Extensive data and information are needed for educational facility planning, decision making, and oversight. Relevant data helps stakeholders understand the broad impacts of their PK -12 infrastructure spending and investments on health, education, community and beyond. Facilities data falls into five major categories: (NCES Forum Guide to Facilities Information Management).

Inventory: Data include addresses, geo-codes, building areas, site acreage, and year of construction.

Design: Data include space descriptions, number of stories, designed-for purposes (i.e., elementary school, performance center).

Utilization: Data includes school capacity for enrollment based on the educational programs provided, spaces that are shared, and the gross square footage per enrolled student.

Condition: Data includes facility condition assessment data on the age and condition of major components, systems, and finishes.

Budget and Finance: Data elements include the district expenditures for maintenance, operations, and capital improvements.

Beyond these standard data sets, an increasing amount of data is also being collected and analyzed on building performance. This includes data on building performance metrics for energy efficiency, indoor air quality, lead levels in water, and the presence of hazardous materials like asbestos, mold, or PCBs.