At present the number of facilities planners in state departments of education varies widely. Of thirty-eight states surveyed by the Educational Writers Association, thirteen had one or fewer employees responsible for building facilities. To avoid repeating past mistakes, those responsible for planning school facilities should consider flexibility in architectural design. If student enrollment drops significantly, design flexibility allows schools, or parts of school buildngs, to be used by other social service agencies. Until more funds become available at the state and federal levels, improvements will be achieved through local efforts.
Parent involvement appears to positively affect the condition of school buildings.
Edwards found a statistically significant relationship between the PTA budget per pupil and the overall condition of the school building in Washington, D.C., schools. The PTA can influence the condition of the building in various ways. Some school districts have used bond measures to obtain funding from local taxpayers. A district's success in passing bond measures will depend largely on how effectively the district communicates its needs to local taxpayers. Without firsthand knowledge of the district's pressing needs, taxpayers will likely consider the request unnecessary.