If the American schoolhouse symbolizes public concern for children, millions of today's youngsters are receiving a negative message. Based on available statistics and information, and using a representative sample of one-half of the country's public school buildings, this investigation found that 25 percent of the nation's school buildings are…

In New York State, all plans and specifications for the erection, repair, enlargement, or remodeling of school buildings in any public school district must be reviewed and approved by the Division of Educational Facilities Planning. The Division also strives to offer advice and counsel to school districts and architects to help them resolve their…

Administrators of the fastest growing school district in Illinois have coped with enrollment planning. In addition to enrollment projection techniques, school staff attend city and county planning meetings and also count the number of housing units occupied and under construction. (MLF)

Illustrates how archival records can provide information in Third World countries. The issues of Saudi Arabia's official newspaper were examined over a one-year period and 434 announcements calling for bids for a variety of educational services were recorded, coded, and organized. (MLF)

The executive director of the Council of Educational Facility Planners, retiring after 17 years, views the biggest change in the educational planning field as the shift from a "bricks and mortar" mentality to a process that includes the users of the learning environment. (MLF)

To properly teach the use of computers, school must be equipped with laboratories that provide students with their own interactive computer or terminal--but that takes money. A business department chairman of a Southern California high school describes how he obtained a $40,000 federal grant to develop a 20-workstation laboratory. (JN)

Computer-aided design provides managers a means of visualizing and interrelating the components of a comprehensive facilities management system. Composites of any combination of transparent overlays can be viewed, stored, and viewed again for ongoing management. Classroom space planning and many other uses are cited. (MLF)

Representatives from North Carolina shared with other members of the Interstate School Building Service a systematic approach to school closure that includes analysis of facility physical condition and useful pupil capacity, current and projected enrollment, cost of operation, transportation responsibilities, racial balance, alternate uses, and…

This paper draws on the experience of the Sebastopol Union School District, a small school district in California, which formed a team to manage facilities renovation. The team was comprised of the district superintendent, the architect, a construction manager, and a facility/financial consultant; it allowed the district to succeed at the school…

This "IssueTrak" discusses how saving energy and becoming energy efficient may significantly impact a school district's bottom line as well as simply being the right thing to do. There are many opportunities to conserve that can be implemented at little or no cost. To be successful, a school district must allow employees to gather data, analyze…

This "IssueTrak" discusses how facility planners and managers need an assortment of instruments in their toolbox so that they are able to select the best and most appropriate device for each project. A relatively new tool that should be at the disposal of all educational facility managers and planners is the construction delivery system of Job…

Noting that locating suitable space can be a challenge when starting a new early childhood program or relocating an established program in New York City, this resource paper focuses on physical sites for early education and child care programs and services. Presented in three parts, the paper includes tips for assessing the feasibility of a…

Schools without Walls (SWW) is an alternative college preparatory program within the District of Columbia Public School System that provides a student-centered environment that maximizes integrative, interactive, and experiential learning with the framework of the humanities. This document is intended to serve as the basis for the design of new…

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 document presents the San Diego Unified School District's specifications for planning and designing a new middle school. Information on district parameters, a vision plan, curriculum and instruction concepts, community functions, aesthetic and flexibility considerations, and activity areas are included, as well as summaries of space…