A growing body of evidence suggests that one of the most overlooked safety threats in American schools isn’t tied to violence, emergency drills, or security procedures — but to aging buildings and the shrinking workforce responsible for maintaining them.
A new analysis from J&Y Law highlights how deteriorating facilities, long-delayed repairs, and low-paid custodial teams are increasing the likelihood of preventable injuries in schools across the country. The findings suggest that millions of students are attending schools where essential maintenance functions are stretched thin, despite widespread awareness of structural issues.
Aging Campuses, Ongoing Hazards
Many public school buildings in the U.S. are approaching or exceeding half a century in age. That reality brings a long list of predictable challenges: leaks, damaged flooring, outdated HVAC systems, moisture and air-quality concerns, and playground equipment worn beyond safe use.
Individually, these may appear manageable. But when districts struggle to keep up with maintenance demands, small hazards linger — and evolve into situations where accidents become far more likely.
Reports from school systems nationwide continue to document slips, trips, environmental complaints, and preventable injuries. According to J&Y Law’s review, many of these incidents reflect not isolated breakdowns, but systemic maintenance strain.
The Workforce Keeping Schools Safe Is Disappearing
Central to the problem is the people expected to prevent these hazards in the first place.
Custodians and maintenance professionals play a crucial — and often under-recognized — role in school safety. Beyond cleaning duties, they are responsible for inspections, hazard response, and the daily upkeep that stops minor issues from turning into major risks.
But the workforce is aging and shrinking. Many districts report difficulty filling essential non-teaching positions, while more than half of existing custodians are nearing retirement age. Vacancies have increased since the pandemic, and in many communities, positions remain unfilled for extended periods.
With fewer staff overseeing large campuses, inspections become less frequent, response times slow, and unresolved hazards become more likely to slip through the cracks.
Low Pay, High Responsibility
The analysis also underscores the financial reality for many of these workers.
In multiple states, custodians and education support staff still earn salaries largely in the high-$20,000 to low-$30,000 range. In some regions, wages fall several thousand dollars below standard benchmarks for the same work. Meanwhile, inflation and rising living costs have steadily reduced real earnings over the last decade.
That economic pressure leads to turnover, recruitment challenges, and in some cases workers leaving the profession altogether. For school districts, that means chronic understaffing — and a direct impact on how thoroughly school facilities can be maintained.
From a legal standpoint, J&Y Law notes that when districts are aware of persistent understaffing and documented hazards but fail to address them, their exposure to liability increases significantly.
When Staffing Drops, Risk Rises
The result is a shift from proactive school safety to reactive crisis management.
Falls remain one of the leading causes of injury in school environments. Playground incidents and building-related accidents continue to appear in safety reports. Air-quality concerns and structural deterioration affect both students and staff. Even around-school traffic safety struggles when schools lack adequate personnel to manage busy pick-up and drop-off environments.
“These aren’t random or unavoidable events,” the review explains. “They are tied to workforce shortages and delayed maintenance systems that leave schools operating closer to the edge than families realize.”
A Call for Investment — Not Shortcuts
According to J&Y Law, meaningful improvement requires more than patch repairs or temporary staffing fixes.
The review recommends:
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Raising pay for custodial and support teams
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Restoring maintenance staffing to safe levels
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Strengthening inspection systems and preventative maintenance programs
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Reducing repair backlogs and improving turnaround times
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Formally recognizing custodial teams as essential safety personnel
Districts that have invested in these areas, the review notes, consistently report safer campuses and fewer preventable incidents.
A Safety Issue That Can No Longer Be Treated as Secondary
School safety conversations often focus on external threats. But the J&Y Law analysis argues that the safety risks most students encounter daily come from the very buildings they learn in — and from whether schools have the staff to keep them safe.
The conclusion is clear: when essential maintenance roles are underpaid, understaffed, and overlooked, preventable school injuries become significantly more likely.
For policymakers, school leaders, and families, the findings serve as a reminder that safe learning environments require investment not only in security — but in the workers who protect students from the everyday hazards hidden inside the walls of America’s schools.
