Overview

The 21st Century School Fund (21CSF) was founded in 1994 on the premise that communities are responsible for creating healthy, safe, and educationally appropriate learning environments. Mission: To build the public will and capacity to improve urban public school facilities. Vision: A country where every child learns in an educationally appropriate, healthy and safe school that serves as a community anchor and is built and maintained in an environmentally and fiscally responsible manner. Our work: 21CSF is a well respected and relied upon force in the District of Columbia on public education, particularly related to facility planning and capital budget issues. Locally, 21CSF has sustained and built on its experience in public private partnerships and educational facility planning. In 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2003, the District of Columbia School System (DCPS) engaged the community in a participatory master planning process. 21CSF has been extensively involved in each of these processes. We continue to provide technical advice, advocacy, information, policy analysis, and development to other districts and non-profit organizations. 21CSF has developed software to increase public engagement in school facilities planning and expanded its work to include providing limited assistance to public charter schools on school facility issues in the District of Columbia. Nationally, 21CSF and its Building Educational Success Together (BEST) collaborative partners have developed a joint research, constituency building and communications agenda to improve urban school facilities. The BEST partners are a diverse group of local and national leaders with experience in educational reform, community development, social justice advocacy, historic preservation, community engagement, academic research and philanthropy.