Applications, Enrollment, Attendance, and Student Performance in Rebuilt School Facilities: A Case Study. Issue 2 (3rd April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lavy, Sarel; Nixon, Jerri L.
• Is Part Of: International journal of construction education and research. Volume 13:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 125
• Page End: 141
• Publication Date: 2017-04-03
• Subjects: Schools -- education -- building conditions -- student performance -- building age; Building -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Construction industry -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 624.07
• DOI: 10.1080/15578771.2016.1245687
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1557-8771

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Public school construction represents a significant portion of all construction spending in the United States; yet, the average age of United States' public schools is 42 years old. This article focuses on magnet schools in a large urban school district in the United States. The study examines whether construction, building age, and building condition have an impact on magnet applications, enrollment, attendance, and student achievement measures. Twenty-eight magnet elementary schools in the school district were chosen for analysis. The experimental group (n=14) included all magnet elementary schools (kindergarten to 5 th grade [K-5]) rebuilt under three school bond programs. The control group (n=14) included randomly selected elementary schools (K-5) from the 32 remaining elementary schools in the district that were not rebuilt. Multiple regressions were conducted using building and student data gathered during the 2011-2012 school year. Results indicate that building composite score and building age had no observable predictive effects on magnet applications, student enrollment, or student attendance, in both groups. However, student achievement was positively affected by building composite score as measured by the ability to predict state percentile ranking. This study supports that building and maintaining high quality educational facilities has the potential to raise student achievement levels.