School Construction Assistance Program.  

The School Construction Assistance Program (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. 

State funding assistance is determined using a funding formula based on three main factors:  (1) eligible area; (2) the construction cost allocation; and (3) the state funding assistance percentage.

Eligible Area.

The eligible space for new construction is calculated by comparing the current district-wide capacity, in square feet, to the district's projected enrollment growth and future space needs.  There are also eligibility standards for facility modernization that relate to building age. 

Construction Cost Allocation.

The construction cost allocation is the maximum cost per square foot of construction that the state will recognize.  For the most recent round of program grants, awarded in 2025, the construction cost allocation was approximately $387 per square foot.

State Funding Assistance Percentage.

The state applies a funding assistance percentage, formally known as the match ratio, to equalize state funding assistance.  The percentage accounts for differences across school districts in property wealth and the ability to generate revenue through property taxes.

Capital construction costs for instructional space that exceed the state financial assistance provided by the SCAP are generally borne by school districts.  A school district must first secure local funding before it may become eligible for SCAP funding.  Although voter-approved capital bonds are the most common form of local project financing, examples of other local funding include voter-approved capital levies, impact fees, mitigation payments, and interest income from a school district's capital projects fund. 

Federal Impact Aid Program.

Under the Impact Aid law, the federal government provides financial assistance to certain school districts that include, within their boundaries, lands owned by the federal government.  The program is intended to assist school districts that have lost property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal property, or that have experienced increased expenditures due to the enrollment of federally connected children, such as those residing on military bases, tribal lands, or low-rent housing properties.  This aid is provided through various types of payments and grants, including grants for school construction, depending on school districts' circumstances.

When determining eligibility for state funding assistance under the School Construction Assistance Program, school district instructional facilities located on military bases must be excluded from a district's inventory of available instructional space.  The computed state funding assistance percentage must be increased by an additional 15 percent for any project located on a military base.