This study was designed to address questions related to (a) school facility conditions in two elementary schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia and (b) the relationship of school facility conditions to teacher attitudes. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between school facility conditions and teacher attitudes. Two instruments were utilized to answer the proposed research questions, the Commonwealth Assessment of Physical Environment (CAPE), and the My Classroom Assessment Protocol (MCAP) instrument. The schools used in this study were selected to provide a contrast between an older and a newer building. Data from the CAPE was used to determine the condition of both buildings, while data from the MCAP was used to compare teacher responses with both schools. Data from the CAPE indicated that more desirable conditions were present in the newer building than in the older building. The MCAP revealed that teachers in the newer building had better attitudes about: (1) the condition of their classrooms, (2) how the condition of their classrooms made them feel, and (3) the affect of classroom conditions on student learning. Together these findings suggest that teacher attitudes are directly influenced by conditions within the building. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between facility conditions and student achievement, attendance, and behavior in an urban elementary school in southeastern Virginia. Most United States schools were constructed prior to 1960 (Phillips, 1997). As public school buildings aged and deteriorated, researchers became interested in determining links between facilities and student achievement (Lewis, 1983; Cash, 1993; Phillips, 1997; NCES, 1999). Research suggests links between specific facility conditions and student achievement, attendance, and behavior. This study examined student achievement, attendance, and the behavior of students in an eighty year-old facility and compared the same students as they transitioned into a new facility. The literature review examined existing literature and discussed major concepts relating to specific building conditions, and findings of empirical studies from across the United States and abroad. Few of these studies looked at schools that transitioned from an old building to a new building. This study employed a mixed-methods approach allowing the researcher to examine effects of facility conditions on attendance, behavior, and achievement in reading and mathematics as evidenced by standardized test scores using Virginia Standards of Learning Tests. The researcher used focus groups with students, parents, and teachers to qualitatively document the relationship between facility condition and behavior of urban students who transitioned from an eighty year-old facility to a new facility in southeastern Virginia. The findings of this study were varied. Paired t-tests were run to determine whether there were differences in achievement, attendance, and behavior when students transitioned from an old facility to a newly-constructed facility. When student cohorts were combined, students performed significantly better in reading and mathematics. However, when students were separated by cohort, results varied. Paired t-tests were conducted to examine gender differences for each cohort. Gender did play a role in the improvement of female students. Three themes emerged from focus groups: (1) the significance of technology in enhancing student achievement and instructional quality, (2) the feeling of pride as a catalyst for positive behavior; and (3) the impact of space, cleanliness, and lighting on behavior and achievement. / Ph. D.

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.