Failing to have a plan to communicate with stakeholders during the budget process is a plan to fail. Without community support, getting budget approval can be difficult. Thus, school business officials must have a plan to ensure the appropriate budget message is conveyed throughout all communication channels. In fact, a communication plan is the…

An estimated 2.2 million school-age children in the United States have food allergies, and that number seems to be on the rise. What's more, survey studies indicate that one out of six kids with food allergies will have an allergic reaction while in school and that 25% of these reactions will be first-time reactions. If a district has not yet…

Standing down is an action the military takes to review, regroup, and reorganize. Unfortunately, it often comes after an accident or other tragic event. To stop losses, the military will "stand down" until they are confident they can resume safe operations. Standing down is good for everyone, not just the military. In today's fast-paced world,…

With unemployment rising and the public more concerned about the economy than at any other time in recent memory, the idea of a municipality deciding to spend millions of dollars to build or refurbish a school seems an uphill challenge to say the least. In the best of times, voter approval for school construction projects is difficult to get;…

In the wake of a major disaster, damage assessment can be particularly challenging for organizations with dozens or even hundreds of affected properties. Those with well-documented information about predisaster facility conditions can more readily pinpoint those facilities that are at the greatest risk of damage and to determine how to prioritize…

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)…

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)

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)

Describes the use of a cost-efficiency plan to enhance educational productivity during the second wave of accountability. Describes cost-efficiency plan consisting of five components: goals and objectives, criteria, procedures, outcome, and evaluation. Provides tips for developing the cost-efficiency implementation plan. (Contains 31 references.)…

Suggests that 2-year contracts for superintendents inhibit school districts' school-reform efforts. (PKP)

Outlines the detailed tasks involved in development of specifications for purchasing requirements. Includes forms of open specifications, basic content, group terms, measurements, and the wording of specifications. (MD)

Gives a brief but current overview of the how to'' stage of PPBES, and where this new concept is after seven years of discussion and experimental application at scattered schools and districts in the nation. Gives the approaches to PPBES and educational resource management by a professor, a school administrator, and a businessman consultant.…

To interlink major systems, some communication companies are proposing construction of communication towers on school grounds. Schools and municipal governments possess strategically located, unzoned properties. Districts planning to tap this financial oil well should draw up a lease agreement specifying property use, term, rent, access rights,…

Outlines four phases in the development of a disaster recovery plan that will ensure minimal disruption of operations in the event of a disaster. (MD)

After fire and smoke damaged an upstate New York school's cafeteria, kitchen, and administrative offices, the district superintendent contacted a professional construction-management firm to begin restoration and reopen the school within days. Safety and sensitivity to building occupants' needs were paramount. (MLH)