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The Bell Is Ringing on Challenges Facing Schools in Upcoming School Year

By Randolph Sturdivant | Oct 31, 2024
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

The 2024-2025 K-12 Facilities Survey revealed some troubling shortfalls and concerns for schools in the upcoming school year.

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The 2024-2025 K-12 Facilities Survey revealed some troubling shortfalls and concerns for schools in the upcoming school year.

 A market survey of K-12 facilities managers undertaken by service management system Incident IQ, the “2024-2025 K-12 Facilities Survey,” revealed some troubling shortfalls and concerns for schools in the upcoming school year. The survey results, released in September 2024, identify the three top challenges faced by America’s public schools in the 2024-25 school year and beyond.

Participants in the survey, selected from a variety of schools, are expecting a three-headed hydra—infrastructure, staffing shortages and budget constraints—to test the effectiveness of the institutions and the students and staff toiling within them.

Infrastructure

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found “the average age of the main instructional building among reporting U.S schools is 49 years, with 38% built before 1970.” Consequently many of the buildings need significant upgrades in multiple areas, including HVAC, ventilation and water heaters. Upgrades which may be slow coming due to budgetary concerns.

Budgetary constraints

A 2021 study by the National Council on School Facilities found that U.S. schools were experiencing a reported $85 billion shortfall in funding, which when adjusted for inflation rises to $98.6 billion in today’s dollars.

Aging systems, combined with a lack of money to address them, leave managers in a position of having to “get more done with less,” oftentimes forcing a choice between which problems to tackle, and which to defer.

According to the IncidentIQ report, “The combination of older buildings and limited capital improvement budgets means that it’s even more important for facilities managers to be aware of the condition of buildings and equipment, and act on potential problems before they become critical failures”

Staffing shortages

NCES research also shows that the majority of U.S  schools experienced difficulties in “filling vacant teaching posts compared to previous years” and support staff. Schools are unable to keep up with the vacancies left by retiring teachers and support staff. Budget deficits also play a role in staffing shortages.

In summarizing the report, Incident IQ calls for a long-term infrastructure investment plan based on a three-pronged approach: assessment, maintenance and asset replacement. Following the evaluation and identification of assets and systems needing maintenance or replacement, a plan should be developed to address them accordingly. Electrical contractors and can play an important role in helping schools in the process of assessment and any necessary maintenance or replacement projects for electrical equipment, fire alarm and notification systems, security systems and more. End-of-life timelines for equipment should also be included in budgets.

About The Author

Randolph Terrance Sturdivant is an SPJ award-winning, Emmy-nominated, freelance writer and comedian living in a Virginia suburb of Washington, D.C. He is a prolific writer with stories covering a range of emotion and subjects. Reach him at [email protected]

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