Learning By Design 2000: About

Published each spring by the National School Boards Association's flagship magazine American School Board Journal, Learning By Design showcases exemplary school design projects from across the continent. Each print edition presents the best in ...

for K-12 public, private, or parochial schools; prekindergarten schools; and community colleges in the United States and Canada.

Project descriptions, photographs, key data, and contact information for each entry provide a ready reference for school leaders who are planning to build new schools or renovate existing facilities. Articles by accepted experts in the field provide practical advice on construction and in-depth coverage of design trends.

Learning By Design online displays winning projects from our print edition and adds a complete list of construction projects, region-by-region listings of experienced school architects, and the complete text of feature articles from our print edition. Exclusively online, the Resources page links users to regularly updated news and information, practical articles, and useful Internet sites.

Introduction: A Place to Learn

Construction begins on two new K-12 school buildings each business day, according to the Department of Education. But these aren't just buildings, they're places to learn -- rich, inviting environments where students can encounter new ideas, practice hands-on skills, and engage with the challenging concepts that have formed our civilization and will inform our future.

How can a building do all that? Today's schools -- as these projects show -- provide a wealth of creative design solutions, including state-of-the-art technology and science facilities, small-group and large-group instructional spaces, multiuse areas for athletics and the arts, and commons areas where students can gather. These bright, appealing surroundings make young children feel at home with learning and make older students feel valued and respected.

Well-designed schools are more than just pretty spaces, though: Research shows that school conditions have a real impact on student achievement and behavior. For example:

A 1995 study in New York City found that students in overcrowded schools scored significantly lower on both math and reading exams than did their counterparts in schools that weren't crowded.
A 1993 study of small, rural high schools in Virginia found a connection between a school's condition and its students' achievement. Lower achievement was associated with such factors as inadequate science facilities, substandard lockers and classroom furniture, graffiti, and noisy outside environments.
A 1991 study in Washington, D.C., found that students in school buildings that were in poor condition achieved 11 percent below those attending schools in excellent condition.

Unfortunately, far too many students are still attending overcrowded schools and schools that are in poor condition. The average public school in America is 42 years old, and one-third of all public schools -- about 25,000 -- need extensive repair or replacement.

What's more, the Education Department estimates that at least 2,400 new schools will be needed by 2003 to accommodate rising enrollments and relieve overcrowding -- and thousands more will be needed in the following years.

Together these trends spell an urgent need for school construction and modernization -- an urgent need for well-designed places to learn.

You'll find plenty of such places in this edition of Learning By Design, all selected for inclusion by a panel of distinguished architects and planners. The resources and design ideas gathered here will help you make your school district's construction projects real places for learning.

Call for Entries

Feature your project in Learning By Design 2001. To receive entry materials, contact Antoinette Wilson, advertising assistant, at (703) 838-6227. For more information visit LBD's Contact page.

Introduction: A Place to Learn

Call for Entries