Oregon Public Broadcasting

After this month's catastrophic earthquake in China, top school officials in Oregon are advocating a substantial investment for school buildings at risk of an earthquake here.

A study by state geologists a year ago estimated there were 274 schools in desperate need of seismic improvements.

Officials are now saying roughly four times that number would not survive an earthquake like the one in China.

Under Oregon law, individual school districts raise money for capital improvements through voter-approved bonds. But deputy state school superintendent, Ed Dennis, says the state needs to put up $200 million to help the 100 or so riskiest buildings.

Ed Dennis: “So, something like other states, like Washington State, where there’s a state match for capital construction. We could perhaps put something in place like a state match for capital construction, but only for those buildings that have the greatest need.”

Buildings within a tsunami induction zone may prove to be the highest priority.

The state study from a year ago was a preliminary audit. Some school leaders criticized it as overly superficial.

State officials agree that additional work is needed to identify what buildings are at greatest risk of severe damage, or collapse, in an earthquake.