Abstract
Between 2002 and 2017, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) undertook the most expensive school construction project in US history, spending $20 billion to construct 131 new schools concentrated in predominantly lower-income Latinx communities. The construction boom arose in response to mass migrations from Latin America that peaked in the 1990s, causing many LA schools to become severely overcrowded. Using reports from the planning process, spatial analysis, and interviews, the paper traces how Latinx and other minoritized communities mobilized to shape the district’s proposed designs, resulting in more community-centered schools. While the school district publicly espoused a commitment to equity by focusing new construction where it was most needed in South and East LA, plans initially focused narrowly on creating more seats to relieve overcrowding. As the result of grassroots mobilization that gave voice to an alternative spatial imaginary emphasizing authentic care (cariño), the district eventually designed new school buildings through formal community partnerships that came to include affordable housing, clinics, gardens, youth centers, and performance spaces. Despite these important shifts in school design, Latinx communities also noted critical setbacks. Rising rents and gentrification threaten their access to the new schools in the longer term. Moreover, the rapid expansion of charter schools and resulting dispersal of students raises questions of how the buildings will be utilized and what will be their connection to local communities. The case presents important lessons on the politics of participatory design and the role of community mobilization in planning.
Presenters
Esa SyeedAssociate Professor, Sociology, California State University-Long Beach, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Participatory Design, Regional Planning, Public Schools
