Condition of America’s Public School Facilities: 2012-13
Among schools with permanent buildings, the overall condition of about 24 percent of the permanent buildings was considered less than good. “Condition of America’s Public School Facilities: 2012-13,” a First Look report from the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) provides national data on the condition of public school facilities, including the condition of 17 building systems/features, the condition of seven outdoor features, the estimated total cost of all repairs/renovations/modernizations required to put the school’s onsite buildings in good overall condition, and the year in which the school’s main instructional building was constructed, the year of the last major renovation of the main instructional building, and the year of the last major building replacement or addition at the school. This survey is an update to a 1999 survey. Findings include:
• Among public schools with permanent buildings, the building systems/features were rated as being in fair or poor condition in their permanent buildings in 14 to 32 percent of the schools: windows (32 percent); plumbing/lavatories (31 percent); heating system, air conditioning system, and ventilation/filtration system (30 percent each); energy management system, security systems, and exterior lighting (29 percent each); roofs, interior finishes/trim, and internal communication systems (25 percent each); electrical system (22 percent); technology infrastructure (21 percent); interior lighting and life safety features (19 percent each); exterior walls/finishes (18 percent); and framing, floors, and foundations (14 percent).
• Based on survey responses, 53 percent of public schools needed to spend money on repairs, renovations, and modernizations to put the school’s onsite buildings in good overall condition. The total amount needed was estimated to be approximately $197 billion, and the average dollar amount for schools needing to spend money was about $4.5 million per school.
• The average of the reported number of years since the construction of the main instructional building was 44 years. Among schools with major renovation of the main instructional building, the renovation occurred on average 12 years ago. Among schools with major building replacement or addition, the replacement or addition occurred on average 16 years ago. The average functional age of the main instructional building was 19 years.
How States Use Student Learning Objectives in Teacher Evaluation Systems
This report provides an overview of how states define and apply student learning objectives (SLOs) in evaluation systems. The research team conducted a systematic scan of state policies by searching state education agency websites of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. to identify tools, guidance, policies, regulations, and other documents related to the use of SLOs in teacher evaluation systems. T
Employment Outcomes of Recent College Graduates
One year after graduation, the unemployment rate of 2007–08 bachelor’s degree recipients (9 percent) was higher than that of their counterparts who attained their degrees in 1992-93 and 1999–2000 (4 percent and 5 percent, respectively).This Statistics in Brief investigates the employment outcomes of 1992–93, 1999–2000, and 2007–08 college graduates 1 year after earning a bachelor’s degree. The bri
Condition of America’s Public School Facilities: 2012-13
Among schools with permanent buildings, the overall condition of about 24 percent of the permanent buildings was considered less than good. “Condition of America’s Public School Facilities: 2012-13,” a First Look report from the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) provides national data on the condition of public school facilities, including the condition of 17 building systems/features, the condit
Requiring all students to tke the SAT increases 4 -year college-going rates by 10-percentage points
To receive federal funding, states are required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to adopt accountability tests intended to measure student and school success. In response to this mandate, several states have adopted a college entrance exam (the SAT® or the ACT Test®) as their statewide accountability test. Requiring students to take these college entrance exams confers several advantages, s
Youngest Kindergarteners Most Likely to be Held Back
For some parents, the decision of when to enroll their children into kindergarten can result in costly consequences such as another year of daycare expenses. In general, children must be five years old to be eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten. However, the developmental differences between a young kindergartener who barely qualifies for the state-mandated age cutoff date compared to a child w
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Student Discipline Disparity in Maryland
This study examines whether disproportionate rates of suspensions and expulsions exist for racial/ethnic minority students and special education students in Maryland during the period 2009/10 to 2011/12.Key findings from the report include:• In 2011/12, 5 percent of Maryland students received an out-of-school suspension or expulsion. This was a slight drop from 5.6 percent in 2009/10. • In a
New school meal standards significantly increase fruit, vegetable consumption
New federal standards launched in 2012 that require schools to offer healthier meals have led to increased fruit and vegetable consumption, according to a new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers. The study, the first to examine school food consumption both before and after the standards went into effect, contradicts criticisms that the new standards have increased food wa
Student participation and pass rates in college preparatory transition courses in Kentucky high schools
All Kentucky students in grade 11 are required to take the ACT assessment. Students with scores below benchmarks established by the Kentucky Department of Education are encouraged to enroll in college preparatory transition courses in grade 12 to help equip them with the skills they need for college-level math and English courses. The purpose of this study was to examine Kentucky high school stude
Virtual Schools Continue to Proliferate
Full-time virtual schools continue to have serious problems with respect to education quality, diversity, accountability, and funding, according to a new national study published today by the National Education Policy Center. Virtual Schools in the U.S. 2014: Politics, Performance, Policy, and Research Evidence is the second in a series of annual reports from the NEPC on the full-time online educ
Students with a Disability More Likely to be Restrained, Secluded in Affluent School Districts
The restraint and seclusion of students in U.S. public schools in response to student behavior problems are used much more frequently on students with a disability than on students without a disability, and especially in affluent school districts, according to new research at the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire.Restraint is a practice that uses physical or mechanical means to r
Twins and Kindergarten Separation: Divergent Beliefs of Principals, Teachers, Parents, and Twins
Should principals enforce mandatory separation of twins in kindergarten? Do school separation beliefs of principals differ from those of teachers, parents of twins, and twins themselves?This survey questioned 131 elementary principals, 54 kindergarten teachers, 201 parents of twins, and 112 twins.A majority of principals (71%) believed that twins should be separated in kindergarten, while only 49%