Best Practices

As mandated in the Utah State Legislature Title 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 Resources

School Construction Resource Manual
January 2025

Regulation

 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

Manual Topics

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:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Asbestos Removal/Containment in Facilities
• Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide for Utah Public Schools
• Facilities Planning
• Facility Graffiti Removal and Prevention
• Fire and Structural Wall Identification
• Fire Extinguishing Systems Inspection and Test
• Hazardous Waste
• Indoor Air Quality
• Inspection Process
• Legal Liability in Building Maintenance and Operations
• Nonstructural Earthquake Hazards
• Outdoor Learning Play Centers and Playgrounds
• Plan Development
• Plan Review/Value Engineering
• Procurement (Bidding) Process
• Radon Gas in Facilities
• Relocatable (Portable Classroom) Building Issues
• Roof Inspection Management and Maintenance
• School District Building Official and Charter School Board Building Officer
• School Facility Site Selection and Development
• Storage of Flammable and Combustible Liquids
• Underground Natural Gas Piping

School Facility Safety and Seurity

Emergency Compliance and Assurance

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.

Forms

The following are links to forms required for reporting prior to construction commencing and then through project closeout, overviews of the school construction process, code references outlining projects required to be reported to the Utah State Board of Education, and other forms to assist in the construction process. Please contact schoolconstruction@schools.utah.gov, if you encounter any problems accessing any of the documents below.

Building Codes: Adopted International Building Codes Construction Items Required to be Inspected, Thus Required to be Reported to the Utah State Board of Education

Building Codes: General Construction Items Exempt from Building Inspection, thus Exempt from being Required to be reported to the Utah State Board of Education

Inspection Reporting Overview

Charter Schools

District(PDF File)

Pre-Construction Process Forms

Pre-Construction Checklist

 

SP-4

DF File)

Utah State Fire Marshal's Office Fire and Life Safety Plan Review Submittal Form
Utah Department of Public Safety

• Submit form to the Utah State Fire Marshal's office along with construction documents, when requesting a plan review. This is not the plan review document, required to be submitted as outlined in the Pre-Construction Checklist.

Monthly Reporting Form

SP-8

Closeout Process Forms

Active Construction and Project Closeout Checklist

SP-9: Final Inspection Certification

SP-10: Request for Certificate of Occupancy
Use to obtain the Certificate of Occupancy from the State Superintendent of Public Education.

 

School Safety Forms

R277-400 School Facility Emergency and Safety
Utah Office of Administrative Rules

Elementary School Level Emergency Compliance and Safety Form

Secondary School Level Emergency Compliance and Safety Form

Local Education Agency (LEA) Emergency Compliance and Assurance Form

Repository of Practical Tools and Resources

Project Delivery Methods

CSI Project Delivery Methods - Benefits and Limitations

Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Construction - Approved Project Delivery Methods Layout

Cost Reporting

Model 1 - Asset Lifecycle

Bid Tabulation Form

DFCM Project Cost Reporting

DFCM Project Cost Reporting

Utah State Board of Education (USBE) NPV Template

Construction Administration

Construction Management Contract Administration Checklist

DFCM Closeout Flow Chart

Commissioning

DFCM - HPBS Design Requirements

DFCM Commissioning RFP

The Building Commissioning Guide

The Strategic Guide to Commissioning - ASHRAE

Facility Audit

A Preventive Maintenance Checklist

Building Systems Conditions Summary Form

Ceiling System Form

Columns Exterior Wall System Form

Cooling Vent System Form

DFCM Inspection and Testing Form

Door System Form

Electrical System Form

Floor System Form

Foundation System Form

Heating System Form

Interior Walls System Form

Plumbing System Form

Roofing System Form

Safety System Form

Window System Form

General Facility Data

Forum Guide to Facility Information Management - A Resource for State and Local Education Agencies

Public Education October 2023

Emergency Management

Emergency Fire Drill Checklist

Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide

General Facility Information

DFCM Facility Maintenance Standards

RFP Template

School Right-Sizing Educational Facilities Process

School Facility Self Assessment Checklist

Earthquakes Data

Earthquakes and Schools

FEMA - Wasatch Front Unreinforced Masonry Risk Reduction Strategy

Earthquakes Resilence Publications

EERI- PPA - Policy Position

Safer, Stronger, Smarter: A Guide to Improving School Natural Hazard Safety

FEMA P-424: Design Guide

ED539454