A building, or portion of a building, used for educational purposes through the 12th grade is classified as a/an:

• A. Assembly occupancy.
• B. Educational occupancy.
• C. Institutional occupancy.
• D. Business occupancy.

Answer: (B)

Educational occupancy is used for spaces where formal instruction occurs for students through the 12th grade. The defining idea is the building’s primary function: teaching and learning. A school or a portion of a building dedicated to classrooms, labs, libraries, and other educational activities falls into this category. This is distinct from assembly occupancy, which is about spaces mainly for gathering people for events; institutional occupancy, which covers facilities that provide care or custody to people; and business occupancy, which covers offices and similar workspaces. Even if a school has spaces like auditoriums or gyms where events occur, the overall primary use remains instruction, so it’s classified as educational occupancy.