american public health association washington, dc november 9, 2004

Travel and Environmental Implications of School Siting

Kevin M. Nelson, AICPUS EPA Smart Growth Program

American Public

Health Association

Washington, DC

November 9, 2004

2 Nelson, APHA, 11/9/04

What’s the connection?

Communities areevaluating their

growth patterns

and

educationalinvestments.


What’s the connection?

The School affects community growth.

The School facility is a major financial investment that the entire community bears.


What happened to schools?

What did we have a

generation or two ago?

– Small schools (avg 127)– Schools as centers of

community– Investment in school

facilities as public places– 2/3 of all students walking

or biking



What do we have now?

– 70% more students, 70% fewer schools

– Mega-schools (avg. 653)– 40% of HS more than 1000– Schools on 10-30+ acres of

fringe land– Mass produced, lowest-cost

construction– Less than 10% of students

walking or biking (CDC, 1999)

Lots of congestion and space used for parking!



South Carolina Coastal Conservation League


… and the environment?

School location and design DO affect the environment

Schools built close to students, in walkable neighborhoods

– Can reduce traffic– Yield 13% increase in

walking and biking– Reduce emissions 15%

Need more work on this!


What happened to people?


What happened to people?

Epidemic of poor health in children

– Overweight and obesity

– Asthma– High blood pressure

Educational achievement?


Why has it happened?

Flight to suburbs (cause and effect)

Education theories Diversity goals Increasing costs of education Increasing cost and space

needs of extracurriculars Site selection rules Construction & renovation

funding


Chance to change is now!

Converging interest in smaller schools that meet diverse goals:– Education – more personal attention, fewer dropouts, higher

achievement– Community – anchor, sign of investment, activity spot– Public health – walking, recreation– Environment – air quality, water quality

Forty thousand or more “baby boom” schools 40+ years old… AND …

1.3 million more K-12 students in next couple years– Renovate or build new? Build mega or smaller?– $100-300 BILLION will be spent


Rules of the game: 2/3

If the cost of renovating a school exceeds some percentage of new construction costs, a new school must be built.

This policy is adopted even when renovation options could yield “like new” schools for less.

2/3 Rule2/3 Rule

60% Rule60% Rule


Rules of the game: feasibility

Feasibility studies of new vs renovation– Costs of renovation are often

overestimated.– Renovation possibilities are often

overlooked.– Sometimes conducted by consultants who

have financial interest in building new schools.


EPA commissioned Council of Educational Facilities Planners International (CEFPI) to do a study on state policies.

27 states have some minimum acreage requirement.

Rules of the game: acreage


Let’s do the math for“Anyburb Senior High”

1500 students 35 acres + 15 = A minimum site size of 50

acres

Ohio- elementary = 10 acres- middle = 20 acres- high = 35 acres- plus another acre for every

100 students

Rules of the game: acreage

Have YOU seen a 50-acre walkable school and schoolyard?


Signs of change

Gates Foundation - $1B over 5 years creating 1500 new small high schools

NYC – 60 new schools with 500 or fewer students – also Milwaukee, Raleigh, St Paul, others

KnowledgeWorks Foundation – Ohioans prefer smaller high schools by 7-1 margin (<400 vs. >1000)

Chicago study of five elementary schools– Currently: 50% drive, 38% walk or bike– Would prefer: 22% drive, 64% walk or bike


Some solutions: state policy

Pennsylvania eliminated the 2/3, 60% rule.

Maryland’s School Construction Program favors renovating versus constructing new schools.

New Jersey School Renaissance Zone Program uses schools to catalyze redevelopment.

Maine requires the Dept. of Ed. to consider whether its decisions promote sprawl.


Some solutions: state policy

South Carolina eliminated acreage requirements in 2003

"Creating more neighborhood schools is one of the most important avenues for advancing quality of life in South Carolina. It makes sense from a learning standpoint, an economic standpoint and it makes sense if you want to have schools that are part of a community's fabric as opposed to part of its sprawl.“- South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford (R), July 16, 2003


Some solutions: national help

NTHP & SGA: Powerpoint online, outreach campaign

CEFPI: Revised guidelines published 2004

CEFPI & EPA: Forthcoming publication on community schools, benefits & case studies


What might work for you?

Waivers (but … you must seek special permission to do the right thing)

Partnerships like Safe Routes

Affecting community beliefs / local political pressure

Changing state/local policies


What else can you do?

Review your community’s school facility master plan.– Closure & consolidation– Repair, renovation, modernization– Expansion & new construction

Support the maintenance of your community’s school facilities.


For more information...

Contact us– epa.gov/smartgrowth– [email protected]– 202-566-2842

Visit these smart web sites– www.smartgrowth.org– www.smartgrowthamerica.org– www.edfacilities.org/rl/smart_growth.cfm– www.nsbn.org– www.nationaltrust.org/issues/schools– www.cefpi.org/pdf/state_guidelines.pdf

american public health association washington, dc november 9, 2004

Documents

new schools

smaller schools

fewer schoolsmegaschools

baby boom schools

small schools avg

school facilities

school facility

school location