Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Examining Our Priorities

  • By Jerry Enderle
  • 03/01/19

When I was young, it was obvious to me that my parents, teachers, and the policymakers at all levels were making decisions based on creating a better future for their kids. Today, I wonder if children have that same confidence. Several school-related topics have made headlines in the past few weeks that, if they are dealt with correctly, could help build that confidence. Here are just two.

School Infrastructure

The recently proposed Rebuild America’s Schools Act, H.R. 865 (116), would create a $70-billion grant program and $30-billion tax credit bond program targeted at improving the physical and digital infrastructure at high-poverty schools. More than one in four of the nearly 100,000 public K-12 schools in the United States are in poor or unsatisfactory condition. Recent polls indicate that a majority of Americans strongly support investing more in public infrastructure. Public schools are the second largest sector of America’s infrastructure, after roads and highways. If legislation is passed to invest in infrastructure, public K-12 schools need to be a large part of that package. All students deserve decent schools.

School Safety

The Education Commission of the States researched K-12 school safety policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to provide a resource, entitled K-12 School Safety: State Profiles. This resource gives an overview of relevant laws in each state. You can view a specific state’s approach by going to the individual state profiles page at www.ecs.org. The report does not make judgment calls, but by reading it, you may come up with some new or better ideas.

Some see these as political issues. In my opinion, school infrastructure and school safety are problems that we need to solve. While there are political factors to be resolved as we work to find solutions, we should be putting more emphasis on doing whatever it takes to better serve our kids—like our parents did.

A Reminder

You can follow me on Twitter, @SPM_editor, and you are always welcome to contact me with your thoughts and ideas at [email protected].

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management March 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • Little Grand Market

    Designing for Belonging: Why Student Wellness Starts with Space

    From walkable site planning to flexible interiors, intentional design choices play a critical role in how students experience comfort, connection, and community.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.