This study explored the relationship between school building conditions and the academic achievement of twelfth students in selected public high schools in Kuwait. The population of the study was 56 high schools (28 boys' schools and 28 girls' schools) that offered a Sciences and Arts majors. The major research questions in this study were: (a) is there a relationship between overall, cosmetic, and structural conditions and student achievement; (b) does the relationship between building condition and student achievement differ between boys' and the girls' schools; and (c) what aspects of physical building components are related to student achievement. The high school principals were given the revised Commonwealth Assessment of Physical Environment (CAPE) to assess building conditions. Student achievement was measured by final examination scores collected from the Information Center at the Ministry of Education.

Pearson r, was used to determine if there is a relationship between building conditions and student achievement. This analysis revealed that a positive significant relationship exists between student achievement scores and building conditions in the boys' schools. The results of two-way ANOVA and the t-test, used sequentially to compare academic achievement in the top and bottom quartiles, found that building conditions affect significantly the achievement of students in the Sciences major. The t-test highlighted significant differences in subjects in the Sciences major among only the boys' schools.

Multiple regression, used to explain the variance in student achievement, indicated that building conditions explain at least 77% of the variance of Sciences majors' achievement, but did not account for any Arts majors' achievement. Because the SES index was neither available nor introduced into a formula, this resulted in a heavier weighting given to the remaining variables. The building conditions of the girls' schools did not explain student achievement in either the Sciences or the Arts majors. Step-wise multiple regression, used to determine which physical aspects of a building's condition best predict student achievement, indicated that graffiti and roof leaks are the main predictors of achievement.

Six conclusions were drawn from this study: (a) a significant positive relationship was found between the overall, structural, and cosmetic building condition and student achievement in the Sciences major when all 56 school buildings were analyzed; (b) a significant positive relationship was found between the overall and structural building condition and student achievement in the Arts major when all 56 school buildings were analyzed; (c) a significant relationship was found between building conditions and academic achievement in boy's schools in the Sciences major; (d) building conditions had a lesser impact on academic achievement in the boys' schools in the Arts major; (e) in the girls' schools, building conditions did not affect academic achievement in either the Sciences major or Arts major; and (f) graffiti and roof leaks were the main predictors of physical aspects of a building's condition that accounted for student achievement.

This study then underscores the need for the Kuwaiti Ministry of Education to establish policy supporting a program of improved facilities for all new schools. More research is needed to extend the breath of findings regarding the relationship between building conditions and student academic achievement. This study should be replicated in other non-U.S. countries.