This book discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the two most common construction planning methods utilized for educational facilities: general contracting and construction management. Diagrams are provided that illustrate the chain of command and communication within each approach, and highlight considerations that every school district…

School boards and other educational governing bodies will be better served if they: (1) appoint their architects based on recommendations of a qualified review panel, and via a process that is specific, open, and accountable; and (2) employ, for special consultative assignments, architects and engineers who are totally independent. (Author/MLF)

This issue paper discusses principles of good management of construction and some options Georgia may use in the future to manage school construction and control costs. The paper begins by providing some background on common forms of construction management and delivery. Then the paper discusses principles of good contracts. The background section…

Discusses the construction phase of the school planning process. Presents an overview of the different contractual relationships between an owner and contractors. (Author/MLF)

Discusses the search by school systems and construction professionals for new efficiencies in the face of economic pressures. Some are shrinking or stretching out construction programs and demanding better economies. Others are seeking new financial partners and non-traditional funding methods, or deciding that creating new school space does not…

In the design/build process, an owner asks an architect to team up with a builder to provide both design and construction services at a fixed price. Design/build procedures, used successfully in Jefferson County, Colorado, to provide facilities that satisfy school district needs in quality, cost, and fast delivery, are described. An editorial…

This report describes school design and construction delivery processes used by the School Board of Brevard County (Cocoa, Florida) that help optimize value, avoid problems, and eliminate the cost of maintaining a large facility staff. The project phases are examined from project definition through design to construction. Project delivery…

A Missouri school district found the most cost-effective means of designing, bidding, and constructing new facilities to be hiring a construction management firm. With a construction manager, the school district's interests come first, and the district can tailor project-delivery strategies to specific needs. Outlines how the process works. (MLF)

Defines the school board's role in school construction, its use of outside consultants, the responsibility of securing building funds, and the influence of politics in the decision making process. Discusses some school boards' changing approach to community involvement. (GR)

Replacing the general contractor with a "construction manager" directly accountable to the owner promises greatly improved control over cost and scheduling economies. The construction manager should have special skills in construction, cost analysis, critical path method scheduling, and be familiar with the qualifications of local subcontractors.…

This case study of six newly-opened high schools explored: (1) What steps were taken to involve district staff members and community representatives in educational-specifications and design-development work? How effective did these steps prove to be? What impact did this involvement appear to have on the emergent and completed high school project?…

The decision to renovate or replace a school building is the starting point for a long and challenging journey with many phases: planning, development, and project delivery and construction. Each phase requires different levels of expertise, skills, and activities. The challenge of a rural facility project is to find leadership to provide guidance…

Construction management is utilized when a school district engages a firm to coordinate a total project. The construction management seeks to save an owner time and cost primarily through better contractor coordination and project management. These services may include the planning and design phases of the project as well as the actual…

This book addresses the administrative procedures associated with planning and managing school facilities. As noted at the outset, practitioner interest in school facilities has been growing rapidly in recent years because decades of neglect, poor planning, and cost cutting have created a situation in which large numbers of America's school…

Despite the diversity of national circumstances, all countries have the common aim of providing the right kind of school buildings in the right place, at the right time, and at the right cost. The objective of the present study is to establish the best institutional means for achieving this aim and, insofar as there are common patterns between…