Educational Facility Planning

Media Center/Library Spaces

A required section of the Educational Program is a description of the current and proposed programming associated with Media Centers/Libraries. The sample linked below provides an example of staffing and associated responsibilities, scheduling, spatial and technology considerations, as well as an extensive description of the types of educational activities anticipated.

Chapter 74-approved CTE Programming

To ensure that school projects are responsive to the educational needs of a district, the planning for proposed Career Technical Education (“CTE”) program offerings are thorough, and that the programs themselves are viable, the MSBA and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (“DESE”) are coordinating oversight and approvals of proposed projects that include spaces dedicated to the delivery of Chapter 74-approved CTE programs. Refer to the Chapter 74 Programming Submission template for use in documenting the Chapter 74-approved CTE programming to be included in the proposed project. It is strongly recommended that districts consider their Chapter 74-approved CTE programming early in the MSBA grant process to ensure these programmatic spaces are properly accounted for in the early phases of the feasibility study.

Science Laboratories and STE Learning Space Guidelines

The MSBA provides comprehensive guidelines and best practices for designing flexible, safe, and adaptable K–12 science, technology, engineering, and STEM learning spaces.

Assembly Space Adjacencies (In Elementary and Middle Schools)

In 2016, MSBA staff reviewed and compiled information related to how school districts have organized and utilized assembly spaces and associated support spaces in new or renovated construction projects for elementary and middle schools. The arrangement of these spaces has a significant impact on the function of the school facility, and a district’s ability to manage public events. The intent of this analysis was to review the advantages and disadvantages of various configurations resulting from the location of the assembly spaces, and to provide guidance for local school staff and community members when considering the function and programing of a proposed project.

Staff reviewed thirty-three (33) elementary and middle schools with a Project Scope and Budget Agreement approved by the MSBA between March 30, 2011, and November 12, 2015.

This document explores different examples and configurations with diagrams. In summary, some of the major considerations are:

• The arrangement of assembly and support spaces has a significant impact on the function of the school facility and the district’s ability to manage public events.
• Providing spaces that can serve multiple functions increases the utilization of spaces that may otherwise be under utilized.
• Building entrances and internal corridors should be designed in such a way to allow the District to limit the public from entering non-public areas of the building, in accordance with the District practices for after-hour and community use.
• Locating the gymnasium and cafeteria in the same part of the building can limit duplication of chair/table storage rooms and toilet rooms, maximizing utilization of the facility, limiting overall size and facilitating the District’s ability to secure the building for after-hours use.
• Flexibility of space utilization can be increased with the use of a moving partition between connecting rooms (although the cost of purchasing and maintaining moving partitions should be considered).
• Locating music rooms and storage rooms on the same floor level as the spaces they serve allows direct access without the use of ramps or stairs. Doors and opening dimensions should be sized to allow for movement of large equipment.

Break-Out Spaces (in Elementary Schools)

In 2015, the MSBA developed a Break-out Spaces Presentation based on design features found in the eighteen (18) elementary schools that have been constructed in partnership with the MSBA within the four years prior to 2025. Based on the analysis of these projects, the MSBA concluded that there are five general/potential variations of break-out spaces:

• Shared Vestibule
• Shared Support Room
• Neighborhood Cluster
• Multiple Types Combined
• Differentiated Learning (within the classroom)