INSPIRE: Leveraging the $1.1B Investment in Baltimore City Schools
Baltimore
City Public Schools, in partnership with the Maryland Stadium Authority,
Baltimore City, and the State of Maryland will be investing $1.1 Billion to
renovate or replace approximately 30 schools over the next several years
through the 21st Century School Initiative (see map of Year 1 and Year 2 schools below).
Partners are
working together to develop a three pronged approach to leverage this historic
investment in our schools:
o
Design and Construction: Baltimore City Public Schools and the Maryland
Stadium Authority are leading the
design and construction of new buildings and complete renovations, with a focus
on the school buildings and sites.
o
Community Space in Schools: The Family League
is facilitating a planning process to identify potential partnerships to address wrap around service
needs of each school, such as after school programs, food banks, or mental health
services. The focus is services for
students, their families and residents of surrounding neighborhood.
o
INSPIRE: The Planning Department has begun
developing a planning program for the neighborhoods around each of the
new/renovated schools. The program is
called INSPIRE, which stands for Investing in
Neighborhoods and Schools to Promote Improvement, Revitalization, and
Excellence.
 The INSPIRE plans will focus on the quarter mile surrounding each school
to leverage the investment in the school and to provide a continuum from the
school to the neighborhood (see
sample map below).
Plans will
provide vision to guide private investment as well as identify specific,
implementable public improvements regarding Transportation, Housing, Open
Space, etc. to improve the surrounding neighborhood so that it can better
support the school.
o
Stronger schools lead to stronger
neighborhoods. Millions of dollars of investment in
schools can serve as a trigger point for additional investment in the
surrounding neighborhood. A plan is
needed to guide that investment.
o
Stronger neighborhoods lead to
stronger schools. When students and families have all of
their basic needs met, kids are more likely to attend school and have better
outcomes.
To help ensure the success of INSPIRE, Mayor Rawlings-Blake
has funded two new dedicated community planner positions in the FY 2015 budget,
and has set aside $5 million of the next General Obligation Bond program, which
comes for voter approval this November, to implement INSPIRE projects and
priorities.
Schedule
for Most Year 1 Schools:
- Stakeholder Engagement Kick-Off at
Community Forums, June 2014
- Walking Tours, Data, & Service
Assessment, Summer
2014
- Workshop(s), Fall
2014
- Coordinate Community Schools Plan with
Neighborhood Plan, Fall 2014
- Develop
Neighborhood Action Plan, Fall/Winter
2014
The planning and engagement process for Year 2 Schools is expected to begin in the Fall of 2014.
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