Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 203 - Commission for Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation › Rule 203.00.16-001 - Arkansas Public School Academic Facility Manual

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
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How To Use This Manual
Introduction
The Division of Public School Academic Facilities and
			 Transportation (DPSAFT) is charged with overseeing the design and construction
			 of school facilities in the state of Arkansas. The Arkansas Public School
			 Academic Facility Manual (APSAFM) has been developed to provide consistent,
			 clear information for school districts and design professionals as a new
			 generation of schools is being created for Arkansas.
The standards and guidelines contained within this APSAFM are the
			 culmination of standards, accepted procedures, statutory requirements and the
			 experience of experts and authorities throughout the United States and
			 establishes a uniform level of quality for all public school buildings.
Since standards and guidelines must communicate information about
			 so many issues, the length and quantity of the document can be intimidating.
			 However, understanding how the standards and guidelines are organized and which
			 information will be needed during the various phases of the process will enable
			 each participant to be better prepared for the exciting opportunity of creating
			 school facilities.
An important consideration in developing a statewide program that
			 must provide equity among districts is the balance between broadly applicable
			 standards and educational program delivery. A fundamental tenet of educational
			 facility planning is that school facilities must be responsive to a school
			 district's educational program.
The standards and guidelines allow districts to develop building
			 programs that respond to their current and unique needs as well as prepare for
			 their educational future. There are also many different ways in which districts
			 are delivering educational programs and helping students accomplish learning
			 objectives at every grade level. By designing classrooms and other
			 instructional spaces to be flexible and adaptable, individual districts are
			 better prepared to accommodate future educational program developments.
Throughout the planning, design, and construction phases of a
			 project there are three factors that must be considered and held in balance:
			 quality, cost, and time (schedule). The standards and guidelines were created
			 to provide parameters for balancing these three essential elements fairly for
			 all projects throughout the state.
The standards and guidelines are intended as a starting point for
			 architects, engineers, other design professionals, and school districts to
			 develop solutions to meet the educational needs of the individual school
			 community. The information is provided to allow the planning, design, and
			 construction processes to proceed most efficiently, without undo restriction on
			 the design of the facilities, focusing efforts on the creation of best possible
			 school facilities for each project rather than "reinventing the wheel".
The APSAFM is the exclusive property of DPSAFT, who reserves the
			 right to add, delete, modify, or otherwise change the content of this manual at
			 any time. Specific information contained within the manual will be periodically
			 modified to reflect current and future trends in teaching methodologies,
			 educational programs and services, construction and education technologies, and
			 lessons learned as Arkansas proceeds with the ongoing task of improving and
			 maintaining its schools.
Facility Manual Organization
The APSAFM is organized into seven chapters that explain the
			 planning, design, and construction processes; suggest current educational best
			 practices, facility planning concepts, and recommend components of an education
			 framework; identify the square footage provisions for each school grade level;
			 detail the features and amenities of each space; provide systems, materials,
			 guidelines, and information; and_provide technology infrastructure
			 recommendations.
Each chapter begins with general comments, located on the left
			 side of the page [left column], regarding the topic included in the chapter.
			 Additionally, standards, which must be incorporated into each new and renovated
			 school facility, are listed in the left column. Guidelines, which may be
			 included in a text box or drawing, are located on the right side of the page
			 [right column]. An example is shown to the right.
Click here
			 to view image
This chapter contains an outline of the information found in the
			 APSAFM, in each of the following chapters of the APSAFM, and a summary of the
			 standards and guidelines contained within each chapter.
The chapters included in the APSAFM are:
* Chapter 1: How To Use This Manual
* Chapter 2: Educational Facility Planning Concepts
* Chapter 3: Educational Framework
* Chapter 4: Site Guidelines
* Chapter 5: Program of Requirements
* Chapter 6: Program Space Guidelines
* Chapter 7: Building Systems
Chapter
		  1
: How To Use This Manual
Chapter 1 contains introductory information that indicates the
			 organization of the Facility Manual; an executive summary highlighting the
			 standards and guidelines; a glossary of general APSAFM definitions and
			 abbreviations; and a timeline indicating the steps and persons responsible for
			 the planning, design, and construction processes intended to respond to the
			 educational facility needs of Arkansas schools.
Chapter 2
: Educational Facility
		  Planning Concepts
Chapter 2 contains planning concepts related to current
			 educational best practices, special education, career education, and program
			 and design capacity. The facility planning concepts contained within this
			 chapter are intended to provide information regarding current and future trends
			 in educational delivery methods and facilities and to assist the planning and
			 design team as they review and develop their individual educational facility
			 concepts. The concepts are for information only and are not
			 standards.
Chapter 3
:
		  Educational Framework
Chapter 3 contains a series of broad principles associated with
			 organizational, facility, program, and service issues, including: grade
			 configuration, school size, and class size. In conjunction with Chapter 2:
			 Educational Facility Planning Concepts, Chapter 3 provides assistance when
			 developing an educational facility.
Chapter 4
: Site Guidelines
Chapter 4 contains information about site size and site
			 amenities. Guidelines are also outlined for a multitude of factors that must be
			 considered, including: various types of circulation and site access, drainage,
			 play fields and playgrounds, fencing, lighting, mechanical/electrical yard,
			 landscaping, site furnishings, and exterior security
			 provisions.
Chapter 5
: Program of Requirements
Chapter 5 assists the school district in establishing the size
			 and quantity of instructional and support spaces for construction of a new
			 facility or an addition to an existing facility. The size of a school facility
			 is based on total student population and grade configuration. The Program of
			 Requirements (POR) identifies an overall size in square feet for a facility and
			 then identifies spaces that must be included in the school facility. The POR
			 also provides an allowance for additional support spaces that the district may
			 choose, based on their programs and methods of educational
			 delivery.
Chapter 6
:
		  Program Space Guidelines
Chapter 6 contains space plates for each type of space in the
			 POR. Most space plates contain a graphic representation and information related
			 to features, loose furnishings, finishes, and notes. Space plates are intended
			 to give information and are not meant to establish a design standard for the
			 space.
Chapter 7
:
		  Building Systems
Chapter 7 provides design and performance standards and
			 guidelines for the level of quality of the systems and materials to be
			 incorporated into new school buildings and additions to existing school
			 buildings.