This report examines the Chicago Public School System's need for capital improvement, and it highlights action plans for the future. The report reveals that many planned school improvements projects are unfunded and that there is about $229 million worth of projects that no longer appear in the city's capital improvements plan. Overcrowding…

A special report of the California Legislature's Joint Legislative Audit Committee addresses the school site acquisition process to attempt to discern how the system has allowed a minimum of nine Los Angeles public schools to be built on toxic lands. The report examines two such sites, the Jefferson Middle School (JMS) and the combined elementary…

Before undertaking a school construction or renovation project, administrators should plan carefully, collect adequate data, involve the school board, form a building committee, understand legalities, select the right architect, consult with technology director, monitor the construction site, enjoy short-lived trouble-free times; and document…

A small federal program piloting tax credit bonds to support school construction, the Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB), has existed since 1997--providing evidence of how tax credit bonds could work. This paper analyzes the results of QZABs to date in order to inform policymakers, advance the debate over federal school construction aid, and…

This report addresses the adequacy and availability of the state of Vermont's assistance for K-12 school construction and the issues that are creating state legislative concern. Issues examined are (1) the annual state obligation for school construction expenditures exceeding the amount of capital bill funding projected to be available for this…

School construction overruns and other disappointments usually stem from inadequate planning, mismanagement, and inexperienced individuals. This article shows how to compute "ballpark" estimates based on a district's unique planning requirements for curriculum, scheduling, and class sizes; screen firms' and individuals' qualifications;…

Explores questions of renovation or new construction when evaluating older gymnasiums in schools. Discusses the drawbacks of older structures and the relevant issues of building a new gym, such as access and the use of space, daylight, and materials. Offers tips on using the school landscape and provides a case example. (RJM)

In recent years, New York State has encouraged school districts to ensure that their facilities are adequate to educate students by offering financial incentives through building aid formulas. In 1997, legislation was enacted to increase state support for school capital projects by restructuring building aid. The laws of 2000 and 2001 further…

This paper asserts that given the net growth in Georgia's student population and the need to house these students, a logical and systematic approach to disburse state funds based upon an assessment of needs is critical. It explains that a local facilities plan encourages the local school system to look into the future and assess their needs and…

Unlike the general contractor approach, the construction management firm acts on behalf of the school district in school construction. Examines the development and nature of construction management, and cites its advantages and disadvantages. (MLF)

Describes how school districts can use performance contracting to help save energy dollars without sacrificing efficiency or comfort. In performance contracting, building improvements and upgrades are installed without using funds from the current budget. Money saved in future energy bills is then used to pay for the project. (RJM)

The objective of this article is, by means of systematic analyses of actual evidence, to take overall stock of the advances and results obtained by expanded enrollment in higher educational institutions over the past three years and to identify a number of problems that will have to be resolved during further development. Three years of expanded…

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Radon Mitigation Branch (RMB) conducts research and development on the reduction of indoor radon levels. Finding that there was no comprehensive database on the physical characteristics of the nations's school buildings (with information specific to radon-mitigation research), the RMB conducted a study…

This document reports findings of an audit that examined the New York State Education Department's administration and oversight of school-district construction practices and state building aid. The Department's Bureau of Facilities Planning must approve all school-construction project plans and specifications to ensure that facilities are designed…

This report reviews the decision by the University of California's Board of Regents to create a new general campus near Merced to open in fall 2005 with 1,000 full-time-equivalent students (expected to grow to 5,000 FTES by fall 2010). The report reviews the planning history of the proposed campus, discusses the University of California's…