Details square-foot costs for a variety of educational projects incorporating lighting and heating innovations that meet LEED criteria. Many of these projects also reflect sustainable design concepts such as the utilization of regional resources, as well as the use of recycled and renewable materials. The volume also includes unit-in-place costs and regional cost adjustment factors.

Presents square-foot construction costs based on a wide variety of actual construction projects. Costs are presented in the context of actual conditions such as special requirements, historic district settings, work-arounds, and budget constraints. Also included are regional cost modifiers illustrating differences in labor and equipment rates in over 200 metropolitan areas, a case study for each project type, breakout of costs into Masterformat divisions, illustrations, and historic trends in the cost of key materials along with overall construction inflation rates. 190

Reviews the behind schedule state of school construction under Cleveland's current bond issue. Efforts to catch up include elimination of some project from the original program. A short glossary of construction management terms is followed by reports for each of nine segments of the master plan. Good budget performance in some segments will offset poor performance in others. 14p.

Considers the cost of incorporating sustainable design features into projects, building on the work undertaken in the earlier paper "Costing Green: A Comprehensive Cost Database and Budget Methodology" (2004). This 2006 report looks at developments that have occurred over the past three years, as sustainable design has become more widely accepted and used. The report indicates no significant difference in average costs for green buildings as compared to non- green buildings. In many areas of the country, the contracting community has embraced sustainable design, and no longer sees sustainable design requirements as additional burdens to be priced in their bids. Data from this study shows that many projects are achieving certification through pursuit of the same lower cost strategies, and that more advanced, or more expensive strategies are often avoided. Most notably, few projects attempt to reach higher levels of energy reduction beyond what is required by local ordinances, or beyond what can be achieved with a minimum of cost impact. 25p.

Compares the sizes and costs of Indiana school building projects to national costs and sizes for 2005 and 2006, revealing that Indiana's costs decreased, even though the volume of projects remained nearly static. Tables illustrate the state's new construction and additions costs and costs per square foot for elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as comparing these costs to national averages. 9p.

Presents the findings of a group of representatives from Californias governmental, educational, legal, design, and construction communities recently detailing why construction costs are so high for kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) educational facilities and community colleges in California. Reasons for these high costs including economic conditions, competitive construction market conditions, increases in the number and complexity of designs, seismic requirements, and legal restrictions for project delivery and contracting processes. The report also identifies initiatives to lower costs without sacrificing public and educational objectives, including broadening the choices for project delivery and contracting, as well as collaboration to standardize design and construction. 27p.

This webpage features videos of a series of investigative reports concerning the Los Angeles Unified School District's notorious Belmont High School, sited on a former oil field, halted during construction, partially demolished, and ultimately renamed and completed as "Vista Hermosa High School."

Presents an evaluation of school construction costs in Wake County, North Carolina, by comparing them to those from three other North Carolina districts and to those in four districts with comparable population growth and demographics in other states. The report focuses on school design criteria, construction management, and delivery methods, examining specific cost components of site development, building materials, and building systems while comparing facility model square footages and programmatic components. The data gathered from the comparison districts was normalized through time and location indexes in order to provide the comparisons from one school district to the next. 69p.

Measures the cost effect of PLA's using data on construction costs for 126 schools in Massachusetts between 1995 and 2003. The regression results show that PLAs raise the cost of school building by between $12 and $20 per square foot, or by between 9 and 15% of total costs. This is in line with anecdotal evidence on the PLA effect. However, a study by Belman et al. (2005), using fewer (70) observations but a fuller econometric specification, found no statistically significant PLA effect. The authors argue this imprecision is due to the small sample, and propose that in this case the larger sample with fewer variables is more revealing than a smaller sample with more variables. 9p.

Compilation of a list of 50 sustainable design strategies for school projects that are cost-effective, including overall concepts, community, site design, daylighting and windows, building shell, electrical systems, mechanical systems, recycling and environmentally-sound materials. 6p.

Examines financial considerations of "green" building across many building types, with one chapter each devoted to the practice in higher and K-12 education. Current attention to and financial advantages of green building in education are considered, as are obstacles and ways to overcome them. 62p.

Compares the sizes and costs of Indiana school building projects to national costs and sizes for 2004 and 2005, revealing that Indiana's costs were 40.4 percent higher than the national average in 2005. The report also examines the statewide impact of school construction debt on taxpayers and analyzes the types of school construction and distribution of construction costs. 12p.

Presents the results of an audit of the County's school construction program that offered 11 major conclusions in regard to program management and oversight by the school system administration and board of education. The auditors reviewed in particular detail perceived problems including an understated needs assessment, approval of projects for which there was inadequate budget, performance by the program manager under its contract, and a school system policy of allocating to each school cluster 40 percent of its 10-year assessed needs and allowing it to decide how to use the funds. The report also provides 19 recommendations relating to policies, processes, contracting, staffing, systems, communications and best practices. 75p.

Based on findings in a sample of 117 schools in New York, it was found that the presence of a PLA increases a project's base construction bids in that state by $27 per square foot (in 2004 prices) relative to non-PLA projects. The figure was obtained after adjusting the data for inflation, using an index that includes the trend in both construction wages and in materials costs, and differences in construction costs between the 68 counties in New York, using the regional cost factors from the New York State Education Department's Facilities Planning Office. Findings show that the potential savings from not entering into a PLA on a school construction project range from $2.7 million for a 100,000- square-foot structure to $8.1 million for a 300,000-square-foot structure. Given ongoing budget constraints and the uncertainties of revenue forecasts, the report recommends that New York policymakers and taxpayers should carefully consider these substantial additional costs when determining whether PLA's are best for school construction projects in their towns or school districts. 18p.

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.

Describes the conversion of Phoenix's vacant 1950's-era Maryvale Mall into an elementary and middle school. The project yielded a construction cost of $65 per square foot, and the new schools, along with the community services they housed, helped spur an urban renewal of the depressed Maryvale neighborhood 6p.

Offers advice from twelve facilities experts to help enhance stewardship of campus facilities design and construction. Topics covered include the high cost of building a better university, design decisions and the campus image, facilities master plans, building codes, making a business case for sustainability, paying for the architect's mistakes, green building design, and design decision- making for total cost of ownership. 105p.

Discusses controlling the budget as the essence of construction management, with particular attention to school construction projects. Once every activity, material, and risk is quantified into a dollar amount, tracking financial expenditures is the primary function of those in authority. The focus is school building construction, however, for a complete analysis the industry should not be viewed in a vacuum. Therefore, the social environment, such as illegal aliens, teachers unions, and whistle blowers are topics. 302p.

This study of eight school projects revealed that total features that enhanced sustainability added from 1.83% to 5.06% to project cost, with an average of 3.19%. However, significant incentives from utility companies and the state department of energy lowered that figure to -.5% to 3.33%, with an average of 2.38%. When the life cycle of the buildings were included, the average benefit of sustainability features was nearly eight times initial costs. Energy savings above code requirements ranged from 22.82% to 35.12%, with an average of 30/12%. 56p.

This paper compares two common inflation measures, the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) and the producer price index (PPI) for finished goods, against a variety of PPIs for construction materials and groupings of materials. Many key categories such as diesel fuel, gypsum products, and copper and brass have seen double-digit price increases in 2004 and 2005. The global building boom strained supplies of key construction components and may continue to produce large increases in demand for a wide variety of building components in the future. Conditions such as hurricanes and regulations on trucking also impact construction activities.

Documents the financial costs and benefits of "green" schools compared to conventional schools, with specific reference to Massachusetts. This review of 20 schools nationwide demonstrates that "green" schools cost 1.5 to 2.5% more to build, but provide financial benefits that are 10 to 20 times as large. Individual sections discuss energy savings, emission reduction, water and wastewater impacts, construction and demolition waste, and health and learning benefits. 72p.

Proposes a design-build process for schools, in order to have a more efficient and cost effective plan when designing construction projects for new buildings and renovations. The first stage of the development phase included identification of ideas, techniques, and recommendations as well as resources, personnel and strategies determined to be effective in this study. Once these factors were determined, a committee structure was designed. The second stage of the development phase was to select a joint planning committee which represented eight areas of construction projects. The structure identified in this project included setting up a schedule of four meetings. The first meeting introduced the concept. The second meeting introduced the design- build document and evaluation questions. The third meeting discussed the document and the fourth meeting included acceptance of the document. The final stage was field testing of the model by the local community college on three different construction projects. The results of field-testing the design-build construction specification model for three projects were successful and construction was completed on schedule. The college saved a significant amount of money on all projects by using the design-build specification. 106p.

Provides school construction cost guidance for the State of Georgia. The estimates include square foot costs for new elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools, with breakout figures for classrooms, media and labortory rooms, and physical education facilities. Costs for administrative areas, kitchens, cafeterias, and restrooms are included as a single set of figures, regardless of school type. Also included are guidance on renovation and major modification costs. Maximum architect fees and contingencies are supplied for each category of construction. 4p.

Provides guidance for federal environmental requirements in construction and development process, with advice on how to recognize the federal environmental requirements and factor in the associated expenses for the project, designate the responsible party to fulfill these requirements, file the necessary paperwork, perform the required activities, obtain the essential permits and identify additional sources of information to help implement these requirements throughout your project. Part one of the guide presents background information on environmental requirements for the construction and development industries, with a checklist to help assign environmental responsibilities. Part two contains seven self-audit checklists that help construction companies evaluate their compliance status in these seven areas once the project has commenced. 255p.

Reports that the state's method for calculating prevailing wage rates on public construction increased project costs between 7 and 10 percent. Currently, the state of Minnesota uses a "modal" calculation, where the rate that is most frequently reported in a survey is designated as the "prevailing" wage. According to the study, Minnesota's modal method of calculating the prevailing wage rate increases the likelihood that large-scale, collectively bargained wage rates become the prevailing wage, because these rates tend to be uniform within a specific job class. The study found that in 26 of the 32 counties where state building projects were located, federal prevailing wage rates were set entirely from union rates. MTA examined 34 school district construction projects, 57 state building projects and 247 state transportation projects, with total project costs of more than $1.7 billion, concluding that "Minnesota would have experienced estimated savings of $126 million to $171 million of total project costs in 2002 if the state had substituted median wage rates for current state prevailing wage rates." 39p.

Provides detailed national, state-by-state, and district-by-district outlook at the K-12 school market for architects, consulting engineers, planners, environmental consultants, and contractors. Analyzes the dynamics that are driving the market and reports on the latest nationwide trends. The report includes detailed profiles of the K-12 school market in each state, including enrollment projections, construction spending data, contact information for the largest districts, and a market analysis. Available in a national or seven regional editions.

Presents the results of a survey of the largest 500 school systems in the U.S. that discusses top issues in construction management, trends in school construction, master planning practices, funding, project management practices, commissioning, prototype schools, and sustainability. 26p.

This book is devoted specifically to the needs of professionals responsible for the maintenance, construction and renovation of commercial, industrial, municipal, and institutional properties. This reference provides immediate access to costs associated with facilities construction and renovation, plus many common maintenance items, with more than 40,000 unit price line items. 1,200p.

Compares the sizes and costs of Indiana school building projects to national costs and sizes, examines the statewide impact of school construction debt on taxpayers, presents historical data on Indiana school construction, and establishes benchmarks for local officials to use in guiding their own projects. The data is divided into figures for new buildings, additions, and renovations. 9p.

Reports that the state currently targets school construction funds for anticipated growth districts, but not to relieve overcrowding. Even though the 2002 Critically Overcrowded Schools (COS) represents progress, the report maintains that districts contending with fiscal and administrative restraints are at a disadvantage in competing for the funds. The report defines the problem of overcrowded schools, explains the funding gap, cites barriers to addressing school overcrowding, and makes recommendations for removing them. 24p.

Discusses the makeup and qualifications of members of a value engineering team for school construction. A construction manager is recommended, and his/her qualifications and duties detailed. Also recommended is the use of in-house maintenance staff to execute small changes to the plans, rather than submitting change orders with the contractor. 3p.

Argues for small schools in three ways. First, analysis of more than three thousand construction projects shows that smaller schools are no more expensive to build than much larger schools. Second, analysis of the budgets of 25 good small schools throughout the United States demonstrates that on average they spend less per student on educational program, maintenance and operations than the per-pupil expenditure in their districts, yet they achieve results that are equal to or better than schools in the same area. Third, these schools offer innovative and effective educational programs, facilities, and strategies for cost effectiveness that can serve as models to people interested in cost-effective good small schools. Appendices contain contact information, budgets, test scores, a strategies grid, a list of criteria for school selection, and 30 references. The accompanying website www.goodsmallschools.org supplements the written report, and contains many documents from the schools and links to additional resources. 66p.

Introduces the steps and sequence of planning, designing, and delivering a capital project. The six stages of the project delivery process (planning or pre-design, schematic design, design development, construction documents, construction administration, and occupancy) are covered in order, with emphasis on the pre-design phase, where non-architects are the most involved. A glossary is included, as are appendices which explain how to interpret architectural drawings, suggest further reading, and categorize design services. Includes 30 references. 128p.

Presents the results of a study of Connecticut school construction projects from 1996-2002, showing how these agreements that mandate union labor added almost 18%, or $30 per square foot, to project costs. The history, current regional and national use, and pros and cons of PLA's are covered, as is the research methodology and 33 references. 18p.

Uses data on building costs to compare the cost of constructing green buildings with buildings housing comparable programs, but do not have sustainable goals. Costs for different specific measures and technologies are compared, and a budgeting methodology that provides guidelines for developing appropriate budgets to meet the building program goals and include sustainability are presented. Includes cost analysis of academic buildings, laboratory buildings, and library buildings 27p.

This table illustrates the breakdown of total capital outlay spending for education facilities from 1919 to 2000. It includes figures on: 1) Capital Outlay; 2) Interest on School Debt; 3) Capital Outlay as a % of total education spending; 4) Interest on School Debt as a % of total education spending; and 5) Capital Outlay & Interest as a % of total education spending.

Advises school board members on a variety of school condition and construction issues, including the impact of facilities on student achievement, how to get started with capital improvements, new construction versus renovation, project management, selecting design professionals, key components of school design, "green" construction, financing, and typical legal problems of school construction. 186p.

Investigates the impact of project labor agreements on school construction cost in New England. In contrast to prior research, which applied very leanly specified cost models to secondary data, this study explores more sophisticated models using a rich data set on school characteristics collected by the authors to control for the increased complexity inherent in PLA-built schools. The results indicate that while simple models exhibit large positive PLA effects, such effects are lacking in more complete models. The results suggest that the PLA coefficients in simple models are capturing the increased complexity, and cost, of school projects built under PLA's. 32p.

Written for decision-makers in school buildings, district offices, and boards, this book outlines the major aspects of school maintenance and renovation, with a focus on cost-effectiveness. Chapters include: 1) How Schools are Funded; 2) Organization of Maintenance, Engineering, and Operations Staff; 3) School Board Policies for Maintenance and Operations; 4) Administrative Process--The Paper Chase; 5) Capital Improvement and Maintenance Planning; 6) Cost Maintenance; 7) Deferred and Preventive Maintenance; 8) Emerging Role of Technology; 9) Contract Maintenance--External Management Service; 10) Regulatory Aspects of Maintenance and Operations; 11) Cost-Effective Procurement Processes; 12) Deciding to Renovate; 13) Planning the Educational Program; 14) Selection of the Architect; 15) What the Architects Does; 16) Renovation Funding; 17) Alternative Funding Plans; 18) Bidding and Contractor Selection; 19) School Operating During a Renovation; 20) Bringing Closure to the Project; and 21) The Price of a Good Education. 200p.

Explains the value of total masonry construction in K-12 schools for the purpose of reduced life-cycle costs, safety, and mold resistance. A discussion of the importance of the building envelope, testimonials, a comparison of total masonry and tilt-up construction, and an explanation of the systems, costs, and properties of total masonry construction are provided. 58p.

Covers the building and renovating process from initial planning, needs assessment and design through move-in. The “Planning and Design” section features guidelines for developing planning documents and selection of the design team, green design standards and technologies, integrating computer and building automation technology, security equipment and design approaches and cost issues, and the special design considerations of specialty spaces. “The Construction Process” section covers estimating and monitoring project costs, the role of a project manager and project team, and construction contracts and schedules. Also included are case studies of recently completed school projects, square foot cost models for elementary, middle, and high school facilities with costs for individual building components such as classrooms, auditoriums, labs, administration areas, gyms, libraries, and swimming pools. 412p.

This provides a detailed review of how school construction decisions — whether to renovate existing buildings or build new, greenfield facilities — are made in Michigan and their effect on development patterns. The report aims to help school officials, community leaders, homeowners, and parents evaluate the full cost of new school construction or renovation. It recommends changes in state policy that, if implemented, will capture the economic and cultural benefits of renovating older schools or building new ones in town. 20p.

Discusses research indicating that agreements binding construction clients into union contracts added$18.83 to the bid cost and $16.51 to the actual per square foot construction cost in the Boston area in 2001. Historical backgrounds, justifications for, and state and federal treatments of project labor agreements are included. 14p.

This publication recommends that school districts include a legal plan in every school construction project. The author discusses negotiating agreements with the project architect and construction manager early on; exercising due diligence in selecting the project team; determining proper levels of professional liability insurance; clarifying legal issues with the architect and the construction manager; predetermining methods of dispute resolution; reviewing non-technical contract provisions in bid packages; developing surety bonds for bid packages; and exercising care in handling non-responsible bidders, bid errors, and contractor disputes. The publication concludes that properly applying these measures can significantly increase the chances of completing a school construction project on time, within budget, and without litigation. 8p.

This report provides national estimates on energy needs and expenditures of U.S. public school districts. The survey provides estimates of Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 energy expenditures, FY 2001 energy budgets and expenditures, and FY 2002 energy budgets; methods used to cover energy budget shortfalls in FY 2001; and possible reasons for those shortfalls. The survey also explored the cost-saving measures that school districts took in FY 2000, FY 2001, and FY 2002. Finally, the survey examined the extent to which the chief financial officer of the school district (or other district respondent) perceived the school district succeeded in reducing energy usage and cost per unit. The nationally representative sample of approximately 1,000 regular school districts was selected from the 1999–2000 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Universe file. 87p.

This study analyzes the K-12 and higher education construction markets, which made up 18% of the nonresidential construction market in 2002. Information is organized by school type, state/region, and type of construction (new/remodeling). Contact information for owners, architects, contractors and approximately 6,000 education facility managers is provided. Also provided are historical activity levels and projected growth rates for the respective market sectors. [Price: $8,000]

Reviews useful documents from the California Office of Public School Construction and several "feature projects" that illustrate recent school facility planning ideas and design solutions approved by the Division of the State Architect and the California Department of Education. Examples of prototype school plans, developer-built schools, and design-built schools are highlighted. 59p.

This guide is intended to help those involved in school construction to better understand the process to ensure the project is successful for everyone. Eight sections walk the reader through the school construction process from project planning to project turnover. The Guide covers site selection, funding alternatives, design, and construction. It explains the roles of the participants, various methods of project delivery, and highlights the unique nature of school construction. 110p.

Reports on a five-year study of the effects of exempting school construction and renovation projects from the state's prevailing wage law. The study found indications of $487.9 million in aggregate savings, an overall savings of 10.7 percent. Evidence was not available as to the portion of the estimated savings, if any, that could be directly and conclusively attributed to the prevailing wage exemption. A general satisfaction on the part of the users indicated that the exemption did not appear to have decreased the quality of school construction either. The exemption did not appear to have much impact on construction wages, as school construction accounted for a small percentage of construction activity, construction workers do not specialize in school construction only, and demand for construction workers has been high since the exemption went into effect. 79p.

This guide introduces the community to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools budget and explains how it works. The guide is for parents, voters, taxpayers, residents, and students. The guide describes the two main types of school funding, operating and capital. It looks at where the money comes from; explains the various ways operations money is spent on staff, transportation, maintenance, food service, and special programs; tells how bond money is being used for new construction, renovation, upkeep, technology, and other projects; looks at what the budget buys; and enumerates ways to take action. Includes resources for more information. 32p.

This publication summarizes research on the educational and social benefits of small schools and the negative effects of large schools on students, teachers, and members of the community, as well as the "diseconomies of scale" inherent in large schools. It asserts that research shows that measuring the cost of education by graduates rather than by all students who go through the system suggests that small schools are a wise investment. Using data drawn from 489 schools submitted to design competitions in 1990-2001, the publication concludes that small schools can be built cost effectively and that many districts are doing so. 31p.

This publication helps communities reduce the costs of maintaining, building, and renovating good, small schools. It includes specific strategies that rural communities have used to reduce the costs of their small schools. It begins by suggesting factors to consider before starting to plan a school facilities project, such as understanding the resistance to small schools that many administrators and legislators may have, and also understanding the importance of examining and questioning state policies. It continues by providing a total of 13 strategies for reducing costs including the importance of good maintenance and siting and using renovation instead of resorting to new construction. The book ends with an extensive list of resources for further information on the strategies.

Focuses on the specific question of whether or not the application of prevailing wage regulations raises costs, and if so, how much. New public school construction in Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan over the period 1991 to 2000 is examined. 16p.

Discusses the adequacy and availability of state assistance for K-12 school construction in Vermont. Stated concerns include the annual obligation for expenditures exceeds the amount of capital bill funding; current state law reimburses a fixed 30% of allowable costs which is inadequate, and no readily available source of funds for long-term school construction needs. A school construction study discusses financial equity, state funding outlook, statutory priority system, fast growing districts, school facilities conditions, and technical education centers. 42p.

Undergraduate course guide on recreational facility grounds maintenance standards. Includes analysis of funding levels, maintenance service objectives, public partnership considerations and a guide to levels of maintenance suited to different types of outdoor facilities, including per/acre maintenance cost estimates. 10p.

This document is intended to be a "cookbook" of the numerous elements that collectively influence the cost containment of school construction projects. Each element is meant to indicate an action in the process that the school district should pay attention to and ensure is properly accomplished. The elements influencing cost containment are detailed in five categories, each representing one of the basic phases of a project: (1) pre-design; (2) design; (3) bid and award; (4) construction; and (5) occupancy. (Contains a glossary of terms.) 20p.

This publication describes Florida school and community college facilities completed in 2000, including photographs and floor plans. The facilities profiled are: J. R. Arnold High School (Bay County); Falcon Cove Middle School (Broward); Floranada Elementary School (Broward); Lyons Creek Middle School (Broward); Parkside Elementary School (Broward); Plantation Elementary School (Broward); Forest Ridge Elementary School (Citrus); Corkscrew Middle School (Collier); Doral Middle School (Miami-Dade); Dr. Carlos J. Finlay Elementary School (Miami-Dade); Felix Varela Senior High School (Miami-Dade); La Villa School of the Arts (Duval); Peter B. Davidsen Middle School (Hillsborough); Lawton Chiles High School (Leon); Marjorie G. Kinnan Elementary School (Manatee); William Monroe Rowlett Magnet Elementary School (Manatee); Madison Street School of Basics Plus (Marion); South Elementary School (Okeechobee); Endeavor Elementary School (Orange); Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School (Palm Beach); Coral Reef Elementary School (Palm Beach); Heritage Elementary School (Palm Beach); Lake Shore Middle School (Palm Beach); Village Academy Elementary School (Palm Beach); Chasco Elementary and Middle School (Pasco); J. W. Mitchell High School (Pasco); Sunray Elementary School (Pasco); Perkins Elementary School (Pinellas); Woodlawn Beach Middle School (Santa Rosa); Brookside Middle School (Sarasota); Lawton Chiles Middle School (Seminole); John Evans Elementary School (Seminole); Millennium Middle School (Seminole); Bartram Trail High School (Saint Johns); Pedro Menendez High School (Saint Johns); Branford Elementary School (Suwannee); Freedom Elementary School (Volusia); Riversprings Middle School (Wakulla); Washington County Middle/High School (Washington); William Schildecker Science Building (Daytona Beach Community College); Kenneth P. Walker Health Science Hall (Edison Community College, Lee County Campus); Betty P. Cook/Nassau Center (Florida Community College); Student Service Building (Polk Community College); Oviedo Campus (Seminole Community College); Public Service Academy (South Florida Community College); and a new classroom building (Valencia Community College, Osceola Campus). 97p.

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 concludes with some information on factors that influence the cost of construction once the design is complete and background on construction materials. The next section of the paper, "Current Conditions," looks at what school systems and the state are doing related to construction. The third section of the paper highlights specific findings about the construction process and the current state activities related to school construction. In the final section of the paper, various alternatives are presented related to construction materials and techniques, costs of construction, construction management and delivery, and contractual issues that could improve school construction in the state of Georgia. 20p.

This report describes the history of St. Ignatius, a small school district in western Montana, and reveals how it defied conventional wisdom that school construction was a stress-filled and expensive experience by building and then expanding their middle school under budget and with greater control. Use of a project manager who would serve as a district employee along with a district team made up of the superintendent, maintenance staff, and trustees to control each phase of the project is described. 15p.

This report details the results of a comprehensive inquiry by New Jersey into one aspect of school construction, the repair and replacement of roof systems, which represents the single most expensive and integral component of a school's physical structure. The investigation began in late 1997 after confidential complaints suggested abuse in the re-roofing of public schools. Investigation revealed evidence of widespread cost-gouging; unscrupulous bidding practices; contract manipulation; questionable design, installation, and inspection procedures; and other abuses. The probe was statewide in scope, involving a review of 115 separate roofing projects in 39 school districts across 13 counties. Projects carried a total taxpayer investment of more than $37.8 million. Key findings fall into five major areas: conflicts of interest/professional misrepresentation, manipulation of public bidding and contracting, questions of safety, inadequate oversight, and improper labor practices/payroll violations. The report discusses the proper school roofing process and how it is subverted, offers a case study of Edison Township school district, provides roofing project summaries for several districts, describes a model roofing project, and provides recommendations. 176p.

This report provides national data for 903 U.S. public elementary and secondary schools on the condition of public schools in 1999 and the costs to bring them into good condition. Additionally provided are school plans for repairs, renovations, and replacements; data on the age of public schools; and overcrowding and practices used to address overcrowding. Among the findings are: about a quarter of the schools reported at least one type of onsite building in less than adequate condition; half reported at least one building feature in less than adequate condition; and about 4 out of 10 reported at least one unsatisfactory environmental condition. Data also suggest that the oldest schools are most in need of attention but that many of these schools do not have plans for improvement. About three-quarters of public schools do not have problems with overcrowding, but nearly 10 percent have enrollments that are more than 25 percent greater than the capacity of their permanent buildings. 118p.

This document presents a 50-state estimate of the need for school modernization in the United States along with recommendations. Key findings show the total funding need for public school modernization is $321.9 billion; and that total funding needed for public modernization varies dramatically across states, ranging from $50.7 billion (New York) to $333 million (Vermont). Recommendations offered for addressing the problem include some states using their current budget surpluses for immediate, productive investments in school modernization; more federal assistance to modernize; adequate funding for teacher education to take full advantage of technology; and state level need assessments and action planning. Appendices provide data tables, a school modernization needs assessment questionnaire, data collection matrixes for school modernization needs assessment, calculation of unmet funding need for education technology, descriptive statistics, and state assessments of school infrastructure and education technology and related materials. (Contains 62 references). 64p.

Sets forth best practices and strategies for constructing or modernizing school facilities. Developed through a series of workshops, it identifies some of the key issues and processes that inflate construction costs, and suggests how to avoid them. The recommendations are organized under the categories of joint use, site selection, consultant relations, contractor relations, state agencies, construction, prototypes, and project delivery. 107p.

A General Accounting Office report examines how states and local school districts have been dealing with the issues facing their public school facilities: (1) the trends since 1990 in elementary and secondary school construction expenditures and how these expenditures were divided between land, buildings, and equipment; (2) trends since 1990 in the amount of expenditures for elementary and secondary schools construction by type of school and type of construction; and (3) the amounts and mix of state and local funding for elementary and secondary school construction. Data show a 39 percent increase in elementary and secondary school construction annual expenditures. Most of the increase was for new buildings; expenditures for equipment such as heating and air conditioning systems only slightly increased during the 8-year period. It also reveals most of the construction expenditures was for construction of primary schools and high schools, and most of the contract spending for new facilities and additions to existing facilities, with less being spent on renovations. Fifteen states provided little or no funding in 1998-99. Appendices provide the scope and methodology of the research, statistical tables, and comments from the Department of Education. 33p.

This booklet provides best practice recommendations for building functional and frugal schools in Florida. Seventeen best practice construction recommendations are addressed, including recommendations for sitework, concrete, masonry, metals, wood and plastics, thermal and moisture protection, doors and windows, finishes, equipment, furnishings, mechanical and electrical, and technology systems. Application procedures are also provided for design professionals to have their design evaluated and designated as a "SMART School Design." A final document is included that lists guidelines for partially determining a school's inclusion as a "SMART School Design." 41p.

This publication describes Florida school and community college facilities completed in 1999, including photographs and floor plans. The facilities profiled are: Buchholz High School (Alachua County); Gator Run Elementary School (Broward); Corkscrew Elementary School (Collier); The 500 Role Models Academy of Excellence (Miami-Dade); Caribbean Elementary School (Miami-Dade); Jose De Diego Middle School (Miami-Dade); Primary Learning Center X (Miami-Dade); New Old Town Elementary School (Dixie); Bell Elementary School (Gilchrist); Chocachatti Elementary School (Hernando); Anthony Pizzo Elementary School (Hillsborough); Chain of Lakes Middle School (Orange); Lawton Chiles Elementary School (Orange); NorthLake Park Community School (Orange); Oakshire Elementary School (Orange); Wesley Chapel High School (Pasco); Avalon Middle School (Santa Rosa); West Navarre Elementary School (Santa Rosa); Tuttle Elementary School (Sarasota); Vernon Middle School (Washington); Dale Mabry Campus new laboratory/classroom buildings (Hillsborough Community College); Public Service Technology Building (Hillsborough Community College); Seminole Campus-Technology Learning Center Building (St. Petersburg Junior College); and Science Laboratory Building (Seminole Community College). Also included are tables of new facilities contracted in 1999 and the cost of construction for Florida education facilities. 56p.

A collection of papers is presented that address, from a European perspective, the basic aspects of investments in physical educational facilities and important issues in the economics of education. Four themes are covered. The first aims at presenting a state of the art of the economic analysis of educational projects. The second focuses on the contribution of performance indicators in the evaluation of education systems. The third concerns the management of physical resources for education, especially the relationship between school environment and student achievement. The last theme addresses the design and equipment of physical facilities for education. It argues for investments in building human capital, and provides the tools for assessing the rates of return on these types of investments. Final comments focus on facility flexibility: what it is and which requirements it is supposed to meet. 234p.

The Research Council estimates that but for the prevailing wage law, for every eight schools that school districts now build, they could build a ninth at no extra cost. Results are based on a survey of Spokane-area contractors. Compares Washington's school construction costs with costs in Idaho. 8p.

Assess the financial impact of prevailing wage rates on school districts and the state of Pennsylvania. A series of research questions examine the issue from individual construction project to statewide consequences. Twenty-five schools, which had a construction project within the last three years, were randomly chosen from among predetermined economic regions. Both prevailing wage data and “market rates” for each project were collected and input into the model and the effects of any rate variances calculated. The results were extrapolated first to each economic region and then statewide. The result was an estimate of the dollar impact of the prevailing wage mandate for an state school construction activity, measured in terms of higher (or lower) construction costs, local taxes, reimbursement from the Commonwealth and the impact on school district taxpayers. 91p.

In 1997, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry implemented a change in its method of determining prevailing wage and benefit rates, resulting in a reduction in the legally required prevailing rates in many construction trades in much of the state. This report analyzes data to determine if this change in fact lowered the cost of public construction projects. It concludes that this claim is not supported. It asserts, for example, that data on public school construction costs show no strong evidence that Pennsylvania's lower prevailing wages and benefits reduced construction costs charged by contractors performing public works. The report also finds that lower prevailing minimum wages paid to workers have no measurable impact on public construction costs partly because wage declines lead to offsetting declines in productivity. 10p.

Summary data is presented for the following: North Carolina School Construction Cost by Year (1994-1999); North Carolina School Construction Cost by Separate Prime Contract; and Typical Elementary School Project Costs.

The guidelines incorporated in this handbook have been developed to assist Alaskan school districts, their consultants, and communities in evaluating the life cycle cost of school construction decisions. Life cycle cost is defined as the total discounted dollar cost of owning, operating, maintaining, and disposing of a building or a building system over a period of time. 30p.

Handbook for establishing budgets for the following three types of construction projects: new schools or additions; renovations; and combined new work and renovations. The handbook supports a demand cost model computer program that includes detailed renovation cost data, itemized by building systems, to allow for generating specific renovation costs from window replacements to complete interior tear out and remodel. Includes worksheet descriptions for each type of construction project detailed in the program. Also includes a single page summary of the project identification and the estimated project costs. Data tables list statistics on geographic area cost factors, a size adjustment chart, an index of Alaskan construction escalation, and the categories for the type of space added or improved under the Department of Education Instruction CIP Application. 50p.

This study compares school construction costs in states with prevailing wage laws to those in states without prevailing wage laws in the mid Atlantic region; compares school construction cots within Maryland for those local jurisdictions that pay prevailing wages to costs in those areas where prevailing wage rates are not required; analyzes the extent to which local contractors have been harmed by unfair competition from outside contractors due to the absence of prevailing wage requirements on school construction projects; and examines the extent to which the absence of prevailing wage rates in school construction impacts construction wages across the construction industry. 34p.

This report presents findings from investigations of seven public/private partnerships between school districts and the private sector. The report reveals that in all seven cases, school districts encountered significant problems and complications that appear to far outweigh the benefits that these projects' proponents promised to the school districts. Evidence suggests that the Los Angeles Unified School District joint venture operation in particular, being largely unsupervised and virtually unaccountable, engaged in irresponsible, and possibly illegal, behavior by consistently misrepresenting basic facts in order to gamble public funds on highly speculative projects. The report indicates that these abuses have misdirected and squandered millions of taxpayers dollars intended for instructional programs and the rebuilding of the public education infrastructure. 145p.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) offers its own school district data in four areas: enrollment growth; seat capacity; school construction costs; and land acquisition. Also included are data on new school construction, property condemnations, and modernization projects over the past two decades. Appendices provide data on LAUSD enrollment growth and total expenditures by category for all funding in the 1990 through 1998 final budgets. 29p.