Board Policy 5636: Capital Construction Projects Change in Scope of Work

 The Board of Education acknowledges the importance of facilitating the timeliness and efficiency of the work associated with Capital Projects and recognizes the occasional need to approve changes in the scope of work for a Project as it is under construction.  All capital project change orders over the amount of $35,000 shall require prior approval by the Board of Education.

Change Order Authorization

The Board of Education acknowledges the importance of granting the Superintendent and, in his absence, the Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations, some discretion in managing the district’s capital projects.  For the purposes of maintaining a project’s workflow, the Board permits the Superintendent of Schools to authorize change orders and construction change directives for Capital Projects as follows:

  1. Change orders or construction change directives that result in a net decrease, or no change, in the Contract sum may be authorized and signed by the Superintendent;
  2. Change orders and construction change directives that result in a net increase in the Contract Sum of $35,000 or less may be authorized and signed by the Superintendent;
  3. Change orders or construction change directives that result in a net increase of more than $35,000 shall require approval by the Board of Education;
  4. The Superintendent is not authorized to approve any change orders which are not recommended by the project architect, or any change orders beyond the total budget allocated for the project;
  5. Payment of change orders authorized by the Superintendent shall not be made until change orders are approved and signed by the Superintendent, the architect, and the contractor. 

It is understood that change orders will be authorized by the administration only when necessary to maintain the progress of the construction work and will not substantively change the scope of project plans.

Reporting Authorized Change Orders to Board of Education

       The Superintendent of Schools shall report as an information item the change orders and construction change directives that have been authorized in accordance with this policy to the Board of Education at its next regularly scheduled Board meeting.


 Adopted February 28, 2023