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
K-12 Schools | Feb 26, 2015
Construction funding still scarce for many school districts
Many districts are struggling to have new construction and renovation keep pace with student population growth.
K-12 Schools | Feb 26, 2015
D.C.'s Dunbar High School is world's highest-scoring LEED school, earns 91% of base credits
The 280,000-sf school achieved 91 points, out of 100 base points possible for LEED, making it the highest-scoring school in the world certified under USGBC’s LEED for Schools-New Construction system.
K-12 Schools | Feb 25, 2015
Polish architect designs modular ‘kids city’ kindergarten using shipping container frames
Forget the retrofit of a shipping container into a building for one moment. Designboom showcases the plans of Polish architect Adam Wiercinski to use just the recycled frames of containers to construct a “kids city.”
University Buildings | Feb 23, 2015
Future-proofing educational institutions: 5 trends to consider
In response to rapidly changing conditions in K-12 and higher education, institutions and school districts should consider these five trends to ensure a productive, educated future.
Sponsored | Energy Efficiency | Jan 23, 2015
Rapid payback and reduced consumption with modulating buildings
| Jan 2, 2015
Construction put in place enjoyed healthy gains in 2014
Construction consultant FMI foresees—with some caveats—continuing growth in the office, lodging, and manufacturing sectors. But funding uncertainties raise red flags in education and healthcare.
Sponsored | | Dec 30, 2014
First-class glass: Designing for fire safety in schools
As more students enter the school system each year, designing for fire safety in educational facilities has never been more critical. Fire-rated glazing can be a key part of the solution.
| Dec 28, 2014
AIA course: Enhancing interior comfort while improving overall building efficacy
Providing more comfortable conditions to building occupants has become a top priority in today’s interior designs. This course is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
| Dec 2, 2014
Nonresidential construction spending rebounds in October
This month's increase in nonresidential construction spending is far more consistent with the anecdotal information floating around the industry, says ABC's Chief Economist Anirban Basu.
Sponsored | | Nov 26, 2014
What’s in a coating?
A beautiful coating on metal products can make a strong statement, whether used on a high-end commercial project or an industrial building. SPONSORED CONTENT