December 02, 2008


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34th Annual Official Education Construction Report

May 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Joe Agron

Spending on construction by the nation's school districts and colleges slowed in 2007.

Spending on construction by the nation's school districts and colleges slowed in 2007, representing the fourth consecutive year total expenditures dropped from the year before and setting a low point in spending so far this decade, according to American School & University's 34th annual Official Education Construction Report.

A difficult economy and rapidly rising costs took their toll as many education institutions trimmed or postponed planned projects. Total spending on new, addition and modernization construction by school districts and higher-education institutions dropped to $32.9 billion from $36.6 billion in 2006. But while total spending slowed, the amount K-12 institutions and colleges allocated to new buildings increased, reflecting the pressure to continue constructing new spaces to keep up with enrollment growth.

School district spending on new construction increased to $14.7 billion in 2007 from $13.7 billion the year before, and college spending on new construction jumped to $7.3 billion from $5.3 billion in 2006.

Following is the authoritative source for education construction data, detailing spending by type of institution; projected spending through 2010; per-square-foot and per-student costs; and much more. In addition, new data on the impact of green and security on education construction is included, providing you with insight as you plan future construction projects.

Education construction completed in 2007

($000s)

The National Picture
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
$14,671,846 New
$5,611,141 Adds/Mods
$20,282,987 TOTAL
COLLEGES
$7,269,669 New
$5,386,416 Adds/Mods
$12,656,085 TOTAL
ALL EDUCATION
$21,941,515 New
$10,997,557 Adds/Mods
$32,939,072 TOTAL

Education construction projected to be completed in 2008-2010

($000s)

The National Picture
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
$36,690,931 New
$16,031,835 Adds/Mods
$52,722,766 TOTAL
COLLEGES
$21,892,846 New
$18,794,183 Adds/Mods
$40,687,029 TOTAL
ALL EDUCATION
$58,583,777 New
$34,826,018 Adds/Mods
$93,409,795 TOTAL

Education construction: The past 10 years

($ Billions) 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
School Districts $17.095 $16.039 $21.567 $26.777 $24.343 $28.638 $29.088 $22.962 $25.325 $20.283
Colleges $7.330 $13.964 $14.703 $14.732 $16.205 $19.469 $12.186 $14.561 $11.306 $12.656
All Education $24.425 $30.003 $36.270 $41.509 $40.548 $48.107 $41.274 $37.523 $36.631 $32.939
New Construction $12.097 $14.431 $19.139 $20.112 $22.505 $31.596 $20.656 $21.220 $19.031 $21.942
Adds/Mods $12.328 $15.572 $17.131 $21.397 $18.043 $16.511 $20.618 $16.303 $17.600 $10.997

The Trusted Source

As the bellwether report documenting education construction activity for the past 34 years, the American School & University Official Education Construction Report is regularly referenced by local, state and federal agencies, as well as the nation's leading news organizations. AS&U actually started compiling data on school and university construction in 1950 for the 1949 year. After a decade or so of yearly surveys, data began being compiled sporadically until industry demand prompted AS&U to start collecting data annually again. The annual reports resurfaced in 1975 with information on education construction completed in 1974, and data has been collected and published every year since. American School & University is the only authorized source of this education construction information.

School Data

5,060
Mean number of students at responding school districts.

36
Percentage of school districts completing some form of construction project in 2007.

52
Percentage of school districts planning a construction project to be completed by 2010.

$19
Amount, in millions, the median new school district construction project completed by 2010 is expected to cost.

College Data

6,461
Mean number of FTE students at responding colleges and universities.

61
Percentage of colleges and universities completing some form of construction project in 2007.

73
Percentage of colleges and universities planning a construction project to be completed by 2010.

$18.3
Amount, in millions, the median new college and university construction project completed by 2010 is expected to cost.


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