The Utah State Board of Education has developed this website to help Local Education Agencies (LEAs), school districts and charter schools administrators and facilities personnel, along with those involved with school facilities, to better design, plan, build, and maintain efficient and effective school facilities, while maintaining the appropriate level of safety and security. Included within this website are the electronic version of the School Construction Resource Manual; related law and administrative rules; construction forms; construction and inspection-related references; lists of school construction projects; the electronic version of Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide for Schools; and much more.
School construction, maintenance and operation must comply with all applicable building codes. The purpose of building codes is to establish the minimum requirements to provide a reasonable level of safety, public health and general welfare through structural strength, means of egress facilities, stability, sanitation, adequate light and ventilation, energy conservation, and safety to life and property from fire and other hazards attributed to the built environment and to provide a reasonable level of safety to fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations (refer to International Code Council (ICC) 2015 International Building Code (IBC) 101.3).
The provisions of the codes apply to the construction, alteration, relocation, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal and demolition of every building or structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures (IBC 101.2), which applies to leased facilities.
Hopefully this information is helpful in your planning process. If there are topics for which you would like more information, please contact School Construction at schoolconstruction@schools.utah.gov.
As mandated in the Utah State LegislatureTitle 53E-3-7: School Construction, the Utah State Board of Education shall adopt construction guidelines to maximize funds used for public school construction and reflect efficient and economic use of those funds. Also refer to the Utah Office of Administrative Rules R277-471: School Construction Oversight, Inspections, Training and Reporting, which provides minimum requirements to safeguard the public health, safety and general welfare of occupants while using the most comprehensive, cost effective and efficient design means and methods. The tab School Construction Resources provides facility and facility safety related Best Practices information.
Along with the State of Utah Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide for Utah Public Schools being mandated in the Utah Office of Administrative Rules R277-400: School Facility Emergency and Safety, it is considered a guideline for best practice relative to Utah K-12 public school safety and security. The Safety and Security website provides additional links to information and examples considered best practice for school facilities.
If you have any questions about facility or safety best practices for K-12 public schools, please feel free to contact School Construction at schoolconstruction@schools.utah.gov.
School Construction Resource Manual
April 30, 2013
R277-454: Construction Management of School Building Projects
R277-471: School Construction Oversight, Inspections, Training and Reporting
Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Administrative Rules
Title 15A: State Construction and Fire Codes Act
Title 53E-3-707: School Building Construction and Inspection Manual, Annual Construction and Inspection Conference, Verification of School Construction Inspections
Utah State Legislature
Major topics include long-range planning; the role and responsibilities of the School District Building Official (SDBO) and Charter School Board Building Official (CSBBO); school site issues such as size and location, pupil transportation into and away from the school, geologic hazards, environmental impact, acquisition and development, as well as coordination with the local municipality and county; plan development issues such as educational specifications, selection of architects/engineers, facility design, and plan reviews; value engineering and life-cycle costing; structural, energy; fire marshal plan reviews; the construction bidding process; the construction inspection process; and maintenance and operation of buildings after construction.
The resource manual is comprised of various chapters which are listed below:
Although school emergency compliance and assurance requirements are still in effect, the detailed reporting required by the Utah State Board of Education, of individual schools and school districts, was only required to be submitted in Fiscal Year 2013. Current reporting is included in the Utah State Board of Education Utah Consolidated Application (UCA) Compliance information in addition to emergency topics, and is reported at the administrative level to Utah State Board of Education. A copy of this form can be reviewed by selecting the link below. The detailed emergency compliance reporting forms required in Fiscal Year 2013 can be used by Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to assist in meeting compliance, but, as noted above, are not required to be.
Be Ready Utah
State of Utah
Earthquake Safety at School
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI):
Utah Earthquake Program
Utah Department of Public Safety
Emergency and Safety Alliance: School Emergency Response Plan and Management Guide
DC.gov
Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide for Utah Schools
State of Utah
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):
R277-400: School Facility Emergency and Safety
Utah Office of Administrative Rules
Emergency Management Resources
Center for Safe Schools
Emergency Plan Flipchart
Washington County School District
Emergency Response Plan
Provo City School District
Incident Command System
Jordan School District Auxillary Services
School Emergency Response Plans
Emery County School District
Submit a Tip
SafeUT
Utah Compilation of School Discipline, Laws, and Regulations
United States Department of Education
Utah School Safety Commission Feedback
State of Utah House of Representatives
Note: Any school with both elementary (K-6) and secondary (8-12) students, must adhere to the elementary school requirements.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
United States Department of Justice
Auditing Schools for Safety
Virginia Department of Education (VDOE)
Fire Marshal
Utah Department of Public Safety
Licensee Lookup and Verification System
Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL)
Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings
National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
Search for Certified Professionals
International Code Council (ICC)
Utah Department of Public Safety
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Association for Learning Environments: Enhancing the Education Experience
Building Commissioning
Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG)
National Clearing House for Educational Facilities (NCEF):
National Council on School Facilities (NCSF):
School Science Facilities Planner
School Clearing House
United States Department of Education
Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management:
Utah State Labor Commission:
Governor's Office of Energy Development: Advancing Utah's Energy Future
State of Utah
Portfolio Manager
Energy Star
United States Department of Energy:
Building Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES):
Utah Learning Portal: Risk Training
Utah Division of Risk Management
Critical Lands Planning Toolkit
State of Utah
Division of Public Utilities
Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Public Utilities
Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International
Association for Learning Environments: Enhancing the Education Experience
International Facilities Management Association (IFMA) Utah Chapter
Utah Association of School Business Officials (UASBO)
Utah Facilities Operation and Maintenance Association (UFOMA)