School Construction and Facilities (PlanCon)

When a school district undertakes a major school construction project and seeks reimbursement from the Commonwealth, a process known as PlanCon is initiated. PlanCon, an acronym for Planning and Construction Workbook, is a set of forms and procedures used to apply for Commonwealth reimbursement. The forms are designed to: (1) document a local school district's planning process; (2) provide justification for a project to the public; (3) ascertain compliance with state laws, regulations and standards; and (4) establish the level of state participation in the cost of the project.

The Division of School Facilities in the Department of Education reviews proposed school building projects including their plans and specifications, enrollments, building utilization and building condition. The Division also calculates state reimbursement for qualified school construction projects, and reviews and approves the financing for reimbursable projects.

The Division is also responsible for approving reimbursement for charter school facility leases.