An annual survey of chief business officers in U.S. public school districts revealed that spending on maintenance and operations (M & O) as a percentage of net current expenditures dropped to a 30-year low of 7.8 percent. Other survey findings are presented in several data tables. (EV)

Presents predictions from experts, consultants, and educators on the future of public education and how that could affect school-facilities management. Topics cover school security and crisis management, school management and accountability in response to the increasing competition for students, and technology integration into the classroom. (GR)

School administrators can make changes in schools that will help students learn more effectively. Among these changes are improvements in landscaping, teaching spaces, and storage space. In addition, provisions for a community lounge and spaces for volunteers and the custodial crew will increase the quality of the school environment. (MLF)

Describes a technique developed over the last 15 years in conjunction with South Carolina school districts to help them set priorities when addressing school building needs. Identifies five factors that are used to measure the overall impact of an individual facilities project in relation to other projects, thereby ranking projects according to an…

Maryland provides funds for systemic renovation projects that are infrastructure improvements in public schools. State funds are provided on a sliding scale based on the age of the system being replaced and the wealth of the school district. (MLF)

This excerpt from "Managing the Facilities Portfolio: A Practical Approach to Institutional Renewal and Deferred Maintenance" offers higher education business officers a conceptual framework comprising four steps: (1) establish baseline; (2) estimate needs; (3) compare model alternatives; and (4) report to management. (DB)

A dozen schools in Colorado opened their doors to professional performance auditors to evaluate their effectiveness and efficiency. The audit reports recommended finding precise costs of functions, programs, and operations; minimizing duplication; and increasing accountability. (MLF)

Workplace violence has not bypassed schools. Stories are surfacing about disgruntled school employees threatening, attacking, and sometimes killing administrators. This article shows how school leaders can develop greater awareness of potential problems and design cautionary measures. Contributing factors, warning signs, legal consequences,…

A record of a school district's assets--land, buildings, machinery, and equipment--can be a useful management tool that meets accounting requirements and provides appropriate information for budgeting, forecasting, and facilities management. (MLF)

A rural New York school district has a nine-member facilities advisory committee charged to assess all of the facilities for needs of renovation and/or repair and prioritize a five-year plan for facility improvements. (MLF)

The Education Writers Association report "Wolves at the Schoolhouse Door" examines the poor condition of public school buildings. The report, utilizing data from all the states and from personal contacts and interviews, presents statistics on enrollment, maintenance budgets, safety, financing, lack of data, and potential solutions. (MLF)

Reviews the year in public education-bashing. Debunks columnist George Will's claims about teachers' preference for private schools, Willard Daggett's claims about youngsters' VCR programming skills, and two outrageous "Family Circle" and "Business Week" articles. Meanwhile, SAT scores are rising, school buildings are…

Considers a new aspect to today's environmental education in which students are challenging campus administrators to make the setting of their education more environmentally sustainable. This movement is tearing down walls between academia and campus operations. Students are gaining practical experiences that buttress their academic studies.…

Indoor air quality is a growing problem in aging school buildings. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers an Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools kit which is being used at schools nationwide to improve school maintenance. Profiles an aging school in Connecticut in which teachers were becoming ill to illustrate the use of the kit to…

Studies condition of school facilities in 223 rural and small schools in Kansas in 1984. Finds condition of facilities closely related to bonded indebtedness of the school district and replacement estimates exceeding $56 million. Discusses inability of wealth-poor districts to maintain buildings and need for legislative action on equity issues.…