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Technical Assistance Program (TAP)

Welcome

The Technical Assistance Program (TAP) helps districts plan for capital improvements and expansion so they can better inform their communities about deferred maintenance needs, future enrollment, and explore sources of funding for school facilities. TAP provides four types of grants to school districts to cover or offset the costs of conducting:

  1. Facilities Condition Assessments;
  2. Long-Range Facility Planning;
  3. Seismic Assessments, and;
  4. Environmental Hazard Assessments.

The Facilities Assessment and Long-Range Facility Plan are required as part of the Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching (OSCIM) Program grant application. The Seismic Assessment is a required component of the application to Business Oregon’s Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program, through which school districts can apply for funding to retrofit buildings. From 2019 - 2021, the Radon Environmental Hazard Assessment Grant helped nearly half of all districts in Oregon pay for radon testing to comply with Oregon Health Authority’s ORS 332.341 and 332.345. Starting in 2022, the Asbestos Environmental Hazard Assessment Grant will help districts meet the federally mandated requirements of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) by covering the costs of asbestos inspections, periodic surveillance, AHERA-related training for staff, and upgrading to a web-based record-keeping system.

Please refer to the Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) under Chapter 581, Division 27, for definitions, grant program procedures, and reporting requirements for the grants listed above.

If you have questions, please contact Leanna Heiman by email or at 971-208-0336.

Certified Assessors

Assessor Certification

ODE’s Certified Assessor Training is designed to support architects and engineers already working with school districts in understanding the reporting requirements for the Office of School Facilities Technical Assistance and OSCIM Programs. These programs require districts to complete a Facilities Assessment and a Long-Range Facility Plan that align with administrative rule requirements. The goal of the Certified Assessor Program is to ensure that districts receive high-quality Facilities Assessments and Long-Range Facility Plans that meet TAP standards and support eligibility for OSCIM Program funding.

If you are interested in becoming a Certified Assessor, please contact Leanna Heiman. The next training will be offered in Spring 2026 and will include guidance on helping districts interpret the Statewide School Facilities Assessment reports.