The average age of a main instructional school building in the United States is 49 years, according to a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
About 38% of schools were built before 1970. Roughly half of the schools surveyed have undergone a major building renovation or addition. Of those that have been renovated, the average age of the renovation was 14 years.
Major repair, renovation, or modernization work was being performed in 21% of all public schools surveyed as of December 2023. Indoor air quality is a major focus for many schools, with 39% having an indoor air quality coordinator on campus. This position is responsible for monitoring air quality conditions at the school and reporting air quality issues and complaints.
Some 60% of schools have designated vehicle loading and unloading areas at least 25 feet from all building air intakes, including doors and windows. Eighteen % of schools have an anti-idling program that includes signage and active monitoring during pick-up and drop-off times.
Some 31% of public schools have one or more non-permanent (portable) buildings in use.
Here are other findings from the NCES public school building survey:
The average age of the main instructional building is 49 years old. The following %ages of reporting public schools’ main instructional buildings were built during the following time periods:
- Pre-1970: 38%
- 1970 – 1999: 21%
- 2000 – present: 20%
Nearly all public schools (93%) reported having some kind of athletic amenities on-site. The most commonly reported types of facilities were:
- A gymnasium (69%)
- All-purpose grass field (68%)
- Outdoor basketball court (56%)
- Baseball/softball field (38%)
- Weight room (29%)
- Outdoor track (28%)
Most public schools have dedicated library space available (89%).
Compared to the national estimate (89%), higher percentages of public schools with the following characteristics reported having dedicated library space available:
- With 500-999 students (96%)
- With a student body made up of 0-25% students of color (96%)
- In rural areas (94%)
- With 300-499 students (93%)
- Elementary schools (93%)
- In low-poverty neighborhoods (92%)
Compared to the national estimate (89%), lower percentages of public schools with the following characteristics reported having dedicated library space available:
- In cities (84%)
- In high-poverty neighborhoods (81%)
- With a student body made up of 76% or more students of color (80%)
- High/secondary schools (80%)
- With 0-299 students (77%)
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Dec 21, 2022
Bay Area school district builds 122 affordable apartments for faculty and staff
The 122 affordable apartments at 705 Serramonte, Daly City, Calif., were set aside not for faculty and staff at Jefferson Union High School District.
K-12 Schools | Dec 20, 2022
Designing an inspiring, net zero early childhood learning center
LPA's design for a new learning center in San Bernardino provides a model for a facility that prepares children for learning and supports the community.
Sponsored | Resiliency | Dec 14, 2022
Flood protection: What building owners need to know to protect their properties
This course from Walter P Moore examines numerous flood protection approaches and building owner needs before delving into the flood protection process. Determining the flood resilience of a property can provide a good understanding of risk associated costs.
HVAC | Dec 13, 2022
Energy Management Institute launches online tool to connect building owners with HVAC contractors
The National Energy Management Institute Inc. (NEMI) along with the Biden administration’s Better Air in Buildings website have rolled out a resource to help building owners and managers, school districts, and other officials find HVAC contractors.
Education Facilities | Nov 30, 2022
10 ways to achieve therapeutic learning environments
Today’s school should be much more than a place to learn—it should be a nurturing setting that celebrates achievements and responds to the challenges of many different users.
K-12 Schools | Nov 30, 2022
School districts are prioritizing federal funds for air filtration, HVAC upgrades
U.S. school districts are widely planning to use funds from last year’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) to upgrade or improve air filtration and heating/cooling systems, according to a report from the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. The report, “School Facilities Funding in the Pandemic,” says air filtration and HVAC upgrades are the top facility improvement choice for the 5,004 school districts included in the analysis.
Energy-Efficient Design | Nov 14, 2022
How to achieve net zero energy in five steps
Martine Dion and Ethan Seaman share net zero energy best practices with owners and developers.
K-12 Schools | Nov 1, 2022
Safety is the abiding design priority for K-12 schools
With some exceptions, architecture, engineering, and construction firms say renovations and adaptive reuse make up the bulk of their work in the K-12 schools sector.
BAS and Security | Oct 19, 2022
The biggest cybersecurity threats in commercial real estate, and how to mitigate them
Coleman Wolf, Senior Security Systems Consultant with global engineering firm ESD, outlines the top-three cybersecurity threats to commercial and institutional building owners and property managers, and offers advice on how to deter and defend against hackers.
Education Facilities | Oct 13, 2022
A 44-acre campus serves as a professional retreat for public-school educators in Texas
A first-of-its-kind facility for public schools in Texas, the Holdsworth Center serves as a retreat for public educators, supporting reflection and dialogue.
