TEAM BUILDING
 District Roles & Responsibilities in Facility Planning
Building a school requires the involvement of an unusually large number of people. Indeed, very few construction processes require the interaction of a more diverse combination of players. It is possible to separate the vast majority of these players into five categories: politicians, district personnel, community, professionals, and state agencies. This article will focus on the roles and responsibilities of the first two.
Too often, the responsibilities of each individual are unclear. In addition to the roles of specific individuals, the formation of the project teams is critically important. First let us look at who the 'players' are and what their roles and responsibilities are on the team.
THE POLITICIANS
In most school building projects, the political players are limited to the school board. There are occasions when joint-use involves elected city officials. There are special projects where state or federal office holders will get involved as well. If your project relies on state funding, there could be greater interaction with the politicians in Sacramento. While the Board of Education has the final decision on the details of the project, the State Allocation Board (SAB) has the final decision on funding apportionments.
The School Board
School Board members make up one of the largest groups of elected officials in California. School Board members typically serve four-year terms, and the terms are staggered so seats do not become open all at once. They are entrusted with the responsibility to oversee who will be involved with facility design, what funds will be spent on facilities and goals. They are expected to ensure that the project runs smoothly and stays on budget.
School Board members, by the very nature of how School Boards are formed, may not have had much experience working together. Many have never led a school construction project.
A profile of board members may look something like this:
- Two will be completely new to the board, having served for less than two years,
- Two will be on their second or third term, and one may have been there for as long as 30 years.
- None have been involved in a public construction project unless the District has built new schools or modernized school buildings within their term.
- Few of them are familiar with specific conditions at their school facilities other than knowing they need repair or there are not enough classrooms for students.
- One or two are able to donate full time to their position, but most have full-time jobs and are unable to devote more than a few hours per week to district affairs.
This elected body, no matter what their collective experience, is held responsible for the success or failure on a full spectrum of issues, from test scores to the color of the buildings.
If the board is to lead a successful construction project, there must be a well-organized process to keep themselves, the educators, and the community involved, informed, and supportive.
Recommendations to the board
- If you are not an expert in public construction, accept the fact that you can benefit from outside advice. Form Project Advisory Committees, drawing expertise from the local community. Board members should agree upon the type of advisors they believe would be most beneficial and should select community members with that expertise.
Tasks given to advisory committees might include:
- Interviewing and recommending architects
- Financial advisory
- Communication or community outreach
- Construction advisory
- Make sure the district has developed a meaningful set of Educational Specifications. If not, begin that process.
- Write job descriptions for each advisory group, outlining the responsibility of the committee and the process for keeping the board informed.
- Ask the Superintendent to outline clearly the new responsibilities of the district staff, delineating the chain of command.
- Organize formal Board meetings to include reports on the project to keep the community informed. Hold special Board meetings as necessary to keep the project moving on schedule and to allow detailed presentations by design professionals.
- Identify potential joint-use or shared services with the city that could benefit the project. Establish a process to work with the city council and mayor's office.
- Schedule a meeting with State representatives to identify ways in which they can be helpful. Legislation may be pending that could offer additional funding resources to the project. Ask to be kept informed.
THE DISTRICT STAFF
The education group includes the superintendent, assistant superintendents, principals, teachers, and administrative staff, including secretaries, maintenance and operations, and food service employees. The responsibilities of individuals in this group vary from major to minor players.
The Superintendent
The role of the Superintendent is as the secretary to the Board of Education. Superintendents represent the Board's position on each issue and communicate it to the other members of the team. Likewise, the role of the Superintendent is to take information to the Board and to keep it informed of the recommendations of staff and community members. In some cases, the Board will give the Superintendent a lead role, allowing him or her to make some decisions without formal approval.
Recommendations
- The architect usually reports to the Superintendent or to the assistant superintendent/financial officer. The most important role a superintendent plays in a construction project is to ensure that the district's internal organization can handle the new responsibilities it is about to receive. Well-defined roles and responsibilities within the district prevent the all too common statements: "But, I thought he was doing that;" or "But, that wasn't my job."
- A Superintendent's advisory committee is not required to be open to the public and may be a good way for the Superintendent to allocate responsibility and receive feedback on process issues.
Financial Officer
The financial officer is sometimes the facilities director as well as the financial officer. In larger districts, the facilities director will report to the financial officer. The financial officer will issue all payments for work. They meet with bond counsel if bond money is the source of funds or will work with the state agencies if state funding is the source. They write checks to the architect and to other outside consultants and must be assured that a job has been completed before issuing payment. They should work closely with the construction manager and/or facilities manager to stay informed.
The Assistant Superintendent/ Curriculum Director
The director of curriculum should be closely involved with a school's design and construction. This individual will have the best pulse on the goals of the district from an educational perspective. How the physical environment of the school supports what is being taught cannot be ignored. Although the state recommends detailed Educational Specifications, it does not require them. (See article on Educational Specifications for detailed information on what this should include.)
Principals and teachers report to the curriculum director who has the best perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of the facilities in which they work.
Recommendations
- Develop an education team to review design decisions through a teaching lens. Through the development and review of district educational specifications, focus on the building concepts that best support what is being taught.
- Tie teaching concepts to building concepts.
The Director of Maintenance & Operations
The director of maintenance & operations knows the details of the facilities better than anyone else. Often, they are trained plumbers or electricians and can quickly relate the systems issues to the design team. They are in charge of the crews that maintain the school facilities. If there are problems with vandalism, they will know it. If boilers are about to blow, they will know it. If the roof leaks, they will know where.
Recommendation
Review the maintenance and operations costs over a five-year period. Develop a strategy to lower those costs through the design decisions. Review the possibility of implementing an energy management system with the architect and the mechanical engineer.
Teachers
Teachers and principals, as the educators for the district, must remain active in facility development and should not delegate program decisions or interpretations to others. Students are the clients, and their teachers are the ones best qualified to advocate for their cultural and developmental needs. Few architects, facility managers, or school board members are proficient in educational theory or instructional delivery systems. An educational specifications document helps facilitate this process. "A complete educational specifications document helps keep the educator in charge and facilitates communication within the project stakeholder group." (California Department of Education -- "Linking Design of School Facilities to Educational Program," 1997)
Recommendations
- Teacher and principal representation should be included on all advisory teams.
- Each school site should form teacher and parent committees to identify the spaces within their campus that would support the educational program they want to deliver.
- If Educational Specifications have not been completed, the teaching staff should be involved in that effort.
- JoAnn Koplin
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