The purpose of this study was to examine the possible relationships that exist between the overall, structural, and cosmetic school building conditions and student achievement and chronic absenteeism of students who attend urban high schools located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This study utilized the Revised Commonwealth Appraisal of the Physical Environment (CAPE), for principals of high schools in urban school divisions in the Commonwealth of Virginia, to assess the condition of their school buildings. The Revised CAPE survey measured the educational condition of the school building by accessing elements and features of a school building that research has shown to have an influence on the learning environment (Cash and Earthman, 2019). The school's student academic achievement data for English, mathematics, and science, along with chronic absenteeism data from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) was used to investigate if there was a relationship between school building conditions and student achievement and chronic absenteeism. This study sought to answer the following research questions: 1. What is the relationship between the Achievement of All Students in English reading/writing and progress of English learners towards English language proficiency (English Combined Rate) on the Virginia Standards of Learning assessment and the condition of the school building in urban high schools? 2. What is the relationship between the Achievement of All Students in mathematics on the Virginia Standards of Learning assessments and the condition of the school building in urban high schools? 3. What is the relationship between the Achievement of All Students in Science on the Virginia Standards of Learning assessments and the condition of the school building in urban high schools? 4. What is the relationship between chronic absenteeism and the condition of the school building in urban high schools? Research has shown that students who attend school in school buildings that are rated above standard, or standard outperform students in school buildings rated in poor condition (Earthman, 2018) and relationships have been found between poor school building condition and greater school absenteeism (Simon et al., 2010). An ANOVA statistical test was conducted to compare the percent of Schools' Academic Achievement of All Students on the SOL assessments for English, mathematics, and science and chronic absenteeism percentage rates in the schools identified as standard to schools identified as substandard. Findings from this study indicated that the condition of school buildings had a significant relationship with student achievement and chronic absenteeism. Associated implications for practitioners included a need to conduct facility and safety audits, train principals on the impact school building conditions have on student achievement and chronic absenteeism and ensure school buildings are equipped with sufficient safeguards to provide safe learning environments. / Doctor of Education / The purpose of this study was to examine the possible relationships that exist between the overall, structural, and cosmetic school building conditions and student achievement and chronic absenteeism of students who attend urban high schools located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Eighteen principals across the Commonwealth completed the Revised CAPE survey to assess the condition of their school buildings. The Revised CAPE survey measured the educational condition of the school building by accessing elements and features of a school building that research has shown to have an influence on the learning environment, (Cash and Earthman, 2019). The school's student academic achievement data for English, mathematics, and science, along with chronic absenteeism data from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) was used to examine if there was a relationship between school building conditions and student achievement and chronic absenteeism. This study sought to answer the following research questions: 1. What is the relationship between the Academic Achievement of All Students in English reading/writing and progress of English learners towards English language proficiency (English Combined Rate) on the Virginia Standards of Learning assessment and the condition of the school building in urban high schools? 2. What is the relationship between the Academic Achievement of All Students in mathematics on the Virginia Standards of Learning assessments and the condition of the school building in urban high schools? 3. What is the relationship between the Academic Achievement of All Students in Science on the Virginia Standards of Learning assessments and the condition of the school building in urban high schools? 4. What is the relationship between chronic absenteeism and the condition of the school building in urban high schools? Research has shown that students who attend school in school buildings that are rated above standard, or standard outperform students in school buildings rated in poor condition (Earthman, 2018) and relationships have been found between poor school building condition and greater school absenteeism (Simon et al., 2010). Findings from this study showed a significant relationship between the conditions of school buildings and student achievement and chronic absenteeism.

The study examined the relationship between building conditions and overall student behavior as well as the relationship between building conditions and the behaviors of student subgroups that include Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, and Students with Disabilities (SWD). The study controlled for over-crowdedness, socioeconomic status, and attendance. The study included 10 school facilities in a medium-sized school division in Virginia. Building conditions were determined through facility engineering and educational condition. Facility Condition Indexes (FCIs) described facility engineering conditions. The Revised Commonwealth Assessment of Physical Environment (CAPE) instrument initially developed by Cash (1993) and revised by Cash and Earthman (2019) assessed facility educational conditions. The CAPE instrument provided overall, structural and cosmetic facility condition scores and was administered to principals. Student behavior was determined by student overall behavior indexes as well as subgroup-based behavior indexes representing the ratio of discipline incidents divided by student population. School-specific over-crowdedness indexes were utilized. Free and reduced lunch percentages were used as a measure of socioeconomic status. For attendance, the study used attendance indexes described by the percentage of students who were absent for at least 10% of the academic year. To establish the potential relationships between building conditions and student behavior in each student subgroup, the study used quantitative analysis utilizing hierarchical multiple-variable regression and analysis of variance (ANOVA) through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The researcher conducted individual single-predictor and multiple-variable hierarchical regression models. ANOVA was utilized to explain the total variance in the regression model, and the variance due to each predictor. The researcher identified regression relationships, their statistical significance, and interpreted results to reach a conclusion addressing each research question. Potential relationships between building conditions and student behavior were highlighted. The study identified that higher numbers of disciplinary incidences were related to higher absenteeism rates within all student groups. Further, lower numbers of Hispanic student disciplinary incidences were associated with poorer student populations. In terms of facility conditions, lower numbers of Hispanic student and SWD disciplinary incidences were associated with improved cosmetic facility conditions and lower numbers of SWD disciplinary incidences were associated with improved overall facility conditions. / Doctor of Education / The study examined the relationship between building conditions and overall student behavior as well as the relationship between building conditions and the behaviors of student subgroups that include Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, and Students with Disabilities (SWD). Over-crowdedness, socioeconomic status, and attendance were mediating factors. The study included 10 school facilities in a medium-sized school division in Virginia. Building conditions were determined through facility engineering and educational condition. Facility Condition Indexes (FCIs) described facility engineering conditions. The Revised Commonwealth Assessment of Physical Environment (CAPE) instrument initially developed by Cash (1993) and revised by Cash and Earthman (2019) assessed facility educational conditions. The CAPE instrument provided overall, structural and cosmetic facility condition scores and was administered to principals. Student behavior was represented by the ratio of discipline incidents divided by student population for overall students and student subgroups. School-specific over-crowdedness measures were utilized. Free and reduced lunch percentages were used as a measure of socioeconomic status. For attendance, the study used the percentages of students who were chronically absent. To establish the potential relationships between building conditions and student behavior in each student subgroup, the study used quantitative analysis utilizing hierarchical multiple-variable regression and analysis of variance (ANOVA) through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The researcher assessed the impact of each facility condition individually as well as collectively on student behavior. ANOVA was utilized to explain the total contribution attributed to each predictor. The researcher identified relationships, their statistical significance, and interpreted results to reach a conclusion addressing each research question. Potential relationships between building conditions and student behavior were highlighted. The study identified that higher numbers of disciplinary incidences were related to higher absenteeism rates within all student groups. Further, lower numbers of Hispanic student disciplinary incidences were associated with poorer student populations. In terms of facility conditions, lower numbers of Hispanic student and SWD disciplinary incidences were associated with improved cosmetic facility conditions and lower numbers of SWD disciplinary incidences were associated with improved overall facility conditions.