Interagency School Construction Resources

Designing and Constructing Sustainable Facilities and Outdoor Spaces

To provide information on school planning, design, and the availability of state funding to help Local Education Agencies build sustainable facilities and outdoor spaces, the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC), the California Department of Education (CDE), the Division of the State Architect (DSA), and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) are conducting a free Designing and Constructing Sustainable Facilities and Outdoor Spaces workshop on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• Green Building and Energy Codes and Standards.
• DSA’s education and outreach program.
• Educational Specification Considerations.
• Funding opportunities for green buildings and schoolyards.
• Case Study – A School District Perspective.

This workshop will include state agency presentations as well as a question-and-answer session. To register for the webinar, please go to the Eventbrite webpage. For more information and meeting materials, please visit OPSC’s Meetings webpage.

Planning for and Addressing Natural Disasters

Click the following link to view the recording of the May 5, 2022 Joint State Agency Workshop (Cal-OES, OPSC, CDE and DSA) (YouTube).

As the state heads into peak wildfire season, the Governor’s Office of Emergency, the California Department of Education, the Division of the State Architect (DSA), and the Office of Public School Construction are conducting a free workshop to provide information on planning for and addressing natural disasters to help Local Education Agencies (LEAs) plan their facility needs. This workshop will include a presentation, a panel discussion, and a question & answer session.

• Overview of each state agency’s role in the pre-planning and recovery process.
• Top tips for steps LEAs can take to prepare for disasters.
• Tips and guidance from each agency on how to successfully navigate the respective program(s).
• Overview of the California State Emergency Management Systems.
• Panel discussion with an LEA that has experienced a major natural disaster.
• Key contact information for each agency.

Applying for the California Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten and Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program Funding

Click the following link to view the Feb. 3, 2022 OPSC/CDE/DSA State Agency Workshop Recording (YouTube).

This video provides information on school planning, design, and the availability of state funding to help local education agencies address their facility needs. The focus is on applying for California State Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten and Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program.

• Overview of each state agency’s role in the school construction process.
• How to plan for a project using the program.
  • Tips and guidance from each agency on how to successfully navigate the program.
  • A case study from a local education agency that has successfully completed a project.

• Tri-agency engagements, TBA

• DSA is working with the California Department of Education (CDE) on guidance for the design of gender-neutral restrooms for Californian schools. Further details are TBA.