Butkovitz, an outspoken critic of the district, visited 19 schools that he said were representative of all 300 district buildings. He identified $15 million in "hazardous" conditions he said should be fixed right away.

The controller completed a similar report two years ago, and said there had been no improvement since then.

"If you take a large enough risk for a long enough time, times enough children, there's going to be a tragedy," Butkovitz said.

The new report details broken windows, exposed wiring, uncharged fire extinguishers, and improperly stored chemicals. It found dirty bathrooms and school rooms and floors closed off because of leaks.

Butkovitz's staff showed photos of some of the more dire problems - a Frankford High fire door chained shut, with a tower of lockers physically blocking it; a Francis Scott Key Elementary fence poking out in a sharp point.

Jim Lewis, the district's vice president for facilities, said that Butkovitz overstated the problem and that the district prioritizes issues deemed hazards.

"Our schools are safe as required by city ordinance," said Lewis, the district's vice president for facilities.

Each year, he pointed out, the city's Licenses and Inspections Department deems the district in "substantial compliance" and able to operate.

But the average building is 70 years old, and the capital budget is limited, Lewis said.

The district has lost maintenance staff due to budget cuts in recent years, but Lewis said each building is staffed adequately.

In a letter responding to Butkovitz's report, district interim chief executive Thomas Brady said he agreed with most of the inspection's findings.

"The School District does all that it can do within its resources to prioritize and address those issues that are health and safety related," Brady wrote.

Brady said the district knows it should spend $230 million annually on capital repairs, but it can afford to budget only $160 million.

To see more building photographs and answer a poll about conditions in city schools, visit http://go.philly.com/

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