - Middleburg Elementary
Loudoun County - Lincoln Elementary
Loudoun County - Banneker Elementary
Loudoun County - Douglass School
Manassas City - Osbourn High
Manassas City - Baldwin Elementary
Chesapeake City - Truitt Intermediate
Chesapeake City - Norfolk Highlands Primary
Chesapeake City - Deep Creek Middle
Chesapeake City - Hickory Elementary
Chesapeake City - Southwestern Elementary
Chesapeake City - B.M. Williams Primary
Chesapeake City - G.A. Treakle Elementary
Chesapeake City - Deep Creek Central Elementary
Chesapeake City - Southeastern Elementary
Chesapeake City - Edwin W. Chittum Elementary
Chesapeake City - Great Bridge Primary
Chesapeake City - George W. Carver Intermediate
Chesapeake City - Crestwood Intermediate
Chesapeake City - Crestwood Middle
Hampton City - Benjamin Syms Middle
Hampton City - Robert E. Lee Elementary
Hampton City - Aberdeen Elementary
Hampton City - Thomas Eaton Middle
Hampton City - Mary Peake Center
Hampton City - Moton Early Childhood Center
Hampton City - Armstrong Elementary
Newport News City - Hilton Elementary
Newport News City - Huntington Middle
Norfolk City - Granby High
Norfolk City - Matthew Fontaine Maury High
Norfolk City - Madison Alternative School Center
Portsmouth City - Emily Spong Pre-School Center
Portsmouth City - Cradock Middle
Portsmouth City - William E. Waters Middle
Portsmouth City - Old S. H. Clarke Voc. Ctr.
Portsmouth City - Olive Branch Pre-School Center
Portsmouth City - Mount Hermon Elementary
Portsmouth City - Mount Hermon Pre-School Center
Southampton County - Southampton Middle
Suffolk City - Florence Bowser Elementary
Suffolk City - Mount Zion Elementary
Colonial Beach - Colonial Beach Elementary
Lancaster County - Lancaster Primary
Richmond County - Richmond County Intermediate
Fredericksburg City - Original Walker-Grant Annex
King George County - King George
King George County - Potomac Elementary
Spotsylvania County - Robert E. Lee Elementary
Stafford County - Ferry Farm Elementary
Stafford County - Gari Melchers Complex
Albemarle County - Stone Robinson Elementary
Albemarle County - Stony Point Elementary
Albemarle County - Woodbrook Elementary
Albemarle County - Broadus Wood Elementary
Albemarle County - Benjamin F. Yancey Elementary
Albemarle County - Virginia L. Murray Elementary
Amherst County - Central Elementary
Amherst County - Amherst Elementary
Amherst County - Amherst Middle
Amherst County - Amelon Elementary
Amherst County - Amherst County High
Bedford County - Boonsboro Elementary
Bedford County - Stewartsville Elementary
Bedford County - Science And Technology Center
Bedford County - Huddleston Elementary
Campbell County - William Campbell High
Campbell County - Leesville Road Elementary
Campbell County - Altavista High
Campbell County - Rustburg Middle
Charlottesville City - Venable Elementary
Charlottesville City - Clark Elementary
Chesterfield County - Beulah Elementary
Chesterfield County - Chesterfield Community High
Chesterfield County - Harrowgate Elementary
Chesterfield County - Crestwood Elementary
Chesterfield County - Enon Elementary
Chesterfield County - Matoaca Middle East Campus
Chesterfield County - Matoaca Elementary
Dinwiddie County - Dinwiddie Elementary School
Dinwiddie County - Midway Elementary School
Dinwiddie County - Historic Southside High School Education Center
Fluvanna County - Central Elementary
Fluvanna County - Project Return/Fluvanna Co
Fluvanna County - Palmyra Elementary
Franklin County - Lee M. Waid Elementary
Hanover County - John M. Gandy Elementary
Hanover County - Henry Clay Elementary
Hanover County - Battlefield Park Elementary
Hanover County - Washington-Henry Elementary
Hopewell City - Woodlawn Pre-School Learning Center
King and Queen County - King & Queen Elementary
King William County - Hamilton Holmes Middle
Lynchburg City - Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation
Lynchburg City - William M. Bass Elementary
Lynchburg City - Robert S. Payne Elementary
Lynchburg City - Dearington Elementary/Innovation
Lynchburg City - Perrymont Elementary
Lynchburg City - T.C. Miller Elementary for Innovation
Lynchburg City - Bedford Hills Elementary
Lynchburg City - Paul Munro Elementary
Lynchburg City - Amelia Pride Center
New Kent County - 1930 High School
Orange County - Lightfoot Elementary
Orange County - Unionville Elementary
Orange County - Redirection Alternative School Education
Orange County - Special Situation Schools
Orange County - Taylor Alternative School Education Complex Feeding Site
Orange County - Vocational Agriculture Building
Petersburg City - Peabody Middle
Petersburg City - Westview Early Childhood Education Center
Petersburg City - Blandford Academy
Powhatan County - Pocahontas Middle
Richmond City - Richmond Community High
Richmond City - George W. Carver Elementary
Richmond City - Swansboro Elementary
Richmond City - Elkhardt Middle
Richmond City - John B. Cary Elementary
Richmond City - Summer Hill/Ruffin Road Elementary
Richmond City - Woodville Elementary
Richmond City - Elizabeth D. Redd Elementary
Richmond City - Mary Scott Elementary
Richmond City - Westover Hills Elementary
Richmond City - Southampton Elementary
Richmond City - George Wythe High
Richmond City - A. V. Norrell Annex
Richmond City - Huguenot High
Richmond City - E.S.H. Greene Elementary
Richmond City - G.H. Reid Elementary
Richmond City - Armstrong High
Richmond City - A. V. Norrell Elementary
Richmond City - Fairfield Court Elementary
Richmond City - Amelia Street Special Education School
Richmond City - John Marshall High
Richmond City - Maymont Pre-K Center
Richmond City - Mary Munford Elementary
Richmond City - Ginter Park Elementary
Richmond City - Thomas Jefferson High
Richmond City - Franklin Military Academy
Richmond City - J.E.B. Stuart Elementary
Richmond City - Patrick Henry Elementary
Richmond City - Binford Middle
Richmond City - Albert Hill Middle
Richmond City - George Mason Elementary
Richmond City - Bellevue Elementary
Richmond City - Open High

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