IAQ Tools for Schools
Health and Achievement
School Officials and Healthy Indoor School Environments
The most effective school IAQ management programs are championed by school officials who make it their responsibility to exude leadership and advocacy. These dedicated school or district officials are passionate about keeping students healthy, encouraging top performance of students and staff, and taking on a leadership role.
School officials interact with all members of the school community, including building staff, administrative staff, teachers, students, parents, local government officials and many others. That puts them in an ideal position to be leaders and share basic information about creating healthy indoor school environments, including managing indoor air quality, or IAQ, with everyone who can work to make a difference. Maintaining good IAQ requires a coordinated management approach that provides for building occupant education and establishes some routine inspection and maintenance policies.
Top Actions School Officials Can Take to Address IAQ
- Understand the effects of poor IAQ on student and staff productivity and health.
- Review the IAQ and Student Performance information.
- Review the IAQ and Student Performance information.
- Support and promote a district-wide IAQ management program through
policies and plans.
- Read case studies about how other districts have implemented sustainable IAQ management programs.
School District Leadership is Making a Difference
"IAQ management was never a question, it was an answer. It supports the health of our students, so they can attend school and meet their full potential. It supports the health of our staff, without whom educating students is impossible. Finally, it helps me as an administrator run a more efficient school district, where I can stretch my budget further and channel limited resources where they are needed most: in the classroom." — Richard Middleton, Superintendent of Schools, North East Independent School District, Texas
According to the 2006 School Health Policies and Practices Study, about one third (35.4 percent) of districts had an IAQ management program. Among districts with a program, 84.3 percent of the programs were based on the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance. (Source) (Exit disclaimer)
EPA Resources for School Officials
- The IAQ Tools for Schools Framework for Effective School IAQ Management outlines the key programmatic components that must be in place for successful, sustainable IAQ management plans.
- Refer to the IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit.
- School Official's IAQ Backgrounder (PDF) (2 pp., 436 K, about PDF)
- School Official's Checklist (PDF) (2 pp., 63 K) | (DOC, 2 pp., 150 K) .
Other Resources for School Officials
- American Association of School Administrators' Healthy School
Environments Resources — These resources aim to increase the number
of school leaders conversant about indoor air quality and its
effects on children.
http://www.aasa.org/healthyschoolenvironments.aspx
- Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) — Access ASBO's
Environmental Resource Center, which includes information about IAQ,
school environmental management, and guiding principles and
strategies for facility design and construction.
http://www.asbointl.org/IndoorAirQualityResources.htm