Article,
The influence of school architecture on academic achievement
Journal of Educational Administration, 38 (3): 309-330 (2000)
Abstract
Limited, dated information is available to school administrators concerning the
influence that the built learning environment has on academic achievement. Given the population
increases, volatile standardized test scores, demand for new schools, and deplorable conditions of
school facilities in the United States, it is timely to investigate this neglected aspect of educational
research. In the face of radical technological changes and curriculum innovations, much of the
new public school architectural design is tied firmly to past and outdated practices. Currently
reform advocates push for program change to occur, while voicing minimal concern for the often
obsolete and shabby physical environments of the schools where the program improvement is to
evolve. With these problems representing the educational need, the specific purpose of this study
was to determine how school architectural design factors might influence student achievement
scores in elementary schools. A total of seven design factors were found to correlate with student
learning outcomes.
