22 Pa. Code § 349.2 – Substantiated need.

(a) Options. An applicant school district shall submit a review of the building program options it considered, including an analytical justification for the selected option.
(b) Enrollment projections. Enrollment projections shall be calculated in a manner approved by the Department and shall extend for at least 11 years and to a year divisible by five.
(c) Full-time student equivalent allowances. Full-time student equivalent allowances shall be as follows:
1. (1) Regular elementary and secondary students—1.00 FTE.
2. (2) Half-time kindergarten students—.50 FTE.
3. (3) Special Education students: Educable Mentally Retarded—2.00 FTE; Trainable Mentally Retarded Elementary—2.50 FTE; Trainable Mentally Retarded Secondary—2.00 FTE; Severely and Profoundly Retarded—3.50 FTE; Socially and Emotionally Disturbed—2.50 FTE; Brain Injured—2.50 FTE; Learning Disabled—2.50 FTE; Physically Handicapped—2.50 FTE; Hearing Impaired, Speech and Language Impaired, and Visually Handicapped equivalents shall be negotiable and based upon program characteristics; if a Resource Room, for itinerant or part-time, or both, programs, such as Gifted, is to be included, an additional 1.00 FTE may be allotted for each 25 students in regular project enrollment—to a maximum of 25 FTE.
4. (4) Vocational-technical students while in home school—.60 FTE.
5. (5) Maximum allowances for vocational-technical shop/laboratory stations. Maximum allowances for vocational-technical shop/laboratory stations, in half-time student terms, shall be:
  1. (i) Agriculture. Agricultural Production—44 at 1.08 FTE, Agricultural Supplies—44 at .60 FTE, Agricultural Mechanics—44 at 1.08 FTE, Agricultural Products—44 at .60 FTE, Agricultural Resources—44 at .60 FTE, Forestry—44 at 1.08 FTE, Horticulture—44 at .90 FTE, Floriculture—44 at .90 FTE—Agricultural Technology—44 at .90 FTE.
  2. (ii) Business Education. Accounting—40 at .48 FTE, Business Data Processing—40 at .60 FTE, Clerical—40 at .60 FTE, Stenographic/Secretarial—40 at .72 FTE.
  3. (iii) Distributive Education. Distributive Education—40 at .60 FTE, Warehousing—40 at .90 FTE.
  4. (iv) Health Occupations. Dental Assistant—40 at .60 FTE, Dental Laboratory Technician—40 at .60 FTE, Health Assistant—40 at .60 FTE, Medical Assistant—40 at .60 FTE, Medical Laboratory Assistant—40 at .60 FTE, Practical Nursing (Postsecondary)—40 at .90 FTE, Home Health Management Assistant—40 at .60 FTE, Nurses Aide/Nursing Assistant—40 at .60 FTE.
  5. (v) Home Economics. Care and Guidance of Children—40 at .72 FTE, Clothing Management, Production and Service—40 at .60 FTE, Food Management, Production and Service—40 at .60 FTE. Dining Room Practice—15 at .60 FTE, Home Furnishing, Equipment and Service—40 at .60 FTE, Institutional and Home Management—40 at .60 FTE.
  6. (vi) Technical and Industrial. Aircraft Maintenance—40 at 1.08 FTE, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration—40 at .60 FTE, Architectural Technology—44 at .48 FTE, Appliance Repair—40 at .60 FTE, Automotive Body and Fender—40 at 1.08 FTE, Automotive Mechanics—40 at 1.08 FTE, Audio-Visual Communications—40 at .60 FTE, Building Construction Occupation—40 at .90 FTE, Building Trades Maintenance—40 at .72 FTE, Business Machine Maintenance—40 at .48 FTE, Cabinetmaking and Millwork—40 at .90 FTE, Carpentry—40 at .90 FTE, Chemical Technology—40 at .48 FTE, Civil Technology—44 at .48 FTE, Commercial Art—44 at .48 FTE, Commercial Photography—44 at .48 FTE, Cosmetology—40 at .90 FTE, Diesel Mechanic—40 at 1.08 FTE. Drafting, Occupations and Technology—44 at .48 FTE, Dressmaking—40 at .48 FTE, Electricity Construction and/or Maintenance—40 at .90 FTE, Electrical Technology—44 at .72 FTE, Electronics Technology—44 at .48 FTE, Fabric Maintenance Service—40 at .72 FTE, Foundry—40 at .90 FTE, Graphic Arts—44 at .72 FTE, Heating—40 at .72 FTE, Industrial Electrician—40 at .72 FTE, Industrial Maintenance Mechanic—40 at .72 FTE, Instruments Maintenance and Repair—40 at .48 FTE, Instrumentation Technology—44 at .48 FTE, Interior Decorating—40 at .72 FTE, Machine Shop—40 at .90 FTE, Masonry/Bricklaying—40 at .90 FTE, Mechanical Production Technology—44 at .48 FTE, Metal Fabrication—40 at .90 FTE, Metallurgical Technology—44 at .48 FTE, Painting and Decorating—40 at .72 FTE, Patternmaking—40 at .72 FTE, Plastics—40 at .60 FTE, Plumbing—40 at .72 FTE, Quantity Food Occupations—40 at .60 FTE, Radio and Television—40 at .48 FTE, Scientific Data Processing—40 at .60 FTE, Sheet Metal—40 at .60 FTE, Shoe Manufacturing and Repair—40 at .48 FTE, Small Engine Repair—40 at .60 FTE, Tailoring—40 at .48 FTE, Textile Production and Fabrication—40 at .60 FTE, Tool and Die Technology—40 at .90 FTE, Upholstering—40 at .60 FTE, Waiters and Waitresses—15 at .60 FTE, Welding—40 at .72 FTE. In all instances, the maximum student allowance for large two teacher station shop/laboratories shall be 1.75 times the allowance for a single station. Student allowance for any shop/laboratory shall be related to proposed size and shall be approved as a part of program approval by the Department.
6. (6) District administration. If district administration offices are to be included in the project, an allowance of 1.2 FTE secondary students may be assigned for each position justified for housing therein.
7. (7) Natatorium. If a district-wide natatorium is included in the project, the maximum allowance shall be 31 FTE secondary students.
(d) Nonresident students. Justified enrollment for a project may include Special Education students from other schools and other school districts, provided that evidence of both need and program planning are submitted by the applicant school district. Justified enrollment may, with specific Department of Education approval, include other nonresident students.
(e) Vocational-technical need. Department approval of an educational program for a new vocational-technical school or for a vocation-technical addition to an existing school, shall be considered by the Division of Physical Plant and Construction as substantiation of the need for the school or addition.