Historically, the program grew out of a strong affiliation with Outward Bound and other adventure-based outdoor education programs. Although that tradition is very much part of the current program, there has been a strong growth in other areas. Public school classroom teachers, school administrators and others have found the experiential education graduate program useful. According to the report, school districts are often enticed by donations of unknowingly contaminated property, seek out the cheapest land, or hire uncertified or poor-quality contractors for environmental assessment. There are no federal standards for assessing health risks of sites selected for school construction.
Carpet can create a quiet environment with good acoustics, which helps students concentrate.
Classrooms that lack windows and use only artificial light can make students feel tense and cause eyestrain. The warning comes as local school officials prepare for a host of changes coming to Texas schools in the next few years, including former Gov. George W. Bush's program to curb automatic student promotions. President Bush is now pitching some of the same Texas school accountability initiatives to the nation. Students who are now in eighth grade will be the first group subject to the more difficult graduation test and will have to pass it by the spring of 2005 to receive a diploma. They will first take it their junior year and have multiple chances to pass.