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
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Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association