This report presents findings from the initial phase of a study to examine whether and how rebuilding and renovating of Baltimore City Public Schools buildings affects students, school staff, school conditions, and the surrounding community. The report summarizes findings on three sets of exploratory analyses that examine associations between factors that may be influenced by the school building conditions prior to the renovations taking place.

Health, Well-Being, and Education in an Urban School District

Baltimore City Public Schools Prior to the Implementation of the 21st Century Buildings Program

Kata Mihaly, Tamara Dubowitz, Andrea S. Richardson, Gabriella C. Gonzalez

ResearchPublished May 23, 2018

This report presents findings from the initial phase of a study to examine whether and how rebuilding and renovating of Baltimore City Public Schools buildings affects students, school staff, school conditions, and the surrounding community. The report summarizes findings on three sets of exploratory analyses that examine associations between factors that may be influenced by the school building conditions prior to the renovations taking place: (1) the relationship between students' perception of school climate, student health and well-being, and student education outcomes; (2) the relationship between teachers' perceptions of school climate, teacher health and well-being, and their students' education outcomes; and (3) the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and students' perceptions of school climate. We found that students' and teachers' perception of school climate was correlated with measures of mental health in both populations, and that students' physical and mental health is moderately correlated with education outcomes, in particular with thinking about dropping out of school. We found no statistically significant correlations between teacher physical and mental health and student education outcomes, nor were we able to identify statistically significant relationships between our measures of neighborhood quality and students' assessment of the school climate.

Key Findings

Perceptions of School Climate, Student Health Have Effects

  • Students' and teachers' perception of school climate was correlated with measures of mental health in both populations.
  • Students' physical and mental health is moderately correlated with education outcomes, in particular with thinking about dropping out of school.
  • We found no statistically significant correlations between teacher physical and mental health and student education outcomes.
  • We were unable to identify statistically significant relationships between our measures of neighborhood quality and students' assessment of the school climate.

Topics

Document Details

Citation

RAND Style Manual
Mihaly, Kata, Tamara Dubowitz, Andrea S. Richardson, and Gabriella C. Gonzalez, Health, Well-Being, and Education in an Urban School District: Baltimore City Public Schools Prior to the Implementation of the 21st Century Buildings Program, RAND Corporation, RR-2483-RWJ, 2018. As of September 4, 2024: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2483.html
Chicago Manual of Style
Mihaly, Kata, Tamara Dubowitz, Andrea S. Richardson, and Gabriella C. Gonzalez, Health, Well-Being, and Education in an Urban School District: Baltimore City Public Schools Prior to the Implementation of the 21st Century Buildings Program. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2018. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2483.html.
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This research was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and conducted within RAND Health and RAND Education.

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