By听Valerie Peterson, AIA, LEED AP, and Alison Andrews, AIA听

听have sparked debate about how students with disabilities are supported in schools. As the Department of Health and Human Services takes oversight of special education and the Department of Justice assumes school civil rights enforcement, some advocates worry special education could shift from supporting how students learn to managing students鈥� disabilities separately.听

This raises an important question for school district leaders: How do buildings make students with disabilities feel like they belong?听

Regardless of how policy evolves, districts control how students experience support. Design determines whether special education programming is connected to peer groups or pulled out to spaces that isolate students from their school community. Over decades of experience designing special education space, Wold Architects & Engineers has learned to prioritize belonging, then layer in spaces, equipment, and safeguards students need to participate in an equitable school experience.听

Integrate Special Education听Into听School Life听

Special education classrooms, especially in aging schools, are often isolated from the rest of the building or too small to support students and staff, reinforcing separation, even when the district鈥檚 goal is inclusion.听

Planning should begin with the full听student day: where students start and end, how they move through the building and what they need to receive instruction and intervention. When specialized support connects to the rhythm of the school, transitions become easier physically and emotionally. Students with disabilities have better access to general education activities, fewer听disruptions听and more natural peer interaction. Their听peers听benefit, too. Familiarity builds acceptance, helping reduce听the isolation听and misunderstanding that can contribute to bullying.听听

Make Support Accessible Without Singling Students Out听

Inclusion does not mean every student needs the same space or schedule. Some students need calming rooms, toileting support, therapy spaces, small-group听areas听or controlled sensory environments.听听

The key is making support accessible without making students feel removed from the school community.听Specialized classrooms should be located听near听 shared听learning areas when appropriate. Small-group and sensory spaces should be easy to reach without requiring students to travel long, highly visible routes that feel isolating. Wayfinding should make resources clear and approachable, not听hidden听or confusing.听

Available resources also serve students beyond those receiving special education support. Small-group rooms, calming spaces and flexible furniture are shown to support focus,听regulation听and learning for all.听

Help Staff Help Students听

Special education spaces affect how students regulate, communicate, receive听care听and听participate. Calming rooms, small-group rooms, flexible furniture, adjustable lighting, acoustic control, durable finishes, accessible toileting rooms, changing tables, lifts and care areas are easy to treat as technical requirements. But students and staff experience these details every day.听

A restroom too small for听assistance听can compromise dignity. A sensory room too far from the classroom can incite dysregulation and delay relief. Poor acoustics can complicate focused instruction. An undersized room can force staff to听improvise around听equipment.听

These features support students鈥� comfort, safety and independence while giving teachers, paraprofessionals and related service providers spaces that match their daily routines. That is why special education staff should be part of planning conversations early: they understand where the day breaks down and which small design decisions make support more effective.听

How Existing Buildings Work Harder for Today鈥檚 Needs听

Many districts are supporting today鈥檚 special education needs inside buildings designed decades ago, based on outdated expectations for inclusion and accessibility. Renovation is an opportunity to ask if a building can support how services are delivered now.听

Capacity counts do not answer that question. Wold Architects & Engineers has seen many Districts experiencing a decline in overall enrollment while the number of students in special education programming more than doubles. With special education classrooms typically requiring a smaller student-to-staff ratio, specialized equipment and access to support spaces, the classrooms no longer utilized for general education may not accommodate the shift in building programming.听

For example, a former general education classroom may need different adjacencies, privacy, breakout space, storage, acoustic听control听or access to nearby care and therapy areas to function well. Without those considerations, renovation may add space while leaving the core service challenges unresolved.听听

Facilities teams should evaluate the number of students a building serves and what support spaces they need. That lens can help districts prioritize the most meaningful interventions, especially when budgets do not allow for replacement or major additions.听听

Design听Around听Belonging听

Districts do not need to wait for policy clarity to make better decisions inside their buildings.听They can bring special education teams into planning discussions early, map the student day before assigning rooms and plan adjacencies to support access and inclusion.听

Specialized support does not have to separate students from their peers. When schools are designed around belonging, students with disabilities can access the spaces, relationships and听supports听they need to听participate听more fully in their community and thrive.听

, AIA, LEED AP, and听, AIA, are education practice leaders at听听who work with school districts to align planning,听programming听and design with the needs of students,听staff听and communities.听

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By Evelyn Long听听

As schools evolve to support flexible learning environments, they must also be designed to help occupants move safely during emergencies without sacrificing openness or functionality. Rather than relying solely on security technologies, today’s best school designs integrate life safety into every stage of planning. Site layout, circulation patterns,听accessibility听and emergency vehicle access all contribute to a safer campus while improving the day-to-day experience for students,听educators听and visitors.听

Design and Planning Support Better Emergency Response听

A successful emergency response starts with campus planning. Building orientation, access roads, pedestrian听circulation听and entry听points听all influence how quickly emergency personnel can navigate a site. According to the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies, 鈥渙ne key tool to听听on education is advance planning.鈥� This strategy helps education systems,听staff听and students become more resilient.听

Identifying听and assessing risks such as conflicts, natural disasters and pandemics enables education authorities to create plans for prevention, preparedness,听response听and recovery. The听ultimate goal听is to ensure learning continues without interruption and to develop policies that help prevent crises.听

Schools that incorporate these considerations and plan accordingly during design are often better equipped to manage both routine operations and unexpected emergencies. The same philosophy applies to broader infrastructure planning. Aspects like proper roof structure,听听help ensure the structure’s integrity and prevent issues.听

Circulation, Visibility and Wayfinding Reduce Evacuation Delays听

Even well-developed plans may become less effective if occupants struggle to navigate a building during an emergency.听Wide corridors,听clearly marked exits, strategically located stairwells and intuitive circulation paths help reduce bottlenecks while allowing first responders to reach affected areas more efficiently.听听

Visibility is also important. Open sightlines throughout听corridors,听shared spaces and entrances allow staff and first responders to assess conditions quickly while helping occupants听identify听evacuation routes with minimal confusion.听听

SchoolSafety.gov explains that听听(EOP) is a crucial aspect of school emergency preparedness. This document outlines the procedures for students and staff to follow before, during and after an emergency. SchoolSafety.gov also听states听that 鈥渟chools should plan to review, evaluate and update their EOP on a regular basis.鈥� The most effective plans are developed through a team effort, incorporating input from school staff and community partners.听

Entrances and interior door systems should听comply with听Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements while听remaining听easy to听operate听during emergencies.听Properly designed听low-energy听听without compromising emergency egress when installed听in accordance with听current standards. This makes them valuable additions to modern educational facilities.听

The Congressional Research Service asserts that 鈥渢he ADA, like Section 504, applies to all public and many private schools, from preschool through postsecondary education.鈥� The ADA’s rules are not specifically tailored for听education, but听instead lay out broad requirements for all organizations. These mandates include making general modifications for people with disabilities,听听and听permitting听service听animals.听

Balancing Secure Access听With听Welcoming Learning Environments听

Modern school design increasingly听demonstrates听that emergency preparedness and positive learning environments are not mutually exclusive. The renovation and addition at Niles North High School in Skokie, Illinois, addressed long-standing safety concerns by reorganizing the building around a secure entrance sequence while improving the overall visitor experience. The project听, dedicated parent and visitor services, and a defined security zone that separates public-facing spaces from student areas.听

This layered approach allows visitors to be screened before entering instructional spaces while improving circulation and reducing congestion at the main entrance. The renovation also created collaborative learning spaces and student commons that foster openness and community.听听

The Niles North project reflects broader principles highlighted by Legat Architects in its discussion of school safety by design. Using Medinah Primary School in Illinois as an example, Legat notes that campus safety begins outside the building through features听, dedicated parent drop-off areas, and protected pedestrian walkways that reduce contact between vehicles and students.听听

The article also emphasizes that effective emergency access depends on controlled vestibules, clear visitor screening听procedures听and intuitive circulation rather than fortress-like architecture.听听

Designing for Safety Without Sacrificing Learning听

School safety is most effective when it is built into the foundation of a project rather than added after construction. Strategic site planning, intuitive circulation, accessible听entrances听and coordinated emergency access help schools respond more effectively to emergencies while improving the daily experience for everyone. Integrating safety into every stage of planning and construction enables school leaders and design professionals to create campuses that are prepared for emergencies while听remaining听open,听welcoming听and supportive places to learn.听

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