In this paper, we contribute to the literature on school facility funding by examining California's facility funding formula and assessing how the current state system facilitates meeting annual investment standards in facility stewardship and upkeep. To do this, we quantify the total school square footage of school facilities and then calculate…

The purpose of this study is to examine factors that influence stakeholder support of bond elections targeted for capital improvements in a rural school district in Kansas. The study uses existing research to identify factors that influence school bond referendum success. To better understand the factors identified in the research literature that…

The commentary argues that we need to address the wide variance in school building quality under and after COVID-19. Evidence suggests that historical underinvestment in school facility capital and maintenance has created unhealthy school buildings across the nation. Federal funding and research is necessary to ensure that schools are healthy…

This dissertation examined how faculty learn how to host and facilitate experiential learning activities for their classes and how the faculty are impacted by the work. Findings based upon nine semi-structured interviews indicated that fewer than half of participants had been formally trained to host experiential learning activities and some…

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is seeking a $4.4 billion bond aimed at addressing critical infrastructure and educational needs. Branded as "Renew HISD," the package would rebuild and modernize over 40 campuses, upgrade HVAC systems, improve campus security, and expand early childhood and career and technical education…

In May of 2002, Wichita Falls ISD, a district in Texas with a stagnate enrollment of 14,000 students for multiple years, asked for the community to support a $120 million bond to help cover the cost of four new elementary campuses and to maintain and upgrade aging facilities. The bond failed. Additionally, a 2004 bond failed again. Finally, in…

In this paper, we put forth a framework called Critical School Finance, articulating the framework itself and then applying it to school facilities finance. First, we go back to first principles and discuss what 'critical' denotes, revisiting critical theorist Max Horkheimer's seminal essay 'Traditional vs. Critical Theory.' Second, we offer five…

The study aimed 1) to investigate the components and indicators of the upright schools, 2) to explore the current state, the desired state, and the need assessment of driving the upright schools, 3) to develop strategies for driving the upright schools and 4) to investigate the outcomes of implementing driving the upright school strategies in…

We examine how funding for public school facilities varies with school district property wealth and household income. Using data on school facility (i.e., capital) funding in California from fiscal years 1986-87 to 2015-16, we find that funding for school construction and modernization varies widely across districts. Disparities in funding are…

Poor indoor environmental quality impairs student health and decreases academic performance, yet many school facilities are in disrepair, creating subpar learning conditions. In a 2020 national survey, half of U.S. school districts reported needing to update or replace at least two building systems in many schools. Among the most common unmet…

Public school buildings represent the second largest sector of public infrastructure spending in the United States after roads, and approximately 1 in 6 American children or adults spend every weekday in poorly maintained buildings. Many of the problems of school buildings face are not readily apparent on the surface. While issues such as chipped…

In November 2020, Duval County voters will decide on a half-penny sales tax to fund upgrades to public school buildings across the district. Revenue will be spent to improve public school buildings for traditional and charter schools. Following the 2020 passage of House Bill 7097, revenue from the sales tax will be allocated to charter school…

Thanks to quick actions on the part of federal, state and local leaders, North Carolina's public schools have been able to develop incredible innovations to meet the needs of children and families during COVID-19. As the transition from COVID relief to COVID recovery begins, the Public School Forum of NC recommends several actions that will…

While most infrastructure discussions consider transportation, energy, and more, they too often ignore K-12 public schools, which welcome more than 50 million children and adults every day. K-12 public schools represent the nation's second-largest infrastructure sector. Schools are economic drivers, as well-prepared students will earn $1 million…

The $189.5 billion Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund was authorized by Congress to help address the urgent needs of schools brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first years of COVID-19, ESSER funding was critical to helping schools quickly and safely reopen and sustain in-person instruction. Three years later,…