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Addressing a Multibillion-Dollar Challenge: Advancing Knowledge of How High-Quality School Environments Can Positively Affect Educational Outcomes
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Addressing a Multibillion-Dollar Challenge: Advancing Knowledge of How High-Quality School Environments Can Positively Affect Educational Outcomes

Emily Chmielewski, Katrina Struloeff and Bruce Levine
Children, youth and environments, v 35(3), pp 45-76
2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/cye.2025.a977251

Abstract

In the U.S., addressing the nation’s inadequate school facilities is an important and necessary step toward supporting equitable educational and community improvement. With over half of all U.S. public schools in need of renovations totaling nearly $200 billion, this study was conducted to identify the potential benefits of school modernization to help jurisdictions make a stronger case for the importance and funding of school modernization, as well as provide guidance for designers and school districts to effectively achieve their core mission of educating children for life in the 21 stcentury. The study’s multi-disciplinary research team investigated the differences between modernized and non-modernized schools in two urban school districts and the effect of several variables on performance and well-being outcomes. The researchers determined that modernized schools outperformed non-modernized schools in a statistically significant manner in multiple categories, including greater Indoor Environmental Quality and Educational Adequacy, while Community Connectivity had mixed, though favorable, results. This new knowledge is of value to both school district leaders and design firms working on modernization plans for new and renovated schools, while providing thoughtful insights for the decision-making around and advocacy for school modernization on a national scale.

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