Effects of School Facilities’ Mechanical and Plumbing Characteristics and Conditions on Student Attendance, Academic Performance and Health
School districts throughout the United States are constantly seeking measures to improve test scores, reduce school absenteeism and improve indoor environmental quality. It is imperative to identify key building investments which will provide the largest benefits to schools in terms of improving the aforementioned factors. This study uses Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests to statistically evaluate the impact of a school building’s mechanical and plumbing characteristics on a child’s educational performance. The educational performance is measured via three indicators, i.e. test scores, suspensions, and absenteeism. The study investigated 125 New York City school facilities to determine the potential correlations between 50 mechanical and plumbing variables and the performance indicators. Key findings from the tests revealed that elementary schools with pneumatic systems in “good” condition have 48.8% lower percentages of students scoring at the minimum English Language Arts (ELA) competency level compared with those with no pneumatic system. Additionally, elementary schools with “unit heaters/cabinet heaters” in “good to fair” conditions have 1.1% higher attendance rates compared to schools with no “unit heaters/cabinet heaters” or those in inferior condition. Furthermore, elementary schools with air conditioning have 0.6% higher attendance rates compared to schools with no air conditioning, and those with interior floor drains in “good” condition have 1.8% higher attendance rates compared to schools with interior drains in inferior condition.
[1] 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 (3), 278-286.
[2] Maxwell, L. E. (2016). School building condition, social climate, student attendance and academic achievement: A mediation model. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 46, 206-216.
[3] Schneider, M. (2002). Do School Facilities Affect Academic Outcomes? National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. Washington DC: Information Analyses (070) ERIC Publications (071).
[4] US DOE (2014), National Center for Education Statistics, Condition of America’s Public School Facilities: 2012 –13, NCES 2014-022 Retrieved from: https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014022.pdf
[5] Cochran, Erica. “The Impact of School Building Occupancy, Facility Characteristics and Neighborhood Attributes on Student Academic Performance and Health Outcomes,” PhD. Thesis-Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 2014.
[6] Vincent, J. M. (2006). Public Schools as Public Infrastructure: Roles for Planning Researchers. Journal of Planning Education and Research (4), 433–437.
[7] ASCE. (2017). American Society of Civil Engineers Infrastructure Report Card. Retrieved February 2019, from: https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2017-Infrastructure-Report-Card.pdf
[8] ASCE. (2013, March). American Society of Civil Engineers Report Card. Retrieved May 2014, from Report Card for America's Infrastructure: http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/a/documents/2013‐Report‐Card.pdf
[9] ASCE. (2005). Report Card for America's Infrastructure. Washington DC: American Society of Civil Engineers. Retrieved 2012, from http://www.asce.org/uploadedFiles/Infrastructure/Report_Card/2005_Report_Card‐Full_Report.pdf
[10] Alexander, D., & Lewis, L. (2014). Condition of America's Public School Facilities: 2012-13. National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: NCES 2014-022.
[11] McFarland, J., Hussar, B., de Brey, C., Snyder, T., Wang, X., Wilkinson-Flicker, S., Gebrekristos, S., Zhang, J., Rathbun, A., Barmer, A., Bullock Mann, F., and Hinz, S. (2017). The Condition of Education 2017 (NCES 2017- 144). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved [12/2019] from https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid = 2017144.
[12] Lafortune, J., & Schonholzer, D. (2018). Do School Facilities Matter? Measuring the Effects of Capital Expenditure on Student and Neighborhood Outcomes. Public Policy Institute of California, Los Angeles.
[13] Public Schools (K-12). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mepdesigns.com/project/public-schools-k-12/.
[14] Shendell, D., Prill, R., Fisk, W., Apte, M., Blake, D., & Faulkner, D. (2004). Associations between classroom CO2 concentrations and student attendance in Washington and Idaho. IndoorAir,14, 333‐341.
[15] How Does Indoor Air Quality Impact Student Health and Academic Performance? (2016, August 30). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/iaq-schools/how-does-indoor-air-quality-impact-student-health-and-academic-performance.
[16] Slater, J., Jones, C., & Procter, L. (2019). Troubling school toilets: resisting discourses of ‘development’ through a critical disability studies and critical psychology lens. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education , 40 (3), 412-423.
[17] Doré, E., Deshommes, E., Andrews, R. C., Nour, S., & Prévost, M. (2018). Sampling in schools and large institutional buildings: Implications for regulations, exposure and management of lead and copper. Water research, 140, 110-122.
[18] NYS OTDA. (2009). Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Retrieved 2009, from School Breakfast and Lunch Programs: http://otda.ny.gov/workingfamilies/schoollunch.asp
[19] NYC SCA. (2008). NYC School Construction Authority; Building Condition and Assessment Survey. Retrieved April 2009, from http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/30/Q230/SiteMap/SiteMap.htm
[20] NYC SCA. (2011). NYC School Construction Authority; Building Condition and Assessment Survey. Retrieved April 2011, from http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/30/Q230/SiteMap/SiteMap.htm
[21] NYCDOHMH CHP. (2007-10). Community Health Profiles. Retrieved 2013, from New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/data/data.shtml#2
[22] Angelon-Gaetz, K. A., Richardson, D. B., Marshall, S. W., & Hernandez, M. L. (2016). Exploration of the effects of classroom humidity levels on teachers’ respiratory symptoms. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health,89(5), 729-737. doi:10.1007/s00420-016-1111-0
[23] Lu, S., Cochran Hameen, E., & Aziz, A. (2018). Dynamic HVAC Operations with Real-Time Vision-Based Occupant Recognition System. ASHRAE Winter Conference 2018. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327903259_Dynamic_HVAC_Operations_with_Real-Time_Vision-Based_Occupant_Recognition_System
[24] Leone, G. (2014, April). Principal, 2LS Consulting Engineering p.c. (E. Cochran, & N. Hameen, Interviewers)
[25] United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2019, March 15). Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Childcare Facilities. Retrieved March 10, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/lead-drinking-water-schools-and-childcare-facilities
[26] US DOE. (2005-2006). U.S. Department of Education; National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 1, 200 9, from Search for Public Schools: http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/
[1] 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 (3), 278-286.
[2] Maxwell, L. E. (2016). School building condition, social climate, student attendance and academic achievement: A mediation model. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 46, 206-216.
[3] Schneider, M. (2002). Do School Facilities Affect Academic Outcomes? National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. Washington DC: Information Analyses (070) ERIC Publications (071).
[4] US DOE (2014), National Center for Education Statistics, Condition of America’s Public School Facilities: 2012 –13, NCES 2014-022 Retrieved from: https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014022.pdf
[5] Cochran, Erica. “The Impact of School Building Occupancy, Facility Characteristics and Neighborhood Attributes on Student Academic Performance and Health Outcomes,” PhD. Thesis-Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 2014.
[6] Vincent, J. M. (2006). Public Schools as Public Infrastructure: Roles for Planning Researchers. Journal of Planning Education and Research (4), 433–437.
[7] ASCE. (2017). American Society of Civil Engineers Infrastructure Report Card. Retrieved February 2019, from: https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2017-Infrastructure-Report-Card.pdf
[8] ASCE. (2013, March). American Society of Civil Engineers Report Card. Retrieved May 2014, from Report Card for America's Infrastructure: http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/a/documents/2013‐Report‐Card.pdf
[9] ASCE. (2005). Report Card for America's Infrastructure. Washington DC: American Society of Civil Engineers. Retrieved 2012, from http://www.asce.org/uploadedFiles/Infrastructure/Report_Card/2005_Report_Card‐Full_Report.pdf
[10] Alexander, D., & Lewis, L. (2014). Condition of America's Public School Facilities: 2012-13. National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: NCES 2014-022.
[11] McFarland, J., Hussar, B., de Brey, C., Snyder, T., Wang, X., Wilkinson-Flicker, S., Gebrekristos, S., Zhang, J., Rathbun, A., Barmer, A., Bullock Mann, F., and Hinz, S. (2017). The Condition of Education 2017 (NCES 2017- 144). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved [12/2019] from https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid = 2017144.
[12] Lafortune, J., & Schonholzer, D. (2018). Do School Facilities Matter? Measuring the Effects of Capital Expenditure on Student and Neighborhood Outcomes. Public Policy Institute of California, Los Angeles.
[13] Public Schools (K-12). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mepdesigns.com/project/public-schools-k-12/.
[14] Shendell, D., Prill, R., Fisk, W., Apte, M., Blake, D., & Faulkner, D. (2004). Associations between classroom CO2 concentrations and student attendance in Washington and Idaho. IndoorAir,14, 333‐341.
[15] How Does Indoor Air Quality Impact Student Health and Academic Performance? (2016, August 30). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/iaq-schools/how-does-indoor-air-quality-impact-student-health-and-academic-performance.
[16] Slater, J., Jones, C., & Procter, L. (2019). Troubling school toilets: resisting discourses of ‘development’ through a critical disability studies and critical psychology lens. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education , 40 (3), 412-423.
[17] Doré, E., Deshommes, E., Andrews, R. C., Nour, S., & Prévost, M. (2018). Sampling in schools and large institutional buildings: Implications for regulations, exposure and management of lead and copper. Water research, 140, 110-122.
[18] NYS OTDA. (2009). Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Retrieved 2009, from School Breakfast and Lunch Programs: http://otda.ny.gov/workingfamilies/schoollunch.asp
[19] NYC SCA. (2008). NYC School Construction Authority; Building Condition and Assessment Survey. Retrieved April 2009, from http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/30/Q230/SiteMap/SiteMap.htm
[20] NYC SCA. (2011). NYC School Construction Authority; Building Condition and Assessment Survey. Retrieved April 2011, from http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/30/Q230/SiteMap/SiteMap.htm
[21] NYCDOHMH CHP. (2007-10). Community Health Profiles. Retrieved 2013, from New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/data/data.shtml#2
[22] Angelon-Gaetz, K. A., Richardson, D. B., Marshall, S. W., & Hernandez, M. L. (2016). Exploration of the effects of classroom humidity levels on teachers’ respiratory symptoms. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health,89(5), 729-737. doi:10.1007/s00420-016-1111-0
[23] Lu, S., Cochran Hameen, E., & Aziz, A. (2018). Dynamic HVAC Operations with Real-Time Vision-Based Occupant Recognition System. ASHRAE Winter Conference 2018. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327903259_Dynamic_HVAC_Operations_with_Real-Time_Vision-Based_Occupant_Recognition_System
[24] Leone, G. (2014, April). Principal, 2LS Consulting Engineering p.c. (E. Cochran, & N. Hameen, Interviewers)
[25] United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2019, March 15). Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Childcare Facilities. Retrieved March 10, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/lead-drinking-water-schools-and-childcare-facilities
[26] US DOE. (2005-2006). U.S. Department of Education; National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 1, 200 9, from Search for Public Schools: http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/
@article{"International Journal of Architectural, Civil and Construction Sciences:79709", author = "Erica Cochran Hameen and Bobuchi Ken-Opurum and Shalini Priyadarshini and Berangere Lartigue and Sadhana Anath-Pisipati", title = " Effects of School Facilities’ Mechanical and Plumbing Characteristics and Conditions on Student Attendance, Academic Performance and Health", abstract = "School districts throughout the United States are constantly seeking measures to improve test scores, reduce school absenteeism and improve indoor environmental quality. It is imperative to identify key building investments which will provide the largest benefits to schools in terms of improving the aforementioned factors. This study uses Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests to statistically evaluate the impact of a school building’s mechanical and plumbing characteristics on a child’s educational performance. The educational performance is measured via three indicators, i.e. test scores, suspensions, and absenteeism. The study investigated 125 New York City school facilities to determine the potential correlations between 50 mechanical and plumbing variables and the performance indicators. Key findings from the tests revealed that elementary schools with pneumatic systems in “good” condition have 48.8% lower percentages of students scoring at the minimum English Language Arts (ELA) competency level compared with those with no pneumatic system. Additionally, elementary schools with “unit heaters/cabinet heaters” in “good to fair” conditions have 1.1% higher attendance rates compared to schools with no “unit heaters/cabinet heaters” or those in inferior condition. Furthermore, elementary schools with air conditioning have 0.6% higher attendance rates compared to schools with no air conditioning, and those with interior floor drains in “good” condition have 1.8% higher attendance rates compared to schools with interior drains in inferior condition.
", keywords = "Academic attendance and performance, mechanical and plumbing systems, schools, student health.", volume = "14", number = "7", pages = "212-9", }
