ARTICLE 3.5. Earthquake Construction of Private Schools [17320. - 17336.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 3.5.
in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17321. Section 17321.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Most of California is subject to potentially devastating, large-magnitude earthquakes. (b) Earth scientists estimate that there is a greater than 50-percent probability that one or more damaging earthquakes will occur in California between now and the end of the century. (c) Not all students of private schools enjoy the same or equivalent earthquake safety as is afforded to students of public schools by the Field Act and other legislation. (d) Modifications of building design, plan checking, and inspection procedures can offer increased protection to private school students.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17322. Section 17322.

It is the intent of the Legislature that children attending private schools be afforded life safety protection similar to that of children attending public schools by having all of the following: (a) Private school structures designed and constructed in a manner that minimizes fire hazards and resists the forces generated by earthquakes, gravity, and winds to the extent necessary to ensure the safety of occupants. (b) The structural systems and details set forth in working drawings and specifications carefully reviewed by responsible enforcement agencies using qualified personnel, and the construction process carefully inspected. (c) Procedures for the design and construction of private school structures to be subjected to qualified design review and construction inspection. (d) Nonstructural components, including, but not limited to, ceiling systems, electrical equipment, and mechanical equipment given adequate consideration during the design and construction process to assure that they will not detract from occupant safety in the event of an earthquake.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17323. Section 17323.

For the purposes of this article: (a) “Construction or alteration” means any construction of, addition to, reconstruction of, or structural alteration to any private school structure. (b) “Enforcement agency” means the agency of a city, city and county, or county responsible for building safety within its jurisdiction. (c) “Private school structure” means any building used for educational purposes through the 12th grade by 50 or more persons for more than 12 hours per week or 4 hours in any one day. Any structure owned or operated by a public school district shall not be affected by this article. (d) “Structural engineer” means a person authorized to use the title of structural engineer under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code. (e) “Engineer of record” means the architect, if no structural engineer or civil engineer has been retained for the structural design. (f) “Electrical engineer” means an electrical engineer, as defined in Section 6702.1 of Chapter 7 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code. (g) “Mechanical engineer” means a mechanical engineer, as defined in Section 6702.2 of Chapter 7 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code. (h) “Qualified inspector” means a person who is currently certified by the International Conference of Building Officials or who has demonstrated his or her competence to the satisfaction of the enforcement agency as having expertise and experience in the particular type of construction or operation requiring inspection.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17324. Section 17324.

The appropriate enforcement agency that meets the requirements of Sections 17331 and 17332 shall review the design and inspect the construction, reconstruction, structural alteration, or addition to any private school structure to the extent necessary to ensure that drawings and specifications comply with the applicable sections of the Uniform Building Code and to ensure that construction work has been performed in accordance with the approved drawings and specifications, and the provisions of this article.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17325. Section 17325.

Private school structures of one-story Type V and Type II N construction, as defined by the Uniform Building Code, that are 2,000 square feet or less in floor area are exempt from the provisions of this article.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17326. Section 17326.

(a) Prior to adopting any drawings or specifications for the private school structure, the governing board, authority, owner, corporation, or other agency proposing to construct any private school structure shall submit the design calculations, drawings, and specifications of the private school structure to the appropriate enforcement agency. The enforcement agency shall stamp the drawings and specifications if the construction or alteration is approved by the enforcement agency. Included with the stamp shall be the signature of the qualified person referred to in Sections 17333 and 17334. (b) The provisions of this section are not applicable to private school construction or alteration contracts entered into prior to July 1, 1987.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17327. Section 17327.

The application for approval of the drawings and specifications for private school structures shall be accompanied by comprehensive and complete drawings, design calculations, specifications, and a soil analysis at a level of detail appropriate to the proposed structure and site, all of which shall comply with the requirements prescribed by the enforcement agency. This review shall not preclude incremental submission and approval of drawings and specifications.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17328. Section 17328.

The enforcement agency shall approve or reject all drawings and specifications for the construction or alteration of private school structures and in doing so shall review the submitted design calculations, drawings, and specifications to ensure compliance with the requirements of this article. A record shall be kept by the enforcement agency indicating that design calculations, drawings, and specifications have been reviewed and conform with the applicable sections of the Uniform Building Code.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17329. Section 17329.

All drawings and specifications shall be prepared under the responsible charge of an architect, civil engineer, or structural engineer, who shall sign all drawings and specifications that are to be approved by the enforcement agency. Observation of the work of construction shall be under the general responsible charge, as defined by Section 6703 of Chapter 7 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, of the architect, civil engineer, or structural engineer who signed the drawings, except that drawings and specifications not involving architectural or structural conditions may be prepared and the construction work may be administered by a registered professional engineer qualified in the branch of engineering that is appropriate to the drawings, specifications, estimates, and construction work. If the architect, civil engineer, or structural engineer is unable to exercise general responsible charge of construction another architect, civil engineer, or structural engineer shall be retained to exercise general responsible charge of construction.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17330. Section 17330.

Except as provided in Section 17326, on or after July 1, 1987, construction of a private school structure shall not commence unless the structure’s drawings and specifications comply with the provisions of this article and the requirements prescribed by the enforcement agency, and approval of those drawings and specifications has been obtained from the enforcement agency.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17331. Section 17331.

During construction or alteration of a private school structure, the building owner shall provide for, and the local enforcement agency shall require, special inspection by a qualified inspector when needed, as determined by the local enforcement agency. Continuous inspection is not required.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17332. Section 17332.

An enforcement agency is qualified to undertake the review of plans, drawings, and specifications for a private school structure if the enforcement agency has a structural engineer, either on its staff or under contract, that is responsible for all design review conducted by the enforcement agency and the record prepared under Section 17328.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17333. Section 17333.

A jurisdiction whose enforcement agency does not meet the qualifications specified in Sections 17331 and 17332 shall obtain necessary qualified personnel to meet the requirements of this article by contracting with other public agencies, private sector firms, or individuals qualified to perform the necessary services.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17334. Section 17334.

During the construction of a private school structure, the enforcement agency shall require the engineer of record responsible for the structural design, or that engineer’s authorized representative, to make periodic reviews of construction at the construction site to observe compliance with the approved structural plans, specifications, and change orders. The engineer of record in general responsible charge of the work of construction, and the registered professional engineer, shall make a report, duly verified by him or her through periodic review of construction, showing that the work done during the period covered by the report has been performed and that the materials used and installed are in accordance with the approved drawings and specifications. Any detailed statements of fact required by the enforcement agency shall be included. These observations and statements shall not be relied upon by others as acceptance of the work, nor shall they be construed to relieve the contractor in any way of his or her obligations and responsibilities under the construction contract. “Periodic review of construction,” as used in this section and as applied to the architect, civil engineer, structural engineer, or the registered professional engineer, means the knowledge that is obtained from periodic visits of reasonable frequency to the project site for the purpose of general observation of the work. It also means the knowledge that is obtained from the reporting of others as to the progress of the work, testing of materials, inspection, and superintendence of the work that is performed between those periodic visits of the architect, civil engineer, or structural engineer, or the registered engineer. The exercise of reasonable diligence to obtain the facts is required. “Periodic review of construction” does not include responsibility for superintendence of construction processes, site conditions, operations, equipment, personnel, or maintenance of a safe place to work or any safety in, on, or about the site of work.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17335. Section 17335.

Prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, the engineer of record shall state in writing to the enforcement agency that, in exercising his or her reasonable professional judgment and to the best of his or her knowledge, information, and belief, the private school structure was constructed in substantial conformity with the approved plans and specifications.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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