What is the role of schools in sustainable growth?

Schools are unique elements of public infrastructure, with separate governing bodies than cities and counties, yet improving schools and creating sustainable communities are highly interrelated and should be mutually reinforcing. Many educators and planners believe that factors outside a school’s walls have as much or more impact on student performance as what happens during class time.¹

The goal of regional planning is to support “Complete Communities:” walkable neighborhoods that include housing for all income groups, jobs, parks, retail and services, and quality schools. School policies, performance, and budgets can have big impacts on neighborhood development, while neighborhood planning and development can significantly affect student enrollment and the resources available to support students.

At the regional level, births and school enrollment have increased overall since 2000, when 12% of all trips taken in the Bay Area were school-related. Moreover, school infrastructure and operations continue to represent one of the largest shares of the state budget, emphasizing the need to align planning and resources to create and maintain sustainable regions.² Regional inequities reflected in student achievement gaps are a significant issue for long-term sustainability planning. At the same time, improvements to residents’ quality of life should be reflected in improved educational outcomes.

Many jurisdictions have forged very successful partnerships with outstanding results for current and future students. In 2010-2011, ABAG partnered with the UC Berkeley Center for Cities & Schools (CC&S) to identify links between schools and sustainability and promote city-school collaboration. The final report, Growth and Opportunity: Aligning High-Quality Public Education and Sustainable Communities Planning in the Bay Area (June 2011) describes the Bay Area’s educational landscape, outlines core connections to planning and makes recommendations for planning policies to support schools.

Examples of School participation in planning:

• Working with school districts to identify the longterm needs for schools in Priority Development Areas;
• Integration of schools into the regional plan strategies for increasing walking, bicycling, and transit use to/from schools and for making schools centers of communities;
• Maximum use of school facilities and community resources for 'location efficiencies' including the joint use and co-location of schools and community-serving facilities;
• Identifying legal obstacles to integrating community and educational priorities; and
• Identifying opportunities to leverage school and community infrastructure investments.

School district superintendents and board members joined city planners and elected officials at two sub-regional rountables on city-school collaboration. Review the presentations and notes here.

East Bay Roundtable, February 18, 2010

• Planning for a Sustainable Bay Area: What do Regional Policies mean for Schools? (ABAG)
• Putting Schools on the Map: Building Strong Commuties and Schools (CC&S)

South Bay Roundtable, January 22, 2010

• Planning for a Sustainable Bay Area: Schools (ABAG)