Resources and Best Practices |
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For more information on school siting and safe routes to school, please review the following guides, reports, websites, and local examples.
School Siting
Guides Developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in consultation with the Departments of Health and Human Services, these model guidelines are intended to encourage, inform, and improve consideration for environmental factors in local school siting decision-making processes without infringing on local decision-making authority.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, October 2011 Levofsky, Amber and Forinash, Christopher V. Number of pages: 27
Reports
Nearly all the decisions about the use and location of school facilities are made by local school districts– but the impact of these decisions goes far beyond the school and the education of its students. This report, produced jointly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), identifies the larger community interest in decisions about retaining existing schools and deciding where to locate new ones. It describes the states’ role in school siting decisions and identifies policy changes that will ensure that educational, environmental, health, community, and fiscal considerations are weighed by communities when school districts make school closing, consolidation, and site selection decisions.
National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2010 Kuhlman, Renee. Number of pages: 39
Schools for Successful Communities: An Element of Smart Growth This publication, produced jointly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, explains why and how communities should employ smart growth planning principles to build schools that better serve and support students, staff, parents, and the entire community. It presents examples of supportive state and local policies, as well as case studies from around the country that show how community-centered schools and the planning process used to design and build these schools have improved education and fostered more livable places.
Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI), September 2004 Hoskens, J. et al. Number of pages: 27
Travel and Environmental Implications of School Siting This study is the first to empirically examine the relationship between school locations, the built environment around schools, mode choices for trips to school, and air emissions impacts of those choices. The results of the study suggest that actions to improve students’ walking environments, and to support communities that wish to locate schools in neighborhoods, will result in increases in student walking and biking to school. Increased walking and biking can reduce emissions related to auto travel and improve environmental quality.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, October 2003 Levofsky, Amber and Forinash, Christopher V. Number of pages: 27
Why Johnny Can't Walk to School: Historic Neighborhood Schools in the Age of Sprawl This report by the National Trust for Historic Preservation helped to spark national attention to the issue of school siting. It examines various threats to historic neighborhood schools:
The report concludes with case study examples of how some districts overcame these barriers to the retention and modernization of old and historic schools, and recommendations for policy reforms to buttress neighborhood conservation and smart growth efforts.
National Trust for Historic Preservation, October 2002, 2nd Edition Beaumont, Constance E. and Pianca, Elizabeth G. Number of pages: 52
Websites
ChangeLab Solutions has a variety of resources on smart school siting, including factsheets and a package of model school siting policies for school districts.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has links to a broad set of environmental challenges and solutions regarding school facility siting.
Safe Routes to School
Guides
Steps to Creating a Safe Routes to School Program
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
A Primer to Understanding the Role of School Boards and Principals Safe Routes to School National Partnership
Safe Routes to School Briefing Sheets Institute for Transportation Engineers
Websites
Look Out Texans School Resources
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
National Center for Safe Routes to School
Safe Routes to School Online Guide
Local Examples
Irving ISD, in cooperation with the Irving Police Department, designated various city streets around elementary and middle schools as “Safe Routes” for students to use when walking and bicycling to school. Students also receive bicycle and pedestrian safety lessons in physical education classes.
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