School Siting and Walkability: Experience and Policy Implications in California 1

The relationship between K-12 school siting, transportation, and land-use patterns is garnering increased attention from the planning and public health fields, as well as policymakers. Essentially, new schools are sited in locations far from where students live that lack pedestrianoriented street characteristics, which contributes to low-density development ("sprawl") and inhibits students from walking or bicycling to school (i.e., "Active School Commuting" or ASC). In California, the relationship between school siting, transportation, and land use is an especially salient issue for state policymakers. Goals on improving school siting outcomes to promote child and community health, efficient land-use development, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions have been integrated into recent state laws. However, it is unclear what policy fixes are needed to catalyze integration of local planning efforts around school siting. The relationships between school siting and location, urban form, and walkability are insufficiently examined to guide policy and program efforts--be they in California or other states. In particular, two knowledge gaps exist: the proportion of new school sites that are considered walkable, and what state-level policy changes might combat these so-called "sprawl schools" and promote ASC. To fill these gaps and guide policymakers, this paper: summarizes the research literature on school siting and healthy communities, paying particular attention to ASC findings; measures the walkability of new schools sites in six high-growth California counties; and describes recent policy activity by California state agencies to improve ASC vis-a-vis improving local school siting decisions. We conclude with recommendations for planners and policymakers--especially those in California--to grapple with the relationships between school siting and healthy community outcomes and how to structure appropriate state policies or reforms.