Running Head: BEYOND THE CURRICULUM: THE IMPACT

Beyond the Curriculum: The Impact of School Infrastructure on Academic Success.

Ana Romero

HSCI 616 Environmental and Occupational Health

California State University, of San Bernardino

May 16, 2019

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Beyond the Curriculum: The Impact of School Infrastructure on the Success of Children.

When discussing the success of students in academics a lot of the focus is placed on curriculum,

student’s health, attendance rates, and teachers. However, one area that is overlooked is the

impact that school infrastructure can have on the success of students. There has been a lack of

research to identify the direct impact school infrastructure has on students, but recently two

lawsuits have aided in the push to examine that connection, William v. the State of California

(2002) and Campaign for Fiscal Equity v. State of New York, both were addressing issues with

the poor conditions of school facilities affecting the academic success of students. (Durán-

Narucki, 2008). Generally, school infrastructure is not associated with having a direct impact on

students, however the quality of the environment in which students interact in play a role “in the

quality of the activities that take place in it” (Durán-Narucki, 2008). This review will examine

the role that the physical structure of a school has on the academic success of students.

School Infrastructure.

Infrastructure is defined as, “a substructure or underlying foundation or basic framework;

esp., the basic installations and facilities on which the continuance and growth of a

community...depend, as schools, power plants, transportation and communication systems, etc..”

(Merriam-Webster, n.d.). School infrastructure refers to the foundation and systems that are

needed in a school facility that ensures an adequate and safe space for students. Inadequate

school infrastructure has become a growing concern due to budget cuts, the economy, its effects

to student health and other areas. This issue has existed for many years, in 1999 the National

Center for Education Statistics reported that “ 50% of American school reported at least one of

their building features was in less than adequate condition.” Providing a space where students

can feel safe, can engage in classroom activities, be inspired contributes to academic success.
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School Codes.

When addressing the issue regarding the poor conditions of school facilities, it is

necessary to first examine what are the school policies or school codes,regarding the construction

of school facilities. Information regarding school code regulations can be found online at each

state’s Department of Education website. For this review, a general list of regulations is provided

and for example purposes, some of California’s Code of regulations will also be provided. An

emphasis will be placed on the areas of structure, heating, and ventilation.

Structure. The physical structure of a school facility is the backbone to the entire school.

Not only is the structure representative of what the school can offer, but also a representation of

the community. The design and structure of a facility usually “indicates that society values the

activities that take place in the building and, by extension, the people who use the building”

(Maxwell, 2016). In terms of structure, some of the requirements of a school facility are: “stable

and durable construction, adequate heating and ventilation, protection against fire and other

hazards, satisfactory acoustics, adequate gymnasium and playgrounds, and exercise to re-enforce

learning” (Van Dyke, 2018). The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (2017) assigned

the U.S. a D+ on their school infrastructure report card. ASCE states that the U.S. “underinvests

in school facilities” resulting in poorly structure and unsafe schools.

Heating and Ventilation. Heating and ventilation are two necessities in a school facility,

especially if the facility is an area that experiences extreme heat and cold winters. Recently in

2018, there was outrage, in the city of Baltimore, because many of the public schools had no

working heating system in the facilities and the city was pummeled with snow and low

temperatures. Parents and teachers protested because “students and teachers [had to endure]

dangerously low temperatures in buildings that are struggling to operate with bursting boilers
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and drafty windows” (Hauser, 2018). This environment was not stable or safe for teachers to

conduct their curriculum or for students to actively participate in class. Situations, like those

Baltimore, brings attention to what exactly are the regulations regarding heating and ventilation

and why is it that the schools in Baltimore were still in operation? In the state of California, AB-

1126 School facilities: heating, ventilation, and air conditioning: inspection reports (2015-2016),

was amended to include a section which requires schools to post their most recent inspection

report for their heating, ventilation and air conditioning system via school websites, school

district website or the county of education office. In California, schools are required to have their

heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems checked annually (California Legislative

Information, 2018). Each state has their school codes related to building structure, safety, and

maintenance. In general, school facilities are required to maintain room temperature at a

comfortable zone between 68-72⁰ F (Van Dyke, 2018). Not only is temperature important, but

also indoor air quality. Poor indoor air quality can have negative health effects on students and

faculty, especially if they have asthma. Genarro et al. (2014) determined that the presence of

particulate matter in the air can be caused by “insufficient ventilation in schools (especially

winter). Schools are designed to provide children with a safe space where they can learn and be

successful, but some school facilities are falling apart and have not been renovated in ages that it

is hindering the success of these

children.

Academic Success.

School facilities are often overlooked when addressing a student’s academic success.

However, it is significant to understand and make the connection that the curriculum teachers

and staff are required teach must include a facility and environment that is equipped to handle
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the students, the curriculum, and can provide a safe space. Durán-Narucki (2008) mentions that

“the quality of the environment, the presence and conditions of its features, the decay…are all

factors in the quality of the activities that take place in it.” How can faculty and teachers ask for

students to participate and focus if the room is at freezing temperatures, the ceiling is leaking,

and the air quality is low? In a study conducted by O’Neil and Oates (2001), they found that the

conditions of school facilities affect student achievement, their behavior, and attendance rates.

Students who attended school facilities that were updated and newer had higher standardized test

scores. Poor conditions of school facilities have also been linked to attendance rates. The San

Bernardino City Unified School District indicates that student attendance is connected to student

performance. A student needs to be present to receive and retain information. The poor

conditions of school facilities are putting the health of students at risk. For example, as

previously mentioned deteriorating schools and the schools in Baltimore that are lacking

adequate heating and ventilation systems is a health risk. If there is a child who is asthmatic in

the classroom and that classroom has an inadequate ventilation system alongside other facility

issues the schools, then it becomes a health risk for this child. Then this vicious cycle begins, in

which the student has an asthma episode and now the student stays home from school and missed

out on the material being presented. The child's sick days affects school attendance rates, and in

some states, this will affect funding. There are states, like California and Texas who have an

attendance-based funding. Attendance-based funding is when the state allocates funding to

schools and various programs based on attendance rates. (Legislative Analyst’s Office, 2017)

This entire situation could have been avoided if the school had proper heating and ventilation

systems in place. The poor conditions of school facilities become a barrier for students and

teachers because it creates a vicious cycle that affects many areas. If a facility is unable to
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provide just the necessities the students are discouraged that their school is not providing them

with adequate resources to be successful. The amount of extracurricular activities and after

school program that could be offered in schools, is limited by the facilities ability to provide a

safe space for the activities.

Conclusion.

As previously mentioned, school facilities are the support structure for students and

faculty. Students spend many years at various school facilities; they are seeking to learn, to

socialize, and to have a safe space where they can grow. As a culture, the U.S. emphasizes the

need for student to attend school, receive an education, graduate high-school, and go on to

college. However, it is confusing to have a nation strongly support education but at the same

time not provide funding or support to fix the poor conditions of school facilities nationwide.

Duran-Narucki (2008) summarizes perfectly what a school environment should feel like, she

states that , “schools should be places where children feel safe, valued, and taken care of.”

Buildings that are run down, unable to provide heating during the winter, and are deteriorating

are not attractive and are not a source of pride for students, parents and faculty.

Future Research. Future studies should focus on the impact school infrastructure has, but

at each grade level. Some studies provided a brief introduction to the topic, but a majority

grouped the results and did not emphasize the effects by grade level. It would be interesting to

note the different effects school infrastructure has on elementary student’s vs high school

students, given that older students have other needs and they can create opinions. Overall, if

student success is the goal then all the necessary tools and resources must be provided to them,

including a safe and useable school facility for students to be successful.

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References

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 2009. 2009 report card for Americas

infrastructure. Retrieved from http://www.asce.org/reportcard/.

Durán-Narucki, V. (2008). School building condition, school attendance, and academic

achievement in New York City public schools: A mediation model. Journal of

Environmental Psychology, 28, 278-286. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2008.02.008

Gennaro, G., Dambruoso, P., Loiotile, A., Gilio, A., Giungato, P., Tutino, M., Marzocca, A.,

Mazzone, A., Palmisani, J., Porcelli, F. (2014). Indoor air qualtiy in schools. Environ

Chem Lett, 12, 467-482. doi: 10.1007/s10311-014-0470-6

Hauser, C. (2018). Baltimore City schools are without heat, prompting protest from teachers and

parents. The New York Times. Retrieved from

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/us/baltimore-schools-winter-heating.html

Infrastructure. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2018, from

https://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/infrastructure

Legislative Analyst’s Office. (2017). The 2017-18 budget: update on K-12 student attendance.

The California Legislature’s Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor.

http://www.lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3638

Martorell, P., Stange, K., McFarlin, I. (2016). Investing in schools: capital spending, facility

conditions, and student achievement. Journal of Public Economics, 140, 13-29.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2016.05.002

Maxwell, L. (2016). School building condition, social climate, student attendance and academic

achievement: A mediation model. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 46, 206-216.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.04.009
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O’Neil, D. J., & Oates, A. D. (2001). The impact of school facilities on student

achievement, behavior, attendance and teacher turnover rate in central Texas middle schools.

CEFPI Educational Facility Planner, 36(3), 14–22.

San Bernardino City Unified School District. (n.d.). Parent resources/attendance. Retrieved from

https://sbcusd.com/parent_resources/attendance

US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2000). Condition of

America’s public school facilities: 1999. NCES Publication No. 2000-032. Washington,

DC. /http://nces.ed.gov

Van Dyke, W. (2018). Housing and Institutional Health. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from

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