Improving the school building may well be the most overlooked means of improving student health, safety, and academic performance. Yet in conversations about factors that lead students to academic success, only rarely does the role of the physical environment come to the fore. By downplaying the importance of the building, policymakers and parents…

Sanitizers and disinfectants can play an important role in protecting public health. They are designed to kill "pests," including infectious germs and other microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Unfortunately, sanitizers and disinfectants also contain chemicals that are "pesticides." Exposure to persistent toxic…

The job of operating school plants so as to utilize their potentialities in promoting an effective educational program is one that requires training, knowledges, skills, and services of a specialized nature. School officials in charge of school plant management are primarily responsible for developing an operating program that will meet this…

Present capital outlay investments in elementary and secondary school buildings, sites, and equipment in the United States are being increased at the rate of about $3 billion annually. Maintenance and operational services, important aspects of property protection, educational progress, pupil safety, and plant efficiency, are being provided in…