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SCHOOL FACILITIES FUNDING OPTIONS -- OVERVIEW
Information on funding methods for public school facilities construction and modernization, compiled by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. 
Recovery Act Bond Finance: Qualified School Construction Bonds.
http://www.commerce.wa.gov/DesktopModules/CTEDPublications/CTEDPublicationsView.aspx?tabID=0&ItemID=7675&MId=484&wversion=Staging Prussing, Mark; Blacker, Roan; Brown, Duncan (Washington State Department of Commerce, Olympia , Jul 31, 2009)
Provides detail on the Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) finance program, as supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. An overview of the program and its mechanics is followed by a comparison of these funds with the Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) and the Build America Bond (BAB) programs. A case study from Broward County (Florida) schools is included. 16p.
Facilities and Construction Money: Where to Find It.
http://www.nsba.org/SecondaryMenu/NationalAffiliates/Webinars/Facilities-and-Construction.aspx (National School Boards Association, Alexandria, VA, 2009)
This webinar is designed to help school board members, administrators, and CFOs take advantage of federal stimulus funding and the current lower costs of materials and labor to build and renovate facilities that enhance learning. Panelists include: Judy Marks with the National Clearinghouse on Educational Facilities, Rachel Gutter of the U.S. Green Building Council, and Sue Robertson, Educational Facilities Planner based in New Orleans and President of Council of Educational Facility Planners International.
Building Minds, Minding Buildings: School Infrastructure Funding Need, A State-by- State Assessment and an Analysis of Recent Court Cases.
http://www.aft.org/topics/building-conditions/downloads/BMMB_Funding.pdf Crampton, Faith; Thompson, David (American Federation of Teachers, Washington, DC , Dec 2008)
Reports on a study that aimed to estimate the current level of school infrastructure funding need in all 50 states, on a state-by-state basis, to compare these estimates to those of a similar 2001 assessment, and to determine the impact of recent court cases that have addressed school infrastructure. The report concludes that the total estimated national need is approximately $254.6 billion, representing a 4.3 percent decrease from 2001. Also examined are the nature and impact of recent court cases that have addressed school infrastructure. Includes major policy recommendations that the federal government assume a strong leadership role and direct funding to states. 82p.
Guide to Financing EnergySmart Schools.
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/energysmartschools/ess_financeguide_0708.pdf (U.S. Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC , Oct 2008)
Addresses common barriers associated with new construction, major renovations, and retrofit projects in high performance schools. The guide summarizes existing methods of financing and looks ahead to innovative, replicable approaches. It supports making a business case for high performance design backed by economic analysis that looks at the costs and benefits of new construction and retrofits over the project's lifetime. It also describes nonenergy benefits that tie energy efficiency and economic feasibility back to the critical mission ensuring a healthy learning environment for students. 36p.
Financing an EnergySmart School.
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs (U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Washington, DC , Jan 2008)
Describes ten creative financing methods that can be used to create an energy-smart school, and includes three case studies. 4p.
School Infrastructure Funding Alternatives.
http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=105241 Andris, Clio (National Association of Home Builders, Washington, DC , 2008)
Examines alternative funding methods for school construction, with each method illustrated by a case study that provides a description and explanation about the financing method, how it has helped solve the school finance problem and the obstacles that the community faced in its implementation. The funding alternative presented are public-private partnerships, tax increment financing, community facilities districts, university partnerships, and new market tax credits. 37p.
What's in a Name? The Decline in The Civic Mission of School Names.
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/cr_51.htm Greene, Jay; Kisida, Brian; Butcher, Jonathan (Manhattan Institute for Public Research, New York, NY , Jul 2007)
Reports on the decrease in schools named after presidents or people in general, and increase of schools named after natural features. This shift from naming schools after people worthy of emulation to naming schools after hills, trees, or animals raises questions about the civic mission of public education and the role that school names may play in that civic mission. Statistics from seven states, representing 20 percent of all public school students, illustrate the decline. The causes for the shift in school names may include broad cultural changes as well as changes in the political control of school systems. Includes 8 references. 9p.
California School Finance System: Facilities Funding.
http://www.edsource.org/iss_fin_sys_facilities.html (California School Finance, 2007)
For the most part, funding for the construction and repair of California's school facilities is separate from funding for operations. The bulk of capital costs are paid for through public bonds. This describes the major sources of facility funds: general obligations bonds; developer fees; facility districts; maintenance funding; and obligations under the Williams settlement.
Comprehensive State Facility Programs.
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/72/91/7291.htm (Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO , Jan 2007)
Summarizes the attributes of statewide school facility funding programs in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming. These programs, typically created as a result of lawsuits, are designed to distribute more school construction funding to low-property-wealth school districts. 3p.
Public School Facilities: Providing Environments That Sustain Learning.
http://www.schoolfunding.info/resource_center/issuebriefs/facilities.pdf Hunter, Molly A. (National Access Network, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, Nov 2006)
This issue brief on school facilities financing policies discusses the obstacles that impair efforts to build and maintain schools that are conducive to learning, including state funding systems that rely heavily on local bonds and provide incentives to build schools cheaply and defer maintenance, and state policies that limit funding specifically for their facilities. This also addresses rising facilities costs, inadequate schools in urban and rural districts, and recent court rulings. 4p.
Naming Rights to Public Schools Sold in Wisconsin [Audio file]
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5510908 Pitrof, Marge (National Public Radio, Jun 26, 2006)
Milwaukee's school district is selling naming rights to everything in sight, from rooms and hallways, to gyms. School administrators think it will be easier to enter into marketing agreements with companies than raise more money from taxes. Marge Pitrof of member station WUWM reports on who might buy these rights, and why.
Where Is the Money? Finding Facilities Funds.
Boggs, Lettie (COLBI Technologies, Inc., Tustin, CA , Apr 2006)
Describes local, state, and federal funding options for school facilities in California. Local funding sources described includes bonds, school facilities improvement districts, developer fees, community facilities districts, parcel taxes, redevelopment areas, certificates of participation, and lease-lease back. State funding sources include the School Facilities Program, State Emergency Repair Program, State Relocatable Classroom Program, Deferred Maintenance, Facilities Hardship, Pre-School Modernization, and Library Bonds. Federal sources include Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB's), E-Rate funds, and brownfields cleanup funds. 13p.
Big-Time Fundraising for Today's Schools.
Levenson, Stanley (Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, CA, 2006)
A fundraising consultant shows school leaders how to move away from labor-intensive, bake sales and car washes, and into the world of major fundraising. Following the model used by colleges and universities, the author presents practical strategies for supporting school finances by pursuing grants and gifts from corporations, foundations, the government, and individual donors. 208
TO ORDER:
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320; Tel: 805-499-9734, Toll-free 800-233-9936http://www.corwinpress.com/booksProdDesc.nav?contribId=536514&prodId=Book229352
Educational Facilities Planning: Leadership, Architecture, and Management.
Tanner, C. Kenneth; Lackney, Jeffery (Allyn and Bacon, Pearson Education; Boston, MA , 2006)
This textbook on educational facility planning and design covers conceptual, descriptive, and applied aspects of the development of educational facilities. The 17 chapters are organized in eight parts entitled: Educational Architecture: History and Principles of Design; Educational Facility Planning, Planning, Programming, and Design of Educational Learning Environments; School Construction and Capital Outlay Activities; Management, Maintenance, and Operations of School Buildings; Legal and Financial Issues in Developing Educational Facilities; Research on the Physical Environment; and Models, Examples and Applications. How-to examples, step-by-step procedures, case studies, and learning activities are included which encourage unconventional thinking, and an applications toolkit includes a procedure for forecasting student populations, supported by accompanying online content containing student population forecasting programs. 437p.
TO ORDER:
Allyn & Bacon, 75 Arlington St., Boston, MA 02116http://www.ablongman.com/catalog/academic/product/0,1144,0205342469,00.html
Building for the Future: The School Enrollment Boom in North Carolina.
http://www.johnlocke.org/acrobat/policyReports/stoops.pdf Stoops, Terry (John Locke Foundation, Raleigh, NC , Sep 2005)
Discusses the inadequacy of even the largest school bond revenues in addressing rapid growth in North Carolina school districts, advising instead that districts employ cost-effective construction, renovation, and maintenance solutions that are taxpayer-friendly and enhance educational opportunities. Public-private partnerships to finance new construction, adapting and reusing buildings, rethinking design standards, revising financing policies for stadiums and sports facilities, building modular schools, and using virtual schools are discussed, as are innovative project management techniques. 22p.
Recommended Policies for Public School Facilities, Section 4: Public School Facilities Funding Policies.
http://www.21csf.org/csf-home/publications/modelpolicies/FacilitiesFundingSectionMay2005.pdf (21st Century School Fund, Washington, DC , May 2005)
Provides policy guidance and recommendations to officials and administrators at the state, local, and school district level to improve facilities funding. Policy recommendations cover long-term funding sources, the scope and form of funding relationship between state and local school districts, funding allocation for school building improvements and/or new construction and alternative financing methods. Best practices examples and a list of resources are also provided. 19p.
The Charter School Facility Finance Landscape.
Page, Barbara; Balboni, Elise; Chae, Clara; King, Katje (Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Educational Facilities Financing Center, New York , May 2005)
Provides a national directory of private nonprofit and public providers of funding and financing for charter school facilities. Based on research and interviews with over 50 charter school stakeholders, the survey includes descriptions of financing products and geographic markets for the 21 private nonprofit providers currently active in the sector. The report also describes two public-private partnerships that have recently been developed in Indianapolis and Massachusetts. Public initiatives are also detailed, including explanations of and awardee information for two federal grant programs, three federal tax credit/bond financing programs, and an listing of state-level funding, loan, and credit enhancement programs currently authorized in the 41 jurisdictions with a charter law. The report includes available web site and statutory references, with active links in the electronic version. 24p.
Capital Financing For Private & Independent Schools.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery (Wye River Group, Annapolis, MD, Feb 20, 2005)
This paper is a primer for school boards and management. It provides a basic overview of the key issues, considerations and options associated with the use of debt by private schools to address facility financing needs. In addition, for a school which has decided to pursue debt financing, it provides basic guidelines for the choice of debt modality and structure depending on that school's finances, type and amount of financing sought and the financial environment at the time of the planned borrowing. The paper discusses tax-exempt and taxable debt, bank loans, publicly-offered and privately placed bond issues and the use of derivative product (interest rate swaps, caps, etc.) in school financings. 34p.
Preparing for a Construction Project.
http://www.schooldesigns.com/constr_PrepConstrProj.html (American Institute of Architects, Washington, DC , 2005)
Briefly discusses creative use of school bond funds, public/private partnerships for school construction, prototype schools, and the value of design services in school construction. 3p.
Urban Innovation: Cypress Hills Community School, Brooklyn, NY
http://wwwfaculty.arch.usyd.edu.au/web/future/globalstudio/papers/Vega_Adkins_Winston.pdf Adkins, Ray; Jaya-Vega, Maria; Winston, Perry (UIA Congress, 2005)
Describes a community ownership non-profit lease model for purchasing and renovating an existing building for a 400-student school. This paper by the project manager, parent co-director, and architect illustrates the collaborative approach to community development, and suggests lessons for community facilities in other settings. It describes organizing the school, searching for a site and funding, transforming the building, and lessons learned. 8p.
School Bond Guide.
http://www3.ksde.org/leaf/guidelines_manuals/school_bond_guide/2004_bond_guide.pdf (Kansas State Department of Education, Topeka, KA, 2004)
The purpose of this booklet is to serve as a guide to the Kansas statutes relating to the issuance of school bonds and the construction of school buildings. Statutory citations are provided. Samples of forms that may be used to develop a school bond program are included. 46p.
National Spending on Capital Outlay. Spending on Capital Outlay and Interest on School Debt: 1919 to 2000 (Local, State and Federal)
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/49/94/4994.htm (Education Commission of the States. Data from the Digest of Education Statistics 2002, published by the National Center for Education Statistics, 2003. , Feb 2004)
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.
Facilities Financing. New Models for Districts That Are Creating Schools Now.
http://www.lisc.org/content/publications/detail/811/ Hassel, Bryan; Esser, Katie Walter (Education Evolving: A Joint Venture of the Center for Policy Studies and Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota , Feb 2004)
This report outlines innovative ways school districts are meeting their facilities needs outside the traditional sources of facilities financing. Non-traditional funding strategies include private development of public school buildings, partnerships with employer-based schools, direct borrowing on the private market, and sale or lease of existing school facilities. Cost-saving solutions include space-sharing with community agencies or with higher education, and educating outside the school building using community resources or distance learning. New institutional solutions include establishing real estate trusts and intermediaries. Included are specific examples of how districts are implementing these strategies, and a list of additional readings on these topics. 16p.
Maryland Public Education Facilities Act. Senate Bill 736
http://mlis.state.md.us/pdf-documents/2004rs/fnotes/bil_0006/sb0736.pdf (Department of Legislative Services, Maryland General Assembly, 2004)
"This bill establishes the Maryland Public Education Facilities Act to: 1) encourage the use of alternative financing mechanisms, private capital, and other funding sources for the construction and improvement of public school facilities; 2) accelerate and improve the financing for qualified education facilities; and 3) provide public and private entities with the greatest possible flexibility in contracting with others." Includes descriptions of the provisions concerning issuance of tax-exempt municipal bonds, procurement methods, use of surplus land, and model procedures and recommendations. 6p.
Need Space? School-Facility Public-Private Partnerships: An Assessment of Alternative Financing Arrangements.
http://www.edfacilities.org/pubs/appleseed.pdf (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities; Appleseed Foundation, Washington, DC , 2004)
Examines a variety of options for public-private partnerships in school facilities financing. Methods of structuring the debt and partnering for construction are illustrated with case studies. Issues with state and local governments are cited, along with ideas for creative occupancy partnerships and the prudent management of facilities created by these partnerships. 23p.
School Building Assistance Program[Massachusetts].
http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/sbuilding/ (Massachusetts Department of Education, 2004)
Massachusetts' School Building Assistance program is designed to help communities undertake important school building projects
by having the state assume a significant portion of all costs associated with the construction of new buildings and
the renovation of (or major additions to) existing buildings. This describes the law and regulations, provides reimbursement rates, a priority list, and administrative advisories. Includes a series of informational items.
School Construction Handbook.
(Pennsylvania School Boards Association, Mechanicsburg , 2004)
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.
TO ORDER:
Pennsylvania School Boards Association, P.O. Box 2042, Mechanicsburg, PA, 17055; Tel: 717-506-2450 http://www.psba.org/bookstore/publicationcategory.asp?cid=36
The Finance Gap: Charter Schools and Their Facilities.
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/scmsAdmin/uploads/001/117/FinanceGap.pdf (Institute for Education and Social Policy, Steinhardt School of Education, New York University; The Educational Facilities Financing Center of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , Jan 2004)
This study examines the facilities experiences of charter schools in fourteen states and the District of Columbia, jurisdictions that house 75 percent of the nations charter schools. The findings substantiate and detail the belief that facilities are the number one hurdle for charter school developers. Researchers conducted over 100 interviews with representatives of public schools, including charter schools and charter school networks; federal, state and local public education officials; representatives of public school advocacy groups, partners, and resource centers; and representatives of the real estate and finance communities. This report documents the shared experiences of charter schools with innovative financing mechanisms, private sector involvement in facilities financing, and the use of instructional revenue for the repayment of debt. It also offers recommendations for public and private sector participants. [Authors' abstract.]
68p.
No Place to Learn: California's School Facility Crisis.
http://liberty.pacificresearch.org/docLib/20070206_facilities.pdf Billingsley, K. Lloyd (Pacific Research Institute, San Francisco, CA , Jan 2004)
Describes the state's difficulty building schools, due to bureaucratic delays and regulations that drive up construction costs. A plan for reform is proposed that includes exemptions from the state's Field Act, a single-payer system which provides grants to districts, reduction of Field Act staff and consultants, conversion of administrative facilities to classrooms, elimination of class-size reduction requirements, year-round schooling, no universal preschool, encouragement of developer-built schools, elimination of prevailing-wage laws, encouragement of home schooling, expansion of charter schools, and school choice. 57p.
Overview of Alternative Funding.
http://mlis.state.md.us/other/education/public_school_facilities_2003/ Lever, David (Maryland General Assembly, Annapolis , Oct 02, 2003)
Presents an outline of alternative school funding, including a description, pros, and cons for each. The methods described are impact fees, excise taxes, sales taxes, proffers, grants and donations, lease/purchase arrangements, performance-based contracting, public-private partnership, commercial development schools. Also included are descriptions, pros, and cons of the five project delivery methods: Construction Management, Construction Management At-risk, Design-Build, Job-Order Contracting, and Finance-Design-Build. 10p.
Case Study: North Santiam School District.
http://egov.oregon.gov/ENERGY/CONS/SB1149/Schools/docs/ Hardy, Catherine (Oregon Office of Energy, Salem, Feb 2003)
Oregon's North Santiam School District stretched $350,000 into $1.2 million to upgrade antiquated school buildings by implementing energy-saving lighting, heating, and control projects, thereby qualifying for Oregon's SB1149 public purpose funds, and by using a tax credit pass-through option, made possible with a partnership with Nike, an Oregon-based shoe, apparel, and sports equipment manafacturer. 5p.
School Construction: Building a Better Schoolhouse.
http://www.effwa.org/pdfs/Construction.pdf (Evergreen Freedom Foundation, Olympia, WA., 2003)
This discusses several innovative ways to fund school construction using public-private partnerships, including municipal/capital lease plans, operating lease plans, a service contract structure, and a satellite concept.
This is section of the "School Director's Handbook" which addresses a range of issues of interest to school directors, teachers, and parents and are intended to promote discussion about educational alternatives. 6p.
Monetary Resources for K-12 Sustainable School and Public School Construction in California.
http://web.archive.org/web/20060902040811 Bhatt, Shweta; Bartholomy, Panama (California Department of General Services, Division of the State Architect, Sacramento, CA, 2003)
This is a compilation of resources and contacts for school districts and public building officials to refer to in the process of greening their facilities. The incentive programs are organized by the following media: energy, water, materials efficiency, siting, green building, landscaping, and transportation. Addiitonally, programs within each media are alphabetically organized by their sponsors in the following order: Federal, State, Local, Utility, and Private. 14p.
Saving America's School Infrastructure. Research in Education Fiscal Policy and Practice.
Crampton, Faith E., Ed.; Thompson, David C., Ed. (Information Age Publishing, Greenwich, CT , 2003)
This book addresses funding for school facilities. Contents of section 1, "Overview and Scope of the Problem," are: (1) "Unmet School Infrastructure Funding Need as a Critical Educational Capacity Issue: Setting the Context" (Faith E. Crampton); (2) "Financing School Infrastructure Needs: An Overview across the 50 States" (Catherine C. Sielke); (3) "Canadian Approaches to the Financing of School Infrastructure" (Vivian J. Hajnal); and (4) "Financing Captial Facilities in Higher Education" (Mary McKeown-Moak). Section 2, "Current Challenges to Funding of School Infrastructure," contains the following chapters: (5) "Capital Needs and Spending in Urban Public School Systems: Policies, Problems, and Promises" (James G. Cibulka and Bruce S. Cooper); (6) "Funding School Infrastructure in Rural America" (Jeffrey Maiden); (7) "Infrastructure Funding Considerations and Students with Disabilities" (William T. Hartman); (8) "School Finance Litigation: One Strategy To Address Inequities in School Infrastructure Funding" (David C. Thompson and Faith E. Crampton); (9) "Funding Technology versus Bricks and Mortar: Can We Have It All?" (Faith E. Crampton, Janis M. Hagey, and Kathleen C. Westbrook); and (10) "Should Principals Be Involved in School Renovations?" (Brian O. Brent and Marie Cianca). Part 3, "The Future of School Infrastructure Funding," contains the following chapter: (11) "Striking a Balance in School Infrastructure Funding" (David C. Thompson). 270p.
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Information Age Publishing, 80 Mason St., Greenwich, CT 06830, Tel: 203-661-7602http://www.infoagepub.com
Financing School Facilities.
(Association of School Business Officials International, Reston, VA , 2002)
This report is the result of research investigating school facility issues, assessing the scope of the problem, and making recommendations to the membership of the Association of School Business Officials International. Each of the following three areas are examined: the construction of new facilities and the renovation or expansion of existing one; payment for accumulated deferred maintenance in existing facilities and adequate maintenance of facilities in the future; and financing of the future depreciation of existing and new school facilities and equipment. The report recommends changes in policies, statutes, regulations, and laws in order to properly address all three areas, including specific proposed actions for the states. Concluding comments suggest that the school districts with the lowest taxing abilities are the ones with the highest levels of deferred maintenance and that facilities continue to be predominately a local concern. The report acknowledges that while there is not enough money to improve all the schools within a state, school business officials must be more creative in their search for financial mechanisms to help solve the problems, coordinate their efforts, and lobby effectively. (Contains 17 references.) 16p.
TO ORDER:
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, 4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706; Tel: 717-794-3800; Toll free: 800-462-6420http://www.rowmaneducation.com/Catalog/
Fiscally Responsible Debt Policy for School Building Purchases/Renovations
http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=4910 (This text is part of the larger publication: The Six Habits of Fiscally Responsible Public School Districts by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Dec 2002)
A debt policy is a formal document governing when, how, for what purposes, and to what extent school districts (or other government agencies) may issue debt. A sound debt policy offers many benefits to schools that want to better manage their capital improvement programs. Districts should engage in competitive bidding for the actual building and site as well, but instituting an effective debt policy can save a school district literally millions of dollars. This describes a set of debt policy elements that are remedies to costly problems, government regulations, or are Wall Street requirements.
Building a Third Way on School Construction. Getting Past a Broken-Down Debate to Fix Broken-Down Schools.
http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm Mead, Sara (Progressive Policy Institute, Washington, D.C. , Nov 2002)
This policy report reviews the history of the six-year debate over the federal role in school construction that continues to be centered on the details for various tax credit proposals, including whether or not Davis-Bacon wage requirements would apply to these projects. This also discusses the difficulties charter schools have accessing
facilities financing due to their brief operating histories, length of charters, and a high risk factor. This report makes two suggestions: 1) break the link
between charter facilities aid and school construction and fund the so called Carper-Gregg initiatives, which authorize federal funds to serve as credit enhancement and to match state charter school facilities funding; and
2) establish State or Regional Infrastructure Banks as a broad federal approach to school construction.
6p.
Innovative Methods to Fund Public School Construction.
http://mlis.state.md.us/other/education/public_school_facilities/102802_other_States.pdf Rawlings, Lisa (University of Maryland, School of Public Affairs, College Park , Oct 2002)
Describes three non-traditional methods of funding school construction: 1) construction/leaseback, where developers build schools and lease them to the school system, but retain ownership; 2) local incremental sales tax option for schools (LISTOS), where local jurisdictions levy a sales tax, with a portion of the revenue being contributed into a fund for needier jurisdictions which lack the sales base for such a program; 3) innovative partnerships, where systems join with other community or commercial interests to create learning spaces. 8p.
Early Returns: Tax Credit Bonds and School Construction.
http://www.ppionline.org/documents/School_Construction_0902.pdf Mead, Sara (Progressive Policy Institute, Washington, DC , Sep 2002)
A small federal program piloting tax credit bonds to support school construction, the Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB), has existed since 1997--providing evidence of how tax credit bonds could work. This paper analyzes the results of QZABs to date. The report concludes that, in the absence of more substantial federal assistance, QZABs play an important role in helping needy districts build and maintain school facilities, even though they are not the most effective long-term solution to the problem. The report recommends that the QZAB program, with some modifications, be continued while encouraging Congress to enact a more robust, durable school construction program focused on flexible and accessible initiatives. For example, state infrastructure banks, a promising remedy to the core problem of capital access for public schools, should be explored to replace current tax credit bond programs. 10p.
Revitalization by Design: A Guide for Planning and Implementing School Improvement Projects through School-Community Partnerships.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Davis, Stephanie, Ed. (State of Maryland, Public School Construction Program, Baltimore , Jun 2002)
This manual is intended to be used by parents, teachers, school administrators, students, community organizations and residents as a guide to identifying, planning, implementing, and maintaining large- and small-scale school improvement projects. Its sections address: (1) key terms and concepts; (2) types of school improvement projects; (3) creating the school improvement partnership; (4) planning a school improvement project--getting started; (5) planning a school improvement project--design; (6) school improvement project implementation; (7) marketing and promoting a school improvement project; (8) findings funds and volunteers; (9) school improvement project tools (preliminary school assessment tool, consensus tool, site selection tool, implementation planning tool, fundraising plan tool); and (10) case studies of a small project (Bladensburg High School sign) and a large project (Shadyside Elementary School master plan). 24p.
TO ORDER:
State of Maryland, Public School Construction Program at 410-767-0617.
Decentralisation and the Financing of Educational Facilities.
(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Programme on Educational Building, Paris, France , 2002)
The OECD Programme on Educational Building and the Spanish Ministry of Education organized an international seminar in Toledo, Spain, from February 22-25, 2000, devoted to the procedures for financing educational facilities. The participants came from a number of OECD countries and for the most part play an active role in the provision and management of educational facilities. This report examines how investment in educational facilities raises questions of financing which can lead to privatization and to increased decentralization in management and planning. For example, in Mexico, financing school infrastructure is defined in an environment of federalism. In Quebec, preschool as well as primary and secondary education regroup the public and private sectors. In France, financing educational building was transferred to the regional and local authorities, giving them increased responsibility. Finally, the European Investment Bank presents its experience in the areas of financing and evaluation of educational infrastructure. 204p.
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OECD Publications, 2 rue Andre-Pascal, 75775 Paris Cedex 16, France.http://www.sourceoecd.org/
Innovative Financing Solutions: Finding Money for Your Energy Efficiency Projects.
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/business/COO-CFO_Paper_final.pdf (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star Program, Jan 2002)
This describes how performance contracts and tax-exempt lease-purchase agreements may offer practical solution when no money is available for energy efficiency projects. It provides clear financial reasoning and cost modeling, as well as some case studies. 11p.
Capital Financing for Independent Private Schools.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Quinn, Kevin G.; Doherty, Robert F.; Wienk, Christopher O. (Wye River Capital, Inc., Annapolis, MD , 2002)
This PowerPoint presentation contains summary materials from a presentation by Wye River Capital, Inc. of Annapolis, Maryland, on capital financing for independent private schools. The main sections of the presentation address: (1) overview of the capital financing process; (2) tax law considerations for tax-exempt financings by private schools; and (3) key quantitative considerations in a capital financing for a private school. 39p.
School Fees.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Bowie, Alexander (Bowie, Arneson, Wiles & Giannone, Newport Beach, CA , Oct 11, 2001)
This paper explains that California school districts are charged with significant and varying responsibilities in both the requirements they must follow to adopt the amounts of Statutory School Fees and/or Alternative School Fees, as well as accounting for and reporting detailed
information regarding the Reportable Fees they actually collect. It provides guidance in fulfilling these requirements and suggests that although the individual processes can seem overwhelming, each process should be approached and undertaken separately, while keeping in mind the overall purpose of the combination of the processes and requirements. In addition, enlisting the assistance of consultants and legal
counsel will assist in satisfying the applicable requirements, although school district staff should remain highly involved in each process. Similarly, coordinating with consultants to prepare the Fee
Justification Studies, School Facilities Needs Assessments, and related updates may provide school districts with the opportunity to incur less consulting costs, while school district staff may primarily rely on internal efforts to complete the Annual Reporting and Five-Year Reporting requirements. In this manner, all school districts may strive to more easily comply with all applicable reporting requirements in an efficient, thorough, and timely manner. 20p.
New Tax Law Boosts School Construction with Public-Private Partnerships. The Heritage Foundation Backgrounder
No. 1463.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Taxes/BG1463.cfm Utt, Ronald D. (The Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC , Aug 2001)
This report describes a provision in a tax bill implemented in June 2001 that allows towns and cities to build public
school facilities faster, better, and less expensively by forming public-private partnerships with qualified real estate investors and
developers. Private sector investors can fund construction, then lease the facilities to public school systems at annual costs below
the costs communities would incur if they built the schools themselves. Benefits of public-private partnerships include more timely
school construction, lower costs through competition, and savings through maximum use of school facilities. Communities benefit
from off-hour use of school facilities (e.g., for day care services, supplemental education programs run by private organizations,
adult education programs, civic events, and religious events). Because the concept of public-private partnerships for school
construction and ownership is flexible, various other innovative subcontracting arrangements could be devised to help address a
community's educational and service needs (e.g., using the partnership approach to acquire state-of-the-art music facilities, to
upgrade cafeteria kitchens, or to improve sports facilities). The report presents experiences with such partnerships in Canada, the
United Kingdom, and the United States. It describes partnership schools as alternatives to smart growth restrictions. 10p.
School Construction. Policy Report.
http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm Mead, Sara (Progressive Policy Institute, 21st Century Schools Project, Washington, DC , Jun 2001)
This paper discusses the policy and political issues surrounding school construction, and it illustrates how infrastructure banks would work to address this challenge. The paper explores the problems of overcrowding and crumbling schools, details the struggle many communities and States have in expanding their efforts to solve these problems, and reviews the policy and political issues within the current school construction debate. The author argues for the establishment of State or regional school construction infrastructure banks to help capitalize and leverage State and local resources and ensure customization and flexibility for the variety of schools that exist. The paper also explains how school infrastructure banks are the most efficient vehicle that the federal government can use to empower States and communities to address their new facilities issues. The report includes 14 endnotes. 12p.
Building Outside the Box: Public-Private Partnership: A Strategy for Improved Public School Buildings.
http://www.21csf.org/csf-home/Documents/Oyster/Building_Outside_Box.pdf (21st Century School Fund, Washington, DC , 2001)
This publication describes the creation of a new school building for James F. Oyster Bilingual Elementary School in Washington, DC. Despite the success of its academic program, the school's 70-year-old building had become unsafe and unsuitable for teaching and learning and was threatened with closure in 1993 because of the district's fiscal crisis. This publication discusses how the 21st Century School Fund, working with the Oyster Community Council (the school's PTA), the local school restructuring team, the principal, and neighborhood residents, formed a
public-private partnership that saved the school and increased city revenue. The District of Columbia agreed to divide the school property in half to make room for a new school and a new residential development. They also agreed to dedicate property taxes and revenue from the sale of the land to repay a revenue bond. In exchange, LCOR, the private developer of the new 211-unit apartment building, agreed to design and build a new school and repay the Oyster revenue bond. 8p.
TO ORDER:
21st Century School Fund, 2814 Adams Mill Rd., N.W.,Washington, DC 20009; Tel: 202-745-3745http://www.21csf.org/csf-home/
Cash Management: A Financial Overview for School Administrators.
Jones, Enid Beverley (Scarecrow Press, Lanham, MD, 2001)
This book is a succinct overview of public school finance, blending theoretical concepts and factual information. The information on basic school procedures includes the budgeting and financing of school facilities. One chapter covers the concepts of adequacy and equity. 144p.
Philanthropic Support for Public Education in the Southwest Region
http://www.sedl.org/pubs/cha98/ Born, Laurie; Wilson, Dave (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, Austin, TX, Dec 2000)
This report examines the relationship between philanthropy (gifts and grants provided by private foundations and business concerns)and public schools in five states -- Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The study describes how much support goes to public schools; how it is distributed; who gets the money; for what types of activities; which are the most active grant makers and what are their characteristics; and the role SEDL can play in providing research-based information or other services for philanthropic organizations. The study found that philanthropy for K-12 public education is growing, but also that the
realities of grant makers' priorities, varying philosophies, and charter restrictions establish a
context in which the distribution of funds is erratic, dollars don't necessarily flow to districts that
have high concentrations of impoverished students with poor academic performance, and
anomalies can have unintended consequences. Further, it appears that schools are most
successful in gaining philanthropic support from local donors for coherent, strategic initiatives
and/or when the schools have staff with assigned responsibility for fund-raising.
Innovative School Facility Partnerships: Downtown, Airport, and Retail Space. Policy Study No. 276.
http://www.reason.org/ps276.html Taylor, Matthew D.; Snell, Lisa (Reason Public Policy Institute, Los Angeles, CA , Dec 2000)
This document examines three locations that schools have utilized in partnership with private enterprises to help ease school overcrowding: downtown areas, airports, and malls. The downtown model serves students whose parents work in a downtown area. The mall model targets high school students who want an alternative education with job training. The airport model provides a school with space on airport grounds so that students of airport employees can attend school. These initiatives help local school districts save funds that would otherwise be used to construct facilities, freeing up resources for other district needs. Students benefit from smaller class sizes and unique educational opportunities afforded to them by the school location and interaction with local businesses. Students and parents also benefit from the creative scheduling that the schools offer by working around the parents' schedules.
19p.
Financing School Facilities.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery (Governor's Education Reform Study Commission, Education Facilities Committee, Atlanta, GA , Nov 28, 2000)
The purpose of this paper is to provide information regarding the financing of Georgia school facilities in the past, the current method of financing needed school facilities, and possible alternatives for providing the financing needed for school facilities in the future. The methods used and the level of state funding for school facilities in other states allow a comparison of Georgia's Capital Outlay Program to the capital outlay programs available in other states. The responsibility for financing school facilities in Georgia has been shared by the state and local boards of education, using both state and local revenue sources. An examination of the appropriate balance between state and local obligation for capital expenses is a focus of this paper. Additionally, since local school systems vary in their ability to finance school facilities with local revenue sources, alternative formulas are considered for taking that variation into account in the distribution of state capital outlay funds. 32p.
Financing Facility Improvements for Out-of-School Time and Community School Programs. Strategy Brief. Vol. 1 No. 4.
http://www.financeproject.org/Publications/Brief4.pdf Flynn, Margaret; Kershaw, Amy (The Finance Project, Washington, DC , Aug 2000)
This strategy brief presents general principles and strategies for financing facility improvements and highlights five examples of innovative strategies, including: (1) accessing school construction dollars; (2) using grants and donations; (3) accessing low-cost debt; (4) engaging partners to jointly develop facility improvement projects; and (5) generating revenue through the tax and building codes. These strategies illustrate the importance of thinking broadly and creatively about the range of resources available in the community, combining financing strategies appropriate to project objectives, engaging a variety of public and private sector partners, leveraging funds from non-traditional sources, and persevering through long and intensive planning and implementation processes. 20p.
Building America's Schools: State Efforts To Address School Facility Needs
http://www.nga.org/cda/files/000620SCHOOLNEEDS.pdf (National Governor's Association (NGA), Education Policy Studies Division, NGA Center for Best Practices; Washington, DC , Jun 14, 2000)
This document provides summaries of each state's activities to address their shortage of school buildings by supporting school construction. It reveals that 11 state subsidize, reimburse, or match local funding for construction projects; 10 states have an established formula for determining the amount of state funding each school district receives; 6 states have established a new agency to oversee school construction with the state; 5 states provide low-interest loans for low-income school districts to help support their school construction efforts; and 4 states require the Governor and the state legislature to approve all school construction projects prior to state funding being made available. Contact information for each state is included. 15p.
Modernizing Our Schools: What Will It Cost?
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/16/66/53.pdf (National Education Association, Washington, DC , May 2000)
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.
Fixing Our Schools Now! Qualified Zone Academy Bonds: A New Approach to Financing School Renovation and Repair.
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/fixschools/fixschools.pdf Riley, Richard W.; Frost, Susan ; Brennan-Gac, Patricia (U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC , Apr 2000)
This booklet examines the Federal government's Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABs) system for helping school districts carry out needed school renovations and repairs, discusses why QZABs are good ideas for school districts, highlights eligibility criteria, and provides basic funding information along with state allocations for 1998 through 2000. A school deputy superintendent and a financier provide their perspectives on using QZABs, followed by profiles of QZAB programs to illustrate how school around the country are utilizing QZAB funds. Final sections list state contacts where information related to QZAB issues can be found; a list of cities, counties, or other areas that contain Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities; and responses to frequently asked questions. 69p.
School Facilities. Construction Expenditures Have Grown Significantly in Recent Years Report to the Chairman, Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/he00041.pdf (General Accounting Office, Washington, DC , Mar 2000)
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.
Report NO: GAO/HEHS-00-41
The Development of Educational Facilities Through Joint Use Mechanisms.
http://www.nsbn.org/case/jointuse/developfacilities.php (New Schools/Better Neighborhoods, Los Angeles, CA , Jan 18, 2000)
This paper was prepared as an outgrowth of a Getty Center symposium sponsored by New Schools Better Neighborhoods (NSBN) and its partner organizations in May 1999. The subject of joint use, generically meaning the development of K-12 education facilities in combination with other facilities such as parks or libraries, was broached at the Getty Symposium as one of several means of accelerating and enhancing new school construction. Accordingly, a working group was formed under the guidance of NSBN with the charge to research, evaluate, and formulate recommendations regarding joint use. This is the first in a series of products prepared by the Joint Use Working Group. The paper is an overview of the subject and a point of departure for further study. It discusses the benefits of joint use, such as additional student housing, cost savings, and community enrichment programs and services, as well as its constraints, such as conflicting or non-aligned goals of the partners, operations and maintenance issues, and regulatory constraints. Also explored are themes of joint use, such as the school district as community developer, leveraging community goals, and adaptive re-use of existing structures. 7p.
Building for the Future: A Guide to Facilities Loan Funds for Community-Based Child and Family Services.
http://www.financeproject.org/Publications/facility.htm Sussman, Carl (The Finance Project, Washington, DC , Jan 05, 2000)
This guidebook assesses the feasibility and potential impact a specialized lending program might have on the capital needs of community-based child and family services. It explains the need for quality facilities and how physical space can affect child care quality and the program's impact. Also described are the problems associated with capital loans for these services and examines how facilities loan funds directly improve access to credit and how they can have broader indirect impact on the level of capital investment in community programs. Types of loan funds are examined, as are the characteristics of a lender's capital structure, lending policies, several start-up strategies, and capitalization loan strategies used by other institutions. 34p.
Estate Strategies: A Guide to Good Practice.
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2000/00_04.htm (Higher Education Funding Council for England, Bristo , January 2000)
This guide explores key points in the development and execution of estate strategies for institutions of higher education, including discussions on the benefits of an estate strategy; a list of self- assessment questions to consider; a breakdown of the strategy process, roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders; and the estate strategy format. Use of working groups and consultants is discussed as are the responsibilities of external partners and collaboration between institutions. The examination of the estate strategy format includes sections on strategic objectives; estate data; performance assessment; future requirements, problems, opportunities, and proposals; options evaluation; and implementation. Appendices provide a sample estate strategy, advice on measuring practice, a list of the Higher Education Funding Council for England's estate strategy advisory group, estate strategy development frameworks, and technical estate data. 63p.
Report NO: HEFCE-00-04TO ORDER: HEFCE Publications Northavon House Coldharbour Lane Bristol BS16 1QD Telephone 0117 931 7438 or 7339 Telephone 0117 931 7436 (answerphone) Fax 0117 931 7463 E-mail hefce@hefce.ac.uk
Making Space for Children: A Toolkit for Starting a Child Care Facilities Fund. Starting Points: Meeting the Needs
of Our Youngest Children.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Kershaw, Amy (Carnegie Corp., New York, NY., 2000)
To address the growing demand for high-quality child care, many communities are seeking to develop
specialized child care facilities funds to build new, and improve the quality of existing, child care programs. This toolkit is
designed for policymakers, nonprofit leaders, child care providers, and others interested in increasing access to high-quality
child care through the development of a child care facilities fund. The kit is organized around six sections. Following an
introductory section, Section 2, "Why Start a Child Care Facilities Fund?" presents basic information about how child care
facilities funds can help meet the growing demand for high-quality child care. Section 3, "Getting Started," describes some of
the initial steps needed, including convening a committee of stakeholders, understanding the facility needs in the community,
establishing goals and priorities, and identifying potential partners. Section 4, "Designing Your Facilities Fund: Structure,
Funding, Products, and Services," lays out some of the design considerations for starting a child care facilities fund and
includes a list of funding sources, information regarding fund administration, eligibility considerations, and what types of
expenses should be funded. Section 5, "What Can You Do?" describes some options that stakeholders can use to support,
promote, or lead efforts to start up, design, and operate a child care facilities fund, including specific suggestions and
examples for government agencies, elected officials, banks, philanthropies, parents, providers, and others. Section 6 provides a
list of publications and organizations that may be helpful in starting a facilities fund, including a brief description of facilities
funds from around the country. A glossary of child care and facilities financing terms is included. 39p.
Improving Rural School Facilities: Design, Construction, Finance, and Public Support.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ Dewees, Sarah; Hammer, Patricia Cahape (Appalachia Educational Laboratory, Charleston, WV , 2000)
Most rural school districts face similar issues as they consider new facility construction, renovations, or additions. These issues are how to gain public support for funding, how to make the best use of local resources, how to design buildings that meet a variety of community needs, and how to design facilities that optimize instruction and use of technology. This book contains seven edited papers presented at the National Working Conference on Improving Rural School Facilities, held in Kansas City, Missouri, in March 1998. The papers are: 1) "Trends and Issues Affecting School Facilities in Rural America: Challenges and Opportunities for Action"; 2) "Financing Facilities in Rural School Districts: Variations among the States and the Case of Arkansas"; 3) "Preserving Heritage While Restoring and Improving Facilities: A Rural Community's Experience"; 4) "Creating Technology Infrastructures in a Rural School District: A Partnership Approach"; 5) "Gaining Rural Community Support for a Bond Issue: A Superintendent's Experience"; 6) "Maintaining Respect for the Past and Flexibility for the Future: Additions and Renovations as an Integrated Sequence"; and 7) "Managing the Rural School Facility Construction Process" 128p.
Special Education Facilities Funding Report: An LAO Report.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Guyer, Christopher (California State Legislative Analyst's Office, Sacramento, CA, 2000)
This report reviews the method and level of funding for special education facility needs in California and
recommends modifications. It begins by summarizing special education programs, describes classroom needs, and finally
discusses past and present facilities funding methods. A discussion of various options for funding special education facilities follows, along with a recommendation for funding new construction and modernization projects. The review found that local authorities should be given the responsibility to provide the facilities required to educate all of their pupils while minimizing
state and local administrative costs; that the grant levels adequately address special education facility needs except for special day classes; that classification of special day class pupils as "severe" and "nonsevere" does not accurately reflect the facility needs of the population; and that a reasonable methodology is needed to provide for new construction and modernization to
Medical Therapy Units. Based on the review, the legislature is urged to: (1) establish a uniform facility grant for all pupils; (2) establish a separate facility grant for county offices of education; and (3) require county offices of education to provide local
matching funds except in financial hardship cases and establish a revolving loan fund to assist county offices in providing local matching funds. 17p
Housing-Leveraged Facilities Finance: A Model for Child Care Centers
http://www.lisc.org/resources/assets/asset_upload_file437_249.pdf Sussman, Carl; Roberts, Buzz (Community Investment Collaborative for Kids, 2000)
This describes financial barriers to feasible early childhood facilities such as low fees and subsidy reimbursement rates and the high costs of child care facilities. The article discusses the California model of housing-leveraged facilities financing as a means of filling the child care equity financing gap. 3p.
Improving Rural School Facilities for Teaching and Learning.
http://www.ael.org/eric/page.cfm?&scope=re&id=210&pub=x Dewees, Sarah (ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools, Charleston, WV , Dec 1999)
This digest examines the problem of upgrading rural school facilities, focusing
on specific rural issues, conditions that interfere with teaching and learning, and new funding
approaches. Almost half of U.S. public schools are in rural areas and small towns. Close rural
school-community relationships may make it easier to make decisions, communicate with the
community, and raise funds for facilities improvement. On the other hand, many rural districts
have financial disadvantages: low enrollments, which diminish available construction money;
lower property values, which lower the potential to borrow money; and high poverty rates.
About half of rural and small-town schools report at least one facility problem. In addition to
deterioration because of age, many rural schools must cope with new requirements for
teaching and learning. These include laboratory classrooms, flexible instruction areas,
multimedia centers, adequate space to accommodate parent involvement and an array of
social and health services, electrical wiring and conduits for computers and other technology,
accommodations for special needs students, and mandated removal of hazardous building
materials. Fixing these problems will be costly, and despite increased school construction
nationwide, rural districts have not kept up with urban areas. In 1997, Congress authorized
Qualified Zone Academy Bonds to make school renovation funding more accessible to poor
school districts. (Contains 18 references.) 4p.
Rebuilding Our Schools Brick by Brick.
http://www.ncbg.org/documents/schoolsreport.PDF Leavy, Jacqueline, et al. (Neighborhood Capital Budget Group, Chicago, IL , Nov 1999)
Explores efforts made and lessons learned by the Chicago, Illinois, public school system in rebuilding its public schools. Chapter one examines the connection between the quality of school facilities and learning, and how new ideas about school design may improve the quality of education. Chapters two and three examine Chicago's experience in repairing its school buildings and alleviating overcrowding. Chapter four and the conclusion look at the extent of the school building crisis, national enrollment trends, and what state and local governments have been able to do to solve their problems. Chapter four also includes case studies on how some of the nation's fastest-growing school districts are dealing with the need to fix their schools, and the innovative financing options that have been tried around the country. Appendices contain statistics on Chicago's public school system and a bibliography. 137p.
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There Are Better Ways. Building Smaller, Safer, Effective and Efficient Public Schools.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Haynes, Doug; Hood, John (John Locke Foundation, Raleigh, NC , Jun 17, 1999)
This outlines new ideas for school construction in North Carolina and describes a model for implementation. Ideas include frugal construction, permanent modular construction, private ownership of new public school buildings, contracting out ownership and management, schools in the workplace, virtual schools on the web, and selling naming rights to sports facilities, 22p.
Hearing on Revenue Provision in President's Fiscal Year 2000 Budget. Testimony before the House Committee on Ways and Means.
http://waysandmeans.house.gov/ Chico, Gery (Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees , Mar 10, 1999)
In an address to the House Ways and Means Committee on the Revenue Provision in the Year 2000 Budget, Gery Chico, President of the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees, discusses four basic characteristics of a good school modernization funding plans and offers observations and recommendations on the two funding proposals currently before the Committee. Attached are photographs renovation work resulting from the Chicago Public Schools Improvement Projects. 9p.
Tax-exempt Bond Proposals To Increase Public Elementary and Secondary School Facilities. Statement Submitted for the Hearing Record, Senate Finance Committee
http://finance.senate.gov/3-3zimm.htm Zimmerman, Dennis (Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, Washington, DC , Mar 03, 1999)
Federal financial support for public elementary and secondary schools has traditionally been minor compared to state-local support; is usually targeted to the disadvantaged, the disabled, system support, and the federally impacted; and does not influence taxpayer choice among capital facilities for different public services. This report addresses the state of public school facilities in the state- local sector and the use of tax-exempt bond proposals that would adjust the current tax treatment of state-local debt to increase federal financial support for school construction. Each proposal is described and its effect on the share of the debt service costs borne by state-local taxpayers. Additionally discussed is each proposal's targeting compared to the targeting of federal on-budget spending for elementary and secondary education. 8p.
How Public-Private Partnerships Can Facilitate Public School Construction.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Education/Schools/BG1257.cfm Utt, Ronald D. (Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC , Feb 23, 1999)
There is a growing number of proposals to develop a federal school construction program that shares the financial burden with local governments for renovating their obsolete school facilities or building new ones. This report examines public school construction today; the efforts to make school construction a federal responsibility; alternatives to federal and state borrowing, and the advantages and benefits of private-public partnerships in school construction in the United States. Concluding comments examine the federal role in school construction and the legislative direction, as well as the risks inherent in establishing such a role. 19p.
Partnerships between Public Schools and Private Developers. An Investigative Report
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Wildman, Scott (Joint Legislative Audit Committee of the California State Legislature, Sacramento, CA , Dec 1998)
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.
Executive's Task Force on School
Construction Financing Alternatives. [Washington]
http://www.metrokc.gov/smartgrowth/schoolreport.htm (King County Task Force on Impact Fees/School Construction Financing Alternatives,King County, WA, Nov 30, 1998)
This report outlines 14 recommendations to the Washington State Legislature for speeding up and streamlining the financing of local school construction. Recommendations include directives to improve investment options for the state's Permanent School Fund; change the state standard for construction cost per square foot to reflect actual construction costs; allow school districts the option to acquire facilities with lease/purchase agreements. Compliance with the state's smart growth objectives and reconsidering the state's reliance upon revenues from the timber trustlands to fund K-12 construction.
Financing Facilities in Rural School Districts
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Hughes, Mary F. (Paper presented at the Invitational Conference on Rural School Facilities, Kansas City,MO , May 02, 1998)
This paper addresses how rural school facilities are financed. It provides an overview of school facilities funding in the United States as summarized by the literature, a mini study of school facilities funding in Arkansas, and comments from practitioners and researchers on the issues presented. It argues that the same equity issues raised on expenditure per pupils and equal educational opportunity should be raised in school facility funding too; and educational quality, including that of school facilities, should not rely on the wealth of the local community. Arkansas, one state that does depend on local wealth for the quality of school buildings, is examined in terms of its great diversity between quality and ability to support school facilities. 32p.
Making Better Decisions about Funding School Facilities
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/13/23/1323.htm Anderson, Amy; And Others (Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO , Apr 1998)
This publication identifies the major decision points for policymakers addressing this issue and the key questions to consider, and provides examples of strategies used by other states. Primary decision points examined are whether the condition and funding of school facilities need attention and the indicators supporting this, how state school facility needs can best be determined, and what the state and local role in paying for school facilities is and through what funding mechanisms. Appendixes list how the various states have funded their school facilities. 15p.
Report NO: PB-98-3TO ORDER: ECS Distribution Center, 707 17th St., Suite 2700, Denver, CO 80202-3427 http://www.ecs.org/ecsmain.asp?page=/html/publications/
Planning for Capital Reinvestment: Alternatives for Facilities Renewal Budgeting.
http://www.ppcg.com/publications/Nacubo%20Paper.doc.pdf Biedenweg, Frederick; Weisburg-Swanson, Lynda; Gardner, Catherine (Pacific Partners Consulting Group , Jan 30, 1998)
Describes and evaluates four alternatives to planning and budgeting for higher education facilities capital reinvestment. The purpose is to help facilities directors, budget officers, and other senior decision makers understand the basic rationale of each alternative as well as the complexities, strengths, and drawbacks. The four approaches to planning and budgeting for facilities renewal reviewed are physical plant auditing, depreciation-based, percentage of current replacement value (CRV), and facility sub-system modeling (also referred to as life-cycle modeling). The paper evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of each approach against three essential criteria: 1) Does the method provide convincing justification for funding facilities renewal? 2) How accurate is the method? 3) What is the cost and effort to implement and maintain the approach? 14p.
State Policies for School Facilities.
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/15/01/1501.htm (Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO, 1998)
The following information summarizes state and district policies for capital construction and debt service in 1993-94, with definitions of several options, including "pay-as-you-go" financing, reserve funds, general obligation bonds, state/local sharing, flat grants, equalization aid, state loans, and lease-rental financing. A table summarizes state-by-state capital outlay and debt service programs.
Child-Centered School Funding.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Block, Michael K.; Flake, Jeffry L.; Gifford, Mary; Solmon, Lewis (Goldwater Institute, Phoenix, AZ , Jan 1998)
This report argues, using Arizona as an illustration, for a market-based school funding paradigm characterized by per-pupil allocations that follow each student to the school of their choice. The report explains what is wrong with the current system, compares the market-based approach to others that have been proposed, and demonstrates how per-pupil funding works in the real world. It argues that the absence of a link between school facilities and educational quality has led to undisciplined costs that will ultimately lead to unsustainable debt. The debate over standards should focus on dollars, not facilities, with the role of the state being as fund provider and letting public school officials to make decisions about facilities. It suggests that the best way to establish the per-pupil dollar standard is to determine how much funding it takes to entice private providers of public education to enter the market. It argues that this dollar amount would allow the vast majority of existing school districts to build new facilities and renovate old ones on a pay-as-you-go basis. Finally, it suggests that public schools should be allowed to seek funding beyond the state provided amount on a voluntary basis. 28p.
Successful Funding Strategies for Facility Renewal
Adams, Matthew C. (APPA, Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, Alexandria, VA , 1997)
This discussion of college and university capital renewal and deferred maintenance
(CRDM) explores issues facing campus managers, presents the successful facilities maintenance
strategies of eight institutions, and gives an overview of the efforts of several Canadian institutions.An introductory chapter gives background information on CRDM in U.S. colleges and universities and identifies some common characteristics of successful programs. It is found that at institutions with staying power, facilities managers garner support from a variety of senior staff, including the president and trustees, raise awareness of the seriousness of the CRDM backlog, and create positive awareness of achievements through public relations. Subsequent chapters detail the strategic planning and implementation strategies of several universities, looking at such issues as institutional funding history, support from the institution's administration and from state officials, institutional autonomy, the planning process, strategies for eliminating the deferred maintenance backlog, and capital improvement plans. (Contains 56 references.) 102p
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APPA, Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, 1643 Prince St., Alexandria, VA 22314-2818.
http://www.appa.org
Quality of Life...Investing in Our Children's Future. The Case for Building and Maintaining Our Public Schools.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery (Associated General Contractors of America, Washington, DC.; American Association of School Administrators, Arlington, VA. , 1996)
This study examines the problem of deferred maintenance in U.S. public schools, including the repair funding required to comply with federal mandates in the next 3 years; the estimated percentage of schools needing repairs listed by state; and the changes in apportionment of state budgets from 1987 to 1994. Public school maintenance funding trends and options are discussed, including lease financing and privatization. A model for passing a bond issue as illustrated through the Coalition for Adequate School Housing (Sacramento, California) is examined. 19p.
Planning and Financing School Improvement and Construction Projects.
Bittle, Edgar H. (National Organization on Legal Problems of Education, Topeka, KS; Education Law Association, Dayton, OH; American Bar Association, Chicago, IL , 1996)
Although a high-quality learning environment is crucial to educating America's youth, numerous studies have shown that the country s schools are in substandard condition. Suggestions and guidelines to help school administrators, business officials, board members, and others interested in improving school facilities are presented in this book. It opens with an overview of the legal and planning issues that school boards face and provides practical insights from a school administrator for planning and implementing capital improvement projects. It also offers an experienced architect's insights concerning the planning process. Financial concerns that school districts face in planning a capital improvement project are covered, as are considerations for complying with the Americans with Disability Act in building or renovating a building. How to conduct competitive bidding is described, and information on public policy is offered. The last two chapters present a detailed summary of the federal tax and securities laws, which govern the marketing of securities for financing capital improvement projects. It is hoped that this information will help school administrators and others understand the requirements of the federal tax and securities laws. 171p.
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http://educationlaw.org/bookstore/catalog
Children in America's Schools with Bill Moyers. [Videotape].Hayden, Jeffrey (South Carolina Educational Television Network, Columbia, SC , 1996)
A 2-hour videotape presentation explores the crisis in school building quality in the United States as illustrated by those public schools found in Ohio; the challenges dilapidated school facilities impose on child health, safety, and the physical learning environment; and the difference that money makes in providing high-quality educational facilities. Through comparisons between well-funded and under-funded schools it reveals how funding inequities create severely unequal school facilities and unequal educational opportunities. The viewer guide explains how current school funding methods result in unequal schools; reviews the lessons learned from attempting to pass bond issues for facility improvement and what can be done to find funding that creates equal opportunities for all students; and discusses the limited access to learning opportunities available through technology and what can be done to help students make full use of technology to help them be competitive in a global, technically rich economy. It also explains how Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system used multiple solutions, including community and business collaborations to upgrade its school facilities. Final discussions explore legal remedies for school facility improvement and eight strategies for getting started in developing school funding opportunities.
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South Carolina ETV Network, P.O. Box 11000, Columbia, SC 29211; Tel: 800-553-7752 (Toll Free)
School Facilities. States' Financial and Technical Support Varies
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov (General Accounting Office, Health, Education, and Human Services Div., Washington, DC. , 1995)
This report examines the role of states in supporting school-facilities improvements. Specifically, the study gathered information about state actions to provide funding, technical assistance, and compliance review to school districts. The report also looked at the degree to which states collect and maintain information on the condition of school buildings. Findings indicate that although the construction of school buildings has traditionally been a local responsibility, nearly all states now have some role in school-facilities construction, renovation, and major maintenance. States' involvement in facilities matters varied greatly in terms of the level of financial and technical assistance and compliance review provided. The amount and type of data collected by states also varied greatly. Overall, the data suggest that while most states provide facilities support to school districts, many states do not play a major role in addressing school-facilities issues. However, the extent of states' involvement also depends on state history and philosophy. 34p.
Report NO: GAO-HEHS-96-27
A Procedural Guide for Planning an Educational Facility.
Logsdon, Gordon B. (Doctoral Dissertation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville , May 1993)
Provides the board of education and administrators with a single document containing information needed to implement an educational facility construction program. The objective is to provide planners with the basic principles of educational planning, to emphasize the relationship between educational facilities and the programs they must accommodate, to show the relationship of human involvement to functional planning of successful educational facilities, and to examine the broad steps necessary to plan and construct new educational facilities. Data for this guide was collected through an intensive search of literature divided into seven major categories: 1) historical background; 2) demographic projections; 3) educational planning; 4) personnel; 5) architect; 6) financing the educational facility; and 7) site selection. 185p.
Report NO: 9334083TO ORDER: Proquest, 300 North Zeeb Road, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106-1346; Tel: 734-761-4700, Toll Free: 800-521-0600, email: info@il.proquest.com http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb
No Room for Johnny: a New Approach to the School Facilities Crisis.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/ Shapell, Nathan, et al (Little Hoover Commission, Sacramento, CA , Jun 30, 1992)
A study was conducted to discover ways to improve California school district facilities improvement
processes so that the state can accommodate the increasing numbers of students projected by the year 2000. This report
presents findings and recommendations that address the following three primary problem areas the state confronts: funding;
process; and policy requirements. The first issue addressed is that California cannot afford to be an endless source for
school facilities spending and that its primary interest in school facilities is to ensure equity for students. The second issue is
that California is micro-managing school construction projects, thus delaying the completion of and driving up the cost of
school facilities. The third issue is that California state policies and requirements are either blocking or not promoting
long-range planning and creative asset management practices for school districts. It stresses that each area hampers districts
at a time when they need to move quickly and decisively to meet the needs of students. A new funding dynamic is
recommended that places California in partnership with districts not able to meet their needs, but still allows them autonomy
over their own schools. 138p.
Decentralisation and Educational Building Management: The Impact of Recent Reforms.
(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, France , 1992)
Examines the legislative and administrative framework within which schools are planned and built, they way in which resources are allocated for their construction and maintenance, and how they are run on a daily basis. Part 1 provides a synthesis of recent developments in five OECD countries--France, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. Diagrams illustrate each country's educational structure. Part 2 presents eight papers, which deal in more detail with aspects of educational planning management, drawing particularly on the Dutch experience. The papers show how the daily operation and management of educational buildings is irrevocably linked to the initial capital investment, and why it is essential to provide adequately for maintenance. Five figures are included. The annex contains a list of issues discussed 87p.
How Public Schools Are Financed.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Wood, R. Craig; Honeyman, David S. (Association of School Business Officials International, Reston, VA , 1991)
After summarizing the philosophy behind the financing of public schools, this
document reviews the division of legal responsibility for education between the state and federal
governments; outlines the state's responsibility for providing an equal educational opportunity for
its residents; and summarizes the use of federal revenues, state revenues, and local tax revenues,
with emphasis on property taxes, to fund public education. Current and recent issues surrounding
the equity of school finance formulas are described, including taxpayer equity, the taxpayer's ability
to pay, and horizontal and vertical equity. Following a brief history of school finance plans, an
overview of three methods used to allocate funds is provided.
Methods of Financing Educational Facilities in the United States.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Thompson, David C. (University Council for Educational Administration, Manhattan, KS , 1990)
In February 1990, special hearings were held by the Kansas Senate and House Education Committees on the physical condition of school facilities. This document offers a three-part synopsis: a brief and selective review of the testimony given in February 1990; an overview of general finance methods; and a state-by-state executive summary of the individual states' facility finance provisions. The testimony argued that for legal, ethical, and economic reasons Kansas should consider assisting districts with their facility needs; more generally, there is a history of litigation that intimates that states may increasingly be held responsible for assisting local districts. In regard to finance methods, capital outlay as an issue of equity has been subjected to three standards: resource accessibility, wealth neutrality, and taxpayer effort. Currently 30 states provide some true grant-in-aid assistance, and 35 states provide either grants or loans. The methods are generally: (1) full state support; (2) equalization grants; (3) matching grants; (4) flat grants; (5) state loans; and (6) building authorities. In the third part, details of individual state methods are provided in alphabetical order by state. (17 references) 20p.
Dollars for Excellence: Raising Private Money for Private Schools--and Public
Schools.
Bunce, Roy K.; Leggett, Stanton (Teach'em, Inc.,Chicago, IL , 1988)
This book was written to help school boards undertake a systematic campaign
of fund raising for schools. The introduction describes the importance of fund raising
that grows out of a school district's long-term goals and current programs. The two categories
of fund raising include event- and donor-centered fund raising. Section 1 presents an
overview of fund raising, including suggestions for identifying potential donors, developing a
scale of gifts, communicating and acknowledging donors, and soliciting contributions. Section 2
offers guidelines for establishing and maintaining a complete institutional-development
program--designing the program; planning for staff, equipment, space, and budget; and installing
and maintaining an appropriate database. A case study describes how a private school
developed a long-range fund raising plan. The third section is devoted to strategies for
specific program management support: managing public relations and publications projects;
organizing events; sponsoring programs; arranging for a specific gift contribution; and
conducting a limited campaign. Section 4 describes the governance of the new school board
and how to conduct an effective long-range-planning process. 292p.
Capital Outlay and Bonding.
Wood, R. Craig (Association of School Business Officials International, Reston, VA. , 1986)
This chapter of "Principles of School Business Management" provides a generic overview of the major tasks associated with financing a school district's large capital programs. The chapter opens with a brief historical review of the limited provisions made for capital outlay prior to the 1960s and of the trends in financing in recent decades. The chapter then examines specific methods used for financing capital projects, including municipal bonds, sinking funds, the use of current revenues, and the formation of holding corporations. 31p.
Guide to Alternatives for Financing School Buildings. A Report.
http://archone.tamu.edu/CRS/engine/archive_files/EFL/6000.0108.pdf (Educational Facilities Laboratories, New York, NY , Nov 1971)
Describes nonconventional methods initiated by school districts to finance new school construction. This guide is primarily designed to assist school administrators. Accompanying the basic information are case studies and charts illustrative of major financing alternatives and the decision-making routes that have led school districts to adopt one approach or another. 43p.
Urban School Construction: A Case Study of Alternative Financing Methods for St.
Louis, Missouri.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery Fitzgibbon, James; And Others (Educational Facilities Laboratories, New York, NY , 1971)
The authors, after discussing the St. Louis school system and its financial history, survey both traditional and innovative construction finance alternatives used across the country. The authors summarize the potential transactions between two groups: (1) a school
board, the city, the State, and the Federal Government; and (2) public corporations, private developers, and money sources. The authors conclude that lease-purchasing plans suggest the most promising solutions to St. Louis' educational facilities needs. 76p.
Facilities Funding Thaws.http://www.nacubo.org/Business_Officer_Magazine/Magazine_Archives/January_2010/Facilities_Funding_Thaws.html Roger Bruszewski; Jung, Sam; Turner, Jeffrey Business OFficer; Jan 2010
Discusses the trend toward public-private partnerships in higher education construction. Privatized housing is highlighted, as are benefits of federal stimulus funds and the tight bond market. Examples of seven creatively funded capital projects are described.
Identifying and Mitigating Sources of School Revenue Erosion.
Prombo, Michael; Dalianis, Ares; Metcalf, Scott School Business Affairs; v75 n8 , p14-16 ; Sep 2009
Advises on how identify and counter threats made to school district revenue by shifts in tax collection. Tax increment financing districts, property tax reduction litigation, property tax abatement, impact fees, and depressed economic conditions are discussed.
School Building in Today's Crisis.
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/54/13/43087001.pdf?contentId=43087002 Blyth, Alastair CELE Exchange; 2009/5 ; Jun 2009
Presents findings from a survey on the effect of the 2008-2009 economic crisis on educational building programs. The survey covered the impact of the crisis on publicly funded projects, the impact on projects funded by private finance initiatives or through a public-private partnership, and the extent to which the crisis has affected the constructionindustry s ability to build schools. A key point One key point emerging from the survey is that although countries are using public sector building and civil engineering construction, including education buildings, as one of the means to stimulate their economies, the primary focus of these initiatives is economic, rather than educational.
Finding Funding.
http://login.asumag.com/wall.aspx?ERIGHTS_TARGET=http%3A%2F%2Fasumag.com %2Fgre en%2Ffinding-funding-green-school-building-200903%2F Butnon, Paul American School and University; v81 n7 , p40,42-44 ; Mar 2009
Identifies sources of funding to help build "green" schools, including federal and state programs, foundation grants, and partnerships with business.
School Facilities and Tax Credit Bonds.
Edelstein, Frederick Educational Facility Planner; v43 n4 , p14,15 ; 2009
Describes the federal government’s Qualified School Construction Bonds, Qualified Zone Academy Bonds, and Build America Bonds. Details of amounts available, eligibility, and links to application instructions are included.
Dougherty Valley High School.
http://www.cashnet.org/members/CASHRegister/2008/NovDecFinal.pdf CASH Register; v29 n11 , p14,15 ; Nov-Dec 2008
Profiles this new California school that was largely financed by the developers of the surrounding community. Sophisticated performing arts and athletic facilities are featured.
Fee Contingent Services.
http://www.cashnet.org/members/CASHRegister/2008/NovDecFinal.pdf CASH Register; v29 n11 , p5,6 ; Nov-Dec 2008
Describes this arrangement between a school district and a contractor soliciting facilities funding on behalf of the district. Various percentage and flat fee arrangements are described, as are their connection to the degree of risk assumed by the contractor.
New Approaches to School Funding.
http://www.peterli.com/spm/resources/articles/archive.php?article_id=1855 Dolan, Thomas School Planning and Management; v47 n6 , p51,52,54 ; Jun 2008
Details a turnkey approach to school construction, simplified by the creation of a nonprofit corporation joining civic, school district, and private entities that then raises funds as a charitable enterprise.
Hard Times, Hard Cuts. (Getting Your Schools Through Tough Budget Times.)
http://www.asbj.com/MainMenuCategory/Archive/2008/May Dillon, Naomi American School Board Journal; v195 n5 , p28-32 ; May 2008
Describes the ways that several school districts are managing during the current economic slowdown, facing declining property tax revenues and increasing expenses. Particular attention is given to many small cuts that are being made in order to save large programs.
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American School Board Journal, 1680 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; Tel: 703-838-6722http://www.asbj.com
Funding for the Next Generation.
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/ms/article.asp?id=8593 Matt, Chris Maintenance Solutions; v16 n4 , p6,8 ; Apr 2008
Discusses the success of Oregon's West Linn-Wilsonville School District in passing school bonds. Each bond issue typically proposes funding for a variety of projects, thus helping to ensure community-wide support.
Growth and Infrastructure Costs: Legal Constraints for Shifting the Tax Burden.
Sutton, Lenford School Business Affairs; v74 n4 , p18,20-22 ; Apr 2008
Reviews legal challenges to property tax formulas to fund schools, with particular attention to actions in California and Florida. Remedies and alternative funding instruments are discussed, including capping of property assessments, lower assessments for long-term residents, and impact fees. Includes 20 references.
Formula for Success: Building an Equation for School Construction.
Willis, Dail School Business Affairs; v74 n4 , p8,10-12 ; Apr 2008
Details the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' technique for prioritizing school capital improvements by means of complex calculations involving demographics, enrollment, facility condition, and type of project. The system promotes equity and helps avoid politicization of the process.
Impact Aid Expanded with Construction Revenue Bond Option.
Livingston, John School Business Affairs; v73 n8 , p32,34 ; Sep 2007
Reviews the creation and make-up of the federal government's Impact Aid program, the revenues from which can be pledged as security for the issuance of bonds. An example of how these funds have been put to work in school construction in Arizona's Whiteriver Unified School District is included, as is advice on considering this process in one's own district.
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Issues and Options in Capital Financing for School Districts.
Remig, Bradley; Sallack, David School Business Affairs; v73 n8 , p21-23 ; Sep 2007
Reviews advantages and disadvantages of bond issues, bank loans, and pooled programs for financing school construction. The recent trends of interest rate swaps, variable-rate debt, and bond sales are also covered.
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Creative Financings.
http://www.peterli.com/archive/spm/1175.shtm Kromm, David School Planning and Management; v45 n8 , p17,18,20 ; Aug 2006
Describes creative bonding procedures including lowering the majority needed to pass a bond so that a district could rebuild tornado-damaged structures, refinancing, paying off bonds early, and using savings from energy-efficient buildings to support bonding capacity.
Using Innovations in Capital Borrowing.
http://asbointl.org/asbo/files/ Rowan, James School Business Affairs; v72 n5 , p26-28 ; May 2006
Describes the advantages of expanded asset pools to help school district fund capital projects. The background of these pools is described, using the example followed in Ohio. The combined borrowing power generated by these pools, their features, and steps for borrowing within these pools are also covered.
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Some New Ideas Are Overcoming School Building Ills
http://www.tricc.org/docs/KiplingerLetter.pdf Steele, Laura Kiplinger Letter; , 2p. ; Mar 2006
Examples of several school districts using innovative financing to build new schools, including a public private partnership arrangement in Greenville, South Carolina. Other methods discussed include naming rights, joint use, impact fees, and increasing sales taxes.
Alternative Finance Stretches Dollars.
http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2006/02/20/story2.html Wagner, Michael Triangle Business Journal; Feb 17, 2006
Describes some forms of taxation and partnerships successfully employed by school systems to finance new schools, and the struggles and failures of others in implementing these same arrangements.
Capital Need: Innovative Financing for New Green School Projects.
Langer, Kenneth Educational Facility Planner; v 40 n 3/4 , p9-13 ; 2006
Describes how projected energy savings associated with new "green" schools can be guaranteed by an energy service company. The guarantee can be used to trigger commercial financing to cover the incremental capital costs associated with the design and construction of the school project. Also presented are various grant mecahnisms that can be used to buy down the incremental capital cost of new "green" school projects. Includes two references.
Innovative Finance.
http://www.peterli.com/archive/spm/941.shtm Moore, Deb School Planning and Management; v44 n7 , p8 ; Jul 2005
Summarizes the use of educational buying cooperatives, energy performance contracting, public-private partnerships, and non-profit foundations in the search for additional funds for school construction and operation.
Schooling's Crumbling Infrastructure: Addressing a Serious and Underappreciated Problem.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/06/15/40mead.h24.html Mead, Sara Education Week; v24 n40 , p30,31 ; Jun 15, 2005
Reviews the poor condition of America's schools, how the situation has not improved since significant coverage of the situation in the late 1990's, and how the condition of school facilities has fallen off the agenda in Washington, to the point that in some cases mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act cannot be accommodated due to dilapidated facilities. Opportunities for federal and nonprofit investment are described, and nontraditional and flexible approaches to school housing are urged.
Primer on School Funding.
Fickes, Michael School Planning and Management; v44 n6 , p20,22,24,26,28 ; Jun 2005
Summarizes state and local school funding sources and the history of direct and indirect federal funding of school construction. Types of federal, state, and private grants are described.
School Property Funding in New Zealand.
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/15/35/36134438.pdf PEB Exchange; v2004/3 n53 , p7-9 ; Oct 2004
Describes New Zealand's school funding mechanism, which allocates to schools a fixed budget drawn from three "pots" of the educational property funding structure. The government's use of accrual accounting along with a five-year property plan gives schools a high degree of certainty regarding property funding available, as well as responsibility for deciding how to modernize their own buildings.
Schools, Developer Partner Up
On Denver Project.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2004/03/24/28stapleton.h23.html Sack, Joetta Education Week; v24 n28 , p1,14-16 ; Mar 24, 2004
What used to be Denver's Stapleton Airport is now the largest current redevelopment project in the country. Stapleton is also a laboratory for creative school financing and planning that offers lessons for other communities. Stapleton developers Forest City Enterprises, Inc. have a partnership with the Denver school system to build better facilities and improve educational offerings for new residents, as well as for those already living in the older surrounding neighborhoods. [Free subscriber registration is required.]
Districts Use eBay to Sell
Old School Buildings, Desks.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2003/10/01/05ebay.h23.html Borja, Rhea R. Education Week; v23 n5 , p8 ; Oct 2003
As schools struggle with budget shortfalls, an increasing number of districts, as well as towns and government agencies, are selling everything from buildings to reams of construction paper on the Internet auction site eBay Inc. The Elm Valley, South Dakota school district, a rural, 225-student system north of Aberdeen, sold their badly aging building for $49,000. [Free subscriber registration is required.]
Private Capital for Public Schools.
http://web.archive.org/web/20071008084930 McLaughlin, John M.; Bavin, G. William The School Administrator; v7 n60 , p28-32 ; Aug 2003
While still in the early stages, public-private partnerships increasingly are providing a viable alternative to address the need for extensive renovation and development of public school facilities. This discusses the Natomas Unified School District in California use of a build-lease agreement, and the partnership with Honeywell to build a new school in Niagara Falls, N.Y.
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American Association of School Administrators, 801 N. Quincy St., Ste. 700, Arlington, VA 22203-1730; Tel: 703-875-0745; Email: magazine@aasa.orghttp://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministrator.aspx
The Search for Security Technology Funding.
http://www.peterli.com/archive/spm/456.shtm Fickes, Michael School Planning and Management; v42 n7 , p32-34 ; Jul 2003
Explains that although it is difficult to find money to pay for school security technology, there are places to look. For example, the Department of Education has a list serve that summarizes various funding opportunities. There is also a Federal Register list serve and a site put out by the Department of Justice. A sidebar presents three questions to ask before purchasing security technology.
Support for School Construction: Blending Sales Tax With Property Tax.
http://asbointl.org/ASBO/files/ Haney, David W.; Schmidt, Mark School Business Affairs; v68 n11 , p34-37 ; Dec 2002
Describes how opinion by North Dakota's attorney general allows school district and city of Jamestown to collaborate in the issuance of bonds for school construction and renovation projects, three-quarters of the revenue for which is raised by a voter-approved city sales tax.
The Shifting Sands of School Finance.
Ramirez, Al Educational Leadership; v60 n4 , p54-57 ; Dec-Jan 2002
Briefly describes history of public-school funding, including tuition and charity-support schools and flat grants. Discusses contemporary school-funding approaches from the perspective of educational equity and educational adequacy: the foundation method, extra funding for poor children, and funding tied to student learning. (12 references)
The State of Funding School Facilities' Needs in the United States.
http://asbointl.org/ASBO/files/ Sielke, Catherine C. School Business Affairs; v68 n11 , p23-27 ; Dec 2002
Investigates variations in state funding programs for school building needs. Includes table of 2001-02 primary state aid programs for school facilities. Also describes use of local voter-approved bond issues to fund local school construction. Includes table of 2001-02 state bond programs, debt limits, and state aid for debt. Discusses emerging funding issues.
Building on the Installment Plan.
Herlong, William American School Board Journal; v189 n10 , p44-46 ; Oct 2002
Describes how Greenville (South Carolina) Board of Education used installment purchase arrangement, coupled with a nonprofit corporation, to finance school construction.
Financing Facilities. Who Pays for School Construction, and How Much? Recent Litigation is Likely to Alter the Landscape of Construction Funding.
Augenblick, John; Silverstein, Justin American School Board Journal; v189 n10 , p40-42 ; Oct 2002
Reviews several issues having implications for the future nature and funding of school construction, including recent state educational adequacy and equity litigation, smaller class sizes, full-day kindergartens, educational technology, and charter schools.
Energy Efficiency in Schools: State Incentive Options.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080617035039 Rewey, Christie National Conference of State Legislatures Legisbrief; v10 n39 , 2p. ; Oct 2002
Several states have enacted incentives to help school districts reduce their exposure to volatile energy prices and save money by being more energy efficient. Primarily, assistance for energy efficiency in schools takes the form of grants or loans. This takes a look at actions taken in California, Indiana, Missouri, Oregon, Iowa, South Carolina, Texas, and Massachusetts.
Capital Financing of Schools: A Comparison of Lease Purchase Revenue Bonds and General Obligation Bonds.
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/ Gamkhar, Shama; Koerner, Mona Public Budgeting and Finance; v22 n2 , p21-39 ; Summer 2002
This article uses Texas as an example of the distinction between lease purchase revenue (LPR) bonds and general obligation (GO) bonds. The study shows that LPR bonds typically have a higher interest cost than GO bonds and do not have advantages over GO bonds in circumventing state restrictions on school district tax and debt authority. Voter approval requirements implicit in the state aid formulae supporting school bond repayments and the bond election requirements, however, are less stringent for LPR than GO bonds, and thus tend to be used by schools in property-poor districts.
Leveraging One of an Institution's Most Valuable Assets. . . The Land.
http://www.appa.org/FacilitiesManager/ Freeman, Alan Facilities Manager; v18 n3 , p25-29 ; May-Jun 2002
Asserts that the land on which an urban campus is built can be a key asset, and describes how San Jose State University made plans to leverage its land to fund needed capital improvements through development of a shared classroom/office complex.
The Viability of Lease Purchases as a Means for Funding School Facilities.
Bunch, Beverly S.; Smith, Tina Journal of Education Finance; v27 n4 , p1049-66 ; Spring-Summer 2002
Examines the use of the lease purchase of school facilities in Texas; provides background on the use of lease purchases by Texas
school districts; describes factors influencing the use of lease purchases
and superintendents' experiences based on survey responses from 50
school districts; recommends careful evaluation of advantages and
disadvantages before using this financing option.
Concern Turns to Preschool Facilities.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2002/01/16/18facilities.h21.html Jacobson, Linda Education Week; v21 n18 , p1,14 ; Jan 16, 2002
This discusses the poor condition of child-care and preschool facilities across the country, and efforts
to bring attention to the issue and new financing to help programs find higher-quality facilities or upgrade their current buildings and classrooms. [Free subscriber registration is required.]
How Public School Districts Can Improve Their Bond Ratings.
http://asbointl.org/ASBO/files/ Casillas, Robert A.; Hamill, Grant M. School Business Affairs; v68 n1 , p11-15 ; Jan 2002
Bond ratings have a substantial impact on a borrower's cost of funds, with the difference between ratings having a potential impact of thousands, if not millions, of dollars on debt service costs. This article provides school district officials background about the rating agencies and the process by which they assign bond ratings. It then discusses initiating a ratings process, describes the ratings meeting, and details how to improve the chances for a higher rating.
Short-Term Effects of State Deregulation on the Adequacy and Equity of School Facility Projects.
Kowalski, Theodore J.; Decman, John C. Education Leadership Review; v3 n1 , p26-31 ; Winter 2002
In 1995, the Indiana Legislature deregulated state controls over public-school construction projects by reducing the status of required specifications to guidelines. Also, local taxpayers were given greater authority to prevent proposed projects. This study examines the short-term effects of this policy shift. (Contains 5 tables and 16 references.)
Meeting Demands.
http://asumag.com/mag/university_energy_management_meeting/ Hashempour, Darr American School and University; v74 n4 , p32-34 ; Dec 2001
Discusses the energy crisis facing today's schools and universities and the alternative funding methods they have used to meet increasing energy costs. The article concludes with several quick, inexpensive, and easy solutions that schools can use to control their energy costs.
Financing School Infrastructure: What Are the Options?
http://asbointl.org/ASBO/files/ Sielke, Catherine C. School Business Affairs; v67 n12 , p12-15 ; Dec 2001
Describes local, state, and federal school infrastructure funding options. Local funding options include bond issues, special local-option sales taxes, and voter-approved mills and sinking funds. Describes use of federal Qualified Zone Academy Bonds.
Creating and Sustaining School Capacity in the Twenty-First Century: Funding a Physical Environment Conducive to Student Learning.
Crampton, Faith E.; Thompson, David C.; Hagey, Janis M. Journal of Education Finance; v27 n2 , p633-52 ; Fall 2001
Results of state-by-state study of unmet school infrastructure needs using multiple data sources. Found that aggregate unmet infrastructure needs of $266.1 billion were significantly larger than found in earlier studies and varied substantially among states. Suggests different short- and long-term funding strategies to address problem. Includes five appendices.
Qualified Zone Academy Bonds: A Financing Tool That Works for Schools
http://asbointl.org/ASBO/files/ccPageContentdocfilename000618705546sept_2001.pdf Musso, John D. School Business Affairs; v67 n9 , 69-70 ; Sep 2001
Describes the origin and purpose of Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) and how they work. QZABs were the outgrowth of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 that allowed school districts to borrow money, without paying interest, to fund such educational improvement projects as building renovation, new equipment purchases, and staff development.
Efficiency and Costs in Education: Year-Round versus Traditional Schedules.
Daneshvary, Nasser; Clauretie, Terrence M. Economics of Education Review; v20 n3 , p279-87 ; Jun 2001
Explores the cost savings (efficiency) of a year-round schedule versus a traditional 9-month schedule for 115
schools in Clark County, Nevada, including real-estate capital in the estimated cost functions. The 26 year-round schools experienced efficiencies in cost of capital and other areas, such as operations. (Contains 15 references.)
Building a New Role: States and School Facilities.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ Sandham, Jessica L.; Alan, Richard; Johnston, Robert C. Education Week ; , 41p. ; Jun 2001
This report presents articles that explore the changing role of the states in addressing the nation's need to build and modernize its public schools. The article, "Doling Out Facilities Aid Proves Tricky," explains how some states have learned that securing funds is only one part of helping districts pay for construction. "Some States Help Charter Schools Put a Roof Overhead" discusses charter school facility funding. "Town and Country" explores why urban and rural communities are going to court in search of more help from their states in constructing and upgrading schools. "Out in the Cold" discusses how Alaskan state leaders have been court ordered to improve the condition of schools in the state's far-flung rural villages. "Urban Renewal" examines how, after a lengthy court battle, New Jersey's cities are on the brink of receiving a multibillion-dollar infusion of state aid to improve their school buildings. "Capitol Expenditures" shows how more states are abandoning their traditionally hands-off approach to helping districts build and upgrade schools because of litigation over inequities, increasing enrollments, and evolving educational demands. Finally, "Side-by-Side States are Far Apart in Funding for Facilities" discusses Washington state's leading role in helping fund school construction and renovation while Idaho leaves these issues for the school districts to handle.
Liberty Provisions in State Policies for Financing School Construction
Kowalski, Theordore J.; Schmielau, Robert School Business Affairs; v67 n4 , p32-37 ; Apr 2001
A study based on policy data from 50 state education
departments revealed that all states (except Hawaii) have policies and laws
providing moderate or high potential for exercising local control over
financing school construction. Liberty has remained a dominant value for
school-finance policy despite legal interventions favoring equity. (19
references)
Sustainable Funding: What to Do Before the Money Runs Out.
http://www.peterli.com/archive/spm/241.shtm Ward, Deborah School Planning and Management; v40 n4 , p71-72,74-75 ; Apr 2001
Provides advise on how schools and districts can establish continuing sources for their technology projects. Building fund sustainability into grant proposals is examined as are some general ways to sustain a project (both financially and programmatically) after the grant period.
Soft Sell, Hard Numbers. Where's the Money for K-12 Schools?
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/bom/mar01/mar01constructionb.shtml Kroll, Karen Building Operating Management; Mar 2001
This gives advice to facility executives to do their homework on facility conditions and costs while seeking public support. The following steps are discussed: 1) Let the academic plan and enrollment picture drive the capital investment plan; 2)Determine how things currently stack up; 3) Figure out where you want to go; 4)Identify the stakeholders, or those who will be affected by the capital investments; 5)Get the community involved; 6)Prepare for tough questions and the potential that the project may change; 7) Use discretion in choosing the architects, engineers and construction managers; 8)Retain an experienced public relations team; 9) Be smart buyers; and 10)Think creatively.
The State's Role in Addresssing the School Facility Funding Crisis
Sielke, Catherine C. School Business Affairs; v66 n12 , p11-16 ; Dec 2000
Between 1994 and 1998, capital outlay funding bills for school
facilities, tax bases, and taxation bills experienced the greatest growth in state
legislative activity. This article discusses the reasons for increased funding
activity, various state-aid mechanisms to fund capital outlay, and future capital
funding directions.
USDA Program Available for Schools, Community Centers.
http://www.ruralschools.org/news/census.html Organizations Concerned About Rural Education (OCRE) Newsroom; Jul 2000
Article describes community development loan and grant funds available from USDA’s Rural Housing
Service that can be used to build schools in rural areas and small towns through its Community
Facilities Program. The Community Facilities Program provides a flexible financing program for rural America
that is versatile and capable of financing a wide variety of projects, including schools and
community centers.
Pay As You Go: A Better Way of Funding School Construction
Carey, Kelley D. American School Board Journal; v187 n6 , p44-46 ; Jun 2000
Pay-as-you-go funding (via local option sales taxes or earmarked
property taxes) is superior to floating expensive bond issues to resolve school
construction crises. Districts can plan projects more thoughtfully, focus on
project priorities, avoid arbitrage problems and high insurance costs, and
address socioeconomic considerations more equitably.
Found Money.
http://asumag.com/mag/university_found_money/ Kennedy, Mike American School and University; v72 n10 , p16-18,20-21 ; Jun 2000
Discusses the alternative funding avenues school districts have used to support facility construction and improvements when tax levies and state aid are not enough. Acquiring donations, creating lease- purchase agreements, and using tax increment financing are highlighted.
The Partnership Principle: Get Help Getting Funded.
Ward, Deborah School Planning and Management; v39 n6 , suppl 3 p6, 8-12 ; Jun 2000
Provides tips on how a school can improve their odds in getting needed grants to fund their technology needs. Strategies are discussed for creating partnerships that can increase the likelihood of getting grant approval.
Developer Builds New Community School.
Leisner, Hava School Construction News; v3 n3 , 14-15 ; May-Jun 2000
The North Lake Park Community School/YMCA in Orlando, Florida is a developer-owned, school-district maintained, mixed-use enterprise. Five partners joined to build the campus: Orange County Public Schools, YMCA, City of Orlando, Lake Nona Property Holdings Inc. and Orlando Regional Health Care Systems.
Class Struggle.
http://asumag.com/mag/university_class_struggle/ Kennedy, Mike American School and University; v72 n8 , p16-20 ; Apr 2000
Explores the issue of school district financial needs and the construction of school facilities for low income areas. Discussions on state and federal aid are highlighted. Arizona's experience in providing educational equity by revamping its old system of paying for school construction is discussed.
Superintendents Apply Local Creativity to
National School Facilities Problem.
http://web.archive.org/web/20040626032845 Holmes, Natalie Carter AASA Online; Mar 21, 2000
As school district leaders find themselves in
communities where only a quarter, or fewer, of
residents have children in public schools, the response
to bond issue proposals is often less than enthusiastic.
But superintendents are finding other creative ways to
finance construction and renovation of facilities.
TO ORDER:
American Association of School Administrators, 801 N. Quincy St., Ste. 700, Arlington, VA 22203-1730; Tel: 703-875-0745http://www.aasa.org
True to Their Public High Schools.Powerful Alumni Aid Major Fund-Raising; At Boston Latin, Goal is $60 Million
Ferdinand, Pamela Washington Post; , pA3, A9 ; Mar 01, 2000
Boston Latin School is one of many public high schools across the country that are raising large sums from former students to improve educational facilities and expand teacher training.
Public Schools, Private Profits.
http://asumag.com/mag/university_public_schools_private/ Kennedy, Mike American School and University; v72 n6 , p14-16,18,21-22 ; Feb 2000
Explains why private companies and schools doing business with one another may be harmful to students. Problems uncovered from a decade of commercialization in the classroom are discussed as are issues of for-profit companies seeking to take over the operation of public schools, and one attempt to impose legislation to curtail commercialism.
Sources of School Funding.
http://web.archive.org/web/20060224233050 Schoolhouse of Quality; v4 n1 , p12-15 ; Winter 2000
Examines where school funding comes from, the different levels of funding districts are able to acquire, and provides some examples of unique funding mechanisms. The future of school funding is highlighted, including how former students funded future classrooms in their old high school.
Taking Care of Business.
Agron, Joe American School and University; v72 n1 , p52-53 ; Sep 1999
Examines one Pennsylvania school district's efforts to upkeep and improve its 30- to 40-year-old school facilities that required no tax increases for 6 years. Highlighted are the district's use of the Federal Land Reuse Authority to transform abandoned government property to private use and utilizing the help of the community to provide mutually beneficial services.
Architectural Services, Construction, and Funding of California Schools.
Kemp, Mark Architecture California; v20 n1 , p13-17 ; Summer-Fall 1999
Details various methods of paying for school construction in California, and discusses problems with "quick fixes" such as stock school plans, relocatable buildings, and shifting of professional services to developers rather than architects.
Construction Poses Extra Burden For Impact-Aid Schools.
Sack, Joetta L. Education Week; v18 ; Jun 02, 1999
Many districts nationally have problems finding funding to build and renovate their facilities. But school construction puts impact-aid districts--particularly those with high numbers of students from federal properties--at the mercy of their federal allocations. Because they have little or no tax base, such districts often are unable to raise revenue through bonds or to take out loans for building projects.
Pass or Fail: Schools are Experiencing Mixed Results in Their Attempts to Fund Facilities Repair and Construction.
http://asumag.com/mag/university_pass_fail/ Kennedy, Mike American School and University; v71 n10 , p20-24,26 ; Jun 1999
Examines the mixed results from several school districts that attempted to fund their school repair and construction projects. Enrollment, building deterioration, and school construction needs and costs are discussed, as are difficulties convincing the community to support capital improvement costs and/or just letting go of the emotional attachment that some communities have for particular schools.
Building Grant, Bond-Issue Work Together.
Schanuel, Scott M. School Planning and Management; v38 n6 , p45-47 ; Jun 1999
Examines how an Illinois school district used teamwork and planning to acquire state funding for construction and renovation of two high schools. Planning efforts included conducting community-based strategic planning, researching the funding program, working closely with state organizations for acquiring grant funds, educating the community, campaigning for passage of a school bond referendum, and fund raising through business associations.
Public/Private Partnerships for New Construction
http://www.appa.org/FacilitiesManager/ Adams, Matthew C. Facilities Manager; v15 n3 , p9-10 ; May-Jun 1999
Discusses how colleges can finance new construction projects during lean financial times by employing public/private partnerships in an off-balance sheet financing format. Construction planning of a new school parking deck is used to illustrate the process. Benefits of savings in operating costs, management fees, and other line-item expenses are examined.
Battling Budget Woes.
http://asumag.com/mag/university_battling_budget_woes/ Agron, Joe, Ed. American School and University; v71 n8 , p18-22, 24 ; Apr 1999
Addresses how various school districts are addressing school quality on tight budgets.
Options discussed include use of portable classrooms, streamlining non-educational services, leasing and performance contracting, and energy improvements and working with power utilities to cut costs. It argues for adopting and enforcing ISO 9000 standards to assure quality
control and accountability.
A History of Progress.
http://asumag.com/mag/university_history_progress/ Cox, Susan M. American School and University; v71 n8 , p52-53 ; Apr 1999
Explains how the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools used budget management and community support in successfully building new facilities and preparing the district for expanding instructional technology programs and providing new ones. An overview of the Nashville Public School district is presented along with data on how the district divides its budget.
Financing School Facilities.
http://asumag.com/mag/university_financing_school_facilities/ Honeyman, David S. (Primedia Intertec, Overland Park, KS, Apr 1999) American School and University; Apr 1999
Summarizes a report published by the Association of School Business Officials on the status of school facilities in the United States. Three areas that require school facility financing to meet future demands were identified: resources for the renovation and/or replacement of existing buildings, and the construction of new and/or expanded facilities; resources for accumulated deferred maintenance for existing facilities and for maintaining facilities in the future; and resources for financing the future depreciation of existing and new school facilities and equipment.
New Jersey's Schools on the Mend
http://www.njsba.org/members_only/publications/school_leader/ Bohi, Barbara J. School Leader (New Jersey School Boards Ass'n.); Jan-Feb 1999
Analysis of the need for, and initiatives to finance facility improvements in New Jersey's public schools.
Guidelines for Success. A Case Study
Pate, Steven H.; Clark, Orvin Educational Facility Planner; v35 n2 , p8-9 ; 1999
Reveals how an Illinois school district built a new elementary school over two years before a traditional funding process would have allowed it. It examines a planning process that included using the Council of Educational Facilities Planners guidelines for developing a business plan, hiring needed professionals, architect and site selection, design development, and construction management.
Financing Alternatives Call for Flexibility, Creativity
http://www.sedl.org/pubs/sedletter/v10n04/finance.html SEDLetter [Southwest Educational Development Laboratory]; v10 n4 ; Sep 1998
One page discussion of methods that can be used alone or in combination to fund school facilities: lease or lease-purchase plans; establishing business/community partnerships; imposing school impact fees; making bond issues more attractive to voters.
The Name Game.
Kiesewetter, Sue School Planning and Management; v37 i8 , p29-30, 32-33 ; Aug 1998
Discusses the selling of naming rights for school sports complexes as a way of funding the construction of school athletic facilities. It explains how schools can effectively manage such arrangements and provides an example of one such project involving the building of a $3 million ice center for the Arrowhead School District in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
Georgia Schools Tap New Source For Construction.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/1998/06/03/38ga.h17.html Jacobson, Linda Education Week ; v17 n38 , p13-14 ; Jun 03, 1998
In 1996, Georgia voters approved a measure that gave local districts access to a 1-cent sales tax for school construction and renovation, to be charged in addition to an existing state sales tax of 4 cents and other local sales taxes. One of the benefits of the new source of funds--called the Educational Local Option Sales Tax, or ELOST--is that a pay-as-you-go system of building schools can save districts millions of dollars in interest charges. By comparison, because schools receive an annual lump sum from property taxes, they must borrow money by selling bonds until those revenues come in. Schools have more ready access to sales-tax revenues, which come in monthly. [Free subscriber registration is required.]
Sitting on a Gold Mine
Zanic, Tom; Kirchenstein, Joel American School Board Journal; v185 n3 , p39-40 ; Mar 1998
Many districts are holding property that could be put to better use. With a creative strategy for planning, analyzing, and implementing a plan for these public properties, local boards and administrators can uncover hidden value in their real estate assets. California's Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District now receives $500,000 a year in revenue from previously unused land.
Upgrade Your Facilities Without a Bond Issue.
Mahoney, John; Thompson, Laura School Planning and Management; v37 n2 , p56-60 ; Feb 1998
Discusses eliminating bond issues for facility energy management upgrades by using performance contracting. Explains that performance contracts create savings that help support financing new equipment over a specific number of years. Financing options, performance contracting tips, and an example of its use in St. Louis (Missouri) are highlighted.
The Community-Use Trend.
Fickes, Michael School Planning and Management; v37 n1 , p62-66 ; Jan 1998
Examines how school district/community organization alliances help fund new school construction as well as provide students and the general public with extended services. Examples of how school/community-use programs evolved and their accomplishments are provided.
Fair and Adequate Funding for School Facilities
Sielke, Catherine C. School Business Affairs; v64 n1 , p24-29 ; Jan 1998
The nation's schools are facing multiple problems regarding facilities and capital outlay needs for new buildings, additions, and renovations to support technology and instructional infrastructures. Options include use of current revenues, sinking funds, full-state funding, equalization grants, and state aid or loan programs. Financing of facility needs should be subject to the same equity measures that have been established to provide educational programs for children.
Covering Construction Costs.
http://web.archive.org/web/20070202081103 Hardy, Lawrence The American School Board Journal; v184 , p20-23 ; Oct 1997
Across the nation, local school districts are scrambling for much-needed funds to fix up old schools and build new ones to accommodate booming enrollments. The problems go beyond the ability of many districts, even of many districts that are relatively wealthy, to solve. However, despite political promises and posturing, it appears for now that local districts can count on little help from federal government or, in most cases, from state governments. Current debates in Colorado, Arizona, and Maine about inequities in school funding, particularly for capital improvements, are discussed.
TO ORDER:
American School Board Journal, 1680 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; Tel: 703-838-6722http://www.asbj.com
A Quarter Century of Turmoil: School Finance in California on the 25th Anniversary of "Serrano."
Picus, Lawrence O. Educational Considerations; v25 n1 , p5-9 ; Fall 1997
Explains problems with complex system of educational finance in California.
Addresses issues such as diversity, per pupil expenditure, and equity at district and school level;
problems with special education, pupil transportation, supplemental grants, and "mega-item;" and
brief history of California's school financing--including Serrano v. Priest ruling, Proposition 13, and
Proposition 98--illuminating source of current difficulties. Concludes with general solutions.
Bursting at the Seams: Financing and Planning for Rising Enrollments
McCord, Michael School Business Affairs; v63 n6 , 20-23 ; Jun 1997
Using existing and new facilities more efficiently could accommodate increased student enrollment while
producing significant savings in capital and operating costs. Ontario's Ministry of Education has identified 10 ways to
increase facilities utilization, including innovative scheduling, year- round schooling, varied attendance plans, offsite learning,
portables, and enlarged classes. A New York study recommends leased facilities and public-private partnerships.
Niagara Falls Project May be a Watershed in Privatization
Angelo, William.; Powers, Mary Buckner ENR: Engineering News-Record; v238 , p9 ; May 12, 1997
Privatization is being used to help fund the building of a single, $60 million structure to replace 2 high schools in Niagara Falls, New York. The plan involves selling the 2 schools and $15 million in property to developers that will then build the new school and lease it to the city for 30 years at no cost to local taxpayers. The school and other facilities will be developed as a design-build, turnkey project with a guaranteed maximum price.
Financing Schools.
http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals The Future of Children ; v7 n3 ; Winter-Spring 1997
Articles in this publication look at the educational and financial issues facing states today, including the link between school funding and student outcomes; the distribution of funding for schools; the creation of accountability mechanisms, etc. Appendix A covers the issue of school facilities.
Alternative School Revenue Sources: There Are Many Fish in the Sea
Pijanowski, John C.; Monk, David H. School Business Affairs; v62 n7 , p4-6,8-10 ; Jul 1996
To ease fiscal strain, many school districts employ alternative fund-raising
initiatives. They are forming local foundations or booster clubs, soliciting businesses or
volunteers for in-kind donations, selling and leasing services and facilities, generating
investment income, collecting user fees, cooperating with social service providers, pursuing
government grants, and initiating school-driven fundraisers.
Back from the Brink.
School Planning and Management; v35 n6 , p14-18 ; Jun 1996
Ben Reyes, chief operating officer of the Chicago Public Schools, tells how the district managed, in eight months, a turnaround from no capital improvement funds. Three major investment houses upgraded the district's bond ratings, opening the doors for a 5-year, $806 million capital improvement plan for the city's schools.
Innovative Approaches to Financing Facilities.
http://nccic.org/ccb/issue10.html#9 Stokley, Jan; Heumann, Emily Child Care Bulletin; n10 ; Jun 1996
Innovative joint ventures between government, business, and philanthropy are helping finance child care facilities through various combinations of loans, grants, and technical assistance. A few of these approaches are listed.
School Finance and the Conditions of Schools
Ornstein, Allan C. Theory into Practice; v33 n2 , p.118-25 ; Spring 1994
Problems relating to school environment and building concerns eat up
school budgets and negatively influence the overall fiscal condition of
school districts. The article examines three issues impacting on school
finance for the 1990s: environmental hazards (asbestos, radon, lead,
electromagnetic fields, and air quality), school infrastructure
deterioration, and school construction.
Directions in Facility Finance: Alternatives for the Future
Jordan, K. Forbis; Stewart, G. Kent Educational Considerations; v17 n2 , p53-56 ; Spring 1990
Reviews the options currently available to school districts involved in capital improvement financing and examines new directions in such financing.
Financing
Capital
Improvements in 2001 and
Beyond
Ward, James Gordon Educational Facility Planner; v27 n2 ; Mar-Apr 1989
Demographic changes between elementary, secondary,
and college populations call for a different
philosophical approach to methods of financing
educational capital improvements. Demographic
changes will not be uniform in their geographical
occurrences and state data may mask significant
changes in specific school districts thus complicating
the task of making productive recommendations by
school districts, educators and facility planners.
Complicating the matter further, the increasing
minority population, the fastest growing segment in our
schools currently, will have a greater socio-economic
range than at present thus making assumptions of
specific special needs very difficult to make. "Baby
boomers" provide a large mature work force; young
entrants to work force will be fewer. The mature,
employed citizenry must see school facilities planning
as an investment in the future (a fact of life not
recognized uniformly in the past and more complicated
in the future).
Guide to
Alternatives
for Financing
School Buildings
Graves, Ben E. Educational Facility Planner; v21 n6 ; Nov-Dec 1983
Graves discusses the need for funding for new schools and
renovation of older facilities. He comments on eight methods of
financing school buildings noting that laws vary from state
to state and that because of that all may not be applicable
in all states. The methods discussed are Pay-As-You-Go,
State Aid, Federal Aid, Reducing Site Costs, Shared
Facilities, Non-Tax Revenue, Bond Issues and Leasing.
American Education Finance Association
http://www.ed.sc.edu/aefa/ The purpose of this organization is to facilitate communication between and among the various groups and individuals in the school finance field, including academicians, researchers, policy makers, administrators, and teachers. Ideas are exchanged through annual meetings, newsletters, and yearbooks
Association for Governmental Leasing and Finance
http://www.aglf.org The AGL&F is a non-profit association of companies engaged in municipal leasing activities. It provides education about tax-exempt leasing and financing. The AGL&F publishes national surveys on federal and municipal governmental leasing, and federal tax law affecting governmental leasing, including analysis of tax-exempt lease-purchase agreements, certificated leases, true leases arbitrage rebate, and management contracts.
Chronicle of Philanthropy
http://philanthropy.com/free/sitemap.htm Biweekly publication on fundraising issues and strategies.The Web site offers each current issue in full, an article archive, and more than four years of grant listings. Some features are accessible to subscribers only; a full listing appears on the Site Map. The table of contents for the past four years, links to education-related fundraising web sites, workshops and seminars organized by region, and deadlines for grants and awards are all accessible to non-subscribers.
Clearinghouse on Educational Policy and Management
http://cepm.uoregon.edu/index.html Covers all aspects of the governance, leadership, administration, and structure of public and private educational organizations at the elementary and secondary levels, including the financing of schools.
CPRE School Finance Project
http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/cpre/finance/ The School Finance Project, a part of the the Consortium for Policy Research in Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explores the link between school finance and instructional improvement. A section on Funding Information provides lists of sources of revenue, descriptions of the channels used to obtain these revenues and relevant links to foundations that provide grants.
Education Commission of the States. Finance. Facilities.
http://www.ecs.org/html/issue.asp?issueid=48&subIssueID=42 ECS has compiled information on the issue of financing education facilities. The Quick Facts section provides detail on state facility expenditures and needs. The What States Are Doing section details the types of financing programs in each state and tracks states policies/activities. Also includes Selected Research & Readings, and Other Web Sites.
Foundation Center
http://fdncenter.org/ The Foundation Center conducts and facilitates research on trends in philanthropy,provides education and training on the grantseeking process, ensures public access to information and services online, in print and electronic publications, through five library/learning centers, and a national network of cooperating collections.
Fundraising Help and Information.
http://nonprofit.about.com/ Links to information about nonprofit fundraising compiled by the About.com web site. Includes a collection of articles, planning for fundraising, new ideas, donor management software, and practical advice.
Grant Information: The George Lucas Educational Foundation.
http://www.edutopia.org/grantinfo Though not a grantmaking organization itself, the George Lucas Foundation maintains a web page with annotated listings of web sites and periodicals with grant information, corporate and foundation grants, government grants, and technology donation programs.
Grants & Funding Resources (AASA online)
http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=1550 With limited budgets, it is essential that school leaders make the most
of available grants and funding resources. Since it's not always easy to
find funding, AASA has compiled a list of education grant and funding
resources.
Iowa Demonstration Construction Grant Program (Harkin Grant)
http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index.php The Iowa Demonstration Construction Grant Program was proposed by Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and originally authorized by Title III of Public Law 105-78 for $8,000,000 becoming effective September 28, 1998. Subsequently the grant has become known as Harkin Grants with Congress authorizing annual allocations of $10,000,000, $9,249,813, $9,000,000, $50,000,000, $6,954,499, $6,958,699, $14,880,000 and $4,789,834, with grant periods running through September 30, 2011. The purpose of the program is to help Iowa school districts correct fire safety problems and to help school districts leverage local resources to construct new schools or remodel, modernize existing buildings. Approximately 35 percent of the available funds have been allocated each year for addressing fire safety issues and 65 percent for construction.
Journal of Education Finance
The Journal of Education Finance is published by the University of Illinois Press. Each issue brings original research and analysis on issues such as education reform, judicial intervention in finance, school/social agency linkages, tax limitation measures, and factors influencing teacher salaries.
Michigan Public Educational Facilities Authority
http://www.michigan.gov/treasury/0,1607,7-121-1753_37602_37605---,00.html The Michigan Public Educational Facilities Authority is dedicated to providing opportunities for low cost financing and technical assistance for qualified public educational facilities and public school academies through its bonding and loan programs.
The website includes information on PSA Long-Term Financing and the Qualified Public Educational Facilities Program.
National Association of Health and Educational Facilities Finance Authorities
http://www.naheffa.com/ Association promotes the common interest of organizations which have the authority to provide capital financing for not-for-profit healthcare and higher education institutions. The Association focuses its efforts on issues which directly influence the availability of, or access to tax-exempt financing for healthcare and higher educational institutions.
National Conference of State Legislatures
http://www.ncsl.org/ Information, research, and publications on critical state issues including
school financing.
Oracle Help Us Help Foundation.
http://www.oraclefoundation.org/ A nonprofit organization founded in 2001, that assists K-12 public schools and youth organizations in economically challenged communities through grants of computer equipment and software.
Policy: Facilities [National Access Network]
http://www.schoolfunding.info/policy/facilities/facilities.php3 The National Access Network, Teachers College, Columbia University compiles policy analysis and research on school facilities issues, including an overview of the issue, useful resources, recent facilities news, and a facilities policy brief.
Public Education Network
http://www.publiceducation.org/ PEN is a national association of local education funds (LEFs) advancing school reform in low-income communities across the country. PEN's website includes initiatives, publications, events, a newsroom, and links and resources.
Qualified Zone Academy Bonds: The QZAB Home Page
http://www.qzabs.com/ This commercial site includes a history of QZAB finance, what it takes to qualify for an interest free loan, steps to obtaining and qualifying for an interest free loan, a QZAB map, state by state allocations, the historical background of QZABs, QZAB links, and QZAB news.
Recent State Policies/Activities: Finance--Facilities.
http://www.ecs.org/ The Education Commission of the States continuously updates summaries of policies enacted in state legislatures on issues related to the financing of school facilities. Summaries are collected from state Web sites, state newsletters, StateNet, LexisNexis and Westlaw. Descriptions often reflect the content of bills as introduced and may not reflect changes made during the legislative process.
SchoolGrants
http://www.schoolgrants.org/ This site lists grant opportunities for elementary and secondary schols and provides links to grant makers, web sites that offer advice on grant seeking, grant writing tips, and sample proposals. Includes a newsletter and a listserv. Provides an interactive CD that takes one through the grant-writing process from program development to finding funding sources to writing a proposal.
SchoolMatters.com
http://www.schoolmatters.com SchoolMatters.com is a public source for information and analysis about our nation's public schools, providing searchable information about public schools, school districts, and state education systems, including student achievement data, financial information, demographic breakdowns, tax base details, and much more. To locate data on capital expenditures, click on "View State Facts" then click on "Spending, Revenue, & Taxes." This is a free public service sponsored by the National Education Data Partnership, a collaboration among the Council of Chief State School Officers, Standard & Poor's School Evaluation Services, Achieve, Inc., and the CELT Corporation. The National Education Data Partnership is funded by The Broad Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Bond Buyer
http://www.bondbuyer.com/index.html The Bond Buyer is the authoritative daily source dedicated to the municipal bond market. In addition to a daily newspaper, there is an online service, archive, yearbook, and directory for contact information. The Bond Buyer is useful for tracking information on bond activity connected to school construction and renovation.
The Committee for Education Funding.
http://www.cef.org/ The Committee for Education Funding (CEF) is a membership organization that works toward the goal of achieving adequate federal support for the nation’s education system. The nonpartisan and nonprofit organization consists of individuals, educational institutions, agencies, associations, and other organizations, whose interests range from preschool to post graduate education in both public and private systems. The Committee provides its members, the general public, the United States Congress, the Executive Branch, and the press with information enabling them to better assess the necessity for adequate financial support for federal education programs.
U. S. Department of Agriculture. Community Facilities Program.
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/cf/cp.htm This office administers programs designed to develop essential community facilities for public use in rural areas, including educational facilities. The program provides direct loans, guaranteed loans and grants.
U. S. Department of Education. Education Finance Statistics Center.
http://www.nces.ed.gov/edfin/ Education finance information for elementary/secondary or post-secondary public or private education, including publications, education finance data, and answers to frequently asked questions in education finance. This is part of the National Center for Education Statistics of the Department of Education.
U. S. Department of Education. Grants and Contracts Opportunities.
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/gcsindex.html Comprehensive source for information on grants or contract opportunities from the Department of Education (ED). Includes a guide to ED programs, details of the ED budget, a roundup of ED administrative regulations, and a forecast of funding opportunities.
U. S. Department of Education. Programs and Funding: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/ The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) provides financial assistance to state and local educational agencies for maintenance and improvement of both public and private preschool, elementary, and secondary education. This site links to over a dozen OESE programs.
U. S. Department of Education. Smaller Learning Communities.
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/HS/SLCP/ The Smaller Learning Communities Program is a
competitive federal grant program to develop, implement or
expand smaller learning communities. Local educational agencies are eligible to apply on behalf of a large high school or a group of large high schools. Funds may not be used for new construction of schools.
U.S. Department of Education Forecast of Funding
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which
the Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications
for new awards and provides actual or estimated deadline dates for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in
the form of charts -- organized according to the Department's principal
program offices -- and include programs and competitions the Department
has previously announced, as well as those it plans to announce at a later
date.
Charter School Facilities Funding http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/financing_charter.cfm (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC) Information on public and private funding options for the design, construction, renovation, lease, or purchase of charter school buildings, compiled by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. See also NCEF Resource List on Case Studies - Charter Schools and other related lists on funding sources.
Funding Partnerships for School Construction http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/funding_partnerships.cfm (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC) Information on financing school construction and renovation through partnerships between schools and the private sector, community organizations, public agencies, and school districts.
Fundraising Campaigns for School Facilities http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/fundraising.cfm (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC) Information on planning and conducting a school facilities capital campaign, including general fundraising principles and practices, compiled by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.
Lease and Lease Purchase Financing for School Facilities http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/leasing.cfm (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC) Information on financing educational facilities using leasing programs, lease purchase agreements, lease purchase revenue bonds and construction/leasebacks.
Performance Contracting for School Buildings http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/performance_contracting.cfm (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC) Information on state and utility company incentives for financing energy efficiency improvements in school buildings.
School Capital Improvement Programs http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/capitalprograms.cfm (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC) Information on major school construction projects across the country, compiled by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.
School Facilities Funding - Federal http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/federal_funding.cfm (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC) Information on the federal government's role in funding school and university facilities repair, construction, and modernization, compiled by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. Includes resources on schools managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of Defense.
School Facilities Funding - State and Local http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/statelocal_funding.cfm (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC) Information on methods used by state and local governments and school districts to finance school construction, renovation, and repair projects, compiled by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.
School Impact Fees
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/impact_fees.cfm (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC) Information on financing school construction with fees assessed on new residential construction, compiled by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.
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National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities at the National Institute of Building Sciences 1090 Vermont Ave., NW Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20005 · Toll free: 888-552-0624 · 202-289-7800 · www.ncef.org Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education |
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