Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 200 - Board of Education
Chapter 20 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education
Subchapter 05 - General and School Operations
Part 4 - Rhode Island School Construction Regulations
Section 200-RICR-20-05-4.7 - Space Standards

Universal Citation: 200 RI Code of Rules 20 05 4.7

Current through September 18, 2024

4.7.1 General Provisions

A. School facilities shall afford space for general instruction, specialized instruction, administration and student services, the adequacy of which shall be pursuant to the requirements of this section. In addition, school facilities shall afford accommodations for approved vocational and special education programs. General design and construction space requirements are as follows:
1. Instructional rooms with windows shall have no exterior obstructing wall within twenty (20) feet of the major window wall;

2. The minimum dimension of any instructional space or specialized instructional space shall be ten (10) square feet of floor area;

3. Ceiling heights reported in the design and construction plans shall meet the following requirements:
a. The ceiling height of an academic classroom or other instructional space containing more than three hundred (300) square feet in area shall average nine feet six inches (9'-6"), and no part of the ceiling or other obstruction shall be lower than eight (8) feet;

b. Instructional spaces of less than three hundred (300) square feet and areas of larger spaces devoted to clothing alcoves, storage or work space shall have a minimum ceiling height of eight feet;

c. Large group spaces shall have minimum ceiling heights as follows:
(1) Gymnasium --22 feet

(2) Music Room (Vocal or Instrumental) -- 12 feet, The minimum height from overall highest riser to ceiling shall be eight feet

(3) Cafeteria --12 feet

(4) Industrial Arts and Vocational Shop --12 feet

(5) Library/Media Center - 91/2 feet;

d. Corridors and all other administrative spaces shall have a minimum ceiling height of eight (8) feet; and

4. A health unit shall be provided and shall include a nurse's area, a waiting area, an examination area, a rest area with privacy, drinking water and toilet facilities sized and arranged so that physically disabled persons requiring assistance will be able to receive such aid.

4.7.2 Space Allowance Guidelines

A. All projects must meet Educational Program Space Guidelines that provide the basis for gross square foot per pupil allowances. The standards and any associated guidelines provide by RIDE shall define prototype school design and space recommendations for each specified program activity eligible for housing aid. Projects that exceed gross square foot per student allocations will be reimbursed only up to the limits provided herein. These standards are reflective of realistic, future-oriented, and contemporary educational program goals and are based on the summation of square foot allocations for each itemized educational space.

Table 1: Gross Square Feet (GSF) per Student - Elementary Schools

Projected Enrollment

GSF per Student

Projected Enrollment

GSF per Student

Less than 300

180

450-459

163

300-309

180

460-469

161

310-319

179

470-479

160

320-329

178

480-489

159

330-339

177

490-499

158

340-349

175

500-509

157

350-359

174

510-519

156

360-369

173

520-529

154

370-379

172

530-539

153

380-389

171

540-549

152

390-399

170

550-559

151

400-409

168

560-569

150

410-419

167

570-579

149

420-429

166

580-589

147

430-439

165

590-599

146

440-449

164

600 and greater

145

Table 2: Gross Square Feet per Student - Middle and Junior High Schools

Projected Enrollment

GSF per Student

Projected Enrollment

GSF per Student

Less than 400

190

580-589

175

400-409

190

590-599

174

410-419

189

600-609

173

420-429

188

610-619

172

430-439

187

620-629

171

440-449

187

630-639

170

450-459

186

640-649

169

460-469

185

650-659

169

470-479

184

660-669

168

480-489

183

670-679

167

490-499

182

680-689

166

500-509

181

690-699

165

510-519

181

700-709

164

520-529

180

710-719

163

530-539

179

720-729

163

540-549

178

730-739

162

550-559

177

740-749

161

560-569

176

750 and greater

160

570-579

175

Table 3: Gross Square Feet per Student - Academic High Schools

Projected Enrollment

GSF per Student

Projected Enrollment

GSF per Student

Less than 600

205

800-809

195

600-609

205

810-819

195

610-619

205

820-829

194

620-629

204

830-839

194

630-639

204

840-849

193

640-649

203

850-859

193

650-659

203

860-869

192

660-669

202

870-879

192

670-679

202

880-889

191

680-689

201

890-899

191

690-699

201

900-909

190

700-709

200

910-919

190

710-719

200

920-929

189

720-729

199

930-939

189

730-739

199

940-949

188

740-749

198

950-959

188

750-759

198

960-969

187

760-769

197

970-979

187

770-779

197

980-989

186

790-799

196

1000 and greater

185

B. Vocational Technical Schools and the Vocational Education space components of comprehensive high schools shall not exceed two hundred twenty-five (225) gross square feet per pupil and any additional programmatic requirements may be considered on a case by case basis.

4.7.3 Space Allowance by Program Activity

A. The following space allowance guidelines shall be used to plan new educational facilities. Square footage designed above these criteria is ineligible for reimbursement funding.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Type of Space

300 Students

600 Students

Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten (including toilet)

1200 square feet each

1200 square feet each

Core Classrooms

950 square feet each

950 square feet each

Art (including storage and workroom)

1150 square feet

2300 square feet

Music (including practice and ensemble)

1350 square feet

2700 square feet

Special Education:

Self-contained classroom (including toilet)

Small Group/Resource Room

950 square feet

500 square feet

950 square feet

500 square feet

Media Center/Library

2020 square feet

3310 square feet

Gymnasium (including storage and office)

6300 square feet

6300 square feet

Food Prep/Kitchen

1600 square feet

1900 square feet

Cafeteria

15 square feet per student accommodating 1/2 planned enrollment

15 square feet per student accommodating 1/2 planned enrollment

Stage

1000 square feet

1000 square feet

Chair/Table Equipment Storage

200 square feet

300 square feet

Staff Lunch Room

200 square feet

300 square feet

General Office

1500 square feet

1600 square feet

Nurse/Health

510 square feet

510 square feet

Guidance

185 square feet

185 square feet

Teachers Workroom/Lounge (including toilet)

300 square feet

450 square feet

Custodian/Maintenance

1500 square feet

1600 square feet

General Storage (Books)

400 square feet

600 square feet

JUNIOR HIGH/MIDDLE SCHOOLS

Type of Space

400 Students

750 Students

Core Classrooms

950 square feet each

950 square feet each

Science

1200 square feet each

1200 square feet each

Art (including storage and workroom)

1350 square feet

2550 square feet

Music (including practice and ensemble)

1700 square feet

1700 square feet

Tech Classroom (e.g. drafting, business)

1200 square feet

2400 square feet

Tech Shop (e.g. consumer, wood)

2000 square feet

4000 square feet

Special Education:

Self-contained classroom (including toilet)

Small Group/Resource Room

950 square feet

500 square feet

950 square feet

500 square feet

Media Center/Library

2680 square feet

4700 square feet

Gymnasium (including storage and office)

6150 square feet

6150 square feet

Food Prep/Kitchen

1700 square feet

2050 square feet

Cafeteria

15 square feet accommodating 2/3 planned enrollment

15 square feet accommodating 2/3 planned enrollment

Stage

1600 square feet

1600 square feet

Chair/Table Equipment Storage

200 square feet

300 square feet

Staff Lunch Room

200 square feet

300 square feet

General Office

1920 square feet

2170 square feet

Nurse's Office/Health

510 square feet

510 square feet

Guidance

450 square feet

750 square feet

Teachers Workroom/Lounge (including toilet)

300 square feet

450 square feet

Custodian/Maintenance

1375 square feet

1400 square feet

General Storage (Books)

400 square feet

600 square feet

HIGH SCHOOLS

Type of Space

600 Students

1000 Students

Core Classrooms

950 square feet each

950 square feet each

Science

1200 square feet each

1200 square feet each

Art (including storage and workroom)

1350 square feet

2700 square feet

Music (including practice and ensemble)

2125 square feet

2275 square feet

Tech Classroom (e.g. drafting, business)

2400 square feet

4800 square feet

Tech Shop (e.g. consumer, wood)

4000 square feet

8000 square feet

Special Education:

Self-contained classroom (including toilet)

Small Group/Resource Room

950 square feet

500 square feet

950 square feet

500 square feet

Media Center/Library

3650 square feet

6150 square feet

Gymnasium (including storage and office)

10000 square feet

10000 square feet

Ancillary PE Space (including PE alternatives, storage, lockers, offices, and locker rooms)

7000 square feet

10300 square feet

Food Prep/Kitchen

1900 square feet

2300 square feet

Cafeteria

15 square feet per student accommodating 1/3 planned enrollment

15 square feet per student accommodating 1/3 planned enrollment

Auditorium

2/3 enrollment at 10 square feet per student (750 seats maximum)

2/3 enrollment at 10 square feet per student (750 seats maximum)

Stage Auditorium Storage, dressing rooms, controls

2800 square feet

2800 square feet

Staff Lunch Room

400 square feet

500 square feet

General Office

2020 square feet

2270 square feet

Nurse's Office/Health

710 square feet

910 square feet

Guidance

1050 square feet

1500 square feet

Teachers Workroom/Lounge (including toilet)

300 square feet

450 square feet

Custodian/Maintenance

1475 square feet

1575 square feet

General Storage (Books)

400 square feet

600 square feet

4.7.4 Special Education Spaces

A. Spaces for special education classes/programs may receive special consideration for additional space at the discretion of RIDE, if the District documents and certifies a greater need in the Design and Educational Program. The gross square feet per student defined herein includes an assumption that eight percent (8%) of the total planned enrollment will be enrolled in self-contained special education programs.

B. The Council shall approve requests for additional space eligible for housing aid reimbursement if the District demonstrates that:
1. School facility needs related to the required programs cannot be addressed within the existing facilities and that all other spaces are consistent with the space allowance guidelines;

2. Such spaces are necessary to comply with federal or state laws concerning educating students with disabilities to the greatest extent possible in the same building or classes with their non-disabled peers and the additional or inconsistent spaces will:
a. Allow for the return of students with disabilities from out of District facilities;

b. Permit the retention of students with disabilities who would otherwise be placed in out of District facilities;

c. Provide space for regional programs in a host school building that houses both disabled and non-disabled students; or

d. Provide space for the coordination of regional programs by a county special services District, educational services commission, jointure commission or other agency authorized by law to provide regional special education services, in a school facility that houses both disabled and non- disabled students

4.7.5 Space Allowance Exception

The applicant may make reasonable departures from the guidelines shown above only with a prior written determination of the Council that special circumstances exist and that such departures are consistent with the intent of this Part to provide adequate, safe, cost-effective, and programmatically sound school facilities.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Rhode Island may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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