Spatial Accessibility
2023-7-28
Availability and distribution of environmental education field trip programs for adolescent students in the U.S.: a national study of spatial accessibility
This paper assessed nationwide spatial accessibility of environmental education field trips for U.S. middle school students and found clustered inequities related to rurality, race, and political leanings.
Abstract:
What is the availability and distribution of single-day environmental education field trip programs for adolescent students across the U.S.? We assessed the spatial accessibility to EE field trip programs for U.S. schools that serve grades 5-8 (ages 10-14) by (1) compiling a comprehensive national database of 2,930 EE providers that offer field trip programs, (2) identifying 89, 311 middle schools’ locations, student populations, and relevant demographic information, and (3) calculating drive times between schools and EE provider locations using a high-performance computing cluster. We then used the integrated Floating Catchment Area method to calculate each school’s relative spatial access to EE field trip providers. Results suggest that spatial access was highly spatially clustered, particularly around several geographic regions (coastal California metropolitan areas, the southern Rockies, northern Kentucky, North Carolina, the western shore of Lake Michigan, and the high-density, contiguous metropolitan areas of the Northeast). Spatial access was also strongly related to partisan lean and urbanity, with more rural, White, and Republican-leaning areas generally having significantly less spatial access to EE field trips.
Summary:
- Study assessed spatial accessibility of EE field trips for U.S. schools serving grades 5-8
- Compiled database of 2,930 EE providers offering field trip programs nationwide
- Identified 89,311 middle schools’ locations, student populations, demographics
- Calculated drive times between schools and EE providers using high-performance computing
- Used integrated Floating Catchment Area method to calculate relative spatial access scores
- Found spatial access was clustered, with high access in certain metro areas and regions
- Rural, White, Republican-leaning areas had less access; urban, diverse, Democratic-leaning areas had more
- Spatial accessibility gaps exist and should be addressed through targeted interventions
Study questions and answers:
| Study Questions | Sample Answers |
|---|---|
| What was the purpose of the study? | To assess spatial accessibility of EE field trips for grades 5-8 nationwide. |
| How many EE providers were identified? | 2,930 EE providers offering field trip programs. |
| What method was used to calculate accessibility? | The integrated Floating Catchment Area (iFCA) method. |
| What patterns were found in spatial access? | Access was clustered in certain regions, with rural, White, Republican areas having less. |
| What interventions could address gaps? | Targeted programs through conservation districts, state parks, etc. |