Describes changes in the construction, renovation, and utilization of school buildings to accommodate several new trends in education: Technological intervention, specialized facilities, schools as the center of the community, instructional areas, unneeded excess space, leases, and build-to-suit. (PKP)

Each month, "American School & University" provides a mix of thought-provoking features, how-to-articles, industry reports, exclusive surveys, new sections, insightful columns, new product introductions and case histories to assist education officials in better performing their jobs. This December 2004 issue includes the following:…

A renovation of school buildings at Rosetta High School, in the northern suburbs of Hobart, Tasmania, has provided an opportunity for students to use a real life context to develop and apply mathematical understanding. This has led to students achieving educational outcomes for the Essential Learnings (ELs) curriculum that affirm the role of…

Some persuasive research over the past decade shows a strong relationship between the availability of daylight in classrooms and increased test scores for students. Schools seeking to apply that research to actual school construction projects face several hurdles, but the benefits can be real and long-lasting. A properly installed, calibrated and…

It is hard to be a school professional these days. There seems to be an increasing number of demands, but the time, money and public support needed to bring about school improvements seem to be declining. This is especially true when considering buildings and grounds, which often get a seat at the back of the class. A number of new, affordable…

For 15 years, schools and universities have been striving to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and make their programs and facilities accessible to people with disabilities. It is not uncommon to see education facilities outfitted with ramps, elevators, special parking spaces, curb cuts, playground equipment, and signage--all…

In today"s economy, public university administrators need to reflect on current practices for reporting and projecting space requirements to government entities as the cost of constructing new facilities or renovating space rises while income from legislative appropriations diminishes. As stewards of public buildings and funds, institutions…

In this testimony, Dr. Willard Sakiestewa Gilbert talks on behalf of the National Indian Education Association with regard to the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and challenges facing BIE schools in improving student achievement. Founded in 1969, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) is the largest organization in the nation dedicated…

At its April 25, 2008 meeting, the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board (AHECB) approved the funding models for the two-year colleges, the universities, and the technical centers. These models had been developed in conjunction with the presidents and chancellors after numerous meetings and revisions. The funding models were used to develop…

This document summarizes research to demonstrate the difference that Building Schools for the Future (BSF) schools are making to young people's attitudes towards education and learning, as measured by their levels of engagement and enthusiasm for school. The key research objective was further broken down into a number of research questions: (1)…

This study sought to demonstrate that Michigan middle-grades schools can become more effective learning environments for young adolescents. A total of 224 Michigan schools participated in a teacher and administrator survey, 101 of which also conducted student surveys, reaching over 45,600 students in the fifth to ninth grades. Part 1, "Early…

This bibliography shows how various states are dealing with the work force crisis and provides examples of tech prep articulation agreements. Forty citations from ERIC and other databases include guides, research reports, project descriptions, conference papers, and position papers. Three articles, representative of current wisdom in the field,…

This report reviews the status of certain aspects of public higher education in Colorado in order to provide educators, public policymakers, and the public a measurement of the performance of Colorado college students and the higher education system as a whole. Data is provided on students, degrees, faculty, and higher education finance. The…

This report recommends that states raise their standards for entering a teacher education program and for earning a teaching license. This report links student achievement with how well teachers are prepared and the ongoing training they receive. It looks at teaching in the middle grades today, examining whether teachers have the content knowledge…

To identify ways employers can strengthen the link between school and work, case studies of efforts to link school to work were conducted in four urban communities: Boston, Massachusetts; Fort Worth, Texas; Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Data were gathered from interviews with educators, members of the…