| This study investigated the impact of architecturally excellent 21st century American high school facilities on teaching and learning. Current research identifies an urgent and immediate need to remedy 75% or more of the nation's 92,012 schools. Currently a massive school construction initiative is under way and is expected to last for at least ten years. It is this action that spurs the need for data upon which to make informed decisions as to how these new facilities should and will be designed.; The study attempted to discover a measurable educational outcome attributable to well-designed award-winning schools located in Maine and Virginia. Using the multi-case study research methodology model of Yin, a set of theoretical propositions was developed to indicate identifiers of success. The propositions were evaluated using interview, survey, and achievement statistics obtained from award-winning high schools in each state carefully matched to results from comparable high quality but non-award-winning high schools.; The theoretical propositions initially put forth as indicators of a successful school did, in general, compare favorably with the findings from the award-winning schools. Award schools made significant gains in standardized test scores and college acceptance rates. However, in Maine, the comparison school had much greater success in reduction in dropouts compared with the award school. Interview investigation identified the quotations of the award schools' personnel (85%) were 39 percentage points more positive than the quotations of the comparison schools' personnel (46%). In addition, there were much greater negative values (26 percentage points) in comments from comparison school personnel (33%) than in comments from award school personnel (7%).; Data from the two award-winning schools (selected for literal replication logic) were closely aligned with each other. Much of the data from the comparison schools (selected for theoretical replication logic) differed predictably from the award-winning schools, yet were reasonably aligned with each other, suggesting that some measurable difference attributable to architectural excellence, has been found. |
