Asthma & Schools

Welcome to the Asthma & Schools page, which is designed to give education policymakers, administrators and other school personnel easy access to information and useful resources to guide, support and implement effective policy and management practices related to students with asthma.

Why should improving asthma management for students be a priority? 

  • Asthma is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism, with almost 13 million days missed on average each year.
  • Nearly 10% of all children have asthma; that’s three students in a classroom of 30.
  • On average a child with asthma misses three more days per year than their peers. In a school of 500 students, that can equate to 150 missed school days.
  • In some geographic areas and in some specific populations, up to 20% of the student population suffers from asthma.
  • Even when a child with asthma is in the classroom, they may not be reaching their full potential because they are tired, worried, or otherwise occupied.
  • When students are absent, revenue based on student attendance is diminished.

The bottom line is, all students need to be in school and ready to learn all day, every day. 

                                     
Sources: Akinbami, L. J. (2006). The State of Childhood Asthma, United States, 1980-2005. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics.    

This project is undertaken in partnership with the American Association of School Administrators and is made possible through a sub-grant of AASA’s CDC/DASH cooperative agreement (U58/DP000398) to build the capacity of school leaders to reduce the burden of asthma in schools.                     


 


Looking for more information? See what’s Inside Asthma & Schools on the right.

Additional Resources

Communications Toolkit
This communications toolkit is located on the AASA website and was developed by AASA and NSBA. It is a one-stop online resource for school leaders to obtain information, forms and templates to communicate about asthma management in schools with staff, parents, the community and the media.

Promising District Practices
Here you will find stories from local school districts and their successes in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies and practices that address health risk behaviors and health promotion issues, including asthma management. These examples are submitted by school districts and schools across the country.

In the Schoolyard and Beyond: Addressing Childhood Asthma in Your Community (English version)
Developed jointly by NSBA and the American Association of School Administrators, this pulbication provides 6 action steps that youth-serving organizations, families and schools can take to ensure consistent asthma friendly environments for school-age youth.

In the Schoolyard and Beyond: Addressing Childhood Asthma in Your Community (Spanish version)

Additional Information Sources

 
 
Connect With NSBA
 
 

Inside Asthma & Schools


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