The Massachusetts School Building Authority (the “MSBA”) is proposing changes to our Regulations, 963 CMR 2.00 et. seq. (“Regulations”). The Regulations have been revised to:
- accurately reflect how the MSBA’s grant process has evolved,
- provide clarity and make the Regulations more user friendly,
- make the Regulations easier to follow by arranging the sections in chronological order and matching the MSBA modules, and
- provide a starting point for future MSBA programmatic changes and updates as the landscape of school construction continues to change.
Overview of Key Revisions to the Regulations:
The regulations will now proceed from Module 1 through Module 9 as projects do, making it easier for districts and external stakeholders to understand the process.
In addition to arranging the regulations into chronological order based on the MSBA’s modules, the MSBA added stand-alone sections such as: Accelerated Repair Program (ARP); Construction (Module 7); Post Occupancy Evaluation (Module 9); and Model School Program.
The MSBA made changes to the regulations to allow for the regulations to stay current year after year by eliminating refences to outside standards and codes that periodically change.
The MSBA clarified terminology used in the regulations and made technical changes to better capture our process and provide increased clarity for stakeholders.
The MSBA updated the Statement of Interest section of the regulations to match the process that the MSBA follows for the Statement of Interest submission period.
The MSBA updated the incentive points portion of the regulations, removing Construction Manager at Risk and Model School incentive references from this section because the MSBA no longer provides these incentive points.
The MSBA updated the Green School Program incentive to allow for three incentive points and also included an additional point for Indoor Air Quality.
The MSBA added greater details about the grant program, where appropriate, such as the addition of the educational profile questionnaire that is required during Eligibility Period.
Public Hearings:
The MSBA will hold a series of public hearings, some of which will be in person and some of which will be remote. Please see the list below and note that additional hearings will be scheduled for January 2024. These additional hearings will be posted on the MSBA’s website as they are scheduled.
Join us at the following hearings:
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 – Lynn
12:00 pm – 2:00 PM
Lynn City Hall
3 City Hall Square
Lynn, MA 01901
Wednesday, November 29, 2023 – Springfield
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Forest Park Conference Room
299 Sumner Avenue
Springfield, MA 01108
Thursday, November 30, 2023 – Remote Hearing via Zoom
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
To submit comments to the proposed revisions to the MSBA's regulations click here.
If you prefer or have questions related to accessing the meeting, please call 617-960-3075. Information to register for and to access the meeting will be available throughout the duration of the meeting.
Friday, December 1, 2023 - Worcester
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Worcester Technical High School
Multipurpose Room
1 Officer Manny Familia Way
Worcester, MA 01605
Monday, December 4, 2023 - Dalton
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Wahconah Regional High School
150 Old Windsor Road
Dalton, MA 01226
Tuesday, December 5, 2023 – Lawrence
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Lawrence Public Library
51 Lawrence Street
Lawrence MA 01841
Wednesday, December 6, 2023 – Dennis Yarmouth
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Dennis-Yarmouth Intermediate/Middle School
Auditorium - Kenneth T. Jenks Performing Arts Center
286 Station Avenue
South Yarmouth, MA 02664
Thursday, December 7, 2023 – Remote Hearing via Zoom
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
To submit comments to the proposed revisions to the MSBA's regulations click here.
If you prefer or have questions related to accessing the meeting, please call 617-960-3075. Information to register for and to access the meeting will be available throughout the duration of the meeting.
Monday December 11, 2023 – Rockland
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Rockland High School, Lecture Hall
52 MacKinlay Way
Rockland, MA 02370
Tuesday December 12, 2023 – Gardner
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Gardner Public Schools - Central Office
160 Elm Street - Room 210, 2nd Floor
Entrance on right side, back of building
Gardner, MA 01440
Thursday, December 14, 2023 – Fall River
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Diman Regional Voc-Tech High School
District Conference Room
251 Stonehaven Road
Fall River, MA 02723
*Please make sure to check this page for additional information and weather-related hearing updates.
Public Comment Period:
To submit comments to the proposed revisions to the MSBA's regulations click here. You may either submit your comments through this link or request an email address to provide comments and/or attachments. All comments must be submitted by January 31, 2024 at 5:00 pm.
Interpretation/Accommodations:
To request written language translation or oral interpretation at the public hearings, please contact the MSBA through this link. For oral language interpretation, the request must be received at least five (5) business days prior to the public hearing date at which the interpretation is requested. To request other reasonable accommodations, please also contact the MSBA through this link.
Links:
MSBA Board Memo Regarding Revisions to the Regulations
Proposed Regulations
Summary Document
Chart of Proposed Revisions