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) (https://gogreeninitiative.org). Funded by the 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 with NSBA and its state 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 (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/abs/pii/0160412086900516). 

Air quality is an equity issue

Children in communities of color, low-income, and 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. 

Plans to serve school boards

NSBA leadership and the following networks have committed to partnering with the Go Green Initiative 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 Go Green Initiative 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.
• Key school district personnel complete training – $5,000.
  • Training topics include:
    • Using 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 serve a student population of 50% or more who qualify for free or reduced price lunch or reside in a Tribal community.  

School district training and policy assistance 

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 

The Go Green Initiative and EPA representatives will provide education sessions at all NSBA convenings throughout the duration of this five-year grant program, including:

• Advocacy & Equity Symposium
• Annual Conference
• CUBE Conference

Online, on-demand training

The Go Green Initiative and NSBA jointly host monthly webinars with subject-matter experts, and will develop online, on-demand courses that will be available on both the NSBA and Go Green Initiative websites at no cost. NSBA communication platforms such as American School Board Journal, blogs, email newsletters, and social media will also 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 in all the aforementioned platforms, and an opportunity to be featured on the Go Green Initiative’s Go Green Radio, which has been on the air since 2008. 

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 IAQ Management Plan and document reductions in GHG 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.
• Health officer.
• Head custodian.
• Parent leaders.

Advocacy and Equity Institute 

Representatives from the EPA and Go Green Initiative will give an education session at NSBA’s Advocacy and Equity Institute, which will be held 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. 

Audience members 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, Marland, 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 Go Green Initiative 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 state education code.