ARTICLE 3. Approvals [17280. - 17317.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 3.

in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17280. Section 17280.

(a) (1) The Department of General Services under the police power of the state shall supervise the design and construction of any school building or the reconstruction or alteration of or addition to any school building, if not exempted under Section 17295, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this article and building standards published in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction has been performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications, for the protection of life and property. Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow a school district to perform work with its own forces in excess of the limitations set forth in Sections 17595 and 17599. In calculating the cost of any project of reconstruction or alteration of, or addition to, any school building for the purpose of determining the applicability of the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this article and building standards published in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, the Department of General Services shall not include, as an element of that cost, any expenses of air-conditioning equipment or insulation materials for that building, or of installing the equipment or materials. (2) In the alternative, for a leased or purchased building, a school district may comply with this section by complying with Section 17280.5. (b) Whenever repairs due to fire damage, not including any damage caused by wind or earthquake, must be made to any school building previously approved by the Department of General Services, the approved plans and specifications used in the original work under then existing rules, regulations, and building standards may be used without modification, providing all other provisions of this article are carried out. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no school district shall be authorized to construct or reconstruct any school building, regardless of the source of funding, unless and until the governing board of the district, by resolution, has indicated the agreement of the district that any school building construction or reconstruction that exceeds those construction costs and allowable area standards or any allowable building area computed for an attendance area pursuant to Section 17041 shall, in the event of the district’s subsequent application for state funding for school facility construction, be deducted from the allowable building area for which the district would otherwise have been eligible, which restriction shall not be subject to waiver or exception as otherwise may be provided by law. (d) If it is determined that, for any reason, a school district failed to comply with the requirement of this section, the district shall not be eligible for any additional building area pursuant to Section 17049 and may be denied any time priority established for the particular project pursuant to Section 17016.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17280.1. Section 17280.1.

Written rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this article to clarify the application of the California Building Standards Code shall be made available to the public by the State Architect upon request.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17280.5. Section 17280.5.

(a) The Seismic Safety Commission shall convene an advisory committee that shall include, but not be limited to, the State Architect, the State Fire Marshall, representatives from the major professional associations representing architects, engineers, and school facilities designers, and other interested parties. (b) The advisory committee shall convene by August 19, 2002, and shall study and report on whether a regulatory process may be developed that will allow the State Architect to determine whether a building not originally constructed in compliance with the Field Act, as defined in Section 17281, and its implementing regulations either meets, or can be retrofitted to meet, the equivalent pupil safety performance standard as a building constructed according to the Field Act and its implementing regulations. If the advisory committee finds that the regulatory process may be developed, the advisory committee, shall include within its report the facts and rationale supporting the finding and the essential steps required in that regulatory process. The advisory committee shall report its findings to the Seismic Safety Commission by December 31, 2002. (c) By January 8, 2003, and after reviewing the advisory committee’s findings, the Seismic Safety Commission shall make a determination as to whether the regulatory process described in subdivision (b) may be developed, and shall report that determination to the Governor and the Legislature. (d) If the Seismic Safety Commission determines that the regulatory process may be developed, the State Architect shall draft regulations to establish that regulatory process and to delineate the required retrofitting, deconstructive testing, continuous inspection procedures, and other necessary certifications and requirements that must be completed for a building to ensure it meets the equivalent pupil safety performance standard as a building constructed according to the Field Act and its implementing regulations. The State Architect shall promulgate the regulations on or before April 1, 2003, as emergency regulations in accordance with the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). (e) Notwithstanding any law, a leased or purchased building that is determined to have the equivalent pupil safety performance standard as a building constructed according to the Field Act and implementing regulations is hereby deemed to be in full compliance with the safety requirements of a school building as set forth in Section 17280, and is hereby deemed to be in full compliance with the Field Act.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17281. Section 17281.

This article, together with Article 6 (commencing with Section 17365), and Article 7 (commencing with Section 81130) of Chapter 1 of Part 49, shall be known and may be cited as the “Field Act.”

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17282. Section 17282.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to expedite the repair, alteration, and reconstruction of school facilities that have been damaged or destroyed by fire, earthquake, flood, or other manmade or natural disasters, to return those school facilities to a condition that makes them useful to school districts in the least amount of time and at the lowest appropriate cost while maintaining the integrity and safety of the structure as required by the laws of this state. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, if a school facility has been damaged or destroyed by fire, earthquake, flood, or other manmade or natural disaster, all reviews or approvals required by this article shall be expedited. In no event shall any review or approval exceed 60 days, excluding weekends and holidays, from the date of receipt of all complete plans, specifications, and documentation for the facilities from the district. (c) If, upon review, the plans or specifications require minor amendment or modification, these minor amendments or modifications shall not delay the completion of the review or approval beyond the 60-day requirement specified in subdivision (b) unless the amendment or modification constitutes a major substantive change affecting the entire project. While any minor amendments or modifications are being undertaken, the remainder of the project shall continue under review so that a timely and adequate review may be completed within the 60-day requirement of subdivision (b). (d) A state agency that is required to perform any review or approval under this article may hire additional personnel or incur any additional costs necessary to perform the review or approval within the time limits set forth in this section and shall charge the district a fee not to exceed the actual cost of the review or approval. (e) As used in this section, “damaged” means damages to the extent that occupancy is precluded based upon a report of an architect or a structural engineer and the concurrence of the Department of General Services in the report’s conclusion that the occupancy of the premises is precluded. (f) The expedited review and approval required by this section shall not apply if the documents are not submitted within six months of the damage to, or destruction of, the facilities.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17282.5. Section 17282.5.

(a) On or before January 1, 2010, the Division of the State Architect within the Department of General Services shall develop uniform criteria for precheck approval processes for solar design plans, including structural plans and calculations, for a school facility that comply with rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this article and building standards published in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. The criteria shall include provisions to ensure fire and life safety. (b) The Department of General Services shall complete the review of a solar design plan application submitted by a school district that conforms with the criteria established pursuant to subdivision (a) within 45 calendar days of the receipt of a complete application. If the Department of General Services requests an applicant to submit a corrected application, the Department of General Services shall act on the corrected application within 10 calendar days of the date the applicant submits the corrected complete application to that department for approval.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17283. Section 17283.

“School building” as used in this article means and includes any building used, or designed to be used, for elementary or secondary school purposes and constructed, reconstructed, altered, or added to, by the state or by any city or city and county, or by any political subdivision, or by any school district of any kind within the state, or by any regional occupational center or program created by or authorized to act by an agreement under joint exercise of power, or by the United States government, or any agency thereof.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17283.5. Section 17283.5.

(a) For the purposes of this article, Article 5 (commencing with Section 17350), and Article 6 (commencing with Section 17365), “school building” does not include any building used or intended to be used by a school district as residential housing. (b) As used in this section, “residential housing” means any building used as a personal residence by a teacher or employee of a school district, with the teacher’s or employee’s family, if applicable.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17284. Section 17284.

Any school building, as defined in Section 17283, operated by a county official, board, or commission which on the effective date of this section is in violation of this article, if compliance therewith was otherwise required, may be continued in use as a school building after June 30, 1975, provided that no building shall be operated after that date unless the county official, board, or commission requests and obtains from the State Allocation Board authority for use of the building for a specific period after that date. Concurrent with the request the county official, board, or commission shall file with the State Allocation Board a statement or resolution declaring an intention to utilize the building as a school building after June 30, 1975, pending its repair, reconstruction, or replacement. The State Allocation Board shall not authorize the county official, board, or commission to use the building after June 30, 1975, unless it has first determined that the affected authority has already proceeded with a plan of total repair, reconstruction, or replacement in a timely manner and the contract has been let for any phase of, and work commenced on, the project. In no event shall the State Allocation Board authorize the use of these unsafe facilities for a period extending beyond the completion of the replacement facilities or beyond June 30, 1977, whichever occurs first.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17284.5. Section 17284.5.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any waiver granted by the State Allocation Board to a school district for use of a nonconforming existing private building acquired for conversion for use as a school building, that had not expired prior to January 1, 2000, is hereby extended until January 1, 2002, if the work to make the building a conforming structure commenced prior to January 1, 2001, but had not been completed by that date.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17285. Section 17285.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law except Sections 17286, 17287, 17405, and this section, a leased building that does not meet the requirements of Section 17280 may not be used as a school building, as defined in Section 17283, after September 1, 1990. (b) A school district may lease a commercial building prior to January 1, 2003, that does not meet the requirements of Section 17280, for use as a school building, as defined in Section 17283, if the governing board of the district finds that all of the following conditions have been met: (1) The building was constructed in accordance with seismic safety standards for commercial buildings constructed within an earthquake zone. (2) The building permit for the initial construction of the building was issued on or after January 1, 1990. (3) A structural engineer has inspected the building and submitted a report to the governing board of the school district that certifies that the building is in substantial compliance with the requirements of the Field Act. This certification requirement is satisfied if the structural engineer affixes his or her seal of approval to the report and he or she attests in that report that to the best of his or her knowledge: (A) He or she has reviewed the design calculations, construction documents, and the local government construction inspection records of the building to the extent available. (B) He or she has authorized testing and has observed or reviewed the test results and the inspections of an adequate sample of the structure’s welds, anchor bolts, and other structural elements. (C) He or she has observed that the overhead nonstructural elements, including, but not limited to, light fixtures, heating, and air-conditioning diffusers are adequately braced or anchored. The governing board of the school district shall submit the report to the Division of the State Architect for its review. The Division of the State Architect has one month to review the report for compliance with the above requirements, and to provide feedback to the structural engineer regarding any insufficiencies with the report, and whether or not the building is in substantial compliance with the requirements of the Field Act. If the Division of the State Architect does not respond within one month of the final and complete report being submitted, the Division of the State Architect will be deemed to have concurred with the structural engineer’s report. A final decision by the governing board of the school district to occupy the building for school purposes shall not occur until the governing board has reviewed and considered the feedback of the Division of the State Architect, or the one month review period has passed. No member of the governing board of a school district, nor any employee of a school district, shall be held personally liable for injury to persons or damage to property resulting from the fact that the governing board of the school district used a commercial building pursuant to this subdivision for a school and the building was not constructed under the requirements of Section 17280. This exemption from personal liability for members of the governing board and employees of a school district is not intended to limit the liability of the school district for injury to persons or damage to property resulting from the fact that the governing board or any employee of the school district used a commercial building pursuant to this subdivision for a school and the building was not constructed under the requirements of Section 17280. This exemption from personal liability for members of the governing board and employees of a school district is not intended to limit the liability of the school district, the governing board or the district’s employees pursuant to Section 835 of the Government Code. Section 17312 is not applicable to a person who, pursuant to this section, leases or uses a building for a school building that meets the requirements of this section but does not meet the requirements of Section 17280. Approval and use of a building pursuant this subdivision does not constitute a violation of the Field Act. (c) A building leased pursuant to Section 17280 may be used after September 1, 1991, as a regional occupational center or program that does not meet the requirements of Section 17280, provided the building satisfies all of the following conditions: (1) The facility is one of the following: (A) A single-story, wood-framed structure. (B) A single-story, light steel frame structure. (C) A structure for which a structural engineer has submitted a report that certifies that substantial structural hazards do not exist, as to that structure. The governing board of the regional occupational center or program, as provided for under Section 52310.5, shall review the report prior to approval of the lease and may reject the report if there is any evidence of fraud regarding the facts in the report. (2) The building or structure complies with all applicable local building standards and all applicable local health and safety standards in the community in which it is located. (3) The governing board of the regional occupational center or program, as provided for under Section 52310.5, certifies to the State Allocation Board that reasonable efforts have been made to locate the regional occupational center or program in facilities that conform to the seismic safety standards set forth in Part 2 (commencing with Section 2-101), Part 3 (commencing with Section 3-089-1), Part 4 (commencing with Section 4-403), and Part 5 (commencing with Section 5-102), of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17286. Section 17286.

Where the primary use of either a building or complex within which the building is situated, operated by an official or board of a city, city and county or county, is for purposes other than educational, such as, but not limited to, correctional, forestry, or hospital purposes, the building shall not be considered to be a “school building” within the meaning of Section 17283 notwithstanding any educational use thereof incidental to the primary purpose.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17287. Section 17287.

For the purposes of this article and Article 6 (commencing with Section 17365), “school building” does not include (a) any building of a school district or county superintendent of schools which is used solely for classes or programs in outdoor science, conservation, and forestry in accordance with Article 5 (commencing with Section 8760) of Chapter 4 of Part 6 and which does not occupy, in whole or in part, the same parcel of land upon which there is situated any school maintained by the district or county superintendent, or (b) agricultural education laboratory facilities used primarily for plant and animal production or the storage of materials, equipment, and supplies involved in this production.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17288. Section 17288.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 17285, any high school pupil who attends a class or classes on a campus of the University of California or the California State University in order to receive specialized educational services and opportunities authorized by Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 58800) of Part 31 and any adult attending a special education program established pursuant to Part 30 (commencing with Section 56000), is considered a pupil of that campus for the purposes of Article 3 (commencing with Section 17280) of Chapter 3 of Part 10.5. Any building or structure or portion of building or structure that pupils occupy pursuant to this section shall not be considered “school buildings” within the meaning of Section 17283. (b) The governing board of each school district, each county board of education, or each county superintendent of schools, as appropriate, shall notify, in writing, the parent or guardian of each high school pupil who attends a class or classes authorized by Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 58800) of Part 31 and each adult attending a special education program established pursuant to Part 30 (commencing with Section 56000), prior to the pupil’s attendance at the class on a university campus that, although University of California and California State University buildings are required to conform to the rigorous standards of the Uniform Building Code (UBC), the buildings on the university campuses may not meet the requirements of Article 3 (commencing with Section 17280) of Chapter 3 of Part 10.5. This notice shall accompany, to the greatest extent possible, any existing notification to parents or guardians regarding specialized educational services and opportunities.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17289. Section 17289.

In order to provide alternative, community-based educational opportunities through independent study, any school district or county office of education may request an exemption from the State Allocation Board for a building or structure, or portion of a building or structure, from the definition of “school buildings” within the meaning of Section 17283. The exemptions may be granted for no longer than two years and exemptions are renewable. An exemption may only be granted if the school district or county office of education demonstrates to the satisfaction of the State Allocation Board all of the following: (a) The building or structure, or portion of building or structure, satisfies all of the following: (1) It is not located on a regular schoolsite. (2) It complies with all applicable local building standards and all relevant local health and safety standards in the community in which it is located. (3) It is used for independent study. (4) It serves fewer than 25 pupils enrolled in kindergarten or any of the grades 1 to 12, inclusive, at any one time in the building or structure, or in a portion of a building or structure where the remainder of the building or structure is not used for instructional purposes. (b) The use of the building or structure is critical to providing an effective alternative, community-based program. (c) The use of other buildings or structures that would meet seismic safety standards for school facilities is not practical.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17291. Section 17291.

(a) An owned relocatable building or structure that is to be used for school purposes shall be subject to the provisions of Article 3 (commencing with Section 17280) and Article 6 (commencing with Section 17365). (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this section shall become operative on September 30, 1997.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17292. Section 17292.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law, an owned or leased relocatable building that does not meet the requirements of Section 17280 may be used until September 30, 2015, as a school building, if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The relocatable building was manufactured and was in use for classroom purposes on or before May 1, 2000, and bears a commercial coach insignia of approval from the Department of Housing and Community Development. (2) The relocatable building is a single story structure with not more than 2,160 square feet of interior floor area when all sections are joined together. (3) The relocatable building was constructed after December 19, 1979, and bears a commercial coach insignia of approval from the Department of Housing and Community Development. (4) The bracing and anchoring of interior overhead nonstructural elements, such as light fixtures and heating and air-conditioning diffusers, and the foundation system complies with the applicable rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this article and published in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. (5) The building construction, including associated site construction, except for the relocatable building defined in paragraph (2), complies with the applicable rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this article, Sections 4450 to 4458, inclusive, of the Government Code, and Section 13143 of the Health and Safety Code and the administrative and building standards published in Title 19 and Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. (6) The relocatable building is anchored to the ground to resist earthquake and wind loads. (7) The school district has certified to the Department of General Services that the relocatable building complies with the requirements of this subdivision. (8) The Department of General Services has issued a certification of compliance with the requirements of this article. (b) The Department of General Services may assess fees to carry out the requirements of this section. Fees imposed pursuant to this subdivision shall be equal to the costs associated with making the certifications and inspections required by, and otherwise enforcing, this section and shall be deposited in the Public School Planning, Design, and Construction Review Revolving Fund. (c) For each relocatable building that was used as a school building pursuant to this section, the governing board of the school district shall adopt a resolution by October 30, 2015, certifying to the State Allocation Board that commencing September 30, 2015, the relocatable building is no longer being used as a school building.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17292.5. Section 17292.5.

(a) If the governing board of a school district operates a program for expelled pupils, the governing board shall do one or more of the following: (1) Utilize available school facilities that conform to the requirements of Part 2 (commencing with Section 2-101), Part 3 (commencing with Section 3-089-1), Part 4 (commencing with Section 4-403), and Part 5 (commencing with Section 5-102), of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. (2) Apply for emergency portable classrooms pursuant to Chapter 25 (commencing with Section 17085) of Part 10. (3) Enter into lease agreements for facilities, provided that the facilities are limited to a structure where a structural engineer has submitted a report that determines substantial structural hazards do not exist. (b) Before entering into any lease pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), the governing board of the school district shall certify to the State Allocation Board that all reasonable efforts have been made to locate the program in facilities that conform to the structural safety standards listed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17293. Section 17293.

(a) On or after January 1, 1993, if a county superintendent or school district elects to operate a new or expanded pregnant and parenting teen program pursuant to Article 7.1 (commencing with Section 54740) of Chapter 9 of Part 29, the county superintendent or school district may enter into lease agreements for school facilities as set forth in subdivision (b), if both of the following conditions are met: (1) All available school facilities conform to the requirements of Article 3 (commencing with Section 17280) and Article 6 (commencing with Section 17320). (2) If facilities meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) are not available, the school district or county superintendent of schools has applied to lease or purchase emergency portable classrooms pursuant to Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 17085) of Part 10 and the application was either not approved or the portable classrooms approved will not meet the needs of the county superintendent of schools or the school district. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the county superintendent or the school district may enter into lease agreements as follows: (1) A report and certification of safety shall be prepared by a structural engineer that verifies that the building meets local safety standards and that substantial structural hazards do not exist. The county board of education or school district governing board, as the case may be, shall review the report and certification prior to the approval of the lease and may reject the report if there is evidence of fraud regarding the facts in the report. In addition, the county board of education or the governing board of the school district shall cause to be prepared and maintained on file a report and certification of safety by a structural engineer every five years from the date of the initial lease as long as the building continues to be used and a statement that the building continues to meet local safety standards and that structural hazards do not exist. (2) Before entering into any lease, the county superintendent or the school district shall certify that all reasonable efforts have been made to locate programs in facilities that conform to paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a).

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17294. Section 17294.

“Construction or alteration” as used in this article includes any construction, reconstruction, or alteration of, or addition to, any school building.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17295. Section 17295.

(a) (1) The Department of General Services shall pass upon and approve or reject all plans for the construction or, if the estimated cost exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), the alteration of any school building. (2) To enable the Department of General Services to pass upon and approve plans pursuant to this subdivision, the governing board of each school district and any other school authority before adopting any plans for the school building shall submit the plans to the Department of General Services for approval, and shall pay the fees prescribed in this article. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), where the estimated cost of the reconstruction or alteration of, or an addition to, any school building exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), but does not exceed two hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($225,000), a licensed structural engineer shall examine the proposed project to determine if it is a nonstructural alteration or a structural alteration. If he or she determines that the project is a nonstructural alteration, he or she shall prepare a statement so indicating. If he or she determines that the project is structural, he or she shall prepare plans and specifications for the project which shall be submitted to the Department of General Services for review and approval. A copy of the engineer’s report stating that the work does not affect structural elements shall be filed with the Department of General Services. (c) If a licensed structural engineer submits a report to the Department of General Services stating that the plans or activities authorized pursuant to subdivision (b) do not involve structural elements, then all of the following shall apply to that project: (1) The design professional in responsible charge of the project undertaken pursuant to this subdivision shall certify that the plans and specifications for the project meet any applicable fire and life safety standards, and do not affect the disabled access requirements of Section 4450 of the Government Code, and shall submit this certification to the Department of General Services. The letter of certification shall bear the identifying licensing stamp or seal of the design professional. This paragraph does not preclude a design professional from submitting plans and specifications to the Department of General Services along with the appropriate fee for review. (2) Within 10 days of the completion of any project authorized pursuant to subdivision (b), the school construction inspector of record on the project, who is certified by the Department of General Services to inspect school buildings, shall certify in writing to the Department of General Services that the reconstruction, alteration, or addition has been completed in compliance with the plans and specifications. (3) The dollar amounts cited in this section shall be increased on an annual basis, commencing January 1, 2018, by the Department of General Services according to an inflationary index governing construction costs that is selected and recognized by the Department of General Services. (4) No school district shall subdivide a project for the purpose of evading the limitation on amounts cited in this section. (d) For purposes of this section, “design professional in responsible charge” or “design professional” means the licensed architect, licensed structural engineer, or licensed civil engineer who is responsible for the completion of the design work involved with the project.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17296. Section 17296.

Notwithstanding any other law, a school-based facility providing social services or support services, or health care, that is established through agreements with local governments and school districts pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 8800) of Part 6 or as part of an integrated children’s services program pursuant to Chapter 12.82 (commencing with Section 18986.40) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, respectively, is located on school property, and meets all the requirements of the Uniform Building Code and has been approved by the building department of the appropriate local jurisdiction, as well as those of the appropriate local jurisdiction, shall not be required to obtain approval of plans by the Department of General Services pursuant to Section 17295.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17297. Section 17297.

Except as provided in Section 17298, before letting any contract for any construction or alteration of any school building, the written approval of the plans, as to safety of design and construction, by the Department of General Services, shall be first had and obtained.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17298. Section 17298.

Before the commencement of any fabrication, construction, or alteration of a relocatable school building of a type previously approved by the Department of General Services, the written approval of the plans, as to the safety and design of construction, by the Department of General Services, shall be first had and obtained.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17299. Section 17299.

In each case the application for approval of the plans shall be accompanied by the plans and full, complete, and accurate specifications, and structural design computations, and estimates of cost, which shall comply in every respect with any and all requirements prescribed by the Department of General Services.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17300. Section 17300.

(a) The application shall be accompanied by a filing fee in amounts as determined by the Department of General Services based on the estimated cost of the work described in subdivision (a) of Section 17280, according to the following schedule: (1) For the first one million dollars ($1,000,000), a fee of 1.25 percent of the estimated cost. (2) For all costs in excess of one million dollars ($1,000,000), a fee of 1 percent of the estimated cost. (b) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a), if, on or after July 1, 2017, the Department of General Services adjusts the fee schedule pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 17301, the adjusted fee schedule shall be used instead. (c) The minimum fee in any case shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250). If the actual cost exceeds the estimated cost by more than 5 percent, a further fee shall be paid to the Department of General Services, based on the fee schedule pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b), as applicable, and computed on the amount by which the actual cost exceeds the amount of the estimated cost. (d) The fees determined pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b), as applicable, shall be paid in two installments, as specified by the Department of General Services. The first installment shall be in an amount equal to 70 percent of the estimated cost calculated under subdivision (a) or (b), as applicable, and shall be paid at the time the application is submitted to the department. The second installment shall be in an amount equal to 30 percent of the estimated cost calculated under subdivision (a) or (b), as applicable, and shall be paid no later than five working days after the applicant accepts the bids for construction of the project for which the fees are paid. This subdivision shall become operative January 1, 1994. (e) The fee shall be paid to the Department of General Services, including, but not limited to, a case in which the application is referred under Section 17306 to a qualified plan review firm.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17301. Section 17301.

(a) (1) All fees received by the Department of General Services pursuant to this chapter shall be paid into the State Treasury and credited to the Public School Planning, Design, and Construction Review Revolving Fund, which is hereby created. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all moneys in the fund are hereby continuously appropriated for expenditure by the Department of General Services to be applied, in the most efficient and expeditious manner possible, to the expenses associated with the review and approval of plans and specifications, and the supervision of public school building construction, pursuant to this article and Article 5 (commencing with Section 17350). The fees paid into the fund shall not be used for or diverted to any other program or purpose. Notwithstanding any other law, any moneys in the Architecture Public Building Fund on the effective date of this section thereupon shall be transferred to the Public School Planning, Design, and Construction Review Revolving Fund for expenditure in accordance with this section. (2) Adjustments in the amounts of the fees, as determined by the Department of General Services, may be made by the department in order to maintain a reasonable working balance in the fund, provided that the fees shall not exceed the amounts in the fee schedule specified in subdivision (a) of Section 17300 or Section 17352, as applicable. If the working fund balance exceeds six months’ expenditures, the Department of General Services shall take action to reduce the fees. (b) The Department of Finance shall provide for the audit of the fund as needed to ensure that it is used solely for the purposes of this article and that the amount of the fee charged does not exceed what is necessary to cover the costs realized by the Department of General Services in carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to this article. The actual cost of the audit shall be paid from the fund.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17302. Section 17302.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), all plans, specifications, and estimates shall be prepared by a licensed architect holding a valid certificate under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5500) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code or by a structural engineer holding a valid certificate to use the title structural engineer under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, and the observation of the work of construction shall be under the responsible charge of such an architect or structural engineer. (b) For the purposes of this section, a mechanical or electrical engineer holding a valid certificate under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code may be in responsible charge of preparation of plans, specifications, and estimates, and observation of the work of construction where the work is, as determined by the Department of General Services, of the kind normally performed by engineers certified in the particular branch of engineering for which the engineer is certified. Any architectural or structural work involved shall be the respective responsibility of a licensed architect holding a valid certificate under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5500) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, or a structural engineer holding a valid certificate to use the title structural engineer under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17303. Section 17303.

(a) The Department of General Services shall establish one or more methods to ensure that each application has been completed sufficiently by the applicant to enable the plan review to be performed. (b) Upon receipt of a complete application, the Department of General Services shall inform the applicant of the period of time that it anticipates to elapse prior to commencing review of the applicant’s plans. Within 10 days of being so notified, the applicant shall make an election to either use the Department of General Services for the review of the applicant’s plan or, request that the plan review be performed by one or more qualified plan review firms pursuant to Sections 17305 and 17306. If the applicant elects to use the services of the Department of General Services for review of the applicant’s plan, the department, as it deems necessary to expedite review of the applicant’s plans, in addition to making a good faith effort to hire state employees, shall do one or more of the following: (1) Contract for assistance from one or more qualified plan review firms pursuant to Section 17305. (2) Employ additional staff on a temporary basis. (3) Maximize the use of department staff through the use of overtime or other appropriate means. (4) Any other action determined by the department to have the effect of expediting the review and approval process. (c) Each application shall identify, for purposes of receiving the notifications required under this subdivision, an employee of the applicant school district and either the applicant’s architect or structural engineer. The Department of General Services immediately shall notify that employee, and the identified architect or structural engineer, when each of the following steps in the plan review process occurs: (1) The department requests the applicant’s architect or structural engineer to correct or complete any part of the application. (2) An application number is assigned to the application. (3) Review of the applicant’s plans is commenced. (4) Review of the applicant’s plans is completed and the department returns the plans to the architect or structural engineer for correction. (5) Corrected plans are returned to the department by the applicant’s architect or structural engineer for final review and approval. (6) The department approves the plans and causes a final record set of the plans to be printed in accordance with Section 17304. (d) The Department of General Services may provide additional notifications to applicants as it deems necessary.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17304. Section 17304.

(a) Upon approving the plans submitted by an applicant pursuant to this article, the Department of General Services shall cause a final record set of the plans to be printed. The department may contract with one or more private entities to perform that printing at one or more of the regional area offices of the department. The costs incurred pursuant to this subdivision shall be paid by the applicant. (b) No later than five working days after approving plans submitted by an applicant pursuant to this article, the department shall issue a final letter of approval to the applicant.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17305. Section 17305.

(a) Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions set forth in this section govern the construction of this article. (1) “Prequalified list” means a list of qualified firms established by the Department of General Services to perform specific types of plan review services. (2) “Qualified plan review firm” means an individual, firm, or the building official of a city, a county, or a city and county, as defined in Section 18949.27 of the Health and Safety Code, or the authorized representative of the building official that is identified by the Department of General Services as having appropriate expertise and knowledge of the requirements that apply to school buildings under this article. (b) The department shall establish and maintain a list of qualified plan review firms, and shall make that list available, upon request, to school districts and other interested parties. (c) Notwithstanding Section 14952 of the Government Code, the Department of General Services shall contract with sufficient numbers of qualified plan review firms for assistance in performing the plan review required under the Field Act. (d) At the discretion of the Department of General Services, contracts for a qualified plan review firm made pursuant to this article may be advertised and awarded in accordance with this section. (e) (1) The Department of General Services may establish prequalified lists of qualified firms in accordance with this subdivision. (2) (A) For each type of plan review for which the department elects to use the process established by this section for advertising and awarding contracts, the Department of General Services may request statements of qualifications from interested firms. (B) The request for statements of qualifications shall be announced statewide through the California State Contracts Register and publications of relevant professional societies. (C) Each announcement shall describe the general scope of services to be provided within each generic project category for plan review services that the Department of General Services anticipates may be awarded during the period covered by the announcement. For the purposes of this section, a generic project category shall be defined in a manner that each specific project to be awarded within that discipline meets all of the following requirements: (i) The project is substantially similar to all other projects within that discipline. (ii) The project is within the same size range and geographical area. (iii) The project requires substantially similar skills and magnitude of professional effort as compared to every other project within that discipline. (3) The Department of General Services shall evaluate the statements of qualifications, and develop a list of qualified plan review firms that meet the criteria established and published by the Department of General Services. Interviews may be held to determine a plan review firm’s qualifications. Lists of qualified plan review firms shall be maintained by the Department of General Services for not more than four years. (4) During the term of a prequalified list, as specific projects are identified by the Department of General Services as being eligible for contracting, the Department of General Services shall contact a firm on the prequalified list, on a rotational basis, for both of the following purposes: (A) To distribute the work in a fair and equitable manner. (B) To determine that the firm has sufficient staff and is available for performance of the project. (5) If the contacted firm is not available, the Department of General Services shall continue to contact firms on the prequalified list, on a rotational basis, until an available firm is identified. (6) The Department of General Services shall negotiate a contract for the services with the identified firm, including a price and timeframe that it determines is fair and reasonable. (7) If the identified plan review firm is unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the Department of General Services, the department shall terminate negotiations, and shall undertake new negotiations, on a rotational basis, with the next firm available for performance from the prequalified list until a successful negotiation is achieved. If the Department of General Services is unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with a firm on two separate occasions, that firm may be removed from the prequalified list. (f) Contracts for plan review services that the Department of General Services elects to advertise and award in accordance with this section are not subject to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 4525) of Division 5 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17306. Section 17306.

(a) Upon submitting a complete application for review under this article, the applicant may request that the Department of General Services refer the documents necessary for the review of that application to a qualified plan review firm operating under contract with the department pursuant to Section 17305. The department immediately shall grant the request and refer the necessary documents to a qualified plan review firm if the applicant so requests. Upon completing the review, the qualified plan review firm shall submit the documents referred to it for the review of the application, together with the results of its review, to the Department of General Services. (b) The Department of General Services shall establish a procedure governing the use by applicants of the review process alternative described in this section, including, but not limited to, provisions restricting the use of qualified plan review firms on the basis of conflict of interest.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17307. Section 17307.

No contract for the construction or alteration of any school building, made or executed by the governing board of any school district or other public board, body, or officer otherwise vested with authority to make or execute a contract, is valid, and no public money shall be paid for any work done under a contract or for any labor or materials furnished in constructing or altering any building, unless the plans, specifications, and estimates comply in every particular with the provisions of this article and the requirements prescribed by the Department of General Services and unless the approval thereof in writing has first been had and obtained from the Department of General Services.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17307.5. Section 17307.5.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, including, but not limited to, Title 3 (commencing with Section 9000) of Part 6 of Division 4 of the Civil Code, the Department of General Services may issue a stop work order when construction work on a public school is not being performed in accordance with existing law and would compromise the structural integrity of the building, thereby endangering the public safety. The Department of General Services shall allow construction of incidental and minor nonstructural additions or nonstructural alterations without invoking its stop work authority. (b) A school district, county superintendent of schools, county board of education, or other public board, body, or officer whose construction work on a public school is subject to a stop work order issued pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be held liable in any action filed against the public board, body, or officer for stopping work as required by the stop work order, or for any delays caused by compliance with the stop work order, except to the extent that an error or omission by the public board, body, or officer is the basis for the issuance of the stop work order.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17308. Section 17308.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that a number of serious discrepancies in the interpretation of the structural standards and architectural barrier requirements that apply to school buildings under this chapter, and of the plan review procedures that apply under this chapter, exist within the Department of General Services, and within and between various firms utilized by the department on a contract basis, applicant school districts, and architects and structural engineers utilized by applicant school districts. (b) The Department of General Services shall provide training, on an ongoing basis, to its employees and to the employees of architectural and structural engineering firms that contract with the department for the purposes of this chapter. The training shall address all phases of the plan review process established under this chapter, and shall be designed to ensure that all individuals who develop and review school building plans obtain sufficient knowledge of the rules, regulations, and standards that apply under this chapter. (c) The department shall make the training described in subdivision (b) available to the employees of architectural and structural engineering firms that contract with applicant school districts for the purpose of this chapter, and to any other individuals, firms, and government agencies that are involved in school building design, construction, or inspection and that may benefit from the training. The department may charge a fee for training provided pursuant to this subdivision. (d) The department shall develop and publish interpretations of the structural standards, architectural barrier requirements, and review procedures referred to in subdivision (a) as may be necessary to remedy the interpretational discrepancies described in that subdivision. These interpretational materials shall be updated at least annually.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17309. Section 17309.

From time to time, as the work of construction or alteration progresses and whenever the Department of General Services requires, the licensed architect or structural engineer in charge of observation of construction or registered engineer in charge of observation of other work, the inspector on the work, and the contractor shall each make to the Department of General Services a report, duly verified by him or her, upon a form prescribed by the Department of General Services, based upon his or her own personal knowledge, indicating that the work during the period covered by the report has been performed and materials have been used and installed, in every material respect, in compliance with the approved plans and specifications, setting forth such detailed statements of fact as are required by the Department of General Services. The term “personal knowledge” as used in this section and as applied to the architect, and the registered engineer, means the personal knowledge which is obtained from periodic visits to the project site of reasonable frequency for the purpose of general observation of the work, and also which is obtained from the reporting of others as to the progress of the work, testing of materials, inspection and superintendence of the work that is performed between the above-mentioned periodic visits of the architect or the registered engineer. The exercise of reasonable diligence to obtain the facts is required. The term “personal knowledge” as applied to the inspector means the actual personal knowledge which is obtained from his or her personal continuous inspection of the work of construction in all stages of its progress at the site where he is responsible for inspection and, when work is carried out away from the site, that personal knowledge which is obtained from the reporting of others on the testing or inspection of materials and workmanship for compliance with plans, specifications or applicable standards. The exercise of reasonable diligence to obtain the facts is required. The term “personal knowledge” as applied to the contractor means the personal knowledge which is obtained from the construction of the building. The exercise of reasonable diligence to obtain the facts is required.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17310. Section 17310.

Except as provided in Section 18930 of the Health and Safety Code, the Department of General Services may from time to time make such rules and regulations as it deems necessary, proper, or suitable to carry out the provisions of this article. The Department of General Services shall adopt and submit building standards for approval pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) of Part 2.5 of Division 13 of the Health and Safety Code for the purposes described in this article.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17311. Section 17311.

(a) The Department of General Services shall make the inspection of the school buildings and of the work of construction or alteration as in its judgment is necessary or proper for the enforcement of this article and the protection of the safety of the pupils, the teachers, and the public. The school district, city, city and county, or the political subdivision within the jurisdiction of which any school building is constructed or altered shall provide for and require competent, adequate, and continuous inspection during the construction or alteration by an inspector satisfactory to the architect or structural engineer and the Department of General Services. The inspector shall act under the direction of the governing board and architect or structural engineer as the board may direct. The inspector shall be responsible to the governing board for employment purposes. The inspector shall be responsible to the Department of General Services for enforcement of the plans and specifications of the school project. (b) In order to ensure the competency and adequacy of the inspectors required under this article, the Department of General Services shall do all of the following: (1) Revise the examination used to determine the competency of those who provide inspections pursuant to this article. The revision of the examination shall include techniques of inspection, construction, plan reading, required submittal documents, and knowledge of statutes and regulations that apply to school construction. The revision of the examination shall be done not later than 36 months after the last revision. (2) Provide training on an ongoing basis to all individuals who provide the inspections required under this article. The training shall be designed to ensure that all individuals who provide the continuous inspection of school building construction or alteration have sufficient knowledge of the rules, regulations, and standards that apply under this article. (3) Require evaluation of the competency of those who provide inspections pursuant to this article. After an initial evaluation, a reevaluation shall occur not later than 48 months after the last evaluation or reevaluation. An evaluation or reevaluation shall include meeting education and training requirements, as specified by the Department of General Services. (c) The Department of General Services may require a fee from all individuals applying for evaluation or reevaluation pursuant to subdivision (b), and a fee for the examination administered in the evaluation or reevaluation. The fees shall not exceed the reasonable costs associated with the development and administration of the examination and the training.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17312. Section 17312.

Any person who violates any of the provisions of this article or makes any false statement in any verified report or affidavit required pursuant to this article is guilty of a felony.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17313. Section 17313.

Upon written request by the governing board of any school district or upon written request by at least 10 percent of the parents having children enrolled as pupils in any school district as certified to by the county superintendent of schools, the Department of General Services shall make an examination and report on the structural condition of any public school building of the district, subject to the payment by the governing board of the actual expenses incurred by the Department of General Services. Payment of the expenses may be waived by the Department of General Services on recommendation of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction when it appears to him or her that the school district in which the public school building is located cannot afford to pay them.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17314. Section 17314.

Any public school building which has been approved by the Department of General Services (formerly Division of Architecture) for occupancy shall be deemed to meet the local building requirements for use as a private school.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17315. Section 17315.

(a) When a school building constructed in accordance with plans and specifications approved by the Department of General Services is completed, the notice of completion is filed, and all final verified reports and all testing and inspection documents, as required by this article or as required by the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this article, are submitted to and on file with the Department of General Services, and all required fees paid by the school district, the department shall issue a certification that the school building complies with the requirements of this article. Nothing in this article shall prevent beneficial occupancy by a school district prior to the issuance of this certification. (b) When a school building, constructed in accordance with approved plans and specifications, is completed but final verified reports, as are required under Section 39151, have not been submitted to the Department of General Services due to the incapacitating illness, death, or the default of any persons required to file such reports, the Department of General Services shall, upon written request of the school district, review all of the project records and make such examinations as it deems necessary to enable it to certify that the school building otherwise complies with the requirements of this article. The Department of General Services may request the school district to have made, reported, and verified any other tests and inspections which the department deems necessary to complete its examinations of the construction. (c) The costs incurred by the Department of General Services in connection with this section shall be paid by the school district. The actual costs to perform the examinations, tests, and inspections shall be an appropriate cost of the project to be paid from the building funds of the district. Certification of the project by the Department of General Services shall be withheld until all the costs have been paid by the school district. (d) This section shall not relieve any individual of his or her responsibility to file verified reports, as required in Section 17309, or any other documents required by the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this article. This section shall not abrogate the provisions of Section 17312.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17316. Section 17316.

(a) Any contract entered into by and between the governing board of any school district and any certified architect or structural engineer pursuant to Section 17302 shall provide that all plans, including, but not limited to, record drawings, specifications, and estimates prepared pursuant thereto, shall be and remain the property of the school district for the purposes of repair, maintenance, renovation, modernization, or other purposes, only as they relate to the project for which the certified architect or structural engineer was retained. This subdivision does not preclude the school district from using the plans, record drawings, specifications, or estimates related to the project for the purposes of additions, alignments, or other development on the site. (b) The contract set forth in subdivision (a) does not transfer or waive the certified architect’s or structural engineer’s copyrights over these documents, including, but not limited to, all common law, statutory, and other reserved rights, unless the certified architect or structural engineer expressly transfers or waives these rights through the written contract, including, but not limited to, a written addendum or amendment. (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), if the school district proposes to reuse the plans prepared by the certified architect or structural engineer within the school district, the contract entered into between the school district and the certified architect or structural engineer shall specify the terms and conditions for the reuse. If a school district reuses the plans prepared by the certified architect or structural engineer and retains another certified architect or structural engineer for the preparation of those plans for the reuse, the school district shall indemnify and hold harmless the original certified architect or structural engineer, and their consultants, agents, and employees, from and against any claims, damages, losses, and expenses, including attorney’s fees, arising out of or resulting from, in whole or in part, the reuse.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17317. Section 17317.

(a) The Department of General Services shall, in consultation with the Seismic Safety Commission, conduct an inventory of public school buildings that are concrete tilt-up school buildings and school buildings with nonwood frame walls that do not meet the minimum requirements of the 1976 Uniform Building Code. Priority shall be given to the school buildings identified in the act that added this section that are in the highest seismic risk zones in accordance with the seismic hazard maps of the Division of Mines and Geology of the Department of Conservation. (b) The Department of General Services shall submit a report by December 31, 2001, to the Legislature and the Governor that summarizes the findings of the seismic safety inventory and makes recommendations about future actions that should be taken to address the problems found by the seismic safety inventory. The report shall not identify individual schoolsites on which inventoried school buildings are located.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026