Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
To help save money and be more eco-friendly, many schools have installed solar energy and made other sustainability upgrades, including green transportation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering more funding to help school districts across the country make the switch to alternative fuel bus fleets. The agency has launched a $965 million round of rebates […]
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, a new resource to help K-12 schools and their law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats of violence, including those received on social media. The toolkit outlines steps school leaders can take to […]
Editor’s note: FM Perspectives are industry op-eds. The views expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. The senseless killing of two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in rural Georgia on Sept. 4 once again begs the question, “How do we stop these school shootings?” It seems we […]
K-12 facilities managers are emphasizing efficiency and cost savings as they stare down the twin challenges of aging infrastructure and budget constraints, according to a new survey by Incident IQ, a workflow management solution provider. With the average age of U.S. school buildings at just under 50 years old, facilities managers are used to juggling […]
Schools throughout the U.S. are rapidly switching to solar power to meet their energy needs while gaining significant cost-savings, boosting climate resilience, and supporting workforce development, according to a new report from clean energy nonprofit Generation180. Over the past decade, the amount of solar capacity installed at K-12 schools has more than quadrupled nationwide. According to “Brighter […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected five groups to receive $34 million in grants for projects helping address indoor air pollution in K-12 schools in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities across the country. This announcement comes after the agency revealed $26 million in funding to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools […]
In 2018, a third of Baltimore’s schools closed due to heating issues. In 2019, schools in Providence, R.I., faced leaking sewage and contaminated drinking water. These aren’t signs of low funding—average U.S. public school spending per pupil actually rose 8.9% to $15,633 in fiscal year 2022. So, what’s the problem? Research paints a clear picture. […]
It’s back-to-school time, and this year a survey got the “deets” about teens’ handwashing habits, restroom evaluations, and whether or not they stay home from school when they’re sick. The Healthy Handwashing Survey, conducted by Bradley Company, connected with 1,012 high schoolers ages 14 to 18 to gather their insights and opinions. Handwashing & Health […]
As students and teachers return to classrooms across the country, school safety is top of mind. In Pennsylvania, schools and other eligible entities are now able to apply for $120 million in grant funding to make physical security upgrades and strengthen behavioral health support. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) School Safety and Security Committee […]
Do your facility’s restrooms comply with current—and growing—legal requirements for free access to menstrual care products? Recent legislation on menstruation by state and federal legislatures has brought attention to the rising issue of menstrual equity and period poverty in the United States. Period poverty, which is characterized by inadequate access to menstrual products and insufficient […]