Noting the benefits of small neighborhood schools, this article asserts that recent renovations of historic schools in Spokane, Washington; San Antonio, Texas; and Boise, Idaho, illustrate these points and challenge the notion that well-renovated historic schools cannot meet modern standards. The article recounts the stories of these schools and…

This publication focuses on four school adaptive reuse projects--in Phoenix, Arizona; Wake County, North Carolina; Pomona, California; and Trenton, New Jersey. Together, the projects illustrate the many benefits of adaptive reuse and show that mainstream school districts can meet the regulatory and political challenges necessary to make such…

Recent influxes of baby boomers coupled with state reforms reducing student-teacher ratios are stretching the limits on available school facilities across the country. Several aspects of the school facilities issue are covered in question-and-answer format; (1) What is the current status of aging school buildings? (2) What are the financial…

Information concerning energy conservation management is presented to aid school administrators in improving the energy efficiency of their buildings and programs. Three general topics are discussed: (1) the general nature and unique characteristics of school energy management; (2) initial steps in developing a conservation program, including…

This review explores which facility attributes affect academic outcomes the most and in what manner and degree. The research is examined in six categories: indoor air quality, ventilation, and thermal comfort; lighting; acoustics; building age and quality; school size; and class size. The review concludes that school facilities affect learning.…

This digest examines the problem of upgrading rural school facilities, focusing on specific rural issues, conditions that interfere with teaching and learning, and new funding approaches. Almost half of U.S. public schools are in rural areas and small towns. Close rural school-community relationships may make it easier to make decisions,…

School facilities directly affect teaching and learning. Poor conditions make it more difficult for teachers to deliver an adequate education to their students, adversely affect teachers' health, and increase the likelihood that teachers will leave their school. This study documented how teachers in Chicago and Washington, DC rated their working…

Four documents and seven journal articles on the management of enrollment decline, selected from those recently made available through the ERIC system, are described briefly in this report. Topics covered in the items listed include what can be done at the state level, suggestions for projecting enrollment, how instructional space is being…

The ancient Athenian "agora" functioned as a marketplace for ideas and commerce and offered an ideal place for teaching and learning. This digest suggests adapting such a model to modern needs and describes successful small schools that have done so while reducing costs. Research shows that small schools offer many advantages for…