Long before closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, many Pennsylvania schools faced a different health crisis: unsafe facilities. Crumbling buildings, asbestos, lead, and other school facility health and safety risks plague many schools across Pennsylvania, particularly in low-income districts and those that enroll a high percentage of Black and…

School districts held an exclusive franchise on public education services until 1991, when Minnesota passed the first law permitting public charter schools. Charter schools are publicly funded, authorized by various agencies designated in public law, but independently managed. They operate outside district control, and most can draw students from…

Schools and universities across the United States have been forced to cope with a grim financial situation that has left them without adequate resources. Administrators are cutting programs, reining in salaries and jettisoning employees to keep operating budgets in line. Education institutions also have had to shutter facilities or postpone,…

When one thinks of 21st century schools, one thinks of geometric modern architecture, sustainable building materials, and high-tech modular classrooms. It's rare, though, that a district has the space or the money to build that school from the ground up. Instead, the challenge for most is the transformation of the 20th century architecture to…

For many schools and universities, constructing a new facility isn't always a viable option. The envisioned facility may be too costly for a school system struggling with budget deficits. Maybe administrators can't find enough land in the right area to accommodate the type of facility needed. In some cases, the residents and businesses surrounding…

The nation's major city public school districts have substantial construction, renovation, modernization, and deferred maintenance needs because of the age and size of their school buildings, shifting populations, and the need to devote substantial resources to instructional personnel to meet their core academic mission. For instance, the average…

The Office of the Inspector General of the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) is attempting to secure the School Construction Authority and its building program from crime, corruption, and racketeering. This report is a preliminary assessment of this effort. It sets forth for practitioners and theorists the strategy that guided the…

This New York State Education Department bulletin provides guidelines and information on determining state building aid for public school construction pursuant to New York State Education Law: section 3602(6)(1) & (2). Guidelines address state building aid's purpose, eligibility, and formula for aid estimation. Included are guidelines on…

A REVIEW OF THE PROBLEMS AND PROGRESS OF INTEGRATION IN THE NEW YORK CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM SINCE 1955 IS PRESENTED. THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS HOUSING A MAJORITY OF NEGRO AND PUERTO RICAN STUDENTS HAS INCREASED AT ALL LEVELS OF EDUCATION. THE BASIC FACT THAT THE PUBLIC EDUCATION ASSOCIATION STUDY UNCOVERED REGARDING ACHIEVEMENT DATA WAS THAT THE LONGER…

THIS GUIDE PROVIDES STEP BY STEP ASSISTANCE TO THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR A SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT. THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE SCHOOL STAFF ARE EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND MAKING STUDIES OF THE SCHOOL POPULATION. ADVISORY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. THE FOLLOWING STEPS ARE AMONG THOSE CITED AS…

THE REPORT PROVIDES DETAILED TECHNICAL GUIDANCE IN MAKING DESIGN DECISIONS. IT IS DIRECTED TO PERSONNEL CONCERNED WITH THE DETAILS OF DESIGN SUCH AS ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, SUPPLIERS, AND MEDIA SPECIALISTS. THE DATA OFFER GUIDANCE IN THE PROGRAMING AND PLANNING OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND INFORMATION ON (1) ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND FURNISHINGS,…

This guide presents cautionary tips for protecting children's health during school renovation and construction projects, the New York state laws regarding school renovation and construction, and the steps the laws require to eliminate dangerous conditions for children during these projects. Included is a checklist of uniform safety standards…

Four permanent self-contained classroom additions were designed and completed within 90 days, at 60 percent of the average bid for temporary units. (Author)

The New York Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) has created a new 3-page blank form to be completed for all school district capital projects involving the construction of new special education space. The new form requires the signatures of the Superintendent of Schools, the District…

The New York State Department of Education provides the amendments to regulations of the Commissioner of Education concerning the Comprehensive Public School Building Safety Program effective May 7, 1999. Amended items include those involving the school district 5-year capital assets preservation facilities plan, building inspections, construction…