Reporter's Notebook

Cincinnati

How should school buildings look and feel as the United States approaches what many experts believe will be a golden era of school construction? Educators gathered here recently to try answering that question.

The issue is a vital one: A recent report from the National Center for Education Statistics estimated that the nation's schools need $127 billion in repairs and construction. ( "NCES Report Pegs School Repair Costs at $127 Billion," July 12, 2000.)

In Ohio, Gov. Bob Taft has proposed spending $10.2 billion over the next 12 years to upgrade his state's schools. Combined with local matches, his plan would pump a total of $23...