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Facilities

Licensing Agency or Facility Locator

There is no state licensing of schools or educational facilities in Florida. There may be local county government fees assessed or permits issued through the local county health department in relation to physical plant, environmental health or sanitary standards. The Department of Education (DOE) operates the public school system and oversees charter schools in Florida through local county school boards. Any school facility is required to get a satisfactory group care environmental health inspection from the local county health department prior to opening or operating in Florida.  Section 381.006 (16) (10K PDF), of the Florida Statutes (FS), provide authority for Department of Health inspections. Private or non-public schools are also required to register with the DOE, (Non-public School Registration).

 

Schools: School Questions??? Please visit our FAQ!

Head Lice:Head Lice Questions??? Please visit our FAQ!

To locate a public or non-public/private school in your county, please go to the school facility locator websites.

Public: Directory

Private/non-public: Directory

In The News (pdfs open in new window)

The Department of Health currently has Chapter 64E-13, FAC, open for revision. The Notice of Rule Development (pdf <1mb) can be found in the February 19, 2010, publication of the Florida Administrative Weekly (FAW). A copy of the draft rule (pdf <1mb) language can be viewed at the following PDF link.

Recently there has been much media attention related to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in school facilities. For more information related to MRSA, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at: MRSA in school facilities.

Planning On Opening A School?


Prior to opening or operating a school, you first need to contact the local county health department. In addition to the group care and food hygiene requirements, you must first get approval or sign off in the following areas before an environmental health inspection will be conducted:A picture of a school

  • The building must be inspected and approved by the local fire authority as a school or educational facility.
  • Local county or city zoning must provide written zoning approval for the school location.
  • The local county or city electrical, plumbing, and building department must provide a signed inspection approval or written approval that the school facility meets all local educational standards for the aforementioned departments.

Once the appropriate paperwork is provided to the local county health department, the DOH can begin to process your request and open your school.  In addition, any food service, including snacks or catered food, must be approved by the local county health department.

One of the most challenging aspects for new school facilities is meeting the existing restroom requirements for the students and staff. Chapter 64E-13, FAC (26K PDF), requires separate restroom facilities for faculty/staff from the students restrooms. For grades fourth (4th) and up, separate restrooms for each sex (boys and girls) are required. Please keep these standards in mind when selecting a location for your proposed school facility.

What to do, if you have a complaint about a school.


If you have a complaint about the food or an environmental condition at a school, you can contact your local county health department. For improved investigational purposes, please have the details surrounding the complaint, date(s) of the incident or observation, location/room within the facility it occurred or was observed, address of the facility, and any other pertinent information related to the issue.

If your complaint is about treatment, conduct, accident reporting, behavior, staff ratios or any non-food or environmental issue:

  • Public School- contact their local school board or the DOE state Office at DOE Contact

  • Private Schools- contact the school directly, any religious accrediting agency, or the Office of Independent or Parental Choice at DOE.

  • Colleges/Universities- contact the college or university's main Administration.

What does an Environmental Health physical plant/group care inspection cover?


various school images of child eating, restrooms and playgroundsIn various group care facilities such as schools, we ensure good sanitary health and safety practices are in place related to construction, operation, and maintenance among the children, employees, and visitors to the school facility. Our purpose is to prevent or minimize the risk of transmitting disease, injury, or bodily harm. The list below includes some of the primary areas the environmental health inspectors check during their inspection visit of the educational buildings. The DOH does not inspect dormitories.
  • Maintenance & Repair
  • Lighting
  • Vermin/Animal Control
  • Water Supply
  • Liquid & Solid Waste
  • Heating and Air-conditioning
  • Sanitary Facilities/Restrooms & Showers
  • Hand washing Facilities & Supplies
  • Playground Equipment
There are many things to look for both inside and outside the facility and on the playground. Here are some of the things that an environmental health inspection might find that does not meet the code. These are pictures of pinch hazards, injury hazards, and lack of maintenance to prevent vector or vermin infestations outside on the play ground or surrounding property the schools are located on.

Various hazards in school yards such as broken furniture and plastic

Also, wood structures and play equipment can deteriorate over time and through exposure to Florida's elements.  Here is a picture of a leaning fence on a playground that needs maintenance. In addition, climbing equipment can become splintery and need sanding or replacement to prevent injury during use.

Various hazards in school yards like tire obstacle cources and rusted metal

Physical Plant Inspections?


Yes - DOH Rules - 64E-13 F.A.C. (26K PDF)
There are no exemptions to inspections for private or religiously based educational facilities. The following facilities receive a physical plant inspection:
  • Public Schools
  • Charter Schools
  • Private or Non-public Schools
  • Vocational/GED Schools
  • College/Universities
Frequency: Twice per year
Form Used: DH 4030 (757K PDF)

Good management practices for facility pest control and head lice.


Information can be found at the University of Florida's web site Integrated Pest Management.

Food Inspections.


When food is served or catered at a school, the following applies:

Snacks Only Food Permit:

Snacks are defined in 64E-11, F.A.C.(164K PDF) as, a commercially pre-packaged non-potentially hazardous ready-to-eat-food item that is wrapped for individual consumption.
A state DOH food permit is needed when a facility only serves snacks, even if they are catered in by a third party provider. 64E-11, F.A.C.(164K PDF) exempts centers serving snack food only from the state permit fee.  However, local county fees may apply. 
 
Prior to opening or operating, a set of plans drawn to scale and a completed food hygiene permit (to serve snacks only) application must be submitted to the local county health department for a food hygiene plan review. For non-public schools there is a fee associated with the required plan review. To apply for a food hygiene permit for snack food service, please go to the food hygiene website or contact your local county health department's environmental health section. 
 
DOH Rules:
64E-11, F.A.C.(164K PDF)
Inspection Frequency:
Twice per year.

Meals or Meals & Snacks

If a school serves meals, has catered meals, or serves meals and snacks, a permit, plan review, and inspection are conducted.  Prior to opening or operating, a set of plans drawn to scale and a completed food hygiene permit application must be submitted to the local county health department for a food hygiene plan review. For non-public schools there is a fee associated with the required plan review.  To apply for a food hygiene permit, please go to the food hygiene website or contact your local county health department's environmental health section.
 
DOH Rules:
64E-11, F.A.C. (164K PDF)
Inspection Frequency:
Once per quarter (four times per year)
Form Used:
DH 4023 (649K PDF)

Variances:

There are no emergency variance requets at this time.

Facilities:

Adult Care:
Adult Family Care Home
Assisted Living Facility (ALF)
Adult Day Care
 
Foster Care:
Family Foster Home
Health Care:
Crisis Stabilization Unit
Hospice Residential Unit
Intermediate Care Facility for the Developmentally Disabled (ICF/DD)
 
Residential Drug Treatment Center
Transitional Living Facility
 
Schools:
Public or Private

 

This page was last modified on: 09/13/2012 11:21:23