OAR 581-027-0043: Educational Adequacy Review Standards

The standards are to be used for facilitating discussions around capital planning and improvement. These standards focus on five primary facets of school facilities that directly correlate to student outcomes. (1) The Acoustic Educational Adequacy Standard reviews whether: (a) The sound-conditioning in a given space is acoustically comfortable to permit instructional activities to take place; (b) Sound is transmitted without interfering with adjoining instructional spaces; and (c) The ventilation system does not transmit an inordinate sound level to the instructional program. (2) The Air Quality Education Adequacy Standard reviews whether the District implements an Indoor Air Quality Management Program at each of its campuses. (3) The Lighting Educational Adequacy Standard reviews whether: (a) Light design generates an illumination level that provides comfortable and adequate visual conditions in each educational space; (b) Ceilings and walls are white or light-colored for high reflectance unless the function of space dictates otherwise; (c) Lights do not produce glare or block the line of sight; (d) Window treatment allows entrance of daylight but does not cause excessive glare or heat gain; and (e) Fixtures provide an even light distribution throughout the learning area. (4) The Temperature Education Adequacy Standard reviews whether the school’s heating and cooling system provides consistent thermal comfort to students and teachers year-round. (5) The School Capacity Educational Adequacy Standard reviews whether: (a) The school can support its projected enrollment; and (b) The student population is within the limits of the school’s capacity based on the district’s classroom loading standards. (6) Districts and Certified Assessors may use additional educational adequacy review standards as deemed appropriate for the facilities. (7) The required educational adequacy review standards may only be substituted for more comprehensive and/or quantitative standards if the District and Certified Assessor agree this is needed.