Building Schools, Building Communities: A Forum on the Role of State Policy in California was convened on June 11 - 12, 2007, at the University of California-Berkeley, and sponsored by the American Architectural Foundation (AAF) and the UC Berkeley Center for Cities & Schools (CC&S) in close partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Center for Physical Activity within the California Department of Public Health.
This forum was designed to open a needed dialog and critical discussion on the massive and growing investment in public school construction funding in California, where more than $30 billion in state bonds has been passed over the past five years. The forum was convened in the belief that California has a unique opportunity to use this massive public investment in school facilities as a mechanism to create superior learning environments that are integrated into and viewed as strategic assets in their communities. Too many new schools are often “simply adequate” and lack the innovative siting and design solutions that enhance teaching, learning, and community life. As a result, California is missing a significant opportunity, indeed a once in a generation opportunity, to link billions of dollars in school construction funding to a broader vision of community and regional growth and prosperity.
Bringing together more than 40 policymakers and practitioners from across the state as well as national experts, the forum examined the wide range of California state policies on school planning, design, and construction, and the ways those policies influence local decisions.
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