Smart
Growth and Education
How Connecticut’s current
development is hurting every community . . .
and why smarter growth may be the
answer.
created by
The CenterEdge Project
|
This fact
sheet is a brief summary of a translation paper on smart growth, part of a
series produced by the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable
Communities. The full papers can be
found on the Funders’ Network website, www.fundersnetwork.org |
· Across the U.S., the
average size of public schools is increasing. Schools constructed today are often designed to serve more
students, and require larger facilities.
· Because these
schools require larger lots, they usually cannot be built in the more
central, developed sections of towns or neighborhoods.
· Instead, new schools
are often located on the edge of a community, creating a need for new
roads and other infrastructure.
· This encourages the
construction of new houses around the school, and the resulting pattern of
rapid development can lead to the elimination of valued open space.
· When schools are less
centrally located, fewer children can walk to school safely. This eliminates an opportunity for children
to exercise, and places increased responsibilities on parents.
· In addition, students’
academic performance may suffer when they attend larger schools, due to
fewer opportunities for close teacher-student relationships.
· Students attending
smaller schools are more likely to graduate and perform better on
standardized tests than students attending larger schools.
· Larger schools are
often more isolated from the community, because their size makes a central
location impossible.
· On the other hand, if
children attend smaller schools with strong roots in a particular neighborhood,
parents can more easily become involved in their children’s education.
· When schools are
located in an accessible neighborhood, they can more easily support a range of
community activities, and become a resource for the entire community to
enjoy.
· Smaller schools
represent a family- and community-friendly education strategy that can lead to better
schools, revitalized neighborhoods and stronger communities.
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For more information about smart
growth, how it affects your community and what you can do, contact the
CenterEdge Project. Office of Urban Affairs, Archdiocese of
Hartford 81 Saltonstall Avenue New Haven , CT
06513-4356 Contact Patricia Wallace, 203-777-7279 or
Pwallace@oua-adh.org This fact sheet prepared by Jessica
Leight, Project Assistant to the CenterEdge Project. |