Plan Review & Commentary
School Planning reviews plans for new schools, additions, and renovations. Design review helps to ensure that school facilities accommodate and facilitate educational programs. Comments made during review stress safety, longevity, durability, flexibility, economy, and efficiency of building construction systems. Comments take into account local program flexibility while providing accountability in regard to the State Boards of Education's North Carolina Public Schools Facilities Guidelines. Usually, design review conferences are held at each design phase involving the designers, local unit facilities staff and the school planning staff of professional architects, engineers and educators. It is suggested that you schedule a meeting with the Office of the State Fire Marshal at (919) 661-5880 and then call School Planning at (919) 807-3554 to schedule a review on the same day.

Prototype School Design Clearinghouse
The 1996 North Carolina General Assembly directed the State Board of Education to establish a central clearinghouse for access by local boards of education that may want to use a prototype design in the construction of school facilities. This system is expected to result in cost and time savings in school design; provide broader access to architects that specialize in school design; and increase awareness of current trends in school design.

Planning Assistance
Planning assistance is provided to local units. This assistance includes publications such as the North Carolina Public Schools Facilities Guidelines, in which recommendations for all building elements and spaces of schools can be found. School Planning has developed computer-assisted tools for calculating needed spaces and sizes for new schools, based upon anticipated capacity. School Planning evaluates facility needs and provides analysis of specific building or site problems, with priority placed on small and low-wealth school systems. Instruction and guidance are available to assist all units with facility planning and self-evaluation. Current and historical school construction cost information is maintained and made available. School Planning provides technical assistance and authorization of state funding for school construction.

Publications and Workshops
School Planning has prepared numerous guide and reference publications on various aspects of K-12 school planning and design. These publications are updated periodically and new versions are placed on this web site. State educational planners, architects, engineers, and schools of education and architecture are partnered in the development of these publications. The staff of School Planning provides workshops and presentations on facility design, planning, and management to a wide variety of groups with interest in educational facilities.