School facilities and grounds are integral components of public infrastructure that provide students with space to learn, socialize, and exercise.
However, once the school day is over, many school grounds and facilities sit empty. As interest grows in addressing pressing social concerns such as childhood obesity, lack of recreation/open space, suburban sprawl, and the need to efficiently use limited public resources, many consider expanding the use of school spaces to include non-school users (commonly referred to as, “joint use”) a strategic approach to help address these issues.
School districts, local municipalities, and/or nonprofit partners throughout the country are countering the common separation of uses and working together to accommodate school and community needs on school property. Using California as a “meta case,” this research report establishes an empirical understanding of the full range of joint use and how specific strategies fit into a larger picture of more efficiently and appropriately utilizing public school spaces for educational and community purposes.
