Smaller, "walkable" neighborhood schools are an important part of the smart-growth puzzle, but they are not a panacea for school and community problems.
A convergence of factors is leading advocates in many fields toward the smaller neighborhood school. Critics of "sprawl schools" point out the negative effect on traffic and kids' health of building schools on the fringe of towns, and that these schools "act as a magnet for new growth, drawing people and resources away from existing schools and neighborhoods." And "there is mounting evidence that the impersonal environment of the mega-school inhibits the basic function of the school; that is, giving kids the best education possible."
Thanks to Joe Molinaro
FULL STORY: Of Sprawl Schools and Small Schools
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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.
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City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
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