According to the "FMI K-12 School Construction Management Survey Report," the magnitude of school construction and renovation/modernization projects in the nation's largest school systems indicates that school systems need to think and act more like the largest owners in the nation.
Facing problems like rapid growth in enrollment, overcrowded schools, and poorly maintained, aging classroom buildings, school systems have been engaged in a rapid increase in construction that started in the mid-’90s and is projected to continue through the next decade. The median annual expenditure for the school systems represented by the survey is $14 million for new construction and $7 million for school modernization and renovation. However, 37 percent of the school systems surveyed budget over $20 million per year for new construction, and 24 percent report over $20 million spent for renovation/modernization programs annually.
Despite the rapidly rising need for construction and modernization, school facility directors and managers responding to the survey said that only 34 percent of school systems have sufficient budgets for construction and renovation needs. Twenty percent did not require a master plan for school construction needs, and only 23 percent said their planning process was excellent.
Mark Bridgers, senior consultant with FMI, said "The results of this survey indicate that few school systems are organized and staffed to take on the challenges of large construction programs. Without sufficient master planning, the ability to examine alternative delivery methods and provide sufficient staffing for construction oversight, school systems are running into problems like inefficient use of their limited building funds." The survey concludes that school construction is an important factor in the primary mission of schools, which is to educate students, and the school construction program should be viewed as an important aspect in accomplishing that mission.
