Health & Life Safety Manual - Electronic Resource Center

Guidelines for Paving WorkSince January 1, 1994, the Illinois State Board of Education has been authorized to approve the useof Health/Life Safety Funds for repairing school sidewalks, playgrounds, parking lots, and school busturnarounds if the funds are not needed for fire prevention and safety purposes. (Section 17-2.11 ofthe School Code)1. Repairs should be considered when there is a "substantial, immediate, andotherwise unavoidable threat to the health, safety, or welfare of pupils." Disrepairmeans that the surface of the sidewalks, playgrounds, parking lots, and/or schoolbus turnarounds is so extensively pitted, broken or cracked so as to cause trippingor falling when walking or running, or cause a child to be jolted out of the seat of amoving bus.2. The local school board determines when such conditions exist. An architect orengineer, licensed in the State of Illinois, must certify that the condition exists and therepairs are needed.3. Health/Life Safety Funds can only be used when there are no fire prevention andsafety projects pending. A Certificate of Compliance must be on file for all buildings inthe district before Health/Life Safety Funds can be considered for these purposes. Orif there is an outstanding amendment, both the life safety amendment and pavingrepairs must be completed at the same time (and within one year).4. If a school district intends to use life safety funds for this purpose, a public hearingmust be held following the same guidelines that are required when conducting boardmeetings or budget hearings. The district must publish, in a local newspaper, a publicnotice stating the intent to repair the sidewalks, playgrounds, parking lots, and/or busturnarounds. This notice must include the date, time and location of a public hearing.5. Districts are asked to prepare the Amendment as they normally would and attach thefollowing when submitting it to the regional superintendent:A. Site plans of the area to be pavedB. Photographs showing existing conditionsC. School Board ResolutionD. Minutes of public hearingE. Certification of Publication for public hearingChecklist for Paving Work1.______Statements of Compliance for all buildings in the district.(All Amendment work completed or obligated)2.______Notice of Public Hearing (Certificate of Publication)3.______A copy of the board resolution (see sample)4.______A site plan showing total area and identifying area to be repaired.5.______Photographs showing existing condition.Form 35-52 (3/04) (Prescribed by ISBE for local board use) 17-2.114-30