State of California, Seismic Safety Commission, 2004
The California Seismic Safety Commission has responded to inquiries from members of the Legislature, the public, and parents about the seismic safety requirements for schools in California. Concerns have been raised about the risks posed by older school buildings, the different seismic standards for public, private and charter schools, and the safety of buildings converted to school use. The public concern was increased when a pre-Field Act California public school, seismically retrofitted in 1959, was damaged in the moderate December 22, 2003 San Simeon earthquake. A common theme in these questions is that parents have a right and a desire to know if their children’s schools, whether public, private or chartered, are safe. A review of policies and standards was conducted and this report was developed to answer these questions.
