Nearly 1,900 public schools across the United States are located within a mile of an existing data center or an approved facility under construction, according to new research from Brown University. The finding raises urgent questions about the environmental and educational impacts of the artificial intelligence infrastructure boom on American schoolchildren, even as tech companies argue that data centers are essential to modern learning.

Where Are Schools and Data Centers Colliding?

The concentration of schools near data centers is not evenly distributed across the country. California leads by a significant margin, with 602 schools, representing 32 percent of the nation's total, sitting within a mile of a data center or planned facility. This clustering reflects where tech companies choose to build, driven by proximity to population centers, affordable land, and existing power and water infrastructure.

One concrete example illustrates the tension. In Coweta County, Georgia, about 50 miles south of Atlanta, Arnco-Sargent Elementary, a 70-year-old high-poverty school, now faces a sprawling data center campus called Project Sail across the street. The Coweta County commission rezoned 832 rural acres in April to accommodate the industrial development, which could remain under construction for the next decade. Families in the area, some with generational ties to the land, are fighting back through lawsuits and petition drives.

Similar battles are unfolding nationwide. In Palm Beach County, Florida, the commission rejected Project Tango, a 202-acre data center development that would have been positioned just a football field away from Saddle View Elementary School. However, the vote leaves the door open for developers to revise and resubmit their plans.

What Are the Main Concerns About Data Centers Near Schools?

Residents and school officials cite several overlapping concerns about data center proximity to educational facilities:

• Noise Pollution: Cooling systems, fans, and backup diesel generators produce constant humming and buzzing that residents compare to jet engines. A 2022 study from a former NASA safety manager predicted that classroom noise from nearby data centers would likely exceed recommended levels, though industry groups argue the sound is quieter than a lawn mower.
• Air Quality and Emissions: Diesel backup generators emit pollutants similar to semi-trucks idling next to schools. Heat waves in southern regions can exacerbate these emissions, creating additional health risks for students and staff.
• Heat Island Effects: Data centers create localized temperature increases that can extend up to six miles from the facility, affecting broader environmental conditions in surrounding communities.
• Traffic and Infrastructure Strain: Construction and ongoing operations generate heavy vehicle traffic on rural roads designed for local use, disrupting daily school operations and student safety.

One mother at Chris Yung Elementary in Virginia shared a particularly telling detail: her child refused to go outside for recess because of the sound from a nearby data center. These are not abstract concerns but lived experiences affecting children's education and wellbeing.

What Does the Emerging Research Show?

Perhaps most troubling is new academic evidence of educational harm. Researchers at Brown University, including Samantha Kane, Matthew Kraft, and Christopher Cleveland, are preparing to release findings showing that students attending schools within a mile of a data center have lower math scores than peers at schools farther away. While the full study is forthcoming, this preliminary finding suggests that proximity to data centers carries measurable academic consequences, not merely environmental or quality-of-life impacts.

"As the number of data centers continues to grow, it becomes increasingly likely that some will be located near schools and residential neighborhoods," said Ahmed Saeed, an assistant professor in computer science at Georgia Tech.

Ahmed Saeed, Assistant Professor in Computer Science, Georgia Tech

The timing of this research is significant. The latest construction boom, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence, is relatively recent, so long-term effects remain poorly understood. However, the Brown team's math score findings suggest that even short-term exposure carries consequences.

How to Advocate for School Protection From Data Centers

Communities and school districts facing data center expansion have several strategies available:

• Organize Local Opposition: Form community groups like Citizens for Rural Coweta, which is suing the county to stop Project Sail and leading petition drives to place referendums on ballots. Grassroots organizing creates political pressure on local officials.
• Demand Setback Requirements: Push local governments to establish minimum distance requirements between data centers and schools, residential neighborhoods, and sensitive facilities. Industry representatives claim setbacks, tree buffers, and berms can minimize impacts, but communities should verify these claims with independent research.
• Request Moratoriums and Restrictions: Several jurisdictions, including New York State and some local governments, have placed moratoriums on new data center construction. Advocate for similar restrictions in your area, particularly near schools and residential zones.
• Engage School Boards: School board members can voice concerns at county commission meetings and demand that educational impacts be considered in zoning decisions. Marcia Andrews, a school board member in Palm Beach, Florida, successfully raised awareness about Project Tango's proximity to Saddle View Elementary.

The Data Center Coalition, an industry membership organization, argues that proximity to schools and communities is necessary for performance. "The closer data is stored to the people and systems relying on it, the faster it loads, a benefit that touches everything from healthcare to the classroom technology students and teachers use every day," said Dan Diorio, executive vice president of state policy and government affairs at the organization. However, this argument does not address the documented harms to the schools themselves.

Why Is This Happening Now?

The surge in data center construction reflects the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Tech companies need massive amounts of computing power located near population centers to serve customers quickly. However, dense urban areas lack affordable land, so developers increasingly target suburban and exurban regions where land is cheaper and zoning is more flexible.

This pattern creates a collision between infrastructure necessity and community wellbeing. As one school board member put it, "AI is not going anywhere. My biggest concern is that these data centers should be far enough away that it doesn't harm the community, it doesn't harm the schools".

The question facing communities nationwide is whether the benefits of AI infrastructure justify the costs borne by schoolchildren and families who never chose to live next to industrial facilities. With nearly 1,900 schools already affected and more data centers in the pipeline, the answer communities give in the coming months will shape the educational environment for millions of students.