National Survey of the Perceptions of Selected School Board Members Regarding the Quality and Condition, Maintenance, and Improvement and Renovation of Existing Public School Facilities

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of selected school board members across the country regarding the quality and condition, maintenance, and improvement and renovation of existing public school facilities within their district. There were three research questions in this study. The first question examined how selected school board members perceived the quality and condition of existing public school facilities. The second question examined how they perceived the maintenance of these facilities. The third question examined what actions had been taken by the school boards of these selected members to address the improvement and renovation of these facilities.

A descriptive research methodology was employed in this study. A nationwide stratified random sample had been selected to receive a coded mailed questionnaire consisting of twenty-one survey items, seven for each of the three research questions. The questionnaire included demographic information designed to allow the researcher to disaggregate the data received according to each of nine geographic regions throughout the country. Two follow-up mailings were made to non-respondents to increase the data collection return rate. Incomplete returns were not included in the data analysis. Frequency tables and descriptive statistics were constructed to display results with respect to each of the three research questions.

The researcher found that the results of this study did not support significant recommendations that affirm findings in previous studies. Those findings described a continual pattern in the failure of school districts across the country to properly maintain the quality and condition, maintenance, and improvement and renovation of existing public school facilities. This study surveyed selected school board members nationally for the first time regarding their perceptions on these issues.