New Orleans (and DC schools too)

In the Ninth Ward. Photo by Anya Kamenetz of the Village Voice.

Two important articles in the New Orleans Times-Picayune (should be up for another week):

-- What will New Orleans look like five years from now? Experts have a lot of big ideas, but their grand plans can't happen unless a fractured city rises to the challenge and

-- Get a plan and stick with it, say experts.

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The eight principles from the Main Street Approach are basic precepts that should guide all urban revitalization efforts:

Comprehensive: No single focus — lavish public improvements, name-brand business recruitment, or endless promotional events — can revitalize Main Street. For successful, sustainable, long-term revitalization, a comprehensive approach, including activity in each of Main Street's Four Points, is essential.

Incremental: Baby steps come before walking. Successful revitalization programs begin with basic, simple activities that demonstrate that "new things are happening " in the commercial district. As public confidence in the Main Street district grows and participants' understanding of the revitalization process becomes more sophisticated, Main Street is able to tackle increasingly complex problems and more ambitious projects. This incremental change leads to much longer-lasting and dramatic positive change in the Main Street area.

Self-help: No one else will save your Main Street. Local leaders must have the will and desire to mobilize local resources and talent. That means convincing residents and business owners of the rewards they'll reap by investing time and money in Main Street — the heart of their community. Only local leadership can produce long-term success by fostering and demonstrating community involvement and commitment to the revitalization effort.

Partnerships: Both the public and private sectors have a vital interest in the district and must work together to achieve common goals of Main Street's revitalization. Each sector has a role to play and each must understand the other's strengths and limitations in order to forge an effective partnership.

Identifying and capitalizing on existing assets: Business districts must capitalize on the assets that make them unique. Every district has unique qualities like distinctive buildings and human scale that give people a sense of belonging. These local assets must serve as the foundation for all aspects of the revitalization program.

Quality: Emphasize quality in every aspect of the revitalization program. This applies to all elements of the process — from storefront designs to promotional campaigns to educational programs. Shoestring budgets and "cut and paste" efforts reinforce a negative image of the commercial district. Instead, concentrate on quality projects over quantity.

Change: Skeptics turn into believers and attitudes on Main Street will turn around. At first, almost no one believes Main Street can really turn around. Changes in attitude and practice are slow but definite — public support for change will build as the Main Street program grows and consistently meets its goals. Change also means engaging in better business practices, altering ways of thinking, and improving the physical appearance of the commercial district. A carefully planned Main Street program will help shift public perceptions and practices to support and sustain the revitalization process.

Implementation: To succeed, Main Street must show visible results that can only come from completing projects. Frequent, visible changes are a reminder that the revitalization effort is under way and succeeding. Small projects at the beginning of the program pave the way for larger ones as the revitalization effort matures, and that constant revitalization activity creates confidence in the Main Street program and ever-greater levels of participation.
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I add two of my own:

Making hard choices; and

Being honest and direct and not fooling yourself.

Without making hard choices and being direct about the issues and not flinching, success isn't likely to happen, but you'll waste a whole lot of money. Cf. the billions of dollars pretty much wasted on urban revitalization over the past 20 years...

This is my biggest concern about proposals for $1 billion to rebuild DC schools. If you do the same things that aren't working with $1 billion more, all you're doing is tossing money in the wrong direction.

The Kansas City, Missouri experience is one that needs to be considered very carefully. More than $1 billion was spent in creating fantastically equipped schools as a way to attract a more economically and racially diverse student body, without necessarily having to have busing...

During the remedy phase, all of the School District's schools were remodeled or rebuilt and the original program was revamped. Part of the Kansas City School District's plan was to overhaul the entire school system. Magnet schools were created so that, even when children moved, they were always able to attend the same school. New schools were built and older school buildings were renovated. By rejuvenating schools in the Kansas City School District, administrators hoped that both white and minority students would be attracted. The school district hoped to reach a racial balance of 60% minority and 40% non-minority students. However, because of these racial goals, some minority parents found it difficult or impossible to enroll their children in nearby schools, or found it upsetting when their children were separated and ended up in different schools. Because of these issues, magnet schools found it difficult to recruit large numbers of students to fill their schools. Though racial targets were adjusted, the schools did not meet those goals, either. (From "Long, Winding Desegration Case Made History").

Happy New Year!

Village Voice cartoon by Tom Tomorrow.

Index Keywords: New-Orleans; urban-revitalization; education