News

Philadelphia School District to Close 37 Schools

7 mins

PHILADELPHIA — The debate over the future of the Philadelphia School District — which faces budget cuts paired with a public school system that is falling behind in providing high-quality education — continues after Superintendent William Hite announced Action Plan 1.0 in early January, moving forward with his December announcement to close 37 schools by the end of this school year. Based on current enrollment figures, this will relocate about 17,000 children.

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LEX Focuses on Design and Technology

3 mins

ORLANDO, Fla. — In case you missed the Learning Environments (LEX) conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., we have you covered. Learning Environments, formally known as School and College Building Expo was held Jan. 29-31 and was co-located with another event, FETC, which focuses on school technology.

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Los Angeles Schools Oppose Property Tax

4 mins

LOS ANGELES — In an effort to clean up winter stormwater — often filled with toxins, trash and health-threatening pollutants — Los Angeles County officials created a proposal to capture runoff closer to where it falls, and the plan calls for funding from a property tax.

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CEFPI to Host School Security Summit

3 mins

WASHINGTON — In light of the recent focus on school security issues following the tragic events in Newtown, Conn., and in an effort to help the school community understand the key issues of school security as it relates to the built environment, the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) will convene a School Security Summit on Feb. 6, 2013, in Washington, DC.

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KU Medical Center Requests $75 Million Towards New Building

4 mins

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) is in the process of requesting $75 million from state officials towards a new seven-story building at its Kansas City campus. The structure would replace a parking lot at the northeast corner of Rainbow Boulevard and 39th Street and would feature up-to-date teaching facilities for doctors, nurses and other health professionals.

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California’s Budget Seeks to Close Achievement Gaps

6 mins

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Governor Jerry Brown recently released a funding plan for the state’s K-12 educational system that would increase funding throughout the state.

The state provides compulsory instruction and support services to approximately six million students, grades K-12 in more than 10,000 schools, according to the recent report.

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Loma Linda University Breaks Ground on Parking Garage

4 mins

LOMA LINDA, Calif. — The implementation of an $800 million, 10-year capital improvement program at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California kicked off in October with the groundbreaking for a $17.1 million parking structure.

The seven-level garage is the first phase of the improvement plan, which will help the medical center “maintain seismic compliance with the state of California per Senate Bill 1953 and all associated subsequent [bills],” said Robert Cole, owner’s construction superintendent at Loma Linda University.

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Millions of Dollars in Grants Secured for Washington State School Districts

5 mins

SEATTLE — Students in the state of Washington got an extra boost of support from McKinstry, a leader in construction, energy and facility services. The company helped to guide 13, K-12 school districts in Washington to secure more than $9 million in grants in the latest round of the 2012 Jobs Now Act. The Jobs Now Energy Grant, part of the Jobs Now Act, was approved by the Washington State Legislature in April 2012 and helps to fund energy and operational cost-saving improvements in public buildings across the state.

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