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Fact Sheet
School Facilities
WHAT
Successful teaching and learning to takes place in school buildings that are
clean, quiet, safe, comfortable, and healthy (Blagojevich, Illinois Capital
Development Board, & Illinois State Board of Education, 2006). Buildings that are
not properly maintained have the potential to inhibit student success due to one or
more deficiencies in the facility. Indoor Air Quality, ventilation and thermal
comfort, lighting, acoustics, building age and quality, school size, and class size,
are among the environmental concerns that can impede teacher satisfaction and
student success (Blagojevich, 2006).
In addition, quality education also
strengthens communities (Blagojevich, 2006).
Students, teachers, staff, and administrators all are affected by the physical
environment. (Blagojevich, 2006). In order to make school improvements,
educators need to look at six major contributing factors that effect the
environment of the school.
Poor indoor air quality is proven to affect student absenteeism and continue
to make both student and teachers sick (Blagojevich, 2006). Both students and
teachers cannot perform up to standard if the working conditions are not up to par.
Teacher time was lost because of the health problems, which include asthma,
respiratory problems, and sinus infections (EPA, 2006). All three health-related
problems are in connection with poor indoor air quality.
Ventilation and thermal quality are two more environmental factors that
impact both teachers and students (Filardo, Vincent, Sung, & Stein, 2006). Fresh
air is important for all buildings, yet most schools lack proper ventilation systems,
which deter students from working to their full capacity. Children are the most
effected by poor ventilation systems because they breathe in a greater volume of
air in proportion to their body weight compared to adults (Filardo et al, 2006). Due
to poor ventilation conditions, students suffer from increased drowsiness,
headaches, and inability to concentrate (Filardo, et al, 2006). In addition, students
performance in reasoning, typing, and math declines (Schneider, 2002). Thermal
quality effects comfort, which in turn affects students and teachers by, reduced
effort, lower effectiveness in class, low morale, and reduce job satisfaction (Moglia,
Smith, MacIntosh, & Somers, 2006). Teachers that claim to have the ability to
control the temperature in their classroom, show higher satisfaction rates along
with an increase in student performance (Moglia et al, 2006).
In individual classrooms, lighting and acoustics play a role in a successful
learning environment.
Research has proven that proper lighting, including
daylight, improves test scores, reduces off-task behavior, and increases student
achievement (EPA, 2006). Also increasing student achievement is acoustics.
Consistency in research has shown that good acoustics equals good academic
performances from students (EPA, 2006). Reading, spelling, behavior, attention,
and concentration all increase in schools with proper acoustics (EPA, 2006).
Schools that have excessive noises and/or outside distractions reflect students
display of stress and dissatisfaction in the classroom.
Connections to Learning
Fact Sheet
School Facilities contd.
HOW
(Guide
to
Connections to Learning
Fact Sheet
(Healthy
School
Excellence
Lessons
www.newbuildings.org
www.pge.com (daylighting in schools)
www.rebuild.org/Lawson/attachments/essbestpracticeshighperfschools.pdf
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