Indoor Air Quality Matters

NSBA’s partnership with the Go Green Initiative supports improved indoor air quality for districts nationwide

Failure to prevent or respond promptly to indoor air quality problems can increase short- and long-term health effects for students and staff, increase absenteeism, reduce academic performance, and shorten the lifespan and effectiveness of facility systems and equipment, according to the EPA.

January 15, 2025

Photo of desks in an empty classroom

LOUIS-PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Students in low-income and Tribal communities are more likely to suffer the negative health impacts and cognitive impairments associated with poor indoor air quality in their schools, according to the National Center for Environmental Economics. 

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) has entered into an $8 million, five-year partnership with the Go Green Initiative (GGI). Funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the partnership’s goal is to improve indoor air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in low-income and Tribal school districts throughout the U.S. This partnership is one of only five grants awarded nationwide. 

NSBA and the GGI are committed to working together and with NSBA’s association members to help school boards and districts eliminate this barrier to student success. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL INDOOR AIR QUALITY
EPA studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times—and occasionally more than 100 times—higher than outdoor levels. Approximately one-sixth of the U.S. population attends or works in roughly 130,000 school facilities around the country. Fifty percent of K-12 students attend schools that do not have indoor air quality management plans or programs in place, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

School indoor pollution is a particular concern because children take in more air in proportion to their body weight than adults. A child’s developing organ systems are often more sensitive to environmental stressors, and children are frequently more heavily exposed to toxic substances in the environment than adults. 

Failure to prevent or respond promptly to indoor air quality problems can increase short- and long-term health effects for students and staff, increase absenteeism, reduce academic performance, and shorten the lifespan and effectiveness of facility systems and equipment, according to the EPA (https://www.epa.gov/iaq-schools/why-indoor-air-quality-important-schools).

Exposure to poor indoor air quality has been linked to absenteeism and ill health effects including coughing, eye irritation, and headaches, as well as more serious issues like severe allergic/asthma reactions, lung and heart disease, cancer, and even death. 

There is substantial evidence that proper management of indoor air quality in schools improves student academic performance. It reduces absenteeism by improving health and lowering the spread of airborne illnesses like COVID-19 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352710222009202). 

AIR QUALITY IS AN EQUITY ISSUE
Children in communities of color, of low-income, and in other underserved populations, as well as children with disabilities, are more likely to experience higher exposures to multiple environmental contaminants where they live, learn, and play. They are at a higher risk for the associated health effects. 

Students who attend schools in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities are more likely to be learning in classrooms with pest problems, legacy toxics, poor indoor air quality, and a lack of adequate heating and air conditioning, according to a 2003 report by the National Center for Environmental Economics.

Addressing indoor air quality at K-12 schools across the country is vital, especially in low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities that have more environmental challenges and fewer resources available to address them. 

IAQ & equity in Clark County School District
 
As one of the nation’s largest school districts, Clark County in Las Vegas, Nevada, is not only committed to anti-racism, but it also is committed to clean indoor air quality (IAQ), with particular attention to schools in its Transformation Network. This includes 23 elementary schools with students in need of intensive support. The district provides these schools with enhanced resources, increased support, and a dedicated and responsive team to meet the needs of all  students to improve outcomes.
 
Lori Olson-Arzaga, Clark County’s director of environmental services, has a background in environmental science. She has been using the EPA’s Tools for Schools toolkit and checklists since 2015. She has developed a school indoor air quality stewardship plan for the district, which includes employee training and education, emergency response procedures, and evaluation and continuous improvement.
 
In 2023, Olson-Arzaga pursued UL Verified Ventilation & Filtration (VVF) for the district’s Transformation Network schools. UL VVF is the first annual performance-based assessment and rating program for the level of pathogen  protection provided by HVAC and air cleaning systems in public buildings.
 
The UL VVF mark is awarded to buildings that satisfy program requirements based on CDC and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers ventilation guidelines. In October 2023, Clark County became the first public school district in the U.S. to achieve the annual UL VVF mark in its school facilities.
 
Olson-Arzaga said, “Managing our indoor air quality is one of the best and smartest investments that we’ve made to strengthen student attendance, enrollment, and performance. It makes me proud of Clark County School District’s deep commitment to ensuring a healthy learning environment for all of our students, teachers, and staff.”

PLANS TO SERVE SCHOOL BOARDS
NSBA leadership and the following networks have committed to partnering with the GGI to provide grant funding, training, and technical assistance to NSBA councils and groups: 

  • Council of School Attorneys (COSA)
  • Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE)
  • National American Indian and Alaska Native Council of School Board Members (AIAN)
  • National Black Council of School Board Members (NBC) 
  • National Hispanic Council of School Board Members (NHC)
  • National School Boards Action Center (NSBAC)

Each of the councils will be instrumental in identifying school districts that will receive grants and other benefits associated with this program. 

COHORT SCHOOL DISTRICTS: FULL-SERVICE ASSISTANCE
The highest level of funding and technical assistance will be provided to annual cohorts of 10 school districts chosen by an application process that will be introduced in spring 2025. 

School districts chosen to be part of the annual cohorts will receive in-person technical assistance from GGI and EPA staff, as well as funding assistance to accomplish the following: 

  • Enact school board policy to address both indoor air quality management and greenhouse gas reduction— $1,000.
  • Complete baseline indoor air quality and greenhouse gas assessments—$10,000.
  • Provide complete training for key school district personnel—$5,000.
  • Training topics include:
    • Using the EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit and Framework.
    • Energy savings plus health guidance.
    • Preventive maintenance guidance and other EPA-recommended best practices.
    • Enacting school board policy to address both indoor air quality management and greenhouse gas.
    • Completing baseline assessments.
    • Involving key school district personnel in training.
    • Completing a plan to manage air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
    • Measuring, quantifying, and reporting annually.
  • Complete a plan to manage indoor air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions using community engagement —$5,000.
  • Enact indoor air quality management and greenhouse gas reduction plans districtwide using meaningful community engagement—$10,000.
  • Measure, quantify, and report indoor air quality and greenhouse gases annually—$5,000 yearly.

ELIGIBILITY
In order to be eligible to receive the highest level of technical assistance and grant funding, school districts must be one of the following: 

  • Tribal school district
  • Low-income urban district
  • Low-income rural district

...and meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Geographically located in a disadvantaged community, per version 1.0 of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST).
  • Any K-12 school district located outside of a low-income, disadvantaged, or Tribal community that serves a student population of 50% or more residing in a low-income, disadvantaged, or Tribal community as defined above.

The following three items use criteria in version 2.2 of the Environmental Justice Screening & Mapping Tool (EJScreen):

  • Geographically located in an Environmental Justice Community by virtue of scoring at or above the 90th percentile for any of the supplemental indexes when compared to the nation or state.
  • Geographically located in a low-income community by virtue of scoring at or above the 90th percentile for low-income. 
  • Any geographic area within Tribal lands. 

SCHOOL DISTRICT TRAINING AND POLICY SUPPORT 
School districts will have free access to the same training that the cohort school districts receive through live and online, on-demand options. 

LIVE TRAINING: NSBA CONVENINGS 
GGI and EPA representatives will provide education sessions at all NSBA convenings throughout the duration of this five-year grant program, including:

  • Advocacy & Equity Institute
  • Annual Conference
  • CUBE Conference

ONLINE, ON-DEMAND TRAINING
The GGI and NSBA jointly will host monthly webinars with subject-matter experts, and will develop online, on-demand courses that will be available on both the NSBA and GGI websites at no cost. NSBA communication platforms such as American School Board Journal, blogs, email newsletters, and social media also will include regular features on how to improve indoor air quality in schools. 

School districts that engage in indoor air quality improvements will have the opportunity to be featured on these platforms and on GGI’s Go Green Radio program. 

MAGNA AWARDS
For the duration of this grant-funded program, NSBA’s Magna Awards program will recognize district efforts to improve indoor air quality and reduce greenhouse gases. To be eligible for the awards, school districts must enact a NEW Indoor Air Quality Management Plan and document reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Throughout the year, school districts will be able to earn points toward the awards by attending in-person and online training. School boards will be encouraged to send representatives of the following groups for training: 

  • Assistant superintendent of teaching and learning
  • School business officer
  • Facilities manager; head custodian
  • Health officer
  • Parent leaders

ADVOCACY AND EQUITY INSTITUTE 
Representatives from the EPA and GGI will give an education session at NSBA’s Advocacy and Equity Institute, February 2-4, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The session will equip audience members with low- and no-cost methods to take back into their districts and begin work to improve indoor air quality for the benefit of students and staff. 

Attendees will learn why low-income students of color are more likely to experience health impacts and education achievement deficits because of poor indoor air quality in their schools, and what their education leaders can do to overcome this challenge, even if significant financial investments are not possible due to budget constraints. 

POLICY ASSISTANCE
As of March 2024, 34 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring school districts to address indoor air quality in some manner. Those states include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. And yet, fewer than half of all American school districts have indoor air quality management policies and plans, according to the Environmental Law Institute.

NSBA and the GGI will work with state school board associations to develop state-specific policy language that local school boards can adopt to address indoor air quality management. This will help local school boards enact policies that are aligned with their state education code.

Jill Buck (jillbuck@gogreeninitiative.org) is the founder and CEO of the Go Green Initiative, in Pleasanton, California.