It is essential that those involved in planning understand the major impacts that increasing agency regulations and growing educational expectations are having on both existing and new educational facilities. Creative professional services are available to assist districts in understanding options. (Author/MLF)

Describes a school-wide project in which elementary students beautified their school walls with murals of their own design. This article is one of four in this issue on elementary school mural projects. (SJL)

Third- and fourth-grade volunteers created two large murals at Nishuane Elementary School. This article is one of four in this issue on elementary mural projects. (SJL)

Describes the nature and development of the annual Gallup surveys on education, highlights some of the more significant results emerging from the surveys during their eight year history, and provides ideas to assist school district educators desiring to make use of the results in their settings. (Author/RK)

Examines how the New Milford (Connecticut) School District avoided failing accreditation by creating a plan to convert the deteriorating high school building into an intermediate school for grades four to six. Planning concerns and accomplishments are discussed, including overcoming parental objections, the importance of the cafeteria's location,…

The School Building Authority (SBA) of West Virginia is responsible for evaluating the state's school buildings, selecting capital outlay projects, and helping fund renovation and new building projects. The SBA has strict guidelines and criteria to help the state's 55 counties evaluate the condition of their school buildings. (MLF)

Many school buildings are in dire need of renovation, expansion, or replacement. Brief case studies from around the country illustrate the importance of finding out why people vote for or against a construction referendum. Lists recommendations for a strategic campaign. (MLF)

Describes the design of the University of Minnesota's expansion of its Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex, which included a new entrance (the Hall of Traditions) and weight-training gym. Includes the floor plan and photographs. (EV)

Discusses various issues concerning child care, including charitable contributions of low-income households, corporate giving, preschool children's attitudes toward teacher choice and school improvement, and the growth of on-site corporate child care services. (BB)

Offers descriptions and photographs of seven award-winning school designs selected during the Association of School Business Officials International annual meeting. A panel of judges assessed the entries based on five criteria: (1) architectural solution to stated educational program; (2) efficient space utilization; (3) integration of innovative…

Discusses how various school districts are addressing school quality on tight budgets. Options discussed include use of portable classrooms, streamlining non-educational services, leasing and performance contracting, and energy improvements and working with power utilities to cut costs. Argues for adopting and enforcing ISO 9000 standards to…

Discusses how colleges can finance new construction projects during lean financial times by employing public/private partnerships in an off-balance sheet financing format. Construction planning of a new school parking deck is used to illustrate the process. Benefits of savings in operating costs, management fees, and other line-item expenses are…

Presents U.S. regional data on public school construction spending, including trends, profiles on new schools planned or currently underway, building types and composition, types of construction completed in 1998, and comparative construction spending analyses between regions. Data reveal an overall $3 billion increase in construction spending…

Offers different school administrators' opinions on issues affecting education. Focuses on the Americans with Disabilities Act, school administration, business offices, contract services, energy concerns, school facilities, furniture and furnishings, hazardous materials, indoor air quality, lighting, maintenance, physical education, purchasing,…

Explores the house-concept design in educational facilities and explains how this concept addresses the relationship between the following dimensions of the school: learning processes; organizational structures; and learning environments. Also discusses how this concept can be incorporated into renovation projects and its future possibilities. (GR)