NAAEE

Previous research documenting a positive association between academic performance and school surrounding greenness focused on single-grade students. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between school surrounding greenness and students’ academic performance across grade levels in Massachusetts, USA. This research focused on students in seven different grades, including students from elementary school, middle school, and high school.

Researchers accessed the English and math scores of over 27,000 students over a period of 9 years from the Massachusetts standard-based assessment program. They also obtained measures of greenness around public schools in Massachusetts. The “greenness” data was based on two different measures: the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and green land use area around the schools. NDVI uses satellite images which provide overall information of greenness. Information about green land use area was obtained from a statewide database and included information about forests, brushland, and parks open to the public which can be accessed by students. Based on these two greenness metrics, the researchers developed estimates of greenness exposure for students within 250-meter, 500-meter, 1000-meter, and 2000-meter buffers around each school.

Data analysis revealed a significant positive association between academic performance and both measures of greenness. An analysis based on different buffer levels did not dramatically change the major findings. Additionally, surrounding greenness seemed to have an equivalent effect on student academic achievement regardless of gender or family income. There were some indications that surrounding trees may have a more powerful influence on academic performance than grass or shrubs.

These findings are consistent with other studies showing that more greenness around schools may improve academic performance levels. This study adds to that research by showing that the academic benefits of surrounding greenness apply to students in all grades. This research, then, supports the greening of landscapes around elementary, middle, and high schools as a way to improve the academic performance of both male and female students from differing socioeconomic backgrounds.