Climate change and the pandemic have brought new attention to the dire conditions of the nation's schools and schools' lack of preparedness for both, especially to the terrible state of ventilation and indoor air quality. There are renewed calls at all levels for clean air and water, better ventilation and sanitation, and improved oversight of the…

Eliminating lead risks in PK-12 public and private schools was the focus of a facilitated workshop co-sponsored and organized by Healthy Schools Network, the Children's Environmental Health Network, and the Learning Disabilities Association of America. Held December 6-7, 2017, in Washington, DC, it included some 40 participants. They were experts…

On November 9-11, 2015, Healthy Schools Network, with funding support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Education Facilities Clearinghouse, The California Endowment, Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment, and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, convened the first national facilitated workshop on…

On November 9-11, 2015, Healthy Schools Network, with funding support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Education Facilities Clearinghouse, California Endowment, Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment, and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, convened the first national facilitated workshop on environmental…

States compel children to attend school; in fact, 98% of all school-age children attend schools--irrespective of conditions. Yet the environmental conditions of decayed facilities or facilities close to hazards can damage children's health and ability to learn. At the same time, it is well documented that healthy school facilities can help…

Important facts about asthma and the environment include: (1) Asthma has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, affecting about 25 million people of all ages and races, including about 7 million children; (2) Nearly one in 10 school-aged children has asthma, and the percentage of children with asthma is rising more rapidly in…

Air pollution is air pollution, indoors or out. Good indoor air quality (IAQ) contributes to a favorable learning environment for students, protects health, and supports the productivity of school personnel. In schools in poor repair, leaky roofs and crumbling walls have caused additional indoor air quality problems, including contamination with…

Sanitizers and disinfectants can play an important role in protecting public health. They are designed to kill "pests," including infectious germs and other microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Unfortunately, sanitizers and disinfectants also contain chemicals that are "pesticides." Exposure to persistent toxic…

"Ergonomics" is a body of knowledge about human abilities and limitations and how these abilities and limitations should be applied to the design of equipment, machinery, and other devices to ensure safe, comfortable and effective use. Most homes and schools today are equipped with computers for student use. Backpacks have become the…

This paper presents the 2011 Yearbook of the Healthy Schools Network. This yearbook contains: (1) Tough Time To Be a Child: Parents and Taxpayers Should Be Enraged; (2) National Coalition For Healthier Schools: Healthy Schools 2015--Sustaining Momentum In Tough Times; (3) Healthy Schools Heroes Award Program; (4) National Healthy Schools Day…

Dry erase whiteboards come with toxic dry erase markers and toxic cleaning products. Dry erase markers labeled "nontoxic" are not free of toxic chemicals and can cause health problems. Children are especially vulnerable to environmental health hazards; moreover, schools commonly have problems with indoor air pollution, as they are more densely…

Everybody knows that healthy school buildings contribute to student learning, reduce health and operating costs, and ultimately, increase school quality and competitiveness. However, 55 million of the nation's children attend public and private K-12 schools where poor air quality, hazardous chemicals and other unhealthy conditions make students…

Each day over 53 million school children and 6 million adults--20 percent of the entire U.S. population--enter the nation's 120,000 school buildings to teach and learn. Unfortunately, in too many cases, they enter "unhealthy" school buildings," that undermine learning and health. In a recent five-state survey, more than 1,100 public schools were…

Each school day, 55 million children and 7 million adults--that's 20% of the total U.S. population and 98% of all children--spend their workdays inside school buildings. Unfortunately, too many of the nation's 125,000 public and private K-12 schools are "unhealthy" buildings that can harm their health and hinder learning. Today, clear…

A "healthy and high performance school" uses a holistic design process to promote the health and comfort of children and school employees, as well as conserve resources. Children may spend over eight hours a day at school with little, if any, legal protection from environmental hazards. Schools are generally not well-maintained; asthma is a…