Building Conditions, Parental Involvement, and Student Achievement in the District of Columbia Public School System

Abstract

Little research has been done on the need to repair and refurbish school buildings because of the impact that the condition of buildings has on the students, rather than just the need to maintain local government's capital investment. This study uses Washington, DC, as a case study showing that the size of a public school's Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) budget is positively related to the school building 's condition. The condition is, in turn, shown to be statistically related to the student's academic achievement. An improvement in the school's condition by one category, say from poor to fair. is associated with a 5.5 point improvement in average academic achievement scores.