Indoor air quality is a key component of school environmental health. A variety of contaminants commonly found in indoor air – originating from sources both outside and within the building – can adversely affect student and staff health and productivity. Fortunately, there are well-established measures that school districts can implement to prevent and fix IAQ problems. The U.S. EPA provides information and guidance, including the IAQ Tools for Schools action kit, that highlight cost-effective measures for maintaining healthy schools. US EPA, Creating Healthy Indoor Air Quality in Schools; US EPA, Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit.
Topics in School Environmental Health is a resource for public officials, advocates, and others interested in strengthening state policies to create healthy school environments that support learning and academic achievement. The IAQ topic links below provide charts with examples of state laws and regulations. The charts do not necessarily include every state law and regulation, but they offer a snapshot of approaches states have taken in addressing key indoor environmental health risks in schools.
For state policies on the topic of school ventilation and filtration, see ELI's 2023 report, Ventilation in Schools: A Review of State Policy Strategies.
Explore other materials from ELI’s Indoor Environments Program.
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