K-12 School Facilities in California: What should you need to know about?

1. What are school physical facilities?

Physical facilities in any school system range from the school plant, that is school buildings, classroom, library, laboratories, toilet facilities, learning materials to other infrastructures that would likely motivate students towards learning. 

Experience has shown that most of the physical facilities that are germane to effective learning/academic performance of students appear not to be sufficient in many K-12 schools today. 

Experience shows that inadequate physical facilities have some adverse effect on students’ interest to learn. Hence, this may invariably affect their academic performance. In a situation where students are not having access to normal facilities like library equipment or inadequate seats in the classroom it is observed that these could contribute to low performance of students.

2. What type of facilities are provided in your school?

Most of K-12 schools have these facilities:

- Classrooms

Air-conditioned and heated classrooms, are complete with networked computers and interactive TV/whiteboards.

- School Hall

Fully equipped multi-purpose hall with sound room, stage, fully equipped canteen and toilet facilities. Used for drama, physical education, school assemblies and so on.

- Adventure Playgrounds

All adventure playgrounds must be challenging and safe play environments for children of all ages and abilities. 

- Learning Lounge

A facility for one to one tutoring of students with reading difficulties. 

- Shaded Active and Passive Play Areas

An outdoor seating area protected by heavy shade cloth. For quiet activities during playtimes. 

- Library

Most libraries have a range of engaging fiction, non-fiction, and picture story books. 

All classes have a timetabled weekly library lesson in the library taken by the class teacher or library teacher.

A developmental program of library skills, literature appreciation and research skills and taught. 

Students may use the library for research purposes during lessons and when the library is open.

- Language room 

A dedicated classroom for the teaching of many languages and cultures.

- Canteen

The canteen is a service the school offers to all families who need their children to be attended during lunchtimes. 

This service also aims to provide students with balanced nutrition, helping them live together during dinner and leisure activities. That’s why, from the dining room, a healthy and balanced diet is encouraged, as well as correct eating habits.

3. Do K-12 school facilities affect Education outcomes?

Many teens from across the nation were asked their opinions about various aspects of their schools. When ranking a list of factors in order of importance, thirty-three percent of the students placed “building

maintenance and construction” as the number one item needing improvement. Parents responding to the same list ranked “lack of proper facilities” dead last. 

School facilities also seem to symbolize something to the community. In national polls about whether or not schools were good, the public appeared to associate the quality of the school, and the level of student achievement, with the quality of the school building. 

An attractive school is a source of pride and generates goodwill for public education. For students, it inspires good conduct, increases academic achievement, and reduces vandalism. 

In fact, teachers can teach as well or students can learn as much as they could have in better surroundings.

4. What are the five primary facets of school facilities?

- Acoustics and noise 

Noise levels greatly affect teacher and student performance. Excessive noise causes dis-satisfaction and

stress in both teachers and students. 

Many researchers have found that K-12 schools that have classrooms with less external noise are positively associated with greater student engagement and achievement compared to schools with classrooms that have a noisier environment. 

- Air quality

Indoor air quality is also a concern because poor air quality is a major contributor to absenteeism for students with asthma. 

Research also indicates that many schools suffer from “sick building syndrome,” which affects the absenteeism and performance of all students. Moreover, bacteria, viruses, and allergens that contribute to childhood diseases are commonly found in schools with poor ventilation systems. 

- Lighting

Research has shown that artificial lighting has negative impacts on those in school, while natural lighting has positive impacts. 

One study found that students with the most exposure to natural daylight progressed 20% faster in math and 26% faster in reading than those who were taught in environments with the least amount of natural light. 

- Proper temperature and control of temperature

Anyone that has worked in a classroom or office that is too hot or too cold knows how difficult it can be when trying to work when the temperature is uncomfortable. 

- Classroom size and space

Overcrowded classrooms are also associated with decreased levels of student engagement and, therefore, decreased levels of learning. 

Moreover, classrooms with ample space are more conducive to providing appropriate learning environments for students and associated with increased student engagement and learning.

5. What type of education system does California have?

The education system in California consists of public, NPS, and private schools in the U.S. state of California, including public University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges systems, private colleges and universities, and public and private elementary, middle, and high schools.

6. How do California schools compare to other states?

- California has far more K-12 students than any other states

Of the 47,751,099 U.S. students in 2005-05, 6,259,972 went to school in California, or about one in eight. Comparing California with the countries’ other four most populous states underscores its size.

California has nearly 2 million more students than Texas, the next largest state, and 1,4 million more students than New York and Florida combined. 

- California ranks first by a wide margin in the proportion of children who speak a language other than English at home

Nearly half of California’s children ages 5 to 17 speak a language other than English at home. 

In terms of total numbers, California’s overall population of children who are not native English speakers dwarfs those in other states. 

- California identifies a lower-than-average percentage of Special Education students

Students receiving Special Education services consistently make up 10.8% of the school population in California. This is just three-fourths of the nationwide figure of 14.3%.

Here is one of the first things you should know about K-12 school facilities in California, if you want to get more information about this. Officehelps have done more research on our blogs about education for you.