This presentation describes the development process behind the Boston Schoolyard Initiative: a 5-year, inner city, community-driven initiative to transform neglected and unwelcome schoolyards into active centers of school and community use. Each phase of the initiative is discussed from community organizing through design, construction, and…

Discusses how a detailed plan can help schools set the right priorities for modernization projects. Examines planning elements such as identifying needs, prioritizing capital outlay funds, establishing budgets, identifying funding sources, and creating schedules. (GR)

The State of Alaska has issued preventive maintenance guidelines for educational facilities designed to prevent premature failure, or to maximize or extend the useful life of a facility and its components, including roofing inspections, repainting, and door hardware adjustments. The handbook examines preventive maintenance state legislation, and…

As part of its consideration of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the House Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education met to address the need to maintain schools as safe learning environments. The Safe Schools Act of 1993 had been introduced as the administration's effort to help deal with…

The Dallas Independent School District has tried to address the problems involved in providing appropriate education for diverse communities by establishing minimum long-range goals and annual objectives in priority subject areas. The Campus Level Planning Project was a program to encourage program planning at the local school level. Each…

Examines the comprehensive planning process done prior to renovating or constructing new buildings at educational facilities in order to prevent errors. Planning steps are highlighted as is one city's experience in making more space available at its schools to meet rising enrollment needs. (GR)

Defining service learning as the formal integration of public service into student instruction and learning, this guide provides teachers with ideas for narrowing the gap between what students do in school and what they will do after they leave school. The example activities, derived from actual projects, demonstrate the nearly limitless range of…

The Oregon Small Schools Program began in 1963 as a means of serving the needs of Oregon's 215 school districts with 1,000 or fewer students. Coordinated by the state department of education, the program provides assistance to small schools in identifying and delivering services available from other state agencies and from the communities. The…

Due to a lack of funding, New York City's public school buildings fall significantly short of providing adequate classroom space and technology support. Some policy changes that could promote more intensive use of school buildings and thus provide a comprehensive and affordable solution to this problem are described. It is suggested that…

This paper examines practices under school control that have an impact on the allocation and expenditure of instructional time, and offers research based considerations for effective program implementation. Research literature sources and data sets are used as a basis for examining: pacing of instruction, uses of common textbook instruction,…

A Local Education Fund (LEF) is a third-party, nonprofit entity whose agenda, at least in part, consists of developing supportive community and private sector relationships with a public school system. It provides limited private sector support to launch initiatives and broker relationships leading toward school improvement. LEFs are funded and…

The history of schooling is a mix of constancy and change in policies, organizational structures, school practices, and classroom pedagogy. Over the last century and a half, well-intentioned and serious reformers, using Federal, state, and local policies, tirelessly and repeatedly tried to improve schooling. Classroom and school practices such as…

During 1985-86, its first year, the Comprehensive School Improvement and Planning process (CSIP) operated in 156 of 392 New York City schools identified by the State Education Department's Comprehensive Assessment Report (CAR) as most in need of improvement. CSIP offers a holistic approach to school improvement and planning, and is designed to…

A Local Education Fund (LEF) is a third-party, nonprofit entity whose agenda, at least in part, consists of developing supportive community and private sector relationships with a public school system. It provides limited private sector support to launch initiatives and broker relationships leading toward school improvement. LEFs are funded by the…

This energy management program is intended to give school administrators some ideas about how to get started in managing energy conservation. An Implementation Guide provides options and step-by-step approaches for marshaling resources and organizing to get a program off the ground. A Curriculum Review and Development Guide includes general…