In an effort to assist school systems the Administration has proposed to two initiatives. The second initiative is to provide funds to communities through a discretionary grant program to assist a community consortium or partnership that includes the school district in carrying out a public engagement process. The intent of the program is to assist in funding a public dialogue or conversation about what the community values and wants for its new or modernized schools. The outcome in communities that have conducted a public dialogue on education is that schools become centers of community .
Schools become a resource and asset to be used by and for the whole community.
Included in this discussion will be the design principles developed during a national symposium on school design sponsored by ED in October 1998 and examples of communities that have used public engagement to planning and designing schools. .