State Policy

The Office of Facilities Planning is a division within the New York State Education Department that oversees and regulates all aspects of school facility planning, construction, maintenance, and safety across the state.

This office has several key responsibilities:

1. Approval Authority: The Office serves as an “involved agency” with jurisdiction to approve public school construction projects in accordance with Education Law. NYSED
2. Regulatory Oversight: The Office enforces regulations requiring each public school district and BOCES to develop and maintain comprehensive long-range plans for educational facilities, including assessments of needed maintenance, repair, and building updates as mandated by Section 155.1 of the Commissioner’s Education Regulations. NYSED
3. Standards Development: The Office establishes and maintains standards for school facilities, such as site requirements for new schools (elementary schools require a three-acre base plus one additional acre for every 100 pupils, and secondary schools require a ten-acre base plus one additional acre per 100 pupils). NYSED
4. Safety Oversight: The Office handles fire safety reporting, provides guidance on emergency protocols, and works with the NYS Department of State on fire code interpretations for schools. NYSED

How They Work Together

The relationship between the NYSSFA and the Office of Facilities Planning is collaborative and complementary:

1. Training and Professional Development: The NYSSFA develops programs and training specifically designed “by School Facility Managers for School Facility Managers,” providing timely and useful training that helps facilities personnel implement regulations and standards established by the Office of Facilities Planning. NYSSFA
2. Information Sharing: The NYSSFA lists the “NY State Education Department, Office of Facilities Planning” as a key resource on their website, helping connect their members with official guidance and requirements. NYSSFA
3. Advocacy: The NYSSFA represents the interests of facilities managers when regulations and standards are being developed or modified by the Office of Facilities Planning.
4. Implementation: While the Office of Facilities Planning establishes standards and requirements, it’s the school facilities personnel represented by NYSSFA who implement these standards in their daily operations.

Official Website

The NYS Education Department’s Office of Facilities Planning’s official website is: https://www.p12.nysed.gov/facplan/

This website provides access to forms, manuals, regulations, guidance documents, and other resources that school facilities managers need to ensure compliance with state requirements for educational facilities.

In addition to working with the NYS Education Department, the NYS School Facilities Association has collaborated with numerous state agencies on matters related to school facilities, including:

1. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
2. New York Power Authority (NYPA)
3. NYS Civil Service
4. NYS Department of Health
5. NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
6. NYS Office of General Services (OGS)
7. And other regulatory and support agencies

Importance of Collaboration on Policy

Collaboration between the NYSSFA and these various state agencies is crucial for several reasons:

1. Comprehensive Approach to Facility Management: School facilities face complex challenges that cross multiple regulatory domains – from energy efficiency (NYSERDA, NYPA) to environmental safety (EPA) to building codes (various agencies) to health standards (Department of Health). By collaborating with all these agencies, the NYSSFA helps ensure a holistic approach to facility management that addresses all these interconnected concerns.
2. Knowledge Sharing and Best Practices: The collaboration allows for sharing of expertise and best practices across different domains. For example, energy conservation strategies from NYSERDA can be integrated with health and safety guidelines from the Department of Health to create comprehensive facility management approaches.
3. Streamlined Compliance: Schools must comply with regulations from multiple agencies. When these agencies collaborate on policy development, it reduces the likelihood of conflicting requirements and helps create more streamlined, implementable standards for school facility managers.
4. Resource Efficiency: Collaborative policy development helps identify opportunities for resource sharing and efficiency. For instance, energy upgrades supported by NYSERDA might also address indoor air quality concerns monitored by the Department of Health.
5. Consistent Implementation: When all relevant agencies are involved in policy development, it ensures more consistent implementation across the state’s diverse school districts, from urban to rural settings.
6. Advocacy and Voice: The NYSSFA can more effectively advocate for the needs and concerns of school facility managers when it has established relationships with all the agencies that impact their work. This helps ensure that regulations and policies are practical and implementable.
7. Public Safety and Educational Excellence: Ultimately, this collaborative approach helps create school environments that are not only safe and healthy but also conducive to educational excellence – supporting the core mission of both the NYSSFA and all the state agencies involved.

This multi-agency collaboration represents a comprehensive governance framework that helps ensure New York’s school facilities meet the highest standards for safety, efficiency, and educational effectiveness.