School Construction Program Overview

The School Construction Program assists schools and districts in determining the need for and extent of necessary school building renovations or new facilities through facility assessments and planning. The Necessity of School Construction process determines the eligibility of school construction costs for state reimbursement.

Good facilities are essential to good learning and through compliance with the School Construction Regulations, RIDE ensures that all approved projects provide high quality learning environments, conserve natural resources, consume less energy, are easier to maintain, and provide an enhanced school facility.

The School Construction Program provides guidance and oversight of school construction and renovations in Rhode Island public school facilities.

RIDE provides assistance as schools and districts undertake a multi-stage Necessity of School Construction Application to identify school facilities’ needs across the schools and districts buildings. Once approved by the Board of Regents, they are eligible to receive Housing Aid reimbursement on school construction projects.

Additional Information

The School Construction Program is governed by the School Construction Regulations (SCR), adopted by the Board of Regents in 2007. The SCR sets standards for design and construction of school facilities, in order to assist schools and districts in providing the quality learning environment necessary for children to perform at higher levels.

School Construction Regulations [PDF, 493 KB]

The Necessity of School Construction Application is a rolling multi-staged application process, meaning districts can apply at any point during the year.

Necessity of School Construction Information and Instructions are provided to inform and guide LEAs through the rigorous process. Once projects receive Board of Regents’ approval, they are eligible for housing aid reimbursement upon project completion.

Necessity of School Construction Guidance [PDF, 379 KB]

Necessity of School Construction Process Overview

As part of the School Construction Regulations, projects shall comply with all requirements set forth in the most recent NECHPS protocol so that approved projects provide high quality learning environments, conserve natural resources, consume less energy, are easier to maintain, and provide an enhanced school facility.

NE CHPS Protocol [PDF, 1,930 KB]
Operations and Maintenance Guidance [PDF, 1,300 KB]
High Performance Schools Scorecard [XLS, 137 KB]
RI High Performance Schools Template [XLS, 6,797 KB]

This report evaluates the capacities and building conditions in Rhode Island schools to help the Board of Regents of Elementary and Secondary Education determine the necessity of school construction and to foster statewide uniformity in school building quality. The report is based on data the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) gathered for school year 2011–12.

Public Schoolhouse Assessment [PDF]

A district must notify RIDE in writing six month prior to the sale, lease, demolition, or other removal from service of any school facility in the district’s jurisdiction by completing the school closing form. In the event of a proposed closure, a district shall inform neighboring LEAs of the proposed action in the event that an LEA may wish to acquire the building for its own use.

If the building has received school construction payments (housing aid) from RIDE, and has not remained in service for 50 years, RIDE may recapture at its discretion a portion of the housing aid reimbursement.

School Closure Form [DOC, 48 KB]

The State of Rhode Island, through the Rhode Island Department of Education, operates three schools in the state: Rhode Island School for the Deaf, The Met Center and Davies Career and Technical Center.

The Rhode Island Department of Education is set to begin construction of the Paul Crowley East Bay Met Center in Newport, RI. This building is striving to be the first net zero high school facility in the region. Please see the PDF below for more information.

Met Center [PDF, 298 KB]

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