School Construction Assistance Program.

The capital budget appropriates funding to assist school districts with the costs of school construction and other capital costs through several programs and provisos.  The largest of these programs is the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP).  The SCAP provides state financial assistance on a formula basis to school districts for constructing new, and remodeling existing, school buildings.  Only districts' permanent instructional space is eligible for state funding through the program.  

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) administers the program and works with school districts on project approval and reimbursement.  The state allocates SCAP funding to districts based on a set of enrollment-based space allocations, cost per square foot standards that are determined by the OSPI and adopted by the Legislature, as well as a statutory funding assistance percentage that prorates state funding based on the relative property wealth of districts. 

For purposes of calculating a district's "eligible area" for state assistance through the SCAP, the formula includes space allocations per enrolled student (square feet per student) according to various grade level groupings.  Students in kindergarten through grade 12 are counted for formula purposes.  Enrollments of preschool-age students with disabilities are also included in this count at 50 percent of each headcount enrollment.   

Preschool, Early Learning, and Before-and-After School Care in School Districts.

The statutes generally authorize school districts to provide and contract for preschool, early learning, and before-and-after school care.  Specific examples of statutory programs supported by state appropriations for these purposes include:  (a) Early Support for Infants and Toddlers, which provides intervention and assistance for certain children ages birth to 3; (b) the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, which provides free early learning child care or preschool for certain children ages 3 and 4; (c) Transition to Kindergarten, which provides additional preparation for kindergarten to certain children who are at least four years old by August 31; and (d) the Working Connections Child Care Program, which provides financial assistance for child care for certain children generally younger than age 13.  

Preschool-Age Enrollments.

Certain preschool-age enrollments must be included in the SCAP formula for both the student space allocation and state funding assistance percentage calculations.  For the purposes of the SCAP formula calculation, "preschool-age students" is defined as children ages birth through 6 years of age, including those who have developmental disabilities and who are entitled to disability-related services, not yet enrolled in kindergarten or elementary school.  The proration of counted enrollments for preschool-age students with disabilities is changed such that these students are counted as a whole headcount.  The preschool-age enrollments counted for SCAP purposes are limited to those in school district facilities in programs operated by a school district or its contractor, as statutorily authorized. 

Before-and-After-School Care Enrollments.

Certain before-and-after school care enrollments must be included in the SCAP formula for both the student space allocation and state funding assistance percentage calculations.  The before-and-after school care enrollments counted for SCAP purposes are limited to those in school district facilities in programs operated by a school district or its contractor, as statutorily authorized.

Enrollment Reports. 

For the purposes counting preschool-age and before-and-after school care enrollments in the SCAP formula, the OSPI must use school districts' most recent annual average enrollment reports, as determined by the OSPI. 

Allotment of SCAP Funding.

In addition to funds appropriated from the common school construction fund, the OSPI must allot funding appropriated from any other source for the SCAP, in accordance with the statutory requirements of the SCAP. 

Common School Construction Fund.

For Common School Construction Fund purposes, the term "common schools" includes facilities owned by school districts in which programs are operated by a school district or its contractor to serve preschool-age students and students in before-and-after school care, as statutorily authorized.  

For Common School Construction Fund purposes, "preschool-age students" is defined as children ages birth through 6 years of age, including those who have developmental disabilities and who are entitled to disability-related services, not yet enrolled in kindergarten or elementary school.

Initial Applicability.

The changes to counted enrollments for SCAP calculation purposes, first applies to SCAP projects beginning in fiscal year 2026.