Louisiana Recovery Authority Adopts Eight Principles from AAF’s National Summit on School Design

Principles will Impact more than $200 Million in School Construction and Renovation Projects

WASHINGTON—September 26, 2006—The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA), the planning and coordinating body created to guide redevelopment in South Louisiana after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, has adopted the basis of the American Architectural Foundation’s (AAF) “Eight Recommendations for School Design Excellence in the 21st Century” as a guideline for its school facilty construction and rehabilitation projects in the affected regions.

These eight principles, growing out of AAF’s and KnowledgeWorks Foundation’s National Summit on School Design that took place in late 2005, address a variety of topics, from the integration of technology into school facilities to supporting neighborhood schools and creating schools that serve as centers of community. Approximately $200 million in school construction and school renovation projects that receive funding from LRA will be required to follow these principles, and this amount is expected to increase.

“We are very pleased that the work of the National Summit on School Design will be put to use to improve the quality of school facilities and student achievement in Louisiana,” said Ronald E. Bogle, President and CEO of the American Architectural Foundation. “This commitment to school design excellence will have a lasting impact on the facilities in the region and sets a positive example for other school districts.”

Linda Johnson, President of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education of the state of Louisiana and a member of the Board of Directors of the LRA, stated “These unfortunate circumstances have provided us with a rare opportunity to rebuild our school system using the best practices in school design today. The American Architectural Foundation’s school design principles will help guide our work in the construction and renovation of schools across south Louisiana to ensure that they are rebuilt safer, stronger and smarter than ever before.

Last fall, hurricanes Katrina and Rita damaged or destroyed more than 870 schools across South Louisiana, causing more than $1.3 billion in damage to K-12 schools in impacted parishes. In New Orleans, Katrina devastated roughly 100 school buildings and initially displaced 65,000 students and 7,000 teachers. Calling this a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for change," Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and the LRA endorsed legislation passed by the Louisiana Legislature to expand the Recovery School District, which allowed the state to take over all of the low-performing schools in Orleans Parish.

The National Summit on School Design attracted a cross-section of school stakeholders–from teachers, students and administrators to education advocates, elected officials, community planners and architects. The findings from this Summit were published in the 70-page Report from the National Summit on School Design. The report provides recommendations to help designers, educators, school administrators, and other leaders make better decisions about the $30 billion spent annually on new or renovated school facilities.

The report’s eight recommendations are:

Design Schools to Support a Variety of Learning Styles
Enhance Learning by Integrating Technology
Foster a “Small School” Culture
Support Neighborhood Schools
Create Schools as Centers of Community
Engage the Public in the Planning Process
Make Healthy, Comfortable, and Flexible Learning Spaces
Consider Non-Traditional Options for School Facilities and Classrooms

The report, which also features innovative school examples and an extensive resource section, is available at no cost on the web at www.archfoundation.org. To order a hard copy of the report for $15.00 including shipping, please visit www.nibs.org/pubsncef.html or call (202) 289-7800.

The National Summit on School Design was one component of the American Architectural Foundation’s Great Schools by Design national initiative. Launched in 2003, Great Schools by Design aims to improve the quality of America’s schools by promoting good design, encouraging collaboration in the school design process, and providing leading-edge resources to local community leaders.

About the American Architectural Foundation
The American Architectural Foundation (AAF) is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that educates individuals and communities about the power of architecture to transform lives and improve the places where we live, learn, work, and play. AAF’s programs include: The Mayors’ Institute on City Design and Great Schools by Design – highly regarded initiatives that help improve the built environment through the collaboration of thought leaders, designers, and local communities. Through its outreach programs, grants, exhibitions, and educational resources, the American Architectural Foundation helps people become thoughtful and engaged stewards of the world around them. For more information, please visit www.archfoundation.org.

Contact:
Helen Wechsler
(202) 626-7372
hwechsler@archfoundation.org