Duncanson, E. (2014). Research has shown that rooms with greater amounts of open floor space have higher test results. Four recent trends that have negatively impacted open space in classrooms: (1) storage of CCSS materials in the classroom, (2) storage of science kits in the classroom, (3) inability to remove unwanted material, and (4) inability to remove unneeded furniture from the classroom. Teachers have reacted to the loss of classroom space: (1) desks are rearranged frequently to create specific spaces needed for an activity; (2) daily planning considers the use of space; (3) hallways and the library are used to increase student space; (4) the amount of materials readily available for student use have been reduced. (5) tall book cases have replaced horizontal models; (6) the size of interest/exploration centers had decreased. Administrators need to create a system to dispose of unwanted materials. The center for school improvement resides in the classroom.
