New Research Highlights Link Between Classroom Design, Teacher Agility and Student Academic Confidence

• Funded in part by the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center (SEKESC) and School Specialty, the independent year-long study was conducted across middle and high school classrooms by the Learning Tree Institute at Greenbush during the 2025–2026 academic year.
• By school year-end, 100% of surveyed high school and middle school respondents agreed that flexible learning spaces supported their ability to stay focused and complete complex assignments, and that seating choice helped them feel more in control of their learning. These survey items ask whether students agreed with statements about the environment, not whether all students experienced measurable improvement.
• Participating secondary teachers reported that flexible environments enhanced cooperative learning and differentiated instruction, making it easier to run small-group work, independent focus and one-on-one coaching in the same period.
• Teachers emphasized that seating choices and room movement functioned without behavioral disruption because clear norms, expectations and reset routines were established early.
• The research supports the idea that furniture flexibility works best when paired with holistic room design, including spatial layout, storage and traffic flow, as well as ongoing teacher professional development.

GREENVILLE, Wis., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- School Specialty, a leading provider of comprehensive learning environments, educational products and professional development solutions for PK–12 schools, today announced the findings of an independent third-party study. The study found that students and teachers associated flexible classroom environments with greater engagement, confidence and instructional flexibility.

The research, found in a report titled Furniture Innovations Study (2026) and authored by Dr. M.M. Pelkey of the Learning Tree Institute at Greenbush, evaluated dynamic learning spaces in a rural Kansas school district across a 7th-grade mathematics class and a high-school Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) class. Grounded in Albert Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory, the study showed how comfortable, adaptable spaces help students feel less stressed, more engaged and more confident in their ability to succeed.

Surging Student Focus, Agency and Peer Learning
Survey results across both grade levels revealed dramatic shifts over the school year. By the final wave of interviews, 100% of high school students agreed that flexible seating choices gave them control over their learning and helped them manage distractions on complex tasks. Furthermore, student agreement that observing peers' study setups inspired their own focus jumped from 63% at baseline to 100% by year-end.

Middle school classrooms experienced similar gains. Student agreement that flexible spaces supported focus and productivity rose from 89% to 100%, while willingness to ask questions and participate openly increased by 11%. In both classrooms, physical comfort helped reduce stress, lower assignment anxiety and create a positive culture where students took ownership of their learning.

• These findings reflect students' perceptions of their learning environments and do not establish individual improvement or causation.

How Flexible Rooms Support Great Learning and Teaching
Surveys, written reflections and classroom observations throughout the study revealed that adaptable rooms gave teachers greater flexibility in their daily lessons. The middle school math teacher shared, "The furniture greatly enhances the ability to use cooperative learning."

With adaptable room layouts, both teachers gained confidence tailoring their classroom setups directly to daily learning goals. The flexible environment allowed teachers to more easily run whole-class instruction, small-group collaboration, peer review and one-on-one coaching within a single period.

Teachers noted that student seating choices and physical movement worked smoothly when paired with clear expectations and reset routines established early in the year. High school student perceptions that their teachers actively encouraged optimal seating choices increased from 88% to 100% over the school year, illustrating a strong culture of trust and shared responsibility.

Teacher guidance proved essential to this success. High school student perceptions that their teachers actively encouraged optimal seating choices increased from 88% to 100% over the school year, demonstrating that teacher routines and redirection created a balanced environment of freedom and focus.

"Learning spaces are active partners in the learning process," said Dr. Sue Ann Highland, National Education Strategist at School Specialty. "Combining fluid, future-ready and thoughtfully designed spaces with professional development helps teachers create an environment where students feel safe, confident and fully capable of taking ownership of their learning."

Beyond Furniture: Designing Complete Learning Ecosystems
The study reinforces the value of thoughtful furniture selection and deliberate layout planning in creating engaging classrooms where teachers feel comfortable and confident, with storage solutions playing a supporting role. School Specialty used its expertise to design and furnish the classrooms evaluated in the study, tailoring each space to the layout and instructional vision of its grade level. The team also provided teacher training to help educators make the most of the spaces and products.

To build on this success, participating teachers noted the value of ongoing professional development beyond initial installation, expressing interest in:

• Visual layout templates tailored by subject area and class size.
• Video exemplars illustrating quick, seamless transition routines between lesson formats.
• Opportunities for peer observation and post-installation design check-ins.

Ultimately, creating future-ready classrooms requires looking beyond individual products to designing complete learning environments that combine thoughtful room layouts, flexible and fluid furniture choices, practical storage and continuous teacher support.

To view the full study and learn more about bringing your instructional visions to life, visit https://schoolspecialty.me/gen-ed-spaces.

About School Specialty, LLC
With a 60-year legacy, School Specialty is a leading provider of comprehensive learning environment solutions for the preK-12 education marketplace in the U.S. and Canada. From furniture and design services to learning materials and essential supplies, School Specialty works alongside educators and school leaders to create complete learning environments with the products, services and support needed to bring their vision for teaching and learning to life. For more information, go to SchoolSpecialty.com.

Media Contact
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SOURCE School Specialty