In 2000, the National Trust for Historic Preservation included neighborhood schools in its list of America's Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places, noting how many small neighborhood schools were closing. In rural areas, particularly, this may be caused by steadily declining enrollment that has forced districts to consolidate and close one, or…

The advantages and disadvantages of five alternative ways of using surplus space available to school systems. (Author)

A survey of approximately 80 closed schools revealed the cause of closing the school, the new users' form of ownership, and the type of reuse. School districts should recognize the steps required to define a market in an attractive and financially feasible form. (Author/MLF)

One practical suggestion for recycling old school buildings is to use them for housing. (MJB)

An Atlanta, Georgia, school that closed after 50 years of service and stood vacant for five more years now contains subsidized rental apartments for the elderly. (MLF)

By the time today's surplus schools are needed for students, the buildings will be 40 or 50 years old. The surplus school should be disposed of now and new facilities built when the need arises. (MLF)

The Denver (Colorado) Board of Education has taken a number of steps to avoid closing schools. Among these are refiguring school capacities; providing full-time space for programs that do not always function full-time; providing additional private space for related services (psychological, social work, and nursing); expanding instructional…

The prospect of declining enrollments challenges those in higher education to plan creatively for the future. For illustrative purposes, the concerns of mental health, aging, and criminal justice are related to higher education and examined in terms of four primary planning variables: programs, people, facilities, and funding. (JMD)

A guide for educators and citizens seeking alternative uses of vacant facilities. Discusses local, legal, economic, and social issues involved. Describes some of the alternative facility uses that include human service centers; use by other government agencies; and conversion to housing, private schools, colleges, and adult education facilities.…

The growing interest in historic preservation has sparked interest in recycling existing school buildings. (Author/MLF)

An abstract of a study to discover the political interaction leading to policy decisions for the management of underutilized school facilities, to determine the actual policies that resulted from those activities, and to investigate the satisfaction level of participants. (Author/MLF)

Declining enrollments are leaving many districts with space they no longer need. The conversion of surplus school buildings to new uses can often provide communities with new vitality. Examples show unused schools converted for use as apartments, shops, and office space for public agencies. (Author/MLF)

This publication is the complete transcript of a weekly radio program devoted to contemporary issues in American education. This particular program is the second of two that focus on the topic of school consolidation. In separate segments of the program, Wendy Blair and John Merrow of National Public Radio discuss declining school enrollment and…

Examples from some of the successful major techniques to use vacant spaces for special programs and services that will benefit students and the community. (Author/MLF)

Brief notes on design processes in general, and the way they may be applied to the problem of under-used school buildings. (Author/MLF)