Schools

View of concrete schoolyard in New York City through fence

An Urbanist Agenda for Education

An opinion article by Angie Schmitt addresses the neglect of education policy in the urbanist political platform, and proposes two specific education policy goals for urbanists to get behind.

August 23, 2023 - Angie Schmitt

View of park playground with palm trees in background

Protecting Kids from Climate Change by Greening Schools

Los Angeles Unified School District is in the process of implementing a plan to ensure that at least 30 percent of all campuses include green spaces by 2035.

August 21, 2023 - The 19th

A homeless encampment fills a sidewalk in front of a Sizzler restaurant advertising Thanksgiving dinner.

L.A.’s New Homelessness Plan: Ban Camping Near Schools, Daycares

The city of Los Angeles is scrambling to keep up with its growing homeless population, and increasingly leaning on punitive measures in response to the crisis.

June 1, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Low-saturation image of a concrete schoolyard with basketball hoop

'Greening' L.A.'s Schoolyards

Advocates for increasing green space on school campuses say giving students a more healthy outdoor environment can also reduce the urban heat island effect and improve public health in historically underserved communities.

March 29, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Pandemic Protest

Pandemic Debate: Civil Liberties vs. Individual Liberties

The American Civil Liberties Union stepped into the nation's masking debate in K-12 schools on the side of parents of students with disabilities. They won the first round in the U.S. Southern District Court of Iowa. Mask mandates are permitted again.

September 20, 2021 - Des Moines Register

Back to School September 2020

Reopening Schools: CDC Reduces Social Distancing Requirement

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now supports three-foot distancing in elementary school classrooms provided there is universal masking. For middle and high schools, it depends on the level of coronavirus transmission in the community.

March 29, 2021 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

School Drop Off

Opinion: Stop Paving Seattle Playgrounds for Parking Lots

Seattle schools are often forced to reduce their playground space in favor of parking and circulation for private cars, but altering the city code could change that.

March 5, 2021 - The Urbanist

Quarantini

Bars or Schools? Governors Need to Decide

In a frank assessment of the reopening choices confronting the nation's governors, Harvard's global health expert, Ashish Jha, asserts that the opening of bars and some other indoor businesses jeopardizes the opening of schools in the fall.

July 6, 2020 - CNN

Walking the Dog

The Suburbs, Reimagined

Eight experts produce a "manifesto for a new suburbia."

November 14, 2019 - Curbed

Maryland School

For Lack of Schools: Building Moratorium Set to Take Effect

The Montgomery County Council made a few last minute changes to a residential building moratorium that will take effect next week, halting construction in areas around the county's schools.

June 27, 2019 - Bethesda Magazine

Children Walking To School

Kids Still Aren't Walking to School

Two generations ago, most children walked to school. But the numbers have dropped significantly.

March 13, 2019 - Public Square: A CNU Journal

Porter Ranch

Study: Kids Do Worse in Schools Near Traffic

Moving to a school with higher levels of traffic pollution could impact students' academic performance, according to new research.

February 10, 2019 - CityLab

School Chlidren

San Jose Proposes Turning Schools into Teacher Housing, Faces Outcry

A San Jose Unified School District plan to relocate several schools and build affordable housing in their place has sparked controversy. The district says teachers increasingly can't afford to live in the area.

October 9, 2018 - The Mercury News

Bethesda, Maryland

Where There Aren't Enough Schools for New Homes

Parts of Montgomery County, Maryland have declared a moratorium on new homes because schools are overcrowded.

September 12, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

Bikes and Kids

San Francisco Schools Teach Bike-Riding in P.E.

Bike safety could become part of the second-grade curriculum districtwide.

April 13, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

School bus with stop sign

Drivers Most Distracted Right When School Gets Out

A study from the company, Zendrive, found that the overwhelming majority of motorists drive distracted between the hours of 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

September 28, 2017 - CityLab

Two Brothers Walk to School

Why So Early? School Start Times and Suburban Sprawl

The advent of sprawl coincided with a move toward earlier school start times, prompted by a need to coordinate complicated bussing. If students could walk to school, the problem might disappear.

April 6, 2017 - CityLab

London Mayor: Cars Shouldn't Be Allowed Near Schools

The mayor of London thinks ignoring the dangers of pollution from cars today is just as bad as ignoring the dangers of smoking was 50 years ago.

March 22, 2017 - Evening Standard

School Site

8,000 U.S. Public Schools Located Near Sources of Pollution

Schools tend to get built on cheap land. Cheap land is often found near busy roadways—sources of pollutants that are harmful to the health of children.

February 21, 2017 - The Center for Public Integrity

Seattle Waterfront

The Why and How of Locating a School in Downtown Seattle

A Seattle writer makes the case for a new school to be located in Downtown Seattle.

May 21, 2016 - The Urbanist

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.