A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Modernizing Schools

Our nation's schools are facing crucial challenges these days: a rapidly growing student population in already overcrowded schools, and in many cases, deteriorating facilities in urgent need of replacement or major repairs. Many existing schools are too large and impersonal, inaccessible to students with disabilities, and not conducive to safety and discipline. We need to address these problems by building new, state-of-the-art schools for the 21st century and modernizing existing schools. Over the next ten years, thousands of schools will need to be built, and even more will need to be renovated.

New and renovated schools will need to last for many years, and will leave a lasting legacy that will influence the future in education. The need does not lie solely in the physical building, however. The demand to build and modernize is being driven by the need to reflect the many improvements in curriculum and teaching practices, and new advances in technology that are fundamentally changing American education. The need to fully engage parents, students, teachers, and other community members in the planning and design process is an equally important consideration in creating schools that are true centers of communities.

Related facts:

The General Accounting Office (GAO) estimates that $112 billion is needed to bring the nation's schools into good overall condition (not including new schools and classrooms).
About 60 percent of all schools (including some schools in generally adequate condition) report needing to replace or extensively repair at least one major building feature.
Elementary and secondary school enrollments will swell from 52.7 million in 1998 to 54.3 million in 2008. States and localities will need to build thousands of new schools to accommodate the growth by millions of students in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as well as incoming students over the next decade.
Students in school buildings that were in poor condition performed at 6 percent below the achievement level of students in schools that were in fair condition, and 11 percent below students in schools in excellent condition.
According to a 1998 National PTA survey, 82 percent of people favor increased federal funding for reparation and modernization of school buildings.

Model programs:

The Discovery Middle School in Vancouver, Washington, was developed through the extensive involvement of parents, students, educators, architects, business partners, and other community members. Integrating unique educational spaces, the school features "Academic Villages," which consist of 10 high-tech classrooms and are organized as schools-within-the-school with teams of students and teachers. Another design feature is called the "Tool Box"--an area divided into five zones of integrated instruction, including research with reference materials, wet/dry lab, art design, technology education, and fabrication. Outside access is available at the school for environmental studies.
The Community Center, a special room near the school's main entrance, reaffirms Discovery Middle School's place within the Vancouver community. The Community Center is dedicated for use by community organizations, school partners, and social service support. For more information, contact: Discovery Middle School, 800 East 40th Street, Vancouver, WA; (360) 696-7101; (360) 737-4238 (fax).
Gaylord High School in Gaylord, Michigan, serves as a secondary education institution as well as a community center. Built with the community in mind, the school houses senior activities, day-care, and performing arts programs, allowing students to interact with other members of their community. School officials believe the bond referendum to build the high school would have never passed without the inclusion of community activities. Now the entire community has a vested interest in the school. For example, the special auditorium committee evolved out of a need for a theater for school/community concerts, recitals, and other functions.

Classrooms were also designed to accommodate community use. Anticipating that some teachers would feel they had lost the privacy of their classrooms, school administrators worked with the design team to create departmental offices that would provide private space for faculty members. The high school also houses a full cadre of higher education programs. This range of activities at Gaylord has produced more volunteerism, more funding, and more general interest in the school. Contact: Gaylord High School, 90 Livingston Blvd., Gaylord, MI 49735; (517) 731-0960; (517) 731-2585 (fax).

America Goes Back to School Idea:

Form a group of parents, educators, business and civic leaders, and community members to take a bus tour to evaluate the community's school buildings in relation to the needs of the student population and community at large. Solicit suggestions, and formulate a plan to improve and modernize your facilities to make schools the centers of learning for the whole community.

Resources:

The U.S. Department of Education provides even more information on modernizing schools for the 21st century. To request products related to any of these programs, call 1-877-4ED-Pubs. For additional information on these programs, call 1-800-USA-LEARN or visit the following Web sites:

The U.S. Department of Education's School Modernization Web site (Ed Note: Site no longer on-line)
The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities