Chap. 512.—An ACT to amend and reenact Section 671 as amended of the Code
of Virginia relating to erection of school buildings and requirements TS See)

Approved April 5, 1948

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That section six hundred seventy-one of the Code of Virginia, as
amended, be amended and reenacted as follows:

Section 671. Erection and requirements of school buildings—No
public school house shall be contracted for, erected, or added to, until
the plans and specifications therefor shall have been submitted to and
approved in writing by the division superintendent of schools and the
plans and specifications for said building or any addition have been
approved by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. No plans for the
erection of any public school building or addition thereto shall be ap-
proved, unless the same shall provide at least fifteen square feet of floor
space and a minimum of one hundred and seventy-five cubic feet of air
space for each pupil to be accommodated in each study or recitation room
therein, and no such plans shall be approved unless provision is made
therein for assuring at least thirty cubic feet of pure air every minute
per pupil, and the facilities for exhausting the foul and vitiated air
therein shall be positive and independent of atmospheric changes; pro-
vided, however, that a system of ventilation requiring less than thirty
cubic feet or pure air per minute per pupil, but in no case less than three
air changes per hour, may be adopted by the State Board of Education
in any single case, subject to the approval of the State Board of Health.
The average ceiling height of each instructional classroom shall be not
less than one-half the width of the room.

All public schoolhouses, as aforesaid, shall provide for the admission
of light from the left, or from the left and rear of the pupils, and the
total light area must be at least twenty per centum of the floor space.
Every school board shall provide at least two suitable and convenient
outhouses or water closets for each of the schoolhouses under its con-
trol, unless the schoolhouses have suitable, convenient and sanitary
water closets erected within same. Such outhouses or water closets shall
be entirely separated, each from the other, and shall have separate means
of access. School boards shall see that the outhouses or water closets are
kept in a clean and wholesome condition.

All public school buildings and additions shall have all halls, doors,
stairways, seats, passageways and aisles, and all lighting and heating
appliances and apparatus, arranged to facilitate egress in case of fire
or accidents, and to afford the requisite and proper accommodations for
public protection in such cases. All exit doors in any public schoolhouse
of two or more stories in height shall open outwardly. No staircase shall
be constructed except with straight runs, changes in direction being made
by platforms. No doors shall open immediately upon a flight of stairs, but
a landing at least the width of the doors shall be provided between such
stairs and such doorway. Every public schoolhouse hereafter erected, of
two stories or more, shall be equipped with an adequate number of
internal fireproof stairways and with adequate means of exit on a ground
level, in accordance with regulations of the State Board of Education. No
public school shall be allowed in any building which is not in such con-
dition and provided with such conveniences as are required by a due
regard to decency and health; and when a school house appears to the
division superintendent to be unfit for occupancy, it shall be his duty to
condemn the same and immediately to give notice thereof, in writing,
to the members of the school board, and thenceforth no public school
shall be held therein, nor shall any part of the State or county fund be
applied to support any school in such house until the division superin-
tendent shall certify, in writing, to the board that he is satisfied with the
condition of such building and with the appliances pertaining thereto.

In every public school in Virginia there shall be a fire drill at least
once every week during the first month of each school session, and
oftener, if necessary, in order that pupils may be thoroughly practiced
in such drills. During the remainder of the school session fire drills shall
be held at least monthly.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall make periodical sur-
veys of all nonfireproof public school buildings within the State when
authorized by the State Board of Education, and shall present his findings
to the State Board of Education which shall have the power to close
any school that it considers to be a fire hazard, and also shall have the
power to enforce such changes in construction, including alterations,
erection of fire escapes, additional safety exits, and such other internal
or external alterations as in the opinion of the Superintendent of Public
Instruction are necessary to make the building reasonably safe to occu-
pants against fire and panic hazards. For failure on the part of the
school board of any county, town or city to comply with the recommen-
dations and requirements of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to
make corrections, erect fire escapes, provide safety exits and such
alterations as may be deemed necessary for the safety of the occupants
concerned, the State Board of Education, in its discretion, may withhold
from such county, town or city such State school funds alloted to said
county, town or city, except such part thereof as is required by the
Constitution of Virginia to be paid such county, city or town, until the
recommendations and requirements of the State Board of Education have
been complied with.
2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.