Near the shores of Lake Superior, Michigan's Houghton-Portage Township School District is known for academic leadership and strives to provide an exceptional and secure learning environment for its students. However, like many districts around the country, Houghton-Portage is not immune to the economic restrictions. In a recent effort to address…

At the original Hubble Middle School, neither the views (a congested Roosevelt Road and glimpses of downtown Wheaton) nor the century-old facility that offered them was very inspiring. Built at the start of the 20th century, the 250,000-square-foot building was converted from Wheaton Central High School to Hubble Middle School in the early 1980s.…

Today's school business officials are more aware than ever of the importance of making every dollar count. As they scour their budgets for possible savings, they may be tempted to reduce investment in school infrastructure, perhaps by deferring maintenance, renovations, and replacement of outdated facilities. However, school business officials…

The preschool facility is a critical element of an effective preschool program. The recent economic downturn in the United States makes it difficult for states and individual school districts to consider developing new preschool programs or enhancing current programs or facilities. Yet many Americans still agree that public investment in preschool…

In times of limited resources, the likelihood of difficult negotiations between labor and management may increase even in the best of school districts. The negotiation process can range from traditional to positional to competitive to a more collaborative and cooperative interest-based approach. The most productive approach is a matter of debate…

Aging school infrastructure, changing population dynamics, decreased funding, and increased accountability for reporting school success all require today's school business officials to combine a variety of disparate data sets into a coherent system that enables effective and efficient decision making. School business officials are required to: (1)…

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is likely the greatest single infusion of federal dollars into education since Congress passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 1965 during Lyndon Johnson's presidency. When President Johnson signed that act, he said its purpose was to give every child in America "all the…

For many school districts, planning, developing, and implementing a technology infrastructure has become very expensive, time-consuming, and knowledge-intensive. Following Hartford, Connecticut's example, districts should expand cooperative purchasing, try outsourcing, develop vendor partnerships, and use regional educational service centers. (MLH)

Although changes in instructional technology and population growth are the usual reasons school districts approach master planning as a tool for identifying and managing these changes, environmental concerns (like asbestos abatement and radon identification) play a role. A dozen tips for developing a master plan are provided. (MLH)

Developing a blueprint for success requires that teachers, administrators, students, parents, and community members focus on the purposes for investing in technology. Planners must define universally shared technology goals, establish program accountability measures, budget for staff development, and ensure district leadership and support for…

Dr. Franklin Hill, who has provided facility planning for over 100 schools, discusses the process that design plays in creating a learning environment. Advises school districts to pick a comprehensive planning team; involve people who can bring new ideas for consideration; price your options before you begin design; and have the design team work…

There has been no significant legal action to force states or localities to equalize school facilities, despite U.S. public education's equal treatment philosophy. Another facilities issue is provision for access to the latest technology. Strategic planning can help educators create a positive learning environment by maintaining and improving…

Provides school administrators with three managerial aids to assist in creating an organizational vision: (1) an operating definition of the vision concept; (2) a planning framework to support vision creation and implementation; and (3) a specific method for leading school organizations through the visioning process. (MLF)

Knowledgeable recycling of existing educational facilities requires an assessment of educational needs, evaluation of available facilities, and determination of the historical significance of structures being considered for renovation. (MLF)

Presents overview of areas to consider when planning for the total cost of technology, including a brief look at the planning needed, equipment that should be considered, infrastructure needs, software considerations, maintenance issues, training, upgrades, and planning for system failures. (Author/PKP)