Does student satisfaction with school facilities affect exam results?

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between student satisfaction with school facilities and exam results. Design/methodology/approach – The authors combined exam results in Norwegian lower secondary schools with results from a nationwide, mandatory and annual survey that measures student satisfaction over a five-year period. The data were analyzed using regression methods (ordinary least squares and fixed-effects estimation). Findings – The authors found a modest, yet significant, relationship between satisfaction with school facilities and exam results. This is in contrast to earlier studies using Norwegian data, which indicate no such relationship. The authors argue that the difference is probably due to the fact that they have richer data than what were available to the earlier studies of Norwegian schools, and that they used a direct measure of student satisfaction rather than formal and technical measures of facility conditions. Originality/value – This paper offers new evidence of the relationship between school facilities and student achievement and should be of great interest to academics, school leaders and policy makers.

The Impact of School Infrastructure on Learning: A Synthesis of the Evidence

“…The question of the positive and negative effects of school design on academic outcomes has been studied by a lot of researchers. Their efforts have revealed a modest relationship between students' exam results and their subjective satisfaction with the condition of their facilities (Hopland and Nyhus 2015). What is not clear is which aspects of school facilities these pupils are taking into account.…”

Building conditions in Norwegian local governments: trends and determinants

“…Poor facilities may thus have a negative impact on the quality of public services. The education sector has received particular attention, see, e.g., Green and Turrell (2005), COSLA and the Scottish Government (2009), Lavy and Bilbo (2009), Kristoffersen and Larsen (2010), Hopland (2012;2014a), and Hopland and Nyhus (2015).…”

Assessing users' perception of Facilities Management services in a Public University: A case study approach

“…Lavy & Bilbo (2009) studied facilities maintenance practices in large public schools in the State of Texas by analyzing how facilities maintenance is planned, managed and carried out by such schools and concluded that poor quality of facilities maintenance management practice existed in large public schools in Texas. Whereas, Hopland and Nyhus (2015) found that there is a relationship between satisfaction with school facilities and students' exam results. This underscores the importance of efficient FM services in schools.…”