U.s. environmental protection agency's voluntary guidelines and state grants to promote healthy school environments

Approximately 50 million public school students spend a significant portion of their day in school buildings. When school environments are unhealthy, these children may be exposed to harmful pollutants and chemicals that can cause their concentration, academic performance, and health to suffer. In response to a congressional mandate under Section 504 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed voluntary guidelines that identify actions all levels of government can take to protect and better serve children in school environments. This presentation will: 1) explain how these guidelines can be a valuable resource to states, local education authorities, and school communities when making school siting decisions or when implementing school environmental health programs; 2) demonstrate how EPA's new guidelines and related state grants help promote healthy school environments nationwide(grantees: Connecticut Department of Health, New York State Department of Health, Ohio Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Health and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction); 3) help participants understand the critical role that placed-based solutions play in reducing health disparities in underserved communities. Participants will also learn more about these and other EPA efforts to prevent exposures to environmental hazards in schools.