Section 3318.02. Periodic assessment of classroom facility needs - on-site visits

(A) For purposes of sections 3318.01 to 3318.32 of the Revised Code, the Ohio school facilities commission shall periodically perform an assessment of the classroom facility needs in the state to identify school districts in need of additional classroom facilities, or replacement or reconstruction of existent classroom facilities, and the cost to each such district of constructing or acquiring such additional facilities or making such renovations.

(B) Based upon the most recent assessment conducted pursuant to division (A) of this section, the commission shall conduct on-site visits to school districts identified as having classroom facility needs to confirm the findings of the periodic assessment and further evaluate the classroom facility needs of the district. The evaluation shall assess the district's need to construct or acquire new classroom facilities and may include an assessment of the district's need for building additions or for the reconstruction of existent buildings in lieu of constructing or acquiring replacement buildings.

(C)

(1) Except as provided in division (C)(2) of this section, on-site visits performed on or after May 20, 1997, shall be performed in the order specified in this division. The first round of on-site visits first succeeding the effective date of this amendment, May 20, 1997, shall be limited to the school districts in the first through fifth percentiles, excluding districts that are ineligible for funding under this chapter pursuant to section 3318.04 of the Revised Code. The second round of on-site visits shall be limited to the school districts in the first through tenth percentiles, excluding districts that are ineligible for funding under this chapter pursuant to section 3318.04 of the Revised Code. Each succeeding round of on-site visits shall be limited to the percentiles included in the immediately preceding round of on-site visits plus the next five percentiles. Except for the first round of on-site visits, no round of on-site visits shall commence unless eighty per cent of the districts for which on-site visits were performed during the immediately preceding round, have had projects approved under section 3318.04 of the Revised Code.

(2) Notwithstanding division (C)(1) of this section, the commission may perform on-site visits for school districts in the next highest percentile to the percentiles included in the current round of on-site visits, and then to succeeding percentiles one at a time, not to exceed the twenty-fifth percentile, if all of the following apply:

(a) Less than eighty per cent of the districts for which on-site visits were performed in the current round, and in any percentiles for which on-site visits were performed in addition to the current round pursuant to this division, have had projects approved under section 3318.04 of the Revised Code;

(b) There are funds appropriated for the purpose of sections 3318.01 to 3318.20 of the Revised Code that are not reserved and encumbered for projects pursuant to section 3318.04 of the Revised Code;

(c) The commission makes a finding that such available funds would be more thoroughly utilized if on-site visits were extended to the next highest percentile.

(D) Notwithstanding divisions (B) and (C) of this section, in any fiscal year, the commission may limit the number of districts for which it conducts on-site visits based upon its projections of the moneys available and moneys necessary to undertake projects under sections 3318.01 to 3318.32 of the Revised Code for that year.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Effective Date: 06-30-1997; 05-06-2005