School facility issues—including aging buildings, inadequate maintenance, and overcrowding—have forced millions of students across the country to miss critical instructional days, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office. The findings highlight systemic challenges in school infrastructure, where deferred repairs, ventilation failures, and space shortages disrupt learning environments and exacerbate inequities in education access. Experts warn that these problems, often tied to underfunding and deferred maintenance, risk worsening student achievement gaps and teacher retention struggles. The report underscores the urgent need for federal, state, and local investment to address crumbling facilities before the situation further impacts academic outcomes.
Facility problems led to 3.5M lost school days, GAO says K-12 Dive
