Building Condition Survey Aid: Please read carefully to avoid loss of aid

  1. Building Condition Survey requirement. New York State Education Law and regulations require a building condition survey (BCS) for all occupied school buildings to be conducted at least every five years (beginning in 2000). Every five years, a separate State Aid formula reimburses districts for part of the cost of this survey. This survey is different from the required Annual Visual Inspection (AVI); however, the BCS fulfills the AVI requirement for the year in which the BCS is conducted.

  2. Submission of building condition survey forms to Facilities Planning no later than June 30, 2011 AND completion of SAMS Form FB items #138 and #139 are required to receive any BCS Aid.
    1. On-line building condition survey forms must be submitted via the Office of Facilities Planning website: Office of Facilities Planning Instructions for submission of the on-line BCS form. The due date for all survey forms has been extended by the Office of Facilities Planning from January 15, 2011 to June 30, 2011. Districts will not be able to submit the on-line Building Condition Survey form to SED after 6/30/11.
    2. Districts already should have claimed any 2009-10 square footage surveyed and expense for 2010-11 BCS Aid on 2010-11 SAMS Form FB Lines 138 and 139. Detailed reporting instructions are available via SAMS help screens. 2009-10 BCS expenses must be submitted via SAMS by June 30, 2011 for payment during the 2010-11 aid year.
      After June 30, 2011, 2010-11 BCS Aid on the 2010-11 BCS output report will display as zero if BCS survey forms were not submitted to Facilities Planning by 6/30/11, regardless of expense and surveyed square feet reported on 2010-11 SAMS Form FB. 2010-11 BCS aid already paid will be recouped from either the final 2010-11 September General Aid payment or, if that payment is less than the BCS Aid already paid, from a 2011-12 General Aid payment.
    3. Claiming BCS expense incurred during the 2010-11 school year for 2011-12 BCS Aid: Only districts that submitted BCS forms to Facilities Planning by June 30, 2011 may claim 2010-11 expense for BCS Aid on 2011-12 SAMS Form FB when it is released this summer. Districts that have not submitted BCS forms to Facilities Planning by June 30, 2011 will not receive any 2011-12 BCS Aid. For districts that submitted timely survey forms to Facilities Planning, preliminary 2011-12 BCS Aid will be calculated based on surveyed square footage and expense reported on 2011-12 SAMS Form FB.
    4. Districts reporting BCS expense in both claim years should report on the Form FB  only the square footage surveyed in each applicable claim year in order to avoid potential overstatement of the BCS Aid calculated for each year.

  3. Verification of Building Condition Survey Aid claim. During the 2011-12 claim year, some districts will be asked to provide substantiating documentation related to their 2010-11 and/or 2011-12 BCS aid claim.
Last Updated: June 1, 2011