Taking a wider view of communities could help keep schools open despite falling enrollment.
In this wide-ranging interview with Shelterforce's Editor-in-Chief Miriam Axel-Lute, Akira Drake Rodriguez, assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Weitzman School of Design, discusses how school closures affect neighborhood stability and how communities are organizing to change school facilities planning processes.
Drawing from her research in Philadelphia, Rodriguez explores how school closures can lead to different outcomes in different neighborhoods — from gentrification to population decline. She examines alternatives to closing underutilized schools, such as co-location with community services, and describes how Philadelphia communities are working to make school facilities planning more participatory and equitable.
The interview highlights the deep connections between educational justice and housing justice, offering insights for planners and community developers about supporting local schools and preserving vital public infrastructure. Rodriguez argues for viewing schools as critical community anchors that provide more than just educational services.
Read the full interview at the source article in Shelterforce.
FULL STORY: A Better Way to Plan School Facilities
Rebuilding Together: How One Baltimore Program Advanced Education and Community Development
When Baltimore got funding for a round of school renovations, the state directed it to design schools that would also advance neighborhood revitalization — and it learned some lessons about why that's not always so simple.
Expanding the Mission: Community Groups Serving Schools
Some community development organizations have added education to their traditional focus on housing and economic development, looking for ways to support families and children by partnering with local school districts. How is it working?
The Role of Schools in Fostering Vibrant and Inclusive Communities
Discover how schools play a crucial role in community development by fostering inclusivity, enhancing local engagement, and serving as hubs for social and cultural activities.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.
Seattle’s Pike Place Market Leans Into Pedestrian Infrastructure
After decades of debate, the market is testing a car ban in one of its busiest areas and adding walking links to the surrounding neighborhood.
The World’s Longest Light Rail Line is in… Los Angeles?
In a city not known for its public transit, the 48.5-mile A Line is the longest of its kind on the planet.
Quantifying Social Infrastructure
New developments have clear rules for ensuring surrounding roads, water, and sewers can handle new users. Why not do the same for community amenities?
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions