By Lindsey Coulter

For decades, school design has followed a familiar formula: self-contained classrooms lined along corridors. While educational practices have evolved dramatically, many school buildings continue to reflect this decades-old model.

Architecture, planning and engineering firm SHP set out to challenge that convention with Peck Expeditionary Learning School in Greensboro, N.C. The project, completed for Guilford County Schools, was designed specifically to support the Expeditionary Learning (EL) educational model, requiring SHP to rethink nearly every assumption about how a school should function.

Education Philosophy Drives Design

Introduced in 1995, Expeditionary Learning (EL) is an educational philosophy that reimagines learning as an active, inquiry-driven and collaborative process. EL emphasizes real-world problem solving and interdisciplinary projects that encourage students to investigate, collaborate, reflect and present their work. That dynamic approach presented SHP with a unique design challenge.

“Expeditionary Learning inverts almost every default architectural assumption,” said David Powell, Principal and Partner at SHP. “The building had to become an active participant in learning and not just a passive container. You need transparency, reconfigurability and interconnected spaces that support project work.”

The first step was abandoning the traditional classroom concept. SHP instead designed the 142,000-square-foot, $78.7 million school as a series of learning neighborhoods organized around an Expeditionary Learning Commons. Flexible learning studios surround these commons and connect through extensive interior glazing, operable garage doors and movable partitions. Teachers can easily combine spaces, separate groups or allow multiple classes to work together. Students remain visually connected to one another, reinforcing collaboration as a shared experience rather than an isolated classroom activity.

Designing Behavior, Not Just Buildings

The EL philosophy also complements SHP’s approach to educational planning, as the firm’s goal is to create environments that naturally encourage the behaviors educators hope to foster.

“A building supports pedagogy when the architecture makes the desired behavior the path of least resistance,” Powell said. “When collaborating, moving outdoors, working in small groups, presenting to an audience and even learning from failure become easier than fighting the building itself, then the architecture is doing its job.”

For example, instead of keeping students static and seated, the building encourages movement between collaborative spaces, presentation areas, quiet work zones and outdoor learning environments.

Multiple scales of space allow students to work independently, gather in small groups or engage larger learning communities without encountering physical barriers. The result is an environment that quietly reinforces instructional goals through architecture rather than relying solely on operational policies.

Solving for Openness Without Sacrificing Performance

Creating interconnected learning environments naturally raises noise concerns. Traditional acoustic guidelines were largely developed for enclosed classrooms with fixed walls and don’t really account for flexible EL learning environments.

“But just as architects know how to control daylight through thoughtful placement of windows, we can control sound through careful planning, strategic adjacencies and thoughtful partition configurations,” Powell explained.

Learning neighborhoods were carefully organized so that collaborative energy could coexist with focused instruction. Strategic placement of spaces, combined with movable partitions and intentional spatial relationships, allows activity to occur without creating the chaotic environment often associated with large open spaces.

Architecture That Supports Belonging

Beyond flexibility and collaboration, SHP also prioritized social-emotional learning, understanding that architecture can play a meaningful role in helping students feel connected, supported and valued — particularly in communities where educational investment has historically lagged.

Located within Greensboro’s Glenwood neighborhood, Peck Expeditionary Learning serves one of North Carolina’s most economically challenged communities, where the previous school building was constructed in 1929. For SHP, providing an innovative learning environment became a matter of educational equity.

“I love working with clients who believe every student deserves an exceptional learning environment,” Powell said.“When a district is brave enough to move beyond traditional educational models, architecture can help create social and emotional connections that simply aren’t possible inside isolated classroom boxes.”

Throughout Peck, visual openness helps students remain connected to teachers and peers, while varied learning environments allow them to find spaces that support their individual learning styles. Those seemingly small design decisions can have a big impact.

“Kids learn better when they’re not in a container,” Powell said. “When you take away those rigid boundaries and provide different kinds of learning spaces, students find the place where they learn best.”

Learning From the Building After Occupancy

Unlike projects that conclude when students move in, SHP views Peck as an ongoing learning opportunity. The firm is conducting a comprehensive post-occupancy evaluation that includes interviews, surveys and building observations to better understand how students and educators are using the space.

“We didn’t want year one to simply be a feeling that the building worked,” Powell said. “We wanted it to become an actionable report that helps us improve future projects and gives the next district confidence to be brave enough to rethink what a school can be.”

One of Powell’s favorite indicators of success wasn’t captured in a survey but during the school’s opening, when a young student climbed into one of the building’s circular windows, settled into the space and silently offered two enthusiastic thumbs-up.

Similarly, the school’s central courtyard, created between two building wings, has become one of the building’s most popular destinations.

“The building’s arms are wrapped around the students,” Powell said. “For children who don’t always feel safe once they leave campus, they’ve discovered an outdoor place where they feel protected and connected. Watching them choose to spend time there has been one of the most rewarding parts of the project.”

The SHP Approach and Difference

For SHP, the design process begins well before a floor plan takes shape. The firm’s work is rooted in listening, believing that transformational spaces are created only by taking into account the lived experiences of the people who inhabit them. Before a single line is drawn, the firm’s designers make a point of engaging with the educators, students and community members who will be using the space every day. This process is implemented into every educational project the firm undertakes; it actually earned SHP the James D. MacConnell Award in 2023.

That process is especially important for districts exploring more flexible, student-centered models of learning. Peck, for instance, was built around a pedagogy that prioritizes flexibility, student agency and belonging. Rather than layering those ideas into a conventional template, the firm identified ways to make that pedagogy visible and practical throughout the building: smaller learning communities, varied settings for collaboration and independence, and a strong relationship between the building and its external community. The result is a school that was designed to be contextually sensitive to its community, and shaped by and for the community.

This article was sponsored by SHP originally published in the . To learn more, visit .

The post A School Without Boundaries: How Architecture Can Become an Active Participant in Education appeared first on 91��Ƶ.

The post A School Without Boundaries: How Architecture Can Become an Active Participant in Education appeared first on 91��Ƶ.

By Catherine Dalton, AIA, RID, LEED AP BD+C

When elementary and middle schools in the Seagoville, Texas, area began experiencing overcrowding, the Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) faced a familiar dilemma: build more classrooms or rethink the system creating the pressure.

The district chose the latter.

Educational innovation is often associated with new programs, emerging technologies or specialized learning environments. Yet some of the most impactful innovations occur when planning, policy and design are intentionally aligned to solve complex challenges.

The resulting Seagoville PK-8 Campus Magnet Model demonstrates how districts can create long-term solutions that extend far beyond building another school. By aligning facility planning, enrollment strategy, and educational programming, Dallas ISD addressed overcrowding while expanding educational opportunities and supporting future community growth.

Framing the Challenge

As the second-largest school district in Texas, Dallas ISD serves more than 134,000 students and roughly 21,000 professional staff across 228 schools, including 135 elementary schools, 35 middle schools, 36 high schools and 22 multi-level schools.

As enrollment projections climbed, elementary and middle schools within the Seagoville feeder pattern began experiencing capacity challenges. At the same time, district leaders recognized another opportunity: expanding access to school choice programming in a region that historically had fewer magnet options than other parts of the district.

Rather than viewing these as separate challenges, Dallas ISD asked a broader question: how could one project simultaneously address overcrowding, expand educational opportunity and support long-term community growth?

Looking Beyond Capacity

Overcrowding is often treated as a space problem. Typical responses may involve adding classrooms, installing portable buildings, adjusting attendance boundaries or constructing another campus. While these solutions can provide immediate relief, they do not always address the underlying system that is driving enrollment pressures.

The most successful districts recognize that capacity planning should not happen in isolation. Facility decisions influence enrollment patterns. Enrollment policies influence access. Grade configurations influence student experience. Community demographics influence all of the above.

When these decisions are considered together, new possibilities emerge. For Dallas ISD, that meant rethinking not only where students would learn, but how the district could create a more flexible and resilient educational model for the future.

The Power of the PK-8 Model

The district ultimately selected a PK-8 configuration to relieve enrollment pressure across multiple grade bands simultaneously. The value of the model extends beyond capacity management.

Districts across the country have increasingly explored PK-8 configurations for their ability to improve continuity, reduce transitional disruptions and provide greater operational flexibility.

From a student perspective, a PK-8 campus provides continuity during critical developmental years, reducing transitions and fostering stronger relationships among students, staff and families. From a district perspective, it creates greater flexibility for managing growth across elementary and middle-school grades. From a community perspective, it strengthens identity and connection by allowing families to remain within a single learning environment for a longer period of time.

Most importantly, the building becomes a tool for implementing a broader vision.

The new Seagoville PK-8 is a 118,000-square-foot, two-story campus designed to serve 800 students from Pre-K through eighth grade. The school includes STEM, language and makerspaces; science laboratories; fine-arts programs; collaborative learning environments; and flexible instructional spaces that support a wide range of educational experiences.

When Enrollment Strategy Becomes a Planning Tool

One of the most innovative aspects of the project is that the solution extends beyond the building itself.

By prioritizing enrollment opportunities for students living closest to the campus, Dallas ISD created a direct mechanism for relieving pressure on surrounding schools. At the same time, remaining capacity is available through the school’s magnet model, expanding access to innovative programming for students across the district.

Rather than treating enrollment as an administrative exercise, the district used it as a strategic planning tool.

This approach accomplishes multiple objectives simultaneously:

• Relieves overcrowding in neighboring schools
• Expands access to school choice opportunities
• Increases educational access within the local community
• Preserves district-wide magnet enrollment options
• Supports long-term enrollment flexibility

Too often, enrollment policy and facilities planning are discussed independently. In reality, they are most effective when designed together.

A Campus Rooted in Place

What makes Seagoville PK-8 unique is the way the project leverages its site as an educational asset.

Located on a 100-acre, shared educational campus alongside an existing middle school and high school, the new school sits within one of the last remaining post-oak reserves in the city of Dallas. Rather than treating the natural environment as a constraint, the project team viewed it as an opportunity to enhance learning.

Educational walking trails, outdoor learning environments and ecosystem-based studies transform the site into a teaching tool. Students can engage directly with natural systems, exploring environmental science, ecology and stewardship through hands-on experiences connected to the campus landscape.

The result is a learning environment where education extends beyond the classroom walls and where the site itself becomes part of the curriculum.

The approach reinforces a broader lesson: effective educational planning extends beyond buildings and enrollment counts to include how students experience and engage with their environment.

The Importance of Early Alignment

Projects like Seagoville do not succeed because of a building alone. They succeed because district leadership, planning teams, designers and construction partners align around a shared vision early in the process.

One of the most valuable aspects of this effort is the willingness to evaluate educational goals, operational realities, enrollment strategy and facility planning simultaneously rather than sequentially. Difficult conversations occurred early, when decisions could still meaningfully influence outcomes.

That alignment helped avoid a common challenge in school planning: solving today’s problem in a way that creates tomorrow’s constraint.

Designing Opportunity

The lessons from Seagoville also extend well beyond a single project. As communities continue to grow and educational needs evolve, school leaders will increasingly face questions about capacity, access, equity and long-term adaptability.

The answer may not always be another classroom, addition or boundary adjustment. Sometimes the answer involves building smarter systems.

Seagoville demonstrates that the most effective school investments are not simply measured by square footage or seat counts. They are measured by a district’s ability to create opportunity, adapt to growth and position students for long-term success.

By aligning educational programming, enrollment strategy, campus planning and facility design, Dallas ISD transformed an overcrowding challenge into an opportunity to expand access, strengthen community connections and create a learning environment designed for future generations.

Catherine Dalton, AIA, RID, LEED AP BD+C, is the K-12 Market Leader at KAI Enterprises.

This article was originally published in the .

The post Transforming Overcrowding into Opportunity: Building Smarter Systems, Not Just More Classrooms appeared first on 91��Ƶ.

The post Transforming Overcrowding into Opportunity: Building Smarter Systems, Not Just More Classrooms appeared first on 91��Ƶ.

By Rob Filary, AIA

Across the country, Transitional Kindergarten is moving from pilot to policy, from niche offering to a foundational layer of public education. As districts expand access, a practical question comes into focus: where do four-year-olds fit within systems built for older children?��

The answer is beginning to reshape the physical environment of schools in ways both subtle and consequential. Transitional Kindergarten is not a program that can simply be absorbed into existing classrooms. It asks for spaces tailored to a different stage of development, where independence is��emerging��but not yet assumed, and where the first experience of school can shape a child’s long-term relationship to learning.��

Design, in this context, becomes less about accommodation and more about calibration.��

A Different Kind of Classroom����

Traditional elementary classrooms are organized around independence and routine. Transitional Kindergarten��operates��on a more fluid threshold. Students are learning how to be at school, and the environment plays��a central role��in that transition.��

Classrooms are larger, more��flexible��and intentionally zoned. Distinct areas for quiet reading, active play, group instruction, and sensory exploration allow students to move between modes of learning with clarity. Fixtures,��storage��and visual cues are scaled to a child’s perspective, supporting autonomy without overwhelming choice. In-class restrooms reduce disruption and reinforce independence, while material shifts from soft flooring to durable surfaces support a range of activities throughout the day.��

These intentional adjustments shape how students navigate space, build��confidence��and begin to understand the rhythms of school.��

The Architecture of a First Experience��

For many families, Transitional Kindergarten marks a child’s first sustained interaction with the school system. Design decisions at the campus level carry weight beyond the classroom.��

Locating Transitional Kindergarten classrooms near the front of campus, with direct access to drop-off zones, can ease daily routines and reduce stress for caregivers and children alike. What appears to be a logistical decision becomes part of a family’s sense of trust and belonging.

Within the classroom, access to daylight, views to nature, and controlled sensory input support focus and emotional regulation. Just beyond it, outdoor environments extend this experience in more physical, immediate ways.��

Outdoor Transitional Kindergarten play yards do more than providing a space recess by functioning as a dynamic extension of the classroom where learning becomes physical,��sensory��and directly connected to the surrounding environment. A well-designed outdoor space carries the same intentionality as its indoor counterpart, supporting exploration,��discovery��and skill-building across developmental domains.��

These environments play a critical role in social and emotional development. Open-ended areas invite collaboration, negotiation, and problem-solving, as children learn to navigate shared spaces and group activity. The ability to move freely and make choices fosters independence,��confidence��and self-regulation which are skills that underpin long-term academic readiness.��

Support for the student’s physical development is embedded in the landscape itself. Climbing elements, varied terrain, and adaptable materials support coordination, spatial awareness, and both fine and gross motor skills. At this stage, movement is fundamental to well-rounded learning.��

Thoughtful outdoor classrooms also reflect a broader commitment to inclusivity. Shaded areas, quiet nooks, sensory gardens, and flexible play features create multiple points of entry, allowing all students to engage in ways that align with their individual needs and comfort. Designing a yard with these elements in mind provides even the youngest students with an environment that broadens the definition of learning while��remaining��legible and supportive to every child.��

Here, play is not separate from learning but one of its primary vehicles.��

Fitting into the Larger Whole��

As Transitional Kindergarten expands, its integration into existing campuses becomes a strategic exercise. These classrooms do not��operate��in isolation but instead influence circulation,��supervision��and daily operations across the site.��

Proximity to kindergarten can support developmental continuity, while a degree of separation helps��maintain��an appropriate scale��for younger students. Many schools are beginning to cluster early learning environments into dedicated zones, creating a “school within a school” that balances connection with protection.��

Operational patterns shift as well. Drop-off and pick-up routines change when families��accompany��younger children. Supervision lines, restroom access, and security measures must account for different behaviors and needs. Even the orientation of windows and outdoor spaces contributes to a sense of safety and enclosure.��

These considerations extend beyond design in the narrow sense and shape how the campus functions over the course of the day.��

A Foundation with Lasting Impact��

Well-designed Transitional Kindergarten spaces help students understand where they are, what is expected, and how to move through the school day with growing confidence. They offer families clarity and reassurance and give educators environments that support a range of teaching approaches.��

As districts continue to invest in these programs, the question is no longer whether Transitional Kindergarten belongs on the elementary campus, but how its presence can strengthen it for everyone.��

By getting it right early, schools can reduce friction for families, support educators more effectively, and create environments aligned with how young children learn and develop. A stronger start for students and a more responsive campus begins with treating the first step into education as a moment worth designing with care.����

Rob Filary, AIA, is an Education Sector Leader at��.

Get more weekly reports and��timely��updates by subscribing for free at��schoolconstructionnews.com/subscribe.��

The post Designing the First Step: How Transitional Kindergarten Is Reshaping the Elementary Campus appeared first on 91��Ƶ.

The post Designing the First Step: How Transitional Kindergarten Is Reshaping the Elementary Campus appeared first on 91��Ƶ.

By Lindsey Coulter

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. and GAITHERSBURG, Md. — The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE), headquartered in Scottsdale, and the Education Market Association (EDmarket), based in Gaithersburg, are joining forces, forming one entity that will “create a powerful new association dedicated to reimagining where and how students learn” according to a joint statement. By uniting their expertise, A4LE and EDmarket hope to “accelerate innovation and expand opportunities to design learning spaces that inspire, engage and empower every student.”

The organizations together serve a global network of planners, designers, educators, industry experts, manufacturers, dealers, and suppliers working to create high-quality, sustainable and innovative learning environments. This merger will create a single, global community committed to designing dynamic, sustainable, and student-centered learning environments that prepare the next generation for success.

“Together, we have the power to reimagine learning environments worldwide, strengthening our voice, expanding impact, and enriching the knowledge that shapes spaces where students learn,” said Darlene Akers, EDmarket Chair, in a statement. “By uniting our leaders, members, and staff, we can inspire greater success for every student.”

Following joint analysis, strategic alignment, and financial review, the boards of both organizations unanimously agreed that combining strengths will create a stronger voice for the industry and deliver greater value for members worldwide. While both organizations report strong financial health, joining forces will allow both entities to maintain stability and create new opportunities to reinvest in the programs, events and professional development.

“By uniting A4LE and EDmarket, we amplify a shared mission to create exceptional learning environments for every student-strengthening our voice, combining our resources, and expanding our impact so that educational spaces everywhere truly inspire learning and success,” added Ryan Bultena, A4LE Chair.

The merger will further allow the organizations to:

• Expand opportunities for global connections and learning.
• Lead the way in learning-environment design.
• Provide more value through integrated events, credentials, and professional growth.
• Bring together the voices of both professionals and industry partners to strengthen our impact on the K–12 community.

The two organizations will continue to operate independently through 2026, during which time membership, services and events will remain unchanged. The organizations’ upcoming flagship events — LearningSCAPES, held in Phoenix Oct. 29-Nov. 1, and EDspaces, held in Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 5-7 — will continue as planned for 2025 and 2026. Additionally, both ALEP® and ECLPS credentials remain valid and will continue to be supported, with opportunities for broader recognition and career growth.

Legal consolidation will begin Jan. 30, 2026, and integration and planning related to staff, services and governance will continue throughout the year. Full integration and a permanent governance structure are expected to be established by early 2027. This will include a unified mission, vision, and values dedicated to serving the needs of all stakeholders, advancing high-performing, sustainable and innovative learning environments everywhere.

The post A4LE and EDmarket Unite to Shape the Future of Learning Environments appeared first on 91��Ƶ.

The post A4LE and EDmarket Unite to Shape the Future of Learning Environments appeared first on 91��Ƶ.

By Lindsey Coulter

Chuck Saylors, vice president of JM Cope Construction in Rock Hill, S.C., is a long-time advocate for education and school facility development. With more than 23 years of experience as an elected school board member for Greenville, S.C., and as a former president of the National PTA, Saylors has become a key figure in the education design community. He is also a longtime proponent of 91��Ƶ partner the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE).

In anticipation of A4LE’s annual LearningSCAPES event, held this year in Phoenix Oct. 29-Nov. 1, Saylors spoke with 91��Ƶ about his construction career, his involvement with A4LE and his decades of commitment to improving educational spaces.

SCN: What drew you to get involved in A4LE?

Saylors: I first attended some A4LE conferences in South Carolina back when it was still known as CEFPI (Council for Educational Facility Planning). Around 2006, I began getting more involved. Much like with the PTA, one thing led to another. The word “no” is just not in my vocabulary. When A4LE asked if I would help with something, I agreed. Over the years, I served at the state and regional levels, and last year, I had the honor of serving as chairman of the Global Board of Directors.

SCN: Why is A4LE such an important part of the education design community?

Saylors: To my knowledge, A4LE is the only organization that brings together public schools, the design community, and the construction industry with the common goal of providing a safe, secure, and high-quality learning environment for every student and teacher, no matter the size of their community. A4LE allows the design community to see best practices from different areas, while providing educators with knowledge about how to get the best possible projects in the most affordable way. For me, it’s all about creating environments where students can thrive.

The LearningSCAPES conference is also an amazing opportunity for professionals in education design to network and learn from each other. One of the highlights for me has always been the shared focus on making sure every student and teacher has access to a safe, secure, and high-quality learning environment.

SCN: What are you most excited about for the 2025 LearningSCAPES event?

Saylors: I’m excited to see the best practices from professionals around the globe. At LearningSCAPES, you can network with thousands of A4LE members from North America, Australia and Europe. For example, it’s incredible to see how certain design solutions that worked in the Midwest can be applied in the Southeast, or vice versa. The ability to learn from one another in such a diverse setting is priceless. And, of course, the continuing education opportunities are a major draw as well.

A big focus of the event is looking ahead, especially with the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in everything we do. When I first got involved in general contracting, I would look at building plans and immediately think about the square-foot costs and taxpayer dollars. But attending events like LearningSCAPES allows you to see how design professionals have been able to balance cost with creativity, incorporating unique design elements in an affordable way. These events also give us a glimpse into the future, particularly with technology like AI, and how it’s changing the design and construction process.

SCN: Is there any particular success story or project that stands out as a testament to A4LE’s impact?

Saylors: I would say the biggest impact A4LE has made is in continuing education. The programs A4LE provides for design professionals, constructors, and school leaders give them mission-critical knowledge that directly helps with ongoing professional development. Our micro-credentialing and certification programs offer real, tangible benefits to members, helping them stay ahead in an ever-evolving industry. Beyond that, the relationships and best practices shared at these events are invaluable.

SCN: As someone who has been deeply involved in both the construction and education sectors, what advice would you give to those who want to create better learning environments?

Saylors: If your goal is to ensure every student and teacher has access to a quality learning environment, A4LE is the best place to find the resources and talent to make that happen. Whether you’re a member of the design community, an educator, or a school leader, A4LE has the knowledge and network to help you accomplish that goal. Once people get engaged, they usually say, “I should have done this sooner.” It’s an invaluable resource for anyone serious about improving education environments.

A4LE is more than just a professional association; it’s a community. The relationships and knowledge shared at these events are transformative. If you’re committed to creating environments where every student can succeed, this is the place to be.

The post Chuck Saylors Talks A4LE, Education Design and the Future of Learning Environments appeared first on 91��Ƶ.

The post Chuck Saylors Talks A4LE, Education Design and the Future of Learning Environments appeared first on 91��Ƶ.