A recent report from the 21st Century School Fund found that 2016’s US$46 billion gap in the level of funding for the maintenance and periodic capital improvements needed for public schools has increased to US$85 billion by 2021. And indoor air quality (IAQ) is chief among the concerns.
The report also found that the most common out-of-date feature in American public schools is the HVAC systems, with 41 per cent of U.S. school districts reported needing an upgrade.
“Studies show that the physical environment in which kids learn affects everything from student behaviour and truancy rates to academic achievement,” says the report. “Heating and cooling systems, [indoor] air quality and filtration… all make a dramatic difference to student health and performance.”
That shortfall, in tandem with the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years, has further elevated IAQ concerns.
Steve Ashkin, a professional cleaning industry advocate for Green Cleaning and healthy schools, concludes that creating healthy school environments should be “an urgent national priority”, noting that the report and the pandemic have brought to light the serious IAQ challenges faced in many schools.
While the challenges are considerable, Ashkin offers three suggested steps that school administrators can take immediately at little or no added cost to help improve and protect the IAQ in their facilities.
Transfer to Green Cleaning
Green cleaning products and strategies help protect indoor air quality. “View green cleaning as a system; it involves using third-party, Green-certified products and a trained workforce, skilled in effective Green Cleaning practices,” says Ashkin.
Ask for support
Organizations such as EPA’s Tools for Schools Program, the Collaborative for High-Performance Schools, and the Center for Green Schools, offer proven guidance and support, helping schools create effective Green Cleaning and related programs to protect IAQ. Ashkin notes that “the health concerns are too significant to go it alone and there is no need to reinvent the wheel”.
Get involved
Work with organizations and attend local school board meetings to advocate for greater investment in healthier facilities. “We have to stay focused on the root cause of the problem and that is a lack of funding for cleaning and facility maintenance,” concludes Ashkin. “Adequate funding is essential if we want to truly improve our schools.”
