The State should require all school districts to prepare a long range Educational Facilities Master Plan (EFMP), with annual revisions and/or updates that follow an established format or outline. These plans should be reviewed, commented upon, and/or approved by the department.

An Educational Facilities Master Plan (EFMP) is a long-range plan, often established as a plan for a 10-year period at least. It usually includes information on the following subjects:

a) educational goals, standards, and guidelines;

b) educational instructional programs and services;

c) the capacity in the existing schools and their utilization;

d) community analysis, including current and projected demographics, land usage, transportation plans, residential and commercial development, private schools, plans for water and sewage service expansion and/or redevelopment, and institutions of higher education;

e) an educational facility inventory and an assessment of the building conditions;

f) historical and projected enrollment data;

g) an analysis of the facility needs and requirements of the district (based upon the data and information);

h) the consideration of options for addressing the needs and requirements;

i) identified potential sources of funding for implementation; and

j) a description of the process, procedure, and timeline for community participation in the development of the plan.