Session 13 - SRTS/CS Low-Income Mattera
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Making SRTS Work in Low- Income Communities: Georgia’s Perspective Abby Mattera Georgia Safe Routes to School Resource Center
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Transcript of Session 13 - SRTS/CS Low-Income Mattera
Making SRTS Work in
Low- Income Communities:
Georgia’s Perspective
Abby Mattera
Georgia Safe Routes to School
Resource Center
Georgia Safe Routes to School
Georgia Department of Transportation
•$17.2 million 2005-2009
–Resource Center
–Infrastructure Grants
•Reauthorization pending
Georgia SRTS Resource Center
•Established Summer 2009
•Focus on 4 E’s: Education,
Encouragement, Enforcement,
Evaluation
•6 Coordinators
•180+ Partner Schools
•100+ Community Friends
Georgia SRTS Resource Center
51% of Partner schools are low-income
19%
82%
44%
100%
62%
31%
GA SRTS Resource Center
Supporting low-income communities
–Additional travel plan assistance
–Stakeholder task forces
–Center of resources
Case Study: Knollwood Elementary
Located in Belvedere Park Community in unincorporated DeKalb County
–First-generation suburb
–Median household income: $37,207
School serves 266 children –97% Free/Reduced lunch
–100% Black
–Title 1 School
–School met AYP
Data collected from the 2000 Census and the Georgia Department of Education
Knollwood SRTS Summary
Challenges
• Nonexistent PTA
• Unsupportive administration
• Crime
• Lack of infrastructure
• No parental involvement
• Speeding
Successes
• Weekly parent-led Walking School Buses
• Monthly classroom competitions
• Poster contest
• Bike/Pedestrian education in PE class
• Bike racks installed
• Updated school zone signage and striping
• Increase number and frequency of walkers
• International Walk to School Day
• Georgia Walk to School Day
Knollwood SRTS Program
Knollwood Program Partners
•National Partnership
•Kaiser Permanente*
•DeKalb County Board of Health*
•SRTS State Network
•Teachers
•PATH Foundation
•Georgia State University
•Georgia SRTS Resource Center
*Provided additional funding
Case Study: Capitol View Elementary
Located in the City of Atlanta in Fulton County
–Semi-urban
–Median household income: $24,604
School serves 273 children –89% Free/Reduced lunch
–66.7% Black, 16.7% Asian, 16.7% Multi-Racial
–Title 1 School
–School met AYP
Data collected from the 2000 Census and the Georgia Department of Education
Capitol View SRTS Summary
Challenges
• Identifying champion
• Communicating to
parents
• Dangerous roads
• Crime
Successes
• Fall Walk to School
Day
• Bicycle and
Pedestrian Education
• Safety tips in
newsletter
• Infrastructure
improvements
Capitol View SRTS Program
Capitol View Program Partners
•Principal & Assistant Principal
•PEDS
•City of Atlanta Police Department
•Safe Kids Georgia
•Safe Kids Fulton
•FedEx Worldwide
•Georgia SRTS Resource Center
Case Study: Fairington Elementary
Located in Unincorporated DeKalb County
–Suburban
–Median household income: $26,191
School serves 605 children –85% Free/Reduced lunch
–100% Black
–Title 1 School
–School met AYP
Data collected from the 2000 Census and the Georgia Department of Education
Fairington SRTS Summary
Challenges
• Lack of parental
involvement
• Lack of infrastructure
• Difficulty maintaining
volunteers
• Burnt-out PTA
Successes
• Bicycle/Pedestrian
Education
• Staff-led walking
school buses
• Police enforcement of
speeds
• Increase number of
walkers on event day
Fairington SRTS Program
Fairington Program Partners
•Student Support Specialist
•School Nurse
•Teachers
•Safe Kids DeKalb
•Clean Air Campaign
•FedEx
•Georgia SRTS Resource Center
Case Study: Bethune Elementary
Located in Unincorporated Fulton County –First generation suburb
–Median household income: $39,141
School serves 680 children –85% Free/Reduced lunch
–95.7% Black, 4.3% Hispanic
–Title 1 School
–School met AYP
Data collected from the 2000 Census and the Georgia Department of Education
Bethune SRTS Summary
Challenges
• Lack of parental
involvement
• School administration
resources
• Community
communication
• Crime
• Lack of infrastructure
Successes
• Travel Plan
• Georgia W2S Day
• Parent/PTA Education
• Media attention
• Bike/Ped Education
Day
Bethune SRTS Program
Bethune Program Partners
•School Principal and Counselor
•Parents
•Fulton County Police Department
•Fulton County Public Works
•Fulton County School System
•Safety Street Georgia
•Safe Kids Fulton County
•Georgia SRTS Resource Center
Lessons Learned • Making SRTS work in low-income schools requires a
variety of partners
• Building trust with school is important
• Making program complimentary to current efforts and not feel like a “whole new program”
• Enlist older children to become role models/walking school bus leaders
• Funding goes a long way in getting school buy-in
• When engaging parents: need childcare/food/incentive
• Stress the benefits to the whole community, not just to the schools
Contact Information
Abby Mattera
Metro Atlanta School Outreach Coordinator
Georgia SRTS Resource Center
404.441.5728
Hotline: 877.436.8927
www.SafeRoutesGA.org
