Written by Jeff Vincent, Director, National Center on School Infrastructure,
Maintaining public school buildings is a complex yet critical responsibility for educational leaders. A school’s physical infrastructure serves as the foundation for its entire educational mission, requiring a strategic approach to stewardship that balances immediate repairs with long-term planning. To navigate these challenges, local school districts are increasingly relying on the Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) as a primary tool for informed decision-making.
At its core, an FCA is a systematic process used to evaluate the physical state and functional performance of a building and its surrounding site infrastructure. It encompasses everything from major building systems—such as roofing, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing—to site-wide elements like security fencing, playgrounds, and landscaping. The primary purpose of this assessment is to provide building owners with a clear understanding of the current state of their facilities, identifying the remaining useful life of key components and highlighting potential issues that could impact safety or long-term viability.
Importantly, an FCA provides an objective picture of a facility’s condition, noting when systems are beyond their designed life regardless of how well they have been maintained. By adopting a systematic approach to evaluating their assets, school administrators can ensure that facilities remain safe, functional, and viable for years to come.
In practice, a successful assessment begins with thorough planning, including research into past maintenance reports and coordination with local staff who have in-depth knowledge of the building. During on-site visits, assessors perform visual inspections, capture photo documentation of both interior and exterior systems, and record detailed notes on any observed deficiencies. These findings are used to calculate the Facility Condition Index (FCI), an industry-standard benchmark that measures the total cost of needed repairs against the building’s estimated replacement value. This data-driven methodology allows districts to categorize issues as minor, moderate, or major, providing a clear roadmap for future capital improvements.
The Facility Condition Index (FCI) is an industry-standard metric used as an objective benchmark to determine the condition of a building following an assessment. The FCI score is calculated using the following formula:
FCI = (Total Cost of Existing Renewal/Repair Costs) / (Total Estimated Replacement Value).
To illustrate this, if a middle school has identified estimated repairs totaling $25 million and the total cost to replace the facility is $100 million, the resulting FCI score would be .25. Similarly, if estimated repairs total $75 million, the resulting FCI score would be .75. The closer the FCI score is to 1, the worse shape the building is in. Typically, FCI scores are multiplied by 100 to turn the decimal score into a percent, and cutoffs are used to identify whether a building is in“Good,” “Fair,” or “Poor” condition, such as:
Using an FCI score enables districts to categorize facility issues as minor, moderate, or major, providing a data-driven roadmap for future capital improvements.
Conducting regular assessments of a district’s facilities is vital because the quality of the physical learning environment directly affects student outcomes. Research indicates that well-maintained, modern school buildings contribute to higher student achievement and better health, while poor conditions—such as inadequate ventilation, poor acoustics, or insufficient lighting—can lead to decreased concentration and increased absenteeism. By collecting comprehensive facility data, district officials can more easily navigate the delicate balance between expanding student support services and maintaining the critical systems that keep occupants “warm, safe, and dry.”
Ultimately, implementing a robust FCA program is a critical step in any long-range school improvement plan. By utilizing standardized resources, education professionals can move beyond reactive maintenance toward proactive, data-informed stewardship. Investing the time to properly assess school infrastructure — and then using that information to guide planning and decision-making — helps ensure that every child has access to a safe, healthy, and inspiring educational environment.
Conducting an FCA can be a daunting and expensive task for a school district. Many districts do not have a structured way to collect information on their buildings on their own. And hiring a consultant to conduct an FCA can be costly.
To help overcome these hurdles and build local district capacity, the National Center on School Infrastructure (NCSI) is pleased to launch 3 new tools for use by local school districts: a Facility Condition Assessment Manual; a Facility Condition Assessment Workbook; and a Facility Condition Assessment Scope Definition Worksheet.
These tools should enable any school district to gather information on its buildings, assemble that data into spreadsheet format, and then analyze conditions in a way that helps the district make informed facility investment decisions.
Facility Condition Assessment Manual
The Facility Condition Assessment Manual (FCA Manual) provides public school districts with a standardized framework for evaluating the physical condition and functional performance of their educational facilities. It establishes the standards, policies, and procedures needed to manage internal FCA services effectively, offering practical guidance on assessment methods and processes that ensure consistency and adherence to industry best practices. The guide outlines systematic procedures for inspecting critical building components, including structural shells, HVAC systems, and electrical distribution. The manual emphasizes the use of the Uniformat classification methodology to ensure consistency and introduces the Facility Condition Index (FCI) as a benchmark for repair and replacement costs. Designed to work in tandem with the companion Facility Condition Assessment Workbook described below, it equips districts with the tools necessary to maintain and improve their educational infrastructure systematically.
Facility Condition Assessment Workbook
The downloadable Excel-based Facility Condition Assessment Workbook provides school district staff with a specialized data collection tool designed for in-house facility evaluations. Built to work alongside the FCA Manual, the workbook employs the Uniformat Level III classification system to ensure consistent evaluation of building elements over time. Its integrated cost estimation model can be customized to reflect local market conditions, making it an essential resource for accurate capital planning and budget development. The workbook is designed for a single building assessment—districts should create a separate copy for each facility.
David Sturtz of Sturtz & Company describes each tab of the workbook and explains how to input information in this video:
Facility Condition Assessment Scope Definition Worksheet
This worksheet is designed to help local school districts draft a Request for Proposals (RFP) for hiring a consultant to conduct a district-wide FCA. The tool helps the user clarify the level of detail, scope boundaries, and deliverables required from an FCA consultant. By using the worksheet, a school district should be able to effectively communicate clear expectations and receive comparable proposals that meet local needs.
We hope you find these tools useful. Questions or feedback? Contact the team at NCSI . We’re happy to help.