This Pre K-6 school serves children and families from Districts 3, 4 and 5 of the Gila River Indian Community. Located in District 5, the school is surrounded by cultivated farmland and in a region which has historically been the agricultural hub for the Akimel O'otham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) peoples. The school focuses on student's global readiness while maintaining the Akimel O'otham Ñeo'ok and Himdag. The campus provides an immersive cultural experience, helping to preserve the languages, stories, and traditions of the tribes. The layout of the campus takes inspiration from the agricultural fields that sustained the Akimel O'otham and Pee Posh and the canals they were so skilled in devising and constructing. Classroom clusters and core/community buildings are organized around a central ribbon of green space. The campus includes indoor and outdoor commons areas that provide each grade level cluster space for flexible instruction.

Almeta Crawford High School sets a new precedent for Fort Bend ISD. The new school is a modern space where designers took an underdeveloped area and created an intuitive campus that pays homage to the deep roots of the district’s history. For nearly four decades the school’s namesake, Almeta Crawford, was an inspiring and highly respected educator at Fort Bend ISD. She taught for more than 30 years at Dulles High School and received numerous awards, including the 2018 Jan DeBlance Memorial Award for Instructional Excellence.

Jefferson Early Childhood Center encourages exploration, environmental education, and peer interaction for students of all developmental stages. Evidence of the facility’s focus on early learners appears in everything from the playful facade and classroom window placement to the energetic color scheme and quiet HVAC system. The efficient design reduces construction costs, and an energy-efficient geothermal system lowers heating and cooling costs. Legat Architects’ designers drew inspiration not only from administrators, teachers, and parents, but also from community members and specialists ranging from physical and occupational therapists to speech and language pathologists.

The Concord School district took a long-term planning approach for their facilities and went with nora® rubber, citing benefits around cost savings, durability, and ease of maintenance. Over a decade later, the floors have retained their original beauty and performance.