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Facilities Information Management: A Guide for State and Local Education Agencies
Home
  Introductory Material
Chapter 1
  Purpose and Scope
Chapter 2
   Customizing a School Facilities Data System
Chapter 3
   Using Data Elements for Analysis
Chapter 4
   Facility Data Elements
Chapter 5
   Resources and Connections
Glossary
Calculated Data Elements
 
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Illustration of a building and a crane
Glossary of Selected Facilities-Related Terms

Bond

A written promise, generally under seal, to pay a specific sum of money, called the face value, at a fixed time in the future, called the date of maturity, and carrying interest at a fixed rate, usually payable periodically.

Building

One continuous enclosed structure that may or may not be connected with other structure by passageways. It includes the structure itself, together with all plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, mechanical, and electrical systems in the structure, and all fixed equipment.

Capital Project

The acquisition or construction of major facilities, e.g., land, improvement, improvements to land, easements, building, or building improvements.

Custodian

A staff member who performs plant housekeeping and servicing activities consisting of the cleaning; operation of the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems; and the servicing of building equipment.

Equipment

Any instrument, machine, apparatus, or set of articles that: 1) retains its original shape and appearance with use; and 2) is nonexpendable (i.e., if the article is damaged or some of its parts are lost or worn out, it is usually more feasible to repair it than to replace it with an entirely new unit).

Facility

All buildings, structures, and other stationary items that are located on a single site or on contiguous or adjacent sites and that are owned by and/or used for activities of an organizational unit such as a school or system.

Full-Time Equivalency (FTE)

The amount of time required to perform an assignment stated as a proportion of a full-time position, and computed by dividing the amount of time employed by the time normally required for a full-time position.

Landmark (Historic Building)

A building, district, site, or object that holds historical, cultural, or architectural significance on a local, state, or national level.

Local Education Agency (LEA)

An administrative unit at the local level which exists primarily to operate schools or to contract for educational services. These units may or may not be coextensive with county, city, or town boundaries.

Maintenance

The activities to keep the facility open, comfortable, and safe for use, and keep the grounds, buildings, and equipment in effective working condition and state of repair.

Repair

The construction or renewal of any part of an existing building for the purpose of its maintenance.

Room

A space enclosed with walls or partitions, of fixed or movable type, that provide an acceptable sound barrier.

School

An institution that provides preschool, elementary, and/or secondary instruction and may provide other education-related services to students; has one or more teachers; is located in one or more buildings; and has an assigned administrator.

Site

The land and all improvements on the land, other than structures, such as grading, drainage, drives, parking areas, walks, plantings, play-courts, and play-fields.

Space

An area within a building that is bounded by a floor, a ceiling at least 6 feet 6 inches in height, and on the sides by vertical planes that may be real (walls, partitions) or imaginary (e.g., open classroom spaces, separated by floor markings only).

State Education Agency (SEA)

The agency of the state charged with primary responsibility for coordinating and supervising public instruction, including the setting of standards for elementary and secondary instruction programs.

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