(AUSTIN, Tex., October 23, 2024) ― DLR Group is recognized by the American Planning Association with the Paul Davidoff award for Advancing Diversity and Social Change for its community-driven long-range plan with Austin Independent School District. As the jury noted, the work “breaks new ground in school planning, offering innovative and replicable solutions for communities facing similar challenges.” This marks the firm’s first national award from the APA. The equity-driven plan was the catalyst for Austin ISD passing a historic $2.4 billion bond in 2022 to fund 30 transformative projects across the district. Over 70% of the transformative projects are in low-income communities of color.

The APA presents the Advancing Diversity and Social Change Award for exemplary planning work that exhibits a significant effort to address the social and economic needs of historically underserved communities, engages community stakeholders, and clearly demonstrates the effectiveness and impact of the plan on the community and the planning profession. This award pays tribute to Paul Davidoff and recognizes the significant contributions he made to the planning profession during his life.

DLR Group partnered with Austin ISD to create its long-rage plan by directly involving community members, teachers, staff, and students in decision-making. The equity-based approach produced a plan that addresses both facility and operations needs and prioritizes the experiences of historically underserved students and neighborhoods in Austin. The equity-based model for educational facilities focuses on students and neighborhoods in addition to facilities. It leverages spatial data and geographic information systems to place facilities in the broader context of the people and communities they serve. Analysis combined with community members’ lived experiences informed the 400 operational and bond-related strategies delivered to Austin ISD through the long-range plan.

Learn more about our work with Austin Independent School District.