34th Annual Official Education Construction Report

Joen Agron, of American School and University magazine, reports that its annual survey shows that "spending on construction by the nation's school districts and colleges slowed in 2007." According to his summary of the detailed report, which you can read here:

Spending on construction by the nation's school districts and colleges slowed in 2007, representing the fourth consecutive year total expenditures dropped from the year before and setting a low point in spending so far this decade. . . . A difficult economy and rapidly rising costs took their toll as many education institutions trimmed or postponed planned projects. Total spending on new, addition and modernization construction . . . dropped to $32.9 billion from $36.6 billion in 2006. . . . while total spending slowed, the amount K-12 institutions and colleges allocated to new buildings increased, reflecting the pressure to continue constructing new spaces to keep up with enrollment growth . . . college spending on new construction jumped to $7.3 billion from $5.3 billion in 2006.