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This document was prepared by the School Facilities Planning Division, California Department of Education.
Contents
Introduction: How to Use This Document
Chapter 1 - The Meaning of Educational Specifications
Chapter 2 - The Role of Educational Specifications in Facility Planning
Chapter 3 - Development of Educational Specifications
Chapter 4 - Suggested Format for Educational Specifications
Chapter 5 - Annotated Outline for an Educational Specifications Document: Parts I and II
Chapter 6 - Part III of the Annotated Outline: Activity-Area Requirements
Appendixes
Appendix 1: Master Planning and Overall Goals
Appendix 2: Remodeling Facilities
Appendix 4: Selecting the Architect
Appendix 7: Safe Architecture for Schools
Appendix 8: School Disaster Preparedness Plan
Appendix 9: Facility Activation, Orientation, and Postoccupancy Evaluation
Appendix 10: Sample Form ES-3: Facilities Inspection Summary
Appendix 11: Constructibility Reviews
Foreword
The shape of our students' learning environment must be carefully planned to support our educational objectives as well as to provide safe, clean, and technologically up-to-date facilities. The planning process begins with the definition of educational goals and the development of educational specifications.
The California Department of Education has prepared this document, Educational Specifications: Linking Design of School Facilities to Educational Program, to help school districts develop specifications based on a fundamental principle of modern architecture: form follows function. Educationally effective facilities must correspond to and support the curriculum function they are designed to house.
The facilities should reflect the belief of adults in our society that education is important. Our students are young, but they are not stupid. They have been to the mall. They know what buildings look like when adults are serious, caring, and engaged about the purpose of those buildings.
As new educational concepts emerge, school design must follow those concepts. Until recently, educational reform has understandably been focused primarily on developing high-quality teachers and promoting excellence in instructional methods and technology. Recent research, however, has revealed a critical relationship between learning and the physical environment in which it occurs. An awareness is growing that a school facility may do more than simply house the instructional program. The facility is part of the program.
Educating our diverse student population presents challenges that can be met only by carefully defining each community's needs and designing a curriculum to meet those needs. The educational specification becomes the vehicle the architect uses to translate the curriculum and the instructional program into a beautiful, economical, and functional educational environment that can help shape the way our communities enter the twenty-first century and influence the quality of life in our neighborhoods thereafter.
This document is intended to be a guide in that process. I hope that you will find it useful.
Delaine Eastin
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Preface
In 1994 the California Department of Education was directed by the Legislature to formalize regulations governing standards for the design and construction of new school facilities. Included with those standards are requirements for the submittal of educational specifications. (See the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 14034, on the application of standards to locally funded school districts.) Those requirements are delineated in Education Code Section 39101(c). They are also listed in the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 14030(a), as follows:
Educational specifications for school design shall be prepared based on the district's goals, objectives, policies, and community input that determine the educational program and define the following:
- Enrollment of the school and the grade-level configuration.
- Emphasis in curriculum content or teaching methodology that influences school design.
- Type, number, size, function, special characteristics of each space, and spatial relationships of the instructional area that are consistent with the educational program.
- Community functions that may affect the school design.
To implement the regulations and assist school districts in preparing educational specifications, the Department has provided two options for districts to consider when requesting plan approvals. Districts may submit (1) complete educational specifications as suggested in this document; or (2) minimum specifications. Copies of the forms to be submitted and advice on their use can be obtained from the School Facilities Planning Division, California Department of Education; telephone 916-322-2470.
In most cases, especially for large projects, school districts will submit the complete educational specifications rather than the minimal ones. Submitting educational specifications with schematic design-phase documents (preliminary plans) will facilitate the approval process in the California Department of Education.
Susan Lange
Deputy Superintendent
Department Management Services Branch
Ann M. Evans
Division Director
School Facilities Planning Division
Ellen Aasletten, AIA
Senior Architect
School Facilities Planning Division
Acknowledgments
The State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the California Department of Education are indebted to everyone who contributed ideas and critiques during the development of this document, especially to those school districts and their design consultants that used the rough draft as a guide for developing educational specifications for their projects. The generous feedback they provided was invaluable.
The Superintendent and the Department are also grateful to the members of the many professional organizations that provided information to expand the document's scope. Included in this list are the American Institute of Architects, California Council; the Coalition for Adequate School Housing; the Council of Educational Facilities Planners, International; and the California School Boards Association.
The list of individuals to be thanked includes past and present members of the Department of Education's School Facilities Planning Division who worked long and hard to develop the document and other Department employees who contributed information and comments. Special thanks are extended to Jan Agee, Duwayne Brooks, Michelle Collins, Lorene Euerle, Julian Gonzales, Henry Heydt, Cecelia James, Tom Payne, Sue Pendleton, Patricia Jones Penn, Urvan Rodriguez, Patricia Rose, Stan Rose, Leroy R. Small, and Robert D. Williams. Special thanks are also extended to Anne Taylor, Educational Consultant, who reviewed the draft for conformance with current educational theory.
Introduction: How to Use This Document
The purpose of this document is to assist school district staff, in cooperation with school and community leaders, in preparing educational specifications. The document includes a definition of the specifications, suggested procedures, and a model format. More importantly, the purpose is to help craft visions for educational programs for the twenty-first century and the facilities necessary to support those visionary goals.
Note: The intent of this guide is to provide a model only. Both the form and the content of a district's document should reflect the specific goals and plans of the district and the community. Although parts of this guide may be inappropriate for a particular project because of its size or type, topics should be reviewed to discover whether they are relevant.
Organization of This Document
This document is divided into chapters to parallel the logical development of educational specifications:
- Chapter 1 discusses the meaning of educational specifications.
- Chapter 2 delineates the role of educational specifications in facility planning and the effects of a restructured curriculum on those specifications.
- Chapter 3 describes the process of developing educational specifications.
- Chapter 4 suggests a format for the educational specifications document. The outline is divided into five parts: (I) Project Description; (II) Project Design Factors; (III) Activity-Area Requirements; (IV) Summary of Area Relationships; and (V) Summary of Space Requirements. It is presented in skeletal form to give a quick overall view of what is included in educational specifications.
- Chapter 5 presents an annotated outline of the specifications for Part I, "Project Description," and Part II, "Project Design Factors."
- Chapter 6 contains Part III, titled "Activity-Area Requirements," of the annotated outline.
- Chapter 7 contains the last two parts of the annotated outline - Part IV, "Summary of Area Relationships," and Part V, "Summary of Space Requirements."
- The appendixes contain short articles providing background information.
Note: Completion of the annotated outline and sample form for all five parts, together with public review, will produce the data needed to prepare a complete educational specifications document.
Importance of Educational Specifications
Complete documentation of all project requirements will help district and school staff respond to public comment on what is included in the project, what is not included, and why items were included or omitted.
The complete documentation of project requirements before the design process is begun helps in all phases: design, construction, occupancy, and postoccupancy evaluation. The project should be reviewed in relation to the educational specifications at each phase so that elements needed to support the curriculum are not lost in process. Examples might include the following:
- If the project architect does not include teacher preparation space or other spaces necessary to support learning in design development, such spaces can be included in a later phase of the project only with difficulty. If, however, the design development documents are reviewed in relation to the educational specifications before the acceptance of the design development phase, the needed changes can be made easily and cost-effectively. The value of that approach holds true for the multitude of spaces, elements, and systems that exist in every project.
- If, in design development, conflicts arise between educational requirements and budget constraints that necessitate elimination of one space in favor of another, referring to a well-written educational specification may make it easier to decide what to eliminate. It may also help to illustrate where joint use may be possible. For example, offices might double as conference spaces; or two departments might be able to use the same preparation space.
- If a plug or switch necessary for the operation of equipment is forgotten in the preparation of construction documents or during construction, a formal review of the educational specifications document during those phases will make the correction of the oversight easier and more cost-effective to accomplish. The educational specifications review should be used to avoid expensive change orders. If, after the project has been completed, someone on the staff or in the community objects to the way the school operates, a review of the educational specifications will show how the school meets requirements previously agreed on. This publication emphasizes the importance of developing consensus on educational specifications before a project is designed.
Comprehensive educational specifications link facility design to the educational program and serve as documentation for the completed facility. In future evaluations understanding the reasons that shaped the spaces may be valuable in implementing changes necessitated by new developments in teaching or technology.
Educators must remain active in facility development and not delegate program decisions or interpretations to others. They are the only qualified advocates for the cultural and developmental needs of the ultimate clients; that is, the students and the teachers who serve them.
The best projects evolve from constructive dialogue between designer and educator. An architect can offer new alternatives in design and technology but may not be proficient in educational theory or instructional delivery systems. Educators must work with architects and district business officials collaboratively to apply creative problem solving to facility issues without losing sight of educational issues. A complete educational specifications document helps keep the educator in charge and facilitates communication within the project stakeholder group. To be effective in this role, however, the educational specifications document must reflect consensus in educational goals by all stakeholders: educators, students, administrators, classified staff, parents, and the general public.
Chapter 1 - The Meaning of Educational Specifications
Uncertainty sometimes exists as to the precise meaning of the term educational specifications. For that reason this chapter is devoted to defining the term and distinguishing it from other terms with which it can be confused.
What Educational Specifications Are
Educational specifications are interrelated statements that communicate (or specify) to the architect, the public, and other interested parties what educators believe is required for a proposed educational facility to support a specific educational program.
Educational specifications serve as the link between the educational program and the school facilities. They translate the physical requirements of the educational program into words and enable the architect to visualize the educational activity to be conducted so that the architectural concepts and solutions support the stated educational program.
From this definition two aspects of educational specifications emerge: (1) instructional matters, often referred to as the educational program; and (2) the physical requirements of instruction, often referred to as the building/architectural program.
Educational Program
The educational program describes the curricula, learning support programs, activities, and persons to be served; defines educational requirements; and represents local community consensus on educational priorities. It should be prepared by educators and should not prematurely suggest architectural solutions.
Building/Architectural Program
The building/architectural program deals with the numbers of students to be housed and numbers and kinds of spaces required and describes areas, spatial relationships, materials, and special features (e.g., use of technology in the classroom) needed to serve the requirements of the educational program. The architect may lead in the development of the building program but needs guidance from educators in interpreting requirements and determining priorities.
What Educational Specifications Are Not
Educational specifications are sometimes confused with construction specifications and are often confused with a facilities master plan.
Construction Specifications
Construction specifications are documents developed by the architect as part of the contract documents (contract, drawings, construction specifications, and change orders) to delineate the construction materials, methods, and systems necessary to complete the project. Educational specifications are not a part of the construction specifications except as specifically included in the contract documents because of the project delivery method selected. (See Appendix 5.)
Facilities Master Plan
A facilities master plan is a compilation of information, policies, and statistical data about a school district. The plan is organized to provide a continuing basis for planning educational facilities that will meet the changing needs of a community and offer alternatives in allocating resources to achieve the district's goals and objectives. The relationship of educational specifications to a facilities master plan can be seen in the following outline:
A Facilities Master Plan
- Articulates district educational goals and philosophy.
- Establishes desired standards and practices related to the district's educational facilities.
- Sets guidelines and addresses major facilities issues to assist in the decision-making process.
- Assesses the condition and adequacy of existing facilities.
- Identifies needed improvements and their implementation costs.
- Establishes guidelines for educational specifications (specific to each site).
- Establishes procedures for selecting an architect.
- Formulates a capital improvement plan, including estimated costs, timeline for construction, and project delivery methods.
- Documents and analyzes local demographic information, including predictions for community growth.
- Establishes criteria for site selection and outlines procedures for acquisition.
- Delineates working relationships with city and county governments.
- Allows for community participation, support, and use of facilities when appropriate.
Educational specifications are a part of a total planning process, a natural outgrowth of a comprehensive facilities master plan. The cost of implementing the educational specifications is folded into the capital improvement plan. Educational specifications rely on many of the elements of the facilities master plan but pertain to a specific building project or group of projects. A facilities master plan pertains to districtwide objectives over a longer period of time. (See Appendix 1.)
Chapter 2 - The Role of Educational Specifications in Facility Planning
Although the development of educational specifications is the keystone of the facility planning process, it is only one part of it. The process is a continuum, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 shows a circle with the process. The process is as follows:
- Evaluation of existing properties and growth.
- Development of educational specifications.
- Development and review of the design.
- Development and review of construction documents.
- Construction review.
- Project acceptance.
- Facilities activation and training or orientation.
- Postoccupancy evaluation.
Evaluation of Existing Properties and Growth
The first step in any educational project is to assess the existing situation and define what actions are to be undertaken. To be included are a determination of what is to be taught, how it will be taught, and what education and learning support activities are to be housed; the number of students to be housed; grade-level organization; review of district goals and policies; assessment of existing facilities; population projections; community needs; and site selection if necessary. Evaluation of sites includes a review of environmental impact and geotechnical reports that may be applicable to the site under consideration. (See appendixes 1 and 9.)
Development of Educational Specifications
The architect should be asked to design a school after a complete set of educational specifications is developed.
If the school district does not have staff with expertise in writing educational specifications, then the programming or preparation of educational specifications may be included in the contract with the architect. (This responsibility may properly be negotiated as extra services.) Although the architect may not be an educator, his or her past experience with school planning and knowledge of the relationship between function and design can make a valuable contribution. If the architect is inexperienced in writing educational specifications, it may be advisable to contract with consultants who have cross-disciplinary backgrounds and are specifically experienced in facility programming.
Development and Review of the Design
Design development cannot be successful until the project requirements are defined. During this phase the district and the architect must compromise on conflicts contained in those requirements. Compromise decisions must be documented and addenda made to the educational specifications. A detailed review of those specifications should be made at several points during development.
Decisions on project delivery (e.g., traditional contractor/architect method, construction management, design/build) must be made during this phase because the design development documents (including the educational specifications) become part of the contract documents in some types of project delivery. (See Appendix 5.)
Development and Review of Construction Documents
As construction documents are developed, a review of the documents in relation to the requirements in the educational specifications should occur at several points. The architect is unqualified to evaluate educational requirements alone and should not be allowed to do so. At each step the educator or education committee in charge of the project should ensure that the educational program is not compromised. When addenda to the educational specifications are necessary, they should be approved by the school district governing body.
A description of the formal review process for the construction phase should be included in the contract documents for the project. The contractor should be required to schedule meetings specifically to review, with the architect and the district, conformance with the educational specifications.
Construction and Review
During construction the inspector for the project and representatives of the educational specifications committee and the school board should continually examine the project in relation to the requirements of the educational specifications. Items necessary to the educational program, such as required storage, must not be sacrificed to accommodate building equipment that should have been allocated more space in the design phase. Construction review should become a formal process held at specific increments, possibly weekly. And the requirements for such a process should be included in the contract documents.
Project Acceptance
The project should not be accepted if contract requirements for conformance to the educational specifications are not met. The "finished" project should be reviewed in relation to the educational specifications, together with any addenda to the specifications made during the development of the construction documents and during construction. Ideally, all components required in the educational specifications should be included in the construction documents.
Facilities Activation and Training or Orientation
The intent and operation of the buildings should be explained to the users during the activation and training period. Further, how the project meets the objectives of the educational specifications should be explained to the users and, where necessary, to the public.
Postoccupancy Evaluation
After it has been in use for some predetermined period of time (such as the first semester or the school year), the completed project should be evaluated. How well the project fulfills the intent of the educational specifications and whether the educational specifications for the next project need adjustment should be determined. Postoccupancy evaluations should be carefully documents. (See Appendix 9.)
Effects of Restructured Curriculum on Educational Specifications
Educational specifications are based on a fundamental principle of modern architecture: form follows function. Educationally effective buildings must support the teaching and learning functions they are intended to house.
As new educational concepts emerge, school design must follow those concepts. Winston Churchill is reported to have said that "we shape our buildings, and thereafter they shape us." The environment can be seen as a learning tool (e.g., in learning landscape ecology). If, then, the physical environment can directly affect the persons housed there and the activities that take place there, facility planners and instructional leaders must give due consideration to planning for schools.
Curriculum reform (the restructuring of such concepts as curriculum integration, multiple intelligences, multiple-age grouping, coordinated support services, community use of facilities, and team teaching and of such newer programs as year-round calendars, Challenge schools, and class-size reduction) must be implemented effectively. The most advantageous way to do so is to develop for each proposed project educational specifications describing the goals and facility requirements of the restructured curriculum. In this manner form, as designed by the architect, can follow educational function.
For more information on educational restructuring, see the California Department of Education's task force report titled The Form of Reform (1997). The task force included educators, architects, teachers, and others involved in the planning of new facilities and the remodeling of existing ones. It reviewed the reform documents titled Here They Come: Ready or Not (1988), It's Elementary (1992), Caught in the Middle (1987), and Second to None (1992), published by the California Department of Education, and determined the design implications of the reforms recommended in those documents.
The design implications of the restructured curriculum demand close cooperation between educator and designer if facilities are to support educational goals effectively. Recognition of separate roles and responsibilities will effectively bring each participant's expertise to the project:
- First, the educational community must develop a consensus as to which concepts in the new curriculum and instructional delivery systems are feasible and desirable to adopt in their district.
- Second, the educational community, with the help of the architect or consultants (or both), must develop comprehensive educational specifications so that the designer will not waste architectural design time on space for programs that will not be implemented.
- Third, the architect, with direction from educators, must translate the educational specifications into settings for activities and a facility that will support the desired results for students.
Chapter 3 - Development of Educational Specifications
Before the architect begins a design, the educational planners should develop complete educational specifications. The development process may take six months to a year (or more) and should involve faculty, staff, students, parents, and community advisers. That period of time is necessary for a project to succeed because it allows the establishment of partnerships among the planning group so that they can communicate with the larger community.
It may be advisable to include the architect in the process of developing the educational specifications. Early involvement helps the architect better understand what the educators' goals are and what the educational specifications communicate.
Developing procedures and programs before beginning design will expedite all phases of the project and will result in a facility that will help meet and not impede educational objectives. District goals should be reexamined and updated before a new educational specifications document is developed. If the school is to be supported by the public, school leaders should make sure that district goals do not conflict with what parents, the community, and the children themselves perceive as legitimate goals.
Available Sources of Information
The School Facilities Planning Division, California Department of Education, has staff consultants who can help you develop your educational specifications. Telephone 916-322-2470.
Data for facility requirements should be gathered from all potential users of the facility, including staff, students, and the public. (see chapters 4-7.)
Development of Procedures and Organization
The following procedures include but are not limited to those needed to develop successful educational specifications. The exact procedures, the organization of the educational specifications committee, and the need for consultants will vary depending on the size of complexity of the project.
Selection of the Program Director
The program director will have overall responsibility for developing educational specifications. The first step in developing procedures to implement the facilities planning process should, therefore, be the selection of the director. Attributes to be looked for in selecting a director are as follows:
- Administrative ability, including leadership characteristics, mediation skills, ability to delegate, and oral and written communication skills.
- Background in and understanding of educational issues.
Establishment of the Required Organization
The size of the required organization may be as small as one person (for a small remodeling project) or as complex as the example of the committee outlined below. In any case the organization should remain in place until the project is occupied.
The educational specifications advisory committee reports to the project director and writes, reviews, approves, and presents to the board and the public the data and documents produced by its subcommittees. Various subcommittees report to the advisory committee. The number of subcommittees will vary to reflect the size and complexity of the proposed project.
- The steering subcommittee nominates committee members and consultants for approval by the project director and the district's governing board.
- Administration subcommittees collect data for each administration or support function. Contributions from all certificated and classified staff should be represented in the data collection.
- Educational subcommittees collect data from the teaching and curriculum staff and from curriculum guides for each educational discipline. Contributions from all certificated and classified educational staff should be represented in the data collection.
- The coordination subcommittee reviews data from subcommittees, presents the data to the advisory committee, arranges for support functions, and develops the timeline for development of educational specifications.
Selection of Committee Members and Consultants
Representatives in the organization might be board members, community leaders, personnel from the district staff, principals, teachers, classified personnel, parents, students, school-linked services providers, city and county planners, architects, consultants, developers, or representatives or the chamber of commerce and the building industry. The board's expectations should be clear.
Assignment of Roles to All Members
Overall responsibility for facilities planning should be assigned to one person, the program director. The organization will require clerical support and a budget to cover consultant fees, staff salaries, and other costs, such as expenses for field trips to exemplary projects in other communities. (If such field trips are planned, examples must be analyzed so that bad practices are not copied.) The following work sheet includes basic roles that should be addressed in the process of developing educational specifications regardless of the size of the organization.
Roles and Actions
Action (List the responsible group or individual).
- Appoint committee members.
- Provide leadership and establish goals and objectives (for committee and for district).
- Determine discernible trends: teaching/learning methods, population trends/demographics, socioeconomic factors, community-services needs.
- Determine enrollment information: minimum/maximum class size, total enrollment.
- Determine mobility information. Will students, individually or in small or large groups, move from the facility to other areas or facilities? How many students go from where to where? At what times?
- Report to school board.
- Schedule and coordinate meetings.
- Define functions to be housed according to the educational program in each groping or area of instruction.
- Organize subcommittee information for review by other committee groups.
- Review and comment on educational specifications in process.
- Collect and analyze data from documents. Coordinate reports. Include the impact of the district facilities master plan, the technology master plan, and other long-range plans on the project.
- Consider the need for consultants for coordination or specialized expertise. Select the architect (see Appendix 4). Determine the method of project delivery (see Appendix 5).
- Prepare a rough draft.
- Review contents and revise rough draft.
- Prepare final documents.
- Present points of view to the community, district, and the board. Ensure that all points of view are adequately considered. (Set up a design communication center or hotline to facilitate public awareness of the programming and planning process.)
- Interact with other agencies, such as the city planning and recreation districts, and keep them informed of project progress. Consider the joint use of facilities, such as playfields, libraries, assembly spaces, and gymnasiums.
- Obtain committee sign-off and board approval.
- Other.
Communication Protocol
Who informs whom? Who receives copies of data, rough drafts, and so on? Who handles public relations? Each person should have specific instructions on communication within the educational specifications advisory committee and with other interested stakeholders, parents, students, staff, and the general public, including media contacts. Communication should be open and two-way if schools are to be considered part of the social solution and therefore supported by the community they serve. Support does not come to groups, no matter how well meaning, if they seem inaccessible and thus unresponsive to the public. (See Appendix 3.)
Approval Process and Authority
The work sheet below includes some of the possible persons who hold authority or who need to be informed of the progress of the committee. Develop a diagram illustrating the approval process so that everyone knows who is to kept informed. List the assigned area of authority or span of responsibility.
- School administration.
- Staff: certificated/classified.
- Media.
- Public, including governmental agencies, such as planning, parks and recreation, and other joint-use partners.
- Board of education (trustees).
- Parents (and students).
- Other.
Human Resources
List groups or individuals and their possible contributions. Use the following work sheet as a sample guide.
- Board members.
- Administrators.
- Teachers (including athletic directors and counselors), and paraprofessional instructional staff.
- Consultants.
- Clerical staff.
- Maintenance, grounds, and custodial staff.
- Food service staff.
- Students.
- Parents.
- Community groups, chamber of commerce, and so on.
- City and county officials.
- Special program staff (e.g., special education, Healthy Start, Head Start).
- School nurse.
- Other.
Documents for Educational Specifications Committee
Have or procure the following documents:
- California Education Code.
- California Code of Regulations, Title 5.
- District goals, objectives, and philosophy.
- Educational program expressed in state and local curriculum guides.
- The Guide for Planning Educational Facilities (1996). Available from the Council of Educational Facility Planners, International (CEFPI), 8687 E. Via de Ventura, Suite 311, Scottsdale, AZ 85258-3347; telephone 602-948-2337. Other CEFPI planning documents include Preparing Your School Building for Technology (1996), Designing Places for Learning (1995), and The Guide for School Facility Appraisal (1986).
- District needs assessment/master plan.
- Community general plan (county or city).
- Publications available from the California Department of Education. Call the Publications Division, Sales Office, at 1-800-995-4099 for a catalog of curriculum guides and other publications:
- Building the Future: K-12 Technology Network Planning Guide (1994).
- California Environmental Education Resource Guide (1995).
- Caught in the Middle: Educational Reform for Young Adolescents in California Public Schools (1987).
- The Form of Reform: School Facility Design - Implications for California Educational Reform (1997).
- Here They Come, Ready or Not: Report of the School Readiness Task Force (1988).
- It's Elementary! Elementary Grades Task Force Report (1992).
- Safe Schools: A Planning Guide for Action (1995).
- School Facilities Planning Guide (1997).
- School Nutrition Facility Planning Guide (1992).
- Schools for the Twenty-First Century (1990).
- Science Facilities Design for California Public Schools (1992).
- Second to None - A Vision of the New California High School: The Report of the California High School Task Force (1992).
- Publications available from the School Facilities Planning Division; telephone 916-322-2470:
- Facilities Performance Profile (1988).
- Guide for the Development of a Long-Range Facilities Plan (1986).
- Indoor Air Quality: A Guide for Educators (1994).
- School Site Analysis and Development Guide (1987).
- School Site Selection and Approval Guide (1989).
- Self-Assessment Guide for School District Fiscal Policy Teams: Facilities Planning and Construction (1991).
- Virtual Schoolhouse: A Report to the Legislature on Distribution Infrastructures for Advanced Technologies in the Construction of New Schools, K-12. Prepared by the Office of the State Architect, California Department of General Services (1993).
- Publications available from the California School Boards Association pertaining to planning and financing school construction. Address: 3100 Beacon Blvd., West Sacramento, CA 95691; telephone 916-371-4691.
- Postoccupancy evaluations of district schools.
- Handbook on Project Delivery (1996). Available from the American Institute of Architects, California Council; telephone 916-448-9082.
- Indoor Air Quality: Tools for Schools Action Kit (1996). Developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 1520-7954 (order processing code: 3209); FAX 202-512-2250; telephone 202-512-1800.
- School Area Pedestrian Safety (1993). Available from the California Department of Transportation, 1900 Royal Oaks Drive, Sacramento, CA 95815-3800; telephone; 916-445-3520.
- Handbook for Public Playground Safety (current edition). Available from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207. Contact the California Department of Health Services for information on current playground safety regulations; telephone 916-322-6283.
- Other. See Selected References at the back of this document for other publications that may be of interest to the educational specifications committee.
Educational Specifications Schedule
Use this worksheet to track start dates, review dates, approval dates, and completion dates.
- Data collection.
- Development of educational specifications.
- Community input.
- Evaluations and revisions.
- Approvals.
- Other.
Budget and Approval for Development of Educational Specifications
- Staff, support, consultants, salaries, and travel costs.
- Printing and duplicating costs.
- Miscellaneous.
Forms for Uniform Data Collection
See chapters 4-7.
Selection of an Architect
An architect should be selected early in the planning process and should be asked to help in selecting the site and translating the educational program into the building program. Because the architect will be a major influence in determining how well the facility serves its intended purpose, he or she should know and appreciate the student group to be served. Selection should, therefore, not be informal or casual. In addition, the selection of architects and other design professionals is subject to the provisions of the California Public Contract Code, Section 10100 et seq. The process must, therefore, be open to any interested party and subject to public review. For additional information please refer to the current California Public Contract Code and contact the California Department of Education, School Facilities Planning Division; telephone 916-322-2470. The American Institute of Architects, California Council, can also supply information and booklets on selecting an architect; telephone 916-448-9082. (See Appendix 4.)
The contract or agreement between the architect and the school district should delineate clearly the responsibilities of both. A good contract, for example, sets forth provisions governing the scope of the project, the responsibilities of the participants, schedules, deliverables (content of plans), interdisciplinary coordination, constructibility and value engineering reviews, and construction observation.
Discussion of Project Delivery
Information on current project delivery methodologies is contained in the Handbook on Project Delivery. (See Appendix 5.)
How educational specifications are written will depend on your selected method of project delivery (design and construction) and should be discussed with a legal adviser.
Each school board should use the project delivery method that is most appropriate for the project and is in accordance with legal constraints.
Project delivery should be discussed early in the development of educational specifications to determine whether alternate forms of project delivery might be advantageous. Nontraditional forms of project delivery may require that educational specifications be more complete so that they can be used as part of the contract documents. (See Appendix 5.)
Prequalification of Bidders
The California Public Contract Code, Section 20111 et seq., allows prequalification of bidders by public agencies and lists requirements for the lowest responsible bidders. However, you should not prequalify bidders until after you have sought legal advice. Section 20111.5 allows prequalification, and Section 20111.5(a) allows for prequalification based on experience.
Procedures to prequalify bidders must be in place before a project is developed. Such procedures may not be undertaken as part of a project. Because prequalification can take a considerable amount of time, it should be undertaken early in the educational specification process.
The San Bernardino County Cooperative for Adequate Schools Today, San Bernardino County Office of Education, has a program in place. For additional information contact Linda Sweaney, 4595 Hallmark Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407; telephone 909-887-7515; FAX 909-887-7528.
Selection of a Site
Appropriate site selection is a fundamental starting point in efforts to enhance a school district's educational program. If the placement of neighborhood schools is a concern, then that element must be decided on well before the educational specifications are prepared. Whatever the district holds important in instruction for young people, selecting an appropriate school site must be seen as an integral part of the planning process.
The site or sites selected should also accommodate the needs of the community. How does the site location affect transportation access? Does the location increase congestion to an unacceptable level? Those questions cannot be answered by the district alone. Site selection must be planned in cooperation with other public agencies, developers, and other necessary planning groups. Has the district considered joint use of playfields, assembly spaces, library, and so on with other community agencies? Has the district considered consulting students about site selection and environmental impact studies?
Refer to Department of Education publications on site selection. For additional information contact the School Facilities Planning Division; telephone 916-322-2470.
Process for Development of Documents
Once the committee is constituted, the process for development of the educational specifications documents may be started. The process may be divided into three phases:
- Publish and distribute the names and duties of the program director and the educational specifications advisory committee and its subcommittees and consultants. Include the schedule and budget if appropriate.
- Distribute data collection forms to users, consultants, and others. Include in the instructions due dates for return. Some data collection efforts become stalled until those involved become knowledgeable as to the meaning and purpose of educational specifications and the reasons for the acquisition of certain data. For that reason discussion meetings or short training sessions for staff persons asked to provide program information are useful. (Data collection forms are suggested in parts I, II, III, IV, and V in chapters 4-7.)
- Summarize and compile data collected, again using forms similar to those used in data collection. The summary can be done by an individual or by a writing committee. One of the most efficient, democratic, and time-saving methods is the charrette process, in which all participants meet together for perhaps three days of intensive interaction. All decision makers are present, and all data collected are presented, discussed, and recorded. By the end of the third day, typically, a rough draft of the data is presented to the group for review and approval. Final editing can then be done by an appointed individual or committee.
Chapter 4 - Suggested Format for Educational Specifications
Educational specifications should convey clear educational objectives to the design team.
Good design solutions depend on careful interpretation of the educational specifications by designers and feedback from members of the educational specifications committee. They require repeated refinement and revisions of the preliminary design documents and prioritization of educational specifications requirements.
A well-designed educational project has a staff that clearly documents project requirements and remains in charge during the design, construction, and occupancy phases, including postoccupancy evaluation. The following is presented to help facilitate the process:
Organization and Content of the Document
Document organization must be logical and user friendly. For example:
Title page:
Educational specifications.
Name of school.
Type of school.
Name of local educational agency.
List of local board of education members.
List of committee members and consultants.
Contact person.
Date of board approval.
Table of Contents:
Part I Project Description.
Part II Project Design Factors: Overall Considerations.
Part III Activity-Area Requirements.
Part IV Summary of Area Relationships.
Part V Summary of Space Requirements.
Suggested Outline for Educational Specifications
The following outline expands the table of contents and gives a clearer picture of what is to be included under educational specifications and how it can be organized.
Part I Project Description
- Introduction (project justification and rationale).
- The Community.
- School Board Policies.
- Educational Program.
- Staff Support.
- Scope of Work and Enrollment Projections.
- Budget.
- Schedule.
Part II Project Design Factors
- Building Design Concepts.
- Single Story Versus Multistory Building.
- Compact Building Versus Detached, Campus Style.
- Open or Closed Campus.
- Enrollment.
- Phasing.
- Integration of Portables.
- Community use.
- Joint Ventures with Other Agencies.
- Multitrack year-round schedule.
- Curriculum concepts.
- Building Systems.
- Acoustics.
- Building Support Spaces.
- Cleanliness and Health.
- Climate Control.
- Electrical.
- Electronics.
- Fire/Life Safety Systems.
- Handicapped Access.
- Lighting.
- Public Access.
- Safety.
- Security.
- Signage.
- Structural.
- Utilities.
- Site Considerations
- Landscaping (Ecology: Learning Landscapes/Garden Projects.
- Playfields.
- Parking and Traffic Circulation.
- Policies.
- Security.
- Unique Site Conditions.
- Utilities.
Part III Activity-Area Requirements
- Name of Activity Area.
- Program Philosophy/Goals/Expected Outcomes.
- Curriculum/Anticipated Use.
- Discernible Trends/Innovations/Experimental Ideas/Other Planned Uses.
- General Requirements/Grouping and Adjacency Considerations.
- Space Requirements.
- Individual Space Description: Microenvironmental Needs:
- Name of Space.
- Activities.
- Acoustical.
- Cabinetry/Built-in Casework.
- Ceiling.
- Communications/Technology.
- Display Spaces.
- Doors.
- Electrical.
- Fencing.
- Floors.
- Furniture and Equipment.
- Gas and Air.
- Handicapped Access.
- Heating/Cooling/Ventilation.
- Lighting.
- Parking.
- Safety.
- Security.
- Service Drives.
- Walls.
- Water.
- Windows.
- Writing Surface.
- Other Needs.
Part IV Summary of Area Relationships
- Lists and Diagrams/Sample Bubble Diagrams.
- Facility Space Relationships.
- Adjacencies.
- Views.
- Isolation from One Another.
There is a diagram of a sample bubble diagram courtesy of Stafford, King, and Weise, Architects. The bubble illustrates staff parking and public parking along with the administration building, public access spaces, security, and limited access spaces.
Part V Summary of Space Requirements
- List of Requirements.
- Relationship to Architectural Services Contract (Design Development Phase).
- California State School Building Program Requirements.
Chapter 5 - Annotated Outline for an Educational Specifications Document: Parts I and II
The skeletal outline provided in Chapter 4 can be annotated to give a more detailed picture of the complete format and the items to be included in educational specifications. This annotated outline, consisting of parts I, II, III, IV, and V, can be used as a guide to collect and organize information for the educational specifications document. (Because of the complexity and critical nature of information needed for Part III, a sample data collection for (ES-1) is provided in Chapter 6.)
Part I: Project Description
The project description should be as complete as possible and should be agreed to by all stakeholders. It should describe concepts and philosophies held by the local community that are fundamental to the design and character of the school. Agreed-on concepts and philosophy should be clearly documented for reference.
- Introduction
- What is the justification or need for the project?
- How does this proposed school relate to other schools in the district?
- What vision is held as to this project's place in the community?
- What environmental and sustainability goals are associated with this project?
- Other?
- The Community. Provide a brief description and history of the community. Project economic conditions, enrollment, cultural change, residential, growth, commercial growth, and industrial growth over the next five or ten years. Provide a map of the community and surrounding area. Indicate school location, attendance area, and demographics. List resources in the community that can be used by the schools. Questions to be addressed include the following:
- What are the population trends?
- What are the demographics, including socioeconomic factors?
- Is there other pertinent information (community expectations for the school as a community center, recreation facility, and so forth)?
- School Board Policies
- Which policies have a direct impact on facilities?
- Is there community use of facilities and playing fields?
- Which teaching/learning methods will affect needs for educational spaces?
- What is the board's policy on facility development and maintenance? For building exteriors? For landscaping? For playgrounds?
- What are the staffing ratios?
- What is to be the total school enrollment?
- What is to be the maximum capacity of the school?
- What is the grade-level organization?
- What justification is required to establish minimum/maximum class size?
- What is the impact of district facilities master plan (or five-year plan) on the proposed project?
- What is the district policy on busing?
- What is the district policy on flexibility and mobility?
- Will students, individually or in small or large groups, move within the facility?
- Will students move to and from other facilities?
- Will equipment move with the students?
- How many students go from where to where? At what times? For what purpose?
- How are students and equipment transported?
- Are there other policies that affect facilities (e.g., multitrack year-round calendar or joint use of all or part of the facilities)?
- What support services will be housed at the site for students, family, elders, children in day care, and so forth?
- Which policies have a direct impact on facilities?
- Educational Program
- What concepts and philosophies guide the school's curriculum and educational program?
- In what ways will the facility contribute to educational functions and promote the occupants' educational, physical, and emotional well-being?
- How much flexibility is to be provided to adjust to future technological and curriculum demands?
- What are the plans for educational technology? What electronic systems are proposed for the school?
- Staff Support. What is the school's staffing organization? What is the number of persons in each category, including part-time employees? The following list can be used to outline the staffing organization. Include the number of each staff listed.
Instructional:
Teachers
Counselors, psychologists, nurses
Librarians
Specialists
Aides
Volunteers
Others
Administrative:
Principal
Assistant principal(s)
Secretaries
Clerks
Business manager
Nurse
Others
Operational:
Supervisors
Custodians
Maintenance workers
Food service workers
Others
Community functions:
Healthy Start
Child care and development
Public safety officers
Probation officers
Community parks and recreation
Social services
Mentors
Home and after-school programs
Other functions per school board policy - Scope of Work and Enrollment Projections
- Provide a written description of the scope of the work, the nature and extent of facilities construction involved in this project, including any areas to be renovated. Indicate how much future expansion, if any, is to be accommodated.
- What are the enrollment projections for the next five years by grade level?
- Which grades are to be accommodated in this project? Include preschool and adult students if applicable.
- What are needs for future expansion?
- Budget
- What are your sources of funds?
- Are state funds to be used?
- Have they been applied for?
- Have they been granted?
- Is the district self-certifying? See the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 14031 et seq.
- What amount of gross square footage is eligible for state funding? Call the School Facilities Planning Division, California Department of Education, for the most recent data; telephone 916-322-2470.
- What are the district's direct costs? Verify funding sources. The following worksheet includes most items:
- Site acquisition
- Environmental impact reports
- Testing
- Preparation of educational specifications
- Other
Include subtotals, district's direct costs
- What is the architect's preliminary estimate of costs based on areas developed in parts II, III, IV, and V of the educational specifications? The following worksheet includes most items required in a preliminary estimate:
- Site work
- construction
- Contingency for change orders
- Design fees
- Other fees
- Other expenses
Subtotal, architect's estimate
Total project costs (architect's estimate plus district's direct costs)
- Schedule. Do you have enough information to develop a project schedule? Include the following phases with start dates, review dates, approval dates, and completion dates:
- Educational specifications
- Schematic design
- Acquisition of funds
- Design development
- Construction documents
- Advertising for bids and bidding
- Contract development and award
- Permits
- Construction
- Punch list and correction period (list of items to be corrected by contractor, within a specified time, before district acceptance)
- Outfitting of building
- Project acceptance
- Occupancy
- Warranty period (contract time for unsatisfactory conditions to appear in project and be subject to correction by contractor)
- Project closeout
- Postoccupancy evaluation (see Appendix 9 for additional information)
Part II: Project Design Factors
- Building Design Concepts
- Will the building be single story or multistory?
- Is a compact design desired? Or are detached, campus-style buildings preferred?
- Is the campus open or closed?
- Will there be a need for future additions or reductions because of changes in school enrollment?
- Will this project be done in phases?
- How should portable buildings be integrated into the overall design?
- How will planned community use affect design?
- Will any construction be done jointly with others?
- Will the building be designed to accommodate a multitrack year-round calendar?
- What curriculum concepts (e.g., in mathematics, science, social studies) can be incorporated into the building systems as learning tools?
- Building Systems (list if not included under "Activity-Area Requirements" in Chapter 6.)
- Acoustics. What are sources of noise? Evaluate for health and safety as well as aesthetics.
- Uncontrollable exterior noise: low-flying aircraft; heavy traffic; systems-generated noise: heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC); fans and motors; duct turbulence; fluorescent lights; other.
- Activity areas that generate noise: noise suppression within spaces, noise isolation, other.
- Building Support Spaces. What are required support spaces? Can they be used as learning tools?
- Mechanical and electrical spaces.
- Equipment repair areas.
- Wiring, conduits, and distributions spaces.
- Custodial spaces, delivery areas, and storage.
- Other.
- Cleanliness and Health
- Are the finish materials in wall and outdoor and indoor equipment smooth enough not to present an abrasion hazard to passersby and still repel graffiti and vandalism?
- Custodial storage for ease of use.
- Adequate drinking fountains.
- Hand washing facilities.
- Adequate toilet facilities (for both sexes; for students, staff, and public).
- Vandal-resistant components and hardware.
- Air quality, ventilation.
- Lighting.
- Adequate dining facilities, food preparation areas, and storage.
- Other.
- Climate Control. What needs for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are not included under "Activity-Area Requirements" in Chapter 6?
- Special climate-control zones.
- Indoor air quality.
- Energy conservation.
- After-hours use and on/off switching.
- Year-round education, including sunshades for playground use in the summer.
- Other.
- Electrical. What are system needs?
- Emergency power.
- Backup systems.
- Energy savings.
- Other.
- Electronics (Infrastructure Technology). What electronic systems are proposed for the facility? What are system performance and space needs?
- Air-conditioning controls (description).
- Computer network (description).
- Energy management (description).
- Lighting controls (description).
- Public address (description).
- Security (description).
- Telephone/intercom (description).
- Television/radio (description).
- Other (description).
- Fire/Life Safety Systems. What are desired performance requirements of safety systems not included under "Activity-Area Requirements" in Chapter 6?
- Alarms
- Controls
- Monitors
- Sensors
- Other
- Handicapped Access. What requirements are not included in Part III? Refer to the California Code of Regulations, Title 24. (Consult the architect.)
Note: The Americans with Disabilities Act (1992) requires that all facilities and programs to be accessible. (Consult the architect.) - Lighting. What are the interior and exterior lighting requirements not included under "Activity-Area Requirements" in Chapter 6?
- Day and night lighting, including use of natural light (solar).
- Energy savings.
- Parking lots and outdoor spaces (evenly illuminated).
- Task lighting.
- Other.
- Public Access. What are the needs for public-use areas and access?
- Normal school hours.
- Weekends, holidays, and evenings.
- Rest rooms for public use.
- Security needs.
- Other.
- Safety. Building, site, and equipment safety issues are those items that, with thought in selection of materials, design of details, and the maintenance of the facility, can prevent injury in the use of the facility.
- Adequate lighting.
- Adjacent land use.
- Central, easily observed entry to campus.
- Comfort of neighbors.
- Compliance with the Handbook for Public Playground Safety and current California Department of Health Services regulations.
- Ease of supervision: central office; police patrols; neighbors.
- Access to emergency vehicles.
- Presence of toxic materials in building materials and in finishes on outdoor play equipment.
- Fencing and grilles (well designed) and locks to prevent unauthorized or accidental entry.
- Implementation of measures addressed in School Area Pedestrian Safety.
- Local fire department approval; compliance with regulations from the fire marshall as to the design of buildings, storage of materials, and evacuation procedures and drills.
- Provision for safety equipment (e.g., fire hydrants, speed bumps, contrasting paving).
- Securing the campus.
- Selection and location of plant materials.
- Separation of pedestrians, bicycles, automobiles, buses, and delivery vehicles.
- Street access.
- Traffic volume.
- Unauthorized access to rooftops, electrical equipment, and other.
- Walking surfaces resistant to slipping and tripping; other surfaces smooth, with no sharp edges.
- Window projections and door swings located so that they cannot injure users or passersby.
- Criminal Activities
- Attention should be given to the neighborhood crime rate.
- Have the recommendations in Safe Schools: A Planning Guide for Action been implemented?
- Natural Disasters
- School disaster preparedness plan. Education Code sections 35295-35297 require earthquake preparedness planning and indicate that districts may cooperate with other public agencies, such as the Seismic Safety Commission and the Office of Emergency Services. If a district or school preparedness plan does not exist, that fact should be brought to the attention of the school district governing body.
- Floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters may require evacuation; short-term storage of supplies; provision of shelter for displaced persons; and cooperation with local, state, and federal agencies
- Protection from the elements is needed: snow, rain, wind, heat, and so on.
- Other.
- Security
- Does the location of the site require special security provisions?
- Are there governmental requirements or policies?
- Local school board (e.g., community use).
- Local government (e.g., building codes).
- Other.
- Signage. Will the signs have a theme? Will they be uniform? Will they be put in particular locations? To what extent does signage need to be multilingual?
Types of signs:
- Access (ADA compliance), size, and location?
- Building name, size, and location?
- Directional signs, size, and location?
- Parking signs, size, and location?
- Room identification, size, and location?
- Other, size, and location?
- Structural. Which program needs affect the design of the structural system?
- Equipment or activities that require specific distances between walls or columns.
- Equipment or activities that require specific floor to ceiling heights.
- Equipment or activities that require personal or small spaces.
- Need for under-floor conduits, pits, or service areas for equipment or site features, such as amphitheaters.
- Unique requirements for reinforcing walls, ceilings, or floors.
- Other.
- Utilities. List all utility needs not included under "Activity-Area Requirements" in Chapter 6.
- Gas
- Electricity
- Telephone
- Television and computers
- Water
- Waste removal and recycling
- Energy- and water-conservation systems (e.g., meters)
- Other
- Acoustics. What are sources of noise? Evaluate for health and safety as well as aesthetics.
- Site Considerations
- Landscaping (Ecology: Learning Landscapes)
- What type of landscaping and outdoor play equipment will be provided?
- Where will landscaping occur (e.g., on interior courts, at the perimeter, around buildings)?
- Will landscaping be low-maintenance and drought resistant?
- Can it contribute to learning, as in ecoliteracy? Study of agriculture? Garden projects?
- Parking and Traffic Circulation. What are the requirements for pedestrian, truck, school bus, and automobile traffic? Student pickup and drop-off? Parking? Maintenance and operations? Food service and other deliveries? Total parking (define and separate pedestrian paths): automobiles, trucks, buses, bicycles? The following is a list of types of parking and the separation requirements. List the number of vehicles anticipated.
Staff in separate staff area.
Visitors parking close to administration.
Students in separate student area.
Handicapped parking is required in student, staff, and visitor parking areas.
Trucks in separate area.
Buses in separate area.
Bicycles in separate area.
Pickup and drop-off the pedestrians to be protected and separate access for kindergarten. - Playfields. (This information is also collected in Chapter 6.) What are the requirements for playfields, courts, play equipment, and structures to fulfill physical education requirements for graduation and provide for extracurricular and community use? Refer to the School Site Analysis and Development Guide. Provide shade for year-round schools.
- Type, number, and size.
- Location in relationship to other facilities. (See Chapter 6 and "Summary of Space Relationships" in Chapter 7.)
- Handicapped and community access.
- Other.
- Policies. Are there governmental requirements or policies (e.g., community use)?
- Security. Does the location of the site require special security provisions?
- Unique Site Conditions. Are there conditions that need to be considered or mitigated in project design?
- Wind and prevailing weather patterns.
- Traffic or other noise sources.
- Shaded play areas (heat).
- Retaining walls, erosion control.
- Special features, (e.g., archaeological or historic areas, benches).
- Site drainage, berms.
- Other.
- Utilities. What utilities are or will be available? Identify those provided by public utilities and those provided on site. Provide names and addresses of utility providers:
Electricity
Gas
Sewer
Water
Telephone
Cable
Other
- Landscaping (Ecology: Learning Landscapes)
Chapter 6 - Part III of the Annotated Outline: Activity-Area Requirements
Although based on the data generated in parts I and II, Part III is the essential element, the heart of educational specifications. The data in Part III help the architect fully understand the function and physical characteristics of every space in the school so that those spaces can support the educational program.
Data must be provided by each staff person who uses the facility so that planners/architects include everything that is necessary to implement all of the proposed educational program. A similar process should also be developed to encourage student input to project requirements.
Collecting the Data: Sample Form ES-1
Part III brings together the educational program and the building program into a unified statement by describing goals, functions, and activities and their resultant needs for space in the school.
Sample Form ES-1, a suggested tool for organizing the input, is shown below. The form should be filled out by every person on the staff so that all items needed to support educational goals can be included. The form should be presented to all staff members with the instructions (ideally on computer disk), and training sessions in its use should be conducted as necessary.
The form should include space for the user's name, title, department, date, project, and activity area or space name.
The educational specifications committee should then tabulate the data, set priorities, and determine constraints on needs. All users should provide input so that educational support items are not lost in committee and therefore not transmitted to facility programmers and architects.
Immediately after Sample Form ES-1 are lists of typical activity areas or settings for elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. The lists are provided to give an idea of the multitude of spaces that need to be described. Because the data collection forms may be voluminous, the educational specifications committee will need to develop a system to evaluate the data and determine priorities. All interested parties should have a chance to input their needs for each space.
The data collected here are not all the data required. Questions asked and information called for in parts I, II, IV, and V also need to be answered and collected. Sample Form ES-2, "Information from the Architect and Other Design Consultants," located in Chapter 7, is intended to ensure that all the information needed is collected and understood by the designers.
Sample Form ES-1
Instructions for Collection of Space-User Information
Your input to the preparation of educational specifications is needed so that facility programmers can include everything required to implement or support the proposed curricula.
Please consider all the major and minor activities you participate in and divide requirements into absolute needs and optional wants. The educational specifications committee will compile data and attempt to fill everyone's needs within the constraints of budget and space.
Provide a description of each educational program and service function in your area of responsibility. Indicate where you could easily share a space with other activities. Be explicit. Identify support spaces, such as preparation areas, toilets, storerooms, and space for equipment. Include all desired spaces or parts of spaces. Use a separate form for each distinct space. Use extra sheets for more information as needed.
Activity-Area Requirements
Include name, title, department, date, and project name.
Include the following in the write up:
- Name of activity area.
Identify the area according to its main function (e.g., department, grade level, administration, media center, food service, custodial). See the list of typical activity areas below. - Program Philosophy
Describe concepts, philosophy, goals, and expected outcomes. Note: This item may not be applicable for some noninstructional areas. - Discernible Trends/Innovations/Experimental Ideas/Other Planned Uses
The purpose of this information is to help the architect provide flexibility for future needs. One example might be the trend toward increasing the number of computers per pupil in the classroom. Connect, Compute, and Compete: The Report of the California Educational Technology Task Force (California Department of Education, 1996) recommends the following hardware for each classroom: six to eight networked multimedia computers with high-quality monitors and headphones; special interfaces for persons with disabilities; a scanner; a networked laser printer; a 27-inch or larger television monitor; an overhead projector and screen; a telephone; and furniture and security equipment. That document and others, such as the task force reports on both reading and mathematics, can be ordered from the California Department of Education; telephone 1-800-995-4099. The Department has other publications on various topics, such as the academic disciplines and school-to-career or vocational education. - Curriculum/Anticipated Use
The school's curriculum should be thoroughly reviewed and developed before educational specifications are completed. The review is intended to incorporate and translate curriculum concepts as design criteria in to the architecture of the learning environment. Educational specifications call for decisions regarding the number of classrooms for certain subjects, the relationship of one space to another, special built-in equipment, and a host of physical features that can be made only after the curriculum is known and agreed upon.
List the courses taught in each activity area and describe curriculum related items, such as the use of technology to deliver and support the curriculum, school-to-career requirements for career/vocational education, academic programs, and populations with unique needs (e.g., limited-English-proficient students and special education students).
Noninstructional areas should describe anticipated use. - General Requirements/Grouping and Adjacency
Describe general requirements, groupings, shared spaces, location in relation to other areas, and any desired isolation. Indicate any essential, indirect, or convenient adjacencies and access. Identify the anticipated size of the groups and indicate the number of persons in each grouping. State any need for subdividing or combining an activity area with an adjacent one and the frequency of such adjustment. (Use bubble diagrams if desired. Bubble diagrams show adjacencies of function and are neither drawn to scale nor designed to show relative size. See your architect for examples.) - Space Requirements
Indicate the seating capacity and approximate square footage needed to accommodate each type of use.
Sample Format for a High School English Department
Main Activity Area: English
Individual Spaces Number of Spaces Number of Staff per Space Total Number of Staff Number of Students per Space Total Number of Students Square Feet per Space Total Number of Square Feet Classrooms 10110282809609,600Journalism classroom 1112828960960Yearbook Office 1001010150150Department Office 111(11)00350350Department Storage 10000150150Department Total 14131166318n/a11,210
Note: List also number of computers and special equipment required in each space. - Individual Space Description: Microenvironmental Needs
- Name of Space. For example: English Classrooms, Yearbook Office, Storage. A separate Item G form will be needed for each individual space.
- Activities. Activities elaborate on curriculum and anticipated use and are a critical aspect of school planning. The practices that implement the curriculum or use of a space rely heavily on physical features of the building and can be supported by or impeded by the facility. The architect needs to know what activities are planned for the school and what the physical and environmental requirements of those activities are. List and describe the instructional or noninstructional activities (or both) to be accommodated in this space. Be specific. Describe who does what and how. A few sample activities are listed as follows:
Instructional
Large group instruction
Small group instruction
Cooperative learning/collaboration
Individual study
Computer-assisted instruction
Cross or shared activities
Team teaching
Laboratory/lecture
Special programs: (e.g., Healthy Start, parent center)
Noninstructional
Individual office work
Clerical work related to attendance area
Bulk storage of supplies
Custodial break room/meetings/lunch
Dining/large meetings/dances
Student waiting for each service function
Reading/research/material checkout
Before-school and after-school programs
Other community-use programs - Acoustical. Most areas will be standard. Special areas should include statements concerning the need for baffles, insulation, reverberation, and so forth.
- Cabinetry/Built-in Casework. Category includes, for example, work counters, cabinets, shelves, stages, risers, storage cubicles, tackboards, chalkboards, AV screens, map rails, and pegboards. Indicate number required, size (dimensions), location, adjustability of shelves, and finish desired. For storage, identify items to be stored. Free-standing cases and cabinets should be listed in the furniture and equipment section, although parking space for movables needs mention here.
- Ceiling. Most areas will be standard. Special areas should specify height or other requirements.
- Communications/Technology. Describe television, radio, and computer requirements. Include such items as computers, printers, scanners, closed-circuit TV, satellite antenna, provision for fiber optics, cable, computer labs, interschool networking, home-to-school networks, interactive video, videotape, and film. Indicate the need for and type of intercom. List clock requirements and telephone needs, including location; lines, such as extension or direct; and access to pay telephones.
- Display Spaces. List type of display, location, and size. Describe items to be displayed and security requirements.
- Doors. Most programs will have standard doors. Special programs may need double, dutch, sliding, overhead, extra-wide, metal, or gate-type doors. The need for special doors (e.g., vandal-proof, heavy-duty, handicapped-access) should be delineated.
- Electrical. Indicate the number, type, and location of electrical outlets needed. Types of outlets include duplex convenience outlets and 220-volt outlets. The outlets may be located in floors, in walls, above counters, in the ceiling, outside, and in other places.
- Fencing. Most programs will indicate N/A (not applicable). Special programs requiring outdoor work or storage should indicate size of area to be fenced, height of fence, type of fence, gates, and entrances.
- Floor. Describe floor surface desired for each space. Examples include carpet, ceramic tile, quarry tile, vinyl tile, sealed concrete, and wood.
- Furniture and Equipment. List the movable furniture and equipment required for each activity space. State quantities in meaningful terms (number, size, special requirements, and so forth. Do not include built-in casework or built-in instructional aids in this section). Include computers and other special equipment required. Outdoor play equipment should be listed.
- Gas and Air. Most programs will indicate N/A. Special programs should specify the number of gas or compressed-air outlets (or both) needed, their location, and special cutoff features.
- Handicapped Access. The requirements of the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, and the federal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1992 are the responsibility of the architect. List the special requirements of your program, such as doors, heights of countertops and fixtures, elevators, or lifts. Please be aware that the ADA requires that programs as well as facilities to be fully accessible.
- Heating/Cooling/Ventilation. Describe what is desired. Include statements concerning exhaust fans, vents, exterior windows, fume hoods, dust control, stove hood exhausts, and so forth. Indicate preferred locations for controls. Consider the impact of energy conservation.
- Lighting. Describe the type of lighting desired. Describe the type of controls needed (e.g., area, rheostat, master). Describe special needs (e.g., spotlights, outdoor lights, color, special needs related to computer monitors and projection screens).
- Parking. Most programs will indicate N/A. General parking will be included in Part II, "Project Design Factors: Overall Considerations." But special programs may need to specify additional parking for parents, aides, and so forth. Special programs should state need according to days per school week, weekends, hours, frequency, and number of persons and vehicles, including bicycles.
- Safety. Most programs will indicate N/A. Special programs utilizing chemicals and machinery will need to specify such items as eye washes, safety showers, panic buttons, alarms, sensors, monitors, and extinguishers.
- Security. Most security provisions will be included in Part II, "Project Design Factors: Overall Considerations." Special programs may include after-hours use, special locks, surveillance, and so forth. It may also be desirable to provide panic buttons or telephones or both for teacher use in classrooms.
- Service Access Drives. Most programs will indicate N/A. Special programs should state the need for service access drives, the manner in which they will be used, and their location.
- Walls. Describe the type of walls needed to separate spaces. Examples include tackboard surface, permanent, folding, demountable, and sight dividers. If movable, state frequency of use.
- Water. Describe the number, type, height, and location of sinks desired, such as single, double, utility, and hand washing. Indicate the need for cold and hot water. Include the need for and locations of hose bibs. Special areas may need grease traps, floor drains, clay traps, temperature controls, and drinking fountains.
- Windows. Include statements about the desirability of exterior windows. Identify their location, height, and light control. Describe interior window needs, such as the number, type, location, and size of observation windows.
- Writing Surfaces. Describe the type, location, and size of writing surfaces, such as markerboards, chalkboards, and screens.
- Other Needs.
Typical Activity Areas: Reference List for Form ES-1
Individual activity areas are subsumed under the main headings for activity areas. These are examples only, nomenclature and spaces will vary depending on the program in use.
| Activity Areas | Elementary School | Middle School | High School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten classrooms/learning environment | X |
N/A |
N/A |
| Kindergarten work sinks | X |
N/A |
N/A |
| Kindergarten toilets | X |
N/A |
N/A |
| Kindergarten teacher planning | X |
N/A |
N/A |
| Kindergarten storage | X |
N/A |
N/A |
| Kindergarten playground | X |
N/A |
N/A |
| Kindergarten garden/environmental area | X |
N/A |
N/A |
| Grades 1-3 classrooms/learning environments | X |
N/A |
N/A |
| Grades 4/6 classrooms/learning environments | X |
X |
N/A |
| General classrooms English | N/A |
X |
X |
| Language arts learning environment foreign language classroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Language arts learning environment speech classroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Language arts learning environment remedial reading classroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Language arts learning environment journalism classroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Language arts learning environment journalism storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Language arts learning environment yearbook office | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Language arts learning environment teacher planning | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Language arts learning environment department storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| General classrooms mathematics | N/A |
X |
X |
| Mathematics learning environment department storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Mathematics learning environment teacher planning | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| General classrooms social studies | N/A |
X |
X |
| Social studies learning environment teacher planning | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Social studies learning environment department storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| General classrooms others | N/A |
X |
X |
| Science learning environment general classroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Science classroom/lab/learning environment material storage | N/A |
X |
X |
| Science classroom/lab/learning environment project storage | N/A |
X |
X |
| Science classroom/lab/learning environment preparation/storage | N/A |
X |
X |
| Science classroom/lab/learning environment teacher planning | N/A |
X |
X |
| Science classroom/lab/learning environment career center | N/A |
X |
X |
| Science learning environment biology labs | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Science learning environment biology prep/projects | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Science learning environment biology storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Science learning environment chemistry lab | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Science learning environment chemistry storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Science learning environment general storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Business learning environment typing classroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Business learning environment computer literacy classroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Business learning environment accounting classroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Business learning environment general business classroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Business learning environment teacher planning | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Business learning environment department storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Art classroom/learning environment | N/A |
X |
X |
| Art classroom/learning environment storage | N/A |
X |
X |
| Art classroom/learning environment teacher planning | N/A |
X |
X |
| Art classroom/learning environment ceramics | N/A |
X |
X |
| Art classroom/learning environment storage | N/A |
X |
X |
| Art classroom/learning environment kiln | N/A |
X |
X |
| Art classroom/learning environment teacher planning | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Art classroom/learning environment department storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Ceramics classroom/learning environment | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Photography lab/classroom/learning environment | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Darkroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Work sinks | X |
N/A |
X |
| Small-group instruction | X |
X |
X |
| Teacher planning - general | X |
X |
X |
| Storage | X |
X |
X |
| Music classroom/learning environment instrument storage | X |
X |
X |
| Music classroom/learning environment practice rooms | X |
X |
X |
| Music classroom/learning environment music library/storage | X |
X |
X |
| Music classroom/learning environment teacher planning | X |
X |
X |
| Computer laboratory teacher planning | X |
X |
X |
| Band classroom/learning environment ensemble | N/A |
X |
X |
| Band classroom/learning environment practice rooms | N/A |
X |
X |
| Band classroom/learning environment instrument storage | N/A |
X |
X |
| Band classroom/learning environment material storage | N/A |
X |
X |
| Vocal music classroom/learning environment practice rooms | N/A |
X |
X |
| Vocal music classroom/learning environment music library storage | N/A |
X |
X |
| Vocal music classroom/learning environment robe storage | N/A |
X |
X |
| Performing arts vocal music room | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Performing arts uniform storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Music library storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Performing arts drama classroom | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Performing arts stage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Performing arts dressing/makeup | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Performing arts costume/prop storage | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Performing arts/vocal teacher planning | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Performing arts toilets | N/A |
N/A |
X |
| Computer laboratory storage | X |
X |
X |
| Computer laboratory computer areas throughout | X |
X |
X |
| Computer storage | X |
X |
X |
| Special education classrooms/learning environments | X |
X |
X |
| Special education teacher planning | X |
X |
X |
| Special education resource specialist | X |
X |
X |
| Special education special day classes | X |
X |
X |
| Special education facilities for severely handicapped | X |
X |
X |
| Special education speech therapist/psychologist | X |
X |
X |
| Special education storage | N/A |