5.A Facilities Management and Organization

5.B Facilities Condition

5.C Classroom and Overall Building Utilization Rates

5.D Plans, Policies and Procedures

5.E Construction Management

5.F Maintenance Operations

5.G Custodial Operations

5.H Energy Management

5.I Review and Evaluation of Contracting Process

5.A Facilities Management and Organization

This module provides the basis for assessing the facilities management program in the district from a global perspective including both the management of construction and maintenance functions, which can be extremely different. Yet, despite the different skill sets and priorities within each area, construction and maintenance functions must be coordinated to ensure that facilities meet the needs of the staff and students that occupy those facilities. Facilities represent significant capital investments and proper management can preserve and enhance the value of the district's investments. Facilities management and construction can be extremely expensive and wasteful if not properly managed. The differences between facilities construction management and facilities maintenance management must be identified and distinguished.

Data Needs

• Organization charts for all sections involved directly or indirectly with the facilities functions. Include old organization charts if they have changed over time.
• Job descriptions for positions within the facility construction management and facility maintenance management organization.
• Budget information for all aspects of the facility construction management and facility maintenance management operations.
• Budgets and reports for bond programs.
• Roles/responsibilities of outside architects and other contractors.
• Contracts for any facility construction management and facility maintenance management outsourced service.

People to Interview

Superintendent
Board members (as appropriate)
Assistant or associate superintendent with assigned responsibility
District construction supervisor
District architect
Director of Facility Maintenance and Operations
Contractors

Activities to Perform

5.A.1

Create or examine the existing organization and staffing charts and job descriptions for the facilities functions and interview staff to determine reporting arrangements, whether the organizational structure depicted on the chart reflects the actual organization of the department and document if it has been changed recently or repeatedly in the recent past or is anticipated to change in the near future and explain the background for changes. Include any contracted individuals or services or committees that oversee facilities in the organization chart and show the reporting relationship and who is responsible for monitoring the contracts.

5.A.2

Prepare a chart showing the staffing and budgets of facility and facility related functions showing the ratio of total staff to staffing within the function. Determine whether the budget and staffing levels compare favorably to industry standards.

Questions to Ask

Has the district assigned specific staff to manage the facilities construction and maintenance programs? How is management and control of the district facilities program accomplished? How are construction and renovation projects coordinated with facilities, maintenance and other related departments? What internal resources are available to support staff, such as an in-house architect or construction supervisor, or maintenance and operations leadership?

How are the roles and reporting relationships of any outside architects and contractors defined and documented? Does the organization structure support the monitoring of architects, design team, contracts and contractors?

Is the reporting relationship of facility construction and maintenance related staff aligned? Are there departments or functions that have duplicative roles or responsibilities? How does communication flow between the various departments and the campus staff to prevent conflicting schedules or projects (i.e., installing carpet in an office that is scheduled for tile during renovation, scheduling major renovations or maintenance during test weeks, etc.)? How are warranty issues on construction projects coordinated between facilities and maintenance?

Are specific staff assigned responsibility for various functions to develop and review the district facility master plan on an annual basis including:

• Enrollment projection by grades for each school for a period of five years?
• Class size requirements per TEA facility standards by school?
• Special education special facility requirements?
• Federal, state and local construction requirements?
• Assessed evaluation projections (for a minimum of five years)?
• Projected bonding capacities?
• School capacity projections?
• Maintenance and Operations needs.
• Equipment replacement schedule

Is training provided to facilities construction, maintenance and operations management staff on an annual basis? Is staff cross-trained so that tasks are completed even when specific staff are absent? Is in-service training provided to staff regarding changing laws, regulations and procedures (federal, state and local)? What budget funds are available to ensure staff can attend state and local seminars on facilities planning, construction and financing? How is district staff (principals, site administrators, custodians and maintenance staff) provided in-service training on inspection, evaluation and identification of facility needs on a regular basis? How is analysis of facilities aligned with advancements in effective use of facilities to promote academic performance?

Does the district have in-house demographers or does the district contract for these services? Does the demographer report to the Facilities Department or another division? How does the reporting relationship of the external or internal demographer ensure the accuracy of projections?