The Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) voted at its September 25 meeting to approve amended guidelines for the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) for the 2024–2026 biennium, adopting revisions that will expand eligibility, increase flexibility, and improve access for localities seeking state assistance with major school capital projects.
Under the revised guidelines, local school divisions and regional Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs will benefit from more favorable scoring criteria and additional application rounds for the remaining $170 million in available program funding. This was an important step by the Board to ensure that available funding reaches more communities, especially those facing significant facility challenges.
The School Construction Assistance Program was established by the 2022 General Assembly to provide state grants for new construction, major renovations, and modernization of public-school facilities. The program is funded through the School Construction Fund and administered by the Board of Education on a competitive basis.
Funding for the program continues in the 2024–2026 Appropriation Act, with $250 million available for FY2025 and an additional $110 million in FY2026. Awarded funding is based upon 10, 20, or 30 percent of total construction costs for a project, depending on the local school division composite index and the locality fiscal stress category.
The amended guidelines introduce several updates designed to make the program more accessible and equitable:
- Expanded Eligibility and Project Flexibility: School divisions and regional Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs can now submit up to three applications per cycle, with the highest scoring project from each division considered first.
- Updated Scoring Criteria: The revised guidelines lower certain thresholds and increase point opportunities for factors such as building condition, local poverty levels, and fiscal stress, enabling more localities to reach the 65-point minimum needed to qualify for funding.
- Encouragement of Innovative Use of Space: Applications that include school-within-a-school models, microschools, or consolidation of underutilized facilities may receive additional consideration.
- Expanded CTE Opportunities: Both school-based and regional CTE programs are now fully eligible, with points available for alignment to high-demand workforce needs and local business partnerships.
- Improved Accountability and Reporting: Funded projects must now submit semiannual progress reports detailing expenditures, project status, and anticipated completion timelines.
- Long-Term Sustainability: Schools or centers receiving SCAP funding must remain open for at least five years, including in divisions with declining enrollment.
These refinements are intended to ensure that limited state resources reach divisions with the greatest need, while promoting innovation and community collaboration in facility planning.
The Virginia Department of Education will open the next application period in late fall 2025, followed by an additional round in spring 2026 to distribute remaining funds. Applications will continue to be submitted through the Department’s Single Sign-On for Web Systems (SSWS) portal.
All eligible school construction and renovation projects must also be entered into the School Building Construction and Renovation (SBCR) database and assigned a project number in compliance with §22.1-140 of the Code of Virginia before construction begins.
VACo’s Education Steering Committee previously discussed the need for greater flexibility in SCAP guidelines, urging the Board to make the program more accessible to counties of all sizes and fiscal capacities. VACo commends the Board’s decision, which reflects local input and strengthens the partnership between state and local governments in addressing Virginia’s aging school infrastructure.
VACo Contact: Jeremy R. Bennett