Facility planning personnel today are getting cross-training in curriculum, instructional technology, architecture, engineering, and facility project management. Similarly, curriculum representatives to the planning process are learning more about instructional technology that applies to their subject areas. Together, they can plan how technology can help educators meet curriculum goals.

Facility planners must be able to give clear management and design direction to an increasingly sophisticated cadre of design professionals, particularly in the areas of engineering, information systems design, and energy management. They must also provide curriculum leadership for technology in many cases.

Unfortunately, many districts are too small to employ facilities management personnel on staff. As an alternative, program management consulting firms are growing in popularity. This approach can save a district from frequent hiring and firing, since many construction programs last only three t0 five years.

If your district decides to hire a program management firm, ensure that a qualified educational facility planner is included on the firm’s team or can be hired independently. As discussed earlier, this person should be experienced in educational curriculum, new instructional technology, and the facility management process.

If an architectural firm is selected to fulfill the program management responsibility, likewise ensure that it has capable educational staff with appropriate continuing education course work in educational facilities planning and curriculum.

Staff Involvement Throughout Design

Staff involvement should not cease with the completion of educational specifications.

Rather, the preparations of educational specifications should be just the first step of staff involvement in the planning and design process.

With a well-developed educational specifications document as a guide, district staff and administration and community representatives can be meaningful involved in the architectural design review. This involvement should occur throughout the design process.

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In the Toolkit: