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(ii)A school district located in an area that has
not adopted local building codes shall have the portable, modular
building, including the construction of the foundation system and
the erection and installation of the building on the foundation, inspected
by a qualified, independent third-party inspector, not employed by
the design architect, engineer, contractor, or manufacturer, for compliance
with the mandatory building codes or approved designs, plans, and
specifications. The inspections shall be performed within 30 calendar
days of the completion of the construction, erection, and installation
of the facility on the site, and the school district shall not occupy
or use the facility until the independent third-party inspector makes
a final determination that the facility is in compliance with all
provisions of this section. For a manufactured portable, modular building
that is an industrialized building as defined by Texas Occupations
Code, §1202.003, the factory inspection performed under the oversight
of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shall suffice
to determine compliance of the building envelope with the mandatory
building codes or approved designs, plans, and specifications in lieu
of an inspection by an independent third-party inspector for a portable,
modular building constructed on or after January 1, 1986. However,
an inspection of the construction of the foundation system and the
erection and installation of the portable, modular building on the
foundation shall still be performed.
(iii)A school district that has purchased or leased
a portable, modular building for use as a school facility on or after
September 1, 2007, and before the effective date of this section,
shall have the inspections required by this subsection performed within
60 calendar days of the effective date of this section. Any items
of noncompliance identified during the inspections shall be brought
into compliance by the school district within 90 calendar days of
the date of the inspections.
(iv)Portable, modular buildings are required to comply
with the minimum standards for safety and security established in
subsection (d)(4) of this section.
(E)Other provisions.
(i)For school facilities projects subject to the standards
in this section, an adequate technology, electrical, and communications
infrastructure shall be provided. To ensure the adequacy of the infrastructure,
the school district and the architect or engineer shall consider the
input of the school district staff, including, but not limited to,
the technology director, the library director, the program directors,
the maintenance director, and the campus staff, in the planning and
design of the infrastructure.
(ii)As part of its school facilities projects, a school
district shall consider the use of designs, methods, and materials
that will reduce the potential for indoor air quality problems. A
school district may use the voluntary indoor air quality guidelines
adopted by the Texas Department of State Health Services under Texas
Health and Safety Code, Chapter 385. A school district may also use
the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program administered by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
(iii)As part of its school facilities projects, a
school district shall consider the use of sustainable school designs.
A sustainable design is a design that minimizes a facility's impact
on the environment through energy and resource efficiency.
(iv)School district facilities shall comply with the
2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design
as well as the Texas Accessibility Standards of 2012.
(v)School district facilities shall comply with all
other local, state, and federal requirements, as applicable.
(d)Minimum standards.
(1)Requirement. All projects shall comply with the
requirements of this section.
(2)Educational specifications.
(A)Written document. The educational specification
must be in writing and include pertinent information regarding the
school district mission, vision, goals, and pedagogy, as well as preliminary
details related to facility type, grades served, and a maximum population.
The educational specification shall include:
(i)the pertinent provision of the district/campus
emergency operations plan relating to the constructed environment;
and
(ii)a written statement that includes:
(I)the definition of inclusive design principles supported
by the district; and
(II)how inclusive design principles will be addressed
in new and renovated facility designs.
(B)Compliance. The requirement for an educational
specification is met when a school district completes the referenced
template and makes it available to the architect or engineer.
(C)Exemptions. The following projects are exempt from
the application of this section:
(i)a project that consists solely of maintenance upgrades;
or
(ii)a building or facility constructed, renovated,
or modified on a temporary or emergency basis.
(D)Schedule. An educational specification shall be
created for each campus type. Unique project types require a separate
educational specification. Educational specifications shall be initiated
upon the first proposed project of its type and must be completed
prior to initiating the planning or programming phase of a project.
Each educational specification shall be updated after five years.
(3)Long-range facility plan.
(A)Elements. A school district shall develop a long-range
facility plan. The long-range facility plan may include:
(i)existing instructional programs at each campus,
including, but not limited to, special education, dual language, course
offerings, and partnerships;
(ii)the age and condition of all buildings and systems
at each campus;
(iii)site evaluation of each campus, including, but
not limited to, overall size; shape; useable land; suitability for
intended use as well as planned improvements; adequate vehicular,
pedestrian, and emergency access; queuing; parking; and site amenities;
(iv)the district's educational specifications; and
(v)the district's enrollment projections.
(B)Process. The process of developing the long-range
facility plan shall consider the inclusion of input from teachers,
students, parents, taxpayers, and other district stakeholders.
(C)Plan. The school district's long-range facility
plan shall include all facilities owned or operated by the district
and shall include recommendations related to sequencing of proposed
improvements at each campus.
(D)Compliance. The requirement for a long-range facility
plan is met when a school district completes the applicable long-range
facility plan template available on the TEA website. The applicable
template shall be determined based on the types, scope, and funding
of the campus needs. The long-range facility plan shall be updated
after five years.
(E)Exceptions. A school district is exempt from the
requirements of this section:
(i)when facilities experience catastrophic damage
that invokes the emergency provision of the Texas Education Code (TEC);
or
(ii)in a situation deemed urgent that warrants immediate
action that, left unresolved, would impair the conduct of classes.
(4)Safety and security.
(A)Compliance.
(i)Communications infrastructure. All instructional
facilities are required to provide the necessary infrastructure to
comply with the operational communications provisions of TEC, §37.108(a)(3),
that ensure school district or charter school communications technology
and infrastructure are adequate to allow for communication during
an emergency.
(ii)Additional standards based on cost. The following
standards apply to all projects until an instructional facility fully
complies with all of the additional safety and security standards
specified in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.
(I)If a project's construction budget is $1 million
to $5 million, the facility is required to comply with at least one
additional safety and security standard specified in subparagraph
(B) of this paragraph.
(II)If a project's construction budget is $5 million
to $10 million, the facility is required to comply with at least two
additional safety and security standards specified in subparagraph
(B) of this paragraph.
(III)If a project's construction budget is over $10
million, the facility is required to comply with all of the additional
safety and security standards specified in subparagraph (B) of this
paragraph.
(iii)Exceptions to additional standards based on cost.
A project at a school district or charter school instructional facility
may opt out of the requirements specified in clause (ii) of this subparagraph
if:
(I)the building may cease operations as an instructional
facility within three years of the project; and
(II)the five-year long-range facility plan clearly
states that prior to the end date of the plan the campus will be in
compliance with at least two additional safety and security standards
specified in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph if ceasing operation
does not occur. The plan must specify which two standards will be
used.
(B)Additional safety and security standards.
(i)Exterior door numbering. All instructional facilities
shall be required to include graphically represented numerical characters
located on both the interior and exterior of doors. The front door
shall always be door 0 and is the only door or set of doors that does
not require graphical numbering. Numbering sequence shall be clockwise.
The architect shall coordinate this requirement with any and all accessibility
requirements related to signage. Exterior numbering shall comply with
the IFC §505.
(ii)Visitor management. All primary entrances to instructional
facilities must provide the necessary design elements to provide for
the following operations:
(I)observation of a person prior to the person's entrance
to the building;
(II)prevention of immediate access to students by
merely entering the building; and
(III)a visitor check-in and check-out process.
(iii)Security cameras. All instructional facilities
shall be required to include a security camera at all primary and
secondary entrances.
(iv)Exterior door access control. All exterior doors
to instructional facilities shall be locked from the outside during
school hours.
(5)Common areas.
(A)Library.
(i)A school district may consider the School Library
Standards and Guidelines as adopted under TEC, §33.021, when
developing, implementing, or expanding library services.
(ii)The sum total square footage of all library-related
areas shall meet the following minimum square feet (SF) requirements
based on maximum student capacity and may be contiguous or dispersed:
(I)for 100 students or fewer, a minimum of 1,400 SF;
(II)for 101-500 students, 1,400 SF plus an additional
4 SF for each student in excess of 100;
(III)for 501-2,000 students, a minimum of 3,000 SF
plus an additional 3 SF for each student in excess of 500; and
(IV)for 2,001 or more students, a minimum of 7,500
SF plus an additional 2 SF for each student in excess of 2,000.
(iii)A school district that plans to locate more than
12 student computers in the library shall add 25 SF of space for each
additional computer anticipated.
(B)Gymnasium. Primary gymnasiums or physical education
space, if required by the district's educational program, shall have
a minimum of 3,000 SF at the elementary school level, 4,800 SF at
the middle school level, and 7,500 SF at the high school level.
(6)Special spaces.
(A)Combination science classroom/laboratory.
(i)A combination science classroom/laboratory for
Kindergarten-Grade 5 shall provide a minimum of 50 SF per student.
The room shall consider a maximum of 22 students, not to exceed 25.
Within the total square footage of the room, 6 SF per student of horizontal
laboratory countertop space (3 feet wide x 2 feet deep) shall be provided
at student laboratory benches, and an additional 3 linear feet (LF)
of horizontal laboratory countertop support space shall be provided
for equipment and materials for investigations, activities, or student
projects.
(ii)A combination science classroom/laboratory for
Grades 6-8 shall provide a minimum of 58 SF per student. The room
shall consider a maximum of 24 students, not to exceed 28. Within
the total square footage of the room, 6 SF per student of horizontal
laboratory countertop space (3 feet wide x 2 feet deep) shall be provided
at student laboratory benches, and an additional 3 LF of horizontal
laboratory countertop support space shall be provided for equipment
and materials for investigations, activities, or student projects.
(iii)A combination science classroom/laboratory for
Grades 9-12 shall provide a minimum of 58 SF per student. The room
shall consider a maximum of 24 students, not to exceed 28. Within
the total square footage of the room, 6 SF per student of horizontal
laboratory countertop space (3 feet wide x 2 feet deep) shall be provided
at student laboratory benches, and an additional 3 LF of horizontal
laboratory countertop support space shall be provided for equipment
and materials for investigations, activities, or student projects.
(B)Science laboratory.
(i)A science laboratory for Grades 6-8 shall be a
minimum of 42 SF per student. The room shall consider a maximum of
24 students, not to exceed 28. Within the total square footage of
the room, 6 SF per student of horizontal laboratory countertop space
(3 feet wide x 2 feet deep) shall be provided at student laboratory
benches, and an additional 3 LF of horizontal laboratory countertop
support space shall be provided for equipment and materials for investigations,
activities, or student projects.
(ii)A science laboratory for Grades 9-12 shall be
a minimum of 42 SF per student. The room shall consider a maximum
of 24 students, not to exceed 28. Within the total square footage
of the room, 6 SF per student of horizontal laboratory countertop
space (3 feet wide x 2 feet deep) shall be provided at student laboratory
benches, and an additional 3 LF of horizontal laboratory countertop
support space shall be provided for equipment and materials for investigations,
activities, or student projects.
(C)Science classrooms. Science classrooms shall be
provided at a ratio not to exceed 2:1 of science classrooms to science
laboratories at the secondary level. The science laboratories shall
be located convenient to the science classrooms they serve.
(D)Fume hoods. A built-in fume hood shall be provided
in each high school level chemistry or Advanced Placement (AP) chemistry
laboratory or combination science classroom/laboratory. A built-in
fume hood should also be provided in each high school level integrated
physics and chemistry (IPC) laboratory or classroom/laboratory. The
exhaust shall be vented to the outside above the roof and away from
air vents. A built-in fume hood should be provided in each middle
school preparation room.
(E)Preparation/storage rooms. One preparation/storage
room at a minimum 10 SF per student shall be provided adjacent to
each combination science classroom/laboratory. One preparation/storage
room at a minimum of 10 SF per student shall be provided per science
classroom and be located adjacent to its partner science laboratory.
(F)Chemical storage room. If hazardous or vaporous
chemicals are to be used in a science laboratory or combination science
classroom/laboratory, a separate chemical storage room shall be provided.
The chemical storage room shall be separate from, and shall not be
combined as part of, a preparation room or an equipment storage room;
however, the chemical storage room may be located so that access is
through a preparation room or equipment storage room. The chemical
storage room shall be secure to prevent access to chemicals by students
or non-authorized adults. One chemical storage room may be shared
among multiple laboratories or classrooms/laboratories. Refer to NFPA,
IFC, and OSHA for additional requirements.
(G)Eye/face wash. A built-in eye/face wash that can
wash both eyes simultaneously shall be provided in each room serving
Grades 5-12 where hazardous chemicals or eye irritants are used by
instructors and/or students. The eye/face wash shall comply with the
ANSI Standards for Shower and Eyewash Equipment (Z358.1). The tepid
water required by ANSI Z358.1 is not required to come from a heated
source; however, school districts that commonly experience lengthy
periods of extremely cold temperatures during the winter season shall
consider a tepid water system with a heated source.
(H)Safety shower. A built-in safety shower shall be
provided in each high school level chemistry or AP chemistry laboratory
or classroom/laboratory and IPC laboratory or classroom/laboratory.
The safety shower shall comply with the ANSI Standards for Shower
and Eyewash Equipment (Z358.1). The tepid water required by ANSI Z358.1
is not required to come from a heated source; however, school districts
that commonly experience lengthy periods of extremely cold temperatures
during the winter season shall consider a tepid water system with
a heated source.
(I)Exhaust fan and ventilation system. Refer to IMC,
ANSI, OSHA, and NFPA for project requirements.
Cont'd...
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