The document discusses Georgia's Safe Routes to School program and its efforts to support low-income communities. It provides details on 4 case studies of SRTS programs at low-income elementary schools in Georgia that faced challenges with issues like crime, lack of infrastructure, and parental involvement. Through partnerships and activities like walking school buses and bike/pedestrian education, the schools were able to increase the number of students walking and succeed in their SRTS programs.

1. Making SRTS Work in
Low- Income Communities:
Georgia’s Perspective
Abby Mattera
Georgia Safe Routes to School
Resource Center

2. Georgia Safe Routes to School
Georgia Department of Transportation
•$17.2 million 2005-2009
–Resource Center
–Infrastructure Grants
•Reauthorization pending

3. Georgia SRTS Resource Center
•Established Summer 2009
•Focus on 4 E’s: Education,
Encouragement, Enforcement,
Evaluation
•6 Coordinators
•180+ Partner Schools
•100+ Community Friends

4. Georgia SRTS Resource Center
51% of Partner schools are low-income
31%
44%
19%
100%
62%
82%

5. GA SRTS Resource Center
Supporting low-income communities
–Additional travel plan assistance
–Stakeholder task forces
–Center of resources

6. 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

7. Knollwood SRTS Summary
Challenges Successes
• Nonexistent PTA • Weekly parent-led Walking
• Unsupportive administration School Buses
• Crime • Monthly classroom competitions
• Lack of infrastructure • Poster contest
• No parental involvement • Bike/Pedestrian education in PE
• Speeding 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

8. Knollwood SRTS Program

9. 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

10. 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

11. Capitol View SRTS Summary
Challenges Successes
• Identifying champion • Fall Walk to School
• Communicating to Day
parents • Bicycle and
• Dangerous roads Pedestrian Education
• Crime • Safety tips in
newsletter
• Infrastructure
improvements

12. Capitol View SRTS Program

13. 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

14. 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

15. Fairington SRTS Summary
Challenges Successes
• Lack of parental • Bicycle/Pedestrian
involvement Education
• Lack of infrastructure • Staff-led walking
• Difficulty maintaining school buses
volunteers • Police enforcement of
• Burnt-out PTA speeds
• Increase number of
walkers on event day

16. Fairington SRTS Program

17. Fairington Program Partners
•Student Support Specialist
•School Nurse
•Teachers
•Safe Kids DeKalb
•Clean Air Campaign
•FedEx
•Georgia SRTS Resource Center

18. 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

19. Bethune SRTS Summary
Challenges Successes
• Lack of parental • Travel Plan
involvement • Georgia W2S Day
• School administration • Parent/PTA Education
resources • Media attention
• Community • Bike/Ped Education
communication Day
• Crime
• Lack of infrastructure

20. Bethune SRTS Program

21. 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

22. 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

23. Contact Information
Abby Mattera
Metro Atlanta School Outreach Coordinator
Georgia SRTS Resource Center
404.441.5728
abby@saferoutesga.org
Hotline: 877.436.8927
www.SafeRoutesGA.org