Page 4 - 2026 CEQA Checklist for School Districts

Class 22 Adoption of educational or training programs involving no physical alteration or which involve
changing only the interior of a school, including changing a school’s grade structure unless
changes in student transportation will still be required;
Class 23 Normal operations of facilities for public gatherings; and

Class 32 In fill development in an urban area of less than 5 acres that is consistent with general plan and
zoning regulations, where the site has no value as habitat for threatened species, and where the
project will not have a significant effect on traffic, noise, air quality or water quality.
(CEQA Guideline §§ 15301, 15302, 15303, 15304, 15306, 15311, 15312, 15314, 15322, 15323, & 15332)

YES: No further CEQA analysis is required. NO: Preliminary CEQA analysis is required
(continue to step III).

C. Should a Notice of Exemption be filed with the county clerk? (Note: filing a notice of exemption is optional.)

ADVANTAGES: Limits period for legal challenge DISADVANTAGES: May call unwanted attention to
to the school district’s action to 35 days from the an action being undertaken by a school district.
date of filing; without a Notice of Exemption, the (Pub. Resources Code §§ 21108(b), 21152 & 21167(d);
period for a legal challenge is 180 days. CEQA Guideline § 15062.)

III. Is an Initial Study required? If the answer to step II is no, then an initial study will be
required. (CEQA Guideline § 15063.)

A. Does the initial study or any fair argument forwarded to the district in response to that study reveal that
the project may have a significant or potentially significant environmental effect?

YES: The district should consider whether a NO: The district should prepare a Negative
mitigated negative declaration can be used Declaration. (Public Resources Code § 21080(c).)
(continue to step III B).

B. Can the potentially significant effects identified by the initial study be mitigated through revisions to the project?

YES: The district should prepare a Mitigated NO: The district should prepare an Environmental
Negative Declaration. Impact Report (continue to step IV).
(Public Resources Code § 21080(c).)

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