The National School Boards Association has launched the Clean, Green and Safe Schools initiative. The aim of the initiative is to provide school board members with information they can use to develop policies and protocols to provide a healthy and safe environment for students, teachers, administrators, and visitors. The initiative also provides access to experts who can help school boards develop and implement a working plan to improve school buildings so they are energy and cost efficient, safe, and designed to provide an optimal learning environment.
A school’s physical structure can be a critical component to student success. Studies have found positive correlations between building conditions and student performance. Unfortunately, the inverse is also true. In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency found that that students who attend schools in poor condition score 11% lower on standardized tests than students who attend schools in good condition.