This seems to be common sense, but school planning does not always start with this important premise.

Student-Centric design starts with first designing the most effective educational environment and works outward. Priority is put on designing the resources immediately surrounding the student. Under this model, the immediate academic space surrounding the student must be given the most time in the planning and budgeting phases. This is an “inside” first then “outside” approach.

Traditionally, for the construction of a new school, a budget will be developed but in most cases inadequate consideration has been given to the specifics of the interior academic spaces. In fact, most times, the interior furniture and fixtures have not been specified at all. The academic or learning spaces, which are the most important areas of any new school facility, are usually considered towards the end of the construction planning and budgeting phases.

What does this do? This virtually eliminates the possibility of creating the most effective educational environments. Time and time again school leaders have found themselves having to compromise their academic intent at this point, with little or no choice or flexibility. So much of the budgets have been allocated to concerns outside of the educational environment that their effectiveness is greatly diminished. Every student that uses those spaces in the future will not receive the best educational experience.

Student-Centric Design changes the school construction paradigm completely. Under this model school leaders first design the most effective academic spaces that immediately surround the student. The further away from the student that you go in your planning, the less consideration there needs to be, and therefore less of your budget.

Traditionally considerations of the budgeted costs for the construction of an academic building come first in the school construction planning phases. This traditional approach gives priority to the “outside” to the complete detriment of the most important “inside.” School leaders are sometimes left helpless and overwhelmed by this traditional process as it is well outside their academic training and experience.

If we are to properly educate our students in the 21st Century, Student-Centric Design needs to be adopted.

The most significant thing that this does is empower school leaders to be able to dictate the true educational impact of their facilities. Of course, this is every school leader’s daily mission and vocation.

Under Student-Centric Design, first, the academic spaces that surround students should be fully designed and budgeted for. Again, effectiveness of the educational environment must be given top priority.

If this is not done, then school leaders cannot know:

1) what part of their budget is available for building construction

2) what the layout of the interior rooms should be

3) what the actual size (footprint or number of stories) their building should be.

School Leaders need to direct their construction projects this way to ensure that they achieve what their goal is at the start of each new school day.

To bring the most effective educational experience into each student’s mind.

If this is not the main focus, then eventually, the student’s educational experience will always suffer.