Facilities access is arguably the largest and most persistent challenge facing new and expanding charter schools. Creating a charter facility "incubator" can help solve this challenge. This case study provides an in-depth look at the design and operations of one such incubator, "Building Pathways," a nonprofit that serves as…

Just over a decade ago, Washington, District of Columbia (DC) made the choice to transform the way public education works for students, families, and educators in the District. In order to set more young Washingtonians up for success in school and in life, the choice was made to invest in the modernization of outdated buildings throughout the city…

This article highlights the results of various studies which show that new schools do improve student test scores. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching found that student attitudes about education directly reflect their learning environment. Specific building features related to human comfort have been shown to influence student…

When District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced that 23 under-enrolled DCPS buildings would close for the 2008/2009 school year, Kathy Padian, Vice President of Building Hope, began talks with the Deputy Mayor of Education in 2007. Building Hope works to close the educational achievement gap by giving students…

The nation's major city public school districts have substantial construction, renovation, modernization, and deferred maintenance needs because of the age and size of their school buildings, shifting populations, and the need to devote substantial resources to instructional personnel to meet their core academic mission. For instance, the average…

Quality schoolyards provide opportunities for the physical challenges, exercise, sensory play, fantasy play, organized sports, and unsupervised free play that allow for healthy, well-rounded development. Schoolyards should be safe places where children practice social skills and develop an appreciation for the feelings of others and the…

"Outlook" is the monthly newsletter for the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). Each issue contains information relating to private education such as: new legislation and regulations, the most recent research, court rulings, national trends, federal initiatives, private school news briefs, and more. This issue includes: (1)…

The big District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) school facilities issues right now are the proposed closing of underutilized school buildings and the effects of new grade-level reorganization and consolidations. However, this report focuses on another critical issue--the basic condition of all DCPS school buildings. This special report of the…

Securing appropriate facilities can be a significant challenge for those intending to open a charter school. Although, like all public schools, charter schools receive per-pupil dollars from the state, they generally receive considerably less. Additionally, because traditional public schools rely on their district to provide their school…

TO COMPENSATE FOR THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEPRIVATION, A NUMBER OF LARGE CITIES HAVE DEVELOPED PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN. CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS AND PRINCIPLES MUST BE ACCEPTED BEFORE THE PROGRAMS CAN MATERIALIZE. IN BUFFALO, TEACHERS ARE REVISING CURRICULUM FOR THE CULTURALLY DEPRIVED IN LANGUAGE ARTS, MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL…

The Savoy Elementary School Modernization and Co-Location project is designed to meet a number of important goals for Washington, D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) and the District of Columbia. It will improve the teaching and learning conditions for Savoy Elementary School so that they are in excellent condition, can support a high quality curriculum,…

This report summarizes Mayor Fenty's proposed legislation to take over the District of Columbia Public Schools, compares it to actions taken or proposed by the school board, and analyzes the potential of the mayor's plan to fix underlying school system problems identified by the Council in two recent reports. The Council has produced this current…

The Department of Public Works (DPW) was provided $12.3 million to construct seven new educational buildings at the correctional institution in Lorton, Virginia. The funds provided under the Criminal Justice Initiative (CJI) were intended to expand the academic and vocational training programs for residents of the District of Columbia's…

U.S. House of Representative members requested that the General Accounting Office determine what federal and state actions have been taken in addressing indoor air quality (IAQ) concerns raised in certain school, state, and federal buildings within Vermont, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. This report responds to this request and describes…

This document presents the results of a review of the District of Columbia Public Schools' (DCPS) efforts to repair school roofs during the summer of 1997. The statement details when funds were made available to pay for roof repairs, the costs of the roof repairs, and additional roofs to be fixed in fiscal year 1998 and beyond. Sufficient funding…