Sen. Daniel Akaka is one of 12 senators who signed a letter sent Monday to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, urging him to examine decrepit infrastructure at military schools across the country. 

According to the letter, more than 86,000 children attend Department of Defense schools. 

“An October 2009 Department of Defense report submitted to Congress on the status of DoDEA schools found that 76 of the 189 schools assessed, or 40 percent, had facilities that were ‘failing’ and should be considered for replacement,” the letter reads. “Another 73, or 39 percent, were assessed as ‘under-maintained.’”  

No Hawaii schools are listed in the 2009 report referenced in the letter, but several schools in the Pacific region were assessed. Four schools in Guam faired “well” or “fair,” while dozens of schools in Korea and Japan were listed as “poor” or recommended for replacement.

More than 65 percent of the 46 schools assessed in the Pacific region were given “poor” or worse ratings.   

Read the complete letter on California Sen. Barbara Boxer‘s website.