Governor Rendell Helps Break Ground for Donegal High School, Announces Bond Funding for Schools Across Pennsylvania

Project is Part of Federal Recovery Act Bond Program Sold Today

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell took part in the groundbreaking for the new Donegal High School in Lancaster County, a project given a boost with $17 million in essentially interest-free bonds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The funds were part of a bond sale today by the State Public School Building Authority which will make $325.5 million available to 31 school districts for a range of new construction and renovation projects.

"With federal help, we were able to lower the costs to the taxpayers of these school building projects for Donegal and other school districts throughout the state," Governor Rendell said. "These funds will help put people to work on important construction projects, save energy costs and improve educational programs – and the attractive financing will save local taxpayers the financing costs. It's what the Recovery Act is all about."

Under the program, school districts may use the special financing towards projects that reduce energy or water consumption, construction that enables a district to expand pre-K and kindergarten programs or give students better access to science, technology or engineering lab settings.

The new Donegal High School will replace a building originally constructed in 1954 with a facility that is energy efficient with state-of-the-art operating systems and technology.  It also will allow the district to eliminate the need for 12 modular classrooms which are well beyond their useful life and alleviate overcrowding at the middle school and elementary school.   

Today's bond sale releases $325 million for 31 school districts. Under the program, announced in June, a total of 46 school districts shared a state allocation of $602 million – the sixth largest allocation in the nation; the remainder of the allocation is scheduled to be distributed later this year. The Recovery Act pays 100 percent of the interest on these Qualified School Construction Bonds, which are issued under the Recovery Act's Build America Bonds program.

Other school district bonds which closed today are:

Altoona/Johnstown Area

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Area

Greater Philadelphia

Lehigh Valley

Northeast

Greater Pittsburgh

Northwest

Susquehanna Valley

For more information, visit http://www.education.state.pa.us.

Media contacts:

Steve Weitzman, Department of Education; 717-783-9802

Gary Tuma, Governor's Office; 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor