| This doctoral team project describes the findings from a problem-based learning project of school facility assessment standards. The project team reviewed literature related to facility standards in Missouri, facility standards in other states, and legislation related to facility standards.;The team studied the relationship between school facilities and achievement. The focus was narrowed to the policy problem of Missouri lacking definitive facility standards. By studying the relationship between facilities and achievement, safety and liability, adequacy standards, obstacles to adequate facilities, state funding, and maintenance criteria, the team was able to have a baseline as it began to compare Missouri to other states.;At the beginning, the research of other states policies relating to school facility assessments and the information studied provided a direction to make recommendations concerning Missouri and its lack of a policy for facility standards. The team answered three guiding questions which dealt with Missouri's need for a facility assessment tool and identified four recommendations. These recommendations were the State of Missouri should: (1) develop and mandate standards for school facilities, (2) develop and adopt an assessment standards tool, (3) develop an accountability system for assessing facilities and lastly, and (4) develop and mandate a financial system to help schools fund facility deficiency improvements. |
