School Facility Construction & Maintenance

News & Announcements

•  The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has been awarded a $5M competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Safe & Supportive Schools: Supporting America’s School Infrastructure (SASI) Grant Program ending in November 2028.

The purpose of this grant program is to increase the capacity of states in supporting high-need school districts and schools in leveraging available federal, state, and local resources to improve public school facilities to ensure safe, healthy, sustainable, and quality learning environments.

The SASI grant includes annual milestones over the five-year grant period. Grant funds will cover the cost of conducting facility assessments and staff training in awarded high-need school divisions. VDOE will develop a competitive application process for high-need school divisions seeking facility assessments towards improving their school facilities.

The grant will also fund development of a database and dashboard to develop a Virtual Building Condition Assessment tool for all school divisions. This tool will assist divisions in developing their Capital Improvement Plans (CIP) and document funding needs to address facility improvements. The dashboard will also be an effective tool to VDOE in documenting school building conditions across the state.

• In accordance with the requirements of §22.1-274.4., the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has compiled a list of potential state and private grant funding sources to assist school divisions in fulfilling the requirements of this act. School divisions are also encouraged to explore any other resources they may be aware of and that can assist them in fulfilling the requirement of this act.   

• The Virginia Public School Authority (VPSA) issued $12 million in equipment notes in conjunction with the existing Virginia Public School Authority technology notes program. Proceeds of these additional notes will be used to help offset related local costs associated with the purchasing of qualifying security equipment to improve and help ensure the safety of students attending public schools in Virginia.  Detailed information was communicated to school divisions in Virginia Education Update Article 2024-26-240.

•  FY 2024 School Safety and Security Grant Awards - The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has awarded each school division base funding of $50,000. School divisions’ awarded grant amounts can be found at FY 2024 School Safety and Security Grants. Detailed information was communicated to school divisions in Virginia Education Update Article 2024-24-217.

• The General Assembly approved $18.5 million for a new school safety and security grant for public schools from the general fund, titled the FY 2024 School Safety and Security Grants. Detailed information was communicated to school divisions in Virginia Education Update Article 2024-21-188.

• At its business meeting on April 25, 2024, the Board of Education (“Board”) awarded FY 2024 School Construction Assistance Program grants to 18 school divisions for 20 school project applications that met the minimum qualifying total criteria score of 65 points and other application requirements. Eighty-Eight (88) grant applications were submitted from forty-three (43) school divisions. Following the close of the open application period, VDOE staff reviewed the submitted grant applications. After the submitted grant applications were reviewed and scored against the 11 criteria in the guidelines, the VDOE recommended funding awards to the Board for review and approval as required by the appropriation act.

• News Release November 20, 2023 - 483 Virginia Schools Receive $12 Million in School Security Equipment Grants

• School Exit Drill Form - Effective July 1, 2024 
• Water Testing - See Superintendent’s Memo #171-17
• Radon Testing - See Superintendent's Memo #131-14

How VDOE Helps

There are currently more than 1,800 public school buildings serving Virginia's K-12 students. The issues involved in providing and planning adequate school facilities are complex and require thoughtful consideration. To plan and construct school buildings that meet today's educational needs, are easy to maintain and are economical to build is an important and difficult task.

VDOE provides leadership and technical services to Virginia's public school facilities in the following areas.

• School facility planning
• Guidelines for public school facilities
• Energy efficiency and high performance school buildings
• School construction cost data
• Facility conferences
• School safety and security
• Playground safety
• School facility efficiency studies
• Resources and information