WAC 392-902-030

School districts and state tribal education compact schools are required to have the following items completed and reported to the office of superintendent of public instruction prior to an award of a school seismic safety planning grant:

(1) School districts and state tribal education compact schools requesting funding for a planning grant for funding from the school seismic safety grant program are required to provide the following:

Updated inventory of school site acreage, and square feet data required by the office of superintendent of public instruction of the existing school facility to be retrofitted, modernized, or relocated outside of a tsunami zone. This information is required to be entered into the office of superintendent of public instruction's information and condition of schools data system.  

(2) Other information required by the school seismic safety advisory committee to qualify for a planning grant.

The office of superintendent of public instruction will award planning grant funding to school districts and state tribal education compact schools to hire professional services to assist them in providing the required planning information needed by the school seismic safety advisory committee to prioritize grant funding. Grant award notifications will identify funding allowances allocated for specific tasks and requirements and will be allocated in phases. Grant amounts will be determined by the office of superintendent of public instruction in consultation with the school seismic safety advisory committee.

Seismic phase one grants. Seismic phase one grants will be provided to a school district or state tribal education compact school to perform needed geotechnical engineering investigations prior to design or construction of projects authorized by RCW 28A.525.320. Grant funding will be provided for project management, a site survey, and other necessary professional services determined by the office of superintendent of public instruction in consultation with the school seismic safety advisory committee. The school seismic safety advisory committee must recommend approval of the geotechnical investigation report findings before a phase two grant can be awarded.

Seismic phase two grants. Seismic phase two grants awarded to a school district or state tribal education compact school will provide funding to develop concepts for needed seismic retrofits, seismic modernizations, or vertical evacuation structures prior to the design or construction of projects authorized by RCW 28A.525.320. Concept requirements will be determined by the office of superintendent of public instruction in consultation with the school seismic safety advisory committee. Grant funding will be provided for project management and other necessary professional services determined by the office of superintendent of public instruction in consultation with the school seismic safety advisory committee.

Concepts as part of a phase two planning grant will be evaluated and approved by the office of superintendent of public instruction in consultation with the school seismic safety advisory committee. If a concept is not approved, a revised concept will need to be submitted and approved. Additional grant funding may be awarded for the costs associated with the revision and the amount of funding will be determined by the office of superintendent of public instruction.

Each planning grant must be completed within one year of issuance. Grant funding may be extended with the approval of the office of superintendent of public instruction. Grant recipients may seek reimbursement of costs monthly, but final reimbursement will not be made until all proposed seismic project planning documents and related materials, including estimated costs, are submitted to the office of superintendent of public instruction.

The office of superintendent of public instruction shall prioritize planning grant funding awards based on criteria provided in RCW 28A.525.320 and other criteria established by the school seismic safety advisory committee. 

The school seismic safety advisory committee must recommend approval of the concepts presented to the committee before design grant funding can be provided.