ACRP 02-47: Assessing Aircraft Noise Conditions Affecting Student Learning

The effects of aircraft noise on children’s learning are a longstanding concern of parents, educators, and planners living and teaching near airports. HMMH led a team of experts through this research study to attempt to determine how the behaviors of students and teachers are affected by this type of noise exposure.

The study analyzed the relationship between the behaviors and attitudes of students and teachers and the internal and external noise levels at 11 schools around Los Angeles International Airport. The published Study, ACRP Web-Only Document 34: Assessing Aircraft Noise Conditions Affecting Student Learning, found correlations between the number of aircraft events and teachers’ voices being masked by the aircraft noise, as well as teachers raising their voice in an effort to compensate for the noise. Results of the online self-report teacher survey showed that teachers believe that even moderate levels of aircraft noise exposure affect their students’ learning experiences.