Strategy 3: Provide a Healthy School Environment

Students, teachers, and staff spend the majority of their day throughout the year on the school campus. When the school environment is unhealthy, through either indoor or outdoor pollutants, it can have a negative effect on those with asthma and even cause health-related illnesses in those without asthma. Schools must be prepared to provide a healthy learning environment to ensure the success and overall wellbeing of all students and school staff.

Environmental irritants and allergens can cause asthma symptoms, often referred to as asthma triggers. It is necessary for students, teachers and staff to be informed about asthma triggers. Read more about healthy air and how to protect healthy air at school.

Proactively maintain healthy Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

To ensure healthy indoor air at school, there are a number of policy, program, and maintenance activities that can help to protect students with asthma as well as the entire student body.

The following 8 steps can be taken to support healthy indoor air at school:

1. Raise awareness among school personnel, students, parents, and communities about federal regulations that protect those with asthma.
   • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act Fact Sheet
   • The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)
   • Tip Sheet: Policies & Legislative Issues Affecting Asthma in Schools
2. Establish district-wide IAQ policies.
   • Sample Union Contract Language Supporting IAQ Plans
   • Sample Carpet/Flooring Policy
   • Sample Fragrance-free School Policy
3. Establish emergency management plans for IAQ issues and external hazards.
   • Sample Emergency IAQ Management Plan
4. Establish policies and procedures for field trips.
   • Sample field trip policy
5. Treat school buses as indoor environments.
   • State of New Hampshire Bus Idling Policy & Fact Sheet
6. Purchase asthma-friendly products.
   • Cleaning Supplies and Household Chemicals
7. Complete a school self-assessment.
   • Clean Air Indoors
   • Healthy Air Walkthrough Classroom Checklist
8. Adopt and use an IAQ management program.
   • EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit

Read more about the steps needed to maintain healthy indoor air quality in school.

Assure comprehensive tobacco-free buildings and grounds

Secondhand smoke is unhealthy for all people and can trigger symptoms for those with asthma. In order to protect the student community through a comprehensive tobacco-free campus, it is important to (1) enact tobacco-free laws and regulations, (2) adopt school board policies mandating tobacco-free schools, (3) education school personnel, students, parents and the community about tobacco policies, and (4) develop systems to enforce those policies.

• State of North Carolina Tobacco-Free Schools policy sample
• Sample presentation outline to school board/association about tobacco-free campus policy

Read more about tobacco-free buildings and grounds.

Use integrated pest management (IPM) techniques to control pests

Pesticide exposure can have both short-term and long-term health effects on all people. The use of IPM is a recommended and environmentally safe approach to pest management that is part of an overall IAQ management plan. Be sure to check with your state to determine if IPM is mandated in local schools.

The Environmental Protection Agency IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit includes an IPM Checklist for school grounds and maintenance staff.

• Sample Integrated Pest Management Policy

Manage student exposure on high outdoor air pollution

Breathing polluted air is unhealthy for everyone, but children and teens face even greater health risks from air pollution because their bodies and lungs are still developing, and because they are so active. Ground-level ozone pollution (known as smog) and particle pollution (known as soot) are two of the most widespread and dangerous air pollutants. Breathing ozone pollution and particle pollution can cause respiratory and cardiovascular harm, coughing and wheezing, asthma attacks and more. While air pollution can travel hundreds of miles and can be a problem anywhere, if your school is close to a pollution source like a highway or power plant, or in an area that frequently experiences smoke from wood burning or wildfires, it is especially important to check the air quality levels. There are a number of resources available to track localized outdoor air pollution, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s site at AirNow.gov. When ozone or particle pollution reaches orange or red levels, those with asthma or other health-related issues should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. In areas experiencing wildfire smoke, it is important to check air quality more frequently throughout the day, as air pollution levels can change quickly.

• Air Quality 101: How to Protect Students' Health from Outdoor Air Pollution
• Air Quality Index Fact Sheet
• To raise awareness of outdoor air quality to the school community, learn more about EPA’s School Flag Program. 
• Solutions for Physical Education and Recess on Bad Air Quality Days