Comments on: Buildings Don’t Teach Kids, People Do

By: Jay P. Greene

Jay P. Greene — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:39:37 +0000

Bill,

I can Google “vaccines linked to autism” and find hundreds or thousand of “studies” as well. That wouldn’t prove that vaccines cause autism anymore than new buildings improve achievement. We have to look at the systematic reviews of the highest quality research. That’s why I linked to the Handbook of the Economics of Education in the post above. It reviews the best research and finds little to no relationship between buildings and achievement in developed countries.

By: Bill Reddinger

Bill Reddinger — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:43:34 +0000

Greg,

Google “school facilities direclty linked to student performance” and you will find hundreds, if not thousands of studies. Take your pick and take your time.

By: Greg Forster

Greg Forster — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:29:31 +0000

Can you point us to some of those “hundreds if not thousands of studies”? I’d like to see them.

By: Eric Hayes

Eric Hayes — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 21:01:06 +0000

I disagree too, there are hundreds if not thousands of studies that have been conducted which are contrary to this article. It is just like the broken window theory. If something is not done about a broken window, eventually the entire community starts to decline. There is nothing more important than investing in our schools. If we do not invest in our schools and give our kids a proper education, than we should start concentrating on building prisons.

By: Karen Hormuth

Karen Hormuth — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:47:02 +0000

I tend to disagree with this statement.
You cannot and never will be able to inform me that when a “student” or whomever walks into any given building that-that is not the first impression of the attitude of the environment that-that student attends.

I have observed many schools adhered to regulations. Not only do they upkeep the facilities in Manatee/Sarasota/Charlotte Counties they also enforce rules and regulations to the students to the fact that the students who “vandalize” property will be attended to in the proper manner. This meaning, that the students will be “billed” for their repocussions.
This impacts the student as well as the parents.

My bottom line, via Karen Hormuth/Sarasota, FLA says to you….America: How can you beith walk into your own work environment with it’s high fluent attributes such as clean walls, perfect lighting, etc..
and thus “NOT” ensure your child walks into a clean “learning environment.?”

How are we to teach them the “Sustainability” of life if we are only accomplishing it through profit! Is it not the saying: “First Come, First Serve?”
God Bless the USA!!! and our Children’s Children?????
No Matter What-I stand by u!

By: Jay P. Greene

Jay P. Greene — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:23:15 +0000

The source site wen tdown. We’ll see if it is temporary.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:49:57 +0000

What happend to your pictures?

By: Taj Mahal High at Joanne Jacobs

Taj Mahal High at Joanne Jacobs — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:05:57 +0000

[...] Buildings Don’t Teach Kids, People Do, writes Jay Greene, who will end up paying taxes for the new building. We should invest much more in ensuring that we attract, retain, and motivate the best people as teachers rather than in “21st Century” facilities (whatever that blather means). The systematic evidence overwhelmingly shows that the quality of school facilities in the United States has no relationship to student achievement, while the quality of teachers is very strongly related. [...]

By: Greene on Schools: No More Taj Mahals | The Arkansas Project

Greene on Schools: No More Taj Mahals | The Arkansas Project — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:52:22 +0000

[...] of Arkansas education reformer Jay P. Greene has a nice post at his blog looking at the discussion of a new building for Fayetteville High School. Local officials are talking about building a “21st century” high school facility to [...]