Secret to Efficient, On-Time School Infrastructure & Modernization Projects is All in the Preparation

District Leaders Must Do Their Homework to Prevent Missing Back to School

• By Sean T. Scuderi
• 06/16/26

Warmer weather and longer days make summer the ideal time for construction and modernization projects at educational facilities. Scheduling work for the summer break minimizes disruption to the estimated 49.4 million PK-12 public school students and 9.3 million PK-12 private/charter school students nationwide.

What’s more, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimates that across the nation, the age of the typical public-school building is now half a century old (49 years to be exact).  Given the technology and other modern needs of learning communities, it’s likely time for that building constructed during the Carter Administration to receive more than just a fresh coat of paint.

In frequent cases, charter schools can also be located or co-located within those district-owned facilities. In New York City, an estimated 43 percent of charter schools are co-located in public owned school buildings. Meanwhile, the Florida Policy Institute reported that there were 690 requests from charter operators seeking to co-locate in 490 schools across 22 school districts in late 2025 alone.

School boards and construction firms must coordinate effectively to ensure that these projects do not extend even a single day into the school year and impede classroom operation. To avoid excessive cost overruns, not to mention negative impacts on students or families caused by such delays, schools can and should utilize several methods during the planning phase to ensure projects adhere to the timeline.

Develop a Realistic Plan

While summer is the ideal time for school construction projects, it is important to be cautious of trying to fit too many major initiatives into the tight window. Prioritizing projects that can be completed in the limited two-month timeframe helps schools maximize the summer months and ensures students do not return from summer break to find an active construction site. There is no flexibility on the school calendar, so maintaining the construction schedule is nonnegotiable.

School leadership should put together a list of all projects and renovations that need to be completed, and review this with contractors early in the planning and budgeting stages, so that both parties can come to an agreement on what can realistically be completed quickly and safely. For instance, renovation projects can be phased to complete portions over the summer months while completing less time-intensive work over holiday breaks throughout the year.

During this process, it is important to note that most schools do not fully shut down during the summer. While there are certainly less students and staff, there are still summer programs like camps, learning enrichment programs, and summer school to consider when developing the summer plan. By coordinating which spaces will be utilized, schools and contractors can determine where it is possible to complete specific projects and at what times. If necessary, temporary measures can be put into place to close off areas of the school while the rest of the facility remains operational.

Coordinated efforts to schedule and sequence the work while considering all known variables is critical to a successful and timely project.

Delay Damages

A well-crafted schedule is only helpful if it can be maintained and enforced. Money is always a motivating factor, and there are a series of contractual provisions that can provide incentives for contractors to protect the schedule. In addition, the schedule and completion dates should be defined as material terms of the contract.

Delays will create unwanted disruptions to the students and staff. There are associated financial impacts to schools in the event of delay, such as loss of income, alternative storage and rental costs, financing and loan costs, costs of operating and/or renting other facilities, and increased construction costs. Aside from increased construction costs, most of these costs are considered consequential damages – meaning they are indirect damages flowing from a breach of contract. Schools should ensure that the contract allows for the recovery of consequential damages to protect against these losses and motivate the contractor to protect the schedule.

As an alternative, the contract can establish liquidated damages for delay. Liquidated damages clauses stipulate the measure of damages due in the event of delay, which are in lieu of the actual damages. An owner cannot collect both actual and liquidated damages for delay. Many parties opt for liquidated damages because they provide more clarity on exposure at the outset of the project. However, it is important that schools consider all potential financial impacts of delays when settling on a liquidated damages figure to ensure they will be appropriately compensated. Too often parties arbitrarily select a figure that does not sufficiently cover actual losses.

Early Completion Bonuses and Other Contractual Considerations

Early completion bonuses can provide a financial incentive for contractors to maintain or beat the schedule. These provisions provide the contractor with a daily bonus for each day of early delivery or a lump sum payment for substantial completion achieved by a predetermined earlier milestone (i.e. one month early).

Additional delay provisions to consider include requirements for contractors to work overtime to make up for delays, ability to retain additional labor, and, ultimately, termination if deemed necessary. For more clarity on delays, the contract should also impose strict notice requirements should a delay be expected to occur for any reason. These carefully crafted provisions can limit the ability of a contractor to seek additional time to complete the work without risk of termination.

Comprehensive preparation and negotiations at the onset of a summer construction project can help facilities avoid costly delays that could otherwise interrupt the pace of learning for young minds, and disrupt the educational setting for educators, during the school year.

Working within the tight summer window means it is essential to make sure schedules are adhered to with proper preparation before the project even begins. After all, students and teachers should not be faced with trying to learn and work at an active construction site due to avoidable schedule and preparation failures.