LOS GATOS, Calif., June 30, 2026. School district leaders across America are facing mounting pressure to maintain aging facilities, manage rising operating costs, address staffing shortages, and meet growing community expectations, all while serving as stewards of some of the largest public assets in their communities.
Facilitron believes these challenges signal the beginning of a new era in school facility management: The Stewardship Era.
This November, superintendents, chief business officers, operations leaders, and policy experts from across the country will gather at Facilitron University 6 (FU6) in La Jolla, California, to explore what stewardship means in an environment of increasing financial pressure, public accountability, and growing demand for community access.
Held November 9–11, 2026, under the theme From Access to Accountability: The Stewardship Era of School Facility Management, FU6 will bring together educational leaders to examine how school districts can strengthen stewardship of public facilities through better governance, operational excellence, financial sustainability, and data-informed decision making.
"School districts have spent decades talking about access," said Jeff Benjamin, Founder and CEO of Facilitron. "The challenge is stewardship."
A National Conversation About Stewardship
Public school districts collectively manage billions of square feet of facilities and invest significant public resources each year in maintenance, operations, and community-use programs. Yet many district leaders continue to wrestle with difficult questions surrounding utilization, cost recovery, deferred maintenance, staffing, and long-term sustainability.
Across the country, forward-thinking districts are demonstrating that stronger governance, better operational visibility, and data-informed decision making can significantly improve both community access and financial outcomes.
At East Side Union High School District in California, annual facility-use revenue increased from approximately $450,000 to nearly $2 million after implementing stronger governance practices, improved transparency, and a more strategic approach to facility management.
Stories like East Side Union's will be among the real-world examples explored during FU6 as district leaders share lessons learned, best practices, and innovative approaches to managing school facilities as strategic public assets.
"Stewardship starts with visibility," Benjamin said. "District leaders cannot effectively manage what they cannot see."
Building on Momentum
FU6 builds on the momentum of Facilitron University 5, where Facilitron introduced the National Model School Board Policy on Community Use, helping elevate national conversations around governance, transparency, and equitable access to public-school facilities.
If FU5 focused on governance, FU6 focuses on stewardship.
The conference will explore practical approaches to improving cost transparency, facility utilization, operational alignment, governance, and long-term sustainability through keynote presentations, leadership discussions, peer collaboration, and real-world case studies.
Confirmed participants include leaders from districts across the country, including Albuquerque Public Schools, Hillsborough County Public Schools, Newport-Mesa Unified School District, Walnut Valley Unified School District, Val Verde Unified School District, Los Gatos Union School District, Orange County Public Schools, Burbank Unified School District, and San Dieguito Union High School District.
Introducing the Facilitron Stewardship Awards
FU6 will also mark the debut of the Facilitron Stewardship Awards, a new national recognition program honoring district leaders who demonstrate excellence in facility stewardship, governance, operational leadership, financial sustainability, and community engagement.
"For too long, some of the most important leadership in public education has happened behind the scenes," Benjamin said. "The Stewardship Awards are designed to recognize the leaders strengthening public trust."
Registration for Facilitron University 6 is now open at facilitron.com/resources/facilitron-university/fu6.
Facilitron is the leading public spaces marketplace and fully integrated management platform, helping schools, cities, and public agencies manage and operate their facility programs in one place. Designed as a single, strategic system—not a collection of disconnected tools—Facilitron unifies scheduling, maintenance, payments, support, and governance into a seamless, end-to-end solution.
More than a software provider, Facilitron serves as a true partner, combining industry-leading technology with hands-on services that take on the day-to-day work of running a facility program. The result is greater efficiency, clearer governance, and more consistent, equitable access to public spaces, all with no upfront fees or out-of-pocket costs.
With billions of square feet of space on its marketplace, Facilitron has supported more than 10 million community events since its founding in 2014.
Media Contact
Mercer Brockenbrough mercer@facilitron.com
Michele Nichols michele@facilitron.com
Continue Reading
The Governance Awakening: Why the Future of Facility Use Starts with Governance
Opening Keynote: Facilitron University 5 kicked off with a powerful keynote from CMO Trent Allen that set the tone for more than just a conference. It launched a movement.
Inside the National Model: Introducing the First-of-its-Kind Model Facility Use Policy and Toolkit
Session 2: A deep dive into the nuts and bolts of Facilitron's new National Model Facility Use Policy, not just what it says, but how it works, why it's needed, and how districts can put it into action.