The Government Accountability Office's (GAO) High-Risk List identifies government operations with vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or in need of transformation. GAO added the area "Improving Federal Management of Programs that Serve Tribes and their Members" to its February 2017 biennial update of high-risk…

Public school facilities primarily serve an educational role, and they also serve a civic role as voting places and emergency shelters. School districts collectively spend tens of billions of dollars each year on facilities construction needs at the nearly 100,000 K-12 public schools nationwide. About half (an estimated 54 percent) of public…

The Commission to Study the Adequacy and Equity of Certain Cost Components of the School Funding Formula was created in legislation crafted by the Joint Standing Committee on Education of the 126th Legislature (the "Education Committee"). The legislation was enacted as Resolve 2014, chapter 114. Creation of the Commission is the latest…

This report assesses the pace and quality of the District of Columbia's $1.3 billion multiyear effort to renovate and modernize its public schools. Findings reveal that the District of Columbia school system had mismanaged an area-wide utility contract for gas and energy management services between the General Services Administration and the…

Describes the change order process in building construction, some of the reasons for such changes in the contract, the pitfalls of the process, and the ramifications of cost determination and time related factors. (MLF)

This ordinance establishes uniform school impact fees throughout Pasco County, Florida, and details the calculation, collection, administration, and expenditure of school impact fees imposed on new residential construction. The document identifies and reflects major provisions of the ordinance that were significantly modified. These changes…

Presents a basic overview of federal funding available for educational facility construction, and the legal maze that must be negotiated to secure such funding. (Author/MLF)

The most overlooked facet of school construction is the dovetailing of permanent construction insurance and technology construction insurance. Advice is provided about technology and technology purchases, highlighting problems associated with costs, copyright infringements, delivery delays, electrical wiring, hardware, student records, vendors,…

The Ombudsman for Alberta investigated five allegations raised by the Lubicon Lake Indian Band: (1) that provincial officials had deliberately allowed fires in the Band's traditional area to rage unchecked; (2) that provincial and oil company workers had been instructed to bulldoze deliberately Indian traplines and to scare game out of the area by…

The author notes that controversies over construction bids and contracts continue to represent the largest number of property cases reported in this year's chapter. Most of these cases are routine disputes between colleges or universities and contractors over such issues as the return of bid bonds, recovery of additional costs for construction…

The New York State Department of Education provides the amendments to regulations of the Commissioner of Education concerning the Comprehensive Public School Building Safety Program effective May 7, 1999. Amended items include those involving the school district 5-year capital assets preservation facilities plan, building inspections, construction…

This document presents rules and policies governing and detailing facility design, construction, and funding for Arizona public schools. The document's six articles cover definitions, regulations on minimum school facility guidelines, square footage calculations, the process for deficiency corrections, new school and land funding, and allocation…

This guide is a reference for North Dakota school district personnel. It includes all documents related to the subjects of school construction approval for schools under, and over, $150,000; construction loans, including application forms which can be reproduced; and the timelines for both processes. School facility plan forms are provided to…

In "Huber v. Franklin County School Board of Trustees," the Indiana Supreme Court has upheld the validity of state statutes concerning public lawsuits that involve public facility construction. Forcing the consolidation of similar issues into one suit protects taxpayers from lengthy and expensive legal battles. (MLF)

The Kentucky State Board for Elementary and Secondary Education has published this manual containing criteria school districts should use for planning new school construction and renovation projects. The criteria is used for determining the following activities: (1) the selection of the Local Planning Committee (LPC) responsible for the…