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- Title
DON'T SUPERSIZE ME: THE RELATIONSHIP OF CONSTRUCTION COST TO SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IN THE U.S.
- Authors
Howley, Craig B.
- Abstract
Conventional wisdom holds that economies of scale necessitate the construction of larger schools: anything done bigger is presumed to be done cheaper. The study reported here doubted that claim with respect to school construction. It posed two questions: (1) are larger high schools less costly to build than smaller schools and (2) what contextual variables predict cost? Just one scholarly peer-reviewed article has examined the relationship of construction cost to size, and conventional wisdom continues to prevail. Lack of scholarly interest in these questions is surprising, perhaps scandalous, in view of the large sums spent and the political battles often waged when new schools are built. The findings show that the smaller half of these 9-12 schools (planned to enroll from 138 to 600 students) were, on average, no more expensive per student to build than the larger half (planned to enroll 601-999 students) and were less costly per square foot ($96 vs. $110, significant at p < .01). Interestingly, subsequent enrollments for smaller planned schools were shown to have been underestimated, whereas subsequent enrollments for schools planned as "larger" were shown to have been overestimated. These tendencies, in fact, would tend to render planned smaller schools less expensive and planned larger schools more expensive per student, a key cost metric. The findings reported here probably represent conservative estimates. Total cost was well predicted (explaining 76% of variance) by five variables, with total square feet accounting for by far the most variance. Rural location tended to reduce contracted cost. Cost per square foot was less well predicted (25% of variance) by four variables. Cost per student was more fully predicted (40% of variance) by two variables. For all equations, local wealth revenue was associated with higher cost. The report concludes with nine, recommendations for school construction planners and five recommendations for researchers.
- Subjects
UNITED States; SCHOOL buildings; NEW schools; CONSTRUCTION cost estimates; CONSTRUCTION costs; SCHOOL buildings -- Costs; CONSTRUCTION spending; ECONOMIES of scale; SCHOOL enrollment
- Publication
Educational Planning, 2008, Vol 17, Issue 2, p23
- ISSN
1537-873X
- Publication type
Abstract