In 2000, the National Trust for Historic Preservation included neighborhood schools in its list of America's Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places, noting how many small neighborhood schools were closing. In rural areas, particularly, this may be caused by steadily declining enrollment that has forced districts to consolidate and close one, or…

The Surplus Schools Project was designed to stimulate and encourage the adaptive use and preservation of vacant school buildings in New York State. Through a statewide competition, the Preservation League selected four surplus schools that were located in four distinctly different communities and presented a broad range of problems and…

A guide intended to be used by boards of education and administrators lists economical and socially useful ways to put unwanted schools back to work. Items include minimizing community opposition, help that can be obtained from consultants, zoning questions, and some alternative building uses that may be considered. (Author/MLF)

The growing interest in historic preservation has sparked interest in recycling existing school buildings. (Author/MLF)

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…