With careful layout and improved equipment, schools can enhance security and improve hygiene in their restrooms by installing products such as low-consumption, pressure-assist toilets (to reduce water consumption); sensor-operated plumbing fixtures (to improve hygiene and reduce vandalism); and automated-control systems (to regulate timing,…

Argues that barrier-free designs should be incorporated in the first steps of school facility planning to avoid the difficulties in meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines during renovations. Explains why not all barriers need be removed to make a facility accessible to everyone. Discusses issues involving ADA guidelines and child…

Examines what should be featured in an athletic facility, how to plan for the many different sports and activities that will be housed, and how to get the community involved. Areas addressed include planning for locker rooms and storage, flooring and lighting, building code adherence, spectator seating, building security, and outdoor recreation…

Explains how one North Carolina school district was able to pass high-dollar bond issues for school construction. Discusses the planning and bidding processes, and the district's philosophy towards incorporating innovative changes in design and equipment. (GR)

How much does a school cost? It's a straightforward question, but the answer for many education administrators is a frustrating, "It depends." The cost of a school facility surely includes what an education institution pays for the building site, design plans, construction materials, workers who assemble the building, and furniture and equipment…

Discusses planning and funding a high school whose design simultaneously addresses the changing nature of education, aesthetics, and security while enhancing the learning process. The concept of pooling funding sources or passing a bond issue for developing affordable joint-use facilities is highlighted. (GR)

Discussses the top issues facing schools as they build and renovate their facilities to meet the educational needs of the 21st Century. Issues include alternative school sites, ecologically friendly facilities, flexible spaces, outdoor spaces, schools as communities, smaller schools, security, technology, and school/community relationships. (GR)

Presents excerpts from a satellite town meeting where participants discussed issues common to the nation's schools. Topics include federal legislation for school construction, the planning of one school for future technology, ways school design influences learning, and community involvement in school redesign. (GR)

Generations ago, it was common for young students to learn their reading and writing in the same classroom as older siblings studying more advanced lessons. For those people educated in one-room schoolhouses, having separate buildings for elementary school, middle school and high school would have been considered the ultimate in specialized…

Much has been written about how the design and condition of physical facilities affects student achievement, but schools need to place more emphasis on the importance of furniture in enhancing the facility and improving student performance. Furniture and color are major ingredients in establishing a positive learning environment. Furnishing a…

At some point, most education administrators must make difficult decisions because of fluctuating student enrollment. In the past, they might have spent months collecting student and facility data, hand-counting student population in certain areas, and driving throughout their communities to find available and affordable land for new school sites.…

Presents interviews with five school administrators, representing a variety of school systems. Discusses their strategies for addressing concerns that all school systems share. Using a question and answer format, the article focuses on handicap accessibility, energy management, funding, security, and technology. (RJM)

Describes the use of a comprehensive facilities needs assessment and master plan to help school districts successfully manage increased enrollments and deteriorating facilities. An example of master planning a successful bond issue is provided. (GR)

Discusses how to keep school district capital-improvement projects within budget. Examines areas where runaway costs creep into a project and ways of cutting or lessening these costs, such as using standard agreements, controlling architect's expense reimbursements, developing a quality-control process, and reducing document duplication. (GR)

Building a new school can be exciting and creative. The process enables parents, students, educators and the community to explore their dreams and priorities, and create a facility tailored to their unique needs. Unfortunately, the process also can leave education institutions and communities feeling like they've bought an "off-the-rack" facility…