There is an instructive article from the Washington Post on a D.C. school construction project that went a mere $21 million over budget. It would have been much more had they not eliminated a refurbished grandstand, a walkway between buildings, electronic presentation boards, and other elaborate features.

There is an unfortunate tendency for school districts to “think big” when it comes to school construction projects, only to regret it when the bills come in and they receive bad press for their missteps. As often as this happens, outrage is rare. After all, it is for the children.