This publication is the third of three publications to assist school business officials with the challenges of improving school facilities. This report explores issues relating to technology implementation in school buildings, including cost and finance issues, space requirements, classroom configuration, equity in technology availability,…

This paper describes the Nordic "School of Tomorrow" network of educational buildings. It is commonly agreed among the Nordic countries that no one optimal school exists, but that there are many suitable architectural answers. The Network, established in 2000, meets once a year to exchange and discuss knowledge, experience, and ideas…

This "IssueTrak" addresses the condition of urban school facilities as a matter of great urgency. Facility planners, are committed to working with urban school districts to develop and implement a systematic approach for modernizing aging urban school facilities. The next generation of school children is far too important and valuable to be forced…

This book covers the principles of risk and risk management and offers a framework for analyzing the significant, often unforeseen threats facing higher education institutions today. It examines the critical elements of a disaster preparedness plan and addresses business continuity and mission continuity planning. The book also provides tools for…

This report presents an overview of recent efforts to promote small schools by first reviewing the rationale for small schools based on recent studies linking school size and various educational outcomes, followed by arguments supporting larger schools. Succeeding sections explore the following four ways to reduce the negative effects of school…

This paper examines Blue Valley School District's (Overland Park, Kansas) use of geographic information systems (GIS) to help it manage and plan for rapid growth and development areas. The GIS program helps school districts realize several planning related benefits that include an increase in the cooperative planning activities among stakeholders…

This booklet presents key areas that educational and physical facilities planners need to know to effectively interface with architects and building designers so students can have the best learning environments possible within the available resources. The booklet maps out how current trends may affect the future of educational facilities planning.…

This report describes new and innovative approaches to school facilities as they relate to their communities by exploring the trends towards smaller schools, presenting the pros and cons of smaller schools, and examining the solutions and strategies in smart growth planning. The report addresses the following questions: if school leaders,…

This study examines the degree to which frail physical school infrastructures have affected education over the past 10 years and the impact and role of the school building in achieving outcome-based goals of education reform. Chapter 1 examines the scope of deteriorating school buildings in the United States. Chapter 2 offers a case study of the…

This two-part report presents the organizational and developmental process behind the San Lorenzo Unified School District's school strategic planning initiative created to transform its schools and thereby enhance student success for the next century. The first part addresses the school district's history, demographics, enrollment trends and…

This document presents background information and testimony concerning the cleanup of potentially contaminated vacant or underutilized property for use as future school sites in low-income and minority communities. Various proposals are offered that would allow the state, where necessary, to facilitate the cleanup of these "brownfields"…

A compilation of interviews with Bruce Jilk provides his views on "cutting edge" educational facility planning from around the world. Included are discussions on an Egyptian K-12 school design influenced by Muslim and Greek site plans; the Zoo School design, often referred to as a model for the design of learning environments; and the fine-grain…

Carefully organized and effectively implemented predesign activities offer long-term benefits in planning or improving a science building. A number of the predesign studies described were used in planning the Center of Science and Technology at Iona College (New York). (Author/MLF)

As educational facilities are planned, communication will enhance both use of the facility for the dollar invested, and service and opportunity to the users. Communication also minimizes costs in energy, maintenance, and operation. (Author/MLF)

Explores educational facilities issues from the personal perspective of being both an educator and an owner. Topics discussed include aligning curriculum and instruction with facilities design, green school rating systems, the relationship between facilities and achievement, longitudinal facilities research, post-occupancy evaluation, and…