These building assessments explain the relative building conditions for each Kentucky educational facility using the following descriptors: Excellent (new, generally less than 10 years; Better (generally 10-20 years old; Good/Average (20-30 years old); Fair/Poor (30-40 years old, needs renovation); and Poor (older than 40 years old). The accompanying "District Assessment Map" explains the relative district assessment for each district by using the following descriptors: Green-Districts with limited facility needs, Yellow-Districts with moderate facility needs, and Red-Districts with significant facilty needs.

Assists with school facility inspections, with particular attention to the California Office of Public School Construction's Facility Inspection Tool(FIT). After an overview of health and safety impacts of facility systems and structures, the document provides practical tips on how to conduct a FIT-based inspection, identify and address health and safety problems required by the FIT, recommendations for maintenance and operations best practices, and extensive additional resources and information. 86p.

Assists families in performing an on-site inspection of a potential school. The guide presents descriptions of favorable situations and questions that should be considered while visiting the campus. These questions address the accessibility and safety of the campus, as well as the design of classrooms, availability of technology, the dining environment, the recreation areas, and the design and condition of restrooms and furnishings. 16p.

Presents the carbon footprint assessment of three British schools, built in the late 19th century, the 1970's, and in 2004 respectively. The methodology is described and the three schools attributes on energy use, comfort, lighting, noise, perceived health, and image to visitors are detailed. 12p.

The OECD Programme on Educational Building brought together experts from over 20 countries to discuss how they define and measure quality in educational facilities. This webpage describes the objectives, provides a list of experts, and includes abstracts, a draft report, and an international Facility Performance Evaluation Pilot Study to be launched in 2007.

Presents documents suggesting what a ten-year facility plan should include, as well as examples of the various facility plan sections and spreadsheets that can be used to calculate demographic, capacity, and building condition data.

Presents the results of an audit by the United Kingdoms Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) of 124 secondary schools completed between January 2000 and September 2005. CABE assessed the quality of 52 of these, which were selected as a representative sample. The assessment was based on 111 indicators, grouped into three categories: the way the building is designed to be useful as a school (functionality), its building quality, and its ability to create a sense of place and have an uplifting effect on the local community and environment (impact). Each school was then given an overall rating. In this audit, half of the schools completed in the last five years were assessed as "poor" or "mediocre," although there was some indication that the situation was improving in schools from the end of the period. 100p.

Describes standard practices for initiating, conducting, reporting, and maintaining a postsecondary institutional facilities inventory. Updated definitions for building area measurements, space and room use codes, and other data elements that are useful for including in a facilities inventory are provided, along with the basic principles for developing a facilities database, guidance on required and optional data elements for inclusion in a facilities inventory, and suggestions for analytic, administrative and comparative uses for facilities data. Issues that are emerging in the collection, maintenance and reporting of facilities data are presented. 198p.

Presents the result of more than eight months of work commissioned by the Massachusetts School Building Authority to gather statewide baseline data about the general conditions of locally-owned public school facilities throughout the Commonwealth. The data collected are a result of the observations of teams of educators and engineers whose task was to utilize a standard survey to ascertain the general condition of each school in the Commonwealth. Data collectors visited every superintendent in every school district to receive an inventory of school committee-controlled school properties and then visited every one of those school facilities to gather these important baseline data. This report details the following findings: 1) The condition of the 1,817 Massachusetts schoolhouses is generally good. 2) Massachusetts has expended a substantial amount on schoolhouse capital facilities over the past 60 years. 3) A school building boom occurred between 2000 and 2005, even though statewide enrollment has been declining. 4) Almost one-half of the current school facility square footage is new or recently renovated. 5) There is very little temporary space in Massachusetts. 6) Massachusetts schools have been built 32% to 39% larger, on average, than the maximum gross square footage space requirements per student in the Department of Education regulations. 7. Beginning in fiscal year 2008, the reformed School Building Grant program should be able to provide sufficient resources to meet statewide school capital facility need as determined by the Board of the Authority. 138p.

Every five years, local North Carolina boards of education are required by G.S. 115C 521(a) to submit their Facility Needs Assessment (long range plans) to the State Board of Education. The results of this survey assess projected facility needs for the next 5-10 years, and is used statewide and locally. Total estimated costs are $9.7 billion. 7p.

Analyzes the impact of Kentucky's School Facilities Construction Commission (SFCC) and other facility funding programs in the state. The study includes a review of school district facility needs assessment procedures, methods of calculating construction and renovation costs, and opinions of school superintendents and others of the SFCC and facility funding in Kentucky. Numerous figures illustrate levels of school facility funding, school condition ranking, per-pupil revenue, and costs per square foot. 131p.

Explores the school environment using the methods and perspectives of environmental health science. Each section of the book addresses a different concern facing schools today. In the first six sections, the various aspects of the school environment are examined. Chapters include the physical environment of the school, air quality issues, pest control, cleaning methods, food safety, safe designs of playgrounds and sports fields, crime and violence prevention, and transportation. In the last two sections, recommendations are made for school administrators on how to maximize the health of their schools. Appropriately evaluating the school environment, implementing strategies to address children and adults with disabilities, emphasizing health services, infectious disease prevention and recognition, and occupational health for faculty and staff are all addressed. 462p.

Describes a multi-factor, multi-method analysis process to assess the efficacy of learning spaces. The assessment process must address whether the assessment focuses on teaching or learning, the audience for the assessment information, and that learning and instruction is no longer confined to the classroom. The discussion then proceeds to internal and external accountability, informal learning, assessment structure and targets, a model for assessing change, person-environment interaction, learning outcomes, and engagement. Assessment methods are described that involve focus groups, interviews, surveys, and photographic studies. An example of an assessment conducted at the University of Dayton is included, as are ten references. 13.1-13.11p.

Presents the findings of a three-year project to collect and consolidate what are generally believed to be best practices for facilities planning and management including common terms, definitions, and metrics and translate them into a manageable, easily understood and articulated set of factors to be taken into account when making decisions about investing in educational facilities. These factors are intended to provide administrators and/or facility managers with an effective and useful decision framework for evaluating facilities investment alternatives that can support their institution's mission and help achieve its long-term goals. 11p.

Presents the results of a privately-funded survey of the superintendents and facilities managers of 178 Colorado school districts, with about 59% of the states student population represented in the responses. The report details building ages, construction types, occupancy vs. capacity, physical condition, and educational adequacy. Facilities managers reported about $2.1 billion in capital needs, and superintendents reported about $297 needed for deferred maintenance. Based on enrollment in the districts responding, a capital need of about $5.7 billion and deferred maintenance need of $1.3 billion is estimated. 34p.

Provides the results of facility assessments for three schools in each of seven districts. The assessments considered facility condition, educational suitability, technology readiness, site condition, and capacity. Tables present cumulative score ranges and averages, divided by elementary, middle, and high schools, followed by the actual score sheets for each school. 247p.

Discusses key elements for managing a higher education institution's facilities portfolio, with three sections presenting issues in the order in which they should be addressed. The first section discusses the importance of an institution's mission and strategic goals, estimating future demand through enrollment forecasting, and the development of a strategic vision for the campus in terms of development of its facilities. The second section reviews the elements of a comprehensive facility assessment, the importance of an "environmental scan" to determine external mandates that will affect capital decisions and the institution's resulting capital plan. The third section covers the essential components of a campus master plan, its financing issues and implementation strategies, and the organizational requirements for effective management of the facilities portfolio. 148p.

Advocates regular school facility assessment and outlines the stages of a capital planning project as steps A-Z-FF, in chronological order. The stages begin with the planning process and end with the completed warranty inspection. 7p.

Summarizes the state's 2004 assessment of its 6,569 permanent school buildings, with tables displaying numbers of school by type, facility conditions, educational suitability, enrollment growth projections, and associated cost summaries. The cost of addressing current needs of all buildings was determined to be $2.9 billion, with a projected cost over five years of $ 4.5 billion. 71p.

The aim of these documents is to assist Local Authorities in Britain with asset management planning (AMPs) for schools. AMPs set out the information needed, and the criteria used, to make decisions about spending on school premises which will: raise standards of educational attainment; provide sustainable and energy-efficient buildings; provide innovative design solutions that reflect the future needs of technology-based education; increase community use of school facilities; maximize value for money; ensure efficient and effective management of new and existing capital assets; help governors and head teachers in developing plans for individual schools by making fair and transparent the process of decision-making on funding priorities across the Authority; help the development of partnership projects; and provide assurance to stakeholders that capital projects are soundly based and represent good value for the money. The guidance on formulating AMPs is presented in eight sections: (1) the plan framework; (2) property information systems and school premises data; (3, 3a) condition assessment; 4) suitability assessment; (5) sufficiency assessment; (6) appraisal guidance; (7) data analysis.

Guides new and experienced school planners from the conception of educational needs through occupancy and use of the completed facilities. Chapters follow the planning, design, and occupancy processes in sequence as follows: forming the educational plan, creating community partnerships, establishing a master plan, writing educational specifications, addressing design guidelines, evaluating and selecting the site, infusing technology, integrating sustainable design, working with a design team, evaluating project delivery options, identifying cost and funding options, monitoring construction, integrating maintenance and operations, and assessing the completed project. Numerous references, photographs, drawings, figures, and a glossary are included. 386p.

This guide provides a framework for community involvement in modernizing or building new public school buildings. The process is broken down into the five steps of assessment, envisioning, planning, development and implementation of the project. The chapters for each step are preceded by an overview of how facilities affect the quality of education and community, and how to initiate the process of improving a school building. 60p.

Provides benchmarks and contextual information on school building condition derived from asset management plan data collection exercises. This will be of interest to those concerned with the planning, provision, and management of school buildings in England. 76p.

This guide is designed for facility and maintenance managers who are facing "repair or replace" decisions for their buildings. Filled with useful information and resources to aid in the decision process, this hands-on reference shows how to accurately rate the condition of existing equipment and components, effectively assess options, and avoid making costly mistakes. Detailed step-by-step instructions are provided, along with forms listing specific criteria identified for rating each building component. 452p.

Provides the results of a facility survey of 1342 Maryland schools. Facilities were evaluated against federal, state or local guidelines in 31 areas that covered building condition, environmental quality, size, configuration, accessibility, and support spaces. The criteria against which the schools were evaluted are provided, along with a chart for each school system that shows the percentages of schools not meeting each standard. For ten of the standards, a chart for that standard is provided that illustrates the percentages of failing schools in each school system. 61p.

Shares good practice in commissioning and carrying out of school building condition assessments. Relates to http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/3344/AMP%20Section3.pdf 36p.

Proposes a 143-item scale for early childhood center directors, educators, policy makers and regulators to assess the quality of the physical environment of childcare, preschool, kindergarten and other early childhood education settings. The Children's Physical Environment Rateing Scale (CPERS) is based on a Piagetian ecological theory of child development and the environment; the research literature including empirical investigations in the United States, Canada, and Australia; the knowledge of many leading childcare researchers, educators, directors and teachers around the world; and childcare and preschool standards in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. Includes 38 references. 12p.

Describes the assessment of educational facilities for adequacy to the educational program, covering issues of capacity, educational program support, technology, security, equipment, physical characteristics, environmental quality, and relationship of spaces. 12p.

This publication presents case studies of school buildings to demonstrate the application of a post occupancy evaluation (POE) during various stages of the design and planning process. It explains that because POE is a process for gathering information about a building in use, it can be applied effectively both to renovation and expansion projects and to new construction. The case studies were selected because each addresses community and user participation as an integral part of the school planning process. In Jamestown, North Carolina, a POE incorporating a school building assessment survey was used for the Millis Road Elementary School addition to help architects learn about existing conditions and improvements expected in the new classroom addition. The Davidson Elementary School project in Davidson, North Carolina, linked all stages of the school building process, from user participation in the development of the program to the evolving design solution, and a building evaluation after completion. The Centennial Campus Middle School in Raleigh, North Carolina, began with a vision shared by university educators and county school officials about the creation of schools within a school. The Rosa Parks Elementary School in Berkeley, California, (formerly the Columbus School) demonstrated a participatory process that included parents, teachers, children, and community members who initiated and passed a bond measure to rebuild the earthquake-damaged school. The case studies include building plans and photographs. Appendices contain a six-factor school building checklist, a school building rating scale, an inclusive school building assessment checklist, and a classroom arrangement rating scale. 67p.

This study involved an in-depth floor space analysis of Cardozo Senior High School, and a review of design plans for a modernized McKinley Tech High School (both in Washington, DC), in order to prompt District of Columbia public schools to develop accurate measurements of useable (i.e., net) floor space, thereby allowing design standards flexible enough to accommodate old and historic schools. Detailed findings from the floor space analyses led to the following recommendations: (1) revise the standard specs to allow greater flexibility so that existing high schools will not face a complete demolition of their interiors at extremely high cost; (2) change the floor space design standard value or eliminate its use altogether; (3) calculate the quantity of net floor space by measuring instructional and administrative space, thereby helping with the determination of enrollment capacities; (4) reexamine the quantity of total existing gross floor space, which is critical to the determination of excess space; and (5) undertake site studies to determine whether structured parking or other improvements are possible to alleviate site constraint problems. (Contains several tables of floor space analysis. Appendices contain floor plans, a list of rooms measured at Cardozo, and a comparison between Cardozo and standard specs of net floor spaces and student capacities.) 43p.

Over the past decade, thousands of new school buildings and renovations have been planned, designed, and constructed in the United States. Of these, only a small fraction will ever be evaluated against the educational needs of students and teachers. This paper reflects on the state of post-occupancy evaluation (POE) in the practice of educational facility design in the United States within the context of the "School Construction News/Design Share Awards 2000" program. One of the objectives of this program is to encourage and publicize nationally the value of conducting POEs. The paper provides a description and a comparative analysis of the methods used in each POE, a summary of jury comments, and recommendations for the refinement of the awards program in promoting the POE. 30p.

This report analyzes the conditions of school facilities in Contra Costa Unified School District, California. The district had been prohibited from participating in the state's school facilities funding program because of a very heavy debt burden and near-bankruptcy of the district. The report begins by summarizing findings in the areas of community support, school safety, facility planning, maintenance and custodial services, facilities financial management, staffing and morale, and leadership. It then provides detailed findings in these areas. Each finding offers the legal standard, sources and documentation, findings, a recommendation and improvement plan, and a rating of standard implementation. 170p.

Compares the school system's performance to peer school systems and benchmarks. Facilities areas studied include maintenance, transportation, food service, central storeroom, capital projects, finance, and technology. These are measured against policies, procedures, and other standards promulgated by the Metropolitan Board of Education. For each area, major strengths and weaknesses, along with the reasons for them, are described. A long range-planning model, recommendations for improvement, and descriptions of non-compliance, fraud, and abuse are included. 1009p.

California school districts are allowed to charge a fee on new residential construction as an alternative to the traditional residential developer fee, if certain requirements are met. This analysis is organized into three sections: 1) an introductory section that sets forth the legal requirements that must be met in order to charge alternative fees on new residential construction; 2)projections of the number of unhoused students attributable to new residences projected to be constructed in the District during the next five years. The allowable building construction, site acquisition and site development costs for the unhoused students are calculated and divided by the projected square footage of residential development to determine the alternative fee; 3) a demonstration that a reasonable relationship exists between the fee and the development upon which the fee is to be charged. Appendices include existing school building capacity, allowable site acquisition and development costs, student generation rates, allowable building construction costs, etc. 19p.

This manual addresses whether schools and classroom spaces enhance or detract from the learning process and provides school assessment guidelines for communities anticipating the expansion of existing schools or the construction of new ones. It is a collection of survey and discussion tools that encourage stakeholders to discover and reflect upon the physical features of school buildings. The manual identifies what works and what does not work in K-12 school buildings. Each assessment tool presented is for a particular purpose. Building surveys focus on the assessment of existing school facilities, while photo questionnaires present alternative spatial arrangements for group discussions. Small group discussions are suggested as an effective method for creating a productive dialogue allowing people to consider many different viewpoints. 41p.

This issue paper presents an assessment of Georgia's need for school facilities--both current need as well as the additional need created by law HB 1187. For the purposes of this paper, the current unmet needs are addressed separately from the impact of HB 1187. The pre-HB 1187 needs are identified from the facilities plans in terms of classroom additions, new schools, renovations, and modifications and are expressed not only in terms of units but also in terms of eligible costs at a standard state rate that is applied to all systems. Then, the impact of HB 1187 is examined and an estimate of the additional need for classrooms as a result of HB 1187 is provided. For illustrative purposes only, the number of additional classrooms or instructional units is broken into new schools and additions. No definitive cost estimates are provided at this point until all 180 facilities plans can be examined with local facilities personnel to determine how many of these additional classrooms would be accommodated in new schools. 36p.

This paper asserts that given the net growth in Georgia's student population and the need to house these students, a logical and systematic approach to disburse state funds based upon an assessment of needs is critical. It explains that a local facilities plan encourages the local school system to look into the future and assess their needs and how they will construct, add, renovate, or modify facilities to meet their future needs. This plan is then used as the basis for funding decisions both at the local and state level. The paper presents some background information related to facilities planning and discusses why planning is important and what triggers construction. Additionally, it provides a history of Georgia state facilities planning and explains in detail a typical local facilities plan and the development process. In the "Current Conditions" section, the paper analyzes current planning in relation to the requirements of the law. The "Findings" section highlights issues that need further consideration. The final section of the paper poses some alternatives for consideration to further improve the planning process and management of planning. 23p.

This report presents New Hampshire survey data, methodology, and the survey instrument used to measure a school's physical quality and educational effectiveness. The survey instrument collects data in the following categories: school site; building; building systems; building maintenance; building safety and security; space adequacy; and building environment for learning. Questions addressed in each category are included. Survey results from 391 New Hampshire schools are included along with a sample survey. 49p.

This reference document for public school facility designers includes code items, principles that experience has shown to be desirable and practical, and best practices from a variety of professional sources. Organized into the four major engineering categories of electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and structural, these guidelines represent the thinking of a cross-section of design professionals and are consistent with the North Carolina Public Schools Facilities Guidelines. 54p.

Explores the evaluation of an aged school facility's ability to support today's educational programs and ways of enhancing this support through building improvements. Covers national school condition assessments and considerations regarding building new or renovating; presents a methodology for performing a school condition assessment, including economic analysis; offers case studies used during the workshop. Microsoft PowerPoint presentation consisting of 50 slides used in a community workshop. 50p.

This document presents Florida's educational facility inventory process and guidelines school districts can use for reporting their facilities information. It includes access information to the Office of Educational Facilities Information System program which contains facility information reported by districts for all public schools, and explanations of the inventory update fields for on-line transmissions. Appendices provide examples of plot and floor plans, building types, and corridor loading. Also included are design codes for various school stations for K-12 educational facilities; site size minimum acreage requirements; viewing Florida Inventory of School Houses (FISH) information, update transactions, and on the Internet; and FISH forms. 98p.

Offers survey results corresponding to three basic aspects of Wisconsin public schools: data on the physical structure and mechanical features of the school building, data on school safety issues, and information on the educational appropriateness and suitability of the school buildings. Notes that nearly 27 percent of survey respondents believed their school building to be overcrowded. Appendices provide the school facility survey questionnaire and listings of the 373 school districts and 1589 buildings represented in the survey results. 26p.

This report summarizes the Newark Public Schools Facilities Management Plan that describes the process by which the district assesses projected enrollments and program space needs to support the Core Curriculum Content standards; determines space deficiencies; and analyzes corrective options. The document presents district and plan overviews as well as data collected from the five School Leadership Teams (SLT) that examined school space issues within different geographical regions in the district. Each SLT report includes a summary of existing conditions, physical space analyses and deficiencies, facility operations costs, and deficiency and correction budgets for each school on an item-by-item basis. 190p.

This presentation explores a theoretical framework and a practical procedure for assessing the physical environment of urban schools to identify its perceived impacts on the educational process. Models identified in the literature for assessing the quality of the physical environment for learning are reviewed and critiqued. The assessment model presented offers a practical procedure based on a comprehensive theoretical perspective. The Baltimore City Public Schools Environmental Quality Assessment Project, which included five post-occupancy evaluations were to be used as a test case to illustrate the potential use of the assessment procedure in practice. The presentation concludes by emphasizing the value of institutionalizing an on-going process of environmental quality assessment that has implications for integrating facilities management and educational decisions for the benefit of the educational process. 35p.

A comprehensive assessment of school facilities in Idaho was completed in 1993 and included an inventory of school facilities used for instruction purposes, an inventory of technology, an assessment of the physical condition of the schools, and the capacity of permanent school buildings to meet enrollment needs. This report is an update to the 1993 study and addresses health and safety conditions, the status of 71 buildings considered to be in the worst condition, the capacity to meet enrollment, and technology infrastructure. 57p.

This document outlines the current assessment and needs of the Chicago Public School's district's buildings as well as proposed plans to meet those needs. Includes an executive summary, capital program, funding sources, capital budget, details of elementary and high schools projects, and summaries of new construction, renovations, and educational enhancements.

A conference of school architects, construction managers, and school administrators convened to examine the question of renovation or replacement of aging public schools. The panel discussed such topics as turn-of-the-century architectural features and sources of renovation financing. The proceedings contrast the distinguishing characteristics of schools from the early 20th century and the mid 20th century and they address the unique design principles and materials typical of facilities constructed during these eras. Other subjects include evaluation and assessment of existing school buildings; the tools and techniques for condition assessment; management of K-12 renovation projects; construction management as a construction delivery method of school renovation; the role of the architect as construction manager; construction scheduling; renovation programs that preserve valuable resources; and alternative funding possibilities such as public/private development partnerships. 24p.

Design Assessment Scale for Elementary Schools (DASE) assists educators and architects in evaluating, planning, and designing developmentally appropriate learning environments for elementary schools. This article examines the DASE, its introduction and development, and the first step in the instruments validation process, and the initial reliability coefficients. Also described are each of the DASE facility design assessment components for measuring the degree of functionality, security, adequacy, environment, and overall impression. 15p.

This speech addresses the impact of schools on teaching and learning and explains the need to evaluate the following three influences of physical school settings: health and safety factors; ambient environmental factors; and curriculum-based environmental factors. Also addressed are the influences of school and classroom size, and the need for the school setting to be appropriate for the types of learning activities taking place. Concluding comments highlight the link between literacy, play, and the physical environment. A user rating scale to evaluate classrooms is included.

The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) presents a study of facilities' needs for the Abbott School District's 28 educational facilities and provides recommendations concerning how the state should address those needs, including appropriate and alternative funding. Study assessment data show the estimated cost for existing facility rehabilitation would be over $1.8 billion, of which half the amount would be for facility expansion and architectural and structural refurbishing. The study also lists recommended facility specifications deemed necessary to assure students can achieve the Core Curriculum Content Standards. Other state's educational facility construction and funding practices are highlighted as promising approaches for New Jersey to consider. Final comments address the state's plan for Abbott District facilities improvement, including the administrative actions of the NJDOE, and the issues related to the development of a state financing plan which is outside of the special areas of expertise of the department. 13p.

This reports on the Corps' Support For Others project working with the District of Columbia Public School system. Called upon to assist the school district in a multimillion dollar renovation effort, the Corps provides technical oversight on the capital improvements program, facilities assessments and the long range master planning process.

The Educational Plant Survey is a systematic study that aids in the formulation of plans for housing the educational program and student population, faculty, administrators, staff, and auxiliary and ancillary services of the district or campus. This lists the required components for an Educational Plant Survey in Florida.

A study of new design features for public schools was conducted in Virginia in 1999 to determine what specific design features were being implemented in Virginia's schools. This report summarizes the major trends in facility design that were discovered in the following areas: safety and security features; classroom space; technology areas; administrative spaces; communal space; school grounds; teachers' facilities; community use of school facilities; energy use and sustainable design; organization of instruction; and special programs. While numerous innovative design features are being implemented in schools across Virginia, the data reveal that older schools built prior to 1990 have fewer of them. Older schools lack some of the benefits of flexible space and extra space for learning, have limited use of landscapes and community access to school assets, and lack central air conditioning. 23p.

This book presents six papers focusing on the application of the strategic assessment model (SAM) to the management of higher education facilities. The papers are part of an ongoing effort by the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers to provide comparative cost and staffing information and to develop a benchmarking process. The papers explain the origins of SAM, the core competencies related to facilities management, and how these can be affected by SAM. The papers also relate SAM to the Baldrige National Recognition standard and suggest ways of using SAM as a management tool. Following an introduction by Douglas K. Christensen, the individual chapters are: (1) "Understanding the Strategic Assessment Model"; (2) "Linking the Balanced Scorecard to Your Strategy"; (3) "APPA's Four Core Competencies"; (4) "More Than a Feeling: Deployment of SAM within Baldrige"; (5) "What Is Benchmarking?"; and (6) "Conclusions: Where Do We Go from Here?". (Contains 62 references.) 130p.

This report represents the first effort by any public or private agency or organization to provide a comprehensive assessment of Tennessee's public infrastructure needs. The report is divided into two sections. The first part contains survey information on general infrastructure needs that was collected from local governments and other entities. The second part examines K-12 education infrastructure needs. All of the states 138 K-12 public school systems were surveyed. Results from the local-government surveys indicate that $13.7 billion is needed for infrastructure projects and improvements. These improvements included transportation projects, capital- improvement plans, mandated requirements, and water and waste- water accounts. The K-12 public education survey uncovered infrastructure needs totaling $2.5 billion. Needed improvements include basic repairs to bring all schools up to at least a "good" condition. (35 appendices provide further information.)

A comprehensive set of checklists and rating systems on 13 pages intended to help evaluate the cost and feasibility of renovating or replacing an old school building. The forms are intended to be used by North Carolina Schools whenever a new project would replace an older school building. 13p.

The Jefferson County School District (Denver, Colorado) presents its final scheduling and funding source information for the 1998-2003 capital improvement program and the status of the 1992-1997 completed capital improvement project costs compared to the budget. Funding data are detailed for each of the district's 182 public schools, special use facilities, support facilities; and community use facilities as well as any future capital improvement needs. The district's eight environmental regulatory programs are examined. Remaining sections provide assessment data and information on facility maintenance, pavement management, real property management, school and office equipment, sponsorship, technology, temporary buildings, and vehicle replacement.

In August 1997, the Wyoming Department of Education commissioned an assessment of all buildings owned and operated by school districts throughout the state. The study, in response to Enrolled Act 2 of the 1997 Special Legislative Session, covered 1,221 buildings totaling 22.9 million gross square feet. As a part of the assessment, building condition, educational suitability, and technology readiness were evaluated. The need for additional space to accommodate student enrollment was also calculated. The study findings and recommendations are included.

This guide provides a comprehensive method for measuring the quality and educational effectiveness of school facilities and may be used to perform a post-occupancy review; to formulate a formal record; to highlight specific appraisal needs; to examine the need for new facilities or renovations; or to serve as an instructional tool. Suggestions are made for developing a facilities report. New trends in design and construction are summarized. Appraisal criteria are categorized into six areas: (1) the school site; (2) structural and mechanical features; (3) plant maintainability; (4) school building safety and security; (5) educational adequacy; and (6) environment for education. 52p.

This report is based on surveys of unified school districts, elementary school districts, high school districts, county offices of education, and state special schools in California. Performed by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC), the document provides the state legislature an assessment of the facility and personnel needs facing California's schools as reported by the districts themselves. The report provides a breakdown of the needs and costs of administrators, teachers, classified personnel, and facilities. To maintain current services, districts reported it would cost over $18 million; the implementation of anticipated improvement would cost over $24 million. Also, all school districts reported that the class-size reduction program displaced other programs. The report discusses the need for emergency permits, for additional classrooms, the availability of sites for school construction, child development and child care, and joint-use facilities. 65p.

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? (2) What goals were established for the project? What specific school features and building elements were created in response to project goals? How were these decisions made? By whom? (3) How did value-engineering activities influence the eventual design of the project? Were design modifications made? What impacts were observed? (4) During construction, how did school district personnel align themselves with the project? Was a planning principal selected? Was a project-management service employed? How were facility-related concerns addressed over the duration of the project? How were educationally related concerns addressed over the same time frame? (5) Prior to the actual opening of school, what steps were taken to ensure the school's successful opening? What impact did these steps appear to have? How were responsibilities assigned and coordinated? (5) In the first six months after the school's opening, what did staff members and students "discover" about the new school? How were these discoveries made? and (6) During the new high school's first and second years of operation, how did staff members respond to the features of the school? To what degree were design visions and corresponding project goals realized in final construction? What lessons did staff members learn as they sought to effectively utilize the school's physical potential? What unanticipated consequences, if any, emerged from these efforts? The six schools studied were: Colville High School in Colville School District, Washington; Kamiak High School in Mukilteo School District, Washington; River Ridge/New Century High School in North Thurston School District, Washington; Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School in Surrey School District, British Columbia; Westview High School in Beaverton School District, Oregon; and Walnut Grove Secondary School in Langley School District, British Columbia. 115p

Provides checklists to enable a person of moderate training to make an accurate estimation of the structural, mechanical, and safety condition of a school buildings. The lists are divided into sections for exterior, interior, mechanical systems, and safety/building code considerations. Direct examples of the ratings to be entered on the building condition evaluations are provided, as is a means for indicating the nature of the condition, if the rating is lower than "good." 56p.

This post-occupancy evaluation of Martha Lake Elementary School in the Edmonds School District, Washington, was designed to answer questions in two areas: (1) "What aspects of the facility are effectively supporting learning and the current educational program? Conversely, which aspects, elements, or components of the facility appear to be inhibiting learning activities?" and (2) "What do students, staff, and teachers think and feel about the building's character and functioning?" The report includes statistical data generated from responses to a questionnaire, and documentation of observations made by the evaluation teams. The report is organized to present a general overview of the site, common areas, and classrooms, followed by more detailed analyses of particular spaces in the school. 22p.

A guide for helping facility managers determine their facility's overall physical condition. Includes regulatory data and codes pertaining to educational facility evaluation. Survey sections cover general site conditions, including athletic and play areas; architectural and structural exterior features and systems; interior spaces including classrooms,laboratories, kitchens, and corridors/commons areas; the mechanical system; and the electrical system. Samples of completed survey forms and recommendations narrative are included. 54p.

This report summarizes some of the recent reports on school building needs and describes the initiatives in New York State's budget designed to address them. It also describes the environment in which school building and maintenance decisions are made, with particular attention to factors discouraging or impeding successful strategies for school construction and maintenance. Drawing upon this analysis and the results of audits, the report includes recommendations for improving the system. Some recommendations for meeting the needs in school building and maintenance include better enforcement of existing regular requirements, correcting the problems with aid formulas, reforming the existing annual inspections in school buildings, improved capital planning, mandated relief actions to decrease the cost of school construction and rehabilitation, and better reporting of facility conditions. Detailed tables list the average age of buildings, 1996 to 1997 enrollment, 10-year capital spending, and other information on each school district. 75p.

Environmental factors are being increasingly recognized as playing a role in school effectiveness and educational outcomes. Volume 1 examines what is known concerning the diagnosis, design, and management of environmental quality in schools, and the perceived relationship between environmental quality and educational outcomes, as revealed in an investigation of five elementary schools in the Baltimore City Public School System. The following issues are addressed: (1) the perception of the nature of environmental quality within the context of schools; (2) the attributes of environmental quality perceived to have an impact on educational outcomes; (3) the impact of facility management, if any, on the perception of environmental quality in schools; (4) whether environmental quality can be assessed in local school contexts; (5) whether environmental-behavior research contributes to the improvement of environmental quality in schools; and (6) the effectiveness of action research in defining problems, providing solutions, and increasing knowledge and awareness of environmental quality in schools. Volume 2 provides a summary of the project objectives, problem and approach, and process and procedures of the Baltimore Environmental Quality Assessment Project. It provides the case reports of each school in the study, documenting specific aspects of environmental quality of concern. Each case study provides a brief analysis of the relationship between the attributes of environmental quality concerns and their potential educational impact. Areas addressed include the school's physical comfort and health; classroom adaptability; safety and security; building functionality; aesthetics and appearance; privacy; places for social interaction; and overcrowding. 521p.

The District of Columbia Public Schools is planning a framework to create safe and secure school environments for learning, develop facilities that will support and enhance educational programs, and provide facilities that will meet the diverse needs of the local school community. This document represents the survey instrument that is used to capture information to support these objectives. The survey is designed into three parts: questions involving general information about the school; the programs offered that have separate funding and/or being a "relocatable" unit; and the facility conditions.

Step-by-step techniques for conducting an effective building assessment, including the evaluation of overall structural performance, spatial comfort, noise control, air quality, and energy consumption. Features sample forms and checklists tailored to specific building types. 207p.

This describes how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used in evaluating the conditions of the 164 operating public schools in the District of Columbia. GIS themes utilized include ward boundaries, school locations, attendance zones, and streets.

To fill in gaps of information regarding the condition of school facilities in America, a survey was conducted for Virginia's schools. The results are reported here. For this study, a survey instrument was developed to obtain data on several phases of school facilities in the Commonwealth. The instrument contained 26 separate items to which local school personnel were asked to respond. Survey items were grouped around three main parts of the study: capital improvement projects, maintenance projects, and inventory systems. The population of the study included all 136 school divisions of the state, with a total of 121 divisions responding. The findings show that a high percentage of systems have an up-to-date capital improvement program in place and that these programs are concurrent with the state mandated, long-range plan approved by the school board. For the year under study, it is estimated that maintenance costs will consume approximately $200 million dollars. This represents only half of the total projected need. If school divisions could bring all buildings up to the standard of the best school, then approximately $1.5 billion would be needed. Inventory monitoring seems important in all districts, with 92 percent of school divisions keeping an up-to-date inventory. Some recommendations are offered. 22p.

In 1991, Nebraska school superintendents and building administrators were surveyed about the physical condition of school facilities, their adequacy for instruction, and each district's fiscal capacity to maintain and construct school facilities. Responses were analyzed by five categories: class (size) of school district, quartile of valuation per pupil, population change category on the 1990 county census, time period of facility construction, and instructional type of building (grade range). Overall, 40 percent of administrators felt that their facilities impeded desired changes in instructional programming, and 55 percent of buildings were not completely handicapped accessible. However, there were significant differences among districts by size, fiscal capacity, and recent population change. Small school districts reported higher rates of inadequate buildings, low sinking fund rates, little bond debt, and little confidence that bond issues would be successful. K-12 school buildings were reported only in small districts, usually districts experiencing population decline; most buildings were 40-90 years old and contained uncomfortable and obsolete classrooms. The inequity resulting from dependence on property tax for funding of school facilities construction means that poorer districts do not have the potential to construct or upgrade facilities. Statewide recommendations are outlined. 9p.

Legislation enacted in 1991 called for a comprehensive assessment of Idaho school facilities and established the Statewide School Facilities Needs Assessment Committee. This resulting report identifies the nature and extent of Idaho school facility needs. The assessment included an inventory of all school facilities used for instruction; an inventory of technology used by the schools; and an assessment of the physical condition of the schools, including suitability for educational purposes, ability to accommodate new technology, accessibility, and adaptability for alternative and non-traditional uses. In addition, the assessment calculated the capacity of existing permanent school buildings relative to current and projected enrollment using conservative but realistic space use criteria. Cost estimates were prepared covering repair, renovation, and modernization of existing buildings; adaptation of buildings to effectively use new technology; and provision of additional space to appropriately house existing enrollment. Future enrollment in Idaho schools was also forecast to provide an indication of the extent of future facility needs. In accomplishing the assessment, the Committee developed a comprehensive database of information which was provided to the Department of Education for its maintenance and continuing use, along with a computer model to estimate space needs. (Appendices contain assessment-related materials.) 433p.

This handbook is a step-by-step guide through all phases of a facilities condition inspection and helps the facility manager to assess the functional performance of school buildings and infrastructure. In addition, the book provides information on how to quantify maintenance deficiences,summarize inspection results, and present the audit findings for improved funding for capital renewal. 102p.

This educational facility evaluation manual contains the overall building condition rating form and the supporting check