The State of North Carolina has developed a planning guide for those in the process of building, enlarging, or renovating school facilities. This guide defines and describes the educational spaces needed to support a modern, comprehensive educational program and sets minimal standards for the types and sizes of spaces required. It serves as a…

Joint use agreements provide a school district and another entity, whether it be a city, county, non-profit, or private organization, with the opportunity to construct a facility and share both the capital and operating costs and responsibilities. The purpose of this manual is to introduce joint use agreements and their potential. The manual…

This report, responding to a Florida legislative request, examines the Palm Beach County School Board's planned purchase of concrete relocatable classrooms. The report presents a number of findings and recommendations. Concrete units are more expensive than models with metal stud walls; both types meet state building code standards. The district…

The legal requirement that special needs students have access to a balanced and broadly based curriculum carries implications for accommodation in special schools. This document offers advice and guidance on the provision of accommodation which takes account of the special educational needs of the pupils, and also explains those factors relating…

The National Science Teachers Association, in response to the emergence of new science curricula and the need for updated science facilities in the nation's public schools, convened a task force to develop guidelines for K-12 science facility design and use. This guide, a result of NSTA Task Force on Science Facilities and Equipment, includes…

The Design Assessment Scale for Elementary Schools (DASE) assists educators and architects in planning and designing developmentally appropriate learning environments for elementary schools. This article examines DASE, its introduction and development, the first step in the instrument's validation process, and the initial reliability coefficients.…

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…

The Jefferson County School District (Denver, Colorado) has published this document as a model standard for the planning and designing of new middle schools and remodeling and modernizing existing schools. It describes the facility requirements to accommodate the instructional program, activities, and support functions to assist architects, school…

To reduce energy use in older school buildings, the major target area is the exterior wall. Calculations of the energy savings that will accrue from renovations usually bring the payback to approximately six years. (MLF)

Secondary Education Learning Facilitator (SELF) is an alternative educational program designed for students who want self-responsibility and want to be actively involved in their own education. A facility is being built under a joint-use and occupancy agreement with a private developer. (Author/MLF)

Discusses bringing the community into the planning and development stages of educational facilities, including postoccupancy evaluations, to enhance the facility's positive impact on the community. Provides examples of one school district's success planning for new computer workstations in anticipation of future regulations, as well as one failed…

Reports on ways in which college and university facilities management departments can keep a strategic plan viable throughout the intended planning time frame. Focuses on the importance of reexamining plans, staying on track, measurement and consequences, using other planning modules, scenario planning, reinventing the market, value migration, and…

Based on what is happening in school districts today, seven critical issues will dictate the educational facility of the future: (1) school size; (2) pupil-teacher ratios; (3) clientele served; (4) programs offered; (5) technology; (6) school choice; and (7) funding. (15 references) (MLF)

Education institutions rely heavily on good HVAC systems. Maintaining these systems can be expensive and are a significant factor in operating costs. Energy conservation is a real resource that is often overlooked. This article addresses what causes energy waste, how schools can find sources of energy waste, and how schools can improve…

With careful layout and improved equipment, schools can enhance security and improve hygiene in their restrooms by installing products such as low-consumption, pressure-assist toilets (to reduce water consumption); sensor-operated plumbing fixtures (to improve hygiene and reduce vandalism); and automated-control systems (to regulate timing,…