Chapter 10: Should Principals be Involved in School Renovations?

In the year 2000, public school districts in the United States spent $21.2 billion on school construction and renovations, marking the end of a decade in which expenditures grew by nearly 40%. Yet, little is known about the role of school principals in this activity. Because principals are managing the environments in which renovations take place, it is reasonable to believe that they play some role in this process, particularly with the increasing emphasis on site-based management. This chapter establishes the importance of understanding the nature and efficacy of principals’ involvement in the school renovation process in New York. The study found that two-thirds of principals surveyed participated in such renovations, and although they recognized that activities associated with renovations took time away from other responsibilities, such as instructional leadership, they believed the benefits outweighed the costs. The implications of these findings are far-reaching and include the need to give greater attention to preparing principals to manage such projects effectively.