The multi-billionaire is spearheading a drive to shrink many of Ohio's schools by breaking them apart, but not all is going according to plan.
"The kind of small schools that Microsoft founder Bill Gates envisions succeed when they have separate buildings and they're designed with the cooperation of teachers and parents. That's not always happening in Ohio, where districts are spending Gates' money on plans that don't call for separate buildings or that have failed to capture the support of educators and students' parents...the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation [and] the Cincinnati-based KnowledgeWorks Foundation [have pledged funds] to slice large public high schools throughout Ohio into several smaller theme-based schools...Advocates of mini-schools" cite research showing reduced drop-out rates and better academic performance, perhaps due to closer personal relationships. Other studies counter with evidence "that small size alone doesn't guarantee a good school...In about five years, all of Cleveland's high school students will go to classes in buildings with three or four separate schools. School officials compare the new structure to a university setting, where different 'schools' exist on one campus."
Thanks to David Gest
FULL STORY: Smaller schools planned for area don't all fit model

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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