In recent years the State of Georgia has been afforded the opportunity to improve significantly the physical learning environment for public school students through the state capital outlay program and the special purpose local option sales tax. Many new schools with state-of-the-art technology infrastructure are opening their doors each year. As brick-and-mortar structures are being erected, more questions are being raised about how those structures should be configured to support teaching and learning; how many students should be accommodated on a school campus; what the grade structure should be for schools; how the schools can be made safe and secure for students and adults; and in fact, whether those structures will be needed as more and more formal learning is occurring in a virtual environment.
This component of the Vision for Public Education in Georgia examines the question of the kinds of physical resources that are essential for Georgia’s educational system to provide the state’s children a world-class education that prepares them for learning, work, and life.