School Integrated Pest Management Update

School Integrated Pest Management Update
PPDC Meeting - May 3-4, 2017
Webinar Series
Since August 2014, EPA's Center for School IPM has hosted a successful webinar series for the school
community on various aspects of Integrated Pest Management. We conclude our 2016-2017 series in May with
our 30th webinar. Through March 2017, over 7,500 have attended representing 41 million students. Webinar
topics are derived from input from the Center staff, EPA Regions, and webinar participants. The webinars have
consistently generated positive participant reviews and have led to over 1,350 requests for additional
information on IPM. Recordings of many past webinars are available for viewing through EPA's School IPM
website.
Grants
On 2016, EPA awarded $541,000 to help reduce students', teachers' and staffs' exposure to pests and pesticides
in our nation's schools, while saving money, energy and pesticide treatment costs.
National Environmental Health Association was awarded $241,000 for its NEHA Mentorship Program for
Developing School IPM Capabilities. This project will promote effective and environmentally sensitive pest
management practices in schools through an intensive mentorship program between local health departments and
underserved school districts. The mentorship program, pairing local health departments with school districts, will
provide increased access to technical resources, and partnerships. This project is currently underway with
mentorship pairings in the developmental phase. For more information, visit epa.gov/manaqinq-pests-
schools/school-inteqrated-pest-manaqement-ipm-qrants.
Health Resources in Action (HRiA) was awarded $300,000 for its project, Keeping the Pests Out: The
Economics of Integrated Pest Management in Schools. This project aimed to examine the costs and benefits of
implementing school IPM activities. Despite the substantial effort made to find success, it has been determined
that the project is not viable due to insurmountable challenges in obtaining the data required to perform the
assessment. EPA and HRiA have concluded that termination of the grant is the most prudent course of action.
EPA will repurpose the remaining funds for other projects that support the protection of human health and the
environment. EPA is optimistic that there may be other entities able to successfully pursue the challenging
questions around the economics of school IPM in the future. EPA thanks HRiA and the many individuals and
organizations in the school IPM community-from universities, state governments, and non-profits - who
invested their time and energy into this project.
Awards
EPA intends to recognize school districts, individuals, and organizations for demonstrating strong
commitments to improving children's health by promoting IPM practices with a five-tier award program. An
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved Information Collection Request (ICR) is required to
authorize EPA to collect applications. In late March 2017, OMB signaled its intention to approve the ICR. Once
the ICR is approved, OCSPP Assistant Administrator consent isthe final step needed to launch the School IPM
awards program.
Center of Expertise
The Center of Expertise provides IPM assistance to stakeholders through a toll-free phone line and email box.
During FY17, the Center averaged 16 general email inquiries, 70 email inquiries directed to team members, and
210 webinar-related requests for assistance per month.
During FY17, the Center consolidated and refined its email outreach which previously consisted of a listserv and
multiple email distribution lists. GovDelivery, a digital communication solution that's able to meet to needs of a

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multichannel, mobile-friendly communication outreach strategy, was adopted. It allows us to track subscriber
numbers, delivery success, readership rates, and other key measures of outreach efficiency. We currently have
-20,000 subscribers in this new platform who receive regular messaging on school IPM.
Roundtable Follow-up
In May 2016, EPA convened a Roundtable of national organizations to pursue a voluntary effort to make IPM
practices the standard in all schools over the next three years. The Roundtable secured the endorsement of IPM
as the preferred approach for managing pests in schools by national organizations with influence in the school
community and a plan and commitment to disseminate the endorsement and related information.
Organizations, such as the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), American Academy of Pediatrics,
National Education Association (NEA), National Environmental Health Association, and Asthma and Allergy
Foundation of America, are working to share IPM information and resources through their networks. NASN, for
example, is regularly sharing IPM-related newsletters and training material with its 16,000 members. Likewise,
NEA is working with other Roundtable participants to provide IPM training at some of its state chapter
conferences. Future collaborations and follow-up are scheduled with various participants to continue
Roundtable-related efforts.
Publications / Blogs / Articles
EPA has published numerous guidance documents to assist school districts in addressing the safe use of
pesticides and the implementation of IPM programs including:
• Model Pesticide Safety and IPM Guidance Policy for School Districts
• School Integrated Pest Management Program Bid and Contract Guidance
• Preventing Pests for Healthier Schools: The Health Case for Integrated Pest Management
We are nearing completion of a comprehensive revision of the popular 1993 publication, Pest Control in the
School Environment: Implementing Integrated Pest Management.
EPA Region 2, in partnership with Center staff, are converting and translating nearly 20 key IPM publications for
use in Spanish speaking areas.
The Center staff are using various Agency outlets, including the Greening the Apple, Greenversations, and New
England Beacon blogs and PESPWire e-newsletter, to highlight in conversational tones IPM issues of relevance
to schools. Since 2014, over 40 blogs and articles have been published to inform and engage the public on IPM
issues.
FY2018 and Beyond
In FY2018, School IPM will no longer be a Regional priority in accordance with the Agency's National Program
Managers' Guidance. Regions opting to continue their School IPM efforts will receive continued support from
the Center. In light of emerging issues and resource considerations, the Center will redirect its efforts to
providing support to other issues of critical importance to the Agency, including integrated vector
management.

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