Reports on principals' satisfaction with environmental factors in their schools, and the extent to which they perceive those factors as interfering with the ability of the school to deliver instruction. The report describes the match between the enrollment and the capacity of the school buildings, approaches for coping with overcrowding, the ways in which schools use portable buildings and reasons for using them, and the availability of dedicated rooms or facilities for particular subjects, such as science labs or music rooms, and the extent to which these facilities are perceived to support instruction. More than half of the principals reported that their school had fewer students than the school’s design capacity. The remaining schools included those that had enrollments within 5 percent of their capacity (22 percent) and those that were overenrolled (10 percent were overenrolled by between 6 to 25 percent above their capacity, and 8 percent by more than 25 percent of their design capacity). Those schools that principals described as overcrowded used a variety of approaches to deal with the overcrowding: using portable classrooms (78 percent), converting non-classroom space into classrooms (53 percent), increasing class sizes (44 percent), building new permanent buildings or additions to existing buildings (35 percent), using off-site instructional facilities (5 percent), or other approaches (12 percent). 93p.

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

Presents the finding of the Bozeman, Montana, facilities team concerning their overcrowded high school. Growth predictions for the district, future facility needs for individual areas of instruction, options of one or two new high schools, various combinations of renovation and new construction, possible grade reconfiguration, results of community meetings and surveys, and several local newspaper articles are included. 193p.

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

Reports on excess capacity in the District of Columbia Public Schools, with the District having 459 students per building, compared to 682 in 45 other urban school systems studied. That difference contributed to higher costs, with $1,083 per student for maintenance and facilities costs in 2004-05, compared with $603 per student in the other urban districts; $525 per student for energy and utility costs, compared with $191 in the other systems; and $714 per student for school administrative personnel, compared with $582 in the other cities. Only 32 percent of the District's per-pupil spending went toward classroom instruction, compared with an average of 42.7 percent in the other systems, the study found. The report recommends that D.C. school officials "resize" the number of buildings and employees in the system and invest the savings in after-school tutoring and other programs designed to boost dismal student achievement. Without suggesting how much space should be eliminated, the study said the system could save $500,000 to $1.5 million a year for every building it closes. 173p.

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

This summarizes the demand for school facilities, the level of service of school facilities, and what improvements are being made. 6p.

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

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

This explores the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) definition of design capacity, the term CPS uses to describe the total number of students a school can hold and not be overcrowded. The CPS formula is contrasted with other assessment tools for overcrowding, such as building square footage standards. 4p.

This includes the Wake County Board of Education's terms, calculation methods, sequence, and schedule for developing school building capacities and school campus capacities for schools in the county. 1p.

Explaining that the capacity of a school is the number of pupil places it can accommodate, this guide for Local Education Authorities (LEA) describes the British government's method of assessing the "net capacity" of all maintained, mainstream schools in England. The guide addresses the purpose of net capacity, how the net capacity method works, what needs to be measured, and how to use the assessment forms. An appendix contains definitions of types of spaces. 44p.

Presents the two primary methods used in Douglas County, Colorado, for calculating elementary school capacity: the ratio method, and calculations based on square footage standards per pupil. For high schools, maximum capacity is set by multiplying the number of teaching stations by the average class size. Also outlines procedures for utilizing relocatable, portable, or modular facilities to accommodate students.

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

This publication provides projections for key education statistics. It includes statistics on enrollment, graduates, teachers, and expenditures in elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education. For the Nation, the tables, figures, and text contain data on enrollment, teachers, graduates, and expenditures for the past 14 years and projections to the year 2010. For the 50 States and the District of Columbia, the tables, figures, and text contain data on projections of public elementary and secondary enrollment and public high school graduates to the year 2010. In addition, the report includes a methodology section describing models and assumptions used to develop national and state-level projections. [Authors' Abstract]

Provides access to a downloadable Excel 97 or 2000 workbook that includes a cost model spreadsheet for costing a new school or addition and renovation, and a spreadsheet that can help districts in Alaska determine their number of unhoused students and allowable square footage given their student populations.

This collection of worksheets includes typical space profiles for North Carolina's preK-12 schools, offering: number of students, core capacity, special education, media center, food service, physical education, academic and arts education classrooms, resource rooms, other teaching stations, administration, auditorium/theater, service/marketing education, vocational education laboratories, and miscellaneous. There are also elementary, middle, and high school capacity worksheets and a school capacity summary sheet. 15p.

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

This is a mathematical calculation of student capacity using Arizona's statutorily prescribed design square footage per pupil. It also accounts for the additional students a district can accommodate before requiring additional square footage. 1p.

Asserts that a determination of school capacity is best performed annually, owing to such factors as (1) compliance with current building codes, (2) change of educational program, (3) change of class size, (4) expansion of educational services, and (5) scheduling. Examines different types of capacity discussed in the literature, including temporary capacity, maximum capacity, functional capacity, practical, and reclaimed capacity. Also discusses the importance of considering capacity relative to full building utilization, standards, and best practices. 6p.

Discusses goals of the Palm Beach County School Board to operate its school facilities at or close to full capacity as defined by the Florida Inventory of School Houses. Presents options for addressing schools that are over capacity. These include: 1) modifications of student attendance areas, 2) capping student enrollment, 3) double sessions and year-round education 4) new school construction 5) alternative learning environments and the use of other non-traditional educational environments.

This model was developed to estimate the capital costs required to build new school buildings to accomodate future populations. The model includes four steps: forecast of public school students by county; assignment of public school students to school districts; comparison of district enrollment to facility capacity and cost estimation of new facility; and assignment of district capital costs to municipalities. Appendices provide the organization of the New Jersey School Districts 1984-85, questionnaires used to obtain enrollment and capacity data, public school enrollment by county for 1980, and table of enrollment and capacity by district for 1989-90.

This report is intended to supply an objective database that states the amount of existing space and its utilization in the school district in order to enable decisionmakers to impartially allocate building space. All the school buildings were visited by teams that measured dimensions of every room and noted its usage. Each building is classified by 1) existing building space and usage, 2) capacity for a variety of functions, and 3) current enrollment. A summary section ties together the first three parts and presents the comparisons between schools. 371p.

Presents information, instructions, and worksheets for use in computing the functional capacity of an elementary, middle, or secondary school building. Defines functional capacity as the number of pupils that can adequately be housed in a school building without overcrowding. 22p

Focuses on increasing the efficient use of existing space to make room for more students, rather than restrict enrollments or build additional facilities. Planning of college facilities must include analysis of the present plant, the instructional program, the student body, and the financial structure. Improvement of facility utilization is a function of 1) class distribution; 2) length of the week and the school year; 3) curriculum units and credits; 4) relationship of credits and class hours; 5) laboratory space; 6) flexibility of classrooms; 7) proliferation of courses; 8) proprietary attitudes of staff; and 9) pressures for more space. A space utilization workbook is included. 74p.

Discusses educational planning in the wake of a housing slump, advising school distircts to identify multiple resources, gather data, and seek partnerships. Districts should pay close attention to live birth counts, enrollment in elementary schools, and migration patterns as well as to new housing starts and building permits. Includes three references.

Discusses the impact of recent educational reforms and initiatives on space and capacity, including technology integration and proliferation, full-day kindergarten, and class size reduction.

Explains the use of student yield index, rather than the traditional cohort survival method, when projecting enrollment in districts experiencing rapid population growth. An example based on housing permits for new residences is presented, along with potential challenges to the accuracy of this method.

Summarizes circumstances and liabilities of deferred maintenance, elements that should be included in estimating capital needs, and methodologies for capacity analysis, condition needs assessment, functionality needs assessment, and life cycle renewal modeling.

Suggests general guidelines for estimating middle and high school capacity by calculating the percentage of time during the day that each room is occupied.

The author describes the way he calculates elementary school capacity: 1) talk to district representatives about program; 2) walk through building with principal counting rooms and observing how they are used; 3) examine specialized areas and spaces; 4) note activities that are improperly housed and list its space need; 5) count kindergarten rooms separately.

A recent rapid drop in enrollment in Atlanta schools, catching district officials by suprise, is being blamed on poor planning, shifting demographics, gentrification, relocation of poor families, low student achievement, or a liberal interdistrict school choice policy. While seven new schools have been built over the past two years, eight schools have closed. [Free subscriber registration is required.]

Describes how to use demographic studies to project school enrollments. Includes collecting historical enrollment data, contacting the state department of health and vital statistics, selecting an enrollment-projection method, meeting with local planning and construction department officials, determining the age of the community, and performing enrollment-projection calculations. (10 references)

Delineates the enrollment, program, and funding factors that contributed to a facilities crisis in the Fairfax County Public Schools, explains the planning process implemented to address them, and offers suggestions for adaptation by other institutions of learning. The focus is on the need to be proactive, to scan the environment for change, and to incorporate collective wisdom in decisions.

The author looks at the cost to a school district if, when it planned its buildings, it added two, three, even five or six unassigned classrooms or equivalent space to the project. This may be an inexpensive way to provide flexibility for the future.

Shows how California State University at Fullerton improved classroom allocation and scheduling efficiency while responding to student enrollment increases and campus renovation. Steps discussed include conducting facilities audits, assessing the scheduling process, allocating smaller rooms, and studying scheduling and foot traffic patterns.

Discusses what size classrooms should be and what research is revealing on the concept of social distance and its influence on classroom size considerations. A standard classroom size chart is provided.

Offers research and opinion on the amount of space an average K-12 school should devote to programmed space versus circulation space. Includes detailed space utilization data from several schools located in Michigan.

Discusses school capacity determination for K-12 public elementary and middle schools and special education. Capacity determination is illustrated based on 25 students per class.

Discusses the concept of capacity as it is manifested in various locales, noting that some countries have no fixed rules about classrooms' physical size or numbers of children taught therein. Provides various examples: Italian children attend schools within their catchment area; each class has a maximum number of pupils. New Zealand schools serve all comers, except when crowding threatens. The Dutch government guarantees equal physical and teaching resources for all schools in proportion to student demand.

Describes the methodology used in school building capacity determination and reasons that it is necessary to conduct periodic reevaluations. Discusses determinants of capacity, which include analysis of classroom function and size requirements as mandated by educational departments and building codes. Presents reasons why reevaluations are necessary, for example, because of changes in educational programs, expansion of services, and improvements in class scheduling.

Presents examples of school capacity assessment worksheets. Worksheets provide areas for listing classroom numbers, size, and capacity figures for all grades. The high school worksheet, unlike the one for other grades, breaks out classroom figures by specific room function.

Discusses and analyzes the relationship between school size and student achievement in South Carolina elementary schools. Schools with high student achievement were determined by the winners of the South Carolina Department of Education cash incentive award -- an award based upon student gains and standardized test scores. Contrary to popular opinion, results show smaller is not necessarily better when it comes to learning. The bigger schools were more likely than the smaller schools to show higher student achievement. Similarly, smaller schools were more likely to be "dysfunctional" than the bigger schools. However, while a positive relationship between size and achievement did exist, the relationship was not strong. Socioeconomic status seemed to be an intervening variable.

Notes that evaluating educational facilities requires utilizing an effective assessment process. Identifies key components of space adequacy, which include scheduling efficiency, design efficiency, technical capacity, practical capacity, site capacity, and suitability. Suggests what areas of a school building should be explored to determine physical adequacy when making a proper capacity assessment. These areas include environmental, structural, electrical, mechanical, thermal, acoustical, and visual. Provides calculation formulas.

Presents a system called program-sensitive capacity that can be used to calculate capacities of schools and classrooms. The system calls for considering program characteristics, average class sizes, and scheduling efficiency.

This article describes seven methods of calculating a school's capacity (the number of students that can be instructed without curtailing the educational program), including one devised by the author.

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.

NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles on planning for new or modernized school and campus facilities. See related NCEF Resource Lists on Educational Specifications, Master Planning, Community Participation in Planning, School Design, Facilities Assessment, and many more topics.

NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles on educational specifications for new and renovated school facilities.

NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles examining research and changing standards for K-12 school and enrollment size, and class and classroom size.

NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles on the space requirements of various components of school and university buildings and grounds, including square footage requirements, and selected state standards and guidelines.