With the establishment of Common School System Act of 1834, all decisions relating to school facilities are at the discretion of the individual school district. Pennsylvania's Department of Education (PDE) offers reimbursement assistance to districts for both rehabilitation and construction projects. The PDE reviews all rehabilitation plans in second, third, and fourth class districts by resolution of Section 731 of Public School Code 1949.
Over the years, the guidelines have been misinterpreted where it is thought that historic schools can not meet current construction codes or educational regulations. However, school construction projects involving historic building have successfully received reimbursement from the Commonwealth through a process known as PlanCon. PlanCon, an acronym for Planning and Construction Workbook, is a set of forms and procedures used to apply for Commonwealth reimbursement.
Through the PlanCon process, school districts are required to submit a project justification that takes into consideration "buildings, structures, site conditions or site features [that] are more than 50 years old..." Furthermore, PlanCon's Part A: Project Description states that "School districts should take all reasonable efforts to preserve and protect school buildings that are on or eligible for local or national historic registers. If for safety, educational, economic, or other reasons, it is not feasible to renovate an existing school building, school districts are encouraged to develop an adaptive reuse plan for the building that incorporates a historic easement or covenant to avoid the building's abandonment or demolition."
Reimbursement Regulations
The Pennsylvania Department of Education does not favor new construction over renovations of existing buildings; in fact, over 80% of school construction projects that are reimbursed by the PDE involve work on existing buildings. Districts are reimbursed for a portion of projects up to a certain limit and cannot receive reimbursement for multiple projects on the same building within 20 years, often called the 20-year rule. This regulation tries to encourage school districts to think in terms of long-range facilities planning. An encouraging fact for historic school buildings is that the Commonwealth provides the same level of base reimbursement for renovations or alterations as for new buildings. Based on the provisions of Act 46 of 2005, additional funding is available for certain types of projects. However, because renovations or alterations to an existing building are usually less expensive than new construction, the proportion of reimbursement generally is usually greater for work on existing buildings than for new buildings. Click here for more information about PlanCon and reimbursable school projects.
Ordinary Construction
Occasionally, the argument to abandon a historic school is based on the building being of wood frame construction, unjustifiably warranting the building as being unsafe. Prior to 1998, the Pennsylvania Department of Education's guidelines stated that "school buildings of more than one story which have a [Department of] Labor and Industry Classification of ordinary construction (i.e., interior framing is partially or wholly of wood) are not reimbursable." For more information, read the testimony by Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr., President, Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, Pennsylvania Department of Education Guidelines Result in School Abandonment.
The Council of Educational Facilities Planners International (CEFPI), a Scottsdale, Arizona-based consortium of architects, school building consultants, and builders has developed guidelines for school buildings across the nation. CEFPI was founded in 1921 as The National Council on Schoolhouse Construction and is an advocate and resource for planning effective educational facilities. It is the mission of CEFPI to foster and disseminate best practices in creative school planning with the goal of improving the places where children learn. The Council is a not-for-profit organization, representing over 3,000 members in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other nations worldwide. It is important to note that their recommendations are, for the most part, guidelines and are not requirements instituted by federal or state law or regulations. Visit CEFPI for more information.
CEFPI State Acreage Policies
One of the CEFPI's guidelines relates to the size of the land on which a school should be situated. The guidelines relating to school site size may negatively influence a school board's decision when considering rehabilitating a historic school. Currently, the guidelines recommend 10 acres for an elementary school plus one acre for every 100 students; 20 acres for a middle school plus one acre for every 100 students; and 35 acres for a high school plus one acre for every 100 students. Most historic school sites do not meet these guidelines. In Pennsylvania, acreage allowances are used solely in determining the level of state funding for site acquisition; there are no minimum or maximum acreage requirements actually mandated by state law or regulations for public schools. Follow the link for more information about CEFPI guidelines. Learn more at:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Travel and Environmental Implications of School Siting. October 2003. EPA-231-R-03-004. Hard copies are available by calling (800) 490-9198.
National Trust for Historic Preservation. Smart Growth Schools: A Fact Sheet (PDF).
School Construction & Facilities at the Pennsylvania Department of Education
No matter what stage of construction your school district is in, this department provides information on PlanCon, projecting enrollments, feasibility studies, selecting an architect/engineer, "green" construction, facility planning, funding and debt service, legal problems, mandate waivers... and more! http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/school_construction_and_facilities/7457
Smart Growth America. Children & Schools.
