Construction Trends in K12 Education

Throughout the state, many school districts are planning for future expansions or renovations of their spaces. Changes in educational delivery and shifting demographics have modified the needs of many districts. In some cases, this means that existing buildings and spaces may either not be properly suited or sized to a district’s current needs, or will need to be renovated to meet future goals.

Creating spaces that allow educators to maximize student experiences in a modern learning environment will be critical, said Ed Bloom, Rockford Construction’s Project Executive for Education.

“Serving and educating students is the most important goal of any school, from the basics of preschool through graduation, and properly-equipped spaces that facilitate learning and development are base needs of our clients,” Bloom said.

Some changes that K-12 schools can anticipate in the education construction industry include:

Right-Sizing and Advance Construction Planning:

Demographics of students coming through the primary education system are quickly changing. Some districts are seeing explosive growth while other are stagnating or seeing a decline in student numbers. Many districts will find the need to repurpose spaces or expand existing buildings to adjust to changing needs of students and populations. Finding a way to meet current needs with aging facilities requires expertise in programming, design and construction. Renovation is often a practical option, but requires a construction management firm with expertise in matching existing conditions with additions or mechanical changes.

Challenging market conditions and long lead times for construction materials are also challenges schools considering space optimization are facing. Advanced preconstruction work is absolutely a must-have skill for education construction teams to successfully navigate complicated pre-construction work and material procurement markets. Any project without sufficient preconstruction services will likely run over budget and schedule. Our dedicated preconstruction team is committed to securing these resources for schools to ensure tight schedules are absolutely met.

Technology:

Technology fundamentally changed education delivery during the pandemic, forcing a nearly instantaneous change to remote learning for students. Integration of IT systems and networking technology have become important parts of every classroom. Connectivity, A/V, teleconferencing, and all of the other tools needed for in-person, hybrid and fully remote instruction are pieces of a classroom of the future. Planning for a wide variety of teaching styles is critical to future educators. Ensuring that classrooms are wired and have the bandwidth and tools to teach in a variety of ways is a critical component of design and education construction and will continue to be in the future.

Flexibility:

Teaching is an evolving practice, and educators know that changing pedagogy means novel approaches to instruction often help students learn in new ways. When lessons are not limited to exercises and instruction on a whiteboard at the front of a class, students may be more likely to engage. Creating classrooms that can be quickly and effectively used for hands-on or experiential learning exercises is becoming the new standard, as they allow instructors to think outside of the box when designing lesson plans, materials, and experiences for their students. Flexible and adaptable spaces that can meet a variety of needs will be the norm in future projects.

Health and Well-Being:

The health and well-being of all students and teachers are of growing concern in K-12 education spaces. Building spaces that make students feel at ease and welcome is a major focus, as is designing spaces where teachers can operate at their best. These considerations can be as simple as adding windows to food preparation and service areas to encourage students to eat well-balanced meals, or providing quiet, comfortable, and private space in buildings for teachers to prep. Features that focus on health and well-being will be increasingly incorporated into designs.

Security:

Keeping students and staff safe at school is a key focus of modern school construction. Specifics including secure vestibules, security camera systems, remote hallway gate controls and keycard systems are all viable options to helping secure any school facility. Classrooms and building wings can be designed with controlled access in mind. Renovations to update and secure buildings will continue to be a major aspect of education construction over time.

“Education design and construction is continuing to evolve, and our team is on top of the most effective ways to use a construction budget,” Bloom said. “We are prepared to help our clients create amazing, innovative spaces for students.”