The Classroom Hasnā€™t Changed. Everything Else Has.
Every 23 seconds, a student drops out of high school in the United States. That’s not just an education issue. It’s a signal. Because while almost every part of our world has evolved, the environments where students learn have remained largely unchanged. Row by column. One teacher. One static layout. And in an industry focused on shaping environments, that raises a bigger question: What role does space play in learning outcomes?
That question came into focus in a recent Trend Report episode featuring Libby Ferin, VP of Marketing at Marco, and Dr. Lennie Scott-Webber, a leading voice in how space shapes human performance.
The Problem Isn’t Visibility. It’s Focus.
For years, conversations around education have centered on curriculum, funding, and performance. But the environment itself is rarely part of that conversation. And yet, the data tells a very different story.
Flexible, intentionally designed classrooms lead to 12% higher test scores and measurable improvements in student engagement. Even small shifts, like changing a classroom from portrait to landscape orientation, can bring educators closer to students, reduce behavioral challenges, and create a stronger sense of connection. One change. No renovation required.
As Dr. Scott-Webber puts it: “You can’t build a future if you don’t think about place.”
Design Is a Tool. Most Decision-Makers Were Never Shown How to Use It.
Decisions about learning environments are being made every day. Billions of dollars in space. Long-term impact. High stakes. And yet, most of the people making those decisions were never taught that design is a lever for behavior, engagement, and performance.
That’s not a failure of leadership. It’s a structural gap. Educational design is barely represented in formal training. Leadership turnover is constant. And institutional knowledge rarely has time to take hold.
At the same time, K–12 remains one of the largest and most complex environments this industry touches. Which creates a disconnect. Designers are learning on the job. Many dealer organizations avoid the space altogether. And one of the most foundational environments in a person’s life continues to be treated as an afterthought.
Start With Behavior. Not the Blueprint.
The shift is simple, but not easy. Start by asking what the space needs to support. Is it collaboration? Focus? Creation? Movement? Let behavior drive the design. That shift changes the conversation. From “how many do you need?” To “what are you trying to accomplish?” And that’s where real differentiation begins. Because a catalog isn’t a strategy. And a well-designed space isn’t just about how it looks, it’s about what it enables.
The Opportunity Most of the Industry Is Ignoring
The themes shaping learning environments should feel familiar. Choice. Flexibility. Belonging. Designing for human performance. These are the same ideas that have been reshaping the workplace for years. The difference is timing. In the workplace, that shift is already underway. In K–12, it’s just beginning. But the connection is clear.
The students sitting in today’s classrooms are tomorrow’s employees, leaders, and decision-makers. What they experience now shapes how they think about space, collaboration, and performance later.
If better workplaces are the goal, better learning environments are part of the path.
The Environment Is the Lever
There’s a principle that Libby mentions that captures this shift clearly:
“When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”
If engagement is low, if outcomes are lagging, if something isn’t working, the environment has to be part of the conversation. The research exists. The tools exist. What’s often missing is the willingness to approach the problem differently.
More curiosity. Better questions. A shift from selling products to shaping outcomes.
A Final Thought
The organizations that will lead in this space won’t be defined by product portfolios or positioning. They’ll be defined by perspective. By the ability to ask better questions. By the willingness to challenge assumptions. By treating learning environments with the same level of strategic importance as workplaces.
Because in a world where space clearly shapes performance, the environments that matter most can’t be an afterthought. And it starts in the classroom.
If this resonates, Episode 186 of The Trend Report goes deeper into the research, the real-world applications, and what it looks like to approach learning environments differently.