Discusses how as colleges deal with students protesting custodians' salaries, officials have had to weigh practicality against social justice. Includes a table of janitors' salaries in 1999-2000. (EV)

Explores how to improve roofing inspections so minor repair problems can be exposed while they are still inexpensive to repair. The need for regular inspections is advocated. Tips are provided for checking a roof for potential problems. (GR)

Examines tested techniques that can keep a school's carpeting in good condition. Cleaning with hot water extraction, removing spills and spots, handling emergency cleanups, and cleaning soft surface flooring are addressed. (GR)

Advises schools on keeping roofs healthy, thereby saving costly repairs to both the roof and the entire building. Discusses inspections, preventive-maintenance programs, weather, and when to re-roof. (EV)

Provides 11 suggestions that can make a college or university's window replacement project less complex and more easily completed. A window selection guide is included. (GR)

Presents advice from three university maintenance directors on what they see as the most important parts involved in keeping floors in top shape. Training, staff motivation, flexible scheduling, and proper use of supplies are addressed. (GR)

Shows how a work program can help determine staffing needs as a starting point for solving maintenance delays. Steps for developing a work program are provided. (GR)

Explains why upgrading a school's pools can help reduce maintenance costs and make safer facilities. Three top engineering issues in older pools are addressed: recirculation, filtration, and dehumidification. Concluding comments discuss procedures for establishing safe swimming. (GR)

A clean, healthy and safe school provides students, faculty and staff with an environment conducive to learning and working. However, budget and staff reductions can lead to substandard cleaning practices and unsanitary conditions. Some school facility managers have been making the switch to a day-schedule to reduce security and energy costs, and…

Currently, in the United States, 75% of school buildings are in need of repair or renovation. The current physical condition of those school buildings and the effect they have on educational achievement has been a major topic of concern among policymakers, community members, parents, taxpayers, and educators. Just to bring the United States'…

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which the introduction of school-based management (SBM) has affected schools' culture of consumption and the inequalities between schools with different socio-economic backgrounds. An analysis of financial reports from 31 SBM schools over four years reveals that schools have increased rather…

With Michigan's public school districts facing a decline in per-pupil funding, more districts are contracting out for at least one of the three major school support services--food, custodial and transportation--than ever before. This year's survey of school districts found that 44.6 percent of all Michigan school districts contract out for at…

Issued by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A School Privatization Primer for Michigan School Officials, Media and Residents" examines the "contracting out" of public school support services--specifically food, transportation, and custodial services. The report describes the prevalence of contracting out and sets forth…

Examines the literature concerning custodial workload assignments, lists variables in the determination of workload, and constructs a Work Level Index to determine the relative amount of work necessary in a custodial operation. (Author/MLF)

This manual is designed to fill two distinct needs in the school maintenance field: (1) a text or resource in training new maintenance staff members and in staff development, and (2) a reference source for the routine tasks and problems encountered in school sanitation and maintenance. Section 1 covers the basics of good school maintenance,…