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| Experts say improving classroom air quality can reduce illness and improve test scores. (Photo courtesy Minnesota Department of Health) |
Moorhead, Minn. — Minnesota school districts are required by state law to have an indoor air quality plan, but they're not required to use it. The Department of Health is trying to encourage schools to take action.
About 80 percent of Minnesota schools have an indoor air quality plan, according to Health Department research scientist Dan Tranter.
"But these plans are on paper. And even though we've done surveys and audited the paperwork, we're not sure the plans are being implemented and making a difference," says Tranter. "And we didn't have any specific data in Minnesota about whether the state's requirements for indoor air quality can actually be implemented in a practical way and make a significant improvement in the schools."
Tranter says budget limitations often result in schools delaying air quality improvements. But he says indoor air quality directly affects thousands of Minnesota children with asthma.
Tranter says one of every 11 Minnesota children have asthma, and he says there's evidence all students do better when there's plenty of fresh, unpolluted air in the classroom.
"It can improve performance on standardized test scores, and studies seem to indicate 1 or 2 percentage points of improvement -- which is quite significant for some schools that are on the cusp of having good scores," says Tranter.
Tranter and a team at the Minnesota Health Department have developed a project to help schools identify air quality problems and implement practical solutions.
The most common solutions, according to Tranter, include improving ventilation systems to bring in more fresh air, implementing new cleaning procedures to reduce dust in buildings, and maintaining buildings to keep out mold-producing moisture.
But many seemingly minor things can affect air quality too. That was the case at a Litchfield, Minnesota, elementary school. The school participated in a pilot project with the state Health Department.
Litchfield school district Health and Safety Coordinator Gail Ulrick says the school increased the flow of fresh air, and made some changes in how the school is cleaned. But she says they also got rid of the clutter in classrooms to cut down on dust, and cleaned ut things like fingernail polish remover, oven cleaner, and paint thinner they found stored in classrooms.
"Things have turned around completely. I used to get two or three complaints a day from that building, and I'm not getting any now," says Ulrick. "People aren't even talking about the air anymore."
Results have been similar for the Elk River school district, which won an award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last year for indoor air quality improvements.
Elk River schools Director of Special Projects Ron Bratlie says in his experience, when indoor air quality is improved, illness and absenteeism decline, and teachers and students feel better.
Bratlie says air quality problems can be caused when school districts try to save money on building maintenance and repair.
"'Well, we won't replace that roof this year. Let's try to get another year or two out of it.' And if it leaks, before you know it you have some major issues," says Bratlie. "I think that happens to a lot of districts. They don't have the money to do the regular maintenance like they should, and it leads to problems down the road."
Bratlie says if schools consider the cost of illness, absenteeism and lower test scores, improving indoor air quality is a wise investment.
The Minnesota Department of Health is offering schools help in evaluating air quality problems and identifying solutions, hoping to increase the number of Minnesota schools putting indoor air quality plans into practice.
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