Baltimore’s School-Centered Neighborhood Investments: An Analysis of the 21st Century School Building Program

The 21st Century School Buildings Program is an unprecedented state and local investment in the renovation and construction of Baltimore City Public Schools System (BCPSS) schools. Leveraging bond money, it provides $1.1 billion in funding to support the renovation and/or replacement of Baltimore City public schools. Maryland Philanthropy Network’s (MPN) School-Centered Neighborhood Investment Initiative (SCNII) aims to leverage this historic investment not only for schools but also for their surrounding neighborhoods. SCNII’s vision positions the new and renovated schools as community assets and anchor investments that can strengthen communities, increase homeownership, and attract new real estate and business investments.

The School-Centered Neighborhood Investment Initiative funded a research team led by Dr. Ariel H. Bierbaum, Assistant Professor, Urban Studies and Planning Program at the University of Maryland to conduct an initial analysis of the 21CSBP efforts. The analysis sought to document the 21CSBP’s implementation process, understand the complex relationships among responsible agencies (BCPSS, the Maryland Stadium Authority, and city agencies), and explore the implementation and emerging outcomes of the program in three neighborhoods. Click here to view the full report.

All MPN members are invited to hear from the research team: Ariel H. Bierbaum, MCP, PhD; Erin O’Keefe, MPP; and Alisha Butler, MA; about the report’s findings and the overarching questions they raise about the 21CSBP. These questions bridge their findings with the current context and aim to prompt reflection and additional conversations about the 21CSBP in the face of the “dual pandemics” of COVID-19 and systemic racism in the United States.

Members with an interest in strengthening Baltimore’s neighborhoods, 21^st Century Schools, and the role of Community Schools are encouraged to join this conversation.

This program is for MPN members and invited guests only.