7400

Community Use of School Facilities

7400

The Wake County Board of Education endorses community use of school facilities for appropriate purposes. Since school facilities represent an investment of the citizenry for the education of students and for the general benefit of the community and its citizens, their proper use and enjoyment shall be encouraged and permitted when such use does not interfere with school activities.

The Superintendent and the director of community services or his/her designee are authorized to enter into facility-use agreements, memorandums of understanding, and joint-use agreements for community use of school facilities. All joint-use agreements shall be reviewed and approved by the school attorney as to form. The Board shall be informed at its next regularly scheduled meeting of the execution of any such lease. The board shall approve all joint-use agreements. Agreements for facility use that extend beyond one year shall be approved in advance by the board as provided by state law.

The Community Services administration shall prepare and administer regulations and procedures otherwise necessary for the general use of school facilities. There are four different methods for the community to access school system facilities:

Level 1 –

Form 2900, Facility Use Application

A straight rental – user pays rental rate per Board approved fee structure.

Term: minimum, two hours; maximum, one fiscal year

Level 2–

Form 2900, Facility Use Application

plus in-kind contribution agreement and/or memorandum of understanding a formal agreement by user to provide maintenance and/or improvements and receive reduced rental rate per Board approved fee structure.

Term:  maximum one fiscal year

Level 3 –

Joint Use Agreement

A formal agreement lasting longer than one fiscal year.

Terms of the agreement are negotiated for space, maintenance responsibilities, specified use periods - guaranteed periods of use at no extra charge during term of agreement - and determined by participant’s contribution to improve or enhance Board property and/or school program.

Term: negotiated, determined by level of contribution and use

Level 4 –

Joint Use Agreement limited to municipal partners

A formal joint use agreement limited to fields and outdoor facilities in which the municipal partner commits to perform maintenance per WCPSS Landscape Maintenance Standards, agrees to adhere to all school system rules and policies pertaining to what is not allowed on a campus, and gains scheduling privileges for and rental rights to the area designated in the agreement when same is not needed for school system activities. The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) has first priority in scheduling and use of all facilities and shall incur no additional cost due to municipal use on school system fields/outdoor facilities.

Term: 25 years

Level 1-3 sponsoring organizations shall not rent, sublet, assign, or transfer their interest in or umbrella the use of, school facilities. Throughout Levels 1-3, the Community Schools department is the scheduling agent. Level 4 joint use agreement (JUA) partners may only schedule and rent out designated fields/outdoor facilities. The Community Schools department will work with both the applicant/user group and the school principal/designee to clarify issues, resolve misunderstandings, and promote community use of school facilities.

7400.1

The Superintendent shall have the authority to approve the use of school facilities as alternate assembly sites for United States and North Carolina military organizations.

7400.2

Activities not sponsored by the Wake County Public School System are non-school activities as defined by G.S. 115C-524(b).

7400.3

Per G.S. 163-129 The county board of elections shall be entitled to use any school or a part thereof, for the purpose of conducting registration and voting for any primary or election, and it may require that the requisitioned premises, or a part thereof, be vacated for the purposes.

7400.4

Per G.S. 163-99 The superintendent is authorized and directed to permit the use of schools buildings without charge, except custodial and utility fees, by political parties, as defined in G.S. 163-96, for the express purpose of annual or biennial precinct meetings and county and district conventions.  Provided, that the use of such buildings by political parties shall not be permitted at times when school is in session or which would interfere with normal school activities or functions normally carried on in such school buildings.

Legal Reference:  G.S. 115C-113, G.S. 115C-524(b), G.S. 160A, G.S. 12, G.S. 163-96, G.S. 163-99, G.S. 163-129

Adopted:  June 14, 1976

Revised:  December 14, 1987

Revised:  April 18, 1994

Revised:  August 14,2000

Revised:  June 15, 2004