Examines the legal aspects and problems of school ownership, school closing, and reuse of school property. Proposes new legislation establishing "community/schools" that vests ownership of school property in the municipality in which the property is located. (Author/MLF)

At the same time that schools are closing in many communities because of declining enrollments, the arts are expanding at the community level. The problem of surplus school space can be the solution to the needs of many artists and arts groups. Mutual to the arts groups and the communities are the benefits of flexible arrangements and the presence…

Guidelines are offered for profitably disposing of surplus school property. Included are instructions for conducting building and site analyses and market studies. (MLF)

The closing of a school is a difficult step for everyone involved. In this review, 11 entries in the ERIC system about school closing are summarized. Included are suggestions for administrators to involve the community in the decision-making, and alternative uses of school buildings. Case studies are included that highlight how school districts…

This issue contains the second of a two-part feature about European community school centers. The principal difference between the European and the American community school movements is that in almost all European nations the federal government supports them and takes an active part in their development. The article focuses on the forms of…

In many communities new arrangements of surplus school space have been made that facilitate use of the space by the people of the districts, encourage government agencies to anticipate and support social transitions where they are necessary, and allow school districts to improve the quality of their programs. This paper is a survey of some of…

The use of many public school facilities now closed due to declining enrollment could generate substantial savings for new federal construction projects. Responses to a questionnaire sent to all 50 states by the General Accounting Office (GAO) show that there were 2,493 vacant schools in 19 of the 23 responding states at the beginning of the…

Many school districts experiencing declining enrollments and the resultant surplus space have, with active citizen input, found workable solutions that increase the stability of neighborhoods by enriching the lives of persons of all ages. This report is a guide for educators and citizens seeking alternative uses of vacant facilities. Suggestions…

National census data suggest a sustained period of no growth or modest growth in births; however, migration variations in the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas and in different regions of the country portend the importance of local community planning for the future of high school facilities. The place of the high school in the scheme of…

The purpose of this report is to study the transition from school to surplus property and the consequences for the immediate neighborhood. From the 53 schools closed in New York City since 1975, six schools were selected for study. Of the six schools, three are vacant, two are used by private organizations, and one by the board of education. Data…

This publication attempts to simplify the complex issue of declining enrollment and surplus school space. Part 1 is devoted to a thorough discussion of enrollment decline. Text and tables are used to explain enrollment projections, large city public school enrollment decline, birthrates, population mobility, expenditures for education, and the…

A synthesis of ideas and proposals that have emerged in the course of recent Programme on Educational Building activities places emphasis on issues relating to the economic management of existing building resources. In recent years the development and administration of educational building policies have been affected by changes in the organization…

This booklet is the fifth in a series that examines community school centers. Because of the decline in school enrollments, many school districts must now cope with staff reductions, fiscal constraints, and an excess of unused space in school buildings. Although the school population is declining, the overall population in most communities is not.…

School administrators confronted with the possibility of having to close a school need to inform the public, assess community attitudes and needs, and identify the best possible use of the buildings. Existing schools must be reexamined in light of the new need to conserve energy and reduce operating costs. Measures that reduce energy consumption…