Beyond Public vs. Designing Charter Schools

This panel will examine schools that don’t fit neatly into the typical public versus private dichotomy. Panelists will present some of the successes in providing innovative learning environments that are overlooked in the debates over privatization and school choice.

Questions we will examine include:
• What is a charter school? 
• Why are we discussing Charter Schools?
• Does the design of Charter schools differ from traditional public or private schools? If so, how?
• How are these schools working differently with architects to provide high-quality learning environments? 
• How is architecture playing a role in establishing and communicating the unique culture and mission of charters?
• How are these school funded and how does this limit or provide flexibility in how they engage architects in the design of their space? 
• How are these schools responsive to and accountable to their local communities? Are these schools designed as community schools?

Participants:
Susan Sack, Managing Director, Real Estate, Robin Hood Foundation
Emily White, Ed.D., faculty, Bank Street College of Education
Mark Thaler, AIA, Senior Associate, Education Practice Leader, Gensler
Paul Broches, FAIA, Partner, Mitchell | Giurgola Architects
John Doherty, AIA, Partner, Mitchell | Giurgola Architects
Eric Felczak, Development Associate, Civic Builders

Moderator: Gwen Conners AIA, Principal, 1100 Architects