All children deserve a healthy learning environment. Children are inherently more vulnerable to environmental hazards because their bodies are still developing. Substandard environmental conditions in schools, such as insufficient cleaning or inadequate ventilation, can cause serious health problems for children. Evidence continues to mount demonstrating that indoor air quality (IAQ) directly impacts student academic performance and health.1-2 IAQ refers to those characteristics of the air in indoor environments that impact the occupants' health, comfort and ability to perform. Taking steps to improve the IAQ of schools is critical to bettering student health and academic performance. The Evidence Exists: Scientific evidence has long demonstrated an association between poor IAQ and respiratory health effects, including asthma. Maintenance issues in schools, such as insufficient cleaning or excessive use of cleaning chemicals, have been shown to trigger asthma and allergies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), asthma is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism.3 Multiple studies have found that children's overall performance decreases with illnesses or absences from school.4'5'6'7'8 The Evidence is Mounting: Evidence demonstrating the relationship between IAQ and human performance and productivity has become more robust. Studies demonstrate that improved IAQ increases productivity and improves the performance of mental tasks, such as improved concentration and recall in both adults and children.9 (Continued on next page) •'•'•• • • • • '• ' • ' ' A structured maintenance program is a cornerstone of academic performance and IAQ. With tight operating budgets, school boards and administrators often consider the maintenance budget as "soft money," an expense that they can cut without affecting core academic program needs. However, the literature demonstrates otherwise, with several studies finding that health, attendance and academic performance improves with increased maintenance. Furthermore, schools with better physical conditions show7 improved academic performance while schools with fewer janitorial staff personnel and higher maintenance backlogs show- poorer academic performance. H In most schools, ventilation rates are below recommended levels.15 Growing evidence suggests that improving outdoor air ventilation rates can improve student and teacher performance, increase test scores, and reduce airborne transmission of infection.16-17'1*-19-20-21 Students in classrooms with high outdoor air ventilation rates score 14 to 15 percent higher on standardized test scores than children in classrooms with low outdoor air ventilation.22 •':... ': •• ' • Studies show that dampness and mold in homes, offices and schools causes a significant increase in several respirator}-' and asthma- related health outcomes.23-24 Symptoms identified in students exposed to dampness or mold include: coughing, throat irritation, tiredness, headache and increased wheezing. ------- Coordinate an IAQ Program with Other School to Improve Health and Attendance Many effective school IAQ management programs are implemented in conjunction with other health programs (e.g., physical education, nutrition, and counseling services). IAQ implementation strategies such as moisture management, integrated pest management, and adequate ventilation help control environmental triggers and interface well with asthma and other health program initiatives. Literature reflecting field experience with health programs suggests that integrating related health programs into a coordinated or comprehensive program can achieve improved results for learning and health, and be more resource efficient. ZS;26 Follow a Structured Process EPA developed the IAQ Tools for Schools (TJS) Framework to provide a comprehensive resource to help maintain healthy school environments. The Framework provides schools with the strategies to establish and sustain a successful IAQ management plan. The Framework is also a highly flexible and adaptable structure that allows any school regardless of location, size, budget, or condition, to launch, reinvigorate, and sustain an effective IAQ management program. The IAQ Tools for Program provides a variety of products, materials, and tools at no cost to help schools implement an indoor air quality management program. In addition to the IAQ TfS Action Kit, specialized fact sheets, brochures, and software programs are available to provide in-depth information on environmental topics. 1 Stolz, A,D,, A. Kmckelbem, and 5, Cobum, 200>5, "Linking coordinated school health to student success," Presentation at ike Annual Conference of the National Association of School Nurms, Albuquerque, TSIM, 1 Vinciidlo, R 2008, "The relationship between multi-component school health programs and school achievement," Presentation at the Anm&l Conference of the National Association of School N&rse$-> Albuquerque, MM, 3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Healthy Youlhl Retrieved My 14 2009, from CDC's Asthma Health Topics Web site; http;/'.%7\¥^¥,cdc,goY/HealthyYouti;i/'Asthma/' 5 Weitzman, M., LA'. Klerman, et al. 1982. "'School absence; A problem for fie pediatrician," Pediatrics 69(6);739-746, (22) 7 Silverstein, M.D,, J,E. Mair, et al, 2001. "School attendance and school performance: A population-based study of children with asthma," J&uma!. ofPeeliatfieg 139(2;:278-283, {24) 8 Mooiijg, 5,, IX A, Sterling, etal, 2QOS, "The relationship between school absence, academic performance, and asthma status," J&umczl of School Health ?8; 140-148. 9 For a ^uminary of the impact of mdoor environmental quality* on work and school performance, as well as other IAQ research findings, see the IAQ Scientific Findings Resource Bank (SFRB) established as a cooperative venture between EPA and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Accessible athttp;//w^rwj,aqsoiejiccJH,gov/'pcrfoni{anoe-s5imiTi,ar);,htail m Schneider, M, 2002, "Public school facilities and teaching; Washington, DC and Chicago," 21st Century School Fund, Washington, IXC, 11 Cash, C.S, 1S93, ""Building condition and student achievement and behavior," Bkeksbmg. ¥A: Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 13 Eartnraaxi, (J ,L, C,S, Cash, and D, Van JSerkum, 1995, 'vStuclent aohisvement and behavior and school building condition," Journal of SchoolBttsiness Management., 8(3;, 13 Hines, H W, 1996, v'Buildiog condition end student achievement and behavior," Blacksburg, VA: Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 14 Branham, D. 2004. "The wise man builds his house upon the rock: The effects of inadequate school building infrastructure on student attendance," Social St'ienc-s Quarterly {&5)5. 15 California Energy ConiraissiGii. 1995. Air exchange rates in Tton-res'id&ntwl buildings in California. California Energy Commission. (39; 16 Myhrvold, A.N,, E, Olsen, and O, Laurid^en 1996, "Indoor sEtvironnisiit m schoote—Pupils heaMi and performance in regard to CO2 concentrations," Proceedings, Indoor Air '96:- TM ?th International Conference on Indoor Air Qualify arsd Climate Nagoya, Japan, 4:369-371. (26) IT Sunclell, J, 1994, v'Onthe assocMtion between building ventilation characteristics, some indoor environmental exposures, some allergic manifestations and subjective symptom reports," Indoor Air Supplement 2:94, (33) 18 Sundell, I,, T, Lindvall, andB. Shenberg, 1991, 'Influence of tj^pe of ventilation and outdoor airflow rate on the prevalence of SBS symptoms," Proceeding^ IAQ '91, Healthy BuiMings. Conference o/'the American Soffiefy1 offfe&ting, Refrigerating, &ndAw~ConditioningEngwieersf jnzf Washington, DC, 785-89, (32) ^MendelL M, 1993, ""Non-specific symptoms in office workers; A review and summary of the epidemiologic literature,"' Indoor Air 3{4'):227-23&, (34) ® Seppanen, O,, W, J, Fisk, et al, 1999, "Association of ventilation rates and CO2 concentrations with health and other responses in commercial and institutional buildings," Indoor Air 9(4); 226- 252. (35) Shaughnes&y., R,J,, et al, 20Q6, Aprelinainary study on the association between ventilation nates HI cla^rooms and student performance. Indoor Air 16(5); 465-468, M Mudanij D, and W. J. Fisk, 2007 . "'Public health and economic impact of dampness and mold" Indoor, 4ir 17 (3); 226-23 5, 35 Stolz, A,D.; A, Knickelbein, and S, Cobum 2008, "Linking coordinated school health to student success," Presentation at the Annual Conference of the National Association of School N&rses, Albuquerque, NM, For more information on this research, visit EPA's IAQ, Health and Academic Performance Web site at www.epa.go¥/xxxxxx. ------- |