Best Practices and Resources

Vision for California Public Schools

The California Department of Education envisions school facilities that enhance the achievement of all students and are learner-centered, safe, sustainable, and centers of the community.

The following fact sheets and topics provide school board members, teachers, parents, and other interested parties a quick overview of school facility best practices. Detailed resources are available for those wanting further information. This web page will be updated regularly with additional topics, fact sheets, and resources as they are published.

Healthy School Facilities Guidance

• Healthy School Facilities: Indoor Air Quality

Outdoor Learning Environments Guidance

• Outdoor Learning Environments

Chronic Absenteeism and School Facilities: Research and Best Practices for Improving Student Attendance

• Fact Sheet for Chronic Absenteeism and School Facilities (PDF)
  
• Resources for Chronic Absenteeism and School Facilities

Essentials in School Facilities Safety: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

• Fact Sheet for Essentials in School Facilities Safety: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (PDF)
• Resources for Essentials in School Facilities Safety: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

Essentials in School Facilities Planning: Facilities Master Plans

• Fact Sheet for Essentials in School Facilities Planning: Facilities Master Plans (PDF)
• Resources for Essentials in School Facilities Planning: Facilities Master Plans

Essentials in School Facilities Planning: Educational Specifications

• Fact Sheet for Essentials in School Facilities Planning: Educational Specifications (PDF)
• Resources for Essentials in School Facilities Planning: Educational Specifications

STEM Learning Environments: Ernest McBride High School

• Fact Sheet for Ernest McBride High School (PDF)
• Resources for Ernest McBride High School

STEM Learning Environments: Galt High School Biomedical, Engineering, Science, and Technology Academy

• Fact Sheet for Galt High School Biomedical, Engineering, Science, and Technology Academy (PDF)
• Resources for Galt High School Biomedical, Engineering, Science, and Technology Academy

Sustainable Communities and School Planning

• Fact Sheet for Sustainable Communities and School Planning (PDF)
• Resources for Sustainable Communities and School Planning

Flexible Learning Environments

• Fact Sheet for Flexible Learning Environments (PDF)
• Resources for Flexible Learning Environments

School Facilities and Technology Integration

• Fact Sheet for School Facilities and Technology Integration (PDF)
• Resources for School Facilities and Technology Integration

Guiding Principles

The guiding principles (PDF) are meant to be applied comprehensively throughout the school facilities planning, design, and implementation process. The order of presentation does not reflect any prioritization.

School Facilities Research Topic Sheets

School Facilities Reference Library