{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/22.1-138.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/22.1-138.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/22.1-138.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/22.1-138.html"}],"law_id":83578,"edition_id":1,"section_id":83578,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-138","catch_line":"Minimum standards for public school buildings","history":"1980, c. 559; 1993, c. 765; 2019, cc. 121, 369; 2020, cc. 776, 780.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Board of Education shall prescribe by regulation minimum standards for the erection of or addition to public school buildings governing instructional, operational, health and maintenance facilities where these are not specifically addressed in the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.).B\n\nBy July 1, 1994, every school building in operation in the Commonwealth shall be tested for radon pursuant to procedures established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for radon measurements in schools.\n\t\t\tSchool buildings and additions opened for operation after July 1, 1994, shall be tested for radon pursuant to such EPA procedures and regulations prescribed by the Board of Education pursuant to subsection A. Each school shall maintain files of its radon test results and make such files available for review. The division superintendent shall report radon test results to the Department of Health.C\n\nEach school board shall maintain a water management program for the prevention of Legionnaires’ disease at each public school building in the local school division. Each school board shall validate each water management program on at least an annual basis to maintain the health and decency of such buildings. Each public school shall maintain files related to its water management program, including the results of all validation and remediation activities, and make such files available for review.D\n\nEach local school board shall develop and implement a plan to test and, if necessary, a plan to remediate mold in public school buildings in accordance with guidance issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Each local school board shall (i) submit such testing plan and report the results of any test performed in accordance with such plan to the Department of Health and (ii) take all steps necessary to notify school staff and the parents of all enrolled students if testing results indicate the presence of mold in a public school building at or above the minimum level that raises a concern for the health of building occupants, as determined by the Department of Health.E\n\nEach school board shall, in consultation with the local building official and the state or local fire marshal, develop a procurement plan to ensure that all security enhancements to public school buildings are in compliance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.) and Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.).F\n\nNo school employee shall open or close an electronic room partition in any school building unless (i) no student is present in such building, (ii) (a) no student is present in the room or area in which such partition is located and (b) such room or area is locked or otherwise inaccessible to students, or (iii) such partition includes a safety sensor that automatically stops the partition when a body passes between the leading edge and a wall, an opposing partition, or the stacking area.\n\t\t\tAny annual safety review or exercise for school employees in a local school division shall include information and demonstrations, as appropriate, regarding the provisions of this subsection.\n\t\t\tThe Department of Education shall make available to each school board model safety guidance regarding the operation of electronic room partitions.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":299522,"text":"The Board of Education shall prescribe by regulation minimum standards for the erection of or addition to public school buildings governing instructional, operational, health and maintenance facilities where these are not specifically addressed in the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.).","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":299523,"text":"By July 1, 1994, every school building in operation in the Commonwealth shall be tested for radon pursuant to procedures established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for radon measurements in schools.\n\t\t\tSchool buildings and additions opened for operation after July 1, 1994, shall be tested for radon pursuant to such EPA procedures and regulations prescribed by the Board of Education pursuant to subsection A. Each school shall maintain files of its radon test results and make such files available for review. The division superintendent shall report radon test results to the Department of Health.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":299524,"text":"Each school board shall maintain a water management program for the prevention of Legionnaires’ disease at each public school building in the local school division. Each school board shall validate each water management program on at least an annual basis to maintain the health and decency of such buildings. Each public school shall maintain files related to its water management program, including the results of all validation and remediation activities, and make such files available for review.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":299525,"text":"Each local school board shall develop and implement a plan to test and, if necessary, a plan to remediate mold in public school buildings in accordance with guidance issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Each local school board shall (i) submit such testing plan and report the results of any test performed in accordance with such plan to the Department of Health and (ii) take all steps necessary to notify school staff and the parents of all enrolled students if testing results indicate the presence of mold in a public school building at or above the minimum level that raises a concern for the health of building occupants, as determined by the Department of Health.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":299526,"text":"Each school board shall, in consultation with the local building official and the state or local fire marshal, develop a procurement plan to ensure that all security enhancements to public school buildings are in compliance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.) and Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.).","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":299527,"text":"No school employee shall open or close an electronic room partition in any school building unless (i) no student is present in such building, (ii) (a) no student is present in the room or area in which such partition is located and (b) such room or area is locked or otherwise inaccessible to students, or (iii) such partition includes a safety sensor that automatically stops the partition when a body passes between the leading edge and a wall, an opposing partition, or the stacking area.\n\t\t\tAny annual safety review or exercise for school employees in a local school division shall include information and demonstrations, as appropriate, regarding the provisions of this subsection.\n\t\t\tThe Department of Education shall make available to each school board model safety guidance regarding the operation of electronic room partitions.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14183,"edition_id":1,"name":"School Buildings","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13419,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:10","permalink":{"id":184491,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14183,"identifier":"2","token":"22.1\/9\/2","url":"\/22.1\/9\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13419,"edition_id":1,"name":"School Property","identifier":"9","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12823,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:51","permalink":{"id":184419,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13419,"identifier":"9","token":"22.1\/9","url":"\/22.1\/9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12823,"edition_id":1,"name":"Education","identifier":"22.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":180949,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12823,"identifier":"22.1","token":"22.1","url":"\/22.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":60129,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-135","catch_line":"Health and decency","url":"\/22.1-135\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-135","metadata":false},{"id":59292,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-135.1","catch_line":"Potable water; lead testing","url":"\/22.1-135.1\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-135.1","metadata":false},{"id":82058,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-136","catch_line":"Duty of division superintendent to close buildings","url":"\/22.1-136\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-136","metadata":false},{"id":62329,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-137","catch_line":"Fire drills","url":"\/22.1-137\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-137","metadata":false},{"id":76007,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-137.1","catch_line":"Tornado drills","url":"\/22.1-137.1\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-137.1","metadata":false},{"id":76402,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-137.2","catch_line":"Lock-down drills","url":"\/22.1-137.2\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-137.2","metadata":false},{"id":81814,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-137.3","catch_line":"School safety procedures; emergency situations; annual training","url":"\/22.1-137.3\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-137.3","metadata":false},{"id":59491,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-137.4","catch_line":"School building evacuation plans, policies, and protocols; students with mobility impairments","url":"\/22.1-137.4\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-137.4","metadata":false},{"id":83578,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-138","catch_line":"Minimum standards for public school buildings","url":"\/22.1-138\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-138","metadata":false},{"id":61911,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-138.1","catch_line":"School maintenance program established","url":"\/22.1-138.1\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-138.1","metadata":false},{"id":72026,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-138.2","catch_line":"Certain public school buildings; carbon monoxide detectors","url":"\/22.1-138.2\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-138.2","metadata":false},{"id":80390,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-138.3","catch_line":"Department; school division maintenance reserve tool","url":"\/22.1-138.3\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-138.3","metadata":false},{"id":58245,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-139","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/22.1-139\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-139","metadata":false},{"id":55358,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-140","catch_line":"Plans for buildings to be approved by division superintendent","url":"\/22.1-140\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-140","metadata":false},{"id":72219,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-140.1","catch_line":"School Construction Fund and Program","url":"\/22.1-140.1\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-140.1","metadata":false},{"id":68888,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-141","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/22.1-141\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-141","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":59491,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-137.4","catch_line":"School building evacuation plans, policies, and protocols; students with mobility impairments","url":"\/22.1-137.4\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-137.4","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":61911,"structure_id":14183,"section_number":"22.1-138.1","catch_line":"School maintenance program established","url":"\/22.1-138.1\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-138.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/22.1-138\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1980. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 559 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1980 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1993, chapter 765; in 2019, chapters 121<\/a> and 369<\/a>; in 2020, chapters 776<\/a> and 780<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":54202,"section_number":"2.2-1159","catch_line":"Facilities for persons with physical disabilities in certain buildings; definitions; construction standards; waiver; temporary buildings","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-1159\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":65870,"section_number":"27-94","catch_line":"Short title","order_by":null,"url":"\/27-94\/"},{"id":78167,"section_number":"36-97","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/36-97\/"}],"permalink":{"id":184525,"object_type":"law","relational_id":83578,"identifier":"22.1-138","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-138","url":"\/22.1-138\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/22.1-138\/","token":"22.1\/9\/2\/22.1-138","dublin_core":{"Title":"Minimum standards for public school buildings","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 22.1-138","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Board<\/span> of Education shall prescribe by regulation minimum standards for the erection of or addition to public school buildings governing instructional, operational, health and maintenance facilities where these are not specifically addressed in the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97<\/a> et seq.). <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> By July 1, 1994, every school building in operation in the Commonwealth shall be tested for radon pursuant to procedures established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for radon measurements in schools.\n\t\t\tSchool buildings and additions opened for operation after July 1, 1994, shall be tested for radon pursuant to such EPA procedures and regulations prescribed by the Board<\/span> of Education pursuant to subsection A. Each school shall maintain files of its radon test results and make such files available for review. The division superintendent<\/span> shall report radon test results to the Department<\/span> of Health. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Each school board<\/span> shall maintain a water management program for the prevention of Legionnaires’ disease at each public school building in the local school division. Each school board<\/span> shall validate each water management program on at least an annual basis to maintain the health and decency of such buildings. Each public school shall maintain files related to its water management program, including the results of all validation and remediation activities, and make such files available for review. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Each local school board<\/span> shall develop and implement a plan to test and, if necessary, a plan to remediate mold in public school buildings in accordance with guidance issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Each local school board<\/span> shall (i) submit such testing plan and report the results of any test performed in accordance with such plan to the Department<\/span> of Health and (ii) take all steps necessary to notify school staff and the parents<\/span><\/span> of all enrolled students if testing results indicate the presence of mold in a public school building at or above the minimum level that raises a concern for the health of building occupants, as determined by the Department<\/span> of Health. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Each school board<\/span> shall, in consultation with the local building official and the state or local fire marshal, develop a procurement plan to ensure that all security enhancements to public school buildings are in compliance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97<\/a> et seq.) and Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94<\/a> et seq.). <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> No school employee shall open or close an electronic room partition<\/span> in any school building unless (i) no student is present in such building, (ii) (a) no student is present in the room or area in which such partition<\/span> is located and (b) such room or area is locked or otherwise inaccessible to students, or (iii) such partition<\/span> includes a safety sensor that automatically stops the partition<\/span> when a body passes between the leading edge and a wall, an opposing partition<\/span>, or the stacking area.\n\t\t\tAny annual safety review or exercise for school employees in a local school division shall include information and demonstrations, as appropriate, regarding the provisions of this subsection.\n\t\t\tThe Department<\/span> of Education shall make available to each school board<\/span> model safety guidance regarding the operation of electronic room partitions<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nMINIMUM STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS (\u00a7 22.1-138)\n\nA. The Board of Education shall prescribe by regulation minimum standards for\nthe erection of or addition to public school buildings governing instructional,\noperational, health and maintenance facilities where these are not specifically\naddressed in the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.).\n\nB. By July 1, 1994, every school building in operation in the Commonwealth shall\nbe tested for radon pursuant to procedures established by the U.S. Environmental\nProtection Agency (EPA) for radon measurements in schools.\n\t\t\tSchool buildings and additions opened for operation after July 1, 1994, shall\nbe tested for radon pursuant to such EPA procedures and regulations prescribed\nby the Board of Education pursuant to subsection A. Each school shall maintain\nfiles of its radon test results and make such files available for review. The\ndivision superintendent shall report radon test results to the Department of\nHealth.\n\nC. Each school board shall maintain a water management program for the\nprevention of Legionnaires’ disease at each public school building in the\nlocal school division. Each school board shall validate each water management\nprogram on at least an annual basis to maintain the health and decency of such\nbuildings. Each public school shall maintain files related to its water\nmanagement program, including the results of all validation and remediation\nactivities, and make such files available for review.\n\nD. Each local school board shall develop and implement a plan to test and, if\nnecessary, a plan to remediate mold in public school buildings in accordance\nwith guidance issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Each local\nschool board shall (i) submit such testing plan and report the results of any\ntest performed in accordance with such plan to the Department of Health and (ii)\ntake all steps necessary to notify school staff and the parents of all enrolled\nstudents if testing results indicate the presence of mold in a public school\nbuilding at or above the minimum level that raises a concern for the health of\nbuilding occupants, as determined by the Department of Health.\n\nE. Each school board shall, in consultation with the local building official and\nthe state or local fire marshal, develop a procurement plan to ensure that all\nsecurity enhancements to public school buildings are in compliance with the\nUniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.) and Statewide Fire\nPrevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.).\n\nF. No school employee shall open or close an electronic room partition in any\nschool building unless (i) no student is present in such building, (ii) (a) no\nstudent is present in the room or area in which such partition is located and\n(b) such room or area is locked or otherwise inaccessible to students, or (iii)\nsuch partition includes a safety sensor that automatically stops the partition\nwhen a body passes between the leading edge and a wall, an opposing partition,\nor the stacking area.\n\t\t\tAny annual safety review or exercise for school employees in a local school\ndivision shall include information and demonstrations, as appropriate, regarding\nthe provisions of this subsection.\n\t\t\tThe Department of Education shall make available to each school board model\nsafety guidance regarding the operation of electronic room partitions.\n\nHISTORY: 1980, c. 559; 1993, c. 765; 2019, cc. 121, 369; 2020, cc. 776, 780.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}