2024 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Announced

-- U.S. Department of Education National: April 26, 2024 [ abstract]

The U.S. Department of Education today announced the 2024 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees. Across the country, 41 schools, 10 districts, three postsecondary institutions, and one early learning center are being honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve Health and wellness, and offer effective sustainability education. The honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 24 states. Half of this year’s honorees are located in underserved communities. In addition, one state education official is recognized with the Director’s Award. This year, it is George Garcia of the California Department of Education. “This year’s U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools are leading school transformation in states that will help ensure all students in all communities have the opportunity to grow to become strong and Healthy learners,” stated U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “This year’s awardees range from early learning centers to postsecondary institutions. Notably, half are located in under-resourced communities. These awards represent thousands of students, and countless hours of hard work in schools and on college campuses, ensuring equitable access to Healthy, climate-resilient learning environments where students are prepared for the sustainability challenges of the present and future.”

-- Staff Writer

FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Hosts First-Ever White House Summit for Sustainable and Healthy Schools

-- The White House National: April 26, 2024 [ abstract]

President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda is providing unprecedented resources for K-12 schools to invest in Healthier, more sustainable buildings and infrastructure—from removing lead pipes, to installing clean, reliable solar energy, to purchasing electric school buses. Schools across the country are putting these funds to use to cut harmful air pollution, including climate pollution, and invest in equitable, Healthy, resilient, and sustainable schools. To ensure that schools have access to the many resources and technical assistance available to them through the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Administration is today hosting the first-ever White House Summit for Sustainable and Healthy K-12 School Buildings and Grounds.

-- Staff Writer

Santa Monica school expansion delayed by toxic dry cleaning chemicals in soil

-- Los Angeles Times California: April 22, 2024 [ abstract]

For years, school district officials had grand designs to revamp the campus of McKinley Elementary in Santa Monica. The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District intended to build a two-story building with eight state-of-the-art classrooms and a modernized front office. The project had already been funded by a previous bond measure and splashy renderings were publicized by district staff. Last year, however, a district-hired inspector discovered dangerous levels of toxic vapors percolating in the soil at the proposed construction site, a parking lot on the northeast end of campus. Since then, state regulators have concluded the contaminants likely migrated underground from a dry cleaner across the street. Although these hazardous fumes were not detected above state Health limits inside school buildings, regulators determined the contamination could pose a risk to public Health if the ground were disturbed or new construction was sited on top.

-- Tony Briscoe

Georgia is installing more health care clinics on school grounds. How has that worked so far?

-- GPB.org Georgia: April 18, 2024 [ abstract]

In March, at Jeffersonville Elementary School in Twiggs County, Ga., school staff, parents and students toured a brand-new clinic. Inside, there’s a room with a TV for teleHealth, and two empty suites being prepped for dentist chairs. There are rooms for primary care, too. It smells like fresh paint. This clinic will be one of about 30 new or expanded school-based Health centers to be up and running over the next few years. The expansion is part of $125 million investment from the state fueled by federal COVID relief funds. Through grants issued by the Georgia Department of Education, school districts like Twiggs County were able to apply for up to $1 million to help build and support the startup of these Health centers. Mack Bullard is the superintendent of the Twiggs County School District. “And it's not just for the kids, but if they have a little brother at home or a grandparent at home, they can come and be seen too,” Bullard said. What he describes is a big difference from the school nurse's office you may remember, and a big deal in Twiggs County where kids and adults are largely uninsured. Many don’t see a doctor or dentist regularly.

-- Sofi Gratas

Growing a school garden sparks interest in science, nutrition and nature

-- AOL Florida: April 15, 2024 [ abstract]

School gardens in this country have been around for over a hundred years. Early on, gardening for children at school often emphasized the use of tools, cooperative work, the value of urban agriculture, and the good Health effects of working outdoors. Today, school gardens can be places for discovery, trial and error, a sense of accomplishment, and wonder. Students can taste a fresh tomato or crunchy carrot. Gardens that kids help plant and care for can get them excited about science, nutrition, and the natural world. Hands-on learning is a great way to explore and investigate. Gathering information through the senses can spark curiosity and help kids connect with what they’re learning.

-- MARNEY RICHARDS

White House Summit for Sustainable and Healthy K-12 School Buildings and Grounds

-- U.S. Department of Energy National: April 12, 2024 [ abstract]

Schools are invited to watch the White House’s first-ever Summit for Sustainable and Healthy K-12 Infrastructure on April 26th, highlighting the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to providing communities equitable access to energy efficient, climate resilient, and Healthy school facilities that are conducive to learning. This summit will highlight the pressing need for sustainable 21st-century school infrastructure and the impact that facility conditions have on student and teacher Health and learning outcomes. The event will also provide deeper insight into the tools and existing commitments offered by the federal government to invest in school sustainability and infrastructure. Students, educators, administrators, parents, and other school stakeholders are invited to tune in to the opening plenary and panels on April 26th from 1 – 3:30 p.m. ET.

-- Staff Writer

Surprise, surprise: Students excel in modernized K-12 school buildings

-- Building Design + Construction National: April 10, 2024 [ abstract]

More than 49 million students were enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools as of fall 2021, according to the Digest of Education Statistics. Coincidentally, that number (the “49” in 49 million) matches the average age of a main instructional school building in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics. More alarming, nearly four in 10 schools (38%) were built before 1970—and half of those have never had a major building renovation or addition.
Clearly, too many of the nation’s school districts are having to make it work with less-than-ideal educational facilities. But at what cost to student performance and staff satisfaction?
Newly released findings from a 28-school research study by Drexel University and Perkins Eastman reveal a strong correlation between the quality of school building environments and key educational indicators like test scores, graduation rates, enrollment, teacher retention—even community Health and wellness.
The study, “Addressing a Multi-Billion Dollar Challenge” (140-page PDF download at BDCnetwork.com/2024-school-study), investigated the differences between modernized and non-modernized elementary, middle, and high schools—17 modernized, 11 non-modernized—throughout Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.

-- DAVID BARISTA

A Comprehensive Strategy To Address Extreme Heat In Schools

-- Federation of American Scientists National: April 02, 2024 [ abstract]

Requiring children to attend school when classroom temperatures are high is unsafe and reduces learning; yet closing schools for extreme heat has wide-ranging consequences for learning, safety, food access, and social determinants of Health. Children are vulnerable to heat, and schooling is compulsory in the U.S. Families rely on schools for food, childcare, and safety. In order to protect the Health and well-being of the nation’s children, the federal government must facilitate efforts to collect the data required to drive extreme heat mitigation and adaptive capacity, invest in more resilient infrastructure, provide guidance on preparedness and response, and establish enforceable temperature thresholds. To do this, federal agencies can take action through three paths of mitigation: data collection and collaboration, set policy, and investments.

-- REBECCA MORGENSTERN BRENNER & AMIE PATCHEN & ALIST

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $180 Million Investment in School Energy Infrastructure

-- U.S. Department of Energy National: March 20, 2024 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON D.C. – As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, today the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) opened applications for the 2024 Renew America's Schools Prize, which will award $180 million to districts across the country engaging in strategic partnerships to build capacity and implement energy upgrades at K-12 schools, lowering energy use and costs, improving indoor air quality, and fostering Healthier learning environments. The 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize, funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, represents a groundbreaking investment in energy-efficient and renewable energy infrastructure at underserved K-12 public schools and contributes toward the Administration’s broader Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure.

-- Staff Writer

NC public schools are testing for lead in drinking water with ‘once-in-a-generation’ funding

-- WUNC North Carolina: March 19, 2024 [ abstract]

Walking into the Maureen Joy Charter School building is a little like stepping back in time. The lacquered wood floors creak as students walk to class. Sunlight streams across high ceilings. The school’s chief operating officer Samantha Amaral offers a tour of the building.
“It was built in 1910, so this is a historic building, and we love it,” Amaral says.
A black-and-white photograph hanging in the lobby shows a street view of the original school building in 1910, seemingly unchanged. Maureen Joy Charter School renovated the old Y.E. Smith public school building in 2012 before moving in.
“They redid all of the piping, all of the paint,” Amaral explained. “All that was left was the skeleton of the school.”
Amaral said she hopes that means the school doesn’t have to worry as much about lead in the pipes or asbestos in the paint, but given the age of the building, administrators still wanted to check.
More than half of North Carolina public schools were built before the federal government began regulating lead and asbestos in new construction in the 1980s, putting today’s students at risk for lead exposure. Lead in drinking water is a Health risk to young children and can cause intellectual and developmental issues. Asbestos is a known carcinogen.
Now, with a large block of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan and allocated by the state, every one of the roughly 3,100 public schools in North Carolina this spring will be able to test for lead and asbestos.

-- Liz Schlemmer

‘Unhygienic and unhealthy’: Student starts petition to remove school's portable toilets

-- The Guam Daily Post Guam: March 18, 2024 [ abstract]

If you have ever used a Porta-Potti, more often than not, the decision wasn’t by choice, but those are the facilities students at Agueda I. Johnston Middle School must use daily, and they are “tired of it.” “Most of the kids are seventh or sixth graders in that area, and it feels to me, at least, disrespectful from the school or (the Guam Department of Education) because we’re kind of being forced to use those facilities. They are also very hot. It stinks quite a bit. It’s a Health issue. … Students are tired of it, and it’s just unhygienic and unHealthy to be there,” said Jeffrey, a sixth grade student. Jeffrey, a senator in the student government body, called on his school community, through a petition, to demand better restroom facilities. “I started the petition because of the inaction of GDOE with our school. It was mainly to deal with the restroom issue … and to repair our facilities,” Jeffrey said. The petition has garnered over 220 signatures from students, teachers and other stakeholders.

-- Jolene Toves

Can Cleaner Classroom Air Help Kids Do Better at School?

-- The Brink Massachusetts: March 07, 2024 [ abstract]

When caregivers meet with teachers, they want all the details on how their children are doing in school: Are they making friends? What subjects do they need a little extra help with? Where are they excelling? But they’re probably not asking about something that could be having an outsized impact on their kids’ education: How’s the classroom air quality? Boston University environmental Health researcher Patricia Fabian has studied indoor air quality for more than 20 years and says the better the air in a school, the better kids perform: improved ventilation has been associated with reduced absences due to illness and higher scores on math and reading tests. Now, a new research collaboration between Fabian and Boston Public Schools (BPS) could lead the way in helping schools improve their indoor air quality. Since 2022, Fabian has been working with the school district to study the quality of air in the city’s classrooms, leveraging sensors that were installed in more than 4,400 classrooms through $6.7 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. Fabian says there are relatively few standards for indoor air quality, despite a growing body of evidence to suggest that pollutant levels indoors may be significantly higher than outdoors. But the pandemic has reshuffled priorities, as the airborne transmission of COVID-19 called attention to the safety of enclosed, shared spaces and generated increased interest in, and funding for, projects to implement or improve heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in aging public buildings, such as schools.

-- MEGAN JONES

School districts grapple with aging school buildings

-- WNG.org National: March 06, 2024 [ abstract]

In Idaho, 60 percent of school district leaders reported “poor” or “fair” conditions in their schools, often comprised of older buildings, reported the Idaho Capital Sun in January. Gov. Brad Little said during his State of the State address that he personally saw sewage leaking under a school cafeteria. “Folks, we can do better,” he said. “The can we are kicking is getting heavier, and we are running out of road.” Idaho schools aren’t alone in dealing with aging infrastructure. The National Center for Education Statistics released survey results last month that put the average age of K-12 public school buildings in the United States at 49 years. Many students attend older schools that often face infrastructure issues such as poor ventilation, neglected repairs, and mold, which can need thousands of dollars in repair costs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides guidelines for Healthy schools, including maintaining proper heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems and replacing air filters. But in 2020, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that about 41 percent of U.S. public school districts required changes to their heating, ventilation, or air conditioning. About half of the schools the GAO visited were troubled by HVAC system problems such as leaks, which can result in mold or damage to floor tiles.

-- Noah Lynch

3 ways schools are taking classes outside to expand mindfulness

-- K-12 Dive National: February 28, 2024 [ abstract]

Ayesha Ercelawn finds that after students spend even a small amount of time outdoors, they return feeling calm, relaxed, and quiet — all signs that students have experienced a state of mindfulness.
As education specialist for Green Schoolyards America — a nonprofit that supports transforming school grounds into green spaces that benefit children, the environment and communities — Ercelawn advocates for giving students time outdoors anywhere, especially in cities. She says students can enter these peaceful states of mind just by having some exposure to the outdoors and nature, even without being overtly led through a mindfulness lesson.
“With students indirectly nature journaling or doing other activities where we ask them to observe, they develop mindfulness without having to say, ‘OK, we’re doing this mindfulness activity,’” she says. “It happens naturally.”
Mindfulness is a practice that can essentially be done anywhere. After all, the goal is to bring oneself into the moment, activating an awareness and consciousness of being present. Mindfulness also appears to be linked to positive psychological Health.

-- Lauren Barack

Property-poor districts demand fairer funding for school facilities

-- EdSource California: February 22, 2024 [ abstract]

A public-interest law firm threatened Wednesday to sue Gov. Gavin Newsom and state officials unless they create a fairer system of subsidizing the costs of school facilities. That system must be as equitable as the Local Control Funding Formula, the decade-old formula for funding schools’ operating budgets, Public Advocates demanded in a lengthy letter. At a news conference announcing their demand, Public Advocates and school board members, superintendents and parents with decrepit, inadequate and unHealthy school buildings charged that the state’s school facilities program discriminates against districts with low property values. Districts with high property values gobble up most of the state’s matching subsidies to modernize schools, while property-poor districts serving low-income families can’t afford local school bonds to qualify for state subsidies to build comparable facilities, they said.

-- JOHN FENSTERWALD

Nearly One-Third of Public Schools Have One or More Portable Buildings in Use

-- National Center for Education Statistics National: February 15, 2024 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON (February 15, 2024)—Nearly one-third of public schools (31 percent) have one or more non-permanent (portable) buildings in use on campus, according to data released today by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical center within the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Additionally, major repair, renovation, or modernization work was being performed in 21 percent of all public schools as of December of this academic year, when the survey was administered. The average age of the main instructional building among reporting U.S. public schools is 49 years, with 38 percent constructed before 1970.1 “The condition of our school facilities plays a critical role in the education of more than 49 million U.S public school students,” said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. “School facilities provide a setting for learning and affect Health and comfort of the school’s students and staff. As such, these data provide insight into the current condition of our schools as the nation continues down the road to learning recovery.”

-- Staff Writer

The Average U.S. School Building Dates Back to the End of the Vietnam War

-- EducationWeek National: February 15, 2024 [ abstract]

The average school building in America is nearly half a century old, and almost a third of the nation’s public schools have at least one portable or non-permanent structure on their campus, new federal data show. A growing body of research shows students perform better on tests when their school buildings are well-maintained and modern. The Health consequences of prolonged exposure to toxins like mold and asbestos in school buildings can last long into adulthood. And the emergence of COVID put renewed pressure on schools to ensure students and staff are breathing clean air. But a large share of the nation’s 100,000 schools have buildings in major disrepair. Close to half of educators surveyed by the EdWeek Research Center in 2023 gave their buildings a “C” grade or worse. Advocates estimate the nation would need to collectively spend $85 billion a year on top of its current school facilities investments in order to ensure every school building gets adequately renovated.

-- Mark Lieberman

Shapiro Administration Announces $75 Million In Public School Environmental Grants

-- State of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania: February 12, 2024 [ abstract]

Harrisburg, PA - Recognizing that students cannot learn, grow, and thrive without access to safe and Healthy school facilities, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) today announced $75 million in grant funding to help schools to make environmental repairs and improvements. “Preparing and nurturing the next generation of successful Pennsylvanians starts with making sure all students have a safe, Healthy environment to learn in,” said Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “These grants help school districts make necessary upgrades and repairs to their buildings and learning spaces to ensure that our students and school staff have safe air to breathe, water to drink, and classrooms to learn in.” Eliminating lead and asbestos along with other environmental contaminants in schools lowers cumulative exposure across childhood, leads to better cognitive and overall Health outcomes for children, and increases the likelihood of academic and career success.

-- Taj Magruder

‘A perfect mess’: School construction needs may fall by the wayside in a chaotic budget year

-- vtdigger Vermont: February 12, 2024 [ abstract]

In fall 2023, the leaders of the Milton Town School District unveiled the design for its new elementary and middle school.
The existing Milton Elementary School was first built in the 1950s to serve grades 1-6 and expanded piecemeal over the following decades, eventually becoming the district’s pre-K-8 school.
By 2020, the oldest parts of the building had long been showing their age. A perennial mold problem had plagued the school for decades, and the school boilers were on their last legs. Leaders said upgrades were sorely needed.
The initial cost estimate of almost $200 million gave the community pause, but it was the challenges of the current annual budget cycle that ultimately led the district to table the much-needed project this year.
The latest projections indicate that property taxes could increase statewide by an average of 20% next year. That figure, local and statewide school officials have said, is largely due to ballooning Health care costs, maintenance and student mental Health needs resulting in higher education spending, with less federal support available as a result of expiring Covid-era relief funding.
Some are also pointing fingers at Act 127, a new law taking effect this budget season that changes the way statewide education funding is distributed. Its purpose is, in short, to direct more funding to schools with pupils who are more expensive to teach, such as English language learners, rural students and students living in poverty.

-- Habib Sabet and Ethan Weinstein

Senator Kaine cosponsors bill to improve infrastructure in public schools

-- WFXR Virginia: February 08, 2024 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WFXR)—U.S. Senator Tim Kaine cosponsored a bill to improve public school infrastructure across the country. The bill, ‘Rebuild America’s Schools Act,’ would help ensure school facilities are safe, Healthy, and sustainable and offer positive learning environments for all students. School infrastructure projects developed through the bill would also create over two million jobs across America. “Our students and educators deserve the safe, Healthy, and up-to-date learning environments they need to succeed,” said Senator Kaine. “This bill will help make much-needed infrastructure upgrades to schools in Virginia while boosting our economy and creating millions of jobs.”

-- James Dalpino

Researchers link school garden participation with healthier eating habits

-- The GW Hatchet National: January 29, 2024 [ abstract]

Participation in school gardens is linked to Healthier eating habits throughout child development, according to a study led by a Milken Institute School of Public Health doctoral candidate released earlier this month. Christine St. Pierre authored a study in collaboration with FoodPrints that found students who participated in school garden programs noticed increased enthusiasm surrounding Healthier food options at home and a desire for “fresh food options” at school. St. Pierre said the study’s finding that school gardens garner interest toward more nutritious dietary habits in children demonstrates a need for hands-on nutrition education embedded into the school day. “This study is a little bit unique in that it is one of the first to be able to look at what is the impact of these programs over time, like you can study while they’re happening in schools and see what students say,” St. Pierre said. The study featured focus groups made up of 39 elementary school students and 39 elementary school alumni, ranging from middle school to college, who previously participated in the school garden programs. St. Pierre said researchers used “semi-structured” question guides and follow-up questions based on the participant’s original answers. They then organized students’ answers into themes: immediate, beyond the classroom and sustained, St. Pierre said.

-- Kamali Joseph and Ryan J. Karlin

Parents and principal react to reports of unsanitary classroom conditions at Butler Elementary

-- WJHG.com Florida: January 26, 2024 [ abstract]

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Earlier this week, NewsChannel 7 went to the Walton County School District board meeting. Multiple parents spoke, expressing their concerns about unsanitary classroom conditions at Van R. Butler Elementary School in Santa Rosa Beach.
Since Tuesday’s meeting, we’ve been looking into the classroom conditions that caused the parents at Butler to be so concerned.
“It’s not fit for students, or teachers. No one should be in there,” said Nina Mayes, parent of a 3rd-grader at Butler.
Mayes is referring to the modular classroom building that houses all 3rd-graders at Butler.
“The AC issues, moisture, possible mold, general air quality inside the portable buildings,” Mayes said.
Parents say the 3rd-grade wing, which is the learning area for 178 students, has long been a problem, and it came to a boiling point at the beginning of January.
“It’s completely unsanitary, unHealthy, and I was not going to send my child to school in those conditions,” said Mayes.
NewsChannel 7 visited the school on Friday, and principal Jimmy Ross gave us a tour.

-- Austin Maida

Colorado to reduce indoor air pollution in schools, public buildings from wildfire smoke events through EPA grant

-- US Enivronmental Protection Agency Colorado: January 23, 2024 [ abstract]

DENVER – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to award $10,670,000 in grant funding to nine selected recipients across the country to enhance community wildfire smoke preparedness. Of these recipients, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is anticipating a $1,895,705 grant to design a state-wide program for wildfire smoke awareness and preparation. CDPHE will use the EPA funds to provide outreach, education, and training for local community partners on how to prepare for, and respond to, the public Health threat of wildfire smoke. This includes leveraging the Clean Air for Schools program, which provides air cleaners and indoor air quality monitors to K-12 schools, where CDPHE will partner with local communities to develop response plans for wildfire smoke events. Some of the expected outcomes include Smoke Readiness Plans, providing technical training on ventilation and filtration strategies, preparing school buildings to serve as Community Cleaner Air Shelters, and enabling indoor air quality monitoring in public school buildings to understand wildfire smoke impacts and evaluate effective responses. With more than 880,000 kids enrolled in Colorado public schools, developing wildfire smoke preparedness programs improves indoor air quality and reduces public Health risks for many students.

-- Virva Aryan

Governor Hochul Announces $100 Million in Environmental Bond Act Funding Now Available for Clean Green Schools

-- New York State Governor New York: January 23, 2024 [ abstract]

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $100 million is now available through the Clean Green Schools Initiative under the historic $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. The initiative will allow for the advancement of construction projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help public schools improve environmental sustainability and decarbonize school buildings. Today’s announcement supports the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050 and ensure at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits from clean energy investments be directed to disadvantaged communities. “Creating a safe and Healthy learning environment is critical to providing our children the best education possible,” Governor Hochul said. “These investments will make our school facilities cleaner and more sustainable – and will have a tremendous positive effect on future generations of students.”

-- Staff Writer

Maintenance woes: Recent closures raise questions of future for aging VISD facilities

-- Victoria Advocate Texas: January 20, 2024 [ abstract]

The moment something big breaks, (we’re) not going to have the money to pay for it.” This is the worry of Deputy Superintendent Randy Meyer and others at the Victoria Independent School District. This week, the district’s maintenance headaches came from a busted boiler at Vickers Elementary School and a frozen section of pipe at Mission Valley. Though relatively small when compared to other potential costly catastrophes like half-a-million-dollar air conditioner chillers or a school bus, it still resulted in students missing a day of school. With aging campuses, this week’s woes once again prompted Meyer and others to wonder when they will be able to stop patching equipment in use well-past their intended lifespans and employ a solution to replace things on a Healthy schedule.

-- Patrick Sloan-Turner

Delaware Releases School Facility Tools

-- Delaware Department of Education Delaware: January 10, 2024 [ abstract]

The state today released tools to help assure the safety of public school buildings throughout Delaware. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill SB-270 (SS1 for SB270) directed the Delaware Department of Education (DOE) to establish an evaluation and assessment system to determine whether a school facility is in good repair. The facility assessment tool will help school districts review and assess conditions in a standardized way. The assessments will help identify areas in need of attention, so school facilities are clean, safe, and functional for staff and students. As required by SS1 for SB270, DOE worked with experts in school facilities maintenance, the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), district superintendents, the Delaware State Education Association, and the Delaware Association of School Administrators. Stakeholder conversations have confirmed that the tool will help schools assess areas of concern and develop the plan to address concerns required by SS1 for SB270. The facility assessment tool will be provided to districts to begin assessments, which they are required to provide in May each year, along with a board-approved repair and maintenance plan to the state. The assessment tool allows for basic school information, including address and building size, to be confirmed or updated so DOE information is complete and accurate. The assessment tool provides a guide of areas and conditions to be assessed to help determine if specific areas of a facility are in good repair. Additional parts of the assessment help districts evaluate building system age and useful life and provide insight into modernization efforts at each school.

-- Alison May

Milwaukee Program Helps Schools Ditch Playground Asphalt For Natural Settings

-- SeehaferNews.com Wisconsin: January 06, 2024 [ abstract]

Urban heat islands, made worse by climate change, can push up temperatures and bring on more air pollution in larger cities. Now, a Milwaukee project is giving public schools resources to remove a key source of the heat-trapping effect. Dozens of public schools in Milwaukee are working with the nonprofit Reflo on swapping out playground asphalt for green infrastructure, including more trees and native plants. Lisa Neeb, manager of the Green and Healthy Schools Program Manager for Reflo, cited environmental benefits such as reduced stormwater runoff, and giving students more refuge on hot days. “There’s often not very many areas of shade, if any, on these urban schoolyards,” Neeb pointed out. “There’s not a lot of things to naturally do.”

-- Staff Writer

California Receives $4.99 Million in Federal Grant Funds to Improve School Facilities in Small School Districts

-- California Department of Education California: January 05, 2024 [ abstract]

SACRAMENTO—On Thursday, January 4, the United States Department of Education announced that the California Department of Education (CDE) is among the recipients of the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure (SASI) Grant Program. Through a SASI Grant, CDE will receive $4.99 million toward improving school facilities in small school districts across California. “I am pleased that we have been able to secure this federal support for our rural districts. We know how important school facilities are in providing a safe and Healthy environment for our students. We must make sure that safe, Healthy, and up-to-date school facilities are available to children in every community,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. “Every student should be learning in an optimal environment that supports them to be Healthy, safe, engaged, and challenged.”

-- Staff Writer

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $47 Million in New Funding to Support School Infrastructure Investments

-- U.S. Department of Education National: January 04, 2024 [ abstract]

The Biden-Harris Administration announced eight new grant awards today totaling more than $37 million over five years under the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure (SASI) program and one new grant for $10 million over five years under the National Center on School Infrastructure (NCSI) program. This $47 million investment, issued by the U.S. Department of Education (Department), bolsters the capacity of states to support school districts in improving school facilities with the goal of more equitable access to Healthy, sustainable, and modern learning environments for all students. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will highlight this announcement during a visit to Virginia today with Ranking Member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

-- Staff Writer

FACT SHEET: Inflation Reduction Act Tax Credits Can Fund School Facilities Upgrades and Reduce School District Energy Bi

-- U.S. Department of the Treasury National: January 04, 2024 [ abstract]

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, K-12 school districts spend nearly $8 billion annually on energy costs, the second largest expense after teacher salaries. Aging facilities combined with limited school budgets can result in deferred maintenance of facilities, with current estimates of around $270 billion needed for infrastructure repairs. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a grant program funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) focused on energy improvements at public school facilities, especially in the highest-need districts, and designed to save schools money. Similarly, the White House released a toolkit on federal resources for addressing school infrastructure needs in April 2022. And today, the Department of Education is announcing its grantees under the Supporting America's School Infrastructure grant program, which bolsters the capacity of States to support school districts in improving school facilities with the goal of more equitable access to Healthy, sustainable, and modern learning environments for all students.

Suit alleges fungal growth at 4 KPBSD schools caused health problems

-- Peninsula Clarion Alaska: January 02, 2024 [ abstract]

A former special education teacher at Mountain View Elementary School is suing the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and the Kenai Peninsula Borough with and on behalf of her four children, who she says have suffered from medical issues after being exposed to mold and other materials while attending district schools. Jennifer Harvey-Kindred and two of her adult children, Madeline Kindred and Jillian Kindred, are plaintiffs in the suit, as are two of Harvey-Kindred’s minor children. Between 2004 and 2018, the four children attended at various intervals Aurora Borealis Charter School in Kenai, Soldotna Middle School, Soldotna High School and Kenai Central High School. School district records published for the KPBSD school board’s Oct. 2, 2023, meeting show that Harvey-Kindred worked as a special education pre-kindergarten teacher at Mountain View Elementary School in Kenai until her resignation effective Oct. 17, 2023.

-- Ashlyn O'Hara

Climate-Proof Schools In Mozambique: Climate Adaptation That Works

-- Forbes International: December 29, 2023 [ abstract]

With UNICEF's help, 1,000 classrooms at 192 schools can now stand up to a cyclone. Margarida, 15, witnessed her old school get destroyed by Cyclone Idai in 2019. Attending a climate-proof school, she says, has been life-changing.
A big part of UNICEF’s response to climate change is to blunt its impacts on children — especially those who are most vulnerable to them — through mitigation or adaptation measures.
This includes making systems children rely on — Health, water, education — more climate-resilient. It means enabling these systems to stand up to extreme weather and other climate-driven disasters.
Mozambique is highly prone to cyclones and recurring floods. The weather system in that part of the world, the country's long coastline and the nine river basins flowing through it are contributing factors. Increasingly, so is climate change.

-- Maryanne Murray

Mountain Valley High School serves as shelter for area flood victims

-- Rumford Falls Times Maine: December 22, 2023 [ abstract]

RUMFORD — Mountain Valley High School opened its doors Wednesday to serve meals and provide clothing and toiletries to all area residents needing help due to the storm Monday. Regional School Unit 10 schools in Rumford, Mexico, Buckfield and Sumner closed for the week on Tuesday because of electrical power outages and impassable roads in the district’s towns, administrators wrote on the district’s website. RSU 10 Assistant Superintendent Matt Gilbert said by email to the Rumford Falls Times on Friday that he wanted to recognize several people “who have led the charge (and) who deserve to be recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty (at the high school).” Gilbert listed staff including School Nutrition Director Jeannie LaPointe and her husband, Steve LaPointe, along with the MVHS “lunch ladies” staff, “(who) have been in the kitchen every day since the shelter opened to make sure people are being fed Healthy meals.”

-- Marianne Hutchinson

State lawmakers tout budget funding for school facilities

-- Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus Pennsylvania: December 21, 2023 [ abstract]

Today, House Appropriations Committee Majority Chairman Jordan Harris, D-Phila., hosted a news conference at South Philadelphia High School discussing school facilities funding in the 2023-24 state budget. The budget includes $175 million for school facility improvements. Pennsylvania has some of the oldest schools in the country. The average school building is around 70 years old and was built when lead pipes and asbestos were standard building materials. Discoveries of asbestos and other toxins have led to school closures across the Commonwealth, including seven Philadelphia schools in 2023 alone. In the same year, 100 schools statewide closed due to excessive heat. Harris stated that he believes this funding will help to address this issue that’s plagued Pennsylvania schools for a long time. “This funding is paramount to improving the Health and safety of our educators, students and school staff, Harris said. “This major Democratic priority is a significant investment and critical step toward ensuring that receiving an education in Pennsylvania does not equate to sick or injured students, teachers, or staff. There is more work to do, and we intend to continue our work until every Pennsylvania school is a safe learning environment for our children.” Harris was joined by members of the Philadelphia House Delegation, including state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., and members of the House Appropriations and Education committees, including Education Committee Majority Chairman Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh. Schweyer said this funding will allow schools to properly address issues with their facilities. “For the first time in nearly a decade, the General Assembly has recognized the need for funding which allows school districts to address facility repairs and upgrades,” said Schweyer. “As a father of two in the Allentown School District, I have seen firsthand the need for funding so schools can provide the safe and comfortable learning environments that parents expect, and children deserve.”

-- Staff Writer

Elementary school board: Resolution to support county schools facilities sales tax item ballot item approved

-- Rochelle News-Leader Illinois: December 15, 2023 [ abstract]

Tax levy approved following truth in taxation hearing
ROCHELLE — At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Rochelle Elementary School District Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution in support of county school facilities sales tax referendum appearing on the March 19 election ballot.
A law passed in 2007 to allow for a county-wide sales tax in Illinois to benefit schools for expenses including facilities, security, mental Health services and school resource officers. The sales tax must pass in a county by referendum during an election. That has not taken place in Ogle County, and the measure failed on the ballot locally back in 2013. There are 57 counties in Illinois that have the county schools facilities sales tax. To get onto the ballot, school boards representing more than 50 percent of students must pass support resolutions. The deadline to pass resolutions of support to make the March 19 election is Jan. 2. The referendum would have to pass on the ballot county-wide. The sales tax can be a maximum of one percent in quarter-percent increments. "I just want to be clear that this is only a resolution to put the question on the ballot regarding the one-percent increase in sales tax to be asked of the voters," Board President Trisha Vaughn said. "The board itself is not taking any position for or against it. This is simply to put the measure on the ballot." The additional sales tax would apply to items that are already taxed, with the exception of vehicles and unprepared food. Based on the most recent numbers, a county schools facility sales tax could net the elementary district $813,202 per year. Along with facilities, security, mental Health services and school resource officers, the money can be used to abate property taxes and make rates lower for property owners within the district. The elementary school district has seen large expenses recently as it deals with aging buildings. Tilton Elementary School was built in 1949. Central Elementary School was built in 1939 and May Elementary School was built in 1959. It was said at the Rochelle Elementary School District’s November meeting that it could leverage that hypothetical $813,202 a year in new sales tax funds into about $8.8 million in projects.

-- Jeff Helfrich

Finland - Research finds that poor quality school buildings are related to schoolchildren's anxiety

-- Medicalxpress.com International: December 01, 2023 [ abstract]

New research has found that a student's perception of their school building conditions is related to their anxiety. The researchers found that students who had a negative perception of their school's physical environment reported higher levels of anxiety.
The research was carried out by researchers from Queen's University Belfast, University of Johannesburg, University of Jyväskylä, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the University of Eastern Finland, and has been published in the British Journal of Social Psychology.

-- University of Eastern Finland

Coal-producing West Virginia is converting an entire school system to solar power

-- pbs.org West Virginia: November 29, 2023 [ abstract]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — An entire county school system in coal-producing West Virginia is going solar, representing what a developer and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin’s office touted on Wednesday as the biggest-ever single demonstration of sun-powered renewable electricity in Appalachian public schools. The agreement between Wayne County Schools and West Virginian solar installer and developer Solar Holler builds on historic investments in coal communities made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, which Democratic Sen. Manchin had a major role in shaping as chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Manchin, who announced this month that he wouldn’t run for reelection in the deep-red state, citing an increasingly polarized political system, was quick Wednesday to tout U.S. President Joe Biden’s 2022 landmark climate, Health and tax law, which placed special emphasis on creating new clean energy jobs. “Let’s be clear — this investment in Wayne County is a direct result of the Inflation Reduction Act,” he said in a written statement. “This type of investment in rural America to create jobs, make our country more energy secure and lower electric costs is exactly what the IRA was designed to do.”

-- Leah Willingham

Lorain Schools looks toward growing maintenance needs over next five years

-- The Chronicle Ohio: November 29, 2023 [ abstract]

LORAIN — As Lorain Schools’ “new” buildings start to age, the district is looking at a $35 million price tag over the next five years to keep the facilities in shape. During a brief presentation at Monday’s Board of Education meeting, Director of Communications and Marketing Tony Dimacchia gave an overview of the costs and projects Lorain Schools will need to complete to maintain its buildings. Those projects range from resurfacing parking lots to replacing ceiling tiles and gym floors. It also includes security upgrades like kick-plate lockdown devices for classrooms and a mass emergency notification system. Lorain Schools is also looking at purchasing the former Health department building at 1144 W. Erie Ave. for about $200,000. The building would need about $909,000 in renovations and a 2,000-square-foot addition costing about $629,000 to meet the district’s needs. If the purchase moves forward, Lorain Schools would look to relocate its administrative offices to the former Health building, while using the office space at the high school to expand career tech programming. To build a new building to meet the district's needs would cost an estimated $2.5 million, Dimacchia said. “We certainly don’t want to increase the costs of the district, but it is critical for us to maintain safe and Healthy facilities,” Dimacchia said.

-- Carissa Woytach

Reed Delivers $877K for RIDE School Modernization Plans

-- Warwick Post Rhode Island: November 16, 2023 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced a new $876,792 federal grant for the Rhode Island Department of Education – RIDE school modernization , preventing environmental Health risks, improving maintenance, and planning long-term, under the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure Grant Program. With this funding, RIDE’s School Building Authority would increase necessary supports to assist local education agencies (LEAs) with improving building conditions and educational environments for students and teachers. Additional staff would coordinate energy efficiency and air quality audits, while aiding districts with procurement, technical assistance, and professional development. Senator Reed helped the U.S. Department of Education recently launch the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure Grant Program to enhance the ability of state departments of education to address school facilities matters.

-- Rob Borkowski

LAUSD Board approves wellness center at L.A. High School

-- Beverly Press California: November 15, 2023 [ abstract]

The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education approved more than $195.7 million in bond-funded projects to provide upgraded, state-of-the-art facilities. The board approved $45 million for the development of wellness centers at Los Angeles High School and Wilmington Middle School STEAM Magnet. Wellness centers are LAUSD-built facilities operated by independent medical providers and partners who focus on prevention, education, early intervention and screening. The wellness centers will offer free and low-cost comprehensive medical, dental and mental Health services for students, families and community members. The 32nd Street USC Magnets School was also approved for a $108 million major modernization project. The multi-phase project will construct 23 new general and specialty classrooms including media, filmmaking, engineering and graphic design spaces, as well as a chemistry lab.

-- Staff Writer

Ford Co. superintendents discussing possible school facilities sales tax

-- WCIA Illinois: November 14, 2023 [ abstract]

PAXTON, Ill. (WCIA) — Three Ford County superintendents are discussing a one percent sales tax referendum for the March or November ballot in 2024.
The leaders of the Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley, Paxton-Buckley-Loda, and Tri-Point school districts want to put the money toward school resource officers and mental Health providers.
PBL Superintendent Travis Duley said most of the money currently comes from property taxes, but if this vote passes, the tax burden would be shared with people visiting or passing through Ford County. He said the tax would not affect vehicles, groceries or farm equipment. He also said a sales tax is an untapped resource of revenue and an opportunity to improve facilities.

-- Jamal Williams

The Missing Data For Systemic Improvements To U.S. Public School Facilities

-- Federation of American Scientists National: November 07, 2023 [ abstract]

Peter Drucker famously said, “You can’t improve what you don’t measure.” Data on facilities helps public schools to make equitable decisions, prevent environmental Health risks, ensure regular maintenance, and conduct long-term planning. Publicly available data increases transparency and accountability, resulting in more informed decision making and quality analysis. Across the U.S., public schools lack the resources to track their facilities and operations, resulting in missed opportunities to ensure equitable access to high quality learning environments. As public schools face increasing challenges to infrastructure, such as climate change, this data gap becomes more pronounced. Why Do We Need Data On School Facilities?
School facilities affect student Health and learning. The conditions of a school building directly impact the Health and learning outcomes of students. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the importance of indoor air quality into the public consciousness. Many other chronic diseases are exacerbated by inadequate facilities, causing absenteeism and learning loss. From asthma to obesity to lead poisoning, the condition of the places where children spend their time impacts their Health, wellbeing, and ability to learn. Better data on the physical environment helps us understand the conditions that hinder student learning.

-- NAOMI STERN

Farallone View students, staff adjust to life without water

-- Half Moon Bay Review California: November 02, 2023 [ abstract]

Parents gathered at Farallone View Elementary School on Thursday morning to hear administration plans after the Montara Water and Sanitary District shut off water service to the school today due to its public Health concerns caused by construction at the site. For many children at the school, it was also time to face their first Porta-Potty. Cabrillo Unified School District officials scrambled to get portable sanitation stations in place for the school day and to assure some potable water was in place. At issue was new construction at the school, work MWSD says is being done without proper notice and without a backflow device that protects other users.

-- Peter Tokofsky

Governor Hochul Announces Over $14 Million Awarded to Improve Air Quality and Reduce Emissions in Under-Resourced School

-- Governor Kathy Hochul New York: October 27, 2023 [ abstract]

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced over $14 million in awards for 11 under-resourced public-school districts to decarbonize their buildings through the Clean Green Schools initiative. The projects will lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the school's reliance on fossil fuels and improve the indoor air quality by installing ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps and electric kitchen equipment. This announcement supports the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050 and ensure 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of clean energy investments directly benefit Disadvantaged Communities. “Schools can open an entire world of possibilities and opportunities to our children, but for students to get the most out of their education, they must be in a Healthy and safe learning environment,” Governor Hochul said. “Clean Green Schools allows our schools in underserved communities to make vital energy efficiency upgrades to their facilities that improve indoor air quality and support the success and well-being of students across the state.”

-- Staff Writer

Dublin Unified School District Unveils $26 Million Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Project

-- Bakersfield.com California: October 26, 2023 [ abstract]

Dublin, Calif. and HOUSTON, Oct. 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) announced the unveiling of their $26 million sustainability and energy efficiency project this week during a ribbon-cutting event. Working with ENGIE North America (ENGIE), a leader in the net zero energy transition, this project includes the installation of 4.5 megawatts (MW) of solar panels, HVAC upgrades, and the deployment of 66 electric vehicle ports across 12 schools and the district office, marking a significant milestone in the district's commitment to green initiatives and fiscal responsibility. The district-wide project also includes a student engagement program that features internships, a STEM education program, and a living laboratory. The project showcases DUSD's dedication to providing a greener and Healthier environment for students, staff, and the community. The comprehensive scope of this initiative encompasses several components including:

-- Engie North America

Lead-Free Delaware, ACLU call on state to install water filters in schools by Jan. 1

-- delaware online Delaware: October 25, 2023 [ abstract]

The ACLU and Lead-Free Delaware advocates are calling on the state to install filters at schools across Delaware by Jan. 1. A report conducted by the ACLU of Delaware in collaboration with Lead-Free advocates suggested that the measures taken by the Delaware Department of Education to resolve issues surrounding lead-tainted water in schools are “insufficient,” prompting the groups to urge the state to introduce “new, safer drinking water standards for schools by Jan. 1, 2024.” “The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that drinking fountains in schools not exceed 1 part per billion (ppb), which is much lower than the action level of 7.5 ppb set by the Department of Education,” said Sarah Bucic and Amy Roe of Lead-Free Delaware. “We are calling for a Health-based approach to drinking water in schools.” Delaware established the 7.5 ppb threshold after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency flagged the state for its mishandled sampling efforts last year.

-- Amanda Fries

Ensuring safe and adequate schools for children is an investment in Nevada's future

-- The Nevada Independent Nevada: October 23, 2023 [ abstract]

Nevada is at a crossroads, and the topic of aging school infrastructure couldn't be more pertinent. We find ourselves discussing this issue daily from our workplaces and at education advocacy events. We discussed it during the 2023 legislative session. Across our state, schools are either in dire need of immediate replacement or are on the brink of requiring such action. The urgency is palpable, especially in our urban districts such as Clark and Washoe counties, where some of our newer schools, which are less than 20 years old, are bursting at the seams. We often talk about chronic absenteeism and teacher retention as crucial factors affecting our education system. However, it's rare to hear these issues tied directly to the conditions we force our children to learn in and our educators to teach in. Yet having a safe and Healthy environment is not just important; it's fundamental to the success of our entire school system. To understand the gravity of this problem, it's essential to recognize the limitations of the Nevada State Education Fund, also known as the Pupil Centered Funding Plan. This fund, unfortunately, does not cover capital projects. Instead, local school districts are required to raise money through capital bonds to finance major building maintenance and new facilities. The sad reality is that some of our school districts and counties lack the population or tax base to afford such endeavors, as highlighted in a recent article by The Nevada Independent highlighting the challenges in White Pine County.

-- Felicia Ortiz - Opinion

Poolesville Construction Concerns

-- The Sentinel Maryland: October 22, 2023 [ abstract]

Poolesville High School students and parents expressed concerns about the ongoing construction and how it has affected students’ Health.
Construction has not only physically affected the school, making it difficult and inaccessible for students to get to class, but also physically affects the students themselves. Bella Sabett, a senior at Poolesville High School, expressed how she got styes due to dust from the construction.
“When the wind would blow, dust would fly in my eyes near the science building,” she said. The science building had an open scaffolding up until this year, but they recently placed roofing over top of the pathway.
Yehun Cho, another senior, described the construction as limiting and disruptive. Areas such as the auditorium and the old main entrances are blocked off, which affects extracurriculars that require space outside of the school day. Cho is the president of Poolesville’s Dance Club and she described the difficulty of finding spaces to use for practices.
In addition, she stated that construction limits walkability during the school day and is very inaccessible for those with disabilities.

-- Alena Lorn, student of Journalism at the Universit

Teachers & Parents Report Facility and Special Ed Problems at BOE Meeting

-- Tap Into Soma New Jersey: October 21, 2023 [ abstract]

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ – Many teachers and parents spoke about the multitude of issues facing the district during this week’s South Orange-Maplewood (SOMA) Board of Education (BOE). President of the South Orange Maplewood Education Association (SOMEA) Rocio Lopez told Taylor that she wasn’t being apprised of policies and SOMEA must be kept informed. SOMEA Vice President Shira Lincoln recounted her experience with asbestos in her classroom. She shared that she is a cancer survivor and being around asbestos is especially harmful for her. She told the BOE that the buildings have to be maintained. “The expense of good and efficient building maintenance is nominal in comparison to the Health and welfare of the children and adults who spend a good portion of their lives in these buildings.” Margaret Pickron said she supports Intentional Integration but opposes D leveling. She listed some of the other district challenges and implored the BOT to focus on those. “Our district is facing a tidal wave of change at this moment from the integration plan to rectifying decades of harm from the Teachers College ELA curriculum, which undoubtedly has contributed to our districts shameful achievement gaps. In addition, we are facing a capital crisis with buildings that are quite literally falling apart and need an additional $200 million to repair beyond the Long Range Facility Plan.” She urged the BOE to handle those things before considering the D leveling policy.

-- Elise Margulis

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Ensure Safe Schools

-- New York State Governor New York: October 18, 2023 [ abstract]

Governor Kathy Hochul signed the “Safe Schools by Design Act” that will require all school districts’ five-year capital facilities plans to consider incorporating design principles that will provide a safe, secure, and Healthy school environment. The legislation also expands eligible expenses for Extended Day and School Violence Prevention Grants to include programs that facilitate and promote community involvement in school facility planning. “A safe school environment is an essential component to providing the best education for our students,” Governor Hochul said. “This legislation highlights our commitment to our students and educators by ensuring that Health and safety are considered at the outset of all school construction projects.” Current law requires that five-year capital facilities plans are developed by each school district to include a building inventory, estimated expenses for building construction, repairs, or renovation, and estimated expenses for building maintenance and energy consumption. Legislation S.2629A/A.286A amends the education law by requiring that school districts consider the incorporation of design principles and strategies, pursuant to guidance issued by the Commissioner of Education, in their five-year capital plan as part of a comprehensive approach to providing a Healthy, secure, and safe school environment. In addition, the legislation includes programs which facilitate and promote community involvement in school facility planning to be eligible expenses for Extended Day and School Violence Prevention Grants.

-- Staff Writer

Comerford, Domb push for ‘accountability’ on green and healthy schools

-- Greenfield Recorder Massachusetts: October 16, 2023 [ abstract]

Two Pioneer Valley lawmakers are seeking a more concrete plan — including the creation of a “watchdog group” — to improve the Health of public school buildings and reduce their environmental impact. Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, were able to incorporate several pieces of their proposal for Healthy and green public schools as part of a major bill focused on clean energy and offshore wind. That bill passed last year as part of the Legislature’s 2021-2022 session. Their goal was to collect data on the Health of school buildings, including their energy and resource efficiency, to limit exposure to toxic chemicals and create an environment that is “conducive to learning,” according to the original bill. “It was really an exciting and pretty sweeping bill,” Comerford said of the measure, which “urged the collection of real data” on the conditions of school buildings and their infrastructure.

-- EDEN MOR

State launches workplace safety investigation into Richmond school amid mold concerns

-- WTVR.com Virginia: October 16, 2023 [ abstract]

RICHMOND, Va. -- The state agency that ensures compliance with workplace safety standards has initiated an investigation into a Richmond school that's been at the center of recent mold concerns.
The Department of Labor and Industry confirmed its Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) program opened the investigation into Boushall Middle School on October 11.
mold concerns
The Richmond School Board says full building test will be scheduled this week.

By: Tyler LaynePosted at 5:43 PM, Oct 16, 2023 and last updated 11:35 PM, Oct 16, 2023
RICHMOND, Va. -- The state agency that ensures compliance with workplace safety standards has initiated an investigation into a Richmond school that's been at the center of recent mold concerns.
The Department of Labor and Industry confirmed its Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) program opened the investigation into Boushall Middle School on October 11.
Recent Stories from wtvr.com
It's unclear what exactly is under investigation and why it was launched, but a spokesperson said it was initiated in response to a complaint.
"We are unable to comment further at this time due to the active investigation," department spokesperson Stephen Clausing said.
In recent months, some teachers and parents have complained about the air quality conditions at Boushall.
Teachers said they returned to the building after the summer break to find mold covering desks, chairs, ceilings, and equipment. They claimed the conditions were causing Health issues.

-- Tyler Layne

Orleans Parish school officials want to see school maintenance tax approved

-- WGNO Louisiana: October 11, 2023 [ abstract]

Orleans Parish voters are being asked to renew a millage dedicated to the maintenance and repairs for school facilities. In advance of the vote, NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams and Orleans Parish School Board President Olin Parker stopped by WGNO’s Good Morning New Orleans show to discuss the millage. “In 2014, New Orleans voters overwhelmingly approved a millage to keep our school facilities in good condition. After the storm, the federal government invested $2 billion in our schools. The voters of New Orleans stepped up and said, ‘Yes, we want to continue taking care of these schools this Saturday.’ We’re just asking voters to do the same thing, renew a tax that they’ve already been paying. It’s not a new tax and it’s something that benefits every single student and every single teacher in our parish,” said Parker. This time, voters would be asked to renew the tax for a 20-year term. “It’s important for long-range planning. When we think about capital planning, we know that even with our newest facilities, they’re going to need new HVAC systems and new roofs, and heaven forbid we have any natural disasters. We have to be ready to make those repairs and renovations as necessary. We just want to make sure that we have an opportunity for long-range planning and commitment for our new strategic plan of action is operational excellence. This is part of it. Our scholars deserve to learn in safe and Healthy buildings that allow them to do innovative things to prepare them for their future,” said Williams.

-- Staff Writer

“This is not an isolated incident.” Decatur school closure exposes gaps in state-required inspections

-- ipmnewsroom.org Illinois: September 25, 2023 [ abstract]

DECATUR – Teachers herd children into cars and buses at the Garfield Learning Academy in southern Decatur.
All the students hail, though, from Dennis Lab School on the western side of the city. Their two home school buildings were shuttered this summer when Decatur Public Schools District 61 realized they had major structural problems.
“It was shocking that all of a sudden the two buildings were condemned and that they couldn’t hold classes in them anymore,” said grandfather John Shores, Jr.
Even with a long family history at Dennis, he did not expect the disrepair to be so bad.
“As a board member and parent, I did not know the Dennis buildings were as bad as they were,” said DPS Board of Education member Kevin Collins-Brown.
“It seemed to come out of nowhere.”
State-required inspections missed the danger
Decatur Public Schools had completed the inspections required by the state, but the reports did not turn up any signs of danger.
Illinois requires school districts to bring outside an architecture firm or another expert into each school every 10 years to check smoke detectors, tripping hazards and other code violations.
Dennis was inspected in 2013. The only clues were tiles popping and doors unable to close, according to University of Illinois structural engineering professor James LaFave.
“It does not seem that this 10-Year Health/Life Safety inspection is by itself likely to tease out structural engineering shortcomings,” LaFave said.
According to an emailed statement from the Illinois State Board of Education, the 10-Year Health/Life Safety survey will not catch structural issues – unless they are manifesting in a visible way.

-- Emily Hays

Park Middle School nationally recognized for $20 million environmental efforts

-- Lincoln Journal Star Nebraska: September 21, 2023 [ abstract]

Park Middle School was one of 17 K-12 schools across the nation to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy for its efforts to conserve energy and create a Healthier and more sustainable building.
Park, with money from a 2020 Lincoln Public Schools bond issue, completed a $20 million project to improve the building’s energy efficiency and indoor air quality. As a result, it was one of the first schools to be recognized by the department’s Efficient and Healthy Schools campaign.
The campaign was created in 2021 to aid schools across the country in implementing green practices to limit facilities’ energy use and carbon emissions and cut utility bills. This was the first year the campaign honored schools for their efforts.
Park’s project — which took around two and a half years to complete — is part of a much bigger plan for schools across the district. LPS has been working for years to convert schools from a boiler chiller system to a more environmentally friendly geothermal one.

-- Jenna Ebbers

Environmental group and teachers' unions sound alarm on state's inaction on lead in school drinking water

-- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pennsylvania: September 10, 2023 [ abstract]

HARRISBURG — An environmental advocacy group and the state’s two largest teachers’ unions are giving the state a failing grade on efforts to eliminate lead in school drinking water. “School is for learning and playing — not getting a daily dose of lead-tainted water. Lead damages kids’ ability to learn, grow and behave. There is no safe level of lead for children,” Stephanie Wein, clean water advocate for the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, said last week. “Protecting our kids’ Health requires prevention at every drinking water tap — and our report card gives Pennsylvania a failing grade.” As more Pennsylvania schools test their water, most schools have found that their drinking water systems contain lead, from the pipes running through school buildings and the soldering used to hold the pipes together, to the components in the drinking fountains themselves. Wherever there is lead, there is a risk of water contamination, the environmental group said in a statement announcing it's giving the state an 'F' for its efforts to eliminate lead in school drinking water. For example, the School District of Philadelphia found that 98% of school buildings had drinking outlets test positive for lead. According to a 2021 report by Women for a Healthy Environment, of 65 Pennsylvania school districts surveyed, 91% of those tested found lead in their water.

-- JOHN FINNERTY

GDOE, Civil Defense provide status updates on DLAN projects for public schools

-- The Guam Daily Post Guam: September 10, 2023 [ abstract]

The legislative Committee on Education grilled the Guam Department of Education for four hours on Friday in an attempt to ascertain what progress has been reached in school readiness. Projects under the Disaster Local Area Network, or DLAN, system were of particular focus. Chris Anderson, who serves as GDOE administrator of student support services and point of contact for the Office of Civil Defense and Department of Administration gave status updates on projects being addressed through the DLAN system. “There are total of 17 tickets that were submitted starting from June 13, all the way through as late as Aug. 25. About 24% of the tickets are complete, 76% are still pending and of those that are still pending, 60% of the tickets require most likely contracts,” Anderson said. The first ticket deals with a Health concern many parents have voiced since Typhoon Mawar — mold mitigation for all 41 schools and the central office. But, according to Anderson, that is still pending. “Right now, the work is with General Service Agency, working through their contracts they needed some assistance with DOE to put together a scope of work which we’ve done and that’s been submitted to them, so we’re just waiting for the procurement process to finalize,” Anderson said. Addressing safety at schools, namely perimeter fencing for 29 schools, is also tied up in procurement.

-- Jolene Toves

Prioritizing Health and Safety in Schools As the New School Year Begins

-- Yahoo Finance National: September 07, 2023 [ abstract]

As school-aged children and young adults in the United States and many other countries around the world head back to school, parents, teachers and administrators are increasingly keenly aware of the importance of school facilities in supporting student and staff Health and well-being. For many, schools represent a safe haven, the center of the community where children learn, develop and grow. Yet, from outdated infrastructure to climate-change related extreme weather events such as wildfire smoke and heat waves that increase the incidence of indoor air pollution, much of the education sector is struggling to keep up with the requirements of operating and maintaining modern school facilities. It is widely understood how critical the school years are to supporting academic needs, but students, teachers and staff also need educational facilities that support their physical, mental and emotional Health. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, "By the time a student graduates high school, they will have spent more than 15,000 hours in a school building, which is the second longest indoor exposure time after their home…This is a time of critical physiological, social, and emotional growth and development, which is susceptible to many indoor conditions including, indoor air pollution, mold, elevated noise levels, radon, asbestos, inadequate lighting and more." These indoor conditions can not only affect student Health, but have a significant impact on learning, too. A recent New York Times article highlighted that "decades of research have suggested that improving air quality also can raise academic performance, increase test scores, bolster attention and memory, and decrease absences due to illness or other factors."

-- International WELL Building Institute

Some D.C. Classrooms Don’t Have Air Conditioning During Record Heat

-- DCist District of Columbia: September 07, 2023 [ abstract]

As the D.C. region continues to sweat through a record-breaking late-summer heat wave, some D.C. public school students don’t have air conditioning in their classrooms. It’s a problem the city has been grappling with for decades, but this year, the start of the school term coincided with D.C.’s hottest 4-day stretch on record for September. “We’ve just been failed on numerous occasions because of what we call bandaid-fix solutions,” says Angela Anderson, president of the parent teacher organization at Whittier Elementary in Ward 4, and parent of 3rd grader at the school. “Every year since I’ve been there, there has been some type of unHealthy HVAC issue.” Whittier started out the school year last week with four classrooms without fully functioning cooling systems, Anderson says. On Tuesday this week, the PTO raised the alarm about a preschool classroom that “felt like 100 degrees,” according to Anderson. Later that afternoon, the Department of General Services, which is in charge of school maintenance in the District, installed a temporary window unit in the pre-k classroom. “It helped a little. It kind of felt like hot breath and warm hugs when the teacher and the students came in. But it was better than nothing,” Anderson says.

-- Jacob Fenston

COLUMN: Is A/C the new ABC? As the country gets hotter, schools need upgrades

-- The Hechinger Report National: September 06, 2023 [ abstract]

Tempers get short. Test scores suffer. On the worst days, schools close, and students lose days of learning while parents’ schedules are disrupted.
Yorkwood Elementary in Baltimore, before it finally got air conditioning last year, was subject to closure by the district on any day the forecast hit 90 degrees by 10 a.m. And the number of those days has been rising over time.
“I remember one year we literally had seven [closure] days before we were able to have a full week of school because of the heat,” said Tonya Redd, the principal.
July 2023 was the world’s hottest month on record. And America’s schools weren’t built for this. According to a 2021 study by the Center for Climate Integrity, more than 13,700 public schools that did not need cooling systems in 1970 have installed — or will need to install — HVAC systems by 2025,based on the increasing number of very hot days during the school year. Total estimated cost: over $40 billion.
The good news is, there are many design and architectural innovations that can keep students, faculty and staff comfortable, while also creating Healthier, greener and even more engaging places to learn. And there’s federal funding to pay for it.
But, installing air conditioners without making other renovations, which is often the cheapest and most expedient option, raises a school’s fossil fuel consumption, ultimately making the problem of climate change worse.
Baltimore is an example of a district that’s had to rapidly upgrade for a changing climate. Six years ago, 75 out of its 140 school buildings, including Yorkwood Elementary, lacked air conditioning.
Now, that number is down to 11, according to Cyndi Smith, the district’s executive director for facilities planning, design and construction. “It has been a big challenge,” she said. “We have the oldest average-age buildings [of every district] in the state, going back to the late 1800s.”

-- ANYA KAMENETZ

Park City School District was supposed to clean up soil years ago. Here’s how much it will cost now.

-- The Salt Lake Tribune Utah: August 27, 2023 [ abstract]

Park City • The Park City School District is facing a hefty bill for soil cleanup behind Treasure Mountain Junior High, a public school for eighth and ninth graders. But the bill could have been far higher. The work is required because the stored soil piles contain lead and arsenic from mining work in the 19th century. Like much of downtown Park City, the piles are in an area governed by environmental codes regarding handling and storage. Exposure to lead and arsenic has long been known to adversely affect Health; arsenic has been linked to heart disease and some cancers, and lead ingestion, especially for preschool-aged children, can impair growth and development. School district Chief Operating Officer Mike Tanner told the Park City Board of Education during its regular meeting August 15 that if soil testing determined the piles qualified as ‘hazardous,’ it could cost $13 million to properly dispose of them.

-- Michelle Deininger

School districts in Kentucky, Texas cancel classes amid 'surge' of illnesses including COVID

-- abc News National: August 25, 2023 [ abstract]

Just weeks into the new school year, districts in multiple states are canceling in-person classes for several weeks due to respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, among students and staff.
Two school districts in Kentucky -- Lee County School District and Magoffin County Schools -- said they were closing due to "widespread illness."
LCD canceled classes on Tuesday and Wednesday and switched to virtual classes on Thursday and Friday.
"We're seeing a lot of illness being reported consistent with COVID and influenza," Scott Lockard, public Health director for the Kentucky River District -- which includes Lee County -- told ABC News. "Lee County had a surge of cases and attendance dropped below the threshold needed to stay open, so they closed."
He said there's been an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases but the true number of infections may be higher due to at-home test results not being reported to the Health department.
Lockard said there is a concern that cases could increase heading into the fall and winter and encouraged people to get vaccinated with the flu and new COVID booster to prevent others from getting sick.

-- Mary Kekatos

Hot classrooms are impairing student learning and health amid record-hot year, teachers say

-- NBCnews.com National: August 19, 2023 [ abstract]

When classes started this week in Florida’s Polk County school district, fourth-grade teacher Emily Heath and her students returned to a sweltering classroom with faulty air conditioning and temperatures in the 80s. The heat was hard for Heath’s students to bear, she said. "They say, 'It’s too hot in here. I can’t focus. I can’t do my work. My head hurts. I’m sweating. I’m thirsty,'" Heath said. Even in a state that’s used to hot weather this time of year, "the temperatures that are in these rooms, it’s not safe and it’s not beneficial for the kids," Heath said. Teachers unions and educators are sounding the alarm about sweltering conditions in classrooms as the school year kicks off following a summer that wrapped the country in record-setting heat. The issue of excessive heat in classrooms is not new, as in previous years aging school buildings with inadequate air conditioning have led schools to shut down early and switch to remote learning. But some educators said the longer periods of hot weather, particularly in places that haven’t historically experienced multiday heat waves coupled with inadequate cooling systems, are making it difficult to teach and are putting students even more at risk. "Kids and staff and teachers are feeling physically sick and lethargic, and just not being able to have that conducive, exciting learning environment that we should have at the very beginning of the school year," said Stephanie Yocum, president of the Polk Education Association, the teachers union.

-- Daniella Silva

Only 6 out of 41 public schools have received sanitary permits

-- The Guam Daily Post Guam: August 19, 2023 [ abstract]

Less than a week before the start of the school year, only six public schools have passed the sanitary building code inspection. The Guam Department of Education announced Talo’fo’fo' Elementary and Tiyan High are the latest schools to pass the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services sanitary inspection. The two schools joined John F. Kennedy High, Inalåhan Elementary, Untalan Middle School and Merizo Martyrs Memorial School in meeting Public Health sanitary building code standards. On July 24, Public Health increased the number of schools it inspects weekly from one to three by deploying three different teams of inspectors to conduct inspections, based on which facilities GDOE indicates are ready. Talo’fo’fo' Elementary and Tiyan High were two of three schools up for inspection the week of July 31. GDOE noted Wettengel Elementary was among the scheduled inspections. The department, however, didn't disclose the status of the inspection for Wettengel Elementary. Wettengel Elementary students were to be hosted at Maria Ulloa Elementary at the start of the new school year, GDOE said Thursday in a news release regarding school schedules. Because compliance with the sanitary school building code has been pushed back to next school year, GDOE campuses can be opened at the discretion of the superintendent and Public Health.

-- Jolene Toves

2023 Green Ribbon Schools honorees reflect nation’s commitment to student health

-- USGBC.org National: August 17, 2023 [ abstract]

On Aug. 8, the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools award winners gathered in Washington, D.C, for a ceremony and reception to recognize each school’s commitment to and achievements promoting sustainability practices on their campuses. This annual event is the only dedicated time for honorees to be celebrated on the national stage, and it serves as a platform for the Department of Education to highlight practices and resources other schools across the nation can use to leverage collaboration to create Healthy and sustainable schools.
For the first time in many years, the event also included all-day programming during which the honorees could learn from one another. This year, the department honored 26 schools, 11 districts and 4 postsecondary institutions from 18 states. The awards demonstrate that green school practices benefit a range of students, including those in underserved communities; 56% of the honorees' students are considered underserved. Utility cost savings, Healthy school practices and future-facing education should be available to all students, and the group of awardees is one indication that the green school movement is making strides toward equity of impact.
Celebrating Health and sustainability for students
Keynote speakers addressed honorees at the day’s opening session and later at the award ceremony. These speakers included Cindy Marten, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Education; Brenda Mallory, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality; Henry McKoy, director of the Office of State and Community Energy Programs at the U.S. Department of Energy; Janet McCabe, deputy administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Maggie Thomas, special assistant to the president for climate.
Speakers stressed the administration’s support of the honorees’ work to curb climate impacts, cut costs, support Health and wellness, and encourage environmental and sustainability literacy at their schools. Several relayed personal stories about their first childhood memories of connecting with nature or being inspired to care for the environment by a teacher or mentor.

-- Jacqueline Maley

New Mexico Governor Urged to Ban Oil Wells Near Schools to Protect Children

-- Center for Biological Diversity New Mexico: August 09, 2023 [ abstract]

SANTA FE, N.M.— Environmental, public Health and social justice groups today urged New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to establish statewide Health buffer zones to prohibit oil and gas wells within one mile of schools and other educational facilities. In June state Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard introduced a ban on new oil and gas leasing on state lands within a mile of schools, but no policy exists to protect children from wells on other lands. Today’s letter asks the governor to use her executive authority to ban new wells within a mile of schools across New Mexico and phase out existing wells within that Health zone by 2026. “It’s critical to protect our children and grandchildren from toxic oil and gas emissions,” said Daniel Tso, former council delegate of the Navajo Nation Council. “I’ve seen an increase in respiratory illnesses among Navajo students who attend Lybrook Elementary School, which is surrounded by oil and gas wells. They don’t deserve to be poisoned when they go to school.”

-- Staff Writer

4 ways schools are rethinking building design

-- K-12 Dive National: August 08, 2023 [ abstract]

Schools investing in campus upgrades are putting more emphasis on spaces that encourage student engagement, allow flexibility for changing enrollments, and ensure student and staff safety, according to experts in school architecture. Before new spaces are built or existing areas reconfigured, however, there’s a lot of planning between school officials and designers about how best to maximize a district’s desires with what is practically and financially possible. ″It was with that kind of question that we pulled together diverse thought leaders … to come together and kind of try to answer this question of what is the school of the future,” said Melissa Turnbaugh, a board member of the Learning Environments Action Research Network, or LEARN, and partner at PBK, a K-12 and higher education school design firm. LEARN, a new nonprofit organization, is a collaboration of education design experts, district officials and others working to promote safety, access, innovation, Health and sustainability in schools.

-- Kara Arundel

Polluted Skies and High Heat Expose School Facility Issues, Threaten Students’ Health

-- Education Week National: August 08, 2023 [ abstract]

Nearly 64 million people in the United States currently live in counties that have been flagged by the American Lung Association for having spikes in deadly particle pollution on a daily basis. And studies show that children are at disproportionately high risk. Exposure to tiny airborne particles from wildfires, an increasingly common occurrence of late, is about 10 times as harmful to children’s respiratory Health as pollution from other sources. Children also are more vulnerable than other populations to excessive heat, another growing climate-related concern. Those surging Health risks put an extra burden on schools to ensure that children are safe and comfortable enough to learn while they’re on campus. “The wildfire smoke, the heat, the drought, flooding—all the impacts of climate change are here,” said Jonathan Klein, co-founder of Undaunted, a national nonprofit that advocates for solutions to fight climate change. “Schools are where students spend more of their waking hours than anywhere else. We need to make sure they’re resilient and prepared for extreme weather events.” Right now, countless numbers of schools aren’t, say environmental experts. When the air quality gets too bad or temperatures soar, schools often respond by closing or sending kids home early. When schools are open, aging infrastructures, too few school nurses, and a lack of alternative recess space further challenge their ability to safeguard kids’ Health and well-being in the face of increasingly extreme and frequent weather events.

-- Elizabeth Heubeck

What to know when your child starts school during a deadly heat wave

-- CNN National: August 03, 2023 [ abstract]

Millions of children are heading to school in August during the worst heat wave in recorded human history.
Children in Atlanta and San Bernardino, California, kicked off their school year this week in temperatures well above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).
“We start to get into really dangerous territory when the heat index is greater than 90 degrees, because that’s a significant Health threat for heatstroke and heat illness,” said pediatrician Dr. Lisa Patel, a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health in California.
Many children in Phoenix and other cities in Maricopa County, Arizona, have started school despite recent temperatures up to 110 F (43 C) — so hot that people have gotten serious, even life-threatening burns from simply falling on the ground, as previously reported by CNN.
And children in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, are also heading to class next week with forecasted highs around 100 F (37.8 C) and a heat index of 110 — which is what the heat feels like on the body.
“Keep in mind, this summer might be the coolest one for the rest of our lives as global warming intensifies,” said Patel, who also serves as executive director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health.

-- Sandee LaMotte

Virginia schools face critical deadline to utilize federal air purification funding

-- WJLA.com Virginia: July 31, 2023 [ abstract]

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (7News) — Virginia public schools are facing a critical deadline Monday and are about to lose a ton of federal money. The COVID-19 pandemic forced Health officials to think differently -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) distributed $42 billion nationwide, including $62 million to Virginia as part of a HEPA Air Purifier Program, which entitles Virginia schools to air purification systems at no cost. However, only 61% of local schools have applied for cleaner air systems in classrooms. The federally funded program ends Monday at midnight. 7News spoke with the head of the National Parents Union about the lack of participation in this program by superintendents and local school districts.

-- John Gonzalez

Lower Energy Costs, Healthier Air: How Energy CLASS Prize Winners Are Transforming Their School

-- NREL National: July 21, 2023 [ abstract]

Every day, students around the country attend school in buildings that are outdated—sometimes more than a century old. Without sufficient budget for infrastructure upgrades, those aging buildings might have leaky roofs, moldy ceilings, or a lack of air conditioning—all of which make for less-than-optimal learning environments. The Energy CLASS (Champions Leading the Advancement of Sustainable Schools) Prize was designed to give underserved communities a leg up when it comes to making those needed upgrades in their schools. Now, 25 local education agencies (LEAs) have been named Energy CLASS prize winners and awarded $100,000 each, along with the training and one-on-one coaching needed to put those funds to work helping their schools meet Health and energy-efficiency goals.

-- Tiffany Plate

Jefferson County schools to benefit from energy efficiency, system upgrades

-- Alabama News Center Alabama: July 20, 2023 [ abstract]

Seven schools in Jefferson County will benefit from energy efficiency and system upgrades that are designed to not only save costs, but create Healthier and safer learning environments for students. Jefferson County Schools (JEFCOED) is among the first-round recipients of a federal Renew America’s Schools grant from the Department of Energy. In partnership with Alabama Power, JEFCOED will use the funds for upgrades at the following facilities. “This grant award is big for Jefferson County Schools for a lot of reasons,” said Superintendent Walter B. Gonsoulin Jr. “We’ll be able to improve facilities at these schools, not to mention save on energy costs. That money can be put towards other programs that will improve student learning and student outcomes. We are very grateful for this grant and our partnership with Alabama Power.”

-- Anthony Cook

Department of Energy Recognizes Springfield Public Schools Energy Achievements

-- City of Springfield Massachusetts: July 17, 2023 [ abstract]

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign recently recognized Springfield Public Schools, citing the district’s “exemplary projects to improve the energy and environmental performance of their school’s facilities.” Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick said the district is one of 17 school districts nationwide to receive such recognition. The district was honored for upgrading facilities with technologies and practices that create Healthy and more sustainable learning environments for students and staff and lower their facilities’ energy needs, carbon emissions, and utility bills.

-- Staff Writer

Gov. Green enacts laws aimed at enhancing education

-- Maui Now Hawaii: July 05, 2023 [ abstract]

Gov. Green signed four bills at the ceremony, adding to seven education bills detailed below. “We need 1,200 teachers to fill our annual teacher shortage,” Gov. Green said. “Construction of teacher housing is seen as a key step in the future of education of Hawaiʻi’s keiki. Affordable housing will aid in recruitment and retention of teachers, and that will help to address the shortage. SB941 (Act 172) authorizes the School Facilities Authority to partner with public and private agencies to develop housing on- or off-campus for teachers, other educators and staff, and to develop classrooms.” HB960 (Act 175) places prekindergarten facilities within the authority of the DOE School Facilities Authority and transfers $200 million in general funds to the School Facilities Special fund for FY 2023-24. The funds will expand access to Pre-K to eligible children. HB503 (Act 174) acknowledges the importance of computer science in an increasingly technology-driven world, by requiring the Board of Education to determine whether making computer science a graduation requirement would be in the best interests of public school students and the public; and if so, to work with the Department of Education to analyze a timeline and process for making computer science a graduation requirement by no later than the 2030-2031 school year. SB1344 (Act 173) amends to ‘school Health assistants,’ the former term ‘school Health aides,’ to better reflect changes to the job title. The new law allows administration of medication to public school students by school Health assistants, with the approval of a Health care professional within the Department of Education, Department of Health, or a Health care service pursuant to a written agreement with the Department of Education.

-- Staff Writer

Illinois school coalition plans buildout of electric 'microgrids' with $15 million in grant funding

-- WGLT.org Illinois: July 05, 2023 [ abstract]

A new grant program from the U.S. Department of Energy is poised to send $178 million to American schools for energy efficiency and student Health projects. One of the funding recipients is a coalition of 20 Illinois school districts, led by a western Illinois district with just 300 students. Williamsfield Schools Superintendent Tim Farquer says the long path to the Renew America's Schools grant started three years ago with just eight school districts. Those schools formed the “Bus to Grid” initiative. “Just to try and help each other get funding for electric buses, in particular,” said Farquer. “But in a way that supports the expansion of renewable energy.” Over the years, Farquer and the coalition applied for a list of funding opportunities to purchase electric buses and build charging infrastructure for schools around the state. Farquer says it's important to invest in preparing for a switch to electric, not just for environmental reasons, but also for the Health of students who ride diesel buses every day. “The numbers support the fact that we have more respiratory issues with kids and adults than we have in years past,” he said. “And emissions from diesel engines just have a tendency to agitate that.”

-- Collin Schopp

Holualoa Elementary classroom renovations make significant progress over summer break

-- Hawaii State Department of Education Hawaii: July 04, 2023 [ abstract]

HOLUALOA — Holualoa Elementary students and staff will be starting the new school year with refreshed learning spaces following extensive renovation work over the summer break to address campuswide environmental concerns. “It's been a complete transformation. We've seen everything from the wall colors change to new flooring, for a whole new atmosphere and environment that our students and our teachers are very fortunate to come back to in this coming school year,” said Principal Kristin Muramoto. “Elementary school is really the foundation for success, and I think the classrooms create a safe and Healthy environment where students can learn.” The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association helped bring attention to some of the environmental concerns and challenges facing the school. The renovations were designed to reduce interior environmental conditions conducive to mold growth in Holualoa’s damp and humid climate zone, situated at an elevation of approximately 1,400 feet above sea level. Classroom renovations began in October 2022 with the majority of work completed during the spring and summer breaks when rooms were not in use to minimize impacts on student learning. A total of 16 classrooms have been overhauled with new tile flooring, interior paint, dehumidifiers, and other improvements. “We’ve repainted the classrooms with mold-inhibiting paints and removed old floor carpeting to promote better air quality,” said Randall Tanaka, assistant superintendent for HIDOE’s Office of Facilities and Operations. “Open windows and fans will help air circulation during the day and dehumidifiers will help to reduce moisture in the air overnight, which will create an environment well-suited for students to learn.” In addition, 10 other office and work spaces were renovated, covered walkways were power washed and new furniture was installed in several classrooms at an approximate cost of $1.27 million to date. Throughout the renovations, school leaders have kept the school community informed with progress reports.

-- Staff Writer

How Greenwich schools are making air quality, HVAC improvements this summer.

-- greenwich time Connecticut: June 30, 2023 [ abstract]

GREENWICH — Smoke from Canadian wildfires remains a threat to local air quality — one reason why upgrading the Greenwich schools' old windows and other indoor environmental systems will take priority during the summer, officials say.
The lesson was brought home after some of the district's schools fared badly when the clinging yellow smoke from the fires blanketed much of Connecticut and seeped into classrooms on June 7. The district considered an early dismissal that day and delaying the start of school the next day in case the air remained hard to breathe.
“Today, we found that buildings with decade-old windows allowed more infiltration of a smoky odor,” Superintendent Toni Jones wrote in a statement to Greenwich Public Schools families on June 7. “Windows were kept shut, and air conditioning systems were closely monitored to ensure a Healthy environment. ... We were fortunate that on the heaviest day, the smoky conditions did not get really heavy until late afternoon.”

-- Jessica Simms

Simon Sanchez campus currently closed; numerous GDOE issues stated in oversight hearing

-- Pacific Daily News Guam: June 30, 2023 [ abstract]

After the impact and destruction of Typhoon Mawar, concerns are raised over the opening of the schools.
The Department of Education has had multiple schools be cited for Health violations while some others are dealing with needing facility repairs.
As chairperson of the committee on education, public safety and the arts, Sen. Chris Barnett called an oversight hearing at the Guam Congress Building on Thursday afternoon, June 29 to look over the Guam Department of Education’s compliance status with Public Law 37-4.
At the hearing, Dr. Judith Won Pat, the Acting Superintendent of Education provided a synopsis of the status of the district’s schools, which could be evaluated as no schools are shelters anymore.
Public Health inspections
Simon Sanchez High School was vastly affected by the typhoon, and they had 66 demerits in their last inspection, which is typically grounds for closure. Thus, the current SSHS campus will currently not have students return there until the new campus is built or Health measures are safely addressed, according to Won Pat.

-- Thomas Benavente

Biden- Harris Administration Announces $178 Million to Improve Health, Safety, and Lower Energy Costs at K-12 Public Sch

-- U.S. Department of Energy National: June 29, 2023 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), today announced the first round of selectees for the Renew America’s Schools grant program, a competitive award that will support the implementation of energy improvements in K–12 schools across the country. There are 24 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in 22 states that will share in approximately $178 million of funding, enabling them to pursue diverse projects to lower energy costs, lower emissions, and create Healthier, safer, and more supportive learning environments in their schools. This historic investment will directly benefit about 74,000 students and 5,000 teachers in 97 school buildings across America. DOE’s focus on public schools, which make up the second-largest sector of American infrastructure after transportation, supports President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda by promoting STEM education and workforce development, while creating well-paying jobs that stimulate local economies. The announcement comes on the heels on President Biden delivering a major economic address on “Bidenomics” – his vision for growing the economy from the middle-out and bottom-up, including by investing in American infrastructure.

-- Staff Writer

Rats, Mice, Bugs, Oh My! Find NYC's Filthiest School Cafeterias

-- Patch - New York New York: June 23, 2023 [ abstract]

NEW YORK CITY — Rats and mice and filth flies, oh my! New York City's school cafeterias are a sty.
Hundreds of public and private school cafeterias had filthy conditions found by city Health inspectors during the 2022-2023 year, data shows.
As the city's school year ends Tuesday, Patch decided to give students and parents more than a few creepy crawly reasons to be happy for summer break.
Before public school parents barf up their lunches, city Health officials offered some reassurance.
No public school cafeterias needed to be closed during the 2022-2023 year, a Health department spokesperson told Patch.
"The Health Department conducts routine inspections of NYC Public Schools, and it is rare that we observe conditions creating a Health risk such that the Department will require the cafeteria to close," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Likewise, a city schools spokesperson told Patch that any pest issues discovered in cafeteria inspections are promptly addressed.
"Almost all violations are non-food related, and all violations are taken extremely seriously and immediately addressed," said Jenna Lyle, the spokesperson, in a statement.

-- Matt Troutman

Canada - Safety group will go to court if government doesn’t improve air quality in Ontario schools

-- National Observer International: June 22, 2023 [ abstract]

Ontario School Safety (OSS) is considering legal action to force the provincial government to improve indoor air quality in schools and on school buses. They issued the threat after claiming multiple attempts to discuss this issue directly with the Ford government were ignored, the group said.
“Ontario’s provincial government has failed its general duty to provide a safe, stable, and Healthy working environment for children and youth, their caregivers, the education system and all Ontario communities,” reads the statement from OSS, which advocates for safe, in-person education for all students in Ontario.
Concerns about indoor air quality at schools rose to the fore during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and were reinforced earlier this month when wildfires briefly filled Ontario skies with dangerous amounts of smoke.
Poor indoor air quality results in the spread of airborne illnesses like COVID-19, and failing to provide clean air in schools and on buses goes against provincial Occupational Health and Safety recommendations, the statement said.
Canada’s National Observer reached out to Ontario’s Ministry of Education for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.

-- Abdul Matin Sarfraz

DODEA accepting students for first preschool overseas, looks to expand program

-- Stars & Stripes DoDEA: June 20, 2023 [ abstract]

American 4-year-olds in western Japan will be able to go to school this fall as part of a new plan that could eventually benefit 6,100 children across the Department of Defense Education Activity, according to school officials.
M.C. Perry Primary School in Iwakuni is first in line to offer universal prekindergarten to U.S. military families stationed overseas, DODEA said.
All eligible “military-connected” children at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni who turn 4 on or before Sept. 1 may enroll in prekindergarten, according to a June 6 announcement posted on the school’s website.
The announcement says school begins at 7:55 a.m. Monday to Friday and students are dismissed at 1:30 p.m. every day except Thursday, when the day ends at 1:15 p.m. Education, Health, nutrition, family involvement and social services comprise the program, according to the school’s website.
DODEA now is awaiting funding approval to expand its preschool offerings.
President Joe Biden’s proposed 2024 budget includes $66.4 million in universal prekindergarten funds for students in 60 military communities served by DODEA schools worldwide, agency spokesman Will Griffin said in an email earlier this month.

-- JENNIFER H. SVAN

Colorado's education board approves $180 million in construction projects | CLASS NOTES

-- The Denver Gazette Colorado: June 19, 2023 [ abstract]

The Colorado Board of Education approved $180 million in grants across the state from a prioritized list of 17 Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) school construction projects. Board members approved the grants during their monthly meeting last week. Lawmakers enacted the “Building Excellent Schools Today Act” or “BEST” in 2008 to address the limited capacity many Colorado schools have to replace aging facilities. Since 2008, BEST has contributed more than $3.5 billion in grants — which are designed to improve Health, safety, security and technology in Colorado’s public schools. More than half of the grants will be funded, in part, by the Colorado State Land Board, marijuana excise tax, the Colorado Lottery and earned interest. Projects include roof replacements, fire alarms and security upgrades as well as other major renovations.

-- Nicole C. Brambila

Advocates Look for Budget Increases to Address School Infrastructure in Pa

-- Erie News Now Pennsylvania: June 16, 2023 [ abstract]

HARRISBURG, Pa. (ErieNewsNow) - Many schools in Pennsylvania are decades, if not over a century, old. Hazardous school conditions are a growing concern among district officials, families and state lawmakers.
This week, Democrats and advocates pushed for more funding to address Pennsylvania's aging education infrastructure in the state’s budget.
“We want a world class education system and in order to do that, the first thing you need to do is make sure that you have world class facilities for our students,” said Rep. Bob Merski (D-Erie).
How to keep Pennsylvania's youngest residents safe and Healthy in aging schools – that's what Democratic lawmakers like Merski are emphasizing.
“Schools that have asbestos, schools that have leaky roofs, mold,” said Merski.
Merski, a former educator, knows firsthand the hazards and challenges for thousands of students and teachers.
“In my own experience in the Erie School District, I've taught in buildings that are over 100 years old. I've taught in buildings with leaky roofs. There were buckets on the floor at times until they could get up there and patch it,” said Merski.
New technology and innovative learning tools are placing additional strain on aging infrastructure.
“The educational technology has changed. So things that you don't see in the building, the wiring, the electricity, those things need to be upgraded to handle all of the new computers and all of the new wireless technology,” said Merski.
With a few weeks until the budget deadline, House Democrats and advocates are calling for a boost to make classrooms safer.

-- Brendan Scanland

Rep. Schweyer and House Democrats call for more school construction dollars in state budget

-- Lehigh Valley News Pennsylvania: June 14, 2023 [ abstract]

HARRISBURG, Pa. - When school started at Francis Raub Middle School last August, Peggy Repasch complained the lack of air conditioning in the building put her daughter Zoey’s Health at risk. Raub was built in 1923 and doesn’t have central air or heat. Zoey has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that can cause thick, sticky mucus in the airways and also cause those afflicted to sweat high amounts of salt out of their bodies, prompting dehydration. House Democrats and education advocates call for more school construction funding from the state
They are proposing $350 million dollars for facilities
Some Allentown School District buildings date back about 100 years
“The heat takes a lot out of you,” Repasch said. “How are these children learning in this heat?” House Democrats and education advocates say those kinds of conditions need to be addressed across the state immediately.

-- Sarah Mueller

Organizations Across the Country Commit to Supporting School Infrastructure and Sustainability

-- U.S. Department of Education National: June 12, 2023 [ abstract]

Since February, the U.S. Department of Education has invited national, regional, and local non-profits, foundations, businesses, and community-based organizations to share their bold commitment(s) to advance school sustainability, encompassing infrastructure, Health, environmental sustainability education, climate, and environmental justice in America. Over 30 organizations made commitments, ranging from local efforts to national campaigns. These commitments demonstrate the wide range and scope of actions needed to ensure sustainable schools for all students.

-- Staff Writer

Building Toward Equitable Schools for the 21st Century

-- U.S. Department of Educationi National: June 02, 2023 [ abstract]

As schools reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic, indoor air quality arose as a top concern among K-12 education stakeholders. Many school administrators, parents, and others in school communities were wondering: What should we do to address indoor air quality? What will help most when school buildings are old? Do we need HVAC upgrades to comply with the highest recommended standard of air ventilation, and aren’t those expensive? The pandemic put a spotlight on the importance of Healthy learning environments for all students. But many people within the K-12 education community – including advocates, educators, and students – have been raising their voices to improve the physical state of schools for a long time, highlighting the inequality between schools in low-income neighborhoods and the impacts it has on their education, compared to those in affluent communities. School building needs often go far beyond HVAC upgrades, especially in low-income communities and communities of color. The 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure by the American Society of Civil Engineers rated the Nation’s school buildings as a D-plus. We know that physical improvements to school buildings are important, as there is significant evidence that connects how lighting, temperature, noise pollution, access to green space, and more contribute to student learning and educator morale and attendance.

-- Loredana Valtierra

New Mexico Creates School Health Buffer to Protect Against Oil, Gas Pollution

-- Center for Biological Diversity New Mexico: June 01, 2023 [ abstract]

SANTA FE, N.M.— New Mexico Public Lands Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard announced an executive order today that bans new oil and gas leasing on state lands within one mile of schools and other educational facilities. The order is the result of collaboration between the State Land Office and the Center for Biological Diversity, Citizens Caring for the Future and community members in Eastern Navajo Agency. The groups and residents detailed concerns about students’ exposure to oil and gas pollution in letters to the commissioner in March and April. “It’s outrageous that kids at schools like Lybrook Elementary are exposed to toxic emissions from oil and gas every day,” said Samuel Sage, community services coordinator for the Navajo Nation Chapter of Counselor. “These are vital protections for communities like ours. We hope all state agencies get the message that they need to do more to protect kids and communities.” The executive order also requires State Land Office staff to review all existing oil and gas mineral leases, business leases and rights-of-way to ensure they comply with state law. That includes requirements to plug inactive wells, remediate spills and adhere to relevant air quality standards.

-- Staff Writer

Green Bay schools' facilities plan is inequitable, Latino community says. What happens next?

-- Green Bay Press Gazette Wisconsin: May 23, 2023 [ abstract]

GREEN BAY ― Green Bay's Hispanic community is mobilizing, calling on the Green Bay School Board to stop a plan to close 11 schools in the Green Bay School District.
The Northeast Wisconsin Latino Education Task Force, or NEWLET, formed in late April in response to the school district's Facilities Task Force finalizing recommendations that are inequitable, according to the group.
NEWLET is worried that the proposal will put an undue burden on students of color by splitting up their communities and removing the option to easily walk to school.
"(It) impacts the quality of life of Latino students and takes away Healthy walks to school by a predefined bus schedule with limited participation in sports, athletic events, musicals and other enrichment opportunities," said Amanda Garcia, the executive director of Casa Alba Melanie and the chair of NEWLET. She was also a member of the district's Facilities Task Force.

-- Danielle DuClos

GDOE: Schools won't open if not inspecte

-- The Guam Daily Post Guam: May 22, 2023 [ abstract]

The Guam Department of Education is in the midst of the Herculean task to ensure all public school facilities meet the school building sanitation code. There's a chance that not all schools will be able to open in time for the start of the next school year. GDOE has 41 school facilities. Six of those schools — John F. Kennedy High School, Tiyan High School, Okkodo High School, Astumbo Middle School, Liguan Elementary School and Adacao Elementary School — are leased. That leaves GDOE responsible for the maintenance of 35 facilities. "The idea is to ensure that all schools are ready for inspection,” GDOE Deputy Superintendent Joseph Sanchez told The Guam Daily Post Friday evening. GDOE has been in a race against the clock to ensure that schools across the island, leased or not, will be ready for the Department of Public Health and Social Services Division of Environmental Health inspection by Aug. 9, the day Public Law 37-4 becomes effective.

-- Jolene Toves

Ways school health and facilities staff can collaborate to address IAQ

-- USGBC.org National: May 22, 2023 [ abstract]

Learn strategies to address indoor air pollutants.
On April 27, three organizations—the Center for Green Schools, the National Association of School Nurses and Chemical Insights Research Institute of UL Research Institutes, a leading expert organization in indoor air quality (IAQ)—hosted a joint webinar titled “Identifying and Addressing Emerging Indoor Air Pollutants: School Health and Facilities Staff Collaborations.” This webinar highlighted opportunities for school Health and facilities staff to collaborate in creating Healthy learning spaces. Panelists brought expertise from a variety of areas in public Health research and Health and safety management of educational environments, and they shared a common goal: fostering Healthy learning spaces. Key takeaways from the webinar include: 1. Identify the problem.
Many schools struggle with maintaining good IAQ. A recent survey found 54% of public school districts needed to update or replace multiple building systems or features related to IAQ performance in their schools. Schools are vulnerable to common pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), particles, allergens and biological pollutants. These pollutants come from common building materials, nearby outdoor air pollution, activities performed in the space (such as cleaning or printing), excess moisture and even people bringing allergens inside. School staff and students are exposed to these pollutants through inhalation, ingestion and skin absorption. In buildings, pollutants can be found in the air and settled dust. Younger students are more vulnerable to pollutant exposure due to frequent hand-to-mouth behavior, higher respiration rates and closer proximity to the ground. Panelists discussed four emerging sources of pollution in schools, including:

-- Dr. Marilyn Black

School trustees look at building projects

-- Nevada Appeal Nevada: May 21, 2023 [ abstract]

The Carson City School District’s Facilities Master Plan Committee has made its final recommendations for building and maintenance needs. Superintendent Andrew Feuling said they will be considered during the Board of Trustees’ Capital Improvement Plan discussion Tuesday, May 23. Projects are prioritized according to the district’s financial constraints while ensuring student and staff safety, Health and comfort, educational program needs and energy and operational safety, Feuling told trustees May 9. The Fritsch Elementary and Carson Middle school campuses are nearly 70 years old and Carson High is coming up on 50 years old. All district facilities are at least 30 years old, Feuling said. “While we have to think about maintaining those facilities, while it would be nice to say we could replace all these eventually, with the property tax caps that are currently in place, it likely won’t go away and continues to squeeze funding over time,” he said. High schools being built in Washoe County now cost about $250 million, and Carson City can’t afford to do the same, he said. The district had the funding to build Empire, Fremont and Mark Twain elementary schools between 1988 and 1992, but those dollars aren’t available today, he said. Marty Johnson of JNA Consulting Group, the district’s bond consultant, said Carson City has a bonding capacity of a $25 million issuance this summer or fall with another $12.5 million available by 2027. There is $5 million remaining from its last bond. The Facilities Master Plan document encompasses overall district projects at a cost of $3 million for assessments on its properties or ones to acquire in upcoming months. Examples include heating, ventilation and air conditioning needs for Carson High School, alarm systems and security camera refreshing or to purchase 10 acres of the former Lompa Ranch.

-- Jessica Garcia

Colorado promises $70 million over 3 years, hopes to see 12 new facility schools open

-- The Colorado Sun Colorado: May 11, 2023 [ abstract]

Colorado passed a new law this spring intended to fix the facility school shortage by bolstering funding and encouraging more schools to open.
The measure signed by Gov. Jared Polis last month will increase funding for facility schools by nearly $19 million next year, then by $23 million in 2024 and $28 million in 2025. Lawmakers and legislative staff are predicting that four new schools will open in each of the next three years, which would mean a 40% increase in schools statewide.
“Facility schools” are specialized schools for kids who aren’t functioning well in traditional classrooms, often because of high levels of anxiety, depression and other behavioral Health issues that are disruptive to learning.
The crux of the bill is a change in the schools’ funding model. The state currently funds facility schools based on a daily per-student rate of $55, which hasn’t been enough money for schools, especially small ones, to keep the doors open. Facility schools also get tuition from school districts for students in special education. The tuition ranges this year from $75 to $348 per day.

-- Jennifer Brown

Reimagining Schoolyards to Improve Health and Learning

-- Public News Service National: May 11, 2023 [ abstract]

On an 81 degree day last September, environmental city planner Sharon Danks went onto the playground at a California elementary school with an infrared camera. Grassy areas in full sun measured 83 degrees, but unshaded asphalt was 107 and rubber surfaces under an exposed play structure came in at 135. Asphalt shaded by tree canopy was more than 30 degrees cooler. Danks, the author of Asphalt to Ecosystems, a book published more than a decade ago to guide the transformation of schoolyards, wasn't surprised at what she found. She and her colleagues had made similar measurements many times over. But shade itself had gained heat that September with the announcement that $150 million had been set aside in the California state budget for a two-year program to fund school forests and green schoolyards at K-12 schools. The decision was driven by the need to protect the Health of students as average temperatures in the state continue to rise. The September 2022 heat wave in the West was the worst on record; temperatures soared above 110 degrees in multiple cities in California. In announcing the funding for schoolyards, Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, noted that average temperatures across the state were projected to rise 6 degrees by mid-century. As bad as things might look for Californians, warming trends are projected to be even more dramatic in other parts of the country. According to a peer-reviewed model published last year, by 2053 more than 100 million Americans will live in an "extreme heat belt" extending from Northern Texas and Louisiana borders to Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, with temperatures exceeding 125 degrees. Most of the daylight hours that children spend outside are on school grounds. The simple act of planting trees on campuses is a powerful way to shield them from heat-related Health problems.

-- Carl Smith, Governing

RIDE Launches $3 Million W.E.L.L. Initiative to Support School Wellness Spaces

-- Governor Dan McKee Rhode Island: May 09, 2023 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – As Rhode Island celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week and observes Mental Health Month, Governor Dan McKee, Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) today announced the launch of the $3 million W.E.L.L. Initiative (Wellness in Education Leads to Learning), which will support the development of wellness spaces in schools statewide and provide funds for accompanying professional development and programming. The design of these spaces allows students and staff to experience a quiet atmosphere and have a chance to decompress. The initiative comes as education systems nationwide reimagine education and school facilities to meet the holistic needs of students in the wake of the pandemic. “Every child deserves to attend a 21st century learning environment that not only supports a comprehensive educational experience but also supports the social, emotional, mental, and behavioral Health needs of students,” said Governor Dan McKee. “We encourage schools to browse offerings and look forward to the positive impact the W.E.L.L. Initiative will have for students and teachers across Rhode Island.” “Any educator can tell you that even in the best of times, students and teachers alike can become overwhelmed at school. RIDE’s W.E.L.L. Initiative ensures that if they do, they have a space available to them that can help meet their needs,” said Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos. “These funds are going to provide oases of calm in our schools, as well as the training and resources necessary for faculty to use them to their full effect.”

-- Staff Writer

CELEBRATING THE OPENING OF A NEW SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER AT HIGHLINE HIGH SCHOOL

-- Public Health Insider Washington: May 03, 2023 [ abstract]

School-based Health centers offer a broad range of Health care supports for students that may otherwise be difficult to access in their communities. At the Health centers, overseen by Public Health—Seattle & King County, students can get mental Health care, immunizations, family planning, and other care in the context of a school environment. What began as a pilot program in Rainier Beach High School in 1989, has expanded to 36 school-based Health centers across King County.

-- Guest blogger

UK schools to help monitor classroom air quality in massive citizen science project

-- University of York International: April 24, 2023 [ abstract]

Schools across the country are being asked to take part in a huge citizen science project to help monitor and evaluate the quality of the air in our classrooms.
It is hoped more than 1,500 schools will sign up to SAMHE (Schools’ Air quality Monitoring for Health and Education) and help provide important data to scientists studying the quality of classroom air.
It is expected to be the biggest study of air quality in schools anywhere in the world.
Experiments
SAMHE schools will get a free high-spec air quality monitor that measures carbon dioxide (CO2), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), particulate matter (PM), temperature and relative humidity.
Through the SAMHE Web App, teachers and pupils can view the data in a range of interactive chart and graph formats and see how air quality changes over the course of hours, days or weeks and months.

-- Alistair Keely

$180M for Schools, Small Businesses with Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation Grants

-- New Jersey Business Magazine New Jersey: April 19, 2023 [ abstract]

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has fully committed the $180 million budgeted for the School and Small Business Energy Efficiency Stimulus Program (SSBP), aimed at helping schools and small businesses reduce their water and energy consumption and improve indoor air quality for children and small businesses. The program is closed and no longer accepting applications. “Through the Schools and Small Business grant program, we are putting the Health of our children first and ensuring small businesses have access to the tools they need to streamline energy and water use and improve indoor air quality in their establishments,” said NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso. “As we rise to the challenges of climate change and the ongoing pandemic, these grants will enable the direct benefits of cleaner facilities, as well as the economic boost in local labor needed to complete these projects, especially in underserved communities.” “As one of the prime sponsors of the law that established the School and Small Business Energy Efficiency Stimulus Program, I am incredibly proud that it has been so successful,” said Senator Troy Singleton. “This program is providing the necessary funding to allow these already cash-strapped businesses and school districts to upgrade their HVAC and plumbing systems, which will improve the air our residents breathe and the water they drink overall.”

-- Staff Writer

Alabama Power, BOE partner for potential energy improvements

-- The Clanton Advertiser Alabama: April 19, 2023 [ abstract]

Alabama Power and the Chilton County Board of Education are partnering to pursue a Renew America’s Schools grant for energy efficiency upgrades. Danielle Crowder of Alabama Power presented information about the partnership during the April 18 BOE meeting.
“Alabama Power is really excited to partner (with the school system),” Crowder said. “This grant program focuses on rural, disadvantaged communities, (those) school systems that have a high percentage of students that are eligible for free and reduced lunch.” Renew America’s Schools is a grant program through the U.S. Department of Energy. The funding is specifically for energy efficiency improvements and addressing building-related Health issues. At the national level, $80 million will be distributed in this funding cycle.

-- Joyanna Love

Canada - Most N.B. schools that tested high for CO2 still lack proper ventilation, data reveals

-- CBC International: April 14, 2023 [ abstract]

Thirty of 37 New Brunswick schools that had peak carbon dioxide readings above the "desirable" level during air quality testing more than a year ago still lack proper ventilation systems, data quietly released by the Department of Education reveals. Among them is a school that had a peak more than double the targeted maximum of 1,500 parts per million, and another that also had an overall average above that peak limit. Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is commonly created indoors when people exhale. It's used as a proxy to measure air quality and the rate at which air is being renewed, which can contribute to the transmission of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, according to experts. Infection control epidemiologist Colin Furness contends carbon dioxide levels should be kept below 800 to 1,000 ppm and describes the test results as a "public Health crisis." "Let's be clear, the CO2 readings are a measure of how much of other people's exhalations you are breathing in. And I just, you know, I really want the 'ick' factor to sink in," he said. "This is not what we should have anywhere — particularly schools. … What could be more important than child Health?"

-- Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon

'I want to hear the truth' | Teacher pushes for transparency in HISD elementary school air quality

-- KHOU11 Texas: April 12, 2023 [ abstract]

HOUSTON — A Houston ISD teacher believes the air quality conditions at her school have gotten her sick.
KHOU 11 has previously reported on claims of mold and high levels of carbon dioxide at Kelso Elementary School. While cleanup is being done at the school, one teacher said she's concerned about her and her student's Health on campus.
"I felt like something was off. I couldn't exactly explain it. Lightheadedness, headaches beyond belief," the teacher said, who didn't want to be identified for fear of retaliation.
She said she's gotten sick at school and believes it's because of reported mold and high levels of carbon dioxide in some classrooms.
"I want to hear the truth," she said. "What is there and what have they done about it?"
HISD has said there was an HVAC issue and that as part of standard protocol, crews were sent to evaluate it. The district also confirmed to KHOU 11 that there was "regular mold," which they said was not harmful.

-- Maria Aguilera

Eanes school district calls $131 million bond election for maintenance, facility upgrades

-- Austin American Statesman Texas: April 12, 2023 [ abstract]

Jackie Uselton rifled through the mock pill bottles and test first aid kits in a mock pharmacy cabinet that doubles as storage in Westlake High School on a recent Monday morning. “The vision would be to have a mock hospital room, hospital bay, beds,” said Uselton, Health science and clinical instructor. “We do have some stuff. We’re just kind of crowded.” Right now, the Health sciences programs are stuffed into three small classrooms, she said. The roughly 200 Health science students have to share one mock hospital bed. That, however, could change if Eanes school district voters approve a proposed $131.4 million bond, which would fund facility upgrades, including some that would allow programs like Health sciences to expand. Aging facilities, safety upgrades and technology needs have driven the Eanes school board to call for a bond election.

-- Keri Heath

The Impact of Daylight on a School Renovation Project in Copenhagen - Denmark

-- Arch Daily International: April 07, 2023 [ abstract]

Architects have always considered the positive influence of natural light on the Health and mood of a building's occupants, but measuring its actual benefits was a challenge for a long time. However, the past few decades have seen significant progress in this area, with research such as the comprehensive study conducted by the Heschong Mahone Group, which analyzed more than 21,000 student tests in three school districts in California, Washington, and Colorado. The results showed that students in classrooms with more natural light had a 20% faster learning progress in math tests and 26% on reading tests, compared to students in classrooms with less natural light. Many other studies reinforce that including natural light in spaces has immense long-term benefits for societies, especially during a child's valuable formative years, who spend about 90% of their time indoors and about 200 days a year in classrooms. The renovation and extension project of the Grøndalsvængets School in the suburbs of Copenhagen, Denmark, by JJW Architects, is an excellent example of how to apply architectural research in a practical way. The school is an almost 100-year-old building that has been expanded with new spaces for sports, music and learning. The success of the project was achieved through two vital design strategies. First, the reuse of 250,000 bricks from a nearby dilapidated hospital, which allowed them to maintain the local aesthetic and reduce the environmental footprint that producing new bricks would have had.

-- Eduardo Souza

NC schools will soon be tested to remove dangerous levels of lead and asbestos

-- The News&Observer North Carolina: April 06, 2023 [ abstract]

Thousands of North Carolina public schools will be tested in the next three years to try to remove unsafe levels of lead and asbestos that could endanger students. The state is using $150 million in federal COVID aid to expand a program that has allowed all 4,500 licensed childcare facilities to test and remediate unsafe levels of lead in their water. The additional funding will allow K-12 public schools to also test their water taps. The money also will help schools and childcare facilities remove lead paint and asbestos.
“Overall, our objective is to identify and eliminate exposure to lead and asbestos hazards where North Carolina children are learning and playing,” said Jennifer Redmon, RTI International’s director of Environmental Health and Water Quality Program. The state Department of Health and Human Services is coordinating the program in cooperation with the state Department of Public Instruction and RTI International. A presentation on the new “Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids” program was made at Wednesday’s State Board of Education meeting. In 2019, Environment America gave the state an “F” for failing to get lead out of drinking water at schools.

-- T. KEUNG HUI AND ADAM WAGNER

Connecticut spending $56M to improve air quality in schools

-- WTNH.com Connecticut: April 05, 2023 [ abstract]

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Connecticut schools are set to receive millions of dollars in federal grants to improve their indoor air quality. Educators, who have been fighting for better air quality for decades, said the COVID-19 pandemic created more urgency. Joanie Amato, a West Haven High School teacher and a representative for the American Federation of Teachers and School Nurses, said Connecticut leaders must protect kids and educators from airborne illnesses. “They want to keep their children safe,” Amato said. “They want to have a clean, Healthy school. The reality is it’s been neglected for so long and, financially, districts can’t do it alone.” State leaders announced the first round of grant money on Wednesday, with $56 million allocated to better air quality in public schools. It’s part of Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed $450 million plan for schools, which includes both state bonding and federal money.

-- Tim Harfmann

Coalition Calls for $100 million in 2024 Federal Budget to Protect School Children from Dirty Air

-- Digital Journal National: April 04, 2023 [ abstract]

Apr. 4, 2023 / PRZen / WASHINGTON -- Marking the 21st Annual National Healthy Schools Day (NHSD), a national coalition of parents, teachers, school professionals, and environment and public Health groups have come together to call on President Joe Biden to include $100 million in his Fiscal Year 2024 budget request for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Air and Radiation/Indoor Environments Division to protect school children and personnel from unHealthy environments in schools and childcare facilities. The coalition is also requesting inclusion of an additional $10 million for EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection to increase public Health research services for children's environmental Health. "School building conditions have been neglected for decades," said national Coalition coordinator Claire L Barnett whose office hosts National Healthy Schools Day annually. "But schools and their communities can help by using US EPA's voluntary guidance on effective interventions. EPA has the authorizations and the proven programs to help schools address complex facility issues. When children have school-induced asthma, headaches, nausea, and bloody noses, attendance and test scores drop, families are extra-stressed, and Health care costs rise. With robust funding from congress, EPA can activate Biden's languishing Clean Air in Schools challenge with expanded national outreach and technical assistance to states and schools and communities. Congress could help lift standardized test scores and reduce Health care costs if it appropriates $100M to EPA's office of air for school indoor air and $10M to EPA's office of children's Health for research and Health services."

-- PR Zen

Guam - Senators pass bills on school maintenance

-- The Guam Daily Post Guam: March 23, 2023 [ abstract]

Three bills related to addressing sanitation and facilities issues at Guam Department of Education schools were passed unanimously by the Guam Legislature on Tuesday night.
Fourteen senators were present and voted. Vice Speaker Tina Muña Barnes was absent and excused from voting.
Lawmakers passed the following measures:
• Bill 29-37, which makes corrections and amendments to administrative rules and regulations related to updating sanitation regulations to promote the Health and safety of schools.
• Bill 46-37, which provides temporary, expedited procurement protest procedures for acquisitions funded with American Rescue Plan funds allotted to GDOE.
• Bill 32-37, which appropriates $30 million to GDOE for school infrastructure, repair and maintenance.
The three measures were the subject of an emergency session that began Monday.
Voting passed by quickly Tuesday night, but some senators had much to say about the events that transpired over the prior two days.
The emergency session coincided with a special session called by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero to debate pay raises for government of Guam employees under the General Pay Plan.
A majority of lawmakers have repeatedly put the special session on hold in favor of pushing through with bills in the emergency session, despite multiple calls for special session by the governor.

-- John O'Connor

EXCLUSIVE: High levels of carbon dioxide found in 2 Houston ISD elementary school classrooms

-- FOX26 Texas: March 17, 2023 [ abstract]

HOUSTON - A FOX 26 investigation reveals levels of carbon dioxide considered "above air quality guidelines" at a Houston Independent School District (HISD) elementary school.
According to documents obtained by FOX 26, high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) were recently discovered in at least two classrooms at Kelso Elementary School.
"I’ve been to 3 different doctors, one doctor told me to take FMLA and not to return to that school," said one anonymous teacher from Kelso Elementary.
The teacher wants to hide their identity out of fear of retaliation. However, the teacher says the air quality is affecting the Health of staff members and students.

-- Matthew Seedorff

Schools struggle with lead-contaminated water while awaiting federal relief

-- pbs.org National: March 05, 2023 [ abstract]

PHILIPSBURG, Mont. — On a recent day in this 19th-century mining town turned tourist hot spot, students made their way into the Granite High School lobby and past a new filtered water bottle fill station.
Water samples taken from the drinking fountain the station replaced had a lead concentration of 10 parts per billion — twice Montana’s legal limit for schools of 5 parts per billion for the toxic metal.
Thomas Gates, the principal and superintendent of the small Philipsburg School District, worries the new faucets, sinks, and filters the district installed for roughly 30 water sources are temporary fixes. The high school, built in 1912, is likely laced with aged pipes and other infrastructure, like so much of this historic town.
“If we change faucets or whatever, lead is still getting pushed in,” Gates said.
The school in Philipsburg is one of hundreds in Montana grappling with how to remove lead from their water after state officials mandated schools test for it. So far, 74 percent of schools that submitted samples found at least one faucet or drinking fountain with high lead levels. Many of those schools are still trying to trace the source of the problem and find the money for long-term fixes.
In his Feb. 7 State of the Union address, President Joe Biden said the infrastructure bill he championed in 2021 will help fund the replacement of lead pipes that serve “400,000 schools and child care centers, so every child in America can drink clean water.”
However, as of mid-February, states were still waiting to hear how much infrastructure money they’ll receive, and when. And schools are trying to figure out how to respond to toxic levels of lead now. The federal government hasn’t required schools and child care centers to test for lead, though it has awarded grants to states for voluntary testing.

-- Katheryn Houghton, Kaiser Health News

Democratic lawmakers announce legislation to invest in school facilities

-- PA House Democrats Pennsylvania: March 01, 2023 [ abstract]

HARRISBURG, March 1 – State Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., Robert Merski, D-Erie, Bridget Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna, and Tarik Khan, D-Phila., today partnered with state Sen. Tim Kearney, D-Delaware, to announce legislation addressing toxic school buildings in Pennsylvania. Gathered outside the lieutenant governor’s office, Fiedler, Merski, Kosierowski and Khan said they plan to introduce legislation to fund the school construction program PlanCon to address the school facilities crisis in Pennsylvania. The lawmakers’ legislation would fund the maintenance program within the traditional PlanCon program for vital projects including repairs to roofs, HVAC systems, boilers, plumbing and electrical wiring. Under the legislation, the lawmakers propose opening applications only to the new Maintenance Program created under Act 70 for a temporary 3-year period. After this period, the Department of Education would re-open the program for traditional PlanCon projects, with the Maintenance Program returning to its 20% share of available funding. The lawmakers announced they are also introducing another piece of legislation to address toxic school buildings. This legislation would make changes to the commonwealth’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program to make it easier for public schools to submit applications for building improvements. Their announcement comes on the heels of the Commonwealth Court’s ruling in the William Penn School District lawsuit, that Pennsylvania’s system of funding public education is unconstitutional. The group of lawmakers stressed that in addition to the need for basic education funding, the lawsuit highlighted school facilities issues. “When a child is sitting in a classroom with peeling paint and asbestos, shivering because they’re too cold or has a nosebleed and a headache because they’re too hot, they can’t learn,” Fiedler said. “School buildings are a statewide educational and public Health issue, and we need to start funding them with that importance. The recent Commonwealth Court ruling provides the state an excellent opportunity right now to ensure all children can go to school in a safe building and pursue a quality education.”

-- Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler

Reimagining Schoolyards to Improve Health and Learning

-- Governing.com California: February 22, 2023 [ abstract]

-- Carl Smith

DC playground closed due to lead contamination

-- WUSA9 District of Columbia: February 16, 2023 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON — A D.C. rec center playground used by a nearby elementary school was closed Thursday after elevated levels of lead were discovered.
In an email, DC Public Schools alerted parents that one of the playgrounds at Parkview Rec Center tested high for lead and it had been closed. The playground, attached to Bruce-Monroe Elementary School, sits on rubber mats.
Lead can result in Health and growth problems if ingested by children. The District said it will power-wash the contamination away, but scientists WUSA9 talked with say that is not enough.
DCPS said it found the lead by washing off the playground and testing the runoff water during a routine test. Lead levels were 470 parts per million, above the federally “allowed minimum” of 400 parts per million.
"It would be nice if they put in materials in the first place that didn’t have lead, that they used safe building materials," said Teresa Ellis who was picking up her child at Bruce-Monroe Elementary. "We want safe playgrounds for our children, for all the children in D.C. and all the different parts of D.C."
DCPS has consistently blamed the source of the lead on what it calls “the surrounding environment,” including cars and construction. That playground is on a higher grade than the surrounding road.

-- Nathan Baca and Ruth Morton

New tax credits help schools go green

-- Environment America National: February 07, 2023 [ abstract]

Schools play an essential role in every childs’ beginning – a place that should encourage a love of learning, foster personal and educational growth, while providing a safe and Healthy environment to do so. Studies show that students even learn better in an environment free from air pollution, yet many schools still use diesel-burning buses and outdated energy systems. Luckily, with new federal funding available through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Investment Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA), there are now more funding opportunities than ever to update school transportation and energy systems, fostering the best learning environment possible for your students. Not only is this beneficial for the environment, but it will protect students from Health risks while simultaneously saving your school district money. Installing Solar Panels The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides substantial funding of solar energy projects that can lower utility bills for school districts. Valuable savings that can be redirected to other school priorities. With the largest investment into clean energy and electrification ever seen in the country, the IRA makes going solar easier than ever, and for the first time, tax-exempt entities can directly take advantage of these incentives. Prior to the passage of the IRA, schools were unable to directly take advantage of federal tax credits to support installation of solar panels. Now, at least 30% of the cost of a solar project and installation can be covered by direct pay tax credits from the federal government through 2032.

-- Grace Coates

School of Public Health study finds students, educators often experience extreme heat conditions

-- Spotlight News New York: February 03, 2023 [ abstract]

ALBANY — Students frequently experience uncomfortable temperature and humidity at school, which could be detrimental to their Health and education, according to a recent study by University at Albany School of Public Health researchers.
The study, which focused on the Capital Region, tracked primary school and university students’ exposure to indoor temperature and relative humidity levels using personal air monitors across seasons.
“In the northeastern U.S., cold winters mean we have to turn up the heat — making indoor conditions in many places overly hot and dry,” said Shao Lin, senior co-author on the study and professor of Environmental Health Sciences at UAlbany’s School of Public Health. “For students, hot classrooms can make it difficult to concentrate while low humidity harms airways, making it easier for respiratory viruses to take hold. Dry air can also cause eye irritation and disrupt sleep.
“When we look to the warmer months, few schools in the Capital Region are equipped to adequately cool classrooms, especially as climate change is causing unusually hot days in the fall and spring. Our findings highlight the need to improve thermal conditions in classrooms to facilitate student success.”

-- Staff Writer

Climate Change Took a Heavy Toll on the U.S. Last Year. What’s the Cost to Education?

-- EdSurge National: February 01, 2023 [ abstract]

Measuring the effects of extreme weather requires extreme numbers. Climate change racked up an eye-popping $165 billion damages tab in the U.S. last year, as tallied by a recent federal report. And back in September, around 82 percent of Florida school districts closed for at least one day — keeping roughly 2.5 million students out of school. With experts predicting more extreme weather in 2023, that undoubtedly means schools will suffer more disruptions in a K-12 education era already defined by pandemic-related learning setbacks. This puts physical classrooms in harm’s way, and also threatens students’ academics and mental Health, too. Climate Change’s Education Cost
Climate change impacts on K-12 education are a problem worldwide. Damage from disasters like flooding, cyclones and wildfires can shutter schools for long periods, a Brookings Institute report says, or cause students to miss school due to illness or damage to their homes. The report authors were particularly concerned about repercussions for girls. “These risks are particularly acute for adolescent girls, who have a short window of opportunity to get back to school before they are forced to take a different path — including marriage or migration for work,” researchers write. In the U.S., physical threats to schools from weather vary from region to region. They include hurricanes, wildfires and winter storms.

-- Nadia Tamez-Robledo

ED Invites Organizations to Make School Infrastructure and Sustainability Commitments

-- U.S. Department of Education National: February 01, 2023 [ abstract]

In the U.S., accountability and funding for school curriculum, buildings, and grounds primarily comes from state and local agencies. For this reason, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has limited authorities in the areas of school infrastructure, sustainability, environmental justice, and climate. Nevertheless, ED continues to think creatively about how it can spur action and build leadership capacity to make all schools Healthy, sustainable 21st century environments that offer environmental sustainability learning. One way ED can grow these efforts is by inspiring school partner organizations and developing shared messaging across the nation for what makes a Healthy and sustainable school. Today, we are thrilled to invite national, regional, and local non-profits, foundations, businesses, and community-based organizations to share bold commitment(s) to advance school sustainability, encompassing infrastructure, Health, environmental sustainability education, climate, and environmental justice in America. By May 31, we ask organizations and entities to complete an online form to share how they will advance at least one of these infrastructure and sustainability priorities:

-- Staff Writer

Momentum builds to install filtered water stations in all Delaware schools to ‘get the lead out’

-- WHYY Delaware: February 01, 2023 [ abstract]

As Delaware officials retest all water consumption points in K-12 schools for the presence of lead after a botched previous effort, a consensus view has emerged for the best solution to keep kids safe. That remedy is the installation and maintenance of filtering systems, a fix that’s already in use in many homes, businesses, community centers, and some schools. Education Secretary Mark Holodick told a Senate Health and Social Service Committee hearing last week that “filter first’’ should be the mantra going forward. “You really want to think about investing your time and energy into filtration systems and replacing those fixtures rather than just testing over and over and over again,’’ Holodick told lawmakers, echoing the advice he’s received from Health experts. “That’s where you want to get to.”

-- Cris Barrish

New study shows produce grown in school gardens improves child health

-- denver7.com Texas: January 31, 2023 [ abstract]

GEORGETOWN, Texas — On a bright, sunny day, classroom lessons headed outside for these elementary school students. Teacher Nicole Jones leads them in maintaining the garden at James Mitchell Elementary School in Georgetown, Texas. "It's just something that we look forward to doing now,” she said. "It's just that excitement of them watching things grow." Kids tend to their favorites there. "I like to eat carrots, cucumbers, salad, watermelon," said student Carlos Saldana. Four-year-old Story McAuliff has her own list. "Tomatoes and carrots and broccoli," she said. Camryn Monte, 5, has her favorites as well. "Carrots, tomatoes and lettuce," she listed off. Flowers can be found there, too. "Sometimes, I'll plant bluebonnet,” said student Nila Alvarez, “tomatoes, squash and peas." Kids also have other reasons they like the garden. "Well, I like getting dirty, very dirty,” said Nick Wilson. “I sometimes roll around in the mud." What's happening around the garden may look like fun, but it's also potentially life changing.

-- Maya Rodriguez

Teachers Call For Improvements to HVAC Systems

-- CT News Junkie Connecticut: January 31, 2023 [ abstract]

Connecticut’s largest teachers union isn’t taking anything for granted. A new survey found that voters overwhelmingly support improving air ventilation in schools. In 2022, the state allocated $150 million to help upgrade heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in Connecticut public schools to improve air filtration, but the Connecticut Education Association said hundreds of school buildings are still in dire need of improvement. According to the survey of 800 voters, a whopping 91% say they support establishing temperature and humidity standards to eliminate poor air quality that results in mold and contributes to respiratory Health problems for students and staff. Fifty-seven percent strongly support this proposal. “This isn’t a new problem,” CEA President Kate Dias said. “Too many Connecticut classrooms have heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that are aging, in disrepair, or in urgent need of replacement. The need for new and updated HVAC systems is about ensuring we have safe, Healthy school communities where teachers can teach and students can learn.” The survey also found that 88% of voters support requiring districts to show they are meeting school indoor air quality standards. More than half, 54%, strongly support this proposal.

-- Christine Stuart

Tennessee schools need $9 billion of infrastructure investment, report says

-- Chattanooga Times Free Press Tennessee: January 28, 2023 [ abstract]

Tennessee needs to invest more than $9 billion in its K-12 education infrastructure over five years, an increase of nearly 9% from an assessment done a year earlier, a new state report says. Of that amount, about $5.4 billion is needed for renovations and technology improvements, while nearly $3.6 billion is needed to build additions and new schools, according to the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. The report, approved Thursday by the commission, comes as local and state officials grapple with how to cover the soaring costs of school construction, which have doubled in the past decade due to rising material and labor costs. Meanwhile, years of research show that fixing school buildings can improve student learning, Health and behavior. One study in Tennessee shows a direct connection between student achievement and the condition of school buildings. Another study from New York found that poor building conditions can lead to higher rates of chronic absenteeism. In Tennessee, cities and counties pay for most of their school facility needs with property and sales tax revenues. But some state lawmakers are looking for ways to ease that burden.

-- Marta W. Aldrich

Students at 3 West Hawaiʻi schools can get health care on-site

-- Hawaii Public Radio Hawaii: January 27, 2023 [ abstract]

Students and families at several West Hawaiʻi Island schools can now access on-campus Health centers. The Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center opened the school-based centers at Hōnaunau Elementary, and Kealakehe Elementary and Intermediate schools. Students at those schools can get exams, dental services and behavioral Health care with a signed consent form. "What we really hope for kids to get from school-based Health care is, first and foremost the care that they need, meeting their needs, making sure that when they're in school, they have everything they need to learn," said Cecilia Royale with the Hawaiʻi Island Community Center. "Because as a whole person, it's not just about coming to school, you have to make sure all the needs are met to make sure that they can learn and the second is to help them become advocates for their own Health, and learn how to navigate the Health system," she added.

-- Casey Harlow

Asbestos at Bradford school site must be removed

-- The Westerly Sun Rhode Island: January 25, 2023 [ abstract]

WESTERLY — The cleanup of asbestos found in an old boiler room at the former Bradford Elementary School has added about four to six weeks and $108,000 to the cost of the building’s demolition.
Part of the demolition as originally planned last fall included asbestos removal from glue underneath the floor tiles in the building, Town Manager Shawn Lacey said. No other asbestos was found in the building, he said.
“We didn’t anticipate any, because the majority of the main structure was rebuilt in 1987-88, when all the asbestos would have been removed,” he said.
The cost of the remediation was $98,646 in addition to the town’s $220,950 demolition contract with contractor Billray.
However Lacey said about three weeks ago, contractors doing excavation at the site found a boiler room that was not remediated during the 1980s project.
“Basically it was just capped off with concrete,” Lacey said.
Three boilers, a water tank, duct work and about three feet of asbestos on the floor, according to the town manager.
“That was basically pulled off of pipes and everything else, and they must have just piled it in this room and just capped it off,” he said. “That was not supposed to be part of the remediation plan back in 87-88. It was supposed to be completely filled in.”
The state Department of Health visited the site and issued a cease and desist order so that a remediation plan
could be developed, Lacey said. The state approved the plan Jan. 20 and work was expected to start this week.

-- Ryan Blessing

Dead snake, dead pigeon, rodent droppings, cockroaches and black mold found in school inspection

-- Pacific Daily News National: January 19, 2023 [ abstract]

A dead snake on a classroom floor, a dead pigeon on a piano, bird and rodent droppings, signs of cockroach and termite infestations and black mold on the ceiling were among the findings in a Department of Public Health and Social Services sanitation inspection at Southern High School. The inspection was prompted by a complaint that stated: “Most classrooms at (Southern High School) have black mold on the ceilings and are missing ceiling tiles. The air conditioning units work inconsistently and not all rooms have functioning units. The students are only allowed to use one bathroom on campus, and that bathroom is often overflowing with backed-up sewage waste.”

-- Dana Williams

Clean air in schools could become New Mexico law

-- https://sourcenm.com/ New Mexico: January 17, 2023 [ abstract]

Even though New Mexico requires public schools to upgrade their heating and air conditioning systems to clean indoor air well enough to remove coronavirus and other harms, people can’t just look up whether their local school district actually meets those standards. A legislative proposal — with backing from unions representing New Mexico teachers and sheet metal workers — seeks to change that. COVID is highlighting the need for action on ventilation systems, said Rep. Christine Chandler. She and Rep. Joy Garratt, a former educator, are sponsoring House Bill 30, which would create the Public School Ventilation Act. “Having good airflow and good systems in place will affect staff Health and student Health in a way that’s very important,” Chandler said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 95% of all children in the U.S. have been infected at least once. States have been slow to act on ventilation, she said, even though the Environmental Protection Agency has been raising it as an issue and not getting much traction, either. “We don’t have the staff or capacity at PED to go out there and go verify every single building in doing that,” said Antonio Ortiz, finance and operations director of the New Mexico Public Education Department in an interview last year.

-- AUSTIN FISHER

Vt. towns that can't afford school construction projects look to Montpelier for help

-- vermontpublic.org Vermont: January 17, 2023 [ abstract]

The state of Vermont hasn’t put up money for school construction projects for almost 15 years. And since then, local taxpayers have had to fully fund more than $200 million in school upgrades. The Agency of Education says there’s a growing inequity between districts that can get their projects passed by voters, and those that can't. And the agency also says there’s now a backlog of projects that’s potentially causing Health and safety issues at the schools with the highest needs. At Green Mountain Union High School in Chester, voters recently rejected a $20 million bond proposal to upgrade the school’s aging infrastructure. And Todd Parah, who’s head of facilities at Green Mountain, says the district has to figure out a way to upgrade the equipment. “Here in our school district, along with a majority of them in the state of Vermont, we’re not at a want-basis, we’re going to be at a need-basis,” Parah said. “The systems are at their end-of-use life, and nobody knows where the money’s gonna come from.” A lot of the equipment at the school was installed back in the early 1970s, when Green Mountain first opened.

-- Howard Weiss-Tisman

Dewan: Our youth need climate resilient schools

-- San Jose Spotlight California: January 16, 2023 [ abstract]

The recent winter rain offers potential drought relief, but the severity of the storms had detrimental impacts throughout the state, including power outages that disrupted learning. Locally, several schools experienced closures due to storm related power outages. Schools have faced several years of ongoing disruption to learning from the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires, poor air quality, extreme heat and severe weather. Extreme weather has already impacted schools across the country. Many of California’s school buildings are not equipped to address the challenges caused by climate change. Some of our communities face disproportionate climate change impacts. In a typical year, children attend at least 180 days of school. Whether or not they are protected from impacts of climate change is often determined by conditions on campus. Climate change, exposure to pollutants and food insecurity harm children’s Health and disrupt learning. Now is the time to invest in our school campus infrastructure to ensure continuity of learning and maintain school operations during periods of extreme heat, power outages and when outside air quality drops to unHealthy levels.

-- Mary Ann Dewan

MetroHealth, Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District Expand Services for Students, Families and Staff

-- MetroHealth Ohio: January 16, 2023 [ abstract]

The MetroHealth System and Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School (CH-UH) District are proud to announce the opening of the new Heights Wellness Center at Heights High School and the significant expansion of Health care services offered to the district’s students, families and staff. The renovation and expansion of Heights High School’s Health clinic and the addition of new Health care services throughout the school district are possible because of a nearly $4.5 million state grant awarded last spring to MetroHealth’s School Health Program. In addition to the new Heights Wellness Center, the funding will allow MetroHealth to expand services through its mobile unit that serves other schools in the CH-UH district. MetroHealth and CH-UH officials celebrated with a ribbon cutting and open house on Tuesday, January 17, at the Heights Wellness Center at Heights High School (13263 Cedar Road Cleveland Heights, OH 44118). “Our goal at the School Health Program is to increase access to Health care to support student success in and out of the classroom,” said Katie Davis, RN, Executive Director, Community and Corporate Health at MetroHealth. “We are excited that this funding has allowed us to build a physical space that can support the entire district – students, family and staff – to focus on both Health and wellness. Being in the building allows our team to build trusted relationships with students and strengthen our partnership.”

-- Dorsena Koonce

New Schools Project in Prince George's Raises Questions About Who's Building Them

-- NBC Washington Maryland: January 04, 2023 [ abstract]

As the Prince George's County school system prepares to build six new schools in three years under a public-private partnership, questions surround who's building the schools and how workers are being compensated. Lanham-based DC Plumbers Local 5 is one of many trades asking the Prince George’s County Council to hire union on construction projects. “We’re not advocating so much for the union workers; we’re advocating for workers, period,” said T Smalls, who represents the union. New majority on the Council is requesting a labor project agreement ensuring a percentage of county workers are hired and that the construction jobs are union. “Our residents have Health care benefits, retirement and things that most people take for granted,” Council member Ed Burroughs said. The move caused backlash. Almost 50 Black businesses signed a petition saying they're concerned their construction companies tend to be smaller and some don't have union affiliations. “There's just institutional barriers and challenges of things that have been in place for years and years that minority small businesses, new businesses, have to overcome, and that's what this creates – more of those barriers,” Warren Builds President and CEO Shane Warren said.

-- Tracee Wilkins

Georgia offered schools money to test their water for lead. Most didn’t sign up. Why?

-- The Telegraph Georgia: January 01, 2023 [ abstract]

Lead exposure can have serious Health consequences for children, but only a fraction of Georgia schools have signed up for a free testing program. Advocates worry school leaders are worried about the cost and consequences of discovering lead in their water systems, which the state has not provided funding to address. In July 2021, the Georgia Department of Education announced a new initiative to provide free funding and resources for schools across the state to test their drinking water for lead. At its launch, the “Clean Water for Georgia Kids” program, administered by RTI International, a North Carolina nonprofit, aimed to test “up to 800” schools during its first year.
More than a year later, just 96 schools and day cares have enrolled in the program, and 82 have completed testing — a small fraction of Georgia’s more than 2,300 schools and 3,100 day cares. In a meeting on Dec. 8, Georgia’s state Board of Education voted to renew RTI’s contract for the testing program. The Georgia program’s underenrollment stands in stark contrast to the successes of the pilot program on which it was modeled. In North Carolina, from June 2020 to September 2021, RTI International succeeded in testing lead levels at every operating day care in the state. Schools were not included.

-- GAUTAMA MEHTA

State bill banning school construction by highways vetoed by Gov. Hochul

-- New York Amsterdam News New York: December 29, 2022 [ abstract]

Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed the Schools Impacted by Gross Highways Act (SIGH Act)—which bans constructing schools 500 feet from highways unless there’s special approval—this past Thursday, Dec. 23. The bill was passed by state legislatures earlier in the summer. The SIGH Act was drafted by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and co-sponsored by State Sen. Rachel May (D-53) and Assembly Member Latoya Joyner in an attempt to combat long-standing environmentally racist urban design in a state ranked first in schools built within 500 feet of highways. “Governor Hochul’s veto of the SIGH Act is an enormous disservice to Black and brown communities who have suffered most from the devastating Health and academic impacts of highway pollution,” said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman in a statement. “We hoped the governor would heed the call of directly impacted students and residents, who have been organizing for years against this kind of systemic racism.

-- Tandy Lau

Hawaiʻi 3Rs to partner in $18M school playground repair and maintenance initiative

-- Maui Now Hawaii: December 13, 2022 [ abstract]

The Hawai‘i State Department of Education today announced an $18 million partnership with the nonprofit Hawaiʻi 3Rs to improve and replace public school playground equipment across the state.
The initiative aims to repair, replace or add approximately 100 playgrounds across Hawaiʻi. Department officials say there are currently 545 playgrounds in service across the Department’s public schools and conversion charter schools.
“Student Health and wellness is a top priority for the Department, and playgrounds are a great way to provide students opportunities to socialize and engage in physical activity,” said Superintendent Keith Hayashi in a news release. “We look forward to working with Hawaii 3Rs on this initiative and thank them in advance for their hard work and dedication in expanding access to new and updated playground equipment for our students.”
Playgrounds benefit child development in a variety of ways beyond physical wellness, Hayashi said, noting such benefits as the expansion of social, emotional and imaginative skills, increasing confidence, improving coordination, and advancing critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.

-- Staff Writer

Why local leaders should champion ‘community schools’ to improve student, family, and neighborhood well-being

-- Brookings National: December 12, 2022 [ abstract]

By the time students poured back into schools this fall, the most disruptive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to have finally receded. But the lingering effects on children and learning are unfortunately still very much with us.
New data from the National Center for Education Statistics show that the pandemic erased more than two decades of progress in reading and math for 9-year-old students. The effect was most profound for students from low-income communities—exacerbating the pre-pandemic achievement gap between those students and their higher-income peers.
Outside of school, the pandemic also magnified long-standing geographic and racial inequities in economic opportunity and overall Health and well-being. A 2020 report from the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) found that approximately 78% of high-poverty neighborhoods in the U.S.—communities of color in particular—were highly vulnerable to the pandemic’s economic impacts, including loss of jobs and income, compared to just 15% of low-poverty neighborhoods.
Federal relief funding is helping states and localities address these challenges. Large cities and counties have committed a significant amount of their State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds toward projects in economically disadvantaged communities. And according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, over $9 billion has been allocated for K-12 education and related purposes, including after-school programs and programs for students’ emotional and mental Health needs.
But money alone isn’t enough. Now is the time for local leaders to not only invest more in families and communities, but to invest differently. Given the intricate relationship between neighborhood well-being and school performance, championing and investing in community schools—a model focused on leveraging and coordinating the resources and voices of the entire community to support a thriving educational environment—could be one of the best ways for mayors and other local officials to confront both types of challenges.

-- Jennifer S. Vey and Juanita Morales

A New Federal Grant Will Fund Schools’ Energy Upgrades. Here’s What to Know

-- Education Week National: November 29, 2022 [ abstract]

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the first round of a new grant that will fund energy improvements in schools.
The Renew America’s Schools grant program provides a total of $500 million in funding. The first round of grants will provide up to $80 million for schools to install energy efficient lighting and HVAC systems, improve the insulation of their buildings, switch to electric vehicles, and convert facilities to renewable energy sources like solar and wind.
The grant program was included in the $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that President Joe Biden signed Nov. 15. While it touches on key priorities of green building advocates, the grant falls far short of the $100 billion in new federal funding for school infrastructure Biden originally proposed.
The Energy Department “is working diligently to deploy these critical funds so that schools can start turning infrastructure improvements into Healthier learning environments and big cost savings, as soon as possible,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement Tuesday.
Here’s what you need to know.

-- Evie Blad

Providence opens first ‘green schoolyard’

-- WPRI Rhode Island: November 21, 2022 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — One Providence elementary school now offers its students a “unique nature space.” The city’s first “green schoolyard” opened Monday at Bailey Elementary School near Baxter Park. The Bailey Baxter Green Schoolyard is the flagship project of the Providence Green Schoolyard Initiative. The goal of the initiative, according to the city, is to develop formerly under-resourced urban school grounds into places that improve student learning outcomes, community Health and neighborhood pride. “Parks continue to be one of the most critical investments we can prioritize in our city,” Mayor Jorge Elorza said. “I’m excited that work is already underway to have even more of these beautiful spaces for learning and play right here in Providence.” The green schoolyard serves as a connection between the park and school, according to the city. Baxter Park was expanded onto two previously-blighted properties, while the Bailey School playground encompassed two additional lots.

-- Allison Shinskey

New report analyzes school district plans to improve air quality and facility conditions

-- USGBC.org National: November 14, 2022 [ abstract]

On Nov. 14, the Center for Green Schools published new findings about how school districts are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically as it relates to investing federal relief funds to manage air quality and upgrade facilities. The American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds (ARP-ESSER or ESSER III) represented an unprecedented federal investment in K–12 schools and a lifeline over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the case of school facilities. The funding offered school systems a chance to address a critical backlog of deferred maintenance, needed equipment and infrastructure repairs, as well as upgrades to outdated building systems to improve Health, air quality and comfort. The report looks at how school districts across the country plan to invest that federal aid, with a focus on planned funding for large-scale facilities related work. The analysis includes qualitative interviews with three school district facilities personnel and a quantitative analysis based on a data set of 5,004 school districts’ ESSER-III spending plans by the Burbio data service. The data set contained information from school districts from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, representing approximately 74% of public school students and roughly $83.1 billion in ESSER III funds. Access to the data set was generously supported by Carrier. Major findings include:

-- Phoebe Beierle

See Where PCBs Show Up in School Buildings, and Why That’s a Problem

-- Education Week National: October 27, 2022 [ abstract]

PCBs were domestically manufactured for construction materials in the United States beginning in about 1930 until 1979, a time period that coincides with a boom in school construction to meet the demands of postwar birthrate growth. This increases the vulnerability of any school built or renovated before 1979. Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned the manufacturing of PCBs over 40 years ago, PCBs are still of concern for school building because: The durability of applications means that schools that were built or renovated before 1979 may still have PCBs used in a variety of applications like caulking, sealants, coatings, and electric components.
PCBs migrate, vaporize, and absorb into other materials and can be stored in our bodies for a long time, so prolonged and sustained exposure has a cumulative affect.
Studies show high-dose exposures can diminish learning, growth, immunity, and present other Health hazards.

-- Laura Baker

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $84.5 Million to Make Clean Energy Improvements and Lower Energy Costs for K-12 Sc

-- energy.gov National: October 26, 2022 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), today released a Notice of Intent (NOI) announcing $80 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to make K-12 schools more energy efficient and lower their energy costs, including some of the nation’s highest-need schools. The funding is the first tranche of the Renew America’s Schools grant program created by the infrastructure law to provide schools critical energy infrastructure upgrades. Through the grant program, DOE will fund energy and Health improvements in public K-12 schools across the country. Additionally, a new DOE prize program will help resource 25 high-need school districts with the training and tools needed to improve how their schools consume energy. Through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these investments will address the historic inequities of school facilities, reduce school energy costs, and improve Health and learning outcomes for children and staff, while also supporting the promise of bringing good-paying jobs to the community.

-- Staff Writer

FACT SHEET: Progress on Biden-⁠Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure

-- The White House National: October 26, 2022 [ abstract]

Today, Vice President Harris will provide a six-month progress report on the Biden-⁠Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure, outlining a series of actions from across the Administration to upgrade our public schools with Healthy, safe, sustainable facilities and transportation. In Seattle, Washington today, Vice President Harris and EPA Administrator Michael Regan will join schoolchildren, parents, district leaders, and community members to announce nearly $1 billion in rebate awards from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to replace existing aging school bus fleets with clean buses. Since the Action Plan was first announced in April 2022, the Administration has secured new historic legislative accomplishments that build on progress that’s been made to deliver safer, Healthier, and more environmentally sustainable learning environments for America’s children, while saving school districts money, creating good jobs, and combatting climate change. In addition to the clean school bus rebate awards, other actions announced today include upgrading school infrastructure, supporting clean energy in rural schools, and improving indoor air quality.

-- Staff Writer

Seeking stability in school when the flood waters rise

-- Washington Post Kentucky: October 21, 2022 [ abstract]

Ophelia Carter missed her first year of school because of covid-19 closures and her parents’ concerns for her Health with no vaccination available for children under five. But in February, the 5-year-old received her first dose and was excited about starting kindergarten at her Eastern Kentucky school this fall. Then came July. Devastating floods swept through Letcher County, where Ophelia lives, and other counties in the region, killing 40 people and damaging or destroying more than 10,000 homes. The floods also disrupted infrastructure, including power grids, water systems, and roads and bridges, for thousands more. The 25 affected school districts reopened weeks past their normal schedule, and damage to schools in the region may top $100 million, Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said in the days after the flooding. “Everyone has a direct link to how awful this is,” Ophelia’s mother, Carrie Carter, said at a restaurant near their home. The restaurant, Heritage Kitchen, and the Carters’ home were barely spared from the rising water.

-- Austyn Gaffney

DPS will close some elementary and middle schools due to declining enrollment

-- 9News Colorado: October 19, 2022 [ abstract]

DENVER — Denver Public Schools is set to close several elementary and middle schools to make up for a budget shortfall caused by declining enrollment.
The specific schools will be announced in the coming days, a district spokesperson said.
The school board approved criteria to close schools with fewer than 215 students, as well as schools with fewer than 275 students and a projected decline in enrollment.
In the next three years, the district expects to enroll 3,000 fewer elementary and middle school students, it said.
"Three thousand students may not seem like that many students, but to a budget where you’re receiving per-pupil funding, that’s about $36 million," district spokesperson Scott Pribble said.
"We know that there are impacts and it’s heartbreaking and difficult work, but in order for the district to remain solvent, it’s work that needs to happen," he said.
The district said the budget shortfall means it cannot provide the same mental Health supports, social and emotional services or specialized programming to schools with lower enrollment.
"We need to make sure that we can provide the same quality services to all our schools," he said.
The district said it will identify schools that are "failing to remain financially solvent" and move to close them.

-- Cole Sullivan

COVID highlighted the awful air quality in schools. It’s time to invest in long-term fixes

-- Fast Company National: October 14, 2022 [ abstract]

As fall temperatures cool across the U.S., many schools will struggle to ventilate classrooms while also keeping students and teachers comfortable and Healthy. Children and teachers spend more than six hours a day in classrooms during the school year, often in buildings that are decades old and have inadequate heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning, or HVAC, systems. Fall 2022 marks the start of the fourth school year affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has spotlighted the importance of indoor air quality in schools. Ideally, all school buildings would have adequate ventilation, filtered air in each classroom, and windows that open. Sadly, this is not the case—and indoor air quality in many schools is poor as a result. This is especially problematic in the wake of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s August 2022 COVID-19 guidance for schools, which scales back other measures for limiting transmission, such as masking, testing, and quarantining.

-- PATRICIA FABIAN AND JONATHAN LEVY

Guam middle school receives 'D' health rating

-- Marianas Variety Guam: October 12, 2022 [ abstract]

Francis Santos, acting superintendent for the Guam Department of Education, announced weeks ago that Oceanview Middle School was expected to move classes to Southern High School for the rest of the school year to allow for repairs to be made to the Hågat campus.
The announcement from GDOE leadership was given prior to the Department of Public Health and Social Services Division of Environmental Health releasing a host of negative findings from recent site inspections that ended with OMS getting a “D” grade on following Health regulations and statutes.
Two site inspections were conducted at OMS in September. The first, on Sept. 14, involved an assessment of classrooms in its D-wing and the school’s restroom facilities. According to Public Health's report, the school’s structure in areas inspected was "compromised."
“Compromised structure of walls and ceilings in all rooms in the D-Wing due to visible water,” the report stated.

-- Jolene Toves

Oregon recommends minimum ventilation levels in classrooms; Portland Public Schools says it will try

-- The Oregonian Oregon: September 24, 2022 [ abstract]

In a sweeping about-face, Oregon’s largest school district on Friday said it will “strive” to increase a key measure of air quality to minimum levels long-trumpeted by a wide swath of experts nationwide.
Portland Public Schools’ announcement comes after an investigation by The Oregonian/OregonLive in May found nearly 500 classrooms with subpar ventilation rates. Experts said those ventilation levels could increase the risk of airborne-disease transmission as well as lower the ability of students to think and learn in classrooms with stale air.
The district’s announcement also comes on the heels of clarified COVID-19 guidance from the Oregon Health Authority, brought about by questions raised by The Oregonian/OregonLive earlier this month. On Thursday, the Health authority told school officials it “recommends a range of 3-6 air changes per hour” in classrooms and other “public indoor spaces,” along other strategies to improve air quality.
Air changes measure the number of times a room’s total volume of old, stale air is replaced by fresh air within an hour’s time.

-- Aimee Green

Vermont gets the lead out �" of drinking water in schools and child care facilities

-- Bennington Banner Vermont: September 20, 2022 [ abstract]

BURLINGTON — State officials are calling a program to reduce lead in school and child care drinking water a success, following a new report that found 98 percent of Vermont schools and child cares have completed testing for lead in their drinking water and taken any needed steps to keep water safe. A law passed in 2019 requires all Vermont schools and child care facilities to test their drinking and cooking water for lead. “Each year hundreds of Vermont kids are poisoned by lead. This program shows how we can work together as a state to reduce lead exposure and keep our children Healthier,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine in a statement. “Parents and caregivers can take comfort in knowing that the water their kids are consuming at their school and child care is now safer.” Lead is a highly toxic metal. There is no safe level of lead in the body, the department said, and exposure to it can slow children’s growth, impair their development and learning, and cause behavior problems.

-- Staff Writer

Connecticut pledges $150 million to upgrade school HVAC system

-- Hartford Courant Connecticut: September 14, 2022 [ abstract]

Connecticut public schools will receive $150 million in state funding to repair and upgrade aging heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Wednesday.
The newly formed Connecticut Public Schools HVAC/Indoor Air Quality Grant Program will supplement $165 million in federal COVID relief funds that school districts have set aside to improve air quality.
“COVID woke me up,” Lamont said at a press conference at Phillip R. Smith Elementary School in South Windsor. “Every teacher, every parent was saying, ‘Tell me about the ventilation of my schools. Can I get back to my school safely?’ And it just reinforced in my mind how important it is to make sure you have schools that are safe across the board from a public Health point of view.”
State Sen. Saud Anwar, a pulmonary doctor, said that 10% of Connecticut’s teacher and student population has asthma and those respiratory problems are made worse by allergens, inadequate airflow and extreme temperatures.

-- Alison Cross and Stephen Singer

Wildfires close schools across state, sending more than 90,000 students home

-- EdSource California: September 09, 2022 [ abstract]

At least 13 California school districts in six counties have closed schools this week because they are either in the path of a wildfire or smoke from a fire has made it unHealthy to hold classes. The school closures have impacted more than 90,500 students in 119 schools, according to Tim Taylor, executive director of the Small School District Association. Seven of those districts are in Riverside County where the Fairview Fire has burned more than 27,000 acres and is only 5% contained. Two school districts – Temecula Valley Unified and Hemet Unified – are threatened by the fire, while Nuview Union School District, Romoland Elementary School District, Menifee Union School District, Paris Elementary School District and Paris Union High School District are closed because of poor air quality, according to Kindra Britt, director of Communications for the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association. The Riverside County closures are impacting 66,239 students at 106 schools, Britt said. To make matters worse, parts of the county may be subject to public power shutoffs because of Tropical Storm Kay, which is expected to move into the area today. The storm could bring heavy rains, high winds and the possibility of flash floods. School leaders also are concerned that the heavy rain, following a fire, may cause mudslides, Britt said.

-- DIANA LAMBERT

Kemp allocates $125 million for school health centers from federal funds

-- bollyinside.com Georgia: August 26, 2022 [ abstract]

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp stated on Tuesday that he will use $125 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to establish school-based Health facilities.
“This innovative initiative is consistent with our continued efforts to reduce costs and enhance access to excellent Healthcare coverage for everyone, particularly those in rural Georgia,” Kemp said in a statement.
It’s Kemp’s latest use of federal funds as he campaigns for reelection against Democrat Stacey Abrams. It’s also another illustration of how Kemp may use his office’s position to help his campaign against Abrams, especially because Georgia law gives him total control over federal monies.
Democrats criticise Kemp for distributing funds while opposing the COVID-19 relief proposals enacted by Congress. He has also declined to seek an increase of state-federal Medicaid Health care coverage to include all people.
The state Department of Education will award funds of up to $1 million each to establish Health clinics that will serve kids as well as community members in some situations. The goal is to improve students’ physical and emotional Health while also satisfying their dental and visual requirements.

-- Patrick Huston

DCPS scrambles to prep buildings and students for another school year

-- Axios Washington D.C. District of Columbia: August 24, 2022 [ abstract]

Some D.C. public school students may return next week to buildings that lack working heating and cooling systems. Additionally, some students may be unable to return at all to classes due to missing key vaccination requirements. Why it matters: DCPS and DC Health were required to report on the readiness status of schools by Aug. 19, including the condition of HVAC units and air quality monitors, and the routine pediatric immunization rates of children, per the Back to School Safely Emergency Act of 2022. Children across the nation have fallen behind on their routine vaccinations, which include shots that prevent measles, mumps, chickenpox, and polio. D.C. students ages 12 and up are also required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Yes, but: On Monday, D.C Council chair Phil Mendelson tweeted that the Department of General Services still hadn’t sent the required documents on school readiness. A spokesperson for Mendelson told Axios that the office will meet with DGS on Thursday. What’s happening: The office of Ward 4 council member Janeese Lewis George, who co-authored the emergency legislation, says it has received some, but not all of the required readiness data.

-- Chelsea Cirruzzo

‘Microbial growth’ in NC school’s HVAC system forces switch to remote learning

-- The Charlotte Observer North Carolina: August 24, 2022 [ abstract]

As Rowan County reports more COVID and other respiratory illnesses among the young since school started Aug. 10, West Rowan Middle has temporarily closed its campus and switched to remote learning, Health and school officials said. The closing through this week will allow for the “thorough cleaning and sanitizing of the school” after “new evidence of microbial growth’’ was found again in the HVAC system, Rowan-Salisbury Chief of Schools Greggory Slate said in a phone message to parents late Monday. “We apologize for this inconvenience,” he said.
A school district spokeswoman provided The Charlotte Observer a copy of the message after the newspaper inquired about parental complaints on social media over the past week that some of their children developed respiratory illnesses at the school. At the same time, the county has experienced a higher rate of COVID cases among ages 17 and under, “although our rates overall are decreasing,” Rowan County Public Health Director Alyssa Harris told the Observer on Tuesday.

-- JOE MARUSAK

Fort Smith schools emphasizing healthier, more efficient buildings for better learning

-- KNWA Arkansas: August 23, 2022 [ abstract]

FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Fort Smith Public Schools’ energy conservation success has led to 17 of its buildings earning EPA “Energy Star” certification.
According to a press release from the school district, this recognition is presented to the most energy-efficient buildings in the country.
“We are extremely pleased to receive this recognition from Energy Star,” said Shawn Shaffer, Executive Director of Facility Operations. “It’s proof we’re operating Healthier, more efficient buildings for our students and community.”
“Our energy conservation efforts are helping protect the local environment,” he added. “Just as importantly, the environmental impact is equal to taking 1,785 cars off the street or planting 126,792 trees in our community. We are proud that our program’s success is being recognized by Energy Star.”
Fort Smith Public Schools buildings earning Energy Star Certification include Beard, Bonneville, Carnall, Cavanaugh, Euper Lane, Fairview, Howard, Orr, Park, Spradling, Sunnymede, Sutton, Tilles, Woods, Chaffin, Ramsey and Northside High School. To earn Energy Star Certification, buildings must rate in the top 25 percent nationwide for energy efficiency.
The cost of utilities is a large budget line-item for Fort Smith Public Schools, and the prices for electricity, natural gas, heating oil and water have been steadily increasing. Fort Smith Public Schools has reduced its energy consumption by 25.2%.

-- C.C. McCandless

Why $10 Billion for School Ventilation Matters for Learning

-- FutureEd National: August 23, 2022 [ abstract]

As school districts and charter schools begin spending down an unprecedented infusion of federal Covid-relief aid, it looks like nearly $10 billion could go toward a single priority: improving heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Recent stories in The Wall Street Journal and Kaiser Health News underscore how school districts are scrambling to spend the federal aid on these and other capital projects. While some schools are simply adding new filters, others plan to replace aging systems that haven’t worked well for years. These repairs can influence how students learn, ensuring classrooms aren't too hot or too cold, and removing conditions that can make students and teachers sick. As I told KHN’s Liz Szabo, “If you look at the research, it shows that a school’s literal climate — the heat, the mold, the humidity — directly affects learning.” FutureEd’s analysis of spending plans compiled by the Burbio data-services firm of 5,000-plus school districts serving 74 percent of the nation’s public school students shows that about half of the districts plan HVAC projects. Nearly a third of districts expect to spend on repairs to prevent illness, a broad category that includes lead and asbestos abatement, as well as mold and mildew prevention.

-- Phyllis W. Jordan

More Park City school construction projects on hold until state issues go-ahead

-- KPCW.org Utah: August 19, 2022 [ abstract]

School construction within Park City limits is governed by both the city and the state. The Utah State Board of Education, or USBE, issues what are called project numbers before school districts can begin construction work. Demolition started at Park City High School at the beginning of July – without a project number. The state found out about that this week, and called the district. In response, Park City schools superintendent Jill Gildea said the district would stop work until it provides the state what it needs to issue a project number. The school district sent some required forms to the state Friday. It still needs to provide building and energy code reviews, a state fire marshal review, a Summit County Health Department review, a storm water permit and proof of coordination with Park City. Scott Jones is deputy superintendent in charge of operations for the USBE. According to Jones, Gildea told state schools superintendent Sydnee Dickson this week that required documents weren’t submitted to the state due to a paperwork backlog within Park City Municipal. “She cited some kind of backlogged paper documentation of what we still need to issue the project number. And we're trying to confirm this," Jones said. "Apparently all of that is subject to backlogs at the city level and that's why this management company from Park City School District or that works for them, JD Stevens, hasn't sent all the documentation we need.”

-- Michelle Deininger

‘Greening’ schoolyards must be a state investment priority

-- Capitolweekly.net California: August 18, 2022 [ abstract]

From San Diego to Sacramento, the threat of rising temperatures to our youth continues to worsen. And as six million California public school students return to class this month, they’ll be walking onto schoolyards covered with asphalt – prison-like, unHealthy environments that are detrimental to a kid’s physical, mental and educational Health. Fortunately, state policymakers this month have an historic opportunity to build a lasting, bipartisan legacy to address this systemic injustice by ripping out asphalt, planting trees and “greening” K-12 schools so our youth can grow, learn and play in Healthier environments. As our Legislature works with Gov. Newsom on how to wisely invest our $70 billion budget surplus, we urge them to allocate at least $250 million to support a rapidly growing movement of students, teachers and parents seeking greener schools.

-- Opinion - BOB HERTZBERG and CINDY MONTAÑEZ

Your Kid's School Needs Better Ventilation to Help Keep COVID-19 in Check

-- Time National: August 16, 2022 [ abstract]

A cross the country, K-12 schools are starting their next year of classes in the middle of a COVID-19 surge. As the BA.5 Omicron subvariant drives thousands of reinfections, schools have largely put aside safety measures like mask requirements and physical distancing.
In response, some parents and experts are trying to improve ventilation in schools, since better air quality in buildings can reduce COVID-19’s spread and even improve other Health outcomes. But, despite readily available resources—including millions of dollars in funding from the federal government—many schools have not invested in upgrading their air quality.
“We know that ventilation is important to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2,” says Dr. Catherine Rasberry, a scientist in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Division of Adolescent and School Health. Ventilation is highlighted throughout the CDC’s guidance for safe in-person learning during the pandemic. Improving it could cut down on school outbreaks and the interruptions they pose to families, as well as mitigate the risks of MIS-C and Long COVID in children—two long-term conditions that can result from a COVID-19 infection.

-- BETSY LADYZHETS

Schools are missing from the state’s climate plan

-- CommonWealth Massachusetts: August 13, 2022 [ abstract]

ON THURSDAY, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a landmark climate bill which affirms, for the first time, that schools are part of the state’s leadership on climate. What’s missing is a plan that will turn that affirmation into action. The Green and Healthy Schools provision in the climate bill, originally filed by Sen. Jo Comerford and Rep. Mindy Domb, passed with support from advocates throughout the state. It calls on several key agencies to devise school building standards that promote Healthy, safe, and carbon-free learning environments. It’s a crucial step. In order to take practical steps to address schools’ massive carbon footprint, however, a separate element — the state’s climate plan — must be fixed.

-- Sara Ross and Jonathan Klein

NSBA interview with the Executive Director of the National Council on School Facilities

-- NSBA.org National: August 01, 2022 [ abstract]

Mike Pickens joined the National Council on School Facilities (NCSF) as executive director in 2021 after nearly 20 years at the West Virginia Department of Education, leading in facilities and transportation. NCSF is a nonprofit organization that represents state public school facilities officials, advocating for public school buildings that are physically sound, sustainable, and conducive to learning. The organization encourages federal investments and assistance to build state capacity and support high-need districts, a mission directly related to improving education, Health, and the school environment, Pickens said. He spoke to ASBJ intern Bella Czajkowski about failing building systems and related issues, and how the council strives to foster Healthy learning environments. (This interview was edited for length and clarity. A video of the interview follows below.) In addition to funding, what are some other facilities challenges across the country? The age and neglect of major building systems are taking a toll. In 2020, the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that 41 percent of districts required HVAC systems upgrades or replacements in at least half of their schools. Twenty to 35 percent of all school districts had serious deficiencies in at least half of their roofing, lighting, or safety and security systems. COVID-19 has recently elevated the condition of public-school facilities into the national consciousness. School buildings with poor ventilation and air quality present special risks in the face of a highly contagious airborne virus. Poor indoor air quality has been a barrier to restoring full confidence in returning to in-person schooling. Strategic facilities planning and management could reduce the annual need for capital investment. But this progress against our growing deficit will not happen without systemic policy changes.

-- Staff Writer

A request to invest in school safety, maintenance

-- Coeur dAlene Post Falls Press Idaho: July 31, 2022 [ abstract]

Yellow spray paint encircles large, jagged potholes in the Lake City High School parking lot. "Once you start to get cracks, they just get worse and worse and worse," Coeur d'Alene School District Director of Operations Jeff Voeller said. At Fernan STEM Academy, windowsills are warped, hand washing sinks are disintegrating and cooling towers are falling into disrepair. "There are definitely some Health and safety issues here," district spokesman Scott Maben said. Crumbling sidewalks, rotting ramps, torn carpets, dilapidated heating systems, and entrances and schoolyards that need increased security are among the many items the district hopes to address with funding from the school plant facilities levy that will go before voters Aug. 30. If this levy passes muster at the polls, it would allow the district to collect up to $8 million per year for 10 years. If the full amount is not needed in any given year, less than $8 million will be levied. The district has 40 buildings across 17 school campuses and four operational facilities. These facilities are, on average, 30 years old. The backlog of deferred maintenance in these facilities exceeds $25 million. Without a dedicated and sufficient funding source, the deferred maintenance cost will snowball, hitting a projected $68 million within five years and exceeding $101 million within 10 years.

-- DEVIN WEEKS

As heat waves intensify, tens of thousands of US classrooms will be too hot for students to learn in

-- WGNO National: July 31, 2022 [ abstract]

Rising temperatures due to climate change are causing more than just uncomfortably hot days across the United States. These high temperatures are placing serious stress on critical infrastructure such as water supplies, airports, roads and bridges. One category of critical infrastructure being severely affected is the nation’s K-12 schools. Ideally, the nation’s more than 90,000 public K-12 schools, which serve over 50 million students, should protect children from the sometimes dangerous elements of the outdoors such as severe storms or extreme temperatures. But since so many of America’s schools are old and dilapidated, it’s the school buildings themselves that need protection – or at least to be updated for the 21st century. Twenty-eight percent of the nation’s public schools were built from 1950 through 1969, federal data shows, while just 10% were built in 1985 or later. As a researcher who studies the impact of climate change, I have measured its effects on infrastructure and Health for over a decade. During that time, I’ve seen little attention focused on the effects of climate change on public schools. Since 2019, climate scientist Sverre LeRoy, at the Center for Climate Integrity, and I have worked to determine if the nation’s schools are prepared for the heat waves on the approaching horizon.

-- Paul Chinowsky

3 Things in the Senate Climate-Change Bill That Could Affect K-12 Schools

-- Education Week National: July 29, 2022 [ abstract]

A sweeping new proposal to tackle climate change that’s gaining momentum on Capitol Hill includes funding opportunities for schools to operate electric buses and improve air quality in buildings.
But the K-12 items are short on details so far, and represent only a tiny fraction of the proposed $369 billion spending package.
Senate Democrats say the legislation would help curb the devastating effects of climate change, reduce inflation, and raise taxes on corporations. The lawmakers announced the proposal with little prior warning after negotiating for more than a year over how to tackle the party’s many priorities, from child care and paid leave to Health care and immigration.
But K-12 items that were part of those negotiations at times, like upgrading school facilities and establishing universal pre-K, didn’t make it to the proposed legislation. The bill, the “Inflation Reduction Act,” could be revised further and is not guaranteed to pass both houses.
Tucked away more than 600 pages into the 725-page bill are brief nods to K-12 schools. The total amount of grant funding from which K-12 schools could benefit represents one-tenth of 1 percent of the overall proposed spending.

-- Mark Lieberman

Celebrating the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools and Sustainability Efforts Across the Department

-- U.S. Department of Education National: July 27, 2022 [ abstract]

On July 26, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) recognized 27 schools, five school districts, and four postsecondary institutions, as well as one state education agency official, at a Washington, D.C. ceremony for their efforts to cultivate sustainable, Healthy facilities, wellness practices, and hands-on, outdoor, environmental learning. By highlighting schools’, districts’, and postsecondary institutions’ cost-saving, Health promoting, and performance-enhancing sustainability and environmental education practices, ED-GRS celebrates these schools and brings more attention to their work. The ceremony was a reminder of the many new initiatives afoot at ED, as a result of decades of nationwide advocacy and growing awareness surrounding the green schools movement. The Biden Administration has taken significant steps on environmental sustainability, climate, environmental Health, and infrastructure, and new programs have been implemented related to sustainable schools at other federal agencies. While ED is not authorized dedicated environmental education or school infrastructure programs, we have worked to think creatively about school sustainability, infrastructure, Health, and environmental education. In the past year ED has:

-- Andrea Suarez Falken

This Hyper-Sustainable Elementary School Is the First of its Kind

-- Metropolis District of Columbia: July 26, 2022 [ abstract]

Joseph Rodman West Elementary, near Washington, D.C.’s Petworth neighborhood, appears not only modernized but resurrected. And the firm behind the new and improved structure is behind several other public buildings in the District of Columbia. Perkins Eastman has renovated at least 14 D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) buildings since the district dedicated $4 billion in 2007 to making its facilities Healthier, more energy efficient, and sound. This one, which the firm completed before the school year in August 2021, aspires to be the world’s first net-zero-energy, LEED Platinum, and WELL-certified public school. But before its doors opened, it needed a new moniker. In July 2021, Mayor Muriel Bowser approved legislation to rename the building John Lewis Elementary School. Joseph Rodman West was a U.S. senator, a Union general, and a chief executive of the District of Columbia. But in a statement, Bowser said he was much more than that.

-- Michelle Goldchain

Fort Bend ISD considers $7 million remediation project for Sugar Land elementary school with mold

-- KHOU Texas: July 25, 2022 [ abstract]

SUGAR LAND, Texas — Fort Bend ISD board members are considering approving more than $7 million for the remediation and renovation of an elementary school where inspectors first found mold in May.
The hundreds of kids zoned to Barrington Place Elementary School will have to go to other campuses this upcoming school year while the mold is removed.
The school district said the mold is not airborne and was found in the insulation above the ceiling.
Although the school district said it doesn't pose an immediate Health hazard, it will cost millions of dollars to remediate the school.
In late May, the school district said mild mold growth was found on some of the school's walls. A disinfectant was used to clean the areas. But then in June, the school district said more mold was found above the ceiling during a routine inspection. Insulation surrounding the chilled water piping deteriorated with age and allowed moisture to get into the material, the district said.

-- Matt Dougherty

Governor signs bill making historic investment in state-funded preschools

-- Hawaii News Now Hawaii: July 07, 2022 [ abstract]

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Gov. David Ige signed five education bills Thursday that will fund ambitions of higher quality learning environments for both traditional and non-traditional students.
“Collectively, these measures empower our public schools’ focus on workforce development and ensure that schools have the resources to provide a Healthy and safe learning environment,” Ige said.
House Bill 2000 will direct $200 million to the School Facilities Authority for the construction of preschool facilities in fiscal year 2022 to 2023.
This is the largest investment into public preschools in the state’s history, Ige said.
The bill will seek to build and improve on facility conditions for eligible children of public preschools.
Senate Bill 2182 will establish a school garden coordinator position within the Department of Education.
The state hopes that building on Hawaii’s farm-to-school programs will influence improvements on student Health, the agricultural workforce and farm-based education.
Senate Bill 2818 will establish a summer learning coordinator position within the DOE.

-- Krista Rados

LAUSD Assigns Millions In Funding For 'Green Schoolyards'

-- laist.com California: June 27, 2022 [ abstract]

A years-long pandemic. A youth mental Health crisis. School shootings. Kids and schools have a lot to deal with these days. Worsening extreme heat is yet another challenge to add to the list. Last week, the board of the L.A. Unified School District (LAUSD) approved a $13 billion-dollar operating budget that includes funding to help. Some $58 million of those funds are slated to go towards outdoor education initiatives, as well as adding more green space to L.A.’s famously asphalt-heavy schoolyards — something advocates say is a long time coming. “When we think about the places that we have created for students, which are schoolyards that are completely covered in asphalt…that's not conducive to creating an environment that is Healthy for kids to learn and thrive,” said Robin Mark, the L.A. director for the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, which for years has worked with a coalition of community organizations to get more green space at L.A. schools. She said more trees and greenery at schools is essential for building resilience in the face of the climate crisis: Southern California is increasingly experiencing more extreme heat. For example, Santa Clarita is projected to have 124 days above 90°F by as soon as 2035 if emissions aren’t curbed significantly to slow global heating this decade.

-- Erin Stone

Infrastructural Crisis in Schools Is Harming Student Health and Learning

-- Truthout National: June 26, 2022 [ abstract]

Only a few years ago, it was considered a fluke for temperatures in New England, the mid-Atlantic states and the Pacific northwest to reach 85 degrees Fahrenheit (85 °F) before the official start of summer. But as the 2021-2022 academic year drew to a close, thousands of students and their teachers found themselves scrambling to stay comfortable in sweltering classrooms.
Some public school districts felt the extreme heat was a danger and closed early on several steamy May and June days. The situation reflected the gross neglect of public infrastructure for the 55 million mostly Black, Asian and Latinx kids who attend the country’s approximately 130,000 K-12 programs.
“Even before [COVID-19], we knew that we had an indoor air quality crisis in schools that were built 50 or 100 years ago,” Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) told Truthout. “You can’t teach or learn in freezing cold or scorching hot buildings. This is a public Health issue, an equity issue.”

-- Eleanor Bader

How COVID funding could help improve air quality in schools

-- PBS News Hour National: June 17, 2022 [ abstract]

Many U.S. schools were in dire need of upgrades — burdened by leaking pipes, mold, and antiquated heating systems — long before the COVID-19 pandemic drew attention to the importance of indoor ventilation in reducing the spread of infectious disease.
The average U.S. school building is 50 years old, and many schools date back more than a century.
So, one might assume school districts across the nation would welcome the opportunity created by billions of dollars in federal COVID-relief money available to upgrade heating and air-conditioning systems and improve air quality and filtration in K-12 schools.
But a report released this month from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found most U.S. public schools have made no major investments in improving indoor ventilation and filtration since the start of the pandemic. Instead, the most frequently reported strategies to improve airflow and reduce COVID risk were notably low-budget, such as relocating classroom activities outdoors and opening windows and doors, if considered safe.
The CDC report, based on a representative sample of the nation’s public schools, found that fewer than 40% had replaced or upgraded their HVAC systems since the start of the pandemic. Even fewer were using high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, filters in classrooms (28%), or fans to increase the effectiveness of having windows open (37%).

-- Liz Szabo, Kaider Health News

NY legislature passes law barring new schools near highways in wake of I-81 proposal in Syracuse

-- Syracuse.com New York: June 11, 2022 [ abstract]

Rydell Davis’ mother would often wipe black soot from the bedroom window of his childhood home. He grew up in Tyler Court, a street over from Interstate 81 where cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles polluted the air with toxins, causing him, and others around him, to develop asthma. But he didn’t understand that the proximity of the highway was the reason; not until he moved away.
“I began to see that my asthma got better when we moved to another side of town,” Davis said. “I always thought asthma was something that naturally happened, but as I got older and started doing my own research I was like, ‘wow, maybe the highway did play a major role in my development of asthma.’”
The negative Health impacts of highways prompted state legislators to pass the Schools Impacted by Gross Highways Act last week. The law prohibits construction of schools within 600 feet of a highway.
Car exhaust is the cause of 4 million new cases of childhood asthma worldwide each year, according to a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

-- Darian Stevenson

Is It Time to Reimagine the American Schoolyard?

-- Next City Illinois: June 07, 2022 [ abstract]

Harold Washington Elementary School in the Burnside neighborhood on the south side of Chicago got a new schoolyard in 2020. It features a running track, sports fields and playground equipment — but what Washington’s Principal Sherri Walker likes best are the little conversational groupings of rocks. “It’s so special for the older girls,” Walker says. “They don’t always want to play on the equipment or play sports — but they sit on those rocks and talk. It becomes a quiet space where they can sit and decompress.” In a year with so much stress and loss, especially in Chicago’s most underinvested neighborhoods, these spaces are invaluable.
Principal Walker’s schoolyard is part of a program called Space to Grow, which turns Chicago schoolyards into beautiful green spaces for play and learning using green stormwater infrastructure that also helps build climate resilience. The schoolyards include playground structures and sports fields, outdoor classrooms for nature-based learning, edible gardens and the conversation rocks or other quiet spaces the students at Washington like so much. Studies show that access to green space and outdoor play during the school day are associated with improved focus and academic performance. Daily connection with nature supports mental Health. And, since Space to Grow schoolyards are also open to the community outside of school hours, the program’s benefits aren’t just limited to students.
It seems obvious that every student should have access to such a positive space, but there just isn’t enough money — or the will to prioritize spending — to replace the acres of asphalt that cover school grounds in many cities across the country. A 2021 report on the state of U.S. schools found that the country is underinvesting in school buildings and grounds to the tune of $85 billion per year. “Underinvestment in capital renewals of existing public schools as well as chronic underfunding of maintenance and repairs sadly remains the rule rather than the exception,” the report notes. And, as the report also points out, “inequity is hard-wired into public education infrastructure.” For example, in Chicago, the same Black and Latinx neighborhoods are subjected to the same type of disinvestment over and over again.

-- ROCHELLE DAVIS & GERALD W. ADELMANN

Why It’s Time To Raise Indoor Air Quality Standards In Classrooms

-- Forbes National: June 06, 2022 [ abstract]

Much has been said about the need to improve indoor air quality in offices as people return to work, but what about schools and classrooms?
A recent study by the Center for Green Schools highlighted the urgent need to support school districts with the implementation of indoor air quality strategies to support mitigation of Covid, as well as future pandemics.
The study also warns that the widespread education of school system administrators and staff is needed to ensure greater awareness of the issue, not to mention the availability of federal relief funds.
Katherine Pruitt, national senior director of policy at the American Lung Association said Covid has “definitely generated a new wave of interest” in the importance of ventilation in schools.
She added the air children breathe in school is critical to their success in the classroom and their overall Health, and that Indoor air quality also impacts student attendance, test scores and student and staff productivity.
Pruitt said recent announcements by the White House mean there is “more money on the table” for schools to improve indoor air quality, but it is often down to individual school districts as to how resources are spent.
“In most cases, our school decision makers are very sensitive to the desires of the local community and school facilities,” she told Forbes. “We're hoping now that with Covid, indoor air quality is moving up the priority list, but there are a lot of competing demands.”

-- Jamie Hailstone

Facilities Master Plan forum highlights need for sustainability and equity at LBUSD schools

-- Signal Tribune California: May 24, 2022 [ abstract]

Long Beach Unified parents, students, and community members gathered at Browning High School to provide suggestions for the district’s Facilities Master Plan at a community forum yesterday. Through interactive and collaborative activities, around 40 attendees shared their thoughts as a group on what school buildings need to look like and provide to ensure an equitable and adequate education for all student populations. Some common suggestions included more green spaces, transitioning off of fossil fuels, and access to Healthier cafeteria food. As per LBUSD’s website, the Facilities Master Plan is a “long-term blueprint” that outlines the constantly changing needs of facilities in the district. The plan looks both at how facilities are designed and how they are used and intends to properly align facilities with the district’s overall educational mission. The update process typically takes over two years, incorporating a needs assessment for every school, community input, and equity analysis. The district is working with the architectural firm Cannon Design to run assessments, gather community feedback and draft the plan that will be submitted to the school board this summer.

-- Briana Mendez-Padilla

Democrats Renew School Bond Push in $130 Billion Infrastructure Bill

-- Bloomberg National: May 20, 2022 [ abstract]

Congressional Democrats are looking to invest $130 billion in the nation’s crumbling schools, partly by reviving a type of debt financing killed by tax reform during the Trump administration.
The Rebuild America’s Schools Act, which went to committee markup Wednesday, would establish a $100 billion grant program and authorize $30 billion of school infrastructure tax credit bonds, both aimed at high-poverty schools around the country where shabby infrastructure poses a Health risk to students and staff.
The bill, introduced by Virginia Democrat Bobby Scott, marks a renewed push to pass school infrastructure funding through a gridlocked Congress after a similar measure folded into President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act failed. Democrats argue schools desperately need repair, and federal Covid-19 stimulus should be used for emergency purposes, not long overdue projects.
The somewhat obscure securities would likely be embraced by investors in the $4 trillion muni market, and schools would get a new tool for borrowing. “Issuers like having flexibility, and this is a structure that has had a long history in the market,” said Jamie Iselin, head of muni fixed income for Neuberger Berman. “There is typically an investor for every type of security.”
The debt portion of the proposed bill would reauthorize tax credit bonds, or TCBs, for school construction purposes after former President Donald Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated them. Unlike tax exempt muni-bonds, which exclude interest from federal taxes, TCBs give a credit or payment to the issuer or investor.

-- Nic Querolo

Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education Approves $550M in School Construction Projects

-- einnews.com Rhode Island: May 18, 2022 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE, RI — The Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education has voted to approve $550 million in new school construction projects across Rhode Island, allowing for educational enhancements, Health and safety improvements, new physical education and media centers, and five new schools to be built. These improvements literally span the state: from our southernmost point on Block Island to Cumberland in the north, and from Tiverton in the east to Scituate in the west,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Today’s approval by the Council is an affirmation of my administration’s commitment to fixing schools in every corner of Rhode Island. We are excited to hit the ground running and give these communities all the support they need to build great schools for our kids” “Our school construction program is transforming hundreds of school buildings across the state. That initial investment culminates today in the release of the last of those funds,” said General Treasurer Seth Magaziner. “Now we must move forward with a second state school construction bond, to continue this vital work so that all children can go to schools that are warm, safe, dry, and equipped for twenty-first century learning.” Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio and House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi said, “In the last few years, communities across Rhode Island have been energized by school improvement and construction projects. In many places, the benefits of these long-overdue investments in educational facilities are already being enjoyed. This latest round of approvals will enable more cities and towns to replace aging and ailing facilities with safe, modern and engaging learning spaces. Our children deserve every resource and advantage we can provide, and these projects represent the foundation of our state’s future.”

-- Rhode Island Department of Education

Despite White House guidance, aging school facilities still threaten kids’ health

-- abc News National: May 17, 2022 [ abstract]

By spring of 2021, Rashelle Chase-Miller knew she'd have to make some hard decisions.
Schools in Portland, Oregon—including her son Leo's charter—were reopening in-person. But Chase-Miller, herself born and raised in the City of Roses, had reservations. For decades, she'd watched the schools—especially in her historically Black neighborhood—fall into disrepair.
In particular, she worried about ventilation. Vigorous air flow and filtration are crucial for preventing outbreaks of the COVID-19 virus. Yet, an August 2021 inspection by the city's schools found every assessed facility had at least one room with inadequate ventilation.
Chase-Miller had another reason to be worried: Leo, who is 9 years old, has cerebral palsy and asthma. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that puts him at higher risk of severe COVID. Leo catching the virus would also put her elderly parents, who live close by and are both older than 65, at risk. Not to mention, her 4-year-old daughter Luna, who is too young to be vaccinated.
"For families like mine," Chase-Miller told ABC News, "ventilation in school is a huge deal."

-- Eli Cahan

California set to launch hundreds of community schools with $635 million in grants

-- EdSource California: May 12, 2022 [ abstract]

Next week, California will jumpstart a seven-year initiative to convert potentially thousands of schools into full-service, parent-focused community schools.
Approved a year ago by the Legislature, the $3 billion California Community Schools Partnership Program will be the nation’s most ambitious effort to create schools serving multiple Health and learning needs of children. Community schools have come to be known as schools with “wraparound services.” The underlying assumption is that a holistic approach to education, particularly in low-income areas with unmet basic needs, creates the best conditions for children to thrive emotionally and academically. Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing to increase the community schools program by $1.5 billion – 50% – in his revised 2022-23 state budget, which he released on May 13.
At its meeting next Wednesday, the State Board of Education is expected to approve $635 million in planning and implementation grants for 265 school districts, county offices of education and charter schools.
On the recommendation of the California Department of Education, 192 districts, county offices of education and charter schools will receive $200,000 two-year planning grants in the first round.
The other 73 districts, with at least some existing community schools, will receive implementation grants covering 444 schools; each school will receive over five years between $712,500 for schools with fewer than 150 students to $2.375 million for schools with more than 2,000 students. Schools serving at least 80% low-income children will receive priority funding.

-- JOHN FENSTERWALD

How Public Schools Are Going Net Zero

-- Bloomberg National: May 02, 2022 [ abstract]

The entrance to Washington, D.C.’s newest elementary school building leads right to an open-space library painted in blue, green and yellow, with a makerspace that hangs above like a treehouse. On the side, a massive touchscreen invites students to tap away at an interactive dashboard with real-time data detailing how the building is performing for a new climate reality.
“Students can see bar charts of how much energy their building is generating and consuming — for the kitchen, for the mechanical systems, and for the lights,” says Juan Guarin, a sustainability expert at the architecture firm Perkins Eastman. “We also try to use it to teach topics like climate change, social and environmental justice, and human Health.”
Guarin is part of the team behind John Lewis Elementary School and the Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, the district’s first net-zero schools — meaning they are supposed to eventually consume only as much energy as they generate on-site annually.
Both have sustainability features that prioritize natural lighting and fresh air flow, with expansive windows and a beefed-up ventilation system. Geothermal wells beneath the playground provide heating and cooling. Cafeteria kitchens use electric rather than gas stoves. The city is also in the process of contracting with a solar developer to install photovoltaic panels throughout the rooftops, which will help offset energy use.
The new facilities are part of D.C.’s ongoing school modernization effort funded through the city’s Capital Improvement Plan, and their debut this school year comes as the U.S. is increasingly targeting schools for greening efforts.

-- Linda Poon

$13.5 million available to help Vermont schools upgrade air quality systems

-- VermontBiz Vermont: April 27, 2022 [ abstract]

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermont continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and seeks to build resilience for future challenges, schools across the state are investing in ventilation systems to improve indoor air quality and make classrooms Healthier for students and staff. This spring, the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) and Efficiency Vermont launched the second round of the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Grant Program, which makes $13.5 million of federal funds available to schools with qualifying projects, through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. This year’s effort builds on the success of a previous round of IAQ programming, which in 2020 leveraged $17 million in federal funding to help 365 Vermont schools improve indoor air quality through HVAC upgrades and air quality monitoring. As a result, more than 62,000 students and 6,500 teachers now spend time in K-12 schools with improved HVAC systems that bring fresh outside air into the building. More than 140 companies, including contracted engineers and tradespeople, worked on these projects. “Vermont’s experience with COVID-19 demonstrates how important indoor air quality is to student Health, safety and ability to learn,” said Secretary of Education Dan French. “Air handling systems often come with high upfront costs, especially when buildings are older, as many of our schools are. This grant program, along with technical assistance from Efficiency Vermont, brings important upgrades to these systems within reach. Studies show that improving indoor air quality mitigates the spread of airborne viruses and leads to better Health and education outcomes. This is an important measure that will have wide ranging benefits beyond COVID-19 mitigation.” “Engaging so many schools and contractors within a short period of time, was a substantial undertaking”, French added. “With its statewide platform and decades of experience helping schools invest in energy efficiency upgrades, Efficiency Vermont has been a valuable partner in this undertaking.” There is strong evidence that improving ventilation and filtration can slow the transmission of infectious diseases like COVID-19. The anticipated eligible projects under the program align with COVID-19-specific guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

-- Staff Writer

New Boston city budget includes $788 million for school capital projects over five years �" but will it be enough?

-- The Boston Globe Massachusetts: April 25, 2022 [ abstract]

Tucked into a $3.6 billion capital plan released by Mayor Michelle Wu this month is a proposal to get the ball rolling on a half-dozen school construction projects across the city, including new elementary schools in Dorchester and Roxbury.
Details are scant, but — if approved — the plan would launch studies on the six projects and could pave the way for a building boom for a school district that has seen few upgrades to its aging facilities in recent years.
The studies, which would cost about $150,000 to $175,000 each, would develop building plans and consider locations, mostly for elementary schools. Some line items include no information beyond the neighborhood and grade levels. More details on the school facilities plan will emerge in the course of the budget process, according to a city spokesperson.
“Every student in Boston deserves to learn in a space that is safe, Healthy, energy-efficient, and inspiring,” the spokesperson said in an e-mail. “Mayor Wu has made it a top priority to invest in our school facilities, and we will have more details to share about the Mayor’s vision for district-wide facilities planning in the coming weeks.”
In total, the plan features $788 million in school spending, including funds from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. It would put the district on pace to hit the $1 billion over 10 years target envisioned in its BuildBPS planning process. It also represents a $47 million increase over district capital spending in the prior five-year plan.

-- Christopher Huffaker

How Schools are Reducing Environmental Impacts, Improving Health, and Cultivating Stewards of Our Planet

-- Green Ribbon Schools National: April 22, 2022 [ abstract]

Today the U.S. Department of Education named the 2022 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees. Across the country there are 27 schools, five districts, and four postsecondary institutions that are recognized. These honorees employ innovative practices and policies to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve Health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education. Could your school be the next U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School? Check out these spotlights from the 2022 honorees: Environmental education and sustainability changes at Crellin Elementary School (CES) began when the school community found historic mining contaminants in the creek behind the school. Not only was CES able to remedy the pollution, but it increased the overall Health of the riparian area while creating an outdoor classroom. The environmental education laboratory is an outdoor classroom where students participate in hands-on activities using the wetland, boardwalk, hemlock forest, vernal ponds, meadows, orchard, and adjacent creek. CES’s agriculture program features barns with sheep and hens, with a solar panel to maximize hens’ egg production through daylight provision. The greenhouse employs hydroponics systems. CES has made efficiency upgrades, including building automation, interior and exterior LED lights, double-paned windows, HVAC, and building envelope, leading to an immediate decrease in energy usage. Low-flow fixtures reduce domestic water consumption and rain barrels provide water for gardens and barn animals.

-- Staff Writer

In an effort to make schools greener, the White House is offering billions of dollars

-- NPR National: April 22, 2022 [ abstract]

"In most school districts, the second-largest yearly expense after salaries is the energy bill."
That's a quote from Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking earlier this month at an elementary school in Washington, D.C.
She was announcing a new, multibillion-dollar federal push to renovate public schools in ways that are Healthier both for children and the planet – and often, that save money too.
The funds are spread across several different agencies and programs. The White House released a toolkit with details:
Heating and cooling upgrades: studies show that schools are on deck to spend $9.7 billion of American Rescue Plan funds to upgrade heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems – something that became top of mind to curb the spread of COVID-19. More efficient HVAC systems could lower energy costs and emissions.
Cleaner transportation: a $5 billion rebate program from the Environmental Protection Agency that replaces old, mostly diesel-fueled buses. Half the money is specifically for electric buses.
Carbon-free commuting: some of the $90 billion in the Department of Transportation's highway safety funds can be used to help with route planning so more students can walk or bike to school.
Lower power costs, more light: a $500 million Department of Energy grant program, paid for by the infrastructure law, can be used for things like LED lights, better insulation, and solar panels.

-- Anya Kamenetz

Op-Ed | Our city can repair NYC schools and create thousands of union jobs

-- amNY New York: April 18, 2022 [ abstract]

A majority of our nation’s school buildings are at least 50 years old. Think about that: the classrooms and other school facilities where our kids spend hours on end, five days a week, are in desperate need of renovations to deal with issues like leaking roofs, broken air-conditioning, mold or mildew issues, and poor air quality. Here in New York City, the situation is even more dire: the average age of our school buildings is 70 years old. This is a crisis for our students, and it’s especially acute in communities of color that have endured generations of underinvestment. The environment in which our students learn affects everything from their test scores to their Health and well-being. Old, deteriorating school buildings rely on outdated equipment, pumping tons of carbon emissions into the air. Taxpayers are on the hook for millions of dollars in energy costs, which nationwide represent the second-highest costs for schools after personnel. We need to get this under control before it’s too late. Fortunately, earlier this week, the White House announced the Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure, a $500 million grant program that will allow states and cities to invest in green retrofits that improve energy efficiency, air quality, and Health outcomes for students across the country. Importantly, these projects will create hundreds of thousands of new, good union jobs across the country, building a pipeline between public schools and union careers that will support strong communities and a just economy for all.

-- Vincent Alvarez, President, New York City Central

Dept. of Energy releases RFI for K-12 schools energy upgrade program

-- Building Design + Construction National: April 11, 2022 [ abstract]

The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) released a Request for Information (RFI) to help decide how best to spend $500 million from the recently passed federal infrastructure law for K-12 public school energy upgrades.

The law makes available grants for energy improvements that result in a direct reduction in school energy costs, including improvements to the air conditioning and heating, ventilation, hot water heating, and lighting systems. Funding would also support renovation and repairs that lead to an improvement in teacher and student Health.

Many schools are in desperate need of energy improvements, according to a DOE news release. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the nation’s 100,000 public K-12 schools a D+ in their 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure report.

-- PETER FABRIS

‘Scared to touch the sink’ �" Druid Hills High students publish video showing school’s poor conditio

-- decaturish.com Georgia: April 11, 2022 [ abstract]

Atlanta, GA — The beautiful brick facade of Druid Hills High School hides an ugly truth.
On the inside, students say, the school building is a neglected mess. The students produced an 8-minute video showing the public what they see when they go to class every day. Recently, the DeKalb School Board voted to remove a “modernization” of Druid Hills High School from a list of proposed school repair and renovation projects sent to the Georgia Department of Education. Students — and their parents — are asking the district to reverse that decision.
The students’ video is a highlight reel of Health and safety concerns.
At one point in the video, the students filmed a flaking wall and wrote, “We don’t know what’s in these paint chips or what the mold is.”
When it rains, sewage routinely bubbles up in the picnic area where seniors eat. Poles in one of the school’s computer labs have signs warning students not to touch them or risk getting an electrical shock. There are bathroom stalls with no doors. Sinks that are not adhered to the wall. Water damage in numerous rooms. Mold, too. Emergency vehicles can’t reach the athletic field and back of the school because the driveway is too narrow.
“There appears to be water dripping past electrical boxes,” another caption says.

-- Dan Whisenhunt

It’s hard to track the conditions of Pa. schools. Spotlight PA wants your help flagging health hazards.

-- The Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: April 07, 2022 [ abstract]

Nearly 2 million Pennsylvania students spend hours a day in thousands of schools across the state. They breathe air that circulates through the buildings, drink water from hallway fountains, and touch surfaces in spaces from classrooms to restrooms.
Years of surveys, policy research, and media reports from around the state suggest that some of these buildings likely pose Health risks to students and staff. Schools are subject to safety, sanitation, and Health inspections, but these requirements are handled by a mix of local, state, and federal agencies. Those records aren’t kept in a centralized, statewide database.
This makes it difficult for a family or taxpayer to easily access comprehensive information about whether a school facility is up-to-date on maintenance and inspections, information that is readily available for the state’s hospitals, nursing homes, and even local restaurants.
“It’s fragmented because there’s no requirement for it not to be,” said David Lapp, director of policy research with the Pennsylvania education nonprofit Research for Action.
And while most information can be requested from individual schools or districts, they don’t have an obligation to make those records or reports easy to understand, he added.
“Just like with any other kinds of school records, there’s some things that have to be reported, and there’s some things they don’t have to report, or can even keep from the public.”

-- Jamie Martines

Biden administration launches effort to improve school air quality

-- K-12 Dive National: April 06, 2022 [ abstract]

COVID-19 brought to light many worsening issues in education and school facilities, among them poor indoor air quality due to older school infrastructure.
To begin to remedy that, Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday announced an action plan to put $500 million toward upgrading public school facilities to be more cost- and energy-efficient. The funding is through the Build Back Better Act, a bipartisan infrastructure law passed Nov. 19.
The administration is also encouraging districts to use American Rescue Plan dollars toward improving their HVAC systems.
In mid-March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to improve ventilation in schools and other buildings.
A fact sheet on the EPA initiative outlines four steps:
Create an action plan by assessing indoor air quality and making plans for upgrades and improvements to related systems like heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
Bring in and circulate clean outdoor air into indoor spaces.
Enhance air filtration and cleaning via a central HVAC system and in-room air cleaning devices.
Engage local communities in an action plan to improve indoor air quality and Health outcomes.

-- Anna Merod

Arkansas school superintendents say funding is an obstacle in building facilities

-- The Center Square Arkansas: April 05, 2022 [ abstract]

Fifty-eight percent of Arkansas school superintendents said in a survey a lack of state funding is the top obstacle they face in financing school facilities in their district, according to a presentation to the Joint Education Committee.
Studies are inconclusive on whether academic facilities’ conditions impact student learning, but there is evidence that they can impact student Health and student perception on safety, Jasmine Ray, a legislative analyst, said at a joint meeting of the House and Senate education committees.
A temporary advisory committee created through Act 801 in 2017 reported the total estimated capital needs for public school academic facilities in the state was more than $604 million.
Arkansas’ public schools receive most of their funding for academic facilities through the state’s Academic Facilities Partnership Program. School districts and the state share the cost of facilities construction and major renovations through the program, Ray said.
Open enrollment public school charters are not eligible for the program due to not having a taxing authority, according to Ray.
The cost for public school facilities in Arkansas has risen over the years. In 2016, the Partnership Program allocated nearly $42 million annually for facilities funding, but it is estimated that allocation will be as high as $70 million for fiscal year 2023, Ray said. Arkansas’ capital outlay expenditures per student has grown over the last several years from more than $1,000 per student in 2015 to more than $1,500 per student in 2019, she said.

-- Merrilee Gasser

FACT SHEET: The Biden-⁠Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure

-- The White House National: April 04, 2022 [ abstract]

Today, Vice President Kamala Harris is announcing the Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure to upgrade our public schools with modern, clean, energy efficient facilities and transportation—delivering Health and learning benefits to children and school communities, saving school districts money, and creating good union jobs. The action plan activates the entire federal government in leveraging investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan to advance solutions including energy efficiency retrofits, electric school buses, and resilient design. The science of learning and development has shown that students need school environments filled with safety, belonging, and Health to learn and thrive. Yet many schools rely on outdated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that make classrooms less comfortable and may pose Health risks to students and teachers exposed to contaminants or particles in the air that can trigger allergies or asthma attacks and potentially spread infectious diseases – including COVID-19. Dirty diesel buses pose additional Health risks for students on board and the neighborhoods they travel through — and exhaust from idling buses can pollute the air around schools. Studies show that poor air quality inside classrooms takes a toll on student concentration and performance, and diesel exhaust exposure is linked to increased school absences. Reducing this pollution will provide better Health and educational outcomes — particularly in low-income communities and communities of color that have long faced underinvestment and the burden of high pollution.

-- Staff Writer

The Biden-Harris Administration Announces $500 Million Program for Better School Infrastructure

-- Department of Energy National: April 04, 2022 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, as part the new Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a Request for Information (RFI) for a $500 million grant program from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for K-12 public school energy upgrades. The program will help deliver cleaner and Healthier classrooms, libraries, cafeterias, playgrounds, and gyms where over three million teachers teach and 50 million students learn, eat, and build friendships every day. Energy upgrades to America’s public schools, including leveraging renewable power sources and electric school buses, will bring the nation closer to President Biden’s goal to build a net-zero economy by 2050. “Children should be able to learn and grow in environments that are not plagued with poor insulation and ventilation, leaky roofs, or poor heating and cooling,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “President Biden fought for these funds to give schools and their communities the resources they need to improve student and teacher Health and cut energy costs, allowing districts to focus more resources on student learning.”

-- Staff Writer

Students can decompress in a garden at a new East Oakland schoolyard

-- KTVU California: March 31, 2022 [ abstract]

OAKLAND, Calif. - Until Thursday, Markham Elementary was the only elementary school in Oakland without a playground.
The situation for those students changed thanks to the support of the Warriors Community Foundation, in partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric, Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District, Project Backboard, Green Schoolyards America, and Growing Together.
Over five years, the groups were part of a project to remove 21,000 square feet of asphalt to install a playground and greener workspace for the students at the school.
Dubbed the Living Schoolyard, 84 trees were added to provide shade, an outdoor classroom space, a turf play field that will also capture stormwater runoff, and a garden.
"They grow tomatoes, grown watermelons, and all kind of stuff in there. I like the plant on the outside just to kind of Health with the environment," said Artesha Rose, whose daughter is in fourth grade at Markham Elementary.

-- Andre Senior

Commentary: L.A.’s asphalt-covered schoolyards are an environmental injustice

-- Los Angeles Times California: March 27, 2022 [ abstract]

Castellanos Elementary sits just two blocks from the vehicle-clogged 10 Freeway in a part of the Pico-Union neighborhood with few parks and a lot of auto repair shops. It’s one of L.A. Unified School District’s newer campuses, built 12 years ago. But the dual-language charter school’s more than 450 students, almost all Latino, have hardly any green space — just a 100-foot-wide play area of scraggly grass and dirt without a working sprinkler system. The gated, fenced and walled-off campus is mostly paved over with asphalt that absorbs the sun’s rays and radiates heat throughout the day. There are few trees to shade the blacktop, so students often gather in the shadows of the school’s two-story buildings to stay cool. Children are constantly getting scrapes from the asphalt, said school operations manager Carla Rivera, and on hotter days they sometimes have to be kept inside. The experience is sadly typical of schools across Los Angeles, where too many children are forced to learn and play in paved-over, fenced-in and often treeless campuses that draw apt comparisons to prison yards or parking lots. These conditions are detrimental to learning, Health and well-being, and especially harmful because they are so common in the same low-income communities of color that already suffer from a lack of tree canopy, park space and higher exposure to heat and pollution.

-- TONY BARBOZA

Advocates call on Mayor Adams and City Council to retrofit public schools with green infrastructure

-- amny.com New York: March 24, 2022 [ abstract]

Elected officials, environmentalists, union leaders and other advocates gathered on the steps of City Hall Thursday to demand Mayor Eric Adams and the NYC city council retrofit public schools with climate friendly infrastructure.
The March 24 rally saw the coalition of advocates call on the mayor to plan to support carbon-free, Healthy schools especially in lower income neighborhoods by funding the Carbon Free and Healthy Schools (CFHS) initiative in this fiscal year’s budget plan.
The speakers highlighted how the initiative could simultaneously combat multiple priorities of city leaders, while also addressing the long term concerns of student Health and wellbeing in public school buildings.
“The majority of the emissions from our city come from large buildings,” said Maritza Silva-Farrell, executive director of ALIGN, a leader of the Climate Works for All coalition to amNew York. “Public schools are some of the biggest polluters in the city. So we are talking about reducing emissions and ensuring that we actually meet our climate goals, and it is critical that these buildings have the funding necessary to be upgraded and have the retrofits needed.”
NYC public schools are an average of 70 years old, and with aging infrastructure and a pandemic, students are being put in unnecessary risk of illness or injury. Many of these schools lack adequate heating, cooling and ventilation systems (HVAC), and also may still contain hazardous building materials like lead and asbestos.

-- Isabel Song Beer

Kentucky superintendents receive update on SAFE funding for tornado-impacted districts

-- Kentucky Teacher Kentucky: March 24, 2022 [ abstract]

Leadership from the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) met virtually on March 24 with superintendents of districts impacted by the Dec. 10 and 11 tornados to encourage the districts to continue to request aid from the West Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (SAFE) fund. Through House Bill 5, the state legislature provided $200 million to support districts, local governments and other agencies affected by the December 2021 storms and tornadoes. The bill appropriated $30 million to local school districts. The money may provide wraparound services, such as tutoring and mental Health supports for students and families, and assistance with additional transportation costs. In addition, KDE can transfer a portion of the $30 million to the state School Facilities Construction Commission to help repair damaged school buildings. KDE created a simple application for districts to submit their needs under the permissible uses of the funds. Districts can access the application on the KDE’s State Grants webpage. Requests for funding should cover anticipated expenses through June 30, the end of the fiscal year. So far, the department has received seven applications with nearly $7 million in requested funds. KDE Associate Commissioner Robin Kinney reminded superintendents that there are two steps to request funds – the application process and a request for cash reimbursement after the application is approved. “If you are a district having difficulty with cash flow … we have put a section on the application where you can share that with us so we can advance funds,” she said.

-- Audrie Lamb

Philadelphia restarts a comprehensive study of its facility needs

-- Chalkbeat Philadelphia Pennsylvania: March 22, 2022 [ abstract]

The Philadelphia school district is restarting a Facilities Planning Process that will determine its future building needs — including if schools should close or new ones will be built — and funnel repair and modernization funds to where they are needed most. This new initiative replaces the Comprehensive School Planning Review that began in 2019 but was halted in March 2020 because of the pandemic. Philadelphia’s school buildings have an average age of 70 years and a few date back to the 19th century. For the past several years, the district’s buildings have been plagued with Health hazards including loose asbestos and lead in the drinking water. Since 2019, several schools have closed temporarily and students have been relocated due to emergency repair work. Also in 2019, a veteran teacher was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an asbestos-related disease. At the beginning of this school year, teachers protested and refused to enter the Masterman building due to concerns that it wasn’t safe. In a letter sent to parents and posted on the district website, Superintendent William Hite said the district must “thoughtfully and proactively plan not only for new school learning environments but for what must be done with our existing school buildings so students have access to educational spaces that spark creativity, support academic programs, and meet their 21st-century learning needs.” The district will look at its building inventory, projected population patterns, and grade-by-grade enrollment estimates so it can “prioritize investments,” Hite’s letter said.

-- Dale Mezzacappa

Guam - $250M cost to fix, modernize public schools

-- The Guam Daily Post Guam: March 09, 2022 [ abstract]

If the public school system were to now fix all the maintenance problems that had been delayed over years because the government didn’t have enough money to fix them before, it would cost about $107.2 million, according to reports presented to Guam Education Board members on Tuesday. And, if the government were to go one step further and improve and modernize all schools, updating them to 21st century learning environments, it would cost $142.5 million. That's nearly $250 million, which is roughly one year's budget for the Guam Department of Education. The massive cost figures were disclosed during a sneak peak of the Master Facilities Plan provided to education officials during the GEB’s Safe and Healthy Schools Committee work session on Tuesday. The presentation was provided by contractor HHF Planners, a Honolulu-based planning firm that operates throughout the Pacific Rim.

-- Jolene Toves

DeWine announces $25 million for school-based health centers, includes 5 local schools

-- WFMJ.com Ohio: March 04, 2022 [ abstract]

Five local schools will receive grant money after Governor Mike DeWine announced over $25 million dollars toward School-Based Health Centers around Ohio. Liberty, Salem, Sebring, East Palestine, and Warren City School Districts have partnered with local clinics to bring Healthcare clinics inside schools. Liberty and Salem Schools have partnered with QUICKmed Urgent Care. Sebring, East Palestine, and Warren City Schools collaborate with Akron Children's Hospital. The grant will create 29 new School-Based Health Centers, and expand services in 107 existing clinics to help provide primary care services and preventative care for students. Expanded clinics will also offer vision, dental, and behavior Health care. Having the clinics inside schools aims to eliminate barriers that students and parents might face when it comes to obtaining care, such as transportation, parents missing time at work, and lack of access to medical providers. “Studies have shown that Health and wellness are interconnected,” said Governor DeWine. “A student who is not Healthy or who is chronically absent is not able to achieve their full potential. These partnerships between Healthcare providers and schools supports the whole child and ensures that every child may realize their full potential.”

-- Kylie Gessner

Net Zero Energy Schools Raise Bar on Green Construction Statewide

-- Maryland Matters Maryland: February 22, 2022 [ abstract]

On his first tour of Wilde Lake Middle School in Columbia, Christopher Rattay watched a fleet of solar cars whiz up and down the sixth-grade hallway. He would learn from the enthusiastic young operators that they were built for a class project. The new principal knew right away that Maryland’s first net zero energy school would be a wild ride, that the $34-million facility, which opened in 2017, had the potential to be something special, both as a learning laboratory and a model for school construction.
“The [building] itself is gorgeous and contributes to good Health and a sense of emotional well-being,” said Rattay, who was struck by the “open spaces and natural light” in the halls, stairwells and classrooms.
“Net zero energy [means] any electricity we use is electricity that we produce, whether it’s our solar panels on the roof, or those on the grounds,” said school resource teacher Doug Spicher. He said the construction plan also called for 112 geothermal wells to heat and cool the building, a large array of light and water sensors and other conservation measures. Sunshades and coatings on the windows decrease the amount of sunlight that penetrates the building so school rooms don’t get sweltering hot or cold, Spicher said.
The new school, completed in 2017, is nearly 50% larger and uses 50% less energy than the building it replaced.
Wilde Lake can also serve 760 students, up from 500 at the previous building. Mariam Abimbola said she was “privileged” to be one of them. Now a junior, she said she made frequent stops at the energy kiosk in the front hall that streamed environmental data in real time. “[The display] made you look at the electricity we were using, the electricity we were saving,” she said. “Before that we weren’t really conscious of our energy use, that we could really do better, and change our ways, at school and at home.”

-- Rosanne Skirble

SC’s poor schools to get piece of $138M for construction. Legislators asked to give more

-- The Post and Courier South Carolina: February 20, 2022 [ abstract]

COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s poorest school districts will soon learn whether they’ll get a chunk of $138 million from the state — and if so, how much — for their construction needs that exceed many times that amount.
While the money is the largest single-year sum the state has put toward K-12 construction in decades, it won’t go far in replacing or overhauling dilapidated buildings that often date to the 1950s, when the state’s inaugural sales tax funded hundreds of Black- and White-only schools in a failed effort to thwart desegregation.
South Carolina hasn’t embarked on a major school building project in rural swaths of the state since.
With decisions still in motion, state Education Superintendent Molly Spearman is asking legislators for more — lots more — though not a specific amount. The state’s largest-ever surplus, coupled with federal COVID aid, provides a once-in-a-generation, or longer, opportunity to provide students in the poorest districts a safe, Healthy place to learn, she said.
“I can’t think of a better use of one-time money than this,” she told a House budget-writing panel. “Please put in as much money as you can because there’s tremendous need.”

-- Seanna Adcox

School leaders advocate for school construction funds

-- Bristol Herald Courier Virginia: February 14, 2022 [ abstract]

Leaders of the Virginia Coalition of Small and Rural Schools continued to advocate for more funding to repair and replace dilapidated schools statewide Monday.
Speaking during an education funding press conference in Richmond, speakers from different state advocacy organizations urged the General Assembly to expand funding for school buildings, behavioral Health for students, greater teacher pay, revised Standards of Quality and literacy intervention.
For the coalition, which includes all of the public school divisions in Southwest Virginia among its 80 members, the theme of buildings is a familiar topic.
“Among the key issues and challenges our work seeks to influence is the urgency of finally addressing the ever-increasing number of crumbling and dilapidated school facilities,” Peter Gretz, superintendent of Fluvanna County Public Schools and vice president of the coalition, said. “We believe the ZIP code in which Virginia’s children are born should not be the deciding factor in whether or not they get to learn in high-quality, modern facilities designed to meet the instructional needs of the 21st century — a century we are almost a quarter of the way through.”

-- David McGee

EPA pushes school ventilation upgrades as mask mandates fall

-- E&E News National: February 11, 2022 [ abstract]

EPA and indoor air quality experts are pushing ventilation and filtration as a key means to keep kids Healthy during the pandemic as other measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 have become increasingly polarized. “The pandemic has provided us with a defining moment on indoor air quality for schools,” said EPA’s Tracy Washington Enger, who works in the agency’s Indoor Environments Division. Enger was speaking during an EPA-hosted webinar that aimed to help school officials at the local level “make the case” to school districts that they should invest in air quality improvements and ventilation, through upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and replacing filters, among other strategies. The training comes as a string of states, including New York, New Jersey and Delaware, have announced they will soon lift mask mandates in schools, putting pressure on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though CDC Director Rochelle Walensky as recently as this week stressed the importance of “masking in areas of high and substantial transmission,” the agency is reportedly considering updating its guidelines for which metrics states should use when considering lifting mask mandates, and whether such guidelines should still rely as much on case and transmission rates or incorporate more information on hospital capacity data. The changing landscape on masking makes other Covid-19 mitigation measures like improved ventilation and filtration in schools all the more important, according to indoor air experts. “Here we are two years into the pandemic, and what we are starting to hear is a shift in how we are thinking about coronavirus in this nation,” Enger told the webinar. Though she did not directly address mask requirements, Enger said the nation is facing a question of “how we as individuals and institutions will make the shift from a crisis response to a pandemic to living with an endemic disease.”

-- Ariel Wittenberg

Rockland-area school district qualifies for $5 million state loan for upgrades

-- Bangor Daily News Maine: February 11, 2022 [ abstract]

ROCKLAND, Maine — Several area schools could pay for physical upgrades to improve accessibility, air quality and other Health and safety measures with a $5 million state loan to the school district. Regional School Unit 13 was notified earlier this month that the 13 project proposals the district submitted to the Maine Department of Education were approved for a loan through its School Revolving Renovation Fund. With about 30 percent of the loan being forgiven upfront and the rest of the amount carrying no interest, district officials said it would enable them to improve safety for students and staff. “It’s a remarkable opportunity because we have to do these projects at some point. They’ve got to get done and to do it with a loan opportunity that is interest free, and a big chunk of it is paid off at the beginning, is great for the taxpayers,” RSU 13 School Board Chair Loren Andrews said.

-- Lauren Abbate

6 simple clues to know if my school is exposed to asbestos

-- The News 24 National: February 08, 2022 [ abstract]

Phenomena such as digitization or energy efficiency have completely changed the way in which a large number of public spaces are designed or built in our country in recent years or decades. Buildings such as hospitals, sports facilities or educational centers welcome a large number of advances in their construction and maintenance that, a priori, make them more sustainable and efficient. In the case of schools, the implementation of this digitization and new construction techniques has not reached all communities equallyand there are still too many of them with outdated infrastructures and, what is worse, highly harmful to the Health of the little ones. In recent years, various specialists in environmental Health have focused on the presence of asbestos in schools and institutes, especially those built in the 70s and 80s. And this substance, banned since 2002 and whose useful life It is between 30 and 35 years old, it becomes highly carcinogenic and not only if it is handled, but by the mere fact of being exposed to it continuously. For this reason, David Abolafio, manager of Amisur, a company specializing in the detection and removal of asbestos, gives us some simple keys to find out which are the areas or infrastructures where there is a greater probability of finding asbestos and, even more importantly, what steps we must take to remove it as soon as possible and safely.

-- Staff Writer

3 policy pathways for the Boston Public Schools

-- Common Wealth Magazine Massachusetts: February 05, 2022 [ abstract]

EVERY BOSTON CHILD deserves access to a high-quality education. Despite years of discussion about the need to close achievement and opportunity gaps, this has been an unfulfilled promise to Boston children and their families caught in a system of “haves and have-nots” when it comes to high-quality school options. As a result, our city’s education outcomes have lagged further and further behind, enrollment is historically low, and families are frequently pitted against each other for access to a high-quality education for their child. And while the ongoing pandemic did not create these problems, it has exacerbated them, with profound impacts on student learning and student mental Health.
The way forward to delivering high-quality education does not have to tread in the path of previous mayoral administrations. Past efforts have largely worked around the margins, yet such efforts don’t change the reality that most of Boston’s students — the majority of whom are Black and Latino — do not reliably have access to high-quality schools from pre-K through 12th grade. It’s time for the city to forge a path forward with a more comprehensive approach that centers access to high-quality schools for every child, in every Boston neighborhood.
Our new mayor, herself a mother of BPS students, has stated her willingness to confront Boston’s “culture of no” in pursuit of transformative changes, both big and small. With education as a top-three priority among Boston’s voters in this last election cycle, the impetus for such changes within the city’s education landscape is both urgent and overdue. To that end, this new administration can seize upon three interconnected policy pathways that would signal to all Bostonians that our city values the potential of all of its children; further, Boston doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel to make progress, as several cities have engaged in similar efforts with success.
School buildings must be safe and inspiring places to learn. The foundation of school quality – and the most visible signal of our investment in children– is the condition of the physical spaces in which students learn. In Boston, our outdated facilities can neither provide the most basic assurances of Health and safety nor meet the demands of present-day instructional practice. Despite the city’s $1 billion, 10-year investment in BuildBPS announced in 2015, there is more disruption than progress to show.

-- Kerry Donahue - Opinion

What Education Secretary Cardona didn’t mention in his vision for education

-- The Washington Post National: January 31, 2022 [ abstract]

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona laid out four key priorities for U.S. public education in a major address last week, as many schools still struggle to keep teaching and learning on track during the pandemic. Here’s how the Education Department listed Cardona’s priority areas: “Support students through pandemic response and recovery. — Engaging families as core partners to educators — Addressing missed instruction through intensive tutoring, extended learning time, and other evidence-based practices — Increasing access to social, emotional, and mental Health supports for all students — Encouraging every student to participate in at least one extracurricular activity.
“Boldly address opportunity and achievement gaps. — Increasing funding for Title I schools and for IDEA in order to close gaps in access to educational opportunity — Providing every family the opportunity to start on a level playing field through free, universal pre-K and affordable high-quality child care — Investing in, recruiting, and supporting the professional development of a diverse educator workforce, including special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and bilingual educators so education jobs are ones that people from all backgrounds want to pursue — Challenging states and districts to fix broken systems that may perpetuate inequities in our schools.
“Make higher education more inclusive and affordable. — Providing targeted loan relief to student borrowers — Holding colleges and universities accountable for taking advantage of borrowers — Ensuring borrowers have loan payment options that reflect their economic circumstances — Making long term improvements to programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness and creating a strong Gainful Employment Rule so career programs aren’t leaving students with mountains of debt and without good job opportunities.
“Ensure pathways through higher education lead to successful careers. — Reimagining the connection between p-12, higher education, and workforce — Collaborating with the Department of Labor and Department of Commerce to invest in career preparation programs that meet the needs of today’s economy — Prioritizing grant programs that allow students to return to higher education or pursue career and technical education programs at any point in their lives and careers — Investing in colleges and universities that serve underrepresented groups and increase access to and funding for programs like Pell Grants.”
There are several important issues on that list, but there’s one the secretary didn’t mention: the sorry state of many of America’s school buildings. More than half of U.S. public schools need to update or replace multiple systems or features in more than half their buildings, and failure to address them could pose Health and safety problems for children and adults, according to a 2020 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

-- Valerie Strauss

Why School Leaders Are Sweating the Deadline for Spending COVID Relief Funds

-- Education Week National: January 25, 2022 [ abstract]

As the president, federal lawmakers, and critical media coverage ramp up pressure on schools to quickly spend the $195 billion in federal pandemic aid they received in 2020 and 2021, school administrators are pushing back with an unexpected message: We need more time. A coalition of nearly three dozen school, Health, and environmental advocacy groups, led by AASA, the School Superintendents’ Association, last week sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona asking the department to consider extending the deadline for spending COVID relief funds on construction and capital improvements projects. The current deadline for spending all of the COVID relief funds is September 2024—more than four years after the pandemic began taking a toll on school operations and causing all manner of disruption for students and staff alike. Congress approved the aid in three waves in March 2020, December 2020, and March 2021.

-- Mark Lieberman

Vulnerable Students, Districts at Greater Risk as Natural Disasters Grow More Frequent

-- Education Week National: January 19, 2022 [ abstract]

School districts that have relied on emergency aid to recover from floods, fires, and storms are more likely to serve large shares of students of color, economically disadvantaged children, and other vulnerable groups, new federal research says.
While that disaster aid proved very beneficial to many communities, K-12 officials also reported a variety of significant disruptions to students’ mental Health, school infrastructure, and other problems stemming from destabilized housing environments and parental job loss, a Government Accountability Office report found. These leaders also told the GAO that federal assistance sometimes fell short of meeting schools’ long-term needs, leading to delays and other problems for recovery efforts.
In recent years, more than half the districts receiving certain disaster relief served disproportionately large shares of at least two groups of vulnerable students, like English-language learners and children from low-income backgrounds.
“School districts serving high proportions of children in these groups may need more recovery assistance compared to districts with less-vulnerable student populations,” said the GAO report, which was published Tuesday.
During interviews with officials overseeing districts affected by disasters, the GAO also found that bureaucratic, financial, and other hardships made it more difficult for less-affluent districts to repair buildings. And in contrast to their wealthier counterparts that were also affected by natural disasters, such districts reported prolonged academic declines among disadvantaged students.
The GAO study looked at districts getting assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance program and the U.S. Department of Education’s Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations (Restart) programs from 2017 to 2019.
In all, 840 districts received the Education Department grant assistance, FEMA assistance, or both during the period studied. These districts educate roughly 18 percent of public school students in the U.S., and constitute 4.5 percent of all districts.

-- Andrew Ujifusa

Vulnerable Students, Districts at Greater Risk as Natural Disasters Grow More Frequent

-- Education Week National: January 19, 2022 [ abstract]

-- Andrew Ujifusa

Decades after Congress’ orders, toxics still contaminate millions of schools

-- ewg.org National: January 03, 2022 [ abstract]

More than 40 years ago, Congress banned harmful polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, from schools. And it’s been 37 years since Congress directed schools to address asbestos. But today, millions of schools continue to be plagued by these and other toxic chemicals. Specific concerns: Thousands of schools likely contain old lighting fixtures that leak PCBs, a known carcinogen.
Two-thirds of state educational agencies report schools containing asbestos, a known carcinogen, but the full scope of asbestos contamination and cleanup is unclear.
One-third of school districts that tested drinking water in 2017 found elevated levels of lead, a potent neurotoxin, and many schools report still having lead paint.
Nearly one in 10 U.S. children attends a school located less than a mile from a chemical facility.
A total of 54 percent of public school districts surveyed in 2019 have outdated heating and ventilation systems, which can lead to respiratory problems like asthma.
Pesticides linked to serious Health harms – including glyphosate, 2,4-D and atrazine – are sprayed near schools and school playgrounds.
Cleaning and disinfecting products used routinely in schools can contain hazardous chemicals.
Children are especially susceptible to harm from chemical exposure. Yet many U.S. schools have not been upgraded to eliminate PCBs, asbestos, lead and other threats. Exposure to toxics has a significant, negative impact on educational outcomes, a Brookings study shows.

-- Olivia Backhaus

3 DC public schools go virtual after surge in COVID cases

-- WTOP District of Columbia: December 19, 2021 [ abstract]

D.C. education officials announced Sunday that three public schools will transition to virtual learning through the start of winter break due to surging COVID-19 cases. Students at McKinley Tech High School, Turner Elementary School and Bard High School Early College DC will learn virtually this week, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee said, due to an increased number of cases impacting operations. “Multiple positive cases of COVID-19 at school were reported in recent days that impacted school operations,” Ferebee said, “resulting in the temporary shift to virtual instruction through December 22.” The school system also said that it plans to continue prioritizing the Health and well-being of its community members, and made the decision to go virtual after consultation with District Health officials.

-- Ivy Lyons

South Warren Middle School will continue to act as shelter for tornado victims

-- WBKO Kentucky: December 11, 2021 [ abstract]

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - South Warren Middle School is serving as a shelter for those who need it after a tornado blew through Western Kentucky. People are able to stay through the night, and there are many resources available at the middle school including food, water, clothing, toiletry items, etc. At 7 p.m. on Saturday WCPS buses will transport families to the shelter, where they will receive food, bedding and a place to stay for the night. Transportation back to their homes will be provided in the morning. People in need of food, water and other necessities can drive through Moss Elementary until 8:30 p.m. Saturday to get what they need. The Red Cross is set up facilitating many of these resources, along with WCPS. “There are some nurses here that are taking care of some bigger issues,” Jennifer Capps, the Executive Director of The American Red Cross of South Central Kentucky, said. “We also have mental Health counselors, if people need to talk.” Hundreds of people from all over came by SWMS to drop off donations and volunteer their time. Not only organizations getting involved, but strangers looking to lend a helping. You can drop off donations until 8 p.m. Saturday night.

-- Katey Cook

Students and parents call for school district, city officials to fix school buildings

-- The Philadelphia Tribune Pennsylvania: December 11, 2021 [ abstract]

Students, parents, and advocates are calling for the School District of Philadelphia and elected officials to rebuild public school facilities by creating an open, participating plan for fixing environmental Health and safety issues.
“In the last four months, we have seen no change in school infrastructure even though the district had more than a year to address the issues in school buildings,” said Ashley Tellez of the Latinx advocacy organization Juntos.
“Our schools deserve a reinvestment because this is where we build our future, where ideas flourish and where minds grow,” she added.
The proposed plan includes: information being transparent and accessible to school communities; data being shared by the city, school district and individual impacted schools; and an independent citywide board, separate from the school district, that will oversee spending priorities, construction progress, and decide on best practices for construction processes and environmental testing.
The plan also asks the school district to create a master facilities plan with input from school community members to rebuild or repair every school, remediate environmental toxins, and reduce each school’s carbon emissions using union labor and minority-owned companies.

-- Staff Writer

Los Angeles Schoolyards Should Be Green

-- LA Progressive California: November 27, 2021 [ abstract]

According to the Trust for Public Land, 50% of Los Angeles County residents lack access to a public park.
The American Psychological Association reports that exposure to nature, particularly green spaces, has been linked to a host of benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation.
Given the long list of benefits associated with being close to nature and in light of the fact that the vast majority of school yards in Los Angeles are covered with asphalt, the Trust for Public Land and the Los Angeles Living Schoolyard Coalition conducted a study on Health, educational equity, and climate benefits of a Green Schoolyard Initiative for Los Angeles.
The study, which was recently released and is embeded below, underscores how green schoolyards can reduce the harmful effects of climate-related heat, increase park access and access to green space, and address park equity and disparities for millions in Los Angeles.
The Trust for Public Land along with its partners in the Los Angeles Living Schoolyards Coalition released this groundbreaking new study, “Green Schoolyards for Los Angeles: The Smart Policy Solution for Equity, Health, and Climate Resilience,” as part of an overall effort to ensure that students, teachers, staff and the community surrounding the schools have access to public green spaces.
“Transforming asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces, with natural play structures and outdoor classrooms that are unlocked for public use after school hours can greatly help provide park access for the 1.5 million Angelenos who lack it,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, California State Director for The Trust for Public Land. “Green schoolyards can not only address the park equity gap but students, teachers, and staff will benefit with increased shading that reduces the harmful impacts of increased
heat,” added Rodriguez.

-- Sharon Kyle

Bordentown Schools to Receive $60K in State Funds for Capital Maintenance Needs

-- Tap Into Bordertown New Jersey: November 23, 2021 [ abstract]

GARFIELD, NJ – Governor Phil Murphy today announced on Friday that $75 million in funding will be distributed to school districts across the state to help meet emergent and capital maintenance needs, as well as address COVID-19 concerns to help schools ensure a safe and Healthy learning environment for students. Because every school district in New Jersey will receive funding, the projects will also support good-paying union jobs in all corners of the state. "In order to ensure New Jersey remains the number one school system in the nation, we must ensure our schools have the tools they need for students to succeed," said Governor Murphy. "The funds we are announcing today are critical for making sure our schools remain safe and welcoming spaces for our kids and educators and for ensuring that our school buildings can meet the needs of the future. I am also proud to say that these projects will support union jobs throughout New Jersey."

-- Elizabeth Meyers

Proposed School to Be Steps Away from Dangerous Pipelines

-- NBC Philadelphia Pennsylvania: November 22, 2021 [ abstract]

After a year of being cooped up in their Philly rowhome, Cameron and Brianna Stevens decided to buy a house on three acres in Delaware County.
“I wanted to raise our kids in an environment that was Healthier and calmer and peaceful,” Brianna Stevens said.
The couple is expecting their first child.
So, when they heard that a new elementary school was being proposed right across the street, they saw that as a positive.
“We were like, 'Oh yeah, that's great.' You know, that's convenient. That's nice,” she said.
That is, until they learned about the two gas transmission pipelines running through a corner of the proposed school property.
The Rose Tree Media School District wants to build a new elementary school on a 36-acre plot in Edgmont to address a growing population. And so far, the district has paid $1.25 million for one parcel on the 1500 block of Middletown Road and is currently under agreement with the owner of the second parcel next to it.
Community meetings about the project have addressed a number of concerns from traffic to noise and lights. But the two 20-inch parallel gas transmission pipelines that traverse the eastern corners of the property have been of little discussion.
“I can't imagine what's worse than a pipeline being on the property that you're choosing to build a school,” Stevens said.
If the Rose Tree Media plan does come to fruition, it wouldn’t be the only school with gas transmission pipelines running by the property -- or with other pipelines in close proximity.
The NBC10 Investigators mapped out all schools and pipelines in the Southeast Pennsylvania region. And we found that dozens of schools in our region sit near hazardous pipelines.

-- Claudia Vargas

Governor Murphy Announces $75 Million for Emergent and Capital Maintenance School Construction Throughout New Jersey

-- State of New Jersey New Jersey: November 19, 2021 [ abstract]

GARFIELD – As part of his commitment to ensuring a high-quality education for every student in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy today announced that $75 million in funding will be distributed to school districts across the state to help meet emergent and capital maintenance needs, as well as address COVID-19 concerns to help schools ensure a safe and Healthy learning environment for students. Because every school district in New Jersey will receive funding, the projects will also support good-paying union jobs in all corners of the state. “In order to ensure New Jersey remains the number one school system in the nation, we must ensure our schools have the tools they need for students to succeed,” said Governor Murphy. “The funds we are announcing today are critical for making sure our schools remain safe and welcoming spaces for our kids and educators and for ensuring that our school buildings can meet the needs of the future. I am also proud to say that these projects will support union jobs throughout New Jersey.” All school districts will receive a portion of the $75 million, which will be administered by the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA). Of the $75 million, $50 million will be distributed to New Jersey’s 31 SDA districts and $25 million will be distributed to regular operating districts. Governor Murphy was joined by Acting Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillian and Manuel M. Da Silva, Chief Executive Officer of the SDA. The Governor made today’s announcement during a visit to the Garfield School District, which will receive $853,224. “School districts share our goal of providing students with Healthy and safe learning spaces, which is especially crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting Department of Education Commissioner Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan. “I commend Governor Murphy and the School Development Authority for the foresight in making this a priority in the budget.” “We are committed to ensuring that New Jersey’s educational facilities best support the needs of students through Healthy and safe learning environments,” said Schools Department Authority CEO Manuel Da Silva. “We are excited to continue our work through the administration of this grant program for ROD and SDA school districts, allowing them to make important and necessary improvements to their school facilities.” “Today's announcement begins to move us in the right direction and sends the signal that New Jersey is paying attention to our schools’ outdated infrastructure,” said Senator Teresa Ruiz, chair of the Senate Education Committee. “While this will address some immediate projects, there is still much to be done to ensure all our students have a safe, suitable learning environment. We must understand that there is an immense need where school infrastructure is concerned. Therefore, there must also be discussion about investment in tangible short-term and long-term solutions.” “Our students, even those from low-income or working-class neighborhoods, deserve the same opportunities, facilities and first-class classrooms that more affluent districts take for granted. Our parents need to be able not to worry about whether their child is getting an equal opportunity to achieve as their peers in other parts of the state,” said Senator Nellie Pou. “Indeed, the maintenance and, where needed, construction of new buildings, classrooms, chemistry labs, band rooms, audio visual studios or athletic facilities should be the same for every child in New Jersey, in order that we as a state live up to the letter and spirit of the words and the promise in our state Constitution, ‘provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient’ education for every child in the state.”

-- Staff Writer

Vermont officials change rule for PCBs in school buildings

-- The Daily Progress Vermont: November 19, 2021 [ abstract]

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Vermont Health officials are changing guidelines on safe levels of PCBs in schools after learning that a certain amount of the toxic chemical is common in indoor environments. This week Health officials announced that polychlorinated biphenyls can be toxic to people if they surpass 100 nanograms per cubic meter in the air of buildings used by people ages seventh grade and up, 60 nanograms for elementary school students, and 30 nanograms for pre-kindergartners, WCAZ-TV reported. Previous guidelines suggested that no more than 15 nanograms of PCBs per cubic meter in a building's air be permitted.

-- Associated Press

Syracuse schools to start $300 million in construction projects at 10 schools

-- Syracuse.com New York: November 16, 2021 [ abstract]

Syracuse, N.Y. -- The state cleared the way for Syracuse to begin its final phase of school renovations, which is expected to cost $300 million.
Ten schools will be renovated. This is the third phase in a plan to renovate all of the school district’s more than 30 buildings, at a cost of $750 million.
The renovations include:
Nottingham High School: $34 million. New school-based Health center; auditorium renovations; classroom renovations; new sidewalks and paving; cafeteria, kitchen, and loading dock renovations; pool renovations; gym renovations; turf field and tack; roofing; complete mechanicals, electrical and plumbing renovations
Latin School: $22 million. Interior upgrades and ADA renovations in classrooms and bathrooms; sidewalk replacement and paving; courtyard upgrades; roof replacement; replace windows, exterior doors and masonry repairs; upgrade middle school science classrooms; gym upgrades; mechanical, electrical and plumbing; upgraded technology including white boards, wireless access points, data drops.
Corcoran High School: $30 million estimated total project cost. Complete classroom renovations; roofing replacement; auditorium renovations; gym and pool renovations; complete mechanical, plumbing and electrical renovations; kitchen and loading dock renovations.

-- Marnie Eisenstadt

You can now track asbestos remediation in Philly schools

-- Axios Philadelphia Pennsylvania: November 12, 2021 [ abstract]

Is asbestos remediation going on in your Philly school? What's happening: The city launched a new interactive dashboard this week, and you can search all construction projects involving asbestos in the school district dating back to 2016. Why it matters: School officials have struggled to protect children from environmental concerns, including asbestos and lead, that have long plagued district schools. Inhaling or being exposed to asbestos can increase risks of developing Health issues, including certain cancers.
State of play: The school district has an estimated $5 billion maintenance backlog, and the average age of Philly school buildings is more than 70 years old. How it works: The dashboard maps asbestos remediation projects at specific schools and where the work was performed in them. It also tracks planned completion dates and other information. The dashboard uses notification forms for asbestos projects through the Department of Public Health, which is updated daily.

-- Mike D'Onofrio

Jury orders Bayer to pay $62 mln over contaminated U.S. school building

-- Reuters Washington: November 10, 2021 [ abstract]

Nov 10 (Reuters) - A U.S. jury on Wednesday ordered Bayer AG (BAYGn.DE) to pay $62 million to students and others who say they were exposed to toxic chemicals made by the company's predecessor, Monsanto Co, in a school building in Washington state.
The verdict was the second against Bayer over polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, at the Sky Valley Education Center in Monroe, Washington.
A trial involving three teachers ended in a $185 million verdict in July, including $135 million in punitive damages, which Bayer is appealing.
Bayer said it would challenge the verdict through post-trial motions, and that "undisputed evidence in this case does not support the conclusions that plaintiffs were exposed to unsafe levels of PCBs" at the school.
Nearly 200 people, including students, parents and staff, have sued Bayer over the alleged contamination resulting from exposure to PCBs found in fluorescent light ballasts at Sky Valley, and 19 more trials are scheduled.
The plaintiffs assert they suffered Health problems, including asthma and cognitive impairment. Bayer has said the lighting components were produced decades ago by Monsanto customers and installed in the 1960s.

-- Brendan Pierson

Parents push for help reopening flood-damaged Cresskill school

-- northjersey.com New Jersey: November 02, 2021 [ abstract]

CRESSKILL — More than 100 parents rallied on Monday outside the public library to push for help with reopening the district's middle/senior high school, which has been shut since the remnants of Hurricane Ida flooded the building. The school sustained more than $19 million in damage from the storm. About 1,000 sixth to 12th graders have now been out of school for a nearly 600-day period, stretching back to the beginning of the coronavirus shutdown. "Our kids need help. Their school was destroyed," said Suzanne Joshi, a parent. "We are really starting to see the mental Health impact on a lot of the kids." Specifically, the parents want additional support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state and the county to expedite funding, inspections and approvals for the complicated project. The rebuilding must comply with state Department of Education and fire marshal requirements. There is some good news for students, who are scheduled to return to classrooms in a nearby parochial school next Monday. Two grades will return per day on a rotating schedule to St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church school in Cresskill on Nov. 8, Superintendent Michael Burke said.

-- Kristie Cattafi

Lead testing programs launch in Georgia as CDC lowers lead level guidelines for kids

-- WABE Georgia: November 01, 2021 [ abstract]

A program to test water for lead at public schools in Georgia is underway. The test kits are free, and environmental advocates are encouraging schools to sign up. All licensed childcare centers in Georgia will be eligible for the program soon, too. Lead is dangerous to children — even small amounts can affect their brains and nervous systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there’s no safe blood lead level for children. The Georgia Department of Education program, funded by a federal grant, is meant to check sources of drinking and cooking water at schools in the state. Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, Director of Environmental Health and Water Quality with the research group RTI International, which is distributing the test kits to Georgia schools, said lead typically doesn’t come from the water source itself. “It can accumulate on the way to your tap from the distribution piping and building plumbing,” she said at an outreach meeting last week. “That’s why it’s so important to test at the tap, even if and when it’s tested at the water system.” Redmon’s organization is sending out lead testing kits to any Georgia public school that requests them. The group will also provide training for people at the schools to collect the samples themselves then send them back to RTI for testing. The results will be posted publicly online. The project doesn’t include funding for addressing lead contamination if any is found. But Redmon said she doesn’t want that to deter schools from signing up.

-- Molly Samuel

Federal Officials Spotlight N.C. Schools During “Green Strides” Tour

-- EdNC North Carolina: October 20, 2021 [ abstract]

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction welcomed U.S. Department of Education staff to Raleigh today, kicking off its annual Green Strides Tour, which this year spotlights North Carolina schools. The three-day visit in North Carolina honors past and present recipients of the Green Ribbon Award, which recognizes schools for their efforts to reduce environmental impact, improve Health and wellness and promote effective sustainability education. Earlier this year, four North Carolina honorees were recognized with this award. NCDPI and USED staff visited three schools in Raleigh today in celebration of the 2021 District Sustainability Award received by the Wake County Public School System. Following a meet and greet at the North Carolina Education Building, staff traveled to Abbotts Creek Elementary School, led by Principal Paula Trantham, to visit the 2019 Green Ribbon Awardee. U.S Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten, N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt and Wake Superintendent Cathy Moore participated in a student-led tour at Abbotts Creek.

-- Staff Writer

Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 may get $55M to address litany of safety issues

-- Mission Local California: October 08, 2021 [ abstract]

School board member Matthew Alexander said at a hearing on Buena Vista Horace Mann’s building maintenance Friday that he would propose spending $55 million to address issues that have been responsible for a litany of safety issues this year including a gas leak, a student getting an electrical shock and another tripping on a crack and sustaining an injury that needed 12 stitches.
Supervisor Hillary Ronen called Friday’s hearing in front of the the Board of Supervisors committee on Youth, Young Adults and Families to investigate the safety and conditions at this Mission District K-8 school.
“This school means everything to everyone, but all the things that have been happening lately … It’s like we’re risking our lives for a war we can’t win,” said one fourth grader during the hearing. “We want funds because part of our school is falling apart. It just doesn’t feel safe anymore.”
Alexander said he will ask the school board to approve a transfer of $55 million in bond money from other allocated projects to Buena Vista’s renovations. This will amend the board’s recommendation, which supposedly promises $15 million, and will officially be released Friday, he said.
“For me it’s phasing and priorities,” Alexander told Mission Local, whose reporter visited the school following the gas leak on Aug. 27. “We need to make sure that our existing schools are safe and Healthy before we start building new schools.”

-- ANNIKA HOM

Council takes up lack of HVAC in schools

-- The Bay State Banner Massachusetts: October 07, 2021 [ abstract]

Boston City Council discussed plans to address the safety conditions of Boston Public Schools buildings and classrooms during extreme temperatures in a virtual meeting on Sept. 30. Councilor at-large and chair of Boston City Council’s Committee on Education Annissa Essaibi George led the discussion between representatives from Boston Public Schools (BPS), the Boston Education Justice Alliance, Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH), and Councilors Ricardo Arroyo, Michael Flaherty, Julia Mejia and Michelle Wu. Arroyo addressed the concerns of BPS students, teachers, and staff regarding the extreme temperatures in classrooms and school buildings and their effect on Health and safety conditions in the schools. Essaibi George read a statement from Councilor Ed Flynn, who was unable to attend the meeting. “I believe that we must ensure that our students learn in an environment that shelters them from extreme heat and cold, mainly in buildings that are temperature-controlled with proper ventilation and insulation,” Flynn wrote in his statement. “I urge that BPS look into funding sources to retrofit our school buildings with HVAC systems so that our students, teachers and staff can learn and work in a Healthy and safe environment.”

-- Molly Swanton

Marblehead's new Brown Elementary School opens to students

-- Wickedlocal.com Massachusetts: October 07, 2021 [ abstract]

The wait is almost over.
Marblehead’s new Lucretia and Joseph Brown Elementary School will open its doors to students for learning on Wednesday, Oct. 13, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony following on Sunday, Oct. 17.
“The ribbon-cutting will be all about the students,” Brian Dakin, the project manager said at a recent School Building Committee (SBC) meeting. “Students will be involved in the actual ribbon cutting. They’ll be singing. And, of course, there will be Joe Frogger cookies for everybody.”
One of the school’s namesakes, Lucretia Brown, was famous for the molasses spice Joe Frogger cookies she created.
The new 82,000-square-foot school, situated at the site of the old Bell School, will serve 450 students and replace three elementary schools. The price tag is about $55 million, and the Massachusetts School Building Authority is expected to cover $13.6 million of that.
The school passed its final inspections -- elevator, electrical, plumbing, and Health -- all in the last couple of weeks. And on Friday, Sept. 24, the building received its certificate of occupancy.

-- Leigh Blander

To ensure safe schools for all, we need statewide cleaning standards

-- EdSource National: September 29, 2021 [ abstract]

With schools opening for full-time in-person instruction, there has never been more attention paid to the cleanliness of our classrooms and campuses. Disinfecting protocols, air filtration systems and the frequency of cleaning are high on the minds of parents, staff and students. Much has been done to prepare for a safe reopening, but ensuring everyone’s Health and safety this school year and beyond will require that we address longstanding inequities and inconsistencies in our approach to school cleanliness.
Providing students and staff with safe and decent school facilities is one of the basic elements of quality public education. Indeed, this was mandated in the landmark case Williams v. California, which ruled that the state must provide public school students with equal access to safe and decent school facilities. But despite legal mandates, the reality is that school cleanliness and maintenance have suffered from budget cuts and understaffing for decades, with schools in predominantly Black and brown communities suffering the greatest neglect.
In the Los Angeles Unified School District, with a student population that is 73% Latino and 10% Black, pre-pandemic custodial staffing levels were at about 40% of what was needed to maintain cleanliness standards set by the district, according to a 2014 report by the district Board of Education. The lack of staff meant classrooms were not mopped every day, some bathrooms had to be locked and deep cleaning only occurred once or twice a year.

-- Max Arias - Commentary

Governor Hochul Announces $59 Million "Clean Green Schools" Initiative To Improve Air Quality And Reduce Carbon Emissi

-- New York State Energy Research and Development Aut New York: September 23, 2021 [ abstract]

Governor Kathy Hochul today allocated $59 million for the new Clean Green Schools initiative, which aims to advance clean energy and energy efficiency solutions that will improve indoor air quality and reduce emissions for more than 500 public and private Pre-K-12 schools in disadvantaged communities across the state. As part of the program, the State will convene education leaders this fall, including school superintendents, administrators, and educators, to inform the initiative launching in early 2022 to address climate justice issues and create improved, Healthier learning environments for students. Today's announcement supports New York's nation-leading goal of an 85 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act). "Every child deserves a clean and Healthy learning environment, and this new program will help deliver that for our students, educators, and administrators in a way that provides meaningful results and can be replicated across our state," Governor Hochul said. "I know what it's like to grow up exposed to unHealthy air, and we owe it to our children to be better than previous generations and correct these injustices." Administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Clean Green Schools initiative will provide technical, financial, and human resource support to help schools in underserved areas evaluate, plan for, and implement energy efficient and clean heating and cooling projects to benefit the most vulnerable New Yorkers. The initiative will provide a range of tools, including benchmarking, energy management, indoor air quality assessments, commissioning support, student engagement in clean energy, and professional development opportunities around clean energy and sustainability, as well as two rounds of competitive incentives for clean building improvements in schools.

-- Staff Writer

Lowndes High construction delayed

-- Valdosta Daily Times Georgia: September 23, 2021 [ abstract]

VALDOSTA – Lowndes High School construction has been delayed, pushing the move-in date back to next year. “We are not comfortable with sticking to the schedule to move in by Nov 1,” Jeff Hill, Lowndes County Schools executive director of facilities and operation, said. “We have had many setbacks due to unforeseen things and we wanted to make the call sooner than later.” There have been several factors that contribute to the change in schedule, including labor shortage, inclement weather and material delays. The new move-in date for LHS has been moved to February 2022. Lowndes County school board also heard concerns from parents and teachers regarding COVID-19 procedures at the board meeting earlier this week. Dr. Treva Gear, Lowndes High School instructional coach, spoke on behalf of teachers across the school district who are fatigued and stressed. “I do not want to see another teacher come to me crying, anxious and stressed out. We are being overexposed, even those that wear masks and are vaccinated are getting sick.” Gear said. “I come to you asking for compassion because teachers do not feel like you all care. We are not OK.” Amanda Bushey, a parent of two children in the Lowndes County school system, brought her concerns to the board. “Since the beginning of the school year, the only communication you all have had with the community is the relaxing of the quarantine plan.” Bushey said, “You have lost the trust of students, parents and the community.” The board reviewed the return to school policy implemented in August. “All of the data information within the return to school plan reflect recommendations from the three agencies (Georgia Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control, pediatrics) emphasized the need for students to be face to face and they all recommend masks which is the basis for our plan,” Lowndes County Superintendent Wes Taylor said.

-- Brittanye Blake

US Department of Education recognizes 325 ‘National Blue Ribbon Schools’ from across the country

-- WRIC.com National: September 21, 2021 [ abstract]

(NEXSTAR) – The U.S. Department of Education has named the recipients of 2021’s National Blue Ribbon School Awards, recognizing a total of 325 educational facilities across the country for their exemplary test performances or efforts to close achievement gaps between students. Created in 1982, the National Blue Ribbon School Program recognizes public, parochial and private learning facilities from across the country, as nominated by the chief educational officers in each state (for public schools) or the Council for American Private Education (for private or parochial schools). Miguel Cardona, the U.S. Secretary of Education, said 2021’s recipients should be especially proud of their accomplishments amid an “unprecedented” year of challenges. “This year’s cohort of honorees demonstrates what is possible when committed educators and school leaders create vibrant, welcoming, and affirming school cultures where rich teaching and learning can flourish,” Cardona said ahead of a visit to the Walter R. Sundling Jr. High School, in Palatine, Illinois, per a press release. “I commend this school and all our Blue Ribbon honorees for working to keep students Healthy and safe while meeting their academic, social, emotional, and mental Health needs.

-- Nexstar Media Wire

What voters need to know about Portsmouth's $21.44 million school improvement bond

-- The Newport Daily News Rhode Island: September 21, 2021 [ abstract]

PORTSMOUTH — On Nov. 2, voters will have the opportunity to vote in a special election whether or not to approve a $21.44 million bond. If approved, funds will go toward renovating several schools. Through the Rhode Island School Construction Program, Portsmouth has submitted a “Stage II” application to receive state reimbursement for 40% of the project costs, totaling $8,575,720. More:After passing on unification with Newport, Middletown ponders future of its own schools Under this competitive statewide program, Portsmouth is eligible for reimbursement at a baseline rate of 35%, plus a bonus incentive of 5% for the Health and safety improvements included in the project plans. The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) is reviewing Portsmouth’s Stage II application, and a decision on reimbursement is expected in December 2021. The projects will move forward only if voters approve the referendum and the state approves the Stage II application.

-- Bethany Brunelle

All Maine schools to begin testing drinking water for lead under new state law

-- Sun Journal Maine: September 20, 2021 [ abstract]

Schools throughout Maine will be required to test their drinking and cooking water fixtures for lead this school year under a new law that makes lead testing of school water a state requirement. In the past only schools that provided their own water through wells were required by federal law to undergo regular testing. Most schools in Maine are on town water systems and may have undergone testing on their own or through voluntary sampling with the Maine Drinking Water Program, a project of the Department of Health and Human Services, but efforts have varied around the state. “I think it’s a great idea,” said Andrew Carlton, superintendent in Wales-based Regional School Unit 4, which is among a small number of school districts participating in a lead testing pilot program ahead of the roll-out of the requirement for schools around the state. “The minute we heard about this and there was the potential of it coming down, we were on it because we should have been doing this years ago.” The Maine Drinking Water Program, which works to enforce safe drinking water standards, is coordinating the lead testing program in schools, which is scheduled to start Oct. 1 and run through the end of May. The program follows legislation that passed in 2019 and the subsequent development of a new department rule this past spring.

-- Rachel Ohm

Hundreds of Washington school buildings have ‘poor’ ventilation ratings, data show

-- king5.com Washington: September 20, 2021 [ abstract]

Schools face many hurdles as students return to classroom learning, but one of the more challenging ones in some school buildings is making sure that the air is safe for staff and students to breathe.
Data from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) show that 787 school buildings across the state have “poor” ratings for their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Ventilation in older school buildings has long been a problem, but with the spread of COVID-19 and the delta variant, it has moved to the front burner.
“It’s huge. We’ve said from the beginning that we need more ventilation,” said Nancy Bernard, a Washington State Department of Health school environmental Health and safety expert, who advises districts across the state.
OSPI requires school districts that receive state money to upgrade their buildings to file inspection reports on HVAC systems for all their buildings.
The KING 5 Investigators have created this searchable database that allows users to find inspection “grades” for specific school buildings in Washington.

-- Chris Ingalls

When Climate Change Forces Schools to Close: Fires, Storms and Heatwaves Have Already Kept 1 Million Students Out of Cla

-- the74million.org National: September 16, 2021 [ abstract]

With the new academic year already hindered by COVID infections and closures, a new hurdle has emerged. A month of extreme weather has disrupted back-to-school across the country, with closures affecting more than 1.1 million students.
More than 45,000 students in Louisiana alone are expected to be out of school until October because of lingering problems caused by Hurricane Ida, which made landfall Aug. 29.
Remnants of the storm also battered districts in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey with flooding and tornadoes. Additionally, rising temperatures coupled with inadequate air conditioning have closed hundreds of districts around the country.
Meanwhile, wildfires have scorched school grounds in California.
“Unfortunately, these horrific wildfires and other natural disasters have become our new normal as a result of the effects of climate change,” California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said in a news release Sept. 3.
The frequency and intensity of the natural disasters shuttering schools are in part due to climate change.
“Ida is an unnatural disaster, at least in part,” Jason West, a professor of environmental engineering at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health tweeted on Aug. 29. “Climate change makes it stronger, sea level rise makes it more damaging.”
Here’s how America’s schools and students are faring as climate change fans the flames of extreme weather.

-- Meghan Gallagher

$85 billion gap: 12 actions for improving health and safety of school facilities

-- District Administration National: September 10, 2021 [ abstract]

U.S. schools face an annual $85 billion shortfall in facilities funding, and schools that serve lower-income students face the biggest gaps, a new report finds.
Districts spend about $110 billion on maintenance, operations and capital construction each year. But they need $195 billion to meet Health and safety standards, says the “2021 State of Our Schools Report” by the 21st Century School Fund, the International WELL Building Institute and the National Council on School Facilities.
Increased construction costs, building inventory increases and a sharp decline in facility spending since the Great Recession are driving this widening gap despite the efforts of communities and districts to upgrade their schools, the report says.
Back in 2016, the same report pegged the funding shortfall at $46 billion.
“Unfortunately, while local districts are struggling with making facilities safe in a pandemic, they are faced with longstanding deficiencies in their aging infrastructure, which makes this very difficult,” said Mary Filardo, executive director, 21st Century School Fund and lead author of the 2021 report.
Nationally, local districts cover 77% of school facility costs, with only 22% coming from states. High poverty districts spent an average $3.8 million per school on construction from 2009-18 while low-poverty districts spent more than $5 million.

-- Matt Zalaznick

Could Green Roofs on Schools Be a Climate Solution?

-- Sierra Club National: September 09, 2021 [ abstract]

More than 7,000 gardens were sprouting in schoolyards across the US as of 2015. For decades, these leafy spaces have been earning praise for their multifaceted benefits: offering kids hands-on experience growing fruits and vegetables, helping them develop a taste for Healthy food, and providing teachers with a platform to explore STEM concepts. Representative Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) wants to move some school gardens up in the world—to rooftops—and plant them alongside meadows that also provide havens for wildlife, reduce stormwater runoff, and mitigate urban heat islands. HR 1863, a.k.a. the Public School Green Rooftop Program Act, which Velázquez introduced in March, would authorize the Department of Energy to provide $500 million in grants to public schools to build and maintain green roof systems. That’s enough for about 14 million square feet of greenery—which, by some estimates, would retain some 154 million gallons of stormwater and 537 tons of carbon—with priority given to schools serving low-income students. Velázquez, backed by 20 (Democratic) co-signers and the support of the National Resources Defense Council and other environmental groups, says such roofs will help forge a path to “cleaner, Healthier communit[ies],” according to a press release. The science is on her side—although Pete Ellis, senior project manager for Recover Green Roofs, a Massachusetts-based company that’s installed green roofs on about 20 school and university buildings and is an industry sponsor of the bill, says that more work needs to be done to quantify things like carbon sequestration potential, biodiversity improvement, and just how much green roofs can reduce heating and cooling costs for any given building. Nevertheless, he says, “A lot of things have been rigorously substantiated: improved air quality, reduced ambient temperature to alleviate urban heat island effects, and the ability to capture and retain stormwater runoff.”

-- Lela Nargi

AFT president reacts to congressional action on school construction, ‘2021 State of Our Schools’ report

-- The Highland County Press National: September 08, 2021 [ abstract]

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued a statement Wednesday in response to the House Education and Labor Committee’s release of its portion of the Build Back Better reconciliation bill, which includes $82 billion for K-12 construction. This announcement comes directly on the heels of the release of the “2021 State of Our Schools” report — a joint publication of the 21st Century School Fund, the National Council on School Facilities and the International WELL Building Institute — which finds that the nation has been underinvesting in school infrastructure by $85 billion annually. For more, go to: https://resources.wellcertified.com/resources/press-releases/state-of-our-schools-2021. Weingarten said: “It shouldn’t have taken a respiratory virus to want to fix outdated school buildings falling apart due to decades of neglect. Whether it’s failing heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, leaky facilities that breed mold or windows that won’t open or close, this type of disrepair undermines student learning and overall safety, disproportionately harming students of color, students with disabilities and students in rural counties. That is why we applaud House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott for including $82 billion for school construction grants in the House version of the reconciliation bill. “If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that schools are the centers of our communities — places where everyone should feel safe and welcome, and where students can experience the hope of learning, the joy of connections and the resilience they need to succeed. This requires safe and Healthy buildings.

-- Staff Writer

Annual Funding Gap for Making the Nation's Public School Buildings Safer, Healthier and Fit for Learning Balloons to $85

-- Yahoo Finance National: September 08, 2021 [ abstract]

New report from the 21st Century School Fund, the International WELL Building Institute and the National Council on School Facilities shows massive underinvestment in education facilities, identifies solutions to achieve Healthier, more sustainable elementary and secondary schools. NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The 2021 State of Our Schools Report: America's PK-12 Public School Facilities, released today by the 21st Century School Fund, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and the National Council on School Facilities, projects that the United States faces a shortfall of a staggering $85 billion in school facility funding every year. Districts are spending about $110 billion every year on maintenance, operations, and capital construction – but the educational facilities standards for good stewardship necessitates nearly $195 billion. The rise in the nation's PK-12 gap has been brought on by increased school construction costs, building inventory increases, and a sharp decline in facility expenditures after the great recession. All this exists despite extraordinary efforts on the part of local communities and states to deliver public school buildings that help protect the Health and safety of the students, teachers and staff who walk through their doors every day.

-- PR Newswire

Governor Hogan Directs State Officials to Conduct Assessment of Ventilation and Air Filtration in School Buildings

-- The Office of Governor Larry Hogan Maryland: September 01, 2021 [ abstract]

On Tuesday, 31 schools in Baltimore Schools dismissed students early due to a lack of proper air conditioning. The governor made the announcement at today’s meeting of the Board of Public Works: “I know we are all pleased to see students returning to in-person instruction in every school system across the state. Unfortunately, this week, schools all over Baltimore City, including 31 just yesterday, had to dismiss students early due to the lack of proper air conditioning. “It’s unbelievable to me that this is still happening after the Comptroller and I have worked together for the last six years to push to get every school air conditioned, and to provide record funding for every school to be air conditioned, and our nonstop efforts to hold schools accountable. “We were successful in requiring Baltimore City to reluctantly create a plan to finally bring air conditioning to all their schools, even against fierce opposition from legislative leaders. But in spite of them putting plans together, the work was not actually completed. “We established a Healthy Schools Facilities Fund to provide additional state-funded grants to public schools specifically to make urgently needed emergency air conditioning and heating upgrades. Baltimore City returned the money to the state after failing to spend it on the improvements.

-- Staff Writer

Ohio senator calls for school building upgrades in wake of heat

-- WYTV.com Ohio: August 27, 2021 [ abstract]

After heat this week forced some Ohio public schools to shut down or dismiss students early, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown is calling for upgrades and renovations for buildings.
In his statement Friday, he encouraged the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as well as the Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act.
Ensuring that Ohio’s students can learn in safe, Healthy environments is a top priority. The bipartisan infrastructure deal would allow public schools to apply for energy-efficient improvement grants, which could be used to upgrade their HVAC systems – it’s another reason we need to get the plan to the president’s desk and signed into law, so we can get students back in the classroom. It’s also why I’m working to pass my Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act, which would invest $130 billion to help schools upgrade their physical and digital infrastructure – including upgrading school HVAC systems. SENATOR SHERROD BROWN (D-OH)
A section of the IIJA would provide grants for schools to make energy efficiency improvements.

-- Abigail Cloutier

We’re Burying Our Kids in Debt (Just Not the Way You Think)

-- New York Times National: August 27, 2021 [ abstract]

For the Philadelphia teacher Freda Anderson, setting up her classroom involves clearing plaster, dust and paint chips from tables, chairs and desks. Somewhere, a leak has allowed water to seep through the walls. Years of deferred maintenance have caused dust and paint chips to scatter across the room. This debris is not just a brazen reminder of state abandonment of public education — it is an active vector of harm. A report released this spring revealed an asbestos epidemic creeping through Philadelphia schools. During the 2019 school year, 11 schools closed because of toxic physical conditions; a veteran teacher is suffering from mesothelioma, a lethal disease caused by asbestos. Ms. Anderson used to believe the best way to fix schools would be to hire more teachers, counselors and mental Health providers, “but, honestly, now the first thing I would do is start reallocating money to fix the buildings,” she told me. “They’re just really dangerous.” The question of how to finance Philadelphia schools’ $4.5 billion of unmet infrastructure needs — as well as hiring more teachers, counselors and nurses — has been a vexing issue for the community. Despite high levels of affluence in the city, inequitable distribution of state aid and regressive taxation, including hundreds of millions of dollars in local corporate tax breaks, have exacerbated budget shortfalls. To keep the lights on, the School District of Philadelphia — like thousands of districts across the country — has increasingly turned to debt financing: They issue bonds to borrow money from financial markets, either with their own bonding authority or through municipal governments. Investment funds purchase these bonds, thus lending the funds to local governments or school districts, who promise to repay the loans, plus interest and issuance fees.

-- Opinion - Eleni Schirmer

Local contractor blows whistle on alleged asbestos issue at Ann Arbor elementary schools

-- WXYZ.com Michigan: August 26, 2021 [ abstract]

(WXYZ) — A local contractor is blowing the whistle on what he says are some dangerous exposures to the cancer-causing material at some Ann Arbor elementary schools that have been under construction.
Ann Arbor Public Schools spent more than $3 million on renovations at the two schools over the summer.
We’re not using the contractor’s name or showing you his face in order to protect his job, but he wants to expose what happened during that construction.
“Do you feel like the students are safe,” 7 Investigator Heather Catallo asked the contractor.
“Not unless something’s done about it,” said the contractor.
schools
A local contractor is blowing the whistle on what he says are some dangerous exposures to the cancer-causing material at some Ann Arbor elementary schools that have been under construction.
By: Heather CatalloPosted at 4:13 PM, Aug 26, 2021 and last updated 6:19 PM, Aug 26, 2021
(WXYZ) — A local contractor is blowing the whistle on what he says are some dangerous exposures to the cancer-causing material at some Ann Arbor elementary schools that have been under construction.
Ann Arbor Public Schools spent more than $3 million on renovations at the two schools over the summer.
We’re not using the contractor’s name or showing you his face in order to protect his job, but he wants to expose what happened during that construction.
“Do you feel like the students are safe,” 7 Investigator Heather Catallo asked the contractor.
“Not unless something’s done about it,” said the contractor.
Recent Stories from wxyz.com
Laboratory reports obtained by the 7 Investigators show asbestos-containing materials were found inside Angell Elementary and Burns Park Elementary.
“It’s on the lunch trays. It’s everywhere. It disperses like flour and it lands on surfaces and it stays there until someone turns on a desk fan, and now it’s in the air again … We worked in every part of that school, from the principal’s office to the cafeteria, to the gymnasium,” said the contractor of Burns Park.
Asbestos is a cancer-causing mineral that was once used in everything from insulation to ceiling tiles.
“You would not want the public breathing it in, definitely not children,” said Dr. Sarah Surber, an assistant professor with Wayne State University’s Department of Public Health. “When it’s disturbed it becomes friable, that just means it turns into a dust or the fibers are released … What happens is, you breathe them in, they go into the lungs and get trapped in the sacs in the lung, and that’s when you have a problem.”

-- Heather Catallo

Masterman teachers and parents at odds with district over asbestos fears

-- WHYY Pennsylvania: August 26, 2021 [ abstract]

In sweltering heat Thursday, educators at Julia R. Masterman school took their laptops and power cords and conducted their professional development day outside. They stayed outside all day to make a statement, hoping to raise awareness about their concerns around asbestos in the building, which is perilous to Health when damaged. Inside the school, construction is also ongoing. According to teachers, there is a plastic tarp on the gym floor, there is rain coming through the roof, known by students as “roof juice,” and there’s dust from construction. One staffer is said to have been hit by a piece of debris in the school elevator. “We don’t feel safe going into the school,” said Spanish teacher Elizabeth Diffenderfer, of the Center City campus. Many teachers feel the same, and, along with Masterman’s Home and School Association, criticized the district for not providing more information and clarity on infrastructure concerns before students return next Tuesday. The outdoor protest caught the attention of School District of Philadelphia leaders. At a separate event at Citizens Bank Park Thursday, Superintendent William Hite disputed the idea that the school is unsafe. “I want to be very clear, the district has been in close communication with Masterman HSA reps and the [teachers union],” said Hite, adding, “No known damaged asbestos remains in the school.”

-- Emily Rizzo

The danger of America’s forgotten battle with asbestos

-- Brookings National: August 26, 2021 [ abstract]

Asbestos—a silent, enduring pandemic—has become a forgotten issue in the U.S. Yet, it continues to endanger the lives of children and school staff every day, bearing particularly on marginalized communities who lack the critical resources to protect themselves.
Consider the example of 11-year-old Deon Clark, who, while playing with his classmates in Philadelphia’s Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School in 2018, was exposed to alarmingly high levels of asbestos. An investigation by the Philadelphia Inquirer found that the surface dust in one area of Clark’s classroom contained 4 million asbestos fibers per square centimeter, “50 times higher than the highest result for settled asbestos dust found indoors in apartments near ground zero after the 9/11 terror attacks.”
The profound Health implications that asbestos carries as a lethal mineral bundle cannot be overstated: When inhaled, its invisible fibers lodge in human lungs and can cause cancer and other Health complications even years after exposure. This led to its outright ban in over 50 countries. However, the ban has not yet been enacted in the U.S.
Despite growing public awareness of its fatal properties beginning in the 1970s, an attempt by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban asbestos under the Toxic Substance Control Act in 1989 was overturned in 1991 by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Since then, the U.S. approach to dealing with the substance has largely been to oversee its presence in newer products and in buildings across the U.S.
To manage asbestos in schools, Congress passed the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) in 1986. AHERA requires local educational agencies to “inspect their school buildings for asbestos-containing building material, prepare asbestos management plans and perform asbestos response actions to prevent or reduce asbestos hazards.”

-- Camille Busette and Alisa Ghura

Report: Aging Pa. schools ‘uniquely vulnerable’ to environmental health hazards

-- Pennsylvania Capital Star Pennsylvania: August 18, 2021 [ abstract]

Aging infrastructure has left Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts “uniquely vulnerable” to such environmental Health hazards as radon and mold, putting the safety of roughly 1.7 million public school students at risk, a new report concludes. The report, by the advocacy group Women for a Healthy Environment, calls on state officials to create “an equitable formula,” for school infrastructure investment, and to lift the existing moratorium on a reimbursement program for school construction. The report found that a majority of public school buildings across the state are within a half-mile of a polluter, and, as a result, that districts that serve more low-income and special education students had a greater prevalence of asthma. The report also found that those districts were less likely to test for environmental hazards, and less likely to do remediation work when they found such hazards. “Schools should be a safe place for children to learn, grow and play. The average school building in Pennsylvania was built in 1964 – several years before federal laws that affect Healthy indoor environments were enacted,” the group’s executive director, Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, said in a statement. “Through science we know that exposure to lead, radon and poor air quality for example, affects the development of our children. Healthy learning environments lead to greater academic achievement,” she continued. “Therefore, it is critical that we invest in our schools to assure children a Healthier future. This includes taking advantage of the unique opportunity that the American Rescue Plan Act presents to address these environmental risks now.” Gov. Tom Wolf, along with his Democratic allies in the General Assembly, have spent the last few years pushing for increased state investment in environmental remediation. In 2018-19, however, the administration did secure $11.9 million to fund lead paint remediation for the Philadelphia public schools. But in 2020, Wolf unsuccessfully pitched a $1.1 billion effort to fight lead and asbestos contamination in the state’s public schools. This year, Democrats in the state Senate called for using part of the state’s $7 billion in federal stimulus money to fix “crumbling” schools, WHYY-FM in Philadelphia reported. Democrats said the money was a “once in a lifetime chance,” the Capital-Star previously reported. “Our physical environment has a huge impact on the way we move, the way we think, and the way we act. In particular, the walls of a school building are there to inspire students to dream beyond their heights,” Sen. Tim Kearney, D-Delaware, said at a June news conference touting the plan, according to WHYY-FM. Democrats in the state House floated a similar plan to spend the stimulus money across a variety of causes. But to the frustration of Democrats, the Legislature’s majority Republicans ended up banking $5 billion of the stimulus money for future needs. An additional $2.5 billion in state surplus tax revenue was deposited into Pennsylvania’s ‘Rainy Day Fund.’ Individual districts are free, however, to spend the money they receive from the $1.6 billion in federal aid specifically earmarked for schools on lead remediation or other environmental problems that compromise student safety.

-- JOHN L. MICEK

Millions of students returning to aging school buildings that could threaten their health

-- WSET.com National: August 16, 2021 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON (SBG) — As students head back to school for in-person learning this fall, a new national report reveals that schools across the country are in need of serious updates to their infrastructure. It's not just cosmetics: aging school buildings could pose a risk to student Health and safety, and some say there's not enough funding to fix it all.
Hundreds of elementary school students will head back to school at one building in southern Virginia. But a class of fifth graders has been relocated to the library for their first day, unable to even enter the classroom they were supposed to call their homeroom.
In that classroom, Inside Your World Investigates discovered damage being repaired by crews in the waning days of summer. The floor had caved in. An aging HVAC unit was pulled from the wall. The ceiling tiles were stained with a leak from the roof. It's not surprising that the room was in need of updates; the school was built in the 1930s.
Less than 20 miles away sits the nation's oldest public school building in use today. Bedford County's iconic New London Academy was built in 1795. Stepping inside is like entering a time capsule.
Classrooms still have slate chalkboards and decades-old heating systems. School leaders told us they're proud of maintaining the school after 225 years, and say it's clean and spacious enough for the student body, but improvements can always be made.

-- MARK HYMAN, LARRY DEAL, JOHN STANSFIELD and ANDREA

New Jersey’s SDA districts set to open in 'deplorable conditions.' What you need to know

-- northjersey.com New Jersey: August 12, 2021 [ abstract]

When Abraham Lincoln School in Garfield reopens in September, students will cram into a building constructed 50 years after the 16th president was assassinated and is showing its age: A sagging roof, water damage from leaks in the mortar, no air- conditioning. It gets no better in some schools in Paterson, where the local teachers union has reported mold, leaky ceilings and rodents. But they do have running drinking water, which is more than can be said of at least half the schools in Jersey City. Those schools are examples among dozens throughout New Jersey’s 31 so-called Schools Development Authority (SDA) districts that will fully reopen this school year in “deplorable conditions,” as the Education Law Center put it in legal filings. Hot, overcrowded, poorly ventilated classrooms have become a way of life for students and teachers in these districts that have been so down-at-the-heels that the Supreme Court ruled decades ago that the state is responsible for school repairs and replacement so students can get a “thorough and efficient” education. But the law center contends the Murphy administration and legislative leaders have failed to keep their end of the bargain financially during the COVID-19 pandemic, even after being notified for years of the “urgent need” for repairs at schools to meet Health and safety standards.

-- Dustin Racioppi

K-12 Organizations Strongly Urge Congress to Include K-12 School Facilities in Reconciliation Bill

-- NAESP.org National: August 10, 2021 [ abstract]

As Congress moves forward with negotiations on a budget reconciliation bill, NAESP and other national K-12 organizations are strongly urging the inclusion of at least $100 billion in direct grants and $30 billion in bonds for K-12 public school facilities—consistent with the Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in July 2020. K-12 infrastructure funding was not included in the Senate bipartisan infrastructure legislation, however the reconciliation bill provides Congress with another opportunity to provide robust federal investments in America’s K-12 facilities. The organizations’ letter draws attention to the decades of underinvestment in K-12 facilities and the resulting alarming Health and safety risks posed to students and staff. A 2016 State of Our Schools Report found state and local governments underfund K-12 facilities by $46 billion annually. A GAO study further illuminates the scope of the problem: In about a quarter of all school districts, at least half of their schools needed upgrades or replacements to major building systems, such as heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, plumbing, or windows. The study also found 41 percent of districts need to update or replace HVAC systems in at least half of their schools. A leaking HVAC system or roof can cause water damage, exposing students and staff to mold or asbestos. Robust funding for K-12 facilities would strengthen state and local governments’ capacity to address these pressing Health risks, as well as others such as airborne polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

-- Staff Writer

Norcross, Reed Demand Upgrades in School Infrastructure to Enhance Safety & Raise Student Achievement

-- insidernj.com National: August 06, 2021 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) led over 90 members of Congress in urging Congressional leaders to prioritize the inclusion of federal dollars to boost school infrastructure nationwide as part of this once-in-a generation investment in the nation’s critical infrastructure. School districts are facing increased costs, aging school infrastructure and an urgent need for schools to alleviate crowded classrooms and ensure adequate fresh air ventilation to help reduce COVID-19 transmission. Noting that the crisis with crumbling school infrastructure predates the pandemic and is a threat to the Health and well-being of students and teachers and undermines academic achievement, 91 members of Congress penned a joint letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) urging the inclusion of at least $100 billion in federal funds to boost school construction. “An investment of at least $100 billion in school facilities will be critical to achieving the full promise of the American Families Plan for our middle and working class communities. Without an upgrade to school facilities, these communities will struggle to implement universal preschool, expand school nutrition programs, achieve climate resiliency, close the digital divide, and recruit and retain educators. Furthermore, failure to adequately invest in school facilities will undermine our march towards racial and economic justice, as these are the communities with the lowest tax bases and fewest resources for capital improvements,” the 91 members of Congress wrote.

-- Press Release

The link between educational inequality and infrastructure

-- The Washington Post National: August 06, 2021 [ abstract]

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) recently introduced legislation calling for $1.43 trillion in federal funding to support upgrades to school buildings and green infrastructure while making major investments in teaching and learning. As a former public school principal, counselor and teacher, Bowman understands firsthand the hardships that educators, families and youths have endured this year — and especially the underappreciated but powerful link between sustainable infrastructure and education.
Indeed, educational inequality has long been fueled by the inefficient physical structures of the school building, something the response to covid-19 exposed. While affluent parents donated resources and funding to guarantee that their schools could implement covid-19 mitigation practices — notably mandatory masking and physical distancing — public schools that serve less-affluent, non-White children faced antiquated HVAC systems and windowless classrooms, making it difficult, if not impossible, to implement the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s covid-19 mitigation policies and practices.
Yet, while covid-19 certainly shed new light on Health risks associated with substandard school conditions, the roots of the problem are much deeper. The racially biased policies and practices that elected leaders and public school officials that were implemented more than 100 years ago set the stage for underinvestment in public education and the wide variance in school facilities that serve White and non-White youths today.
Beginning in the late 19th century, the reliance on local funding, coupled with desires to maintain racially separate and unequal schools, drove inequitable school funding patterns.
In 1875, for example, Black families demanded that St. Louis officials provide a high school for Black youths. School leaders reluctantly complied and opened the first Black high school in a building previously condemned and closed because officials felt it was unsuitable for White youths. Black families raised concerns about the substandard conditions inside the building as well as the school’s proximity to a local lead factory that generated smoky, polluted air near the school.
School officials refused to listen. Half of the city’s Black children attended this school, exposing them to these toxins. In 1880, school officials allocated $39,330 per White school and $14,600 per Black school. These funding differentials exacerbated educational inequality and generated substandard facilities for non-White schools.

-- Erika M. Kitzmiller and Akira Drake Rodriguez

Feinstein, Padilla to Schumer: Infrastructure Package Must Include Funding for Schools

-- Senator Dianne Feinstein National: August 05, 2021 [ abstract]

Dear Majority Leader Schumer: As you craft legislation that scales up the federal investment in our nation’s infrastructure, we urge you to include strong and robust funding that will help states and school districts maintain, upgrade, and build new school facilities. As Senators for the State of California, we represent more than 6.1 million children across approximately 10,378 public schools – both in urban and rural areas. We have visited classrooms and have seen firsthand how reduced investments in our public education system has led to overcrowded classrooms, teacher layoffs, and unacceptable learning environments for our children. Many of our students are learning in old, outdated, and unHealthy classrooms. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic, in particular, has shown us how important schools are for the Health and wellbeing of our students, and their success. It has been reported that many schools are in dire need of improving their ventilation systems in order to mitigate the spread of viruses like COVID-19. However, these are not the only significant repairs that need to be made, as other environmental hazards – such as asbestos and lead—need to be addressed as well, in addition to technological improvements that create classrooms more conducive to learning in the 21st Century. In 2018, the State of California conducted a needs assessment that found urgent and shovel-ready projects required an estimated $3 billion to move forward. We also continue to hear from local school districts how imperative it is to upgrade schools. For example, the Los Angeles Unified School District – which is the nation’s second-largest district—has identified that it needs $50 billion to address school facilities and technology needs.

-- Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla

Students deserve better than to be left out of the infrastructure spending package

-- The Hill National: August 05, 2021 [ abstract]

Access to an equal and adequate education must include physical conditions that are conducive to learning and do not threaten basic Health. This is a critical, longstanding racial justice problem. Congress’s infrastructure deal provides funds for many issues facing our nation, but it fails to address a glaringly urgent matter: national funding for school infrastructure. The lack of dedicated federal funding for school capital needs has perilously impacted the education and welfare of our nation’s children, particularly students of color and low-income students, some of whom attend school in unsafe facilities with diminished learning opportunities. When our legislators return from recess and move toward budget reconciliation, they must take serious measures to correct this dire problem before our children endure even more negative consequences. Over the years, school infrastructure problems have multiplied, especially in school districts that primarily serve Black students. In Baltimore, where about 76 percent of public school enrollment is Black, schools have closed because of unsafe building temperatures, both extreme heat and freezing conditions. In 2016, more than 85 of Detroit’s approximately 100 schools were closed because a teacher-led protest raised concerns about schools with rodents, roaches, mold, holes in walls and ceilings, and an unstable heating system. Two years later, the district was forced to shut off drinking water at its schools — where more than 80 percent of students are Black — when elevated levels of lead or copper were discovered in two-thirds of tested school buildings. And a 2020 report on the nearly all-Black schools in the Mississippi Delta describes buildings with inadequate plumbing, flooded hallways and crumbling walls, floors and ceilings.

-- Opinion - HAMIDA LABI AND MEGAN HABERLE

Facing wildfires and pandemics, California must invest in ensuring clean air in schools

-- EdSource California: July 29, 2021 [ abstract]

After a year of prolonged school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic, California’s educators have been hard at work readying to open to full-time, in-person learning across the state.
Schools face falling enrollment and learning loss that will impact schoolchildren for years to come, making successful reopening essential to regain lost ground.
While Gov. Gavin Newsom expects 99% of schools to reopen to full-time in-person learning in August, schools may be derailed by an entirely different calamity threatening children’s access to a stable education: worsening wildfires due to climate change.
Wildfire smoke threatens children’s Health. Breathing toxic pollution from wildfires is roughly 10 times more dangerous for children when measured against comparable air pollution from other sources.
The fine, inhalable particles found in wildfire smoke, called PM2.5, can cause increased emergency room visits for asthma and increased upper respiratory infections in children.
Long-term studies on wildfire smoke in children is currently lacking, but we know from data on firefighters that repeated exposure results in higher lung cancer rates and greater risk of death from heart attacks and stroke.
Before the pandemic, schoolchildren in California had started to miss an increasing number of school days due to wildfires. Schools close for evacuation or because they lack the protocols and infrastructure to keep indoor air quality safe during poor air quality days.
The state has increased infrastructure investments in schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic that could be beneficial for schools’ wildfires readiness as well, but substantially more funding and support will be needed to help schools navigate the worsening threats of climate change.
Learning loss and lost school days are a growing problem in California, with counties like Sonoma seeing upwards of 40 cumulative days lost. Since the state began collecting data in 2003, wildfires have accounted for two-thirds of school closures through 2018.

-- ZOE LEW, LISA PATEL AND ERIKA VEIDIS

Philadelphia school district to install new air purifiers despite concerns from air quality specialist

-- Chalkbeat Philadelphia Pennsylvania: July 21, 2021 [ abstract]

The Philadelphia school district will move forward with installing air purifiers in nearly every city classroom despite criticism from an air quality researcher that the purifiers are insufficient to curb the spread of COVID-19 and that some could produce harmful chemicals. Officials met with Michael Waring, a professor of environmental engineering at Drexel University, on Monday as a “courtesy” to discuss his concerns, said Monica Lewis, a district spokesperson. But she said his input won’t change the district’s decision. Chief Operating Officer Reggie McNeil believes the devices are safe, she said, and the district consulted other air quality specialists after Waring raised his concerns. Lewis didn’t name the other air quality specialists or say what they told the district. The district purchased more than 9,500 air purifiers for $4.5 million and plans to install them by the end of the month, Lewis said. She said the district used the same purifiers in some classrooms during the spring’s hybrid learning. Waring said he’s “deeply disappointed” that the district is sticking with the products. The purifiers purchased by the district use ActivePure technology, which neutralizes viruses by pulling oxygen and water molecules into a “patented honeycomb matrix” and releasing “powerful oxidizers” back into the room, according to its website. District officials said at last week’s press conference that the technology was “originally developed for NASA” and could eliminate 99% of the virus “within three minutes.” Waring said the purifiers only generate one-tenth the amount of airflow needed to effectively neutralize airborne viral particles in the average-sized classroom, and the emission of oxidizers could be “harmful to human Health” and aggravate respiratory conditions like asthma.

-- Neena Hagen

PONDS: I’M LOSING SLEEP OVER THE STATE OF MONTCLAIR SCHOOL BUILDINGS

-- Montclair Local New Jersey: July 20, 2021 [ abstract]

Montclair schools Superintendent Jonathan Ponds says he’s been losing sleep over the state of his district’s buildings.
“Our buildings are very old. They need repair. It’s going to cost money,” Ponds told Board of Education members when they came together for a “retreat” meeting on July 14. “The time is now.”
And he says he’ll be bringing that message to the community in the coming weeks and months as the district lays out plans to fix its facilities.
The state of school buildings has long been an area of concern for Montclair’s school leadership and the community it serves. Ponds said it’s a matter of student safety, and that he’s been talking to those close to him — to his wife, his colleagues, his executive assistant — about how much the problems trouble him.
“I had to say it openly and put that test in front of me,” Ponds said at the retreat. “We have to do it.”
In 2018, a stairwell collapsed at Montclair High School, and inspections that followed found several were structurally deficient, prompting work to demolish and rebuild them. In February of 2020, the state Department of Health cited the district for a series of issues at Montclair High School and its George Innes Annex — some procedural, but some for facilities failings such as broken ventilators, inoperable windows and water damage to walls and ceilings.
In the fall, engineers EI Associates identified $26 million worth of work needed to fix extensive ventilation problems as schools were struggling to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic — finding many rooms had no ventilation at all.

-- TALIA WIENER

The C.D.C. Issues New School Guidance, With Emphasis on Full Reopening

-- New York Times New York: July 09, 2021 [ abstract]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged schools on Friday to fully reopen in the fall, even if they cannot take all of the steps the agency recommends to curb the spread of the coronavirus — a major turn in a public Health crisis in which childhood education has long been a political flash point. The agency also said school districts should use local Health data to guide decisions about when to tighten or relax prevention measures like masking and physical distancing. With the highly contagious Delta variant spreading and children under 12 still ineligible for vaccination, it recommended that unvaccinated students and staff members keep wearing masks. The guidance is a departure from the C.D.C.’s past recommendations for schools. It is also a blunt acknowledgment that many students have suffered during long months of virtual learning and that a uniform approach is not useful when virus caseloads and vaccination rates vary so greatly from place to place. Some experts criticized the agency’s decision to leave so much up to local officials, however, and said more specific guidelines would have been more helpful. School closures have been extremely divisive since the outset of the pandemic, and advising districts has been a fraught exercise for the C.D.C. Virtual learning has been burdensome not only for students but also for their parents, many of whom had to stay home to provide child care, and reopening schools is an important step on the economy’s path to recovery.

-- Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Emily Anthes, Sarah Mervosh a

Don't forget about the physical infrastructure of America's K-12 schools

-- The Hill National: July 07, 2021 [ abstract]

The American Rescue Plan provides an historic federal investment at a crucial moment for America’s K-12 public schools. The funds are providing critical support for principals as they face an array of pressing challenges: expanding summer learning opportunities, implementing academic recovery interventions and addressing a wide range of student mental Health needs. But to unleash the plan’s enormous potential and fully maximize student learning, Congress must also address an issue that preceded the pandemic: outdated and crumbling K-12 facilities due to decades of underinvestment. As negotiations on infrastructure continue, we are urging the inclusion of $100 billion in direct grants and $30 billion in bonds for K-12 public school facilities — consistent with the Reopen and Rebuild America's Schools Act. The neglect of K-12 school infrastructure hampers tens of thousands of schools throughout the country, posing significant Health and safety risks to millions of students. According to the 2016 State of Our Schools Report, state and local governments underfund K-12 facilities by $46 billion annually. A recent Government Accountability Office study paints a troubling picture: in about one quarter of all school districts, at least half of their schools needed upgrades or replacements to major building systems, such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, plumbing, wiring, or windows. The study also found 41 percent of districts need to update or replace HVAC systems in at least half of their schools. A leaking roof or HVAC system can cause water damage, exposing students and staff to mold or asbestos.

-- Opinion - L. EARL FRANKS AND RONN NOZOE

America’s schools are crumbling. Fixing them could save lives (and the planet)

-- Hechinger Report National: June 28, 2021 [ abstract]

Before the coronavirus pandemic made airflow a life-or-death issue, ventilation experts rarely tested the air inside schools. That was probably a mistake, said Kevin Thomas, the business representative for the union representing ventilation workers in the Seattle area.
“You don’t feel the CO2 levels going up, you just start to get tired,” said Thomas of Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 66, which represents heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) workers. “The temperature rises, and you just take off your sweatshirt.”
Similar findings have been recorded by HVAC experts across the U.S. — perhaps not surprising in a country where about 36,000 schools have ventilation systems in need of attention. But replacing aging ventilation systems with new versions of the same out-of-date technology won’t be enough, warned Tony Hans, an engineer specializing in green buildings.
“Most districts are still putting in HVAC systems that were invented and designed in the 1970s, and those are not going to get you to your Health and wellness goals, or your carbon and energy-efficiency goals,” Hans said.
And the systems that regulate airflow are just one of the dozens of facility improvements Hans thinks schools are about to have a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to fix. He sees the anticipated influx of federal funding through President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan infrastructure proposal as a rare chance for most districts in America to make their buildings both greener and cheaper to operate.
“It’ll be the last time they get to touch their schools for a major overhaul for 40 or 50 years,” Hans said. “This is the opportunity to really do it right.”
Judged by annual spending in public dollars, America’s K-12 school facilities are the second largest infrastructure expense in the country — only roads, rail lines and other transportation systems cost more — and repairing or improving them may offer a clear path to broad reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Taken together, school facilities emit about 72 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, the equivalent of about 18 coal power plants or 8.6 million homes, according to the climate advocacy organization Generation180.

-- LEVI PULKKINEN

Our schools are in poor condition. Here's how to give kids a better learning environment.

-- USA Today National: June 24, 2021 [ abstract]

On America’s Infrastructure Report Card, our school buildings received a D-plus, indicating they are in poor and at-risk condition. With nearly 100,000 schools across the country on about 2 million acres of land, one in every six Americans in a typical year relies on our school buildings and grounds for learning, work and wellbeing. As debates about America’s infrastructure continue, Congress and the Biden administration must include our schools in this critical investment not only because of their scale, use and condition, but also because this investment can benefit our economy, build community resilience, and improve the environmental and fiscal sustainability of our schools.
The underinvestment in school buildings and campuses, estimated at about $46 billion annually, has resulted in poor indoor air quality, leaky roofs and unaddressed environmental hazards. The Government Accountability Office found nearly half of all districts need to replace one or more major building systems. Poor air quality hurts students
The poor physical condition of our schools directly affects students' Health and learning. Before the pandemic, childhood asthma, linked to exposure to poor air quality, resulted in about 13.8 million missed days of school annually. Researchers also have found that high temperatures in classrooms without sufficient cooling systems hurt student learning and performance. With school districts often having to use local taxes to pay for maintenance and improvements, schools in lower-income communities are in worse condition, meaning students of color and low-income students are hit hardest by the poor physical conditions of our schools. Just as roads and bridges are essential for our economy, sustainable schools also are critical. Since the start of the pandemic, school closures have prevented parents from working, and mothers in particular have disproportionately left the workforce due to increased responsibilities for childcare at home. The poor condition of school buildings has made the reopening of schools more difficult in particular in under-resourced communities. It is critical to realize that any disruptions to schooling hurts women’s ability to participate and excel in the workforce. Before the pandemic and this summer, school disruptions due to excessive heat have increasingly occurred across the country. These disruptions are likely to accelerate as climate change worsens.

-- John B. King, Randi Weingarten and George Miller

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District to close three schools

-- Monterey Herald California: June 23, 2021 [ abstract]

SEASIDE — After years of discussion, the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District board voted Tuesday night to close Highland Elementary and Foothill Elementary before the 2022-2023 school year and close Walter Colton Middle before the start of the 2023-2024 school year. The school consolidations come after years of decreasing enrollment in the district and projections for that trend to continue. Over the past 10 years, the district’s enrollment shrunk by 1,016 students or 9.8%. “Rather than kind of putting it off and kicking the can down the road, the board made the decision to put a thoughtful plan in place where we can right-size the district to reflect our declining enrollment but do it in a thoughtful way where we’re able to really plan and thoughtfully transition to a new model with less schools,” MPUSD Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh said. Diffenbaugh said enrollment at Foothill is down to 246 students while Highland is at 285 students, adding that a “Healthy” enrollment to financially support those schools is usually around 400 students. Diffenbaugh said the district’s enrollment decline accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- TOM WRIGHT

American Jobs Plan will provide much-needed school infrastructure

-- The Exponent Telegram West Virginia: June 20, 2021 [ abstract]

The infrastructure crisis facing West Virginia, and other rural states across America, is not just confined to our roads and bridges. This crisis also affects our school buildings and other school-related infrastructure, especially in the most rural counties.
This infrastructure includes broadband access. The COVID crisis laid bare the importance of broadband as essential infrastructure for the 21st century for learning and working.
Lack of adequate school building infrastructure is not only bad for the Health and well-being of our students and teachers, it also hurts the pride of our communities.
In a state that has been losing population, it is hard for counties lacking up-to-date school facilities to attract new people if we cannot compete with surrounding states.
New, modern school facilities will also save our communities much needed money on utility bills; this is money that can be used elsewhere to improve education outcomes for our children.
Expanded broadband access will make certain we are prepared for future public Health crises, and that students can seamlessly learn remotely when necessary.
Luckily, we have a tremendous opportunity right now to change these dynamics in our state. The American Jobs Plan calls for building, preserving, and retrofitting more than two million homes and commercial buildings, modernizing our nation’s schools and child care facilities, and upgrading veterans’ hospitals and federal buildings. This will not only create good jobs that our communities need, but also improve educational outcomes.
Too many students attend school in buildings that are run-down, unsafe, and pose Health risks. These conditions do not create a positive learning environment for our kids and exist disproportionately in schools with a high percentage of low-income students.

-- Fred Albert

Whistleblower exposes issue with Chesterfield School water pipes: 'Playing with fire

-- WTVR Virginia: June 15, 2021 [ abstract]

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- A test, required annually by the Commonwealth of Virginia, to protect drinking water is not being done consistently by the Chesterfield County Public School System (CCPS).
A former CCPS maintenance worker, who asked the CBS 6 Problem Solvers to protect his identity, said he warned district leaders they were not keeping up with the required backflow preventer testing.
A backflow device is installed to prevent contamination by keeping water flowing in one direction.
"I told them that they were putting a lot of lives in jeopardy by not adhering to the laws," the former CCPS employee said. “Once I didn't get any indication that they were actually proceeding in the right direction, it really it started bothering me. I realized, of course, that it was widespread."
The employee took his school and public water contamination concerns to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), along with pictures and videos of water lines that lacked inspection tags.

-- Laura French

Smithfield cuts funding for school capital projects

-- The Valley Breeze Rhode Island: June 02, 2021 [ abstract]

SMITHFIELD – The town has pulled all funding for school capital improvement projects from the 2021-2022 budget, according to Town Manager Randy Rossi, who said he hopes federal and state COVID-19 relief funds will pay for needed improvements. Supt. Judy Paolucci said she understands the difficult financial decisions made during budget season, and said while she does not hold it against town officials for making the decision, she does not feel it is in the best interest of the community and its schools. “All this does is to put off needs to taxpayers in the future,” she said. The proposed budget request for Smithfield schools was for $40,418,021, with $32,849,327 in town appropriation. Paolucci said the increase of $311,152 is a 0.96 percent increase in town appropriation from the 2020-2021 adopted budget. After rate decreases in dental and Health plans brought $161,658 in savings this year, the district’s proposed budget is less than anticipated. Paolucci said she’d hoped those savings would transfer over to capital improvements, which she said will “take many millions more to keep up with our middle and high school facility needs.”

-- Jacquelyn Moorehead

Roof of middle school gym to be repaired

-- Payson Roundup Arizona: May 25, 2021 [ abstract]

Such a deal. The Payson school board last week happily accepted a great deal on roof repairs for the leaky Rim Country Middle School gym. Five Oliver LLC offered to do the work for $111,000 — less than a third of the $329,000 high bid. The state will pay most of the cost — except for $300. That’s the cost of the roof repair over a storage area, since the state will only foot the bill for the part of the gym actively used by students. The contract underscores the value of competitive, sealed bids when it comes to getting stuff done. The other bids were $134,000 and $213,000. Payson’s been cleaning up lately when it comes to sweet talking the state School Facilities Board into paying for long-deferred, increasingly urgent capital projects on the district’s four campuses. A series of court cases more than a decade ago demonstrated unconstitutional differences between capital spending for rich districts and poor districts. A reluctant Arizona Legislature agreed to take on responsibility for directly funding school construction and major repairs. But when the recession hit in 2008, the Legislature essentially stopped funding district capital needs. Since then, the state has shorted districts by $2 billion in the formulas for “District Additional Assistance,” which includes textbooks, technology, school buses and building repair and maintenance, according to the formula it agreed to in response to the lawsuits, according to the Arizona School Boards Association. As a result, only critical, Health and safety repairs received funding for years. The state has resumed providing about 20% of the money promised for capital improvements, but hasn’t made much of a dent in the backlog of repairs.

-- Peter Aleshire

Loophole Allows Schools to Be Built Near Toxic Sites

-- NBC Bay Area California: May 21, 2021 [ abstract]

A new bill, that could drastically limit where future schools can be built throughout the state, cleared a major hurdle in the California legislature on Thursday and is now headed for a full vote in the Assembly in the coming weeks. The legislation would force private and charter schools to comply with tougher environmental standards – the very same regulations that are already in place for public schools – in hopes of preventing classrooms from being constructed near potentially toxic sites. “Whatever school you send your child to, you should know well that they are not going to be in danger,” said Assemblyman Alex Lee, who authored the legislation, Assembly Bill 762. “The problem right now is that private and charter schools can be [built] on top of or even really close to toxic and hazardous sites and there's no law preventing that.” Unlike private or charter schools, the process for constructing public schools is subject to more oversight and regulations. For example, when new public schools are proposed on land that was previously contaminated, state law outlines specific protocols to safely remediate the area. Additionally, if a proposed location of a public school is within a quarter mile of a facility known to emit air pollution, schools are required to contact local government air quality regulators to assess the potential Health risks.

-- Bigad Shaban, Robert Campos, Sean Myers, Mark Vill

Paterson teachers’ union gets favorable ruling against school district to inspect ventilation systems

-- Paterson Times New Jersey: May 21, 2021 [ abstract]

The teachers’ union received a favorable ruling from the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) against the school district on Wednesday. The decision casts doubt on superintendent Eileen Shafer’s limited in-person school reopening set for June. Union officials wanted to inspect the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) at school buildings to ensure there was adequate ventilation inside classrooms, but Shafer’s team refused, setting the stage for the unfair labor practice fight with the teachers. “We are pleased that the Commission upheld our right to have full access to these areas,” said John McEntee, Jr., president of the Paterson Education Association, the teachers’ union, on Thursday. “The Health and safety of our students and staff should never boil down to a labor-management issue.” McEntee said the decision orders the district to conduct walkthroughs, including inspection of ventilation systems, no later than May 28. He said the decision also restrains the district from unliterally requiring school employees – those who have been remote since September — to report to work in the buildings until the new walkthroughs are completed.

-- Jayed Rahman

Feasibility study finds $304.8 million in repairs needed across Scranton School District

-- Yahoo! News Pennsylvania: May 18, 2021 [ abstract]

May 25—Scranton School District buildings need $304.8 million in repairs, according to a draft of the facilities report presented to school directors Monday night. The necessary improvements in the report, which include new roofs, upgraded heating systems and making buildings accessible for students or staff, are part of the larger discussion of how to consolidate schools and best use and update remaining facilities. "It is extremely important that our facilities are Healthy and safe for our students," Chief Recovery Officer Candis Finan, Ed.D., said. "It's really important our facilities support our educational needs and our educational programs." The comprehensive report by D'Huy Engineering of Bethlehem also gives the district an option to complete the most necessary capital improvements, make schools compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and ensure "occupant comfort" — such as heating, cooling and ventilation. That option would cost $209.7 million and could take 10 years or more to complete, depending on how quickly the board wishes to progress. While the 16 schools in the district are well-cleaned with floors that often sparkle, many of the larger problems went neglected for years, partially due to a lack of funds, officials said.

-- Sarah Hofius Hall

The Compound Benefits of Greening School Infrastructure

-- Center for American Progress National: May 17, 2021 [ abstract]

Across the country, more and more students are returning to their classrooms after what has been, for some, nearly a year of online learning. The school closures brought on by COVID-19 have underscored how critical the physical environment is to student well-being and educational success. And yet, for large populations of students—particularly those in communities with fewer resources and in Black, Latino, and other communities of color1—going back to school means going back to broken-down facilities with poor insulation and outdated ventilation systems.2
The deficiencies of school infrastructure have been exposed by the compounding crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and the record-breaking extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change. Last year, schools in Oregon burned in the worst wildfire season to date,3 and schools in Florida flooded after Tropical Storm Eta.4 In February, an extreme cold snap caused schools in Texas to freeze.5 According to a 2020 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), 54 percent of U.S. school districts—a bulk of which primarily serve students of color—need to update or completely replace multiple building systems in their schools.6 Without the funds to do so, these districts are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and the exorbitant costs of rebuilding after it is too late. In 2016, for example, floods in West Virginia caused an estimated $130 million in damages to regional schools.7 In 2020, Hurricane Laura caused $300 million in damages to the Lake Charles public school system in Louisiana, with 74 of 76 schools in disrepair and more than half of the district’s 350 school buses inoperable.8
The urgency of investing in school infrastructure has never been greater, but, arguably, neither has the opportunity. The recent enactment of the American Rescue Plan by Congress—both through education funds and state and local fiscal recovery funds—will provide schools with an important down payment on the capital upgrades needed to address COVID-19.9 With this relief funding en route, Congress should shift to providing long-term funding to adequately and equitably update school infrastructure, equipping schools to withstand the disasters ahead and to participate in the clean energy transition.
In his American Jobs Plan, President Joe Biden called for the investment of $100 billion to upgrade and build new public schools.10 The prioritization of climate change throughout the plan underscores that this transformation of the public school system can and should work in tandem with the country’s transformation to a 100 percent clean future. By increasing spending on local school infrastructure needs, Congress would not only stimulate the economy but also advance climate change solutions and reduce the number of instructional days missed by students due to public Health and environmental factors. Finally, federal school funds could begin to redress the deep infrastructure inequities that plague public school districts.

-- Elise Gout, Jamil Modaffari, and Kevin DeGood

Board of Education okays asbestos removal money

-- Shelter Island Reporter New York: May 15, 2021 [ abstract]

Asbestos, once used in many construction projects, is now recognized as a cancer-causing agent. When discovered, it must be removed to protect the Health and safety of people who encounter it. As has happened in the past in other areas of the Shelter Island School building, asbestos has been discovered in its academic suite and science room, causing the Board of Education Monday night to approve expenditures for remediation, including removal, monitoring and floor coverings totaling $22,174 for the academic suite, and $15,811 for the science room. Tax anticipation notes Because tax money doesn’t flow to districts in time to cover expenses each year, school districts are forced to take “tax anticipation notes” (TAN) to be repaid when tax money arrives. The Board of Education approved a TAN not to exceed $2 million pending receipt of money levied for the 2021-22 school year. Typically, these notes cover expenses for the second half of a school year. More than a few school administrators on Shelter Island and other districts have complained about this need since interest accrues and has to be paid when notes are settled.

-- Julie Lane

Covid Exposes School Ills, Fueling Ambitious Biden Spending Push

-- Bloomberg Government National: May 04, 2021 [ abstract]

The coronavirus pandemic has put a spotlight on persistent Health threats to schoolchildren and teachers posed by crumbling U.S. campuses with leaking pipes or mold-prone ventilation.
Now, as more schools reopen for in-person teaching, the Biden administration is using that focus to seek billions of dollars in spending to repair and maintain K-12 schools—an area outside the traditional scope of federal infrastructure or education aid.
“It’s a battleground topic,” said David Sturtz, a partner at school planning firm Cooperative Strategies. “The vaccine can get you back in school but not provide long-term peace of mind. The real need out there dwarfs what we’re allocating.”
With Covid-19 vaccines in hand and policymakers negotiating over spending numbers, champions of safer school buildings are looking to the White House’s $2.25 trillion infrastructure proposal as their best chance to address longtime needs.
Since the pandemic hit over a year ago, K-12 schools have received roughly $280 billion in emergency federal aid, most for immediate needs like personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, and technology for remote instruction.
But fixing infrastructure like air filtration or water systems can be much more costly, and the scope of needed repairs is vast.
Roughly 36,000 K-12 campuses need to update or replace ventilation or heating systems, according to a Government Accountability Office report released last year. Of the school districts GAO surveyed, 41% needed such repairs in at least half of their schools.If left unaddressed, those outdated systems can lead to mold and worse indoor air quality.

-- Andrew Kreighbaum

HVAC Flaw Might Have Led to Pa. Elementary School COVID Outbreak

-- spaces4learning Pennsylvania: May 03, 2021 [ abstract]

Late last month, eight second-grade students from a single classroom at Penn Valley Elementary School in the Lower Merion School District near Philadelphia, Pa., tested positive for coronavirus. Officials are calling it the first instance of significant in-school transmission in the district. Because of the number of students affected, staff conducted an investigation and discovered a potential cause for the spread. The LMSD Operations Department assessed the HVAC system of the classroom in question and found that a portion of the ductwork in the ceiling “was far too closed, allowing only (approximately) 30% of the maximum amount of fresh air it should have into this specific room,” said Terry Quinlan, the district’s lead supervisor of school Health and student safety. Quinlan added that, with the current information, the district “cannot say definitively whether the diminished fresh airflow contributed to the outbreak; however, it could be a factor.” The Montgomery County Office of Public Health (MCOPH) noted that the spread could also be due in part to a variant strain of COVID-19, “citing both the rapid spread within the class and the fact that two vaccinated family members of impacted students have also tested positive,” according to the district website. All members of the second-grade class in question have been in quarantine since April 16. The district is in the process of performing indoor air quality tests at all buildings.

-- Matt Jones

Ventilation is key to school safety during the pandemic. How are Washington schools refreshing classroom air?

-- Seattle Times Washington: April 30, 2021 [ abstract]

As Washington schools reopen to more students, one concern at top of mind for many families and teachers is this: How are schools ventilating classrooms to reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19? The Seattle Times Education Lab received a surge of questions over the past month about how air quality is measured in schools, the ways schools can keep air circulating and how ventilation stacks up relative to other school safety measures. To answer your questions, we spoke with public Health and occupational safety experts about improving ventilation. We also asked Seattle Public Schools for a demonstration of how employees assess buildings and ventilation equipment for air flow. How important is ventilation when it comes to protecting kids and teachers during the pandemic? Refreshing air inside classrooms is among the most important measures schools can take against airborne diseases like COVID-19, say government Health officials and occupational safety experts, and should be done in combination with other methods like wearing masks, distancing and hand-washing. The more students and teachers in an indoor space, the riskier the scenario for spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Bringing in new air can help lower the concentration of particles containing viruses and the risk of disease spread. In its most recent advice to schools, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention placed new emphasis on the importance of ventilating classrooms. The agency advises that schools bring in “as much outdoor air as possible” and ensure that air filtration and ventilation systems are working at max capacity. Since reopening buildings, the Seattle school district, for example, has cranked settings in HVAC systems to pump 100% outside air, versus the typical setting of 30%. The Washington State Health Department also has school ventilation guidelines.

-- Hannah Furfaro and Dahlia Bazzaz

Otero: Decrepit Schools Make Recovering Lost Learning Even Harder. Federal Relief Funds Can Pay for Much-Needed Upgrade

-- the74million.org National: April 28, 2021 [ abstract]

Tackling learning loss that has resulted from the pandemic is today’s most pressing education policy concern. Critical remedies like intensive tutoring, added instructional time and early warning indicators have gotten a lot of attention. But there is another solution that is ripe for action, one that undergirds all other efforts to address learning loss: upgrading school buildings.
The state of school facilities in underserved communities is, in a word, poor. A Government Accountability Office report from last year found that half of schools nationwide need to repair or replace multiple major systems, such as heating, cooling or plumbing, and 41 percent needed updates to HVAC systems. In Detroit, it would take $500 million to bring all schools into good condition. In 2018, Baltimore shuttered schools due to inadequate heating during an extremely cold winter. The American Society of Civil Engineers gives school infrastructure in America a D-plus.
If broken school buildings were just an inconvenience or a matter of aesthetics, their condition wouldn’t be of urgent concern. But the buildings in which students learn have a big impact on their thinking and academic performance. A 2019 synthesis of 250 studies, spanning 30 years, by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that environmental issues in school buildings, from mold to poor ventilation to noise, lighting and more, can adversely impact learning. “Improving the school building may well be the most overlooked means of improving student Health, safety and academic performance,” the authors concluded.

-- Opinion - MILDRED OTERO

Report: RI has invested $1.3B so far to repair, replace 163 school buildings

-- WPRI.com Rhode Island: April 28, 2021 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) �"� Rhode Island has so far invested $1.3 billion in modernizing school buildings across the state, according to a new progress report.
The report, released Wednesday by R.I. Treasurer Seth Magaziner, highlights the progress the state’s School Building Task Force has made regarding renovations and repairs.
In 2018, the task force developed a plan to increase state funding for school construction, with a focus on enhancing educational spaces, Health and safety, early childhood education, and career and technical facilities.
In the years since the funding was approved by voters, 163 school buildings have been lined up for repair or replacement across 22 of the state’s 36 districts. Of those, 12 projects have already been completed while several others are currently under construction or scheduled to break ground before 2022.
“Every child deserves to go to school in buildings that are warm, safe, dry and equipped for 21st-century learning,” Magaziner said.
Magaziner called the progress report “encouraging.” He said this level of new school construction is significantly higher than historical norms and well distributed across multiple school districts.
The report showcased the brand-new East Providence High School, which is currently the state’s largest school construction project.
The previous building, which was built in 1952, was deemed one of the lowest-quality high school buildings in the state.

-- Sarah Doiron, Molly O'Brien

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Announced

-- U.S. Department of Education National: April 22, 2021 [ abstract]

The U.S. Department of Education today released the names of the 2021 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees. Across the country, 27 schools, three early learning centers, five districts, and five postsecondary institutions are being honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve Health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education. Three state education officials, Joseph DaSilva, Manuel Cordero, and Mario Carreno, at the Rhode Island Department of Education School Building Authority are also being recognized for their efforts to advance school sustainability. "The pandemic has driven home the vital importance of school buildings and grounds; Health and wellness; and hands-on authentic learning," said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. "I congratulate the selected schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions, which are, through their sustainability practices, offering Healthy, safe, efficient school environments and protecting our planet. Not surprisingly, many of our honorees support students in underserved communities, proving once again that green schools' practices, encompassing best practices school operations, Health, and environmental learning, are critical tools to advance equity." The honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 20 states. The selectees include 24 public schools – among them, five charter schools and one magnet school – as well as three nonpublic schools. Over half of the 2021 honorees are in communities where over 40 percent of the student body are eligible for free and reduced lunch.

-- Press Office

Colorado Comeback Bill to Improve Air Quality in Schools Clears Committee

-- Pagosa Daily Post Colorado: April 16, 2021 [ abstract]

This week, the Senate Education Committee unanimously approved bipartisan legislation that would support air quality improvement projects in Colorado schools. SB21-202, sponsored by Senator Dominick Moreno, is part of the Colorado Comeback state stimulus, a package of legislation that will invest roughly $800 million into helping Colorado recover faster and build back stronger. “As we work to recover from the pandemic and build back stronger, we need to ensure that our students can learn in classrooms that are safe and Healthy,” said Senator Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City. “We know from research that when students are uncomfortable in their environment, it impacts their ability to learn and perform well. This bill will support air quality improvement projects throughout the state to create Healthier classrooms for students, improving their Health and well-being while enhancing their school performance.” Kids learn better in environments that are safe, clean, and Healthy. Over the years, however, the need for maintenance, repairs and upgrades to Colorado’s school facilities has grown – particularly in rural areas.

-- Staff Writer

Puerto Rico will close schools amid Covid surge

-- NBC News Puerto Rico: April 09, 2021 [ abstract]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico’s Health secretary announced Thursday that all public and private schools in the U.S. territory would close for two weeks amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. The closures would go into effect April 12, roughly a month after some 100 of the island’s 858 public schools were authorized to reopen for the first time in a year amid the pandemic. Only kindergarteners, special education students and children in first, second, third and 12th grades were allowed to return to school. They attend in-person classes only twice a week and are dismissed before noon, with school cafeterias remaining closed. The announcement was praised by some Health experts, teachers and parents who worried about an increase in infections and had warned that reopening schools was a rushed decision. Health Secretary Carlos Mellado said that while no COVID-19 breakouts were identified at any of the schools, the move is necessary given the recent spike in cases.

-- Associated Press

U.S. Department of Education Releases "COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students

-- US Department of Education National: April 09, 2021 [ abstract]

Today, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) released the COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students' Needs to provide additional strategies for safely reopening all of America's schools and to promote educational equity by addressing opportunity gaps that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Building off of Volume 1: Strategies for Safely Reopening Elementary and Secondary Schools, which focused on Health and safety measures that schools can use to successfully implement the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) K-12 Operational Strategy, Volume 2 of the Handbook focuses on research-based strategies to address the social, emotional, mental-Health, and academic impacts of the pandemic on students, educators, and staff, such as how to address any potential anxiety or depression some may face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly a year of remote learning. "There is simply no substitute for in-person learning," said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. "But as schools reopen their doors, we must also make sure that we are meeting students' social, emotional, physical, mental-Health, and academic needs, and addressing gaps that existed before—and were exacerbated by—the pandemic. This is an opportunity for us to not only reopen our schools safely, but to make sure our education systems are truly serving all our nation's students." Today's release is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's broader effort to provide states, districts, schools, and communities with the resources and support they need to return to in-person learning safely and quickly, and achieve the President's goal of reopening a majority of K-8 schools within the first 100 days of the Administration. Volume 2 identifies strategies states, districts, schools, and communities can use when implementing funding they have received from the American Rescue Plan, which invests $130 billion in safely reopening schools, sustaining their safe in-person operation, and addressing the impact of COVID-19.

-- Staff Writer

Gillibrand, colleagues reintroduce Impact Aid Infrastructure Act

-- NYC360 National: April 05, 2021 [ abstract]

WATERTOWN — U.S. Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., alongside Sens. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Tina Smith, D-Minn., recently reintroduced legislation to provide $1 billion in supplemental funding for school infrastructure construction grants through the Impact Aid program. The act builds upon the American Rescue Plan by providing additional funding for K-12 schools for necessary improvements to respond to COVID-19. The Impact Aid Infrastructure Act would provide competitive and formula grants for school infrastructure projects, including school construction and facilities upgrades, in more than 1,200 federally impacted school districts across the country. “Federally impacted school districts are in desperate need of resources to create a safe environment for students, teachers, and staff,” Sen. Gillibrand said in a prepared statement. “The Impact Aid Infrastructure Act will provide critical aid to these school districts to make long overdue repairs and renovate their facilities to meet public Health guidelines.”

-- Staff Writer

Legislation would let OCSD board close school deemed 'health, safety hazard'

-- The Times and Democrat South Carolina: April 03, 2021 [ abstract]

The Orangeburg County School District's governing board would be allowed to proceed without public input on the closure of schools that are in need of significant repair and pose a Health and safety hazard to students and staff, according to legislation proposed by local lawmakers. The legislation would allow the district's board of trustees to close a school deemed to be "an imminent threat to the Health or safety of students or staff" and if "the needed upgrades and repairs to maintain a school are economically unfeasible." The legislation states if these two conditions exist for a school or building within the district that the board would be able to take actions to close it without going through public hearings or a public referendum. One school building that could be targeted for closure under the proposed legislation would be Vance Providence Elementary School. "We have buildings that are in excess of 90 years old, particularly that one in Vance," Sen. Vernon Stephens, D-Bowman, said. "With the present language, it would not allow any child to be taken from one attendance zone to another or allow the board to make that decision after five years." "We ran into a huge problem in the Vance area," he said. "The Vance Primary School is not in a condition to actually mount repairs. It is not even feasible to do so." Stephens, who sponsored Senate Bill 515 along with Orangeburg Sen. Brad Hutto, said facility studies have shown the building is in bad condition.

-- Gene Zaleski

School buildings impact health, learning wellbeing

-- Victoria Advocate Texas: April 03, 2021 [ abstract]

Mission Valley Elementary School teacher Adrianne Janacek wants the best for her students. That means fewer distractions, more access to the internet and hallways.
“We would like to have some new buildings just for our students and to eliminate some distractions,” Janacek said.
Aging facilities can leave students and teachers struggling with their physical Health and their learning wellbeing. Studies have shown that aging and outdated facilities can lead to an increased risk of respiratory illness. Older buildings also come with issues like outdated heating and cooling that can lead to distractions.
Victoria voters will address facility needs on the May 1 ballot. They will vote on a proposed $156.8 million bond package. The package looks to rebuild Mission Valley Elementary School and Stroman Middle School, and it will address district-wide repairs.
Janacek is not in favor or against the bond package, but if the bond is passed she would like to see the essence of the campus incorporated into the new one.
Mission Valley was built in 1937 and was last updated in 1990, according to a facilities report. Stroman Middle School was built in 1967 and was last updated in 1999.

-- Samantha Douty

Measure granting Tennessee school boards sole authority to close schools heads to governor

-- Murfreesboro Post Tennessee: April 02, 2021 [ abstract]

(The Center Square)—A bill that would give local school boards the sole authority to close schools was approved March 25 by the Tennessee House and sent to Gov. Bill Lee for his signature.
Senate Bill 103, which passed the House, 85-2, makes it clear local school boards can close public or charter schools in the state, not the governor through executive orders or local Health departments.
The bill, sponsored in the House by Rep. Kevin Vaughan, R-Collierville, aimed to clarify who had the authority because during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was unclear in some locales whether the county Health department or local school board held the authority.
“Regardless of the situation, the local school board is in control of the situation when it comes to weather,” Vaughan said. “It shouldn’t be any different during the pandemic.”
The bill allows the governor to issue an executive order to open schools to in-person learning, but the governor cannot close schools. That power will become completely local.
The Senate passed the bill, 27-5, in February. The bill sponsor, Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, said he proposed the bill because of the outcry from Shelby County parents and students after schools remained closed for nearly a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vaughan said during committee discussions, school boards will take into account what Health departments advise during a situation such as a pandemic.

-- JON STYF

Lynn Legislators File Bill to Spur New School Construction

-- Lynn Journal Massachusetts: April 01, 2021 [ abstract]

State Senator Brendan P. Crighton, Representative Dan Cahill, and Representative Peter Capano have together filed legislation that will update the state’s outdated and inequitable school construction formula. Since 2004, this formula – which determines state aid for school construction projects – has remained stagnant, disproportionately affecting the education of students in low-income communities across the state for almost two decades. HD.3667/SD. 2172, An Act Modernizing School Construction reforms the state’s school construction formula so that all students and teachers have access to safe and Healthy environments in high-quality school buildings. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed glaring inequities in the condition of school buildings across the state. Overcrowded buildings, obsolete HVAC systems, and other unsafe conditions hinder students and teachers from engaging safely and productively in their classrooms. Now more than ever, state funding is vital in order to renovate these decrepit buildings and construct new ones to help ensure all children have access to the same quality of education, regardless of income level.

-- Staff Writer

OPINION: Schools can help us build back better and address climate change

-- Hechinger Report National: April 01, 2021 [ abstract]

America’s public schools have enormous energy, infrastructure and transportation needs, which make them an essential component of any plan to improve the nation’s overall infrastructure. Yet the role schools can play — both in economic recovery and in addressing climate change — is often overlooked.
Our public-school system — with more than 98,000 schools covering over 2 million acres of land across the country — recently received a D+ on America’s infrastructure report card. More than half of our school districts have multiple failing building systems, according to a recent government report.
Underinvestment in school infrastructure in Michigan led to a roof collapse at a high school, fortunately happening overnight when no students or educators were in the building. Black, Indigenous, Latinx and other students of color are more likely to attend underfunded schools in bad condition; their schools have to spend a greater share of their budgets on annual maintenance than well-resourced schools and find it more challenging to raise the funds needed for sufficient capital improvements. These same schools are more likely to experience poor indoor air quality, environmental hazards and other infrastructure issues detrimental to student Health, attendance and test scores.
Yet this current underinvestment in school infrastructure presents an opportunity. Increased investment can help decarbonize our schools, lower annual energy and operations costs, improve Health, safety and learning outcomes and provide opportunities for students to develop the skills needed to advance a sustainable future. Additionally, this investment will create living labs for environmental sustainability, clean energy and climate solutions.
Energy costs are schools’ second-highest costs, behind salaries, and schools are among the largest consumers of energy in the public sector. With 480,000 school buses, mostly diesel, public schools operate the largest mass transit fleet in the country. Federal policymakers must be the catalyst for schools’ transition to clean energy and sustainable operations.

-- LAURA SCHIFTER

KY schools try to fight COVID spread by installing air purifiers, HVAC upgrades

-- Lexington Herald Leader Kentucky: March 29, 2021 [ abstract]

To stop the spread of COVID-19 as students return to in-person learning, Wolfe County Schools’ superintendent has installed portable air purifying units in classrooms and on school buses.
Kenny Bell is among the K-12 school chiefs in Kentucky trying to improve indoor air quality as part of reopening after the March 2020 school shutdown.
“Our staff has been elated,” Bell told the Herald-Leader. “I have gotten more ‘thank you’s’, for these than anything I have done in 13 years as superintendent. They tell me it makes the air smell fresher and like hospital air.”
On March 19, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clarified that ventilation is a strategy needed to clean and maintain Healthy facilities as schools emerge from the pandemic shutdown.
The CDC is encouraging system upgrades or other improvements for the delivery of clean air in classrooms to dilute possible contaminants in schools.
Using portable air cleaners, improving building-wide filtration and opening windows are ways schools can increase ventilation, the CDC said.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has said that when used properly, air cleaners and HVAC filters can help reduce airborne contaminants including viruses in a building but practices including social distancing and mask wearing are needed along with it.

-- Valarie Honeycutt Spears

SCHOOLS AWAIT NEW GUIDANCE FROM OREGON OFFICIALS TO REDUCE CLASSROOM SPACING REQUIREMENTS

-- KDRV.com Oregon: March 19, 2021 [ abstract]

MEDFORD, Ore. — On Friday, the CDC delivered news that many school districts have been eagerly awaiting — a recommendation that spacing between students in classrooms can be safely cut in half in many classroom settings. In practice, the change would allow most districts to ditch hybrid learning and return to full-time schedules on school campuses.
However, the CDC update does not spell any immediate change for local districts. The implementation, if it happens before the end of the school year, will come only after receiving the green light from state officials at the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Education.
In a press conference on Friday, not long after the CDC change was announced, Governor Kate Brown briefly addressed the news — saying that ODE officials are now reviewing the guidance and will consider making changes to the state's existing playbook.
"Nothing changes for us until they make that commitment and decision," said Kirk Kolb, superintendent of the Grants Pass School District. "I would just echo [that we're] committed to bringing all students back every day, to the maximum extent possible."
Administrators at multiple districts across southern Oregon were already advocating for the reduced spacing requirement. The Klamath County School Board resolved to write Governor Brown two weeks ago, and the Grants Pass School Board followed suit last week. On Friday, Medford School District superintendent Dr. Bret Champion revealed that his district has done the same, along with a request for more "local control" in implementing the new guidance.
"Moving from six-feet to three-feet isn't the ultimate goal," Champion said. "The ultimate goal is to safely get all of our students back into our classrooms, so that's what we're hoping to be able to do."

-- Staff Writer

Bill addresses school facilities needs in Vermont

-- Rutland Herald Vermont: March 15, 2021 [ abstract]

Public school infrastructure is a topic familiar to most Vermonters.
School districts and supervisory unions have not been shy about their struggles to pay for facilities improvements. From making basic upgrades to meet modern educational standards to addressing major Health concerns like environmental contaminants in the water and air, the needs are great and varied.
In recent years, districts have asked residents to help address those needs through multimillion-dollar bonds with varying degrees of success. More often, however, they slowly chip away at the problem in their annual budgets.
The coronavirus pandemic only highlighted those deficiencies. As schools worked to reopen safely, poorly functioning ventilation systems and inadequate spaces for social distancing hindered progress and made for less-than-ideal conditions — finally forcing a conversation the state has been putting off for too long, according to some school officials.
Now, a new bill is looking to help the state get its arms around its aging schools.
Introduced by the House Committee on Education, H.426, would create an inventory of the state’s K-12 school facilities needs and develop a plan for addressing them.
“It’s no secret that we have had some school buildings in trouble,” said Rep. Kathryn Webb, D-Shelburne, chair of the Education Committee, who pointed to the abrupt closure of Burlington High School last fall after dangerous levels of cancer-causing PCBs were detected inside the building.

-- Jim Sabataso

Kan. schools can fight COVID with fresh air, but questions remain

-- Salina Post Kansas: March 13, 2021 [ abstract]

After the pandemic hit, the largest school district in Kansas set to calculating how much outdoor air it should pull into its buildings. Wichita Public Schools turned to the nation’s top sources for expertise, then boosted ventilation and filtration in ways that scientists say dramatically cut the risk of inhaling COVID-19. Evidence that schools — as well as operators of other buildings that bring people together — should take those steps has solidified, buoyed by scientific findings that the virus spreads primarily through particles in the air, not by lurking on doorknobs and table tops. Yet scientists say most American schools probably don’t bring in enough outdoor air or filter indoor air the way they should. In some schools, the windows don’t even open. “We are under-ventilating nearly every space we spend time in indoors,” Harvard School of Public Health professor Joseph Allen said in a recent media briefing.

-- CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN

Schools Maintenance Deal In Limbo

-- New Haven Independent Connecticut: March 09, 2021 [ abstract]

Amid reports of new schools with already malfunctioning HVAC systems and neglected air filters, the Board of Education is reconsidering its dependence on an outside facilities manager.
The board has asked for more information on the efficacy of the maintenance contractor, Go To Services and the cost of bringing those positions back in-house.
“I want to see if they are cost-effective and getting the job done,” said board member Darnell Goldson.
“I suspect not, but we’ll see the numbers,”
When city building inspectors toured New Haven public schools this fall to prepare them for Covid-19 safety measures, they found air filters that hadn’t been changed in years, exhaust fans that had rusted because someone forgot to cover them, water damage and more.
Some of the maintenance problems have Health or academic consequences, like when Wexler-Grant students were sent home because their school was too cold.
“Because of asthma, there are quite a few students that have chronic absenteeism. God forbid those filters were the cause of any of these children’s asthma to not be in control—that is something that has really been bothering me. People have to do their job. If their job is to change filters, we have filters for a reason,” said board member and pediatrician Tamiko Jackson-McArthur.
The most urgent problems related to Covid-19 safety have been fixed prior to schools reopening. But the maintenance issues have raised a question articulated by the Board of Alders after two schools closed for safety reasons: how did the products of New Haven’s $1.7 billion school construction boom deteriorate so quickly? Or, as Alder Rosa Santana said at a hearing on the subject: “Somebody didn’t do the work. Somebody bankrolled the money somewhere.”

-- EMILY HAYS

Roof collaspes at Broward County, Fla., middle school; 10 treated for minor injuries

-- South Florida Sun Sentinel Florida: March 05, 2021 [ abstract]

FORT LAUDERDALE — A roof collapsed at an Oakland Park middle school on Friday, and more than 10 people were taken to the hospital after evacuating.
Scared and confused children evacuated James S. Rickards Middle School after the roof over the media center, or library, collapsed mid-morning. Many ditched their belongings as they hurried away.
No one was in the media center at the time because it was under construction, a district spokeswoman said.
More than 10 people — students and adults — were taken to Holy Cross and Broward Health hospitals in Fort Lauderdale with minor injuries, said Steve Gollan, a spokesman for Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue.
A school district statement said: “Several students and adults had minor medical complaints, including headaches, anxiety and issues related to asthma. They were treated by fire rescue and transported as a precaution to area hospitals.”
Principal Washington Collado discovered the collapsed roof after hearing a loud noise shortly before 10 a.m., said school district spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion.

-- SCOTT TRAVIS and WAYNE K. ROUSTAN

Not All California Schools Can Reopen With New Ventilation Upgrades

-- Capital & Main California: March 04, 2021 [ abstract]

When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced in mid-February its most detailed guidelines yet for how K-12 schools in the U.S. might reopen safely in the midst of a pandemic, it was what the agency didn’t say that confounded many experts. In an otherwise thorough examination of the factors contributing to the spread of COVID-19 and of the possible ways to mitigate them, the CDC devoted but a single paragraph to the problem of classroom and building ventilation, offering a link to more information.
“Ventilation is given lip service, with little guidance,” said Dr. Richard Corsi, an authority on indoor air quality, in a series of scathing tweets. “The lack of understanding of ventilation or its importance (or perhaps just disregard) is wholly obvious. Incredibly disappointing.”
It’s also the elephant in the living room of the discussion. Years of underinvestment in the upkeep of public-school facilities across the country have led to this moment, and the threat of a deadly virus has brought the problem to the fore. The simple truth is that for many school districts, the cost of upgrading or improving their ventilation (HVAC) systems, though critical to student and staff Health, may be well beyond their means, particularly in poorer communities.
The numbers are stark. A June 2020 study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that HVAC is the most widespread deficiency in public school facilities nationwide, with an estimated 40% of all schools needing to either update or entirely replace their systems. The Center for Cities + Schools at the University of California, Berkeley, meanwhile, found that in recent years more than four in 10 California school districts have underspent on both capital renewals (like replacing HVAC systems) and maintenance.

-- Mark Kreidler

Aging county facilities, school needs among budget topics

-- Wilkes Journal-Patriot North Carolina: March 02, 2021 [ abstract]

Replacement of aging county government buildings was among issues discussed by the Wilkes County commissioners in their first fiscal 2021-22 budget work session on Feb. 25. The board received data showing how Wilkes County’s demographics are changing and how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted low income Wilkes residents, plus data comparing Wilkes with peer county governments in funding education and other needs. Commissioner Keith Elmore said the Wilkes board built a jail, converted former bank office buildings into a law enforcement center and ag center and built a culinary center at Wilkes Community College in recent years. He said the commissioners upgraded high school facilities and built four middle schools before that. “It seems to me there may have been some neglect. We’ve got 50- to 70-year-old buildings” for the Wilkes Health Department, Wilkes Department of Social Services and other county government departments, he said. “I would love to see us address these buildings and conditions and maybe combine our Health department and social services” so citizens can have one location for addressing many basic needs. Elmore said new facilities are needed to replace the Wilkes County Office Building. He recommended starting with cost estimates. Elmore added that the commissioners have been good stewards of county finances and the county has a good fund balance. When he was in the Health department building to be sworn in as a Wilkes Board of Health member, said Elmore, “it was obvious to me that it’s not really conducive to work.”

-- JULE HUBBARD

Pittsburgh school district releases details, timetable for students' return to the classroom

-- Post-Gazette Pennsylvania: February 23, 2021 [ abstract]

Pittsburgh Public Schools late Monday released new details about the district’s plans to get its students back into the classroom this spring.
The school system has been completely remote since March 2020 but is expected to phase in students for in-person instruction in early April. Students determined to have the most need will be eligible to return first.
Superintendent Anthony Hamlet said Monday that while teachers should be given precedence for vaccines, “it is unrealistic to continue to postpone the reopening of our schools until every teacher is vaccinated.”
“Our administration understands the resistance from our teachers and their union, and we agree that our teachers should be prioritized to receive COVID-19 vaccine,” Mr. Hamlet said. “As a district, we are doing everything we can to work with our Health care partners, like UPMC, to schedule vaccinations as quickly as possible as part of [Phase] 1B vaccinations.” The district said it would launch a survey this week to help PPS officials finalize the order in which students will be able to return to in-person instruction when schools reopen. Students will be placed into four categories, with children identified as having the the highest level of need being given top priority. Category 4 includes pre-K and kindergarten students, as well as students who have not shown progress in remote learning. Students placed in that group — estimated to total 4,786 children districtwide — will be allowed to return April 6. Category 3 includes students who have shown some progress in online learning. Those students — approximately 5,215 children — will be eligible to return April 26, according to the district.

-- Andrew Goldstein

West Virginia Board of Education unanimously approves motion to return to 4- or 5-day in-person instruction by March 3

-- WVNews West Virginia: February 23, 2021 [ abstract]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WV News) — The West Virginia Board of Education passed a motion Tuesday requiring grades pre-K to eighth to return to full, five-day instruction. The motion replaces a Jan. 13 one that required counties to offer at least blended learning for families.
During a special meeting Tuesday, board members heard from the state’s coronavirus czar, Dr. Clay Marsh, who presented data on the transmission of COVID-19 within schools and noted minimal transmission, especially among younger students.
“Early in the pandemic, we thought school transmission was closely tied to community transmission rates,” said Marsh. “We’ve since learned this is not correct. We are finding that when mitigations are followed, schools are among the safest places for our children.”
In a unanimous vote, board members approved the motion to send pre-K-8 students back to school in-person five days a week no later than March 3, regardless of the county’s designation on the Department of Health and Human Resources’ County Alert System map.
The board also voted unanimously to include in the motion a provision that high school students will attend classes in-person unless their county is red on the County Alert System map. Also included in the motion is a recommendation that students in grades 9-12 in counties that are not red attend school five days per week.

-- Kailee Kroll

Tennessee bill allowing governor, local school boards authority to open schools clears Senate

-- Tennessean Tennessee: February 22, 2021 [ abstract]

A bill granting local school boards in Tennessee the authority to open and close schools during a state of emergency passed the state Senate on Monday.
If the bill becomes law, local school board members, as well as the governing body of charter schools, could consult Health officials but would have the authority to determine whether to open or close schools during an emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or a natural disaster. The governor would also hold veto power to mandate school openings under the bill.

-- Yue Stella Yu

Carmel School students build air filters for campus buildings

-- WWBT Virginia: February 20, 2021 [ abstract]

RUTHER GLEN, Va. (WWBT) - Engineering and robotics students at Carmel School built and designed three air filters for each building on campus. The students learned about air quality and filtration before building the units.
The systems will be used in the Lower School, Middle/Upper School, and Athletic Center buildings.
The filters were built based on the “Comparetto Cube” design by Neil Comparetto.
“This project is exciting because the students built working units capable of filtering COVID-19 as well as many allergens. The units can be used by the school to help us continue to stay safe and Healthy,” Ms. Kember Forcke, Robotics & Engineering Teacher said. “Each unit should last six months and will filter approximately 60,000 cubic feet per hour,” she continued.
On February 10, the class teams presented the units to Mrs. Carolyn Williamson, Head of School, Mr. Stephen Griggs, Head of Middle and Upper School, and Dr. Melanie Casper, Head of Lower School.

-- Adrianna Hargrove

Portland Public Schools Has 38 Buildings Over 90 Years Old, and Many Need New Ventilation Systems. That Might Be a Probl

-- Willamette Week Oregon: February 17, 2021 [ abstract]

Portland Public Schools hopes to reopen in April but more than 40 percent of its 94 school buildings are 90 years old—and many have questions surrounding their ventilation.
Clean air is a key way to prevent COVID-19 from spreading. Just as the coronavirus is less likely to spread outdoors, it's less likely to spread when fresh air is regularly brought inside and old air is blown out.
There is reason to think PPS buildings will have problems doing that.
An analysis conducted last year to assess needs for the latest PPS school bond found a significant challenge for a district looking to reopen at least its elementary schools in early April after a yearlong closure.
The 2020 analysis found $203 million in needed HVAC repairs, of which $34 million worth were considered a matter of "Health and life safety." At 26 buildings with Health and life safety problems, boilers, piping, ductwork or other parts of the HVAC systems had exceeded their natural life span.
Those buildings included Bridlemile and King elementary schools, as well as Cleveland High School.
That PPS has aging buildings is not a startling revelation—not to the district, which a decade ago embarked on a 30-year plan to overhaul its buildings, or even to taxpayers, who have so far agreed to finance three major school bonds totaling $2.5 billion.

-- Rachel Monahan

Jefferson Co. BOE approves CEFP including construction of new elementary schools

-- The Journal West Virginia: February 14, 2021 [ abstract]

CHARLES TOWN -- The Jefferson County Board of Education unanimously approved the Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan for the next 10 years at a special meeting Thursday night.
The plan still has to move through approval by the West Virginia Department of Education, West Virginia State Board of Education and the School Building Authority but is one step further to coming to fruition.
The local board's approval came after months of input from numerous stakeholders. Eight committees were established in the spring of 2019 to facilitate input on the plan, committees including Safety and Security; Long Range Planning; Facilities and Infrastructure; Athletics; Fine and Related Arts; Business and Community Partnerships; Instruction and Technology; and Social, Emotional and Behavioral Health.
There were anywhere from five to 20 people on each committee with more than 80 individuals participating, including JCS directors, staff, faculty, parents and community and business leaders. Four public forums were also held in order to gain public input, hosted at each of the middle schools in the district.
There are a number of 2020 bond call projects that fall under the CEFP, ranging from county wide to school specific.

-- Jessica Wilt

Roanoke School Board postpones capital improvement plan vote over equity concerns

-- The Roanoke Times Virginia: February 10, 2021 [ abstract]

The Roanoke School Board decided Tuesday to postpone a vote approving the school district’s 2022-26 capital improvement plan due to lingering questions about the selection process and concerns that crucial projects may be excluded. The board will vote at its next regular meeting on March 8.
Multiple school board members said they wanted to see improvements at Westside Elementary included in the plan. They also asked questions about the selection process, concerned other needs may have been missed.
“I just don’t want to miss anything in terms of school needs,” Natasha Saunders said.
The capital improvement plan is a five-year list — in this case, from fiscal years 2022 to 2026 — that maps out capital projects and appropriate funding sources.
The projects were identified using nine prioritization factors, which included equity, Health and safety, and existing conditions, according to Chief Operations Officer Chris Perkins. He said the Office of Equity and Student Services reviewed the proposed plan, and that principals had provided input on their schools’ needs.
The proposed plan includes two dozen projects, the majority of which are related to HVAC replacements, roofing and paving. The plan also proposes additions to Morningside Elementary and Breckinridge Middle and either renovation or replacement of Preston Park Elementary, but the specifics of those projects have not been decided. Other proposed projects include playgrounds and athletic infrastructure.

-- Claire Mitzel

Clark County school buildings being prepared for students’ return

-- Las Vegas Review-Journal Nevada: February 06, 2021 [ abstract]

With preparations underway to reopen Clark County School District buildings for the first time since March, the district’s facilities are back in the spotlight. Ranging in age from a few months to nearly 100 years old, the 400 buildings occupied by schools and other district operations have a $7.9 billion need for what the district calls “modernization, life cycle and equity updates,” that includes deferred regular maintenance. By late 2019, they also amassed a backlog of around 15,000 maintenance requests for HVAC, plumbing and structural repairs and earned a stark warning from then-facilities chief David McKinnis that some were “dangerously close to imminent failure.” COVID-19 has hastened that day of reckoning, as the Health of school buildings will be critical to keeping students and staff safe and socially distanced when young students return to the classroom for the first time in nearly a year on March 1. The school district says workers have been on campuses throughout building closures to reduce the maintenance backlog, keep up facilities and improve ventilation critical to mitigating the spread of airborne germs like the new coronavirus. This ongoing work nearly has halved the maintenance backlog from 15,000 to 8,000 requests, according to the district’s current chief facilities officer, Jeff Wagner, who replaced McKinnis in 2020.

-- Aleksandra Appleton

Should Schools Become Vaccination Sites for Everyone?

-- Education Week National: February 04, 2021 [ abstract]

An increasing number of school district leaders are setting up creative partnerships to vaccinate teachers and staff—and now some are pressing local Health officials to let them expand to the community at large. Sprawl, gentrification, and cycles of disinvestment have led to markedly different access to drug stores, supermarkets, and medical facilities across the United States, but nearly all communities still have schools, the leaders note. Centrally located and often at walkable distances for most residents, schools have the potential to serve as powerful vaccination hubs. It’s unclear how many of the nation’s school districts currently host on-site vaccinations. Partly that’s a function of how much vaccine each state has received and where teachers and other school personnel fall on their tiered plans for rolling out vaccinations. But if the idea picks up traction, it could increase public confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines and potentially also help prioritize communities that have been hardest hit by the virus—and face the most hurdles in access to vaccinations. “What’s the one thing more Americans do together every year than anything else? Vote. And where do most people vote? At schools,” noted Austin Beutner, the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, who is pushing hard to situate vaccination clinics in some of its more than 1,000 schools. “We’re in the neighborhood. We’re the only civic institution that, by design, is located in communities. Even McDonald’s can’t get the real estate we get.”

-- Stephen Sawchuk

Union president: Teachers and families deserve safe ventilation if they’re going to school during a pandemic | Opinion

-- The Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: February 02, 2021 [ abstract]

Educators and students should be working and learning in school buildings because we know it’s where the true magic of education happens. And the Health and safety of educators and students are every bit as important as the classes that take place. As things stand, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers cannot definitely say that buildings are safe to reopen.
In addition to evaluating ongoing critical issues like infection rates, and availability of ventilation and PPE, we must also contend with new obstacles such as the emergence of new, more virulent strains of the virus. Since late October, Philadelphia has been far beyond “substantial,” and the risk of community transmission remains high. Before we can reopen our school buildings, we need to take every precaution to ensure that all safeguards are in place.
Students in Philadelphia have historically navigated education cuts and conditions that would never be tolerated in a wealthier, whiter school district. In a school system that educates primarily children of color experiencing poverty, it should be lost on no one that once again, too-often marginalized students are facing a return to potentially hazardous schools. School buildings in Philadelphia average more than 70 years old, eclipsing the national average by decades. Our union’s work to ensure the safety of students and staff is rooted in our commitment to changing these deeply inequitable systems.

-- Opinion - Jerry T. Jordan

Missing in School Reopening Plans: Black Families’ Trust

-- The New York Times New York: February 01, 2021 [ abstract]

For Farah Despeignes, the choice of whether to send her children back to New York City classrooms as the coronavirus pandemic raged on last fall was no choice at all. Ms. Despeignes, a Black mother of two, watched in despair as her Bronx neighborhood was devastated by Covid-19 last spring. She knew it would take a long time for her to trust that the nation’s largest public school system could protect her sons’ Health — and by extension her own. “Everything that has happened in this country just in the last year has proved that Black people have no reason to trust the government,” including public school systems and her sons’ school building, said Ms. Despeignes, an elected parent leader on the local school board who has taught at several colleges. She added, “My mantra is, if you can do it for yourself, you shouldn’t trust other people to do it for you. Because I can’t see for myself what’s going on in that building, I’m not going to trust somebody else to keep my children safe.” Even as more districts reopen their buildings and President Biden joins the chorus of those saying schools can safely resume in-person education, hundreds of thousands of Black parents say they are not ready to send their children back. That reflects both the disproportionately harsh consequences the virus has visited on nonwhite Americans and the profound lack of trust that Black families have in school districts, a longstanding phenomenon exacerbated by the pandemic.

-- Eliza Shapiro, Erica L. Green and Juliana Kim

DODEA delays return to in-class learning at all schools in Germany except one

-- Stars & Stripes DoDEA: January 28, 2021 [ abstract]

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — Schools at all but one U.S. military base in Germany will continue remote instruction through at least Feb. 12, officials announced Thursday.
Schools at Spangdahlem Air Base are the sole exception, the Department of Defense Education Activity-Europe said.
“We will continue to work with military and public Health officials to monitor the situation and will provide updates as necessary,” DODEA-Europe said in a statement. “The Health and safety of our students, staff and community is our top priority.”
DODEA’s 34 schools in Germany have been closed for in-class learning since mid-December when Germany shut down its schools as part of strict lockdown measures.
DODEA officials had considered reopening classrooms as early as Monday.
The Bitburg-Pruem district, which includes Spangdahlem, had a relatively low average of 51.5 daily coronavirus cases per 100,000 over seven days as of Thursday, according to data posted by Germany’s Robert Koch Institute. That’s just above the average weekly rate of 50 new cases per 100,000 residents that Chancellor Angela Merkel has said must be reached in Germany before restrictions can be eased.
The incidence of new cases is higher in other parts of Germany where there are DODEA schools. According to RKI, the rates in the city of Kaiserslautern and the district surrounding the city were both above 90 per 100,000; Wiesbaden averaged 82.6 new cases in one week and Stuttgart, 70. The district housing Grafenwoehr averaged more than 155 new infections over the last week while Bavaria, which houses several U.S. military installations, including Grafenwoehr, averaged 97 new cases per 100,000.

-- JENNIFER H. SVAN

Hearing Q: Why Did Schools Deteriorate?

-- New Haven Independent Connecticut: January 28, 2021 [ abstract]

After embarrassing revelations about deferred maintenance, New Haven plans to launch an annual check on its schools to make sure multi-million-dollar buildings are being kept up. New Haven Public Schools administrators revealed this plan after a night of tough questions at a hearing Wednesday night. The questioning took place during a Zoomed meeting of the Board of Alders Education Committee. The meeting followed on the release of a report by the engineering firm Fuss & O’Neill that showed widespread maintenance problems in school air systems. The New Haven Board of Education asked for the inspections as part of school Covid-19 safety precautions; the final report came out on Monday. “I cannot remember a time when we’ve had such a comprehensive analysis done in the schools of our ventilation systems,” said Assistant Superintendent Keisha Redd-Hannans. “As we’ve been discussing, this is something we should do regularly, to make sure maintenance is up to par.” While the district has managed to check through and fix nearly all of the urgent issues Fuss & O’Neill identified, two schools — West Rock STREAM Academy and Quinnipiac Real World Math STEM School — are too far gone to fix, according to Health officials and school administrators. So the city is closing those two schools permanently. The alders asked how those two schools got to such a state of disrepair and why poor maintenance seems to be an issue across the board.

-- EMILY HAYS

In CDC’s Backyard, School Reopening Debate Divides Experts

-- US News and World Report National: January 28, 2021 [ abstract]

Just down the road from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a community flush with resident Health professionals, the Decatur, Georgia, school system had no shortage of expert input on whether to resume in-person classes amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Scores of public Health and medical professionals from the affluent, politically liberal Atlanta suburb have weighed in about what's best for their own kids’ schools.
One emergency medicine doctor said initial reopening plans for the district's 5,000-plus students weren’t safe enough. A pediatrician doing epidemiology work for the CDC advocated delaying. Others, including a leader of the CDC's COVID-19 vaccine efforts, argued the district could get students back in classrooms safely — and that not doing so jeopardized their development and mental Health.
“The challenge for me has been trying to weigh all of these things that I’m being told by experts and non-experts alike to try to make the best decision that we can,” Superintendent David Dude said. “And that’s what I, and I’m sure other superintendents, have been struggling with.”
Each side argued data and science supported their view in a debate over reopening schools that sometimes veered into vitriol. The division in Decatur illustrates the challenges U.S. schools — many in communities without so much expertise — have faced in evaluating what’s safe.

-- KANTELE FRANKO, Associated Press

'We have the money to do it' | Maryland gets over $1 billion for schools as debate continues over reopening

-- WUSA9 Maryland: January 25, 2021 [ abstract]

MARYLAND, USA — Schools and universities across Maryland will receive a combined $1.17 billion as part of the pandemic relief package passed by Congress in late December.
According to a spokesperson for Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the money can be used to improve school facilities ahead of reopening and to address learning losses for students.
In total, Prince George's County Public Schools will receive $122 million while Montgomery County Public Schools will receive $112 million.
The announcement came as debate continues in Maryland over whether to reopen schools for hybrid in-person learning.
Last week, Gov. Larry Hogan pushed for schools around the state to open their doors by March 1st.
"There is no public Health reason for school boards to be keeping students out of schools," he said. "It is abundantly clear that the toll of keeping students out of school far exceeds any potential risk of having students in school where they belong.”
During the announcement, Hogan pointed to other areas in the country that have compelled teachers to return to schools. In Chicago, the governor said, pay has been cut off for teachers refusing to come back to classrooms. He added that South Carolina has threatened to take away licenses for teachers who make a similar decision, while Ohio will only offer vaccines to instructors in school systems that commit to continuing or beginning in-person learning.
"If school systems do not immediately begin a good-faith effort to return to the classrooms, we will explore every legal avenue at our disposal," Hogan said. "The time has come to get all of our kids back into the classroom and to reopen our schools.”
School districts receiving this federal funding can put the money toward repairs and improvements, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems projects to improve indoor air quality in school facilities.
Among the groups targeted to address the learning, losses are low-income students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.

-- Tom Dempsey

Chicago Teachers Union votes to refuse in-person work, defy Chicago Public Schools’ reopening plan

-- Chicago Sun Times Illinois: January 24, 2021 [ abstract]

In response, CPS officials said they will delay the scheduled return of thousands of teachers and staff until Wednesday “to ensure we have the time needed to resolve our discussions without risking disruption to student learning.”
Chicago Teachers Union members have voted to defy Chicago Public Schools’ reopening plans and continue working from home Monday because of Health and safety concerns.
City officials had said in recent days they would view the collective refusal of in-person work as a strike, but in response to Sunday’s vote results said they will delay the scheduled return of thousands of teachers and staff until Wednesday “to ensure we have the time needed to resolve our discussions without risking disruption to student learning.”
The CTU’s move to reject in-person work marks the culmination of a months-long fight between the union and the nation’s third-largest school system over how and when to reopen schools during the pandemic — a disagreement that threatens to plunge the city’s education into deeper turmoil if a deal isn’t reached over the next few days.
“So what does this mean? It means the overwhelming majority of you have chosen safety,” the union told teachers and staff as they announced the vote results. “CPS did everything possible to divide us by instilling fear through threats of retaliation, but you still chose unity, solidarity and to collectively act as one.”
About 86% of the 25,000 rank-and-file CTU members participated in the electronic vote over the past three days, with 71% favoring the rejection of in-person work in an unusually close vote for CTU labor actions. When the CTU voted to strike in 2019, 94% of members who voted chose to walk out.

-- Nader Issa

13,000 school districts, 13,000 approaches to teaching during COVID

-- The Baltimore Sun National: January 23, 2021 [ abstract]

What does it mean to go to public school in the United States during the pandemic?
The answer looks so different in different parts of the country, it is hard to tell that we are one nation. In some rural and suburban areas, especially in the South, Midwest and Great Plains, almost all students began the 2020-21 academic year attending school in person, and they have continued to do so, except for temporary closures during outbreaks. In many cities, the bulk of students haven’t been in a classroom since March. And in some districts, like New York City, only younger students have the option of going to school in person, with many attending only part time. With little guidance from the federal government, the nation’s 13,000 districts have largely come up with their own standards for when it is safe to open schools and what virus mitigation measures to use. Those decisions have often been based as much on politics as on public Health data. Through all of this, there has been no official accounting of how many American students are attending school in person or virtually. We don’t know precisely how many remote students are not receiving any live instruction or how many students have not logged into their classes all year. Nor has the federal government tracked how many coronavirus cases have been identified in schools or which mitigation methods districts are using.

-- Kate Taylor - New York Times

Schools planning capital improvements, more with new COVID-19 relief funds

-- The Daily Times Tennessee: January 22, 2021 [ abstract]

With more money and fewer restrictions on the second round of federal COVID-19 relief funding, all three local school districts are planning to spend at least some on capital improvements. The coronavirus relief act signed into law Dec. 27, 2020, includes $54.3 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, referred to as ESSER II. School directors are awaiting details but have previewed their plans based on the information they have received so far. Blount County Schools Director Rob Britt expects to present a plan for the district’s $7.5 million to the school board at its February meeting. BCS plans to focus the funding on three areas: learning loss, Health and safety, and facilities for deferred maintenance, Britt emailed The Daily Times this week.

-- Amy Beth Miller

Mass COVID-19 vaccination site opens at Manahawkin middle school

-- News12 New Jersey New Jersey: January 20, 2021 [ abstract]

A new mass COVID-19 vaccination site opened Tuesday morning in Ocean County.
The Southern Regional Middle School site in Manahawkin becomes the second site operated by the Ocean County Health Department to help vaccinate tens of thousands of people who already signed up to receive the vaccine. Utilizing schools as vaccination centers has been in the plans for a possible pandemic for 20 years.
"They are geographically dispersed throughout the county. They have a large infrastructure, large facilities, some are even offering staffing assistants to meet the need right now with the vaccination efforts,” says Ocean County Public Health Coordinator Dan Regenye.
School officials say that they are happy to be a part of the effort.

-- Staff Writer

DODEA shutters Okinawa high school after three people test positive for coronavirus

-- Stars & Stripes DoDEA: January 19, 2021 [ abstract]

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan – A Defense Department high school on Okinawa closed its doors this week after three “members of our Kubasaki High School family” tested positive for the coronavirus over the long holiday weekend, principal James Strait said in a Facebook post Monday. “In accordance with public Health’s guidance, a negative COVID test will be required for all students to return to school on Monday, Jan. 25,” he said in the post, referring to the respiratory disease caused by the virus. All students and staff will be tested Thursday at the high school, which is on the Marine Corps’ Camp Foster and administered by the Department of Defense Education Activity. More information on the testing schedule is available on Kubasaki’s Facebook page. Though the school building is closed, "teachers and students are continuing to engage in optional enrichment activities" online, DODEA spokeswoman Miranda Ferguson told Stars and Stripes on Wednesday.

-- CAITLIN DOORNBOS

Tacoma kindergarten students prepare for return to in-person classes on Tuesday

-- Q13 Fox Washington: January 18, 2021 [ abstract]

TACOMA, Wash. - Kindergarten students are gearing up for their first day of in-person classroom instruction in the South Sound this year.
Tuesday is the big day for Tacoma Schools where up to 15 kids will be allowed into each classroom. Students will spend two days on campus each week while distance learning from home for the others.
Families in Tacoma have been rolling with the punches since last spring, but new state Health guidelines are more flexible. As long as new COVID-19 infection rates do not surpass thresholds detailed by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), younger students are returning to public school campuses.
"I’m really nervous about COVID-19," said parent Anna Izenman.
Her son could see his first day inside a classroom come Tuesday, but Izenman and other parents wonder if the rest of the school year should remain in a distance learning model until a vaccine is more widely available.
The President of the Tacoma Education Association (TEA) shared similar concerns for public school employees who may not get the vaccine as early as other populations.
"Many of our educators have not had access to the vaccine," said TEA President Shannon Ergun, adding some vaccines might not be available until April.
Izenman said Tuesday’s move could be positive for kids. Making sure everyone remains Healthy and children have access to in-person instruction are important considerations, but success requires our entire community to strive to keep infection rates low.
"You just have to trust they’re going to bring Healthy students into a classroom," she said.

-- Steve Kiggins

Virginia offers updated guidance for schools on in-person learning amid pandemic

-- WTOP Virginia: January 15, 2021 [ abstract]

The Virginia Department of Health, along with the Department of Education, has released an updated interim guidance for schools navigating when to bring students back to in-person classes. The new guide incorporates and replaces the phased guidance for schools released in July. The guidance and a letter addressing how it should be used was sent to school districts Thursday. It asks Virginia school districts to consider community needs, COVID-19 data, and understand socioeconomic factors, literacy barriers and other educational needs when making plans to bring students back in person. The guide encourages prioritizing younger learners, students with disabilities and English-language learners. It also urges prioritizing learning over activities. When it comes to adding extracurricular activities, including sports, the guide states that school districts should only move forward once all students have been given an opportunity for in-person instruction.

-- Valerie Bonk

Atlanta school buildings prepare to reopen in late January

-- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Georgia: January 12, 2021 [ abstract]

Atlanta Public Schools is pushing ahead with plans to resume in-person classes later this month for the first time since March, even as COVID-19 cases surge and teachers express concern. At a Monday school board meeting, district officials discussed the reopening plan that could bring more than 13,000 students back to school buildings starting Jan. 25. That’s about one third of the students who attend the district’s traditional schools. The January date marks the second time APS has proposed bringing students back. In October, the district backed off a plan to reopen buildings, citing a rise in cases. This time around, a couple thousand more students indicated they want to return even though the virus is spreading much faster. Board Chairman Jason Esteves said academic and attendance data show that face-to-face learning needs to resume, and that postponing will harm the most vulnerable students. He said mitigation strategies, such as mask requirements and social distancing, will reduce the risk. Superintendent Lisa Herring said she’s made reopening decisions with “thoughtfulness and carefulness” and “rooted in safety and Health.”

-- Vanessa McCray

California schools struggle to pay for ventilation upgrades, key to safely reopen campuses

-- EdSource California: January 08, 2021 [ abstract]

Upgrading ventilation systems is a key way schools can reduce the spread of the coronavirus when campuses reopen, but some districts in California are finding the cost of those upgrades to be insurmountable.
Some districts have recently been able to upgrade their HVAC systems using local bond money. Some hope that the Legislature will place a multi-billion bond on the 2022 state ballot to provide new money for school facilities. Others are hoping President-elect Joe Biden will push through infrastructure legislation that includes money for schools. But few funding streams are guaranteed, and they may not be sufficient to cover the regular inspections and stringent filter replacements that HVAC systems require.
Because the coronavirus is primarily spread through air droplets, teachers unions and state authorities are urging schools to improve their indoor air quality by installing modern air filters or air purifiers, or replacing their outdated heating, cooling and air ventilation (HVAC) systems entirely. But the costs can exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the region, the condition of the existing buildings and the size of the school.
“After roofing, it can be the most expensive project for a school,” said Joe Dixon, retired facilities chief for Santa Ana Unified and a consultant who helps school districts with facilities projects. “But ventilation is important. It keeps kids’ minds fresh, it keeps them Healthy. It’s a big issue for any district.”
The state does not keep records of the ventilation systems in California’s 10,000 public schools or which schools might need additional support in funding their HVAC.
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a $2 billion plan to reopen schools, beginning as soon as February for younger students and gradually phasing in older grades. His plan, which is optional for schools but includes incentives to participate, calls for widespread testing, contact tracing, masks and other safety measures, including ventilation upgrades.
While ventilation improvements are not required under Newsom’s plan, research shows that well-ventilated, clean air can lessen the spread of the coronavirus as well as other contaminants, including wildfire smoke, dust and air pollution. Clean air can also improve students’ academic achievement, reduce absenteeism and boost Health overall for students and staff, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

-- BETTY MÁRQUEZ ROSALES AND CAROLYN JONES

Reopening plans stall as 1 in 3 students are testing positive for COVID-19 at some L.A. schools

-- Los Angeles Times California: January 07, 2021 [ abstract]

With 1 in 3 students testing positive for the coronavirus in some Los Angeles neighborhoods, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s push to reopen campuses is clashing with the reality of a raging pandemic as many school districts opt for January shutdowns and superintendents call for clearer guidance on when it will be safe to unlock their campus doors. The swift-moving developments come one week after Newsom announced financial help — totaling $2 billion — that would go to elementary schools that reopen as early as next month and later to schools serving older students. Newsom cited the widely acknowledged harms of learning loss and social isolation — especially for Black and Latino students from low-income families — after in-person instruction shut down nearly 10 months ago across the state. Superintendents from seven of the state’s largest school districts on Wednesday called on Newsom to set a clear and mandated state standard for reopening campuses. They also faulted Newsom’s plan for seeming to rely on funds that would otherwise go toward important existing education programs. “Our schools stand ready to resume in-person instruction as soon as Health conditions are safe and appropriate. But we cannot do it alone,” superintendents from Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland, Fresno and Sacramento wrote in the letter. “Despite heroic efforts by students, teachers and families, it will take a coordinated effort by all in state and local government to reopen classrooms.”

-- HOWARD BLUME, MELISSA GOMEZ, JOHN MYERS

Where Is It Safe To Reopen Schools? New Research Offers Answers

-- NPR National: January 07, 2021 [ abstract]

Since the beginning of this pandemic, experts and educators have feared that open schools would spread the coronavirus further, which is why so many classrooms remain closed. But a new, nationwide study suggests reopening schools may be safer than previously thought, at least in communities where the virus is not already spreading out of control. The study comes from REACH, the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice, at Tulane University. Up to this point, researchers studying the public Health effects of school reopening have focused largely on positivity rates. As in, did the rate of positive coronavirus tests among kids or communities increase after schools reopened? The REACH researchers worried that testing in the U.S., especially among children, is still too varied and unpredictable. Instead, Susan Hassig, a Tulane epidemiologist who worked on the study, says they focused on hospitalization rates as a more reliable indicator of virus spread. It's easy to imagine infections going undetected in communities with spotty testing, Hassig says, but "if you get infected with coronavirus and you become substantially ill, you're going to become hospitalized." Mining nationwide data from 2020, she and her colleagues looked to see if more people ended up in the hospital after nearby schools reopened.

-- Cory Turner

Watauga schools prepping to become vaccination clinics, students return after break

-- Watauga Democrat North Carolina: January 06, 2021 [ abstract]

BOONE — Watauga County Schools administrators are working with officials from local emergency management and AppHealthCare to prepare for community-wide distribution of the vaccine by making school facilities available to use as clinic sites.
WCS Superintendent Scott Elliott said the first vaccination event will be on Jan. 16, at Watauga High School, and will be focused largely on older adults in the first stage of Phase 1b. WCS will begin to connect school employees to the Health department to help them sign up for the vaccine when the number of doses are available. Elliott said he hopes this will take place within the next few weeks.
North Carolina is currently in phase 1a of its vaccination plans, which includes Health care workers fighting COVID-19 and long-term care staff and residents. Phase 1b consists of adults 75 years or older and frontline essential workers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines frontline essential workers as first responders (firefighters, police), education (child care, teachers, support staff), manufacturing, corrections officers, public transit, grocery store, food and agriculture and U.S. postal workers.
As teachers are included in phase 1b, Elliott said administrators will strongly encourage employees to receive the vaccine. The school system does not plan to make vaccination a requirement for employees until or unless the state adds the vaccine to the list of requirements for employment. Elliott did not anticipate this happening at least until the vaccines are out of Food and Drug Administration emergency approval status.
Taking the vaccine is a decision each employee should consider in consultation with their own personal Health care provider, Elliott said.
“Personally, I have a high degree of confidence in the vaccine and plan to receive it myself as soon as it is available,” Elliott said.

-- Kayla Lasure

Lawsuit: Former Horry County teacher became sick due to exposure to ‘toxic mold’ at school

-- WMBF News South Carolina: January 04, 2021 [ abstract]

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) – A former teacher for Horry County Schools has filed a lawsuit against the district, alleging exposure to mold while at school led to numerous Health issues. According to the lawsuit filed Dec. 31, 2020 against the district and four individual schools, Mary Burroughs taught at St. James Elementary School, Seaside Elementary School, Lakewood Elementary School, and Socastee Middle School during the 2016-2019 school years. During that time, Burroughs said she continued to suffer from severe headaches, short-term memory loss, a lack of energy, watery eyes, dizziness, congestion in her nose and throat, and nerve issues in her hands and fingers, the lawsuit states. Burroughs alleges she did not suffer from these ailments before working for the school district. A medical and allergy test revealed exposure to mold, according to the suit. The plaintiff claims she reported problems with her modular classroom at St. James Elementary as having a mildew odor and mold problems on numerous occasions to not only the school’s custodian and maintenance personnel, but also the principal. According to the lawsuit, HCS had knowledge of water damage, water leaks, and mold issues for years within numerous schools, including St. James Elementary.

-- Brad Dickerson

Governor Justice announces elementary and middle schools will reopen for in-person learning; winter sports pushed back

-- WSAZ3 West Virginia: December 30, 2020 [ abstract]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - West Virginia Governor Jim Justice announced he is recommending all West Virginia elementary and middle schools to reopen to in-person learning on January 19.
Governor Justice announced this during a press conference on Wednesday.
He says this gives teachers, staff and students a little more than two weeks to prepare.
However, the West Virginia Department of Education says families still have the option to keep their children in virtual learning regardless of changes to in-person instruction.
West Virginia State Superintendent Clayton Burch says January 4-15 will be a two week period to prepare for the return to in-person classes for students set for January 19. He says remote learning will start on January 4. They will continue feeding students.
Mitigation strategies will be doubled down, according to Superintendent Burch. He says they will continue cleaning and disinfecting, masks will be worn at all times, large gatherings will be eliminated and schools will still work with local Health departments.
Students in grades Pre-K through 8th will return to in-person instruction five days each week starting January 19. Students in grades 9 through 12 will also be able to return to in-person school five days per week, as long as their counties aren’t red.
The state will continue to use the map for high schools. Governor Justice says they are using the weekend to tweak the map to “some degrees.” One of the tweaks will be offering in-school learning for all counties that are orange. High schools will not return to in-person if the county is red.

-- Staff Writer

L.A. Unified will not reopen campuses when the spring semester starts

-- Los Angeles Times California: December 21, 2020 [ abstract]

The Los Angeles school district will not reopen campuses when the spring semester starts Jan. 11, and in a Monday statement Supt. Austin Beutner provided no timetable for bringing students back to campuses, citing the dangerous coronavirus surge and “alarming” data from the district’s own testing program.
Beutner also announced that the nation’s second-largest school system would continue to provide households with free meals over the holidays. In addition, people with a district connection can make an appointment for free virus testing at one of 41 sites across the sprawling school system, which encompasses all or parts of 26 cities.
But the news that all families were awaiting was the status of in-person instruction.
“It will not be possible for us to reopen school campuses by the time next semester starts on Jan. 11,” Beutner said in a pre-recorded briefing. “We’ll remain in online-only mode until community Health conditions improve significantly.”
His remarks also contained a foreboding data point: 10% of students coming in to school-based coronavirus testing sites were positive for the virus.
“The most recent data from our testing program is alarming,” Beutner said. “Over the past week, 5% of adults — who did not report any exposure or symptoms — tested positive, and close to 10% of children.”
He added: “Think about that — 1 in 10 children being tested at schools show no symptoms but have the virus. It’s clear we’re a long way from reopening schools with the level of virus this high.”
L.A. Unified’s action is in line with those of other large urban school systems in the region. Students in Long Beach Unified, the fourth-largest system in California, will not return to campus until at least March 1. San Francisco won’t reopen campuses before February.
The status of campus reopening varies across Southern California.

-- HOWARD BLUME

The Biden administration must dramatically expand school-based health care

-- The Hill National: December 18, 2020 [ abstract]

Healthy students are better learners. They are more likely to attend school, earn higher grades and graduate from high school. However, too many children, including the 4.4 million who are uninsured, have difficulty accessing comprehensive, quality Health care. In turn, these access and quality issues perpetuate chronic, multigenerational Health problems. The pandemic has amplified this stark reality. It has also cast attention on the fact that education and Health care are intrinsically connected. To minimize the long-term Health and academic impacts of the pandemic on our children and to better prepare for a future public Health crisis, President-elect Biden must dramatically improve and expand access to school-based Health care. The fundamental purpose of public education is not to provide Health care. However, it has long been recognized that Health can be a major impediment to student success. In 1902, America’s first school nurse, Lina Rogers, recognized the connection between Health and education. She began promoting good hygiene and educating families about disease to reduce the high rates of absenteeism in New York City due to preventable communicable illness. Her success in furthering a Healthy lifestyle among her students sparked a national movement to staff schools with nurses.

-- Opinion - MARIO RAMIREZ AND ANDREW BUHER

UI Researchers Find Unsafe Levels Of Lead In Iowa Schools' Drinking Water

-- Iowa Public Radio Iowa: December 15, 2020 [ abstract]

University of Iowa researchers have found unsafe levels of lead in the drinking water of some Iowa schools, but it’s unclear how deep this problem goes. Lead is a toxin that can harm human Health, can lead to issues like anemia and kidney and brain damage, and can even cause death at very high levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency both say there is no safe level of lead in children’s’ blood. The University of Iowa Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination started testing school drinking water fountains and classroom faucets for lead in spring 2019. They got through all the fountains and faucets in eight schools and gave schools money to remove and replace them if they needed to. The center planned to test two more Iowa schools, but paused because of the pandemic. David Cwiertny, the center’s director and a UI professor of civil and environmental engineering, said lead can come from a variety of sources like drinking water fountains, pipes, and plumbing. “So it can be a very challenging issue to fix because it can be highly localized,” Cwiertny said. “One tap in one classroom might be fine. One classroom over, you might have unsafe lead levels.”

-- Katie Peikes

Westerly targets refinancing of bonds as way to address school capital improvement needs

-- The Westerly Sun Rhode Island: December 15, 2020 [ abstract]

WESTERLY — Members of the Town Council unanimously approved a motion allowing Town Manager J. Mark Rooney to move forward in refinancing general obligation bonds in an effort secure additional funding to help meet the school district's capital improvement needs. During a joint meeting between the Town Council and School Committee on Monday evening, Rooney said refinancing two bonds issued through Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corporation in 2011 would allow the town to reduce its interest rates considerably. The effort would not extend the length of the bond, he said, but would create an estimated $125,000 to $135,000 in savings per year over that time, or an upfront savings of approximately $1.8 million. The exact savings would depend on the terms of refinancing and interest rate secured. There are currently 10 years remaining on the existing bond debt.

-- Jason Vallee

28 Boston Public Schools Reopen For 1,700 High-Needs Students

-- WBZ 4 Massachusetts: December 14, 2020 [ abstract]

BOSTON (CBS) – Twenty-eight Boston public schools re-opened Monday allowing about 1,700 high-needs students to return to the classroom.
The move came just hours after the Boston Teachers Union passed a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Brenda Cassellius over safety concerns.
“We didn’t want to do that. Nobody wants to take that type of vote,” union president Jessica Tang told WBZ-TV.
Eliot Elementary School in the North End was one of the schools that re-opened and while teachers were there to greet students Monday morning, they said more needs to be done.
“All of our educators showed up for our students because that’s never been the issue for us. The issue has always been about safety, equity and transparency,” Tang said.
Cassellius issued a statement of her own Monday afternoon.
“I am deeply appreciative of our entire BPS team and our High In-Person Priority (HIPP) Task Force, consisting of parents, students, BTU members, and school leaders, which advised me and my team on today’s safe reopening of 28 additional schools. I also commend the BPS Facilities team for their around-the-clock efforts since this pandemic began to ensure our buildings are clean and safe,” she said. “I acknowledge the fear that many feel in this moment. That is why we have outlined in extensive communications over the past week the additional Health and safety measures BPS has implemented in our school buildings, because it is the right thing to do for our community.”
Mayor Marty Walsh said at a news conference Monday that the no-confidence vote was “shortsighted.”

-- Lisa Gresci

Wisconsin Supreme Court hears case against health department-ordered school building closures

-- The Journal Times Wisconsin: December 08, 2020 [ abstract]

MADISON — The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard three consolidated cases against school closures Tuesday that challenged parts of an emergency order, issued by Public Health Madison and Dane County, as well as the constitutionality of the order.
The order, issued in August and amended in September, required schools in Dane County to close to in-person learning for grades 3-12 to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The Supreme Court issued an injunction that temporarily barred the order and allowed districts to offer in-person learning for that age range, in a 4-3 ruling as the court’s conservative-backed majority agreed to hear legal challenges after three groups of religious schools and parents appealed directly to the high court.
Tuesday’s hearing was held virtually via Zoom.
How this applies to Racine
Dottie-Kay Bowersox, the City of Racine Health Department’s public Health administrator, issued a similar order which would have closed school buildings within the Health Department’s jurisdiction from Nov. 27 and to last through Jan. 15. But the Wisconsin Supreme Court put a temporary hold on that order after several Racine private schools that had been hosting in-person classes, as well as local parents, challenged the order. The hold is set to continue until the court makes a decision in the Dane County case.

-- Adam Rogan

Now Is the Time to Build Schools Back Better to Make Them Safer, Greener, Healthier & Ready for the Future

-- The 74 National: December 06, 2020 [ abstract]

Wearing face masks and filled with both trepidation and excitement, children are arriving in their classrooms for the first time in months. Will they find that their school had the funds to welcome them safely? Sadly, for most of our nation’s students, the answer is “No.”
Even before the pandemic, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave K-12 public schools a D-plus on an infrastructure report card, finding that more than 53 percent of schools would need to make investments toward repairs, renovations and modernizations to be considered in “good” condition.
If there were ever a time for our country to invest in school facility infrastructure, it is now. K-12 public schools welcome more than 50 million children and adults each day and represent the nation’s second-largest infrastructure sector. There has been bipartisan talk about infrastructure for more than five years by presidential candidates and members of Congress. Schools are currently in crisis due to COVID-19 and need our help and investment.
It’s no wonder so many public school buildings are unsafe to open in the pandemic. Passing local school bonds can be very challenging, even impossible in some communities. States pay less than 20 percent of public school facility capital costs on average, and 12 states provide zero.

-- Opinion - SUSAN EPSTEIN AND ULRICH BOSER

Atlanta Public Schools rolls out proposal to return to in-person learning in 2021

-- 11Alive Georgia: December 04, 2020 [ abstract]

ATLANTA — Atlanta Public Schools families have a decision to make after the district announced its intention to return to in-person learning in January.
The proposal, announced during a Thursday virtual townhall, lays out a phased-in approach for reopening district schools in the new year, with teachers expected to return to the classroom first on Jan. 19.
Pre-K through second grade and special education students would have the option to return to in-person learning on Jan. 25.
Grades 3-5, 6, 9 and 10 would follow on Feb. 1 and grades 7, 8, 11 and 12 on Feb. 4.
Students and employees would be required to wear masks and participate in daily Health screenings, according to the district website. COVID-19 testing will also be made available.
District buildings will also be limited to 60% capacity to ensure social distancing.
Families will still have the option for virtual instruction if they are not comfortable sending students back to school.
Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring made clear that district officials are still monitoring COVID spread in the community.

-- Liza Lucas

More schools go remote as state guidelines tighten

-- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pennsylvania: November 24, 2020 [ abstract]

Unlike in March, the state is not forcing schools to close as the country experiences another wave of COVID-19. But many school districts across the region are nonetheless transitioning to their remote instruction models as virus cases sharply increase. Many in-person school closures over the past few months have been the direct result of COVID-19 cases among students or staff members, but that has not been the reason for all of them. “The need to shift from the hybrid model to 100% remote was directly related to the rising communal transmission rate,” said Scott Chambers, assistant superintendent of the Canon-McMillan School District. “Our in-school protocols with disinfecting, social distancing and masks work, but as cases rise in the community, it's inevitable that our staff and student cases increase.” School districts are closely monitoring their community’s transmission rates because the state recommends schools stop all in-person instruction when a county reaches the “substantial” caseload range over a two week period. For the past two weeks, most southwestern Pennsylvania counties have been at the substantial transmission range, meaning they have a COVID-19 incidence rate of more than 100 in 100,000 residents or a percent positivity rate greater than 10%. Even though schools are not being forced to go fully remote, the state’s expectations grew more stringent this week when the Department of Health released two new measures to ensure the safety of staff and students.

-- ANDREW GOLDSTEIN

Washington state officials are considering loosening guidelines to reopen schools

-- Seattle Times Washington: November 24, 2020 [ abstract]

Washington state Health officials are considering changing the disease metrics that guide school district reopening decisions during the pandemic. If adopted, up to half the state’s 300 school districts would meet the benchmark to start educating their youngest learners in person at least part time. The proposed changes were outlined in a state Department of Health (DOH) presentation given to Gov. Jay Inslee’s office Nov. 6. The presentation also contains detailed data about coronavirus outbreaks in schools and information about a coronavirus school testing pilot that has not been shared with the public. Under the state’s current reopening guidelines, which aren’t legally binding, school districts are advised to educate students remotely unless their county posts a coronavirus infection rate of fewer than 75 cases per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period. The draft changes to those guidelines would increase that threshold to 200 cases per 100,000. Only about 32 of the state’s 300 school districts meet the current benchmark to start educating their youngest learners based on their county infection rates. But if the proposed changes are eventually implemented, the number of districts would increase to around 150. Because they aren’t required to follow these guidelines, some districts have decided to remain closed or reopen regardless.

-- Dahlia Bazzaz and Hannah Furfaro

For Some Workers, Schools Never Closed

-- The Nation National: November 23, 2020 [ abstract]

Before Covid-19 hit Lexington, Mass., Amy Morin loved her job helping special needs students at an elementary school. She still does, but now she also feels a creeping sense of dread.
In many ways, Morin is in the best possible situation: Her school district is relatively affluent, and the infection rate is low. But her job as a paraeducator constantly brings her into contact with kids, and she fears her face mask and scrubs are inadequate. When one of her students rushes up to her to whisper that she needs to use the bathroom, social-distancing guidelines don’t really apply.
“As much as I’m like, ‘Oh, you need to keep your distance’—you know, she’s 7, and she has autism,” she told me. Personal boundaries are a challenge even without a public Health crisis. “I’m trying to practice good hygiene and stuff, but I am nervous that if she ever were to get sick, because she’s just so close to me all the time, there’s no way that I wouldn’t get sick if she got sick.”

-- Michelle Chen

NYC Offers Broad Reopening Plan for Schools; Special Ed is Top Priority, Mayor Says

-- NBC New York New York: November 23, 2020 [ abstract]

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday he is working toward reopening city schools, which he said would involve even more coronavirus testing, and provided an overall reopening plan.
During his daily coronavirus press briefing, the mayor provided no timeline for a schools reopening, other than saying it will possibly happen in the "upcoming weeks" and that it will require "a lot of work."
"We can and we will bring back our schools. It will take a lot of work. I just want people to understand that from the beginning," de Blasio said. "Bringing back the schools this next time will take an extra effort. It can be done."
De Blasio went on to say that part of reopening New York City schools is "to take our core vision, which is Health and safety first, and intensify it."
"The data and the science govern all our decisions. We saw these number rise, we made a decision based on the standards we out forward months ago, but now a new reality is coming into play," he went on to say. "We’ll take additional measures to reopen schools. There is a clear protocol for that, it involves a lot more testing. It’s a very conservative, cautious approach."
Part of those additional steps is to have students and staff undergo more testing in advance of school reopening and throughout the school year and urged parents once who want their children to participate in in-person learning to submit their testing consent forms.
"That whole approach was working and working very well," the mayor said. "We are going to now build upon that."

-- Staff Writer

Schools in nearly half of West Virginia closed as COVID-19 cases skyrocke

-- My Buckhannon West Virginia: November 21, 2020 [ abstract]

Schools in 24 of West Virginia’s 55 counties are either orange or red on the state Department of Education weekly map released Saturday evening. According to the WVDE, six counties are red, 12 are orange and six others — including Upshur County — have voluntarily moved to remote learning. The Upshur County Board of Education voted Tuesday night to move to fulltime remote learning for the rest of the year. More than 100 cases are active in Upshur County, according to the W.Va. Department of Health and Human Resources. Statewide, nearly 7,000 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the last week and 84 more West Virginians have died from the virus.

-- Brian Bergstrom

Gov. Beshear orders public, private schools to close classrooms starting Monday

-- WDRB.com Kentucky: November 18, 2020 [ abstract]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Gov. Andy Beshear has ordered Kentucky's public and private schools to close classrooms starting Monday as COVID-19 cases continue to soar throughout the state.
Beshear announced the sweeping edict during a news conference Wednesday detailing steps his administration will take to curb the spread of COVID-19. It's the first time Beshear has ordered, rather than recommended, schools to cease in-person instruction in response to the pandemic.
"If we are going to be able to provide meaningful educational experiences, in-person especially, at the beginning of the next semester, we have to take action now," he said.
"We will make every effort to make sure that in January we have the opportunity to return to in-person instruction," Beshear said.
The governor said elementary schools can resume classroom instruction Dec. 7 if their counties drop from "red" and districts adhere to public Health guidance. Middle and high schools can reopen classrooms on Jan. 4, he said.
Beshear estimated that nearly 10,000 students will ultimately be quarantined this week if current trends hold. About 2,000 staff members could similarly be isolated this week, he said.

-- Kevin Wheatley

More Pittsburgh-area school districts switch back to remote learning as COVID-19 cases surge

-- PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE Pennsylvania: November 18, 2020 [ abstract]

An increasing number of schools and districts in southwestern Pennsylvania are transitioning to remote instruction as the region continues to experience a spike in COVID-19 cases.
The districts said they plan to monitor conditions in Allegheny County and adjust their instruction schedules accordingly.
Here are the districts that have announced changes (in alphabetical order):
AMBRIDGE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
The district said it will provide all educational services virtually beginning on Monday, Nov. 23 due to an increased number of COVID-19 cases in Beaver County. The switch to remote learning will remain in place “until further notice,” district officials said. Practices and extra-curricular activities also will be postponed.
__________
APOLLO-RIDGE SCHOOL DISTRICT
The district said Wednesday that the high school would close for a week after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
Classes for grades nine through 12 will be held virtually until students are allowed to return Nov. 19.
The district said students and staff members who were in close contact with the person who tested positive for the virus would be notified by the school or Health officials.

-- Staff Writer

Helena schools take extra precautions amid largest COVID spike yet

-- Independent Record Montana: November 14, 2020 [ abstract]

Helena Public Schools added 61 COVID-19 cases during the last two weeks, which was its biggest spike yet.
These cases bring the school district's total to 120 since the beginning of the pandemic, nearly doubling the total count. Cases have now been reported at every Helena school except Bryant and Warren elementary schools, as well as the Access to Success high-school diploma program for adult learners.
School district Superintendent Tyler Ream said this increase mirrors what is happening in the greater Helena area. He said some of the positive cases were students and staff members enrolled in the Digital Learning Initiative, who have not been in the schools for months.
"I'm unsure what the state considers a 'school-associated case,'" Ream said. "We report every student or employee regardless of whether or not they are in the Digital Learning Initiative or not."
Ream also said public Health officials have not identified any Helena school as a source of transmission, which means that most of the school-associated cases were not contracted in the schools. Ream attributed this to this year's school schedule, which brings one group of students into the classroom on Monday and Tuesday and a separate group of students into the classroom on Thursday and Friday, limiting close contacts within the schools.

-- Tyler Manning

Funding Sought For School Districts Hurt By Tornadoes

-- WHIO7 Ohio: November 10, 2020 [ abstract]

OHIO — Nearly a year and a half after multiple tornadoes ripped through the Miami Valley, local school districts are still hurting.
The property damage left districts with the loss of tax money because valuations dropped. So now two state lawmakers are trying to fix the problem with special financial help from the Statehouse.
Rep. J. Todd Smith, R-Farmersville and Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Dayton introduced HB 480 to provide districts with some much needed relief. The bill provides a total of $1 million of state tax money to be shared among districts that qualify to make up for the loss of property valuation. The funding is limited to districts that suffered losses from natural disasters on May 27 and 28, 2019.
Hearings on the bill opened Tuesday in the Ohio House Finance Committee. “Memorial Day 2019 was a dark day for Ohioans when 20 tornadoes hit our state in a 24 hour period,” said Rep. J. Todd Smith. There were more than 4,500 properties damaged that night and the dollar value estimated at $1 billion, according to Smith.
The money would come from a fund that had been created earlier by the legislature to help pay for natural disasters. The new legislation would permit an allocation to school districts for loss of tax valuation. Rep. Plummer said the money is badly needed by districts and would be put to a good use. "It could pay for those counselors we need for mental Health in schools. The wrap around services we have been pushing for. When you lose taxes you lose services.

-- Jim Otte

'It's all in the building': Teacher Warns of Mold When Students Return to School

-- FOX4 News Maryland: November 09, 2020 [ abstract]

BALTIMORE COUNTY (WBFF) - As many Maryland students begin returning to school, a Baltimore County teacher has a warning about what could be waiting for some of them.
In 25 years of teaching, Maureen Hall has collected boxes of items. Some contain teaching awards and certificates of educational excellence. But looking back over those 25 years, her boxes of awards are not what’s had the greatest impact on her life.
Project Baltimore spoke with Hall in August. Eight years ago, her career took her from western Maryland to Parkville Middle School in Baltimore County to be closer to her family. In 2016, Hall, who has run nearly 30 marathons, started getting sick.
“The story needs to be told. It needs to be told. There needs to be accountability,” said Hall. “I know the truth, and I know this, I wasn't sick when I started there, and this just kind of snowballed over the last couple years.”
Hall’s Health got so bad, she went to a doctor who determined she was “exposed to mold in her school triggering a variety of symptoms,” including headaches, asthma, abdominal pain, malabsorption, adrenal dysfunction and celiac disease.
“Two percent of the population have an allergic reaction to molds. It's called mold sickness. And so, unfortunately, I'm two percent of that population,” said Hall. “So, what happened to me, it triggered this autoimmune response.”
With her Health deteriorating, Hall began documenting the problem by collecting pictures and mold samples from the school in boxes. She filed reports to alert administrators. And a Project Baltimore investigation found she wasn’t alone. Fox45 News has obtained years of emails from Parkville Middle School that indicate there’s a problem.

-- Chris Papst

The importance of clean air in classrooms�"during the pandemic and beyond

-- Brookings National: October 28, 2020 [ abstract]

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about an increased focus on public Health, particularly in school settings. From social distancing to testing regimes, education leaders are making serious changes to ensure that schools are safe for students, staff, and teachers. As the school experience continues to be reinvented, research points to an overlooked but potentially critical factor when thinking about reopening: air quality. While we have known for some time about the negative effects of air pollution on child Health, recent evidence indicates that pollution also has detrimental effects on student learning. In turn, these relationships suggest the potential for some highly cost-effective interventions to raise student performance—and keep kids safer during the pandemic.
EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECTS OF POLLUTION ON COGNITION
To date, most research has linked pollution to student learning using variation in outdoor air pollution. Researchers (see here and here) have documented significant declines in test scores when students take tests on days with high levels of particulate pollution. Another study compared students attending schools downwind relative to upwind of highways and found that increased air pollution from being downwind lowered test scores and raised behavioral incidents and absences. Similarly, in a recent working paper, a co-author and I use year-to-year variation in power production combined with wind direction to show that pollution from coal-fired power plants lower students’ test scores.

-- Michael Gilraine

EPA proposal would mandate lead testing in 20% of K-12 schools, child care centers

-- Education Dive National: October 27, 2020 [ abstract]

It’s been decades since lead was first identified as a toxin harmful to the neurological development of young children. However, there are no federal laws that require schools, child care facilities or early education programs to test their drinking water for lead or copper.
That may soon change.
A proposed update to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule, now in the final stages of review, would require community water systems to test for lead in drinking water at 20% of K-12 schools and licensed child cares in their service area every year.
Results from the sample and explanations and suggestions regarding the results would be provided to each child-centered facility tested in addition to local or state Health departments, according to the proposed rule. Facilities built after January 1, 2014 would be excluded from the testing requirement.
If given final approval, it would be the first substantive change to the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule since 1991, and it has the potential to reduce the number of children exposed and potentially harmed by drinking contaminated water.
“We don’t want anyone exposed to lead, but this is a very important population,” said Lindsay McCormick, program manager of chemicals and Health at the Environmental Defense Fund.

-- Kara Arundel

Senate Democrats Press Trump Administration to Collect, Disseminate School Reopening Data

-- US News and World Report National: October 27, 2020 [ abstract]

SENATE DEMOCRATS URGED the Trump administration this week to create a centralized database to track school-related coronavirus cases and school reopening plans in order to provide more reliable information for school leaders trying to reopen for in-person learning.
"As schools have begun the new academic year operating in-person, remotely, or with a hybrid approach, there has been wide variation in both the reporting and tracking of COVID-19 cases at schools that provide in-person learning," Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota wrote in a letter dated Oct. 27 to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield.
"The Trump Administration has not formulated or disseminated a national method for reporting and tracking COVID-19 cases in these schools, resulting in inconsistent, unreliable, and unavailable information," the Democratic senators wrote.
The letter comes in the wake of remarks by DeVos last week that it's not her responsibility or that of the federal government to track school districts, their coronavirus infection rates and how they're reopening – the most direct response to education leaders across the country who have been urging the Trump administration for a comprehensive database to help them navigate the pandemic.

-- Lauren Camera

Mattapoisett schools stay on normal schedules despite another COVID case

-- South Coast Today Massachusetts: October 26, 2020 [ abstract]

MATTAPOISETT -- Another individual in the Old Rochester Regional School District has tested positive for the coronavirus. It’s the fifth case of COVID-19 in the school district, noted school and town Health officials in a news release. Contact tracing is being conducted by the Board of Health and thus far has identified one close contact related to the school district, the release said. All schools will continue with their normal schedules on Monday, Oct. 26, including the Old Rochester Regional Junior and Senior High Schools, at the recommendation of the Mattapoisett Board of Health. Superintendent Michael S. Nelson, Mattapoisett Town Administrator Michael C. Lorenco and Mattapoisett Board of Health Chair Carmelo Nicolosi report in the news release that the individual is selfisolating in accordance with Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol. The news release went on to say that the individual has not been in school since Oct. 23 and was tested on Oct. 24. The individual’s test results came on Oct. 25 and the school district was immediately notified. Under state and federal Health privacy laws, officials said they cannot name the individual, the release noted. All schools, including the Old Rochester Regional Junior and Senior High Schools will continue to be cleaned every day after school and as needed, according to the news release. The positive case is the fifth involving an individual in the school district since schools reopened last month. Superintendent Nelson and Mattapoisett officials continue to urge all families and residents to remain vigilant about social distancing, wearing masks when in public and practicing proper hygiene.

-- Staff Writer

Montpelier school switches to all-remote as school cases tick upward

-- VTDigger Vermont: October 23, 2020 [ abstract]

Union Elementary School in Montpelier went all-remote Friday after a seventh person connected to the school tested positive for the coronavirus.
“This is tremendously difficult news to deliver. Tomorrow the entire school of UES will be going virtual to give families and staff a chance to take a breath,” Superintendent Libby Bonesteel wrote in a message to the school community on Thursday evening.
School officials had previously reported six cases, all confined to one classroom. But the most recent case was in a different grade level and instructional pod, Education Secretary Dan French said Friday during the governor’s twice-weekly press conference.
The Union Elementary cases have been cited by Health officials as the first case of in-school transmission of the virus. They have also been linked to an expanding outbreak originating at a Montpelier ice rink, where cases now total 43.
French also announced Friday that updated Health guidance will be released shortly and will go into effect in mid-November, giving schools time to adjust.
“The changes could be described as a general tightening of some of the required precautions in anticipation of the cold weather and moving more activities inside,” he said.
Currently, schools require a daily Health check to ensure people do not have symptoms of the virus before entering a school building. The updated guidance will require the Health check to screen students and staff for adherence to the state’s travel restrictions.

-- Lola Duffort

Voting during COVID-19: Some Vermont schools will be open for polling, but with restrictions

-- Burlington Free Press Vermont: October 23, 2020 [ abstract]

For those who plan to vote in person Tuesday, Nov. 3 for the general election, school-based polling places will be open, with some changes.
The Vermont Agency of Education released guidelines about what schools should do to keep the public and school students and staff safe, and in particular, to keep the two groups from intermixing.
Each district's school board had to approve a request from the town clerk to use the facility as a polling location.
What are the state's guidelines on voting in schools during pandemic
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agency of Education has stipulated that additional Health precautions must be taken. The voting space must have its own exterior door where election officials and the public can enter and exit. This area needs to be in a location where the public and school-goers won't come within 6 feet of one another.
Expect clear signage for where to go and which areas are off-limits to the public. The school may designate a nearby restroom to be for public use only during the election. But, it should not be in an area that would bring the public within 6 feet of those attending school.
Elections activity must still adhere to maximum indoor group size allowable by the state to promote social distancing. General Polling Place Health Guidelines would also apply, including wearing a facial covering and bringing your own pen.
Election officials will arrange for a thorough cleaning and disinfecting of the polling spaces afterward.

-- April Barton

Share: Distancing, masks, technology curb COVID-19 in Cape schools

-- Cape Gazette Delaware: October 21, 2020 [ abstract]

Just over five weeks into the 2020-21 school year, Cape district students and staff have settled into new routines and safety protocols necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19. Health and safety measures are working, Assistant Superintendent Jenny Nauman said. As of Oct. 21, the district reported 10 total positive cases thus far among students and staff, none of which were linked to school. “We have about 5,000 students and staff back in our schools,” Nauman said. “Teachers, parents and staff are doing the right thing, erring on the side of caution and using the daily self-assessment tool.” Nauman said district officials originally thought enforcing mask-wearing would be a challenge. “It’s been a non-issue; there have been no disciplinary actions with masks, and we know it’s one of the most important safety measures we can take,” she said. Nauman said even the youngest students check each other, telling classmates to pull up masks that fall below their noses and to back off if they get too close. “Kids are amazing, resilient and want to stay in school, so they’re doing what it takes,” Nauman said.

-- Ellen Driscoll

Fairfax County schools moving forward with plan to get more kids back in classrooms

-- WTOP Virginia: October 19, 2020 [ abstract]

Fairfax County, Virginia, is moving forward with a plan to get more kids back in classrooms.
At a virtual Return to School Town Hall Meeting Monday, the details of plans to keep kids safe and phase them back into the classroom were revealed.
Plans will be following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended five mitigation strategies: consistent and correct use of face masks for students, staff and visitors; cleaning and disinfecting on a regular basis, as well as protocols for if there is a positive COVID-19 case; contact tracing with the local Health department; social distancing to the extent possible in classrooms, transportation and as students transition through the buildings; and hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
But what if a child refuses to wear a mask?
“Our regulation has provisions that would allow for students who have medical conditions that would prevent them from wearing [a] face covering. That would require a written statement from your physician that would be presented to the school,” said Lea Skurpski, director of operations and strategic planning for the county’s schools.
And in cases where students would not wear their face coverings or have behavioral reasons that they need to work through, teachers are going to be working on implementing strategies to improve a student’s ability and feasibility to wearing a face covering, Skurpski added.

-- Michelle Murillo

Nearly 500 COVID-19 Cases Linked To IL Schools: See Where

-- Patch Illinois: October 19, 2020 [ abstract]

ILLINOIS — With more students currently receiving in-person instruction than any time since March — and at a time when coronavirus cases are again starting to spike — school leaders, parents and teachers have been calling on state Health officials to release more specific data regarding COVID-19 cases in the state's schools. The state does not make that information public, but some databases, including one by the National Education Association, show that at least 481 cases have linked to schools across the state since early August. You can see the full list here. In addition, according to a recent report from ProPublica, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 44 outbreaks in school buildings across the state. But state Health officials would not say where the outbreaks, which affected 105 students and 75 employees, occurred. The Illinois Department of Public Health and local Health departments do release statistics regarding outbreaks in long-term care facilities, prisons and those under the age of 20 infected with COVID-19 in each county. In addition, some school districts, including Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 and New Trier Township High School District 203, have started posting positive cases in schools on their websites.

-- Amie Schaenzer

Pandemic Piles on Schools Still Reeling From Fires, Floods, and Storm

-- Education Week National: October 14, 2020 [ abstract]

From the Gulf of Mexico to the western end of the Pacific Ocean, schools have recently experienced unprecedented and excruciating setbacks beyond their control. And that was before the coronavirus pandemic. A new report from the Government Accountability Office says that for schools that have suffered from major natural disasters in recent years, the pandemic has made difficult situations even more daunting as local leaders try to dig out and keep multiple catastrophes from overwhelming students and school communities. "Local education officials in disaster-affected areas told us the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental Health issues and trauma, and contributed to lost instructional time, staff burnout, delays in recovery projects, and financial strain in their communities," the GAO stated in a report released Wednesday. "Such varied challenges reflect the multi-faceted nature of both recovery and services that schools provide to students." Some of those general findings, of course, are not surprising, given the wave of school closures in March, the uneven return to classrooms around the country this academic year, and ongoing concerns about the safety and welfare of school communities. But the GAO's study zooms in on the compounding affects of natural disasters and the pandemic. For example, it highlights Sonoma County, Calif., students who lost 40 days of instructional time due to "wildfires, floods, and power shutoffs" in recent years, only to lose another 60 days of instructional time to the pandemic in 2020. Elsewhere, Hurricane Michael severely disrupted a Florida disrict's work to reduce the number of low-performing schools, and the shift to online learning during the pandemic represented another setback.

-- Andrew Ujifusa

Pandemic Plan: How K-12 Schools Are Dealing with Deferred Maintenance

-- facilitiesnet.com National: October 14, 2020 [ abstract]

Is COVID-19 the new best friend of deferred maintenance in the nation’s schools? As mind-bending as that concept might seem, consider this: The attention of parents, students and school administrators has never been focused as intently on the less-than-ideal condition of many K-12 schools as it is right now. Nationally, parents are scrutinizing the housekeeping and sanitizing practices in local schools. In New York City, ventilation concerns delayed the opening of some schools. Even managers in Healthcare facilities are closely watching the measures schools are taking to keep students and teachers safe. For maintenance and engineering managers who have battled deferred maintenance in their schools for decades, the attention might be a blessing in disguise. Schools are scrambling to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for improving ventilation, seen as crucial to minimizing the spread of COVID-19 indoors, according to Chalkbeat, adding that the crisis is prompting some taxpayers to open their wallets. Recognition of the role ventilation can play in COVID transmission has prompted a flurry of school building upgrades. Denver Public Schools has invested nearly $5 million to improve HVAC units and install new air filters. Hillsborough County schools in Florida are upgrading their air filters. Vermont offered federal relief dollars to schools interested in upgrading their HVAC systems and improving air quality. Within weeks, most schools had signed up.

-- Dan Hounsell

Oregon releases millions more in wildfire aid as schools brace for damage reports

-- The Center Square Oregon: October 13, 2020 [ abstract]

Oregon lawmakers are dousing state agencies with about $21 million in emergency funds to help pay for the mounting damages from deadly wildfires that killed nine people this summer.
The state’s Emergency Board committee is setting aside at least $20 million of that money for anticipated damages to state school districts caught in the path of the more than 2,000 fires that burned this year.
The decision to do so was made at the recommendation of the Legislative Fiscal Office to allow districts enough time to conduct proper damage assessments. Payouts could happen as soon as next week.
As many as 33 school districts may have sustained damages from the wildfires, ranging from clogged ventilation systems to the loss of entire buildings, according to the Oregon Department of Education.
The Santiam Canyon, Phoenix-Talent, and McKenzie school districts are suspected of being hit the hardest by the department. Final damage estimates have not been completed.
Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod, R-Stayton, said that school districts act as important “safe spaces” for students and need to be rebuilt as soon as possible. Girod lost his own home near Stayton in September.
The Oregon Department of Education has indicated that it is still waiting to see what insurance payouts or federal aid could be on the way as well.
Another $750,000 will be going to the Oregon Health Authority, the Emergency Board determined, to test around 2,000 private wells for contamination in areas damaged by wildfires at $300 per test. About $600,000 of the money will pay for the tests alone.

-- Tim Gruver

Denver reconsiders reopening middle, high schools amid increased COVID-19 cases

-- The Denver Post Colorado: October 12, 2020 [ abstract]

Denver Public Schools is reconsidering opening its secondary institutions for in-person learning following an upward trend in the number of COVID-19 cases that city officials warn could force Denver into another shutdown. Superintendent Susana Cordova said Monday that she and other administrators are “taking a closer look” at reopening middle and high schools based on advice from Health experts, who caution older students may be more susceptible to the virus. DPS is still planning to host elementary school students for full-time, in-person learning, she said. “The overriding priority will continue to be the Health and safety of the entire DPS community,” Cordova said. “At the same time, we want to make sure we’re doing our part to support driving down the COVID numbers in the city.” Cordova will be meeting with Health experts as well as the Board of Education on Monday to discuss the issue. Families should know more details about any revisions for middle and high schoolers within 24 to 48 hours, she said.

-- TINEY RICCIARDI

Mold grew in empty schools during the pandemic

-- South Florida Sun Sentinel Florida: October 10, 2020 [ abstract]

As classrooms stayed empty to protect students and teachers from COVID-19, another public Health concern was growing in Broward County schools — mold.
Sightings of mold, a fungus known to grow in damp areas, increased as teachers and administrators started returning to campus in August. It was found on student desks, laptops, walls, bookcases, books, air conditioner filters and ceiling tiles at more than 20 schools.
The large presence of mold has raised questions about how ready Broward schools are for students’ return. Prolonged mold exposure can cause a gamut of problems — from allergies to neurological dysfunction — and is particularly harmful to children.
Students in grades 2 and below, as well as some special needs students, returned Friday, with more students returning Tuesday and Thursday. Six schools are being delayed until late October due to repairs to air conditioners.
Inspectors with the school district’s environmental Health department received requests from at least 40 of the district’s 233 schools to check air quality in recent months. Mold was found in more than half of those schools.
“I wish I could say I’m shocked that the district has allowed mold and mildew to grow in classrooms, but I’m not,” said Nathalie Lynch-Walsh, who chairs the Facilities Task Force, a district watchdog group. “Indoor air quality was clearly not a concern over the summer because no one was there.”

-- SCOTT TRAVIS

The pandemic has taught us that school facilities need attention

-- MultiBriefs - Exclusive National: October 06, 2020 [ abstract]

The pandemic continues to expose weaknesses in various parts of our educational system. This fall, one of the most debated was one that is often forgotten: The state of our 100,000 elementary and secondary public school facilities. America seems to have a love-hate relationship with its school facilities. They are costly to replace, yet when they are in disrepair, they can be expensive to maintain. For many communities, however, they are some of the most heavily used community resources, if not the most. America’s 50 million children and 6 million educators spend between 30 and 40 hours each week in these spaces, and a school’s core common areas such as gyms, libraries, cafeterias, and auditoriums are used by the community for many evening and weekend events. Public schools account for nearly 7.5 billion square feet of interior space, which equates to almost half the area of all commercial office space in the nation. Each summer, an army of custodians and maintenance staff comb through schools to make general repairs and upgrades to ready them for a new year. Yet, as the pandemic has exposed, many of these efforts are not addressing fundamental Health and safety facility issues, and this should come as no surprise. Many of these summer repairs focus on cosmetic face lifts such as wax on the floors, fresh coats of paint on the walls, or a new carpet in an office space. They do not address much more costly, but important upgrades needed: indoor air quality.

-- Brian Stack

Students on US military bases in South Korea return to classrooms after starting year online

-- Stars & Stripes National: October 05, 2020 [ abstract]

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — More than 4,000 students returned to traditional classrooms on U.S. military bases throughout South Korea on Monday, more than a month after starting the school year online due to the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. Forces Korea lowered the coronavirus risk level on Sept. 23 to moderate, or Health Protection Condition-Bravo, a move that allowed the Department of Defense Education Activity to bring students together again in school buildings. “I’m not worried about them being at school, the kids need a classroom environment,” said Rachel Maples, mother of a second-grade student at Osan Elementary School. “They don’t look at home like school. They want to play their video games, watch television and go outside.”

-- MATTHEW KEELER

To safely reopen schools, we have to talk about indoor air quality and ventilation

-- EdSource California: October 05, 2020 [ abstract]

As counties across California look to reopen schools for onsite instruction, education and public Health officials need to ask themselves a very important question: Have we made sure all schools and classrooms have adequate fresh air ventilation to reduce coronavirus transmission? If the answer is no, students and staff will get sick.
Some help emerged from Sacramento last week: the Governor signed Assembly Bill 841, which will tackle a slice of this. The bill creates the School Reopening Ventilation and Energy Efficiency Verification and Repair Program, directing upwards of $600 million in energy efficiency funding to test, adjust and repair heating, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) systems in public schools over the next three years.
Our public school facilities are on the front lines of this pandemic. Physically closing school buildings in March was a necessary and swift tool for “extreme” physical distancing to combat Covid-19. We were instructed to keep space between each other and to sanitize frequently touched surfaces and our hands regularly. Six months into this pandemic, we’ve learned a great deal about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and how it transmits. We now know this virus can spread through the air.
With an airborne virus, the absolute riskiest places for groups of people are indoor environments that have very poor fresh air ventilation. This describes thousands of public school classrooms across California.
To reduce risk of spread when someone with Covid-19 enters the school building, school districts are being advised to increase levels of surface cleaning, ensuring frequent hand washing for students and staff, conducting daily symptom screening, requiring mask wearing, employing space utilization to physically distance students and staff, and ensuring higher levels of indoor air ventilation and filtration. Local school leaders are devising protocols and operations plans for each of these mitigation measures to their best of their ability. Researchers in the Healthy buildings program at Harvard note in their risk mitigation guidance to schools, “Although it is unlikely that any given school will be able to incorporate every recommendation, we want to emphasize that these strategies work together as part of a multi-layered plan to reduce exposure and limit transmission of Covid-19 in schools.”

-- Jeff Vincent - Commentary

Revised Atlanta schools reopening plan provides more in-person options

-- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Georgia: October 03, 2020 [ abstract]

Atlanta Public Schools' revised reopening plan expands in-person learning options and could return students to classrooms by the end of the month. Superintendent Lisa Herring will present her latest recommendation — a 96-page document— to the school board Monday. While board members can provide feedback, Herring will make the decision on how and when school buildings reopen. APS shifted to online classes in mid-March as the coronavirus began to spread. The district started the current academic year in August with virtual-only classes. The reopening plans are contingent on public Health data. The district initially proposed that students in prekindergarten through second grade could choose to return to buildings twice a week. Certain special education students could opt for in-person classes four days a week. The revised plan, released late Friday, expands the in-person option to allow students up to fifth grade to return to school buildings four days a week starting Oct. 26. Wednesdays would be reserved for at-home independent work, providing time for mid-week cleaning and for teachers to complete training.

-- Vanessa McCray

New Mexico senator seeks better air quality in US schools

-- The Press of Atlantic City New Mexico: October 01, 2020 [ abstract]

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich introduced a bill Thursday aimed at improving air quality in schools.
The Keeping Schools Safe Act would include $1 billion in funding for ventilation and air quality monitoring. It also would mandate the creation of coronavirus-specific technical guidance for heating, ventilation and air condition systems.
School districts across the country are struggling to balance the Health risks faced by educators at risk for COVID-19 with parents’ and children’s needs for in-person learning. The challenges are unprecedented, Heinrich said.
“That is why I am introducing this legislation to provide elementary and secondary schools with funding to improve air quality and ventilation – putting them one step closer to safely reopening,” the New Mexico Democrat said.
Heinrich does not have any Republic co-sponsors for the bill. It could join a number of COVID-19 relief bills that have stalled in the Senate.
On Thursday, the White House backed a $1.6 billion counter-offer from Republicans on a $3.4 trillion aid package passed by the House in March.
Heinrich’s bill focuses narrowly on air quality and supports in-person learning, a priority of President Donald Trump. It also would give final grant-making authority to the U.S. Education Department.

-- CEDAR ATTANASIO AP

Officials report 36 Covid-19 cases so far in school district

-- Sparks Tribune Nevada: September 29, 2020 [ abstract]

On Friday, September 11, the Washoe County School District held a media briefing to discuss the major issues surrounding school operations and the covid pandemic. School District Superintendent Dr. Kristen McNeill began the meeting by stating that it was a Distance Learning day for all students because the air quality was bad due to the smoke ushered in by the West Coast wildfires. The Washoe County Health District has been monitoring air quality as it relates to the U.S. Air Quality Index and issuing warnings as to how breathing the air will affect one’s Health. Last Friday, the AQI was at 157 prompting the school closures and by the weekend the Health District issued a Stage 2 Air Pollution warning (it was downgraded to an Advisory on September 14 when the AQI dropped below 150). Dr. McNeill stated that the poor air quality has added a layer of complexity in reopening schools this fall on top of dealing with the pandemic. However, Dr. McNeill assures residents that WCSD staff and teachers are doing everything they can to continue their students’ education while keeping them safe and preventing a big outbreak of the ongoing Health pandemic. As of September 13, there have been 36 positive Covid cases in 26 Washoe County schools. It has conducted 116 Covid tests of WCSD employees through its partnership with Renown. The District does not track whether the individuals are teachers or students. “Our work with Renown has really helped as far as making sure that a lot of these (potential Covid) cases are looked into early,” she says. Dr. McNeill stated that its contract with Renown Health has amplified employee testing, especially in identifying cases early and isolating those with Covid.

-- Kayla Anderson

Polis unveils revised COVID-19 outbreak guidelines for schools

-- The Colorado Springs Business Journal Colorado: September 29, 2020 [ abstract]

Governor Jared Polis unveiled revised school outbreak guidelines in a Sept. 29 COVID-19 update, and expressed concern that Colorado schools are seeing lower enrollment during the pandemic. Commissioner of Education Katy Anthes, who joined Polis at the news conference, said, “We cannot let our children’s education become a casualty of this pandemic. “We need parents to enroll students whether it’s for online or in-person learning and the department will continue to work with districts to support all of our students during this challenging time,” she said. Polis said it’s critical that Colorado students are getting the support they need to continue their education despite the challenges of the pandemic. “I encourage everyone including parents, educators, communities, and business leaders to do their part to increase school engagement at all levels because even a few months of lost learning has significant impacts on students,” Polis said. “I applaud the teachers, parents, and loved ones who are going above and beyond in helping kids stay engaged with online and in-person learning and thinking outside the box. My administration is focused on offering as much support as we can to schools across our state to ensure learning continues, while prioritizing both the education of students and the Health and safety of students, staff and teachers.”

-- Helen Robinson

Their Backs Against the Wall: Small-City School Districts Like Providence, RI, Reopen With Aging Buildings, Few Resource

-- The 74 Rhode Island: September 29, 2020 [ abstract]

Just over a year after a devastating report by Johns Hopkins University indicted Providence public schools for low academic standards and unsafe buildings, the district has launched a hybrid reopening model amid all the familiar worries of COVID-19 — ventilation, social distancing and testing.
The 24,000-student district’s woes may be more high profile than most thanks to the Hopkins report, but with students and teachers back in their classrooms since Sept. 14, Providence now walks the same thin line as many other small and medium-sized public school systems. Should the district prioritize the academic and social well-being of its student population, which studies suggest may be disproportionately hurt by remote learning, or the physical Health of students and staff by avoiding the hazard of facilities that have seen decades of neglect?
The answer is Providence will somehow need to do both.
“We’re willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that people feel safe, that their kids get an education,” Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green, who took charge of the district last year after a state takeover, told The 74. “We were already behind the 8-ball, we know that.”
Providence, like many of its small-city counterparts foraging for revenue streams even before the pandemic, will have to manage this difficult balance with limited funds.

-- ASHER LEHRER-SMALL

Western Rockingham Middle School becomes third school in Rockingham County to close due to coronavirus exposure

-- FOX 8 North Carolina: September 28, 2020 [ abstract]

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. — A week after opening doors to students, three middle schools in Rockingham County are moving back to remote learning after COVID-19 exposure in multiple classrooms. On Sunday, the school district sent out notices for Reidsville, Western Rockingham and Holmes Middle schools saying that students who attend the schools will need to learn online from Monday until Oct. 11. The district began transitioning to a plan with a mix of in-person and online learning a week ago. School leaders at Reidsville and Western Rockingham Middle schools say the exposure happened in seventh grade classrooms and impacted multiple classrooms, which is why the entire school has to close for two weeks. The exposure in Holmes Middle School was initially thought to be confined to one classroom, and the plan was to have only those students and teacher quarantine and learn remotely, but on Sunday, school leaders released a new statement saying that there had been more than five positive or presumptive positive cases of COVID-19. The school opted to close because five cases qualifies as a cluster. The functional skills self-contained classroom at Rockingham Middle School is also closed through at least Wednesday after a positive COVID-19 exposure. The school is working with Health officials on that to see if more action needs to be taken.

-- Staff Writer

‘I get to actually meet my friends’: More DODEA students return to class as virus threat eases

-- Stars & Stripes DoDEA: September 28, 2020 [ abstract]

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Though the fall semester for Defense Department schools began more than a month ago, students of the four base schools here on Monday returned to the classroom for the first time in more than six months.
Freshman Emma Snyder, 15, posed for a faux first-day-of-school photo with her siblings at about 7:30 a.m. before heading into Kinnick High School.
While students at Kinnick, Yokosuka Middle and Sullivans and Ikego Elementary schools began remote learning on Aug. 24, they hadn’t been taught on campus since the coronavirus pandemic closed U.S. schools on military bases across Japan on March 19.
“Now I get to actually meet my friends and hang out with them,” Snyder said.
The Department of Defense Education Activity requires all bases under Health Protection Condition-Charlie, which indicates a substantial risk of the coronavirus spreading, or higher to close their school buildings and instead provide online instruction.

-- AKIFUMI ISHIKAWA

Boston Teachers Union issues report outlining safety concerns about school buildings

-- Boston.com Massachusetts: September 25, 2020 [ abstract]

Boston students with higher learning needs are expected to return to classrooms starting next week, but the Boston Teachers Union is raising concerns that “extensive” safety issues related to transmission of COVID-19 remain in many district buildings.
The union issued a report with the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, or MassCOSH, on Thursday outlining the concerns that were developed during walkthroughs of six buildings — seven schools — last week.
In a statement, MassCOSH executive director Jodi Sugerman-Brozan said the group is “very concerned” about the condition of some of the buildings.
“The organizations found major issues relating to windows and fans, ventilation and filtration, indoor air quality inspection data, and cleaning protocols,” the teachers union said in a statement.
According to the BTU, many of the items that were on the organization’s “checklist” for a safe return were not in place or lacking during the walkthroughs, including window fans, sanitizer in every classroom, and N95 respirators for nurses.

-- Dialynn Dwyer

COVID-19 cases reach 70 Polk public schools as county suffers second-youngest death

-- The Ledger Florida: September 25, 2020 [ abstract]

With seven new cases reported in the Thursday night update, in addition to two new school campuses, Polk County Public Schools is reporting 175 COVID-19 positive tests at 70 of the district's 150 educational facilities since classes resumed in August. READ MORE: Kathleen cancels 2 football games after COVID notice New schools on the list were single cases at Central Florida Aerospace Academy in Lakeland and Ridge Technical College in Winter Haven. Also reported with a single case were Lake Gibson High and Kathleen High in Lakeland, Auburndale High and Palmetto Elementary in Poinciana. Polk County's steady new case total was reported at 96 Friday by the Florida Department of Health. Over the past nine days, with a high of 134 on Sept. 17, the county has averaged 107.2 new cases among state residents.

-- Staff Writer

COVID-19 UPDATE: Gov. Justice announces WVDE now reporting school outbreaks online; County Alert map updated to match Sc

-- WV Office of the Governor West Virginia: September 25, 2020 [ abstract]

CHARLESTON, WV – Gov. Jim Justice joined West Virginia Health leaders and other officials today for his latest daily press briefing regarding the State’s COVID-19 response.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NOW REPORTING SCHOOL OUTBREAKS ONLINE
During Friday’s briefing, Gov. Justice announced that the West Virginia Department of Education has posted a list of schools across the state that have active outbreaks of COVID-19 on the WVDE website.
A confirmed outbreak is described as two or more confirmed COVID-19 cases among students and/or staff from separate households, within a 14-day period, in a single classroom or core group.
The Current Outbreaks in Schools chart lists the school and county where the outbreak has been identified, the number of cases in that facility, the date when the outbreak was identified, and information about whether the outbreak led to full remote learning.
The chart is based on information provided by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources and will continue to be updated regularly.
“It’s important to remember that the data will be delayed by a day or two between us getting the information from the counties and getting that reflected on the chart,” Gov. Justice said.
COUNTY ALERT MAP UPDATED TO MATCH SCHOOL ALERT MAP; MOST COUNTIES NOW GREEN
Also on Friday, Gov. Justice and West Virginia Coronavirus Czar Dr. Clay Marsh announced that the County Alert System map, provided throughout the week on the DHHR’s COVID-19 Dashboard (Click "County Alert System" tab) has been updated to match the two-metric color-coding methodology used in the School Alert System map; the official 5 p.m. Saturday map update by the WVDE that determines the level of scholastic, athletic, and extracurricular activities permitted in each county for each particular week.

How America’s Schools Got So Sick

-- Bloomberg CityLab National: September 25, 2020 [ abstract]

This fall, the usual back-to-school anxieties have been coupled with a new one in the U.S., as wide swaths of the populace are desperately asking if their child’s classrooms can provide any level of safety. In many major U.S. cities, public school buildings remain fully or partially closed for in-person instruction due to the ongoing risk of coronavirus infection among students, staff and their families. It’s a calamity that is not exactly as unprecedented as it appears to be. For many Americans, especially poor ones and people of color, American public schools have never been safe places to learn. The Covid-19 pandemic is layered atop a wider public Health crisis: educational infrastructure that is in such bad condition that it threatens the Health of students. In 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that 46% of public schools had conditions that contribute to poor indoor environmental quality, according to a Harvard University study. Asbestos, lead paint, unsafe drinking water, and insufficient heating and cooling are fixtures of public school districts nationwide. In the U.S., 36,000 schools need to replace or upgrade their HVAC systems, according to a Brookings Institution report. In 2017, the American Society of Civil engineers graded U.S. schools at a D+, and it’s estimated that the national investment in public schools falls short by $46 billion a year.

-- Zach Mortice

Rise in COVID cases already causing school building closures across Minnesota

-- MinnPost Minnesota: September 25, 2020 [ abstract]

Elizabeth Shockman reports for MPR: “Three weeks into the new academic year, COVID-19 cases are already causing some K-12 districts across Minnesota to close their school buildings and send teachers and students into quarantine. More than 350 of the more than 2,000 schools across the state have already had an instance of at least one student or staff member contract the virus. In some instances, there have been multiple cases at those schools.” Meanwhile, Josh Verges writes for the Pioneer Press: “Students in several large Minnesota school districts are heading back to class after starting the year learning from home because of the coronavirus pandemic. Nine of the state’s 50 largest districts began the school year with every grade in distance learning, according to a Pioneer Press review of plans posted online. Two of those districts — Mounds View and North St. Paul – Maplewood – Oakdale — since have invited some or all of their students back part-time. Osseo Area and St. Louis Park will join them next week with part-time in-person instruction. And Roseville Area and Robbinsdale have plans to start reopening school buildings next month.” The Star Tribune’s Libor Jany says, “U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump’s daughter and a top White House adviser, made a surprise visit to north Minneapolis Thursday as part of a Midwest tour to highlight what Republicans say is growing lawlessness in Democratic-controlled cities. … Thursday’s event featured the testimony of one law enforcement officer, Matt Hagen, a Hennepin County sheriff’s deputy and president of the state Fraternal Order of Police. Hagen said that police were feeling besieged and that calls in Minneapolis to cut their funding would only undercut law enforcement’s ability to fight crime.” WCCO-TV also reports: “Some people trying to get a flu shot this week are being turned away. With COVID-19 concerns and regular flu season warnings, Health care providers say they’re seeing an unprecedented demand for flu vaccines.” Aaron Lavinsky and Erin Adler write for the Star Tribune: “Minneapolis police faced off with about 100 people gathered Thursday night in downtown Minneapolis to protest local and national issues. The demonstrators began their rally near the federal courthouse and then marched to several sites around downtown. Among their grievances were the lack of charges in Breonna Taylor’s March shooting death by police in Louisville, Ky., as well as Thursday morning’s clearing of a homeless encampment in Peavey Park, in south Minneapolis.” The AP’s Scott Bauer reports: “Wisconsin’s daily count of COVID-19 cases hit its second-highest total to date on Thursday, while the seven-day average topped 1,900 for the first time. To date, Wisconsin has seen more than 108,000 positive cases of the coronavirus and 1,265 deaths, the state Department of Health Services reported. The 2,392 new cases reported Thursday was second only to 2,533 new cases reported less than a week ago on Sept. 18. The seven-day average was 1,939. That was nearly three times the seven-day average of 665 a month ago.”

-- Brian Lambert

COVID-19 Expenses Push Dist. 207 Budget Into Deficit

-- Journal & Topics Illinois: September 23, 2020 [ abstract]

As usual, the budget was initially released in July, with public hearings held in August and the final budget approved in September. However, Mary Kalou, the district’s assistant superintendent for business, warned the board in July that it would have to make significant adjustments as it got a better idea of what the school year would look like, especially with climbing COVID-19 infection rates and changes in state regulations. The district is expected to save money by reducing capital spending on projects that aren’t part of the Facilities Master Plan. It is also expected to benefit from a slight increase in property tax revenue. Kalou also explained that, historically, the district tended to lose less money than projected, so the deficit may end up smaller than expected this year as well. The district is keeping most of its classes remote for at least this quarter. It is aiming to try to provide in-person, socially distanced opportunities for homeless students, students who may not have quality computers and/or internet connections and students who may otherwise struggle to learn at home due to circumstances outside their control. SAT testing for seniors will still be held in person on Oct. 14. As Supt. Ken Wallace explained to the board, the College Board, a nonprofit organization that sets SAT requirements, wasn’t willing to significantly alter its requirements due to the pandemic. “We have to give a test — and that’s the dumbest thing ever,” he said. “So if you needed another reason to hate the testing companies…It’s going to be a major pain in the wazoo.” Wallace emphasized that he wasn’t against holding SAT tests in person, he simply wished that the College Board gave them more time and flexibility to do it in a safe, socially distant way, as well as to provide alternatives for students whose Health issues would make taking the test in person more of a risk. The $2 million the district originally set aside will be used for “protective equipment, cleaning products, technology and other items needed” to keep students and teachers safe.

-- Igor Studenkov

Ventilation is critical to fighting Covid-19. But in Vermont schools, it’s optional

-- VTDigger Vermont: September 23, 2020 [ abstract]

Experts agree ventilation is crucial to lessen the risk that Covid-19 spreads as students go back to school. However, proper ventilation is more an aspiration than a reality in some Vermont schools even as buildings reopen for daily use.
State officials have made general recommendations that ventilation systems be in good working order before schools reopen, but offered no specific targets. The Vermont Occupational and Health Administration, meanwhile, says it has no jurisdiction over non-mandatory guidance.
Federal public Health authorities have offered little help. A Harvard University Health project says it had to create a standard for high-quality ventilation in the pandemic — changing the air completely inside a room five times an hour — precisely because others hadn’t.
The problem surfaced in the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union in Bennington, which hired an engineering firm during the summer to take a look at its ventilation. The news was not good: The systems in several schools, including at Mount Anthony Union High, were basically nonfunctional in large swaths of the building.
Alarmed that teachers were expected to report to work in person before recommended work was completed, Meaghan Morgan-Puglisi, a math teacher at Mount Anthony and a building representative for the local teachers union, filed a complaint with the Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“Your description of hazards are not within VOSHA’s jurisdiction,” a compliance officer wrote back to Morgan-Puglisi. “I have included the below links which identify employer considerations regarding ventilation systems, but it is not mandatory at this time that your employer makes those updates,” he added.
School reopening guidance written by the Agency of Education, in concert with the Health Department, recommends that schools clean their HVAC systems and ensure they are in proper working order prior to school openings. The guidelines also recommend that schools increase outdoor air ventilation and invest in portable air cleaners.

-- Lola Duffort

Schools reopen for fraction of New York City students

-- Politico New York: September 21, 2020 [ abstract]

NEW YORK — New York City public schools reopened on Monday for up to 90,000 children — a small fraction of the city's 1.1 million public school students but the first time any in-person classes have been held since the coronavirus pandemic took hold in March.
Pre-kindergarten students and those with advanced special needs were the only students to return to school buildings after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio abruptly delayed the start of the school year for everyone else last week amid a teacher shortage and ongoing safety concerns.
As New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized the city for its constantly changing reopening plan, the head of the city teachers union warned that the city’s plan still won’t provide enough teachers to open middle schools and high schools.
But de Blasio, who greeted pre-kindergarteners returning to school in Elmhurst, Queens, called the reopening a milestone for the city’s recovery.
“This year was powerful because we’ve had to overcome so much. [It's] the first time our kids are going back to a school building in large numbers since the middle of March,” the mayor told reporters.
“What we also saw was a real devotion to Health and safety. A devotion to social distancing, a devotion to the temperature checks ... and the masks. Everyone was wearing a mask, and those 4-year-olds were wearing their masks with no problem at all,” he said.

-- ERIN DURKIN, MADINA TOURÉ and BILL MAHONEY

D.C. school leaders struggle to reopen buildings for small groups this month as staff reluctance persists

-- The Washington Post District of Columbia: September 20, 2020 [ abstract]

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said she wants to bring small groups of students back into schools by the end of September, but with less than two weeks to go, her administration has no plan and has not reached an agreement with teachers to return to classrooms.
The mayor on Thursday referred questions about reopening buildings to the school system’s chancellor, but he had almost no details. The school system, he said in a statement, is “actively considering options” for a return to in-person school and would prioritize serving students “furthest from opportunity.”
Bowser has said she aims to offer all students the option to return to classrooms part time by Nov. 9 — when the second term begins — under what is commonly known as a hybrid schedule.
But before that date, she wants to offer small groups of students with high needs an opportunity for in-person learning. Some D.C. charter schools — including KIPP DC and Friendship, the city’s largest networks — are educating in person a few hundred children of essential workers and students with special-education needs. That has put the traditional school system on the spot: If KIPP DC and Friendship can do it, why can’t neighborhood schools?
“I think DCPS can do it, and I think DCPS should do it,” Bowser said this month about returning to schools.
The challenge of reopening schools — even for just small groups — is not unique to the District. Infection rates here have fallen to levels that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says would allow schools to reopen with “lower risks of transmission.” But teachers and staff members have resisted going back, and they question whether buildings are safe. Bowser said that the city needs to consider “workforce readiness” and that Health metrics alone are not driving reopening decisions.
Most big-city districts also began the year with all-remote learning.
New York, the nation’s largest school system, is trying to offer in-person learning, but it has repeatedly delayed the opening date.
And in the D.C. suburbs, the school districts are entirely remote, most through at least the first quarter, which ends in early November. Schools in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties plan to stay remote through the first semester, which ends Jan. 29.

-- Perry Stein

Handful Of New Hampshire Schools Report New Coronavirus Cases

-- Patch New Hampshire: September 20, 2020 [ abstract]

CONCORD, NH — Another 29 people have become infected with the new coronavirus in New Hampshire including two children, state Health officials reported Sunday. More than half of the cases were female and investigations are still open on three cases. The state has 7,947 accumulative COVID-19 cases since March 1 while 7,201 or 91 percent of all patients have recovered. Five of the new cases reside in Rockingham County while one lives in Merrimack County and one lives in Hillsborough County outside of Nashua and Manchester. No new hospitalizations were reported by the state but the current hospitalizations number was revised up to 10. According to the latest data, 9 percent or 725 of all new coronavirus cases have required hospitalizations.

-- Tony Schinella

Coronavirus updates: Wichita schools see eight more cases, most at elementary schools

-- The Wichita Eagle Kansas: September 19, 2020 [ abstract]

Wichita public schools reported eight more positive COVID-19 cases among employees this week.
The weekly report, released on Fridays, list tests from Sept. 11-18 and shows five positive tests at elementary schools and one each at a middle school, a high school and a non-attendance center. The report does not identify where cases occurred.
There is no data showing how many students have tested positive.
Additionally, 69 more employees are in quarantine for a total of 198.
Most of the new quarantines happened at elementary schools, which saw 41 more. The quarantines include “close contact with (a) confirmed case, experiencing symptoms, or travel,” the report says.
Wichita schools reported one case last week, which included testing during the first few days of school, and four cases the week prior. There were also cases reported at six schools back in mid-August.
Sedgwick County reports triple-digit increase
The Sedgwick County Health Department reported 103 new cases Saturday and 1,099 more tests, bringing the totals to 7,972 and 95,602 or a 8.33% positive rate overall.
Sedgwick County’s percent of positive cases is under 5% for the first time since June 24, according to the 14-day rolling average. Thursday, the latest day available, it was at 4.92%.
That rate has been mostly dropping in Sedgwick County since Aug. 21, when it was more than 12%.

-- MICHAEL STAVOLA

Washoe school district sees rocky start to in-person learning

-- Las Vegas Review-Journal Nevada: September 19, 2020 [ abstract]

The Washoe County School District is experiencing a bumpy in-person start to the school year, with 44 COVID-19 cases reported in the first month among staff and students, and air quality concerns due to smoke from nearby wildfires frequently forcing a return to distance learning. The Reno-area school district — which has about 62,000 students and 8,000 employees — began its new school year Aug. 18 with full-time on-campus instruction at elementary schools and a hybrid model for middle and high schools where cohorts of students alternate between attending classes in-person and via distance learning. About one-third of students opted to enroll in full distance learning. This summer, the school board approved reopening with in-person instruction — a contradiction to a Washoe County Health District recommendation to pursue distance learning. The much bigger Clark County School District — with about 307,210 students and 42,000 employees — elected to depend solely on distance learning when it reopened Aug. 24, with the exception of seven campuses in rural areas offering either full-time in-person classes or a hybrid format.

-- Julie Wootton-Greener

NC elementary schools can now offer full in-person classes: What you need to know

-- WSOCTV North Carolina: September 17, 2020 [ abstract]

RALEIGH — North Carolina elementary schools will soon be allowed to return to daily, in-person classes, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper announced on Thursday.
The decision on whether to return to full in-person instruction will be left up to individual districts. Those choosing to go forward with the Plan A reopening option starting on Oct. 5 won’t be limited in the number of students who can be inside a classroom. They would, however, be required to screen kids for coronavirus symptoms, make sure they wear face coverings and offer remote options for parents concerned about their kids bringing the virus back home.
“The number one opening priority during this pandemic has been our schools, and our continuing progress in fighting the spread of this virus is allowing us to do a little more. The more people wear masks and act responsibly, the more children we can get safely in our schools,” Cooper said.
The move comes two months after the governor chose Plan B as the state’s baseline, which allowed North Carolina K-12 schools to reopen at reduced in-classroom capacity but gave parents and school districts the choice to have classes entirely online.
Middle schools and high schools will remain under Plan B.
The governor and Mandy Cohen, the state’s top public Health official, did not outline a timeline for when they’d consider letting middle schools and high schools transition to 100% physical instruction. When classes began last month, most K-12 public school students were on Plan C, which provided fully remote learning, while others adopted the Plan B model providing for a mix of online and in-person instruction.

-- Staff Writer

The cost of reopening schools amid a pandemic? IBO projects NYC will need an extra $32M a week.

-- Chalkbeat New York New York: September 17, 2020 [ abstract]

How much more will it cost for New York City schools to reopen their buildings amid a litany of new Health and safety mandates and additional staffing needs? An estimate from the city’s Independent Budget Office, released Thursday, puts the weekly price tag at $31.6 million for staffing, cleaning, and coronavirus testing, among other expenses. Conducted at the request of Councilman Mark Treyger, the IBO analysis found that that these costs fall on multiple city agencies — not just the education department. “It’s possible that some of the costs can be reimbursed with future federal packages or any other type of aid that might be available,” said Sarita Subramanian, supervising education policy analyst with the IBO. “I think the point we were trying to make is that these are costs that, up front, the city will have to find funding for in some way.” The actual costs are in flux as the city continues to change course, delaying the start of in-person school for most students. At the same time, families are still opting into fully remote learning and teachers continue to get medical accommodations to work from home. But the IBO offers a first look at the financial toll of reopening city school buildings during the coronavirus pandemic and as the city faces a $9 billion deficit over two years. Potential state budget cuts could further strain city coffers — though the state canceled plans to withhold some money from districts at the end of this month. The education department questioned the IBO estimate. And on Thursday morning, as Mayor Bill de Blasio announced another delay in the reopening of school buildings, he told reporters that the city will spare no resources to ensure a safe reopening, saying “it’s a budget priority” and the city will make “cuts and changes if that’s what it takes.”

-- Reema Amin and Sam Park

COVID-19 Continues to Impact Connecticut Schools

-- NBC Connecticut Connecticut: September 16, 2020 [ abstract]

COVID-19 cases in Connecticut are starting to rise and some school districts that just sent students back to the classroom are having to make some changes.
Cases are popping up among students and staff members, which is forcing some schools to close their doors and switch to remote learning.
Bridgeport
Jettie S. Tisdale School in Bridgeport was closed Monday after the superintendent said a staff member tested positive for coronavirus. Officials said the school will remain closed for the rest of the week.
Colchester
A member of the Colchester Elementary School community has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating, according to the school district. They notified the Chatham Health District and reached out to people who were in contact with the individual who tested positive.
The school district will remain open and students will continue to be taught in cohorts, according to the school district.
Ellington
Two students at Ellington High School, from the same family, have tested positive for COVID-19. The school will remain open, and anyone who may have had close contact with either student will be notified, officials said.

-- Jennifer Joas

School custodians, maintenance workers are the unsung heroes of COVID-19 era.

-- KWCH12 Kansas: September 15, 2020 [ abstract]

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Districts are relying on custodians to keep students and staff Healthy while school returns during a global pandemic. Custodians are at the school in shifts for a total of 17 hours per day.
Custodial jobs have changed in ways few think about. For example in Derby at Stone Creek Elementary, the school could not use traditional roll-away tables in the lunch room because they do not allow for social distancing. The school is now using folding tables and chairs. Custodians say it takes more time to put away all the tables and chairs so they are able to clean the floor of the lunchroom.
Throughout the day, custodians routinely check for garbage and refill sanitizer available to students and staff. Schools are also generating more trash than before. Cafeterias now use since-use styrofoam trays. Paper towels are used for cleaning and handwashing. Schools install hand sanitizing stations throughout the building. It’s up to the custodians to keep them filled.
The workload in classrooms has doubled. Custodians are cleaning and disinfecting every classroom every day. Before, each classroom was cleaned every other day.
“They genuinely feel that their job is impacting, you know, whether we can keep our school open and how to keep the kids safe, So I think it’s been really exciting for our custodial staff to kind of be in that position for a change,” says Burke Jones, Director of Operations for USD 260.
Over the summer, the maintenance department got new disinfecting supplies that were on the list of approved coronavirus-killing products from the EPA. Burke say custodians trained throughout the summer on the new products.
Among the new products are Clorox 360 Electrostatic Sprayers.
The district purchased one for each building, school buses and the district’s central kitchen. Custodians first clean the surfaces, wiping off dirt and grime. Then they spray rooms with the electrostatic sprayer. It doesn’t just land on the surface. The particles are electrically charged and are attracted to the charged particles in objects, even landing on the bottom of the object.

-- Kristen Boxman

‘I am angry.’ CMS says air is safe but aging systems fall short of COVID-19 advice from CDC

-- The Charlotte Observer North Carolina: September 15, 2020 [ abstract]

As Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools leaders weigh whether to allow some students to return for in-person learning after months of virtual-only class due to COVID-19, concerns linger about the air quality inside school buildings.
District officials and local Health leaders have outlined reopening metrics — including the county’s positivity rate, the availability of personal protective equipment and whether school buildings are ready for students— but some teachers say they’re concerned aging heating and cooling equipment in school buildings increases the risk of spreading the virus.
Specifics on air filtration are not included in CMS’ current dashboard for reopening. Other facility preparations — like spacing seats out for social distancing and enhanced cleaning — are required.
CMS says it is working to improve indoor air quality in anticipation of bringing students back to in-person learning.
But some of the measures put in place fall short of recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control for reducing the spread of viruses.

-- ANNIE MA

Healthy Recovery Starts With Schools: USGBC

-- Commercial Property Executive National: September 14, 2020 [ abstract]

Participants in a two-day U.S. Green Building Council forum on reopening the economy and Healthy buildings determined that the first step is investing in schools. At the August 2020 Healthy Economy Forum—a follow-up to USGBC’s Healthy People in Healthy Places Equals a Healthy Economy initiative—roughly 1,000 industry professionals connected to explore avenues for creating Healthier and more resilient spaces in the pandemic era’s built environment. As we look ahead, we believe the key to rebuilding a Healthy economy is ensuring we have Healthy people in Healthy places, and buildings are a vehicle for achieving that goal,” Taryn Holowka, senior vice president with the U.S. Green Building Council, told Commercial Property Executive. “The places we occupy—homes, offices, restaurants and other spaces—have an impact on our personal Health in terms of air and water quality, productivity and more, but they also impact environmental Health and the Health of the community in which they’re located.”

-- Barbra Murray

Providence teachers union asks feds to investigate school building safety

-- WPRI Rhode Island: September 14, 2020 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — In its latest attempt to push back on in-person learning in Providence’s aging school buildings during the coronavirus pandemic, the Providence Teachers Union is asking a federal agency to investigate the Health and safety of the buildings. In a seven-page letter sent to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is part of the CDC, the union requested a “Health Hazard Evaluation or modified research
initiative on the heightened risk or impact of coronavirus exposure on school employees as they return to an in-person school setting.” The letter, signed by Union President Maribeth Calabro, says the district’s plan “fails to adequately address the latest scientific data that shows that the coronavirus is not only transmitted by droplet or fomite transmission, but by airborne/aerosol transmission. Classrooms are places where a lot of talking takes place; children are not going to be perfect at social distancing; and the more people in a room, the more opportunities for aerosols to accumulate if the ventilation is poor.” The union is not currently considering any court action to try and halt in-person school, Calabro said. (The Providence Teachers Union backed out of a lawsuit filed late last week by the Bristol-Warren Education Association to try and stop schools from opening, which turned out to be unsuccessful on Friday.)

-- Steph Machado

Schools in Alma, Auburn Hills, Birmingham among 11 reporting outbreaks of COVID-19, state says

-- The Detroit News Michigan: September 14, 2020 [ abstract]

Schools in Alma, Auburn Hills and Birmingham were among 11 reporting COVID-19 outbreaks since school resumed, although state data released Monday shows the positive counts remain low.
The 11 include five outbreaks considered by the state's Health department as new and six deemed ongoing, and the positive case counts were as small as two and as large as six.
All were much less than what has been recorded this fall semester at Michigan's universities and colleges. Grand Valley State University, for example, has had 438 positive cases, and Michigan State University and Central Michigan University have both reported spikes in cases since students returned.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services identified the K-12 schools with COVID-19 outbreaks for the first time on Monday, although the data lags identification of cases by several days.
Among them, Luce Road Elementary in Alma has the most reported illnesses — six cases — in its preschool and elementary school program, impacting both students and staff there.
Alma Schools Superintendent Donalynn Ingersoll sent parents an email on Sept. 5 informing them of a second positive case of COVID-19 within a first-grade classroom at Luce Road Early Childhood Learning Center.
"Under the direction of the MidMichigan Health Department, we believe the safest action at this time is to close Luce Road School for a 14 day period, from the date of last possible exposure (September 3)," Ingersoll said in the letter. "Beginning Tuesday, September 8, Alma’s Kindergarten and first grade students will transition to Panthers On-Line."

-- Jennifer Chambers

The New York City Schools That Didn’t Close

-- The New Yorker New York: September 14, 2020 [ abstract]

On a cold, drizzly Monday morning in late March, Santiago Taveras left his home in Teaneck, New Jersey, before the sun rose. Traffic was light as Taveras merged onto the George Washington Bridge, crossed over the Hudson and Harlem Rivers into the Bronx, passed the shuttered Cardinal Hayes High School, and steered toward a big, boxy building in Mott Haven. Already, the city had begun to feel like the national epicenter of what people would come to call the pandemic. The previous week, the city had implemented shelter-in-place rules, shutting down offices, restaurants, and schools. Ninety-nine people had died in the city so far and another twelve thousand New Yorkers had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, fifteen per cent of them in the Bronx. Taveras’s wife, Alexandra, had fretted as he left the house that morning, wearing a dress shirt and slacks. What if he caught the virus? What if he carried it home?
Taveras, a Dominican who was born in the Bronx, is six feet three and, as he often points out, weighs about three hundred and fifty pounds. He has worked for the New York City Department of Education for thirty years as an elementary-school teacher, assistant principal, high-school teacher and principal, student-support manager, and deputy chancellor, among other roles. Now he was taking on a role for which there was little, if any, precedent in the department’s hundred-and-seventy-eight-year history. He would open a temporary school in the middle of a worldwide Health crisis.
Around 5:30 a.m., Taveras parked his Toyota Sienna minivan outside of the Mott Haven Educational Campus. Most of the city’s 1.1 million schoolchildren would stay home that day, as they had every day the previous week, but a deputy chancellor and a team of administrators had rushed to put together a plan for what they’d begun calling “regional enrichment centers”—schools for the children of essential workers. Department officials had warned Taveras that they weren’t sure how many students would show, or when. Fourteen thousand families had registered to send their children to one of ninety-three centers. The night before, officials had assigned a hundred and seventy students—ages three to fifteen, nearly all of them the children of Health-care workers in the Bronx or Harlem—to the school that Taveras would oversee.
He stepped inside and found that the custodial staff had arrived before he did. The lobby reeked of bleach and disinfectant, which he found reassuring. He walked the building’s halls, looking for classrooms with sinks. Most of the doors were decorated with children’s art: skylines, butterflies. Some of the desks still had notebooks in them—supplies that students left behind before lockdown. One classroom had the remnants of a bean-growing project. Normally, the Mott Haven campus holds half a dozen schools; it sits on six and a half acres, and when it opened, a decade ago, architects called it the largest single school-construction project in New York City history. Even if hundreds of kids came today, Taveras thought, he’d have plenty of space to house them.

-- Casey Parks

Two positive Covid-19 cases close down Crossett Brook Middle School

-- VTDigger Vermont: September 13, 2020 [ abstract]

Acentral Vermont middle school will be closed to in-person instruction this week after two students tested positive for Covid-19.
Harwood Unified Union School District Superintendent Brigid Nease said Sunday afternoon she had been notified that two Crossett Brook students that attended school in-person on Tuesday – the first day of school – had tested positive for the virus. The Duxbury school serves about 300 students in grades 5 to 8.
“Our team is working with the (Vermont Department of Health) to implement the required guidelines including contact tracing and quarantine. Families and staff will be notified by the department of Health as required based on exposure,” Nease wrote in an email sent to staff, the school board, and press.

-- Lola Duffort

Iowa courts decline to halt state push for in-class learning

-- Times-Republican Iowa: September 09, 2020 [ abstract]

Two state district court judges on Tuesday declined to halt enforcement of a state requirement for schools to return students to classrooms, denying the Des Moines and Iowa City school districts a legal avenue for educating students at home while the coronavirus continues to spread in their communities.
In two separate rulings, a Polk County judge said Iowa law clearly establishes state control over the time schools must hold in-person instruction, and a Johnson County judge concluded the governor has broad emergency powers that local school boards do not have.
In the Des Moines case, the school district argued a 15% county positivity threshold set by Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education to allow online learning is three times higher than the recommended level of virus spread recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. The district has said that Reynolds’ policy requiring classes to be held at least half of the time in person until a county reaches that high threshold presents a dangerous risk to students and staff.
The Iowa Department of Education denied the district’s request to hold online only classes. Polk County on Tuesday had a 9% coronavirus positivity rate.
Even as Judge Jeffrey Farrell credited the Des Moines district for its use of various factors to determine Health risks rather than “the simplistic model used by state education officials,” he wrote that school districts can’t reverse orders by the Department of Education “because it disregarded the facts.”
“School districts are a creation of state law and have no rights beyond those given by the legislature,” he wrote.

-- Associated Press

Coronavirus reported among students, staff in 3 mid-Michigan school districts

-- Michigan Live Michigan: September 08, 2020 [ abstract]

SAGINAW TWP, MI — Schools in Saginaw, Shiawassee, and Gratiot counties have experienced staff members and students test positive for COVID-19.
Four staff members of Saginaw Township Community Schools have been confirmed positive — three at Arrowwood Elementary at 5410 Seidel Road and one at Sherwood Elementary at 3870 Shattuck Road.
“We’ve contacted the (Saginaw County) Health Department and are working with them in order to follow all appropriate Health protocols,” said Arrowwood Elementary Principal Bekah D’Haene. She declined to give additional details, citing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.
“We learned of one of the cases in the middle of last week,” added Saginaw Township Public Schools Superintendent Bruce Martin. “We took action at that time to start identifying close contacts and anybody who would have been in proximity to them. The other ones we learned about on Friday (Sept. 4).”
Martin added it appears the four staffers contracted the virus in situations outside of school.
“The schools are still operational,” Martin said. “Arrowwood is teaching from home this week so we can get into a really deep cleaning and sanitizing of the building. A small portion of staff at Sherwood is teaching from home today. We’re monitoring (the situation) today.”
Martin added students are either learning remotely or virtually.
“There aren’t any kids in the buildings,” he said. “It’s made it a little easier for staff to do their lessons from home.”

-- Cole Waterman

How safe is your kid’s class? Tarrant schools struggle to meet all COVID guidelines

-- Fort Worth Star-Telegram Texas: September 08, 2020 [ abstract]

The bell rang at 3:45 p.m. and in a few minutes, hundreds of students began to stream out of Keller Middle School. Most wore masks and kept to themselves as they hurried to catch their ride or waited in socially distant lines to catch the school bus.
The Keller school district opened its doors Aug. 26 for in-person-learning. Less than half, or about 15,000 of the district’s more than 35,000 students, opted to come back to class. Nine have tested positive for COVID-19 in eight schools.
“I still think it’s wonderful that children are back in school,” said Stacy Harris on Wednesday. She has two children at Florence Elementary. “I think the district is doing a good job and virtual learning was a nightmare.”
At least six more Fort Worth area school districts return for in-person-learning Tuesday. Like Keller, they will be opening their doors at a medium risk level based on their re-entry plans, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The safety plans follow CDC and Tarrant County Public Health guidelines. But not all schools will be able to put in place all recommendations because of campus design and classroom sizes, according to a survey of 16 districts by the Star-Telegram.

-- KRISTIAN HERNANDEZ

Schools report covid-19 cases, facilities test for virus

-- Democrat Gazette Arkansas: September 05, 2020 [ abstract]

FAYETTEVILLE -- Schools in Northwest Arkansas are continuing to report increases in covid-19 cases and the number of students, staff and faculty in quarantine after coming into contact with others with the virus. Rogers Public Schools has had 27 cumulative cases and had 186 people in quarantine as of Friday, according to the district's website. The Springdale district has had 25 cases and had 172 people quarantined, according to the district's website. The districts' data include students, staff and faculty. Bentonville's School District had 19 cumulative covid-19 cases, according to the district's website. The district had 283 students and 18 faculty or staff members who were quarantined and unable to attend school. The Fayetteville district has had six students and two staff or faculty members test positive for the virus. Sixty-five students and 41 staff and/or faculty members were in quarantine as of Friday, according to the district's website. Hospitals in Benton and Washington counties had 23 patients in covid-19 units as of Friday, according to a statement from the region's largest Health care organizations by Martine Pollard, a spokeswoman at Mercy Health System. Twenty-two patients in the region were on ventilators. The number includes patients with and without covid-19, according to the statement. Washington County had a cumulative 7,203 cases, including 381 active cases as of 4 p.m. Friday, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Friday during his daily news briefing that Washington County had the highest number of new cases in a 24-hour period with 215 of the state's 1,094 new cases. Of the new cases in Washington County, 82%, or about 176, were among people ages 18-24, he said.

-- Alex Golden

Open Windows, Doors Could Help Stop Coronavirus Spread In Schools, Harvard Experts Say

-- CBS Boston Massachusetts: September 03, 2020 [ abstract]

BOSTON (CBS) – Experts from Harvard say they might have a simple solution for concerns over airflow in schools during the coronavirus pandemic – open windows and doors. In an op-ed for the Washington Post, professors Joseph G. Allen and Jack Spengler and research associate Jose Cedeño-Laurent of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health wrote, “Opening windows sounds too simple to be true… But in this case, simplicity is elegant – grounded in science and risk-reduction principles.” The experts say that opening doors and windows could help stop the spread of the coronavirus by diluting virus particles that might be in the air. “It’s the simplest and quickest way to increase the air-change rates,” they wrote. “The benefits of open windows extend to buses, too.” Improving air quality in schools is a major issue in many towns this fall as districts choose between in-person, hybrid or remote learning. The state’s largest teachers’ union, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, doesn’t believe it will be safe until school buildings are upgraded to improve air quality.

-- Staff Writer

3 more Colorado schools report COVID-19 outbreaks; cluster linked to Cameron Peak fire response

-- The Denver Post Colorado: September 02, 2020 [ abstract]

Three more K-12 schools in Colorado have reported outbreaks of the new coronavirus, with a handful of cases in staff and students. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment also reported the first cluster linked to fighting the state’s wildfires on Wednesday. Four people involved in responding to the Cameron Peak fire tested positive for COVID-19. The state hasn’t released information about what kind of work the four did. The new school clusters brought the total to four K-12 buildings in Colorado with reported outbreaks. Other schools have reported cases, but the state Health department only declares an outbreak if at least two cases are believed to come from being in the same location within two weeks. Students and staff who test positive on the first day aren’t counted as an outbreak, unless there’s evidence of some out-of-school link they shared. Sand Creek Elementary School, in Highlands Ranch, reported one staff member and two students had tested positive as of Wednesday.

-- MEG WINGERTER

Andover teachers refused to enter school buildings over safety concerns.

-- boston.com Massachusetts: August 31, 2020 [ abstract]

Teachers in Andover refused to enter district buildings Monday for their first day of work, citing ongoing concerns about the safety of school buildings for hybrid learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Andover Education Association issued a statement on Saturday announcing teachers would refuse to enter school buildings, saying educators had “overwhelmingly voted” in favor of starting the school year fully remote with a phased-in return to in-person instruction to follow.
According to the association, members voted to take action Monday, the first day of 10 days of in-person professional development for teachers, deciding to engage in a “workplace safety action” in response to what they called a “lack of good-faith bargaining over how to maintain the Health and safety of educators and students” by district leaders for reopening schools.
Andover schools plan to start the school year with a hybrid learning plan, with each student attending in-person two full-days per week. The first day of school for students is Sept. 16.
“It is simply not safe at this time for students and staff to be working together in crowded settings inside these buildings,” Matthew Back, president of the Andover Education Association, said in a statement over the weekend. “Members have decided they will not risk the Health and safety of students, staff, or the community by walking into buildings that for decades have been underfunded, understaffed, and poorly maintained while a global pandemic continues to affect Essex County, the state, and our country.”

-- Dialynn Dwyer

Drake, Hunsberger, Mendive and Spanish Springs High join list of new COVID-19 cases

-- Reno Gazette Journal Nevada: August 30, 2020 [ abstract]

Just two weeks in — and nearly half of those days canceled because of air quality concerns — there have been more than a dozen schools in Washoe County with reports of positive COVID-19 cases. The Washoe County School District reported six new cases on Sunday night. According to Washoe County Health District Officer Kevin Dick, there have been cases where people have attended school while waiting for a COVID-19 test. The district did not release of the positive cases are students or staff. The district also did not say if any of the news cases were related to some of the previous positive cases. The six schools with new cases include: One positive at Reed High School, some exclusions
One positive at Lemelson STEM Academy, some exclusions
One positive at Mendive Middle School, no exclusions
One positive at Spanish Springs High School, no exclusions
One positive at Hunsberger Elementary, some preliminary 24-hour exclusions while further contact tracing occurs
One positive at Drake Elementary, some preliminary 24-hour exclusions while further contact tracing occurs

-- Siobhan McAndrew

Northwest Arkansas schools prepare for possible closings

-- Arkansas Democrat Gazette Arkansas: August 30, 2020 [ abstract]

FAYETTEVILLE -- Most schools have barely been open a week, yet districts throughout Northwest Arkansas are putting plans in place if they have to close because of covid-19 cases.
Districts created school opening plans with blended learning models combining in-person and online instruction. The plans were required using Arkansas Ready for Learning plan as guidance. The plans detail comprehensive school cleaning plans and provide guidance for measures such as wearing masks and social distancing to help mitigate the spread of the covid-19 virus.
"It's like trying to nail Jell-O to a wall. Things constantly change and evolve," said Jared Cleveland, Springdale superintendent. "Just when you think you know what is going to happen, you receive a new directive."
Any decision to close schools to in-person instruction will be made in collaboration with individual school districts, the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Department of Education, said Kimberly Mundell, Education Department director of communications.

-- Mary Jordan

Auditor seeks more disclosure on COVID-19 at Hawaii public schools

-- Star Advertiser Hawaii: August 29, 2020 [ abstract]

The Department of Education should be able to report cases of COVID-19 at specific public schools within 24 hours without violating federal privacy laws, the state auditor said in a report released Friday. The report described the department’s reporting on positive cases during the pandemic as “inconsistent and incomplete.” “It is important — more so during the current pandemic — that the department be transparent and accountable for its actions,” the report said. “The public, which includes teachers, students and their families, is entitled to complete and timely information necessary to make decisions concerning Health and safety.” State Auditor Les Kondo released the 33-page “Report on the Hawaii State Department of Education’s Policies and Procedures for Handling Positive COVID-19 Test Results for Staff, Teachers and Students” at the request of the Senate COVID-19 Committee. Notification of coronavirus cases at public schools is currently made in two ways, according to DOE. Principals promptly notify those affected, including staff, students’ families and/or service providers directly. And the Department of Education posts a tally of COVID-19 cases each week on its website. The weekly chart lists the number of employees, students, parents or service providers who tested positive by complex area, rather than by individual schools. (Complex areas consist of a few high schools and their feeder lower schools.) “Public disclosure is done at this level in accordance with federal and state laws protecting student and staff privacy and medical information,” the department says on its website. But the auditor’s report says that federal law, at least, should not stand in the way. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule generally does not apply to elementary or secondary schools, it said.

-- Susan Essoyan

Maine schools create outdoor classrooms

-- News Center Maine Maine: August 28, 2020 [ abstract]

FALMOUTH, Maine — Yoga mats and tree stumps will be the new seats for students at Falmouth Public Schools as the district moves some of its classroom's outside.
"We're hoping it allows teachers to engage students in a way that maybe had not been done before. But also really allows for students and teachers to get a little bit of a mental Health break from being inside these rooms hyper sanitizing," said Falmouth Public School garden/greenhouse coordinator, Justin Deri.
More than 30 outdoor classrooms will be built in time for the start of the school year.
"We're starting right now with shade cloths. We're going to be expanding to greenhouse structures," said Deri.
Students will get kits, which have whiteboards and other materials they will need to learn.
"Getting kids outside, off the screens and outside of the boxes that are their classrooms," said Deri.
It's not the only school district thinking outside the box. The Brunswick Public School District is also taking learning outside.
"We all know being outside is Healthier for students," said Brunswick High School Assistant Principal Timothy Gagnon.
Both districts said teachers will have to sign up to use the spaces, and it all depends on weather.
"When cold sets in, how cold is it going to be? Rain; if it's too hot, there are some variables there," said Gagnon.
"Some of the spaces will be able to handle mild weather and as we build more structures like a greenhouse, then we will be able to take on more serious weather," said Deri.
The school districts are also working to come up with plans for security.

-- Roslyn Flaherty

Will the Outdoors Become the New Classroom of the COVID Era?

-- Governing National: August 28, 2020 [ abstract]

Schools are reopening, and there’s pressure for teachers and students to wean themselves off remote learning and return to their classrooms. Politicians, working parents and pandemic skeptics aren’t the only ones demanding a return to normal learning. The American Academy of Pediatrics has urged that “all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school.” Anxiety and uncertainty about how and when campuses can open safely, complicated by ups and downs in COVID-19 transmission rates, make progress toward this goal extremely difficult. At present, only four states have statewide orders for in-person instruction and even those are subject to modification by districts. The situation has brought together a national coalition of educators, architects, school administrators, landscape designers, curriculum experts and other stakeholders who are thinking outside the box and developing guidelines and resources for learning outdoors. Even if local Health authorities allow schools to reopen, it’s virtually impossible to accommodate every student indoors, says Sharon Danks, a Bay Area-based environmental city planner and landscape designer. The founder of Green Schoolyards America and author of Asphalt to Ecosystems, Danks leads the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative.

-- CARL SMITH

Hogan says Montgomery and all other counties meet metrics to reopen schools

-- Bethesda Magazine Maryland: August 27, 2020 [ abstract]

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday outlined new data that he says show it is safe for every school district in the state to begin reopening and he criticized districts that have committed to virtual learning through the fall. During a press conference, Hogan and state Health officials said school districts are allowed to reopen if there are fewer than five cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents in their jurisdiction and if the test positivity rate is below 5%. Each metric should be maintained for at least seven days. Hogan said all 23 Maryland counties have met the new state benchmarks and should begin reopening school facilities for at least some in-person learning. His statement is a stark contrast to repeated assertions by Montgomery County Health officer Dr. Travis Gayles, who has said he does not believe it is safe for local school facilities to reopen in any capacity.

-- CAITLYNN PEETZ

Summit County high school building becomes elementary school during COVID-19 pandemic

-- wkyc Ohio: August 25, 2020 [ abstract]

TWINSBURG, Ohio — Heading back to school is going to look differently for just about every district in Northeast Ohio.
The Twinsburg City Schools district is transforming its high school into an elementary school because of the pandemic.
“We ask our families to have some patience and grace with us, we have a great plan, we’re going to make some mistakes along the way but we’re going to keep the Health and safety of everybody as our center and our focus and together we’re going to get through this,” says Superintendent Kathi Powers.
After measuring every classroom in the district, students in second through sixth grade will call the high school home because there is more space and it could accommodate a ‘great portion’ of students.
“If we’re positive and we feel confident in what we’re doing that will affect the children and also it will make the parents feel comfortable about having their kids in a high school building being eight and nine years old,” explains Laura Dorland, a third grade teacher.
Kindergarten through sixth grade students will attend school five days a week while seventh through 12th grade students will be on campus every other day.
A soft opening is scheduled for the week of August 31st. During that time, a quarter of students will return to the class each day. They will meet teachers, learn new Health and safety protocols and receive Chromebooks. Educational assessments will also be made.
“We’re very concerned about some regression in skills since they were last here and so that week will just provide an introduction to how school will be managed for them," says, Powers.
About 63 percent of students will return to the classroom. The remaining students will be part of the Twinsburg Virtual Academy.
The school year begins on September 8th.

-- Tiffany Tarpley

Before reopening, schools are scrambling to fix their air-handling systems

-- VTDigger Vermont: August 24, 2020 [ abstract]

About 600 students in Windham County will start the year remotely because local school officials decided the district’s air quality systems needed work before students come back into classrooms amid the pandemic.
But many more students across Vermont could be in a similar situation. Schools around the state are worried about whether obsolete air-handling systems could spread the coronavirus, and are planning urgent projects.
In the months before Covid-19 arrived in Vermont, districts had been tackling issues resulting from deferred maintenance in aging schools. Multimillion-dollar modernization projects were being planned, and lawmakers were ready to put over $1 million into a statewide analysis of building needs.
Then the pandemic made HVAC systems a top priority, and earlier this year legislators set up a $6.5 million grant program to help schools repair and upgrade their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to meet Covid-19 Health guidelines.
About 300 schools are interested in applying for the $6.5 million, said Jody Lesko, the director of programs and implementation. That’s about three-fourths of all schools in Vermont.
The project prices run the gamut, depending on the severity of the problem and the size of the school. But Eveline Habermann Killian of the Burlington engineering firm Cx Associates, which is working with about 20 schools, said she’s frequently seeing costs ranging from $40,000 to $60,000 per school.
At $40,000 per project, 300 schools would need $12 million.
“It’s probably more than the Legislature had hoped for,” she said. “But nobody really knew until we started going into the buildings.”
It’s unclear if air quality concerns tied to the coronavirus could actually shutter more schools. But ventilation and air filtration have emerged as a top concern in the puzzle over reopening, and hundreds of schools are scrambling to get work done before Vermont students return on Sept. 8.

-- Lola Duffort

Guest Blog: Reopening Schools �" Drinking Water Concerns

-- National Resources Defense Council National: August 24, 2020 [ abstract]

“My child is back in school. We understand the need to wear a mask and practice social distancing, but how can we know if the water is safe to drink when the school has been shut down for so long?”
Many parents are asking this question. After closing early and transitioning to online learning, school systems across the United States are trying to figure out if and how to reopen this fall. Amid the discussion about social distancing in classrooms and hallways, a critical component of school reopening plans may be taking a back seat: ensuring that the schools’ drinking water infrastructure, which may have been shut down for all of these months, does not expose children to new non-COVID-19 Health risks.
Parents: Learn about these concerns and the safety precautions that can be taken regarding drinking water in schools and ask questions
This blog is intended to provide basic information on the risks inherent in reopening stagnant drinking water systems in schools. Parents can use this information to find out what their children’s schools are doing to ensure that the drinking water is safe. Schools can use this information to follow the work that their contractors are performing.
The ABCs of Drinking Water in Schools
When school buildings are not in use, water in the buildings’ plumbing becomes stagnant. This stagnation poses several public Health concerns, particularly as it relates to drinking water that the children would be susceptible to:

-- Joan Leary Matthews Erik D. Olson

HVAC review delays Marlboro school reopening

-- Brattleboro Reformer Vermont: August 23, 2020 [ abstract]

MARLBORO — Marlboro School's 107 children will receive a combination of in-person and remote instruction until at least Oct. 1. The Marlboro School Board decided Thursday night that having students in school four days a week is not advisable until a full analysis of the building's ventilation system is conducted. The students will begin the year with "a limited hybrid model," according to a motion passed by the Board. "The reason for this vote is to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, staff, and community as we give a construction team the necessary amount of time to upgrade and then re-check the HVAC systems in the Marlboro School building," states a notice to parents posted to the Marlboro, VT Community Facebook Group. "This HVAC issue is not solely Marlboro's issue but one all [Vermont] schools are addressing and investigating. While each HVAC system is different in every school, each presents its own challenges and timelines for upgrades. Marlboro's timeline appears to be one that sees a fix by early October." A report can be found at marlboroschool.net. Chris Medina, facilities manager for Windham Central Supervisory Union, told the Board that the school's ventilation system needs to be reviewed to determine air flow, how many times air is exchanged in the classrooms and whether the air is being filtered in accordance with guidelines established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Windham Central is also following the guidelines issued by the Vermont Agency of Education, issued in its Strong and Healthy Start for the 2020 school year.

-- Bob Audette

Covid in the Classroom? Some Schools Are Keeping It Quiet

-- New York Times New York: August 22, 2020 [ abstract]

On the first day of school in Camden County, Ga., local Facebook groups were already buzzing with rumors that a teacher had tested positive for the coronavirus. The next day, a warning went out to school administrators: Keep teachers quiet.
“Staff who test positive are not to notify any other staff members, parents of their students or any other person/entity that they may have exposed them,” Jon Miller, the district’s deputy superintendent, wrote in a confidential email on Aug. 5.
In the weeks since, parents, students and teachers in the coastal community on the Florida border have heard by word of mouth of more positive cases linked to district schools. Some parents said they had been called by local officials and told that their children should quarantine.
But even as fears of an outbreak have grown, the district has refused to publicly confirm a single case, either to the local community or The New York Times.
“This is a danger to our community,” said Cheryl Honeycutt, the mother of an 8-year-old Camden student. “We’re safer if we know what’s going on, but their pan answer is, ‘We can neither confirm or deny.’”
As schools in parts of the country have reopened classrooms amid a still-raging pandemic, some districts have been open about coronavirus cases in their buildings. They send weekly — and in some cases, daily — reports to families and updating online dashboards with the latest positive test results and quarantine counts.
But other districts have been silent, sometimes citing privacy concerns to withhold information, to the dismay of some anxious parents, concerned educators and public Health experts trying to combat the pandemic.

-- Dan Levin

Virtual learning OK for schools districts hit by derecho, Gov. Reynolds says

-- The Gazette Iowa: August 20, 2020 [ abstract]

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Community School District and 13 others struck by last week’s derecho expect a new proclamation from Gov. Kim Reynolds allowing them to start the school year online instead of in damaged facilities. Reynolds announced Thursday she is updating a public Health emergency proclamation addressing school districts affected by storm damage. “The proclamation will permit those districts whose school buildings have been damaged by the derecho to move to primarily remote learning while they repair their buildings and for students and teachers to return safely,” Reynolds said during a news briefing. “And if districts conclude that the damage to their district prevents starting even remote learning that they may apply to the Department of Education for a limited time instructional waiver.” Cedar Rapids Superintendent Noreen Bush said in an email to families Thursday that a new start date for the first day of school in the district will be announced soon. It is waiting for a building assessment for 30 properties hit by the derecho and for the city’s infrastructure — including power and Wi-Fi — to be restored and stable before determining when that date will be. A restoration firm has been working with the district’s insurance company “day and night” assessing the damage and beginning mapping out a recovery plan, Bush said. Bush said the district hopes to have an initial assessment to review by Monday — which would have been the first day of school before the pandemic and derecho. “We know that getting our students back to school is how we can help,” Bush said in the email. “It will bring some form of normalcy and support to the chaos of the virus pandemic and natural disaster — a combined catastrophe of historic proportion. We are working hard to create a plan that safely educates and nurtures our students within the parameters of our challenging situation.”

-- Grace King

DODEA schools in South Korea to go all-virtual when school starts Monday

-- Stars and Stripes DoDEA: August 19, 2020 [ abstract]

Defense Department schools in South Korea will reopen Monday with remote learning only, following the lead of U.S. Forces Korea, which recently reinstated a higher risk level for spread of the coronavirus, according to the school district superintendent.
Schools in the Department of Defense Education Activity-Pacific planned to start the new school year with some students in traditional classrooms, the choice of most students and parents, and virtual instruction.
However, the heightened risk level, in military terms a return to Health Protection Condition-Charlie, also means a switch to only virtual instruction at base schools in South Korea for military families.
“In close coordination with our military leaders, we have determined that all (DODEA Pacific West) schools will begin the year in the remote setting,” district Superintendent Jeff Arrington announced in a letter dated Tuesday.
Students’ families should have information from school principals by Wednesday on signing out technology resources for home learning, how to access students’ remote learning classrooms and teacher assignments and schedules.

-- DAVE ORNAUER

Mississippi reports coronavirus cases within schools in 71 of 82 counties

-- The Hill Mississippi: August 18, 2020 [ abstract]

Health officials in Mississippi on Monday said that 71 of the state’s 82 counties have reported positive cases of the novel coronavirus within schools during their first few weeks back in the classroom.
At least 245 teachers and 199 students have tested positive for COVID-19 since some districts began returning to the classroom in late July, state Health officer Thomas Dobbs said during a news conference Monday. The positive tests prompted 589 teachers and 2,035 students to be placed under quarantine.
Last week, 38 of the 82 counties reported positive cases within schools as the state reported 109 infected teachers and 69 students.
Dobbs noted that while most counties have reported cases within school systems, most students who have tested positive likely caught the virus outside of campus and “brought it with them.”
The Health official also announced that K-12 teachers and staff members in the state will now have access to free testing regardless of if they have symptoms or know if they’ve been exposed to COVID-19. Emergency teleHealth services will also be offered for students covered under Medicaid.
“This will allow schools, even those without school nurses or school-based clinics, to access teleHealth services,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) said during the news briefing Monday. “A physician, a nurse practitioner, or physician assistant will be able to provide remote services in schools across the state.”

-- Joseph Guzman

Students will have to wear masks all day in school, with few exceptions: Pa. health department

-- Penn Live Pennsylvania: August 18, 2020 [ abstract]

Students over the age of 2 will be required to wear face coverings for nearly the entire school day under Pennsylvania’s universal mask order, according to a Department of Education memo released this week.
There will be a limited number of instances in which students will be allowed to remove their face coverings, according to the memo. These include while eating or drinking, or during an activity that makes mask-wearing unsafe. Students can also take their masks off during 10-minute “face-covering breaks.”
“For the safety of students, staff and families and to avoid community spread of COVID-19, students and staff are considered to be members of the public who are congregating in indoor locations. As such, they are required to adhere to this Order,” the Department of Education said.
The order is in effect for students, staff and teachers. It also applies to student athletes whenever they are not “actively engaged” in a game or workout.
Health officials recommended school districts enforce mask-wearing on school buses, in addition to during the school day.

-- Jenna Wise

Pa. schools get state guidance about handling COVID-19 outbreaks

-- WHYY Pennsylvania: August 15, 2020 [ abstract]

Pennsylvania state government agencies are providing school leaders with advice about how to respond when students or employees with confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been on school property, from cleaning and tracing their contacts to shutting down buildings for two weeks or longer. The Education and Health departments late Thursday notified school administrators of the recommended procedures, which depend on how many people are infected and how widespread the disease has been growing in their county. School leaders had sought the advice as they plan for restarting instruction this fall, said Education Department spokesman Rick Levis. “It’s additional guidance that we’re providing to the school districts because we recognize that they’re not medical professionals,” Levis said Friday. In areas with low spread and just one case inside a school building over a 14-day period, the advice is to clean areas where the infected person has been and get public Health agency assistance tracking their contacts. With a few more cases over the two-week period and moderate infection spread in the county, schools are advised to clean, trace contacts and close for five to seven days.

-- Mark Scolforo

2 in 5 schools around the world lacked basic handwashing facilities prior to COVID-19 pandemic

-- UNICEF National: August 13, 2020 [ abstract]

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 13 August 2020 – As schools worldwide struggle with reopening, the latest data from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) reveal that 43 per cent of schools around the world lacked access to basic handwashing with soap and water in 2019 – a key condition for schools to be able to operate safely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Global school closures since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic have presented an unprecedented challenge to children’s education and wellbeing,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “We must prioritize children’s learning. This means making sure that schools are safe to reopen – including with access to hand hygiene, clean drinking water and safe sanitation.” According to the report, around 818 million children lack basic handwashing facilities at their schools, which puts them at increased risk of COVID-19 and other transmittable diseases. More than one third of these children (295 million) are from sub-Saharan Africa. In the least developed countries, 7 out of 10 schools lack basic handwashing facilities and half of schools lack basic sanitation and water services. The report stresses that governments seeking to control the spread of COVID-19 must balance the need for implementation of public Health measures versus the associated social and economic impacts of lockdown measures. Evidence of the negative impacts of prolonged school closures on children’s safety, wellbeing and learning are well-documented, the report says. “Access to water, sanitation and hygiene services is essential for effective infection prevention and control in all settings, including schools," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "It must be a major focus of government strategies for the safe reopening and operation of schools during the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic.”

-- Staff Writer

Funding for school facility improvements a requirement for safe reopening

-- EducationDive National: August 13, 2020 [ abstract]

Before the pandemic, the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimated a stunning 41% of America’s school districts needed to replace or update heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in at least half of their schools — representing 36,000 schools nationwide.
During the coronavirus pandemic, these building systems have become essential in helping to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, yet the focus has been on masks, cleaning, spacing of desks and other steps. School facilities also require attention, and right now, they are not ready to welcome back students, teachers and staff.
Public Health experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the Harvard School of Public Health; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and others have emphasized the need for bringing in outside air and improving ventilation and filtration to dilute and avoid circulating particles containing the virus.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) also released guidance for schools to reduce the risk of spreading airborne pathogens while meeting indoor air quality standards that support the Health and performance of students and staff. Readying these building systems, along with the physical distancing requirements, are among the most challenging issues school leaders face.
An immediate injection of federal funding for school repairs is critical for reopening. School facilities are historically funded through local governments, which are already facing extreme budget challenges. School districts, especially those in disadvantaged areas, need support for these upgrades in order to prioritize Health and safety.

-- Elizabeth Beardsley, Scott Brown, Mary Filardo and

NYC promises a nurse in every school building amid reopening fears

-- Politico New York: August 13, 2020 [ abstract]

Mayor Bill de Blasio said every city school building will have a nurse when schools reopen, as he pushed back against calls from unions to delay the start of the school year.
The lack of nurses in some schools has been one of the worries highlighted by principals, teachers and parents leery about plans to open schools during the coronavirus pandemic.
“There were schools that didn’t have nurses historically, and we needed it for this situation,” de Blasio told reporters Thursday. “They’ve got a whole month to get it in place. They’ll get it done.”
Hundreds of new nurses are expected to be hired by Health and Hospitals, the city’s public hospital system. They will be brought on a contract basis and the hospital system will foot the bill, officials said.
The nurses will serve full time and stay on the job at least until the end of the coming school year.
The city is planning to reopen its schools on Sept. 10 as long as coronavirus infection rates remain low, with students in school a few days a week and at home on other days.
But the mayor has faced increasing pressure from unions resisting his reopening plans.

-- ERIN DURKIN and MADINA TOURÉ

Rural schools wrestle with infrastructure challenges during reopening

-- EducationDive National: August 13, 2020 [ abstract]

As the White House faces criticism for a push to return to in-person instruction and a reopening debate splits the nation, some rural schools remain poised to welcome students back to brick-and-mortar settings this month.
“Some places have not many cases at all and they’re questioning, ‘Why should we hold off if we’re OK?’” said Allen Pratt, executive director of the National Rural Education Association, adding there are “large parts of the population that want to reopen.”
But rural schools face persistent challenges that the coronavirus has only exacerbated. Many school buildings are old and in need of replacement or repair and don’t have adequate air filtration systems. Plus, many rural districts have scant resources to successfully implement hybrid or fully remote learning if their schools need to close again.
For these reasons, sticking to reopening guidelines for some rural schools is going to be “really difficult,” Pratt said.
Air filtration issues
Because the coronavirus is airborne, some Health experts have cautioned that well-functioning air ventilation systems are a must as schools reopen. Pratt points out this will be especially challenging for many rural schools, considering their infrastructure “is not designed to do what they’re going to be asked to do.”
In Bristol Virginia Public Schools, for example — which had only four cases of coronavirus until that number increased to 10 in the past two weeks — almost 70% of parents, students and staff have asked for a normal return to school. The district’s newest school was built in 1974, and its oldest dates back to 1916.

-- Naaz Modan

Video Highlights Social Distancing Challenges in Schools

-- NBC-DFW Texas: August 13, 2020 [ abstract]

In districts offering in-person learning this fall, new video highlights the challenges schools face in enforcing COVID-19 safety protocols.
In Prosper ISD, chopper video flying over Light Farms Elementary, Reynolds Middle School and Prosper High School during dismissal time showed kids clustered together as they left their first day of school on Wednesday. At times, students squeezed through an exit shoulder-to-shoulder.
“I think that is just a good example of how difficult it can be for schools to really implement the prevention and control measures from very beginning to end,” explained Dr. Diana Cervantes, Director of the Epidemiology program at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
“As a school, you have to consider not just when the kids are right there in the classroom but what happens on their way to school, what happens when they get released from school, the dismissal process,” added Cervantes.
Though the children and parents waiting for them were outdoors, Cervantes said there’s still a risk of spreading COVID-19.
“The virus does tend to be less stable in the high heat, the high humidity, but that doesn’t mean it plays such a major role that you don’t need to do that physical social distancing,” Cervantes explained. “That’s still necessary.”
The CDC published guiding principles for operating schools, recommending tape on floors or sidewalks and signs to reinforce a minimum six-foot distance.
The CDC also recommends keeping small groups of children with the same staff – allowing them to work in cohorts with staggered drop off times. Thursday, Governor Greg Abbott, who left reopening decisions mostly up to local districts, urged vigilance.
“It is especially important at a time when schools are opening that everyone in the entire school setting is extra vigilant making sure that they do maintain the safe practices so they can reduce the spread of COVID-19,” said Abbott during a news conference.

-- Diana Zoga

New metrics make it easier for rural Oregon schools to reopen

-- OPB.org Oregon: August 12, 2020 [ abstract]

The Oregon Department of Education has announced new Health metrics that make it easier for rural schools to reopen. But districts are still trying to figure out what these benchmarks mean.
How and when Oregon kids will go back to classrooms is still an open question, with the opening of school fast approaching. This week, the state’s Department of Education bowed to pressure from rural community leaders and released new standards for in-person instruction in the state’s most sparsely-populated areas. ODE Director Colt Gill said that the goal of these updated protocols is to allow rural schools the flexibility to reopen their doors while ensuring that any school-related outbreaks remain small. “We want to make sure no local Health authority would be overwhelmed by contact tracing. We want to reduce the number of students and staff interacting,” said Gill. Counties with populations of less than 30,000 will be able to open, even if they don’t meet the statewide standard of fewer than 30 cases per 100,000 residents. Those counties can open schools that serve fewer than 250 students if certain criteria are met. Conditions include limiting the total number of cases in a county over the previous three weeks to no more than 30. If more than half of those cases occurred in the final week of that three-week period schools would have to remain closed, because it could indicate increasing community transmission.

-- Emily Cureton

Seattle schools will continue remote learning in the fall, could later implement outdoor education

-- KUOW Washington: August 12, 2020 [ abstract]

The Seattle School Board voted to restart classes remotely this fall, and left the door open for outdoor classes for some students if the district moves to a hybrid learning model. Much of the school restart plan remains to be decided, however, by the district and teachers union in ongoing negotiations. As the pandemic persists, families, educators, and politicians have grappled with the conflicting need to maintain social distancing while also meeting the needs of students who are most vulnerable to falling behind. "I cannot in good conscience ask our staff, students and community to be in spaces together," Seattle Schools Superintendent Denise Juneau said ahead of a unanimous vote to adopt the district's plan for state regulators, which combines hands-on and independent digital learning. District officials have emphasized that the plan it is sending to the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction is merely a template — especially with teachers union negotiations still underway and fluctuating Health guidance. The return to online learning includes a removal of the "E" from the district's grading criteria, the equivalent of a traditional "F." The plan also offers less rigid attendance rules for families who may be experiencing internet connectivity issues, for example, or have work-related conflicts.

-- Liz Brazile

What’s next for Pa. schools during COVID-19? Here’s the new guidance from state officials

-- wpxi.com Pennsylvania: August 11, 2020 [ abstract]

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania state officials have provided new guidance about how to keep students and employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic as classes resume for the fall semester.
According to a release Monday, the recommendations rely on two standard public Health metrics used by public Health experts: incidence rate and the percent positivity of diagnostic testing.
The Pa. Department of Education created a website that includes more details on the recommendations and plans for each style of return-to-class for the fall. Click here to see it.
This new guidance recommends a specific teaching/school style based on COVID-19 cases and percent positivity in that area. Based on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, it “identifies thresholds representing low, moderate, or substantial community transmission of COVID-19, and corresponding instructional models recommended by the Departments of Health and Education.”
According to the education department’s website, if fewer than 10 new cases are reported in a county in the most recent seven-day reporting period, the county will automatically qualify as exhibiting a low level of community transmission.

-- Staff Writer

Federal agency to reopen 53 Native American schools despite coronavirus fears

-- NBC News Bureau of Indian Education: August 10, 2020 [ abstract]

The U.S. Department of the Interior – Indian Affairs, which oversees the Bureau of Indian Education, announced last week that it would reopen "brick and mortar schools" under its jurisdiction to the "maximum extent possible" on Sept. 16. That will affect 53 Bureau of Indian Education schools run by the federal government across 10 states. With President Donald Trump pushing for schools to reopen for in-person learning despite the coronavirus pandemic, his administration has a direct say in the fate of some schools on Native American reservations. An internal memo sent to bureau-operated schools Friday and shared with NBC News included details of the return to in-person teaching. Families can opt for virtual learning, according to the memo, but instructors must still teach in person, said the memo, signed by Tara Sweeney, the assistant secretary of the interior for Indian affairs. Schools would move to entirely virtual learning only if an outbreak occurred that led to a schoolwide shutdown. Boarding schools and dormitories will operate as day schools under the new order. Native American reservations across the U.S. are among the jurisdictions hardest hit by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. If the Navajo Nation were its own state, it would have the highest infection rate in the country. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that Native Americans have the highest hospitalization rate of any ethnic group in the U.S. Many who live on reservations do so in multigenerational homes in small, confined spaces. Underlying Health conditions are common, as is limited access to Health care and even running water.

-- Miranda Green

Schools mull outdoor classes amid virus, ventilation worries

-- Graydc.com National: August 10, 2020 [ abstract]

(AP) - It has been seven years since the central air conditioning system worked at the New York City middle school where Lisa Fitzgerald O’Connor teaches. As a new school year approaches amid the coronavirus pandemic, she and her colleagues are threatening not to return unless it’s repaired.
Her classroom has a window air conditioning unit, but she fears the stagnant air will increase the chances that an infected student could spread the virus.
"Window units just aren't going to cut it. We don't want to stay cool, we just want the air to flow properly," said O'Connor, a science teacher who has worked at the Patria Mirabal School in Manhattan since 2009. "We are really super stressed out about it."
Schools around the country are facing similar problems as they plan or contemplate reopening this fall, dealing with aging air conditioning, heating and circulation systems that don't work well or at all because maintenance and replacement were deferred due to tight budgets. Concerns about school infrastructure are adding momentum to plans in some districts, even in colder climates, to take classes outdoors for the sake of student and teacher Health.
Nationwide, an estimated 41% of school districts need to update or replace their heating, ventilation and cooling systems in at least half their schools, according to a federal report issued in June.
There is no evidence that the disease can spread through ventilation systems from one classroom to the next, according to Dr. Edward Nardell, a Harvard Medical School professor who specializes in airborne diseases. The danger, Nardell said, is from ineffective systems that don't remove floating viruses and let them linger in classrooms after they are expelled in an infected person's breath, sneeze or cough.
"Most schools are designed for comfort, not for infection control. So there is a danger that if you put 20 kids in a room, that if one of them has asymptomatic COVID and is infectious, you now have 19 more kids who are exposed," Nardell said. Healthy children almost always recover from COVID, if they become ill at all, but they can pass the disease to teachers, parents and other adults.

-- TERRY SPENCER

Springfield Public Schools to install air purifiers in school buildings, upgrade filters

-- 13 KVAL Oregon: August 10, 2020 [ abstract]

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. - The Springfield Public Schools board will consider a $265,000 request Monday evening to install air purifiers in all 22 school buildings before students return to class.
District staff proposes to buy the units using federal CARES Act money.
"As the State of Oregon and local districts have been working to respond to concerns related to COVID-19, indoor air quality has become a priority," according to the Springfield Schools staff report on the project. "Working with industry experts, the Springfield School District has come to the conclusion that installation of air purifiers will be a significant step forward toward the Health of our students and staff."
District facilities staff also plan "to increase the amount of fresh air coming into our buildings" by "adjusting our parameters to allow a minimum of 60% outside air on our HVAC systems. We will also be adjusting our HVAC schedules to maximize performance. We will override our 'smart' systems and have our air handlers running at 100% speed providing a continuous exchange of air."
The district staff add:
Filters in our HVAC systems will be upgraded from MERV 7 to MERV 8 filters with a AEGIS Microbe coating to kill any microorganisms on contact. The AEGIS Microbe shield is a permanent antimicrobial that is highly resistant to microbial attack and will not off gas, leach, diffuse, migrate, or volatilize from the filter.
The air filter proposal comes on top of those actions.

-- Staff Writer

Commentary: Rural Schools’ Crumbling Infrastructure Was a Health Threat Even Before the Pandemic

-- The Daily Yonder National: August 06, 2020 [ abstract]

Rural schools are sick, and it’s not just the coronavirus. As the nation’s gaze turns to the reopening of schools this fall, we must realize that safe and accessible education is still an elusive promise for millions of America’s kids, virus or no. It’s taken only a few months for Covid-19 to expose the injuries and inequities that plague many of America’s institutions, and with the return of school, we’ll watch in real time how lack of investment in our public education system cuts across geography and demographics. In small towns and rural communities, especially in the South and on tribal lands, school districts are struggling to gear up—literally—to confront an uncontrolled pandemic, while simultaneously navigating decades of disinvestment and disrepair. When in-person instruction resumes, parents, teachers, and administrators will face the coronavirus, as well as the groans and sighs of buildings, some of which are more than 70 years old. The Challenge—Deep and Persistent Inequities The struggle on the ground is real. Strained conversations are happening around kitchen tables all over the country as families grapple with the decision to send their children back to school. Uncles and aunts, parents and grandparents have become frontline epidemiologists, weighing risks and exploring every scenario for safe re-entry to school. But in the rural counties that serve majority Black, brown and Indigenous children, efforts to make classrooms Covid-safe collide with a backlog of inequities reaching back to Jim Crow. Teachers and families in rural districts are worried about Covid-19, to be sure, but they’re also wearied by historical racism and marginalization, which look a lot like rusted pipes and empty Wi-Fi bars on a laptop. While it’s important to keep the virus out of classrooms, communities with crumbling schools wonder what it will take to address other problems that threaten the Health of kids every year: Out-of-date or non-functioning HVAC systems, leaky roofs, crumbling walls, limited broadband connectivity, and corroded plumbing conspire against optimal programming and instruction in normal times.

-- Whitney Kimball Coe and Mary Sketch

Udall, Heinrich Introduce Impact Aid Infrastructure Act To Boost School Infrastructure Projects Amid COVID-19

-- Los Alamos Daily Post Bureau of Indian Education: August 06, 2020 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), to introduce the Impact Aid Infrastructure Act (IAIA), which provides $1 billion in supplemental funding for school infrastructure construction grants through the Impact Aid program. IAIA provides competitive and formula grants for school infrastructure projects, including school construction and facilities upgrades, in school districts with high percentages of children with military parents or children living on Indian lands. With these grants, school districts would have the flexibility to focus on their specific renovation and repair needs, which could include changes to help protect the Health, safety, and well-being of students, teachers, school leaders, and school personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal Impact Aid is critical for New Mexico, where many school districts receive funding from the program because they serve the large number of federal military installations and Indian lands in the state. “The COVID-19 crisis has brought our country’s existing education inequality into plain sight,” Udall said. “Many local public schools located near military bases, national labs, national parks, and Indian reservations in New Mexico and across the country have faced unique barriers to adequately funding important facilities projects for decades. These same school systems are now struggling to retrofit their campuses to make them safer for reopening because of budget shortfalls and decades long maintenance backlogs. This investment is long overdue but, now more than ever, we cannot turn our back on school safety.”

-- Carol Clark

Boston Public Schools Issues First Draft Of Reopening Plans, Outlining Hybrid Learning Groups

-- wbur Massachusetts: August 05, 2020 [ abstract]

With about a month until classes begin and amid a pandemic churning up endless questions, Boston parents got their first detailed peek at what the school week might look like this fall. Officials with Boston Public Schools (BPS) publicly released a first draft of its state-required reopening plan Tuesday night.
"The upcoming school year will look and feel different than any we have previously experienced," said BPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius in a memo included in the plan.
The draft was developed, she said, around a core set of values: equity, Health and safety, relationships and communication. Officials said they released it early to allow for feedback.
“Please give us your better ideas so we can incorporate those in and make this plan better so that it’s the best thing for this community when we get to the first day of school,” said Tammy Pust, a BPS senior advisor, at an online press conference to discuss the plan.
According to the plan, BPS will offer both hybrid and remote learning options to students next year. Families will be contacted this month to select the model in which their children will participate and whether they will need to use district buses to get their kids to class.

-- Carrie Jung

NYC Teachers Union Launches Its Own Investigation of School Building Air Quality Amid COVID Threat, UFT President Says

-- The 74 New York: August 05, 2020 [ abstract]

Looking to spur the New York City Department of Education to take preventative action on airborne COVID transmission in schools, the United Federation of Teachers is taking the long-standing issue of poor ventilation into its own hands, UFT President Michael Mulgrew told The 74 in an exclusive interview.
Starting Wednesday, the UFT began dispatching Health and safety workers to school buildings, prioritizing 30 “red flag” offenders that have had dysfunctional ventilation systems for years, he said. The workers will check air intake systems on roofs as well as exhaust systems and air diffusers inside.
Mulgrew said since late May he has received emails from thousands of teachers concerned that substandard air quality, a widespread problem in city schools before the pandemic, could put them at risk for COVID-19: teachers stationed in classrooms without windows, classrooms in basements, schools that have been awaiting airflow-related repairs from the DOE for years.
“It’s the first week of August,” Mulgrew said. “I don’t know how [the DOE] is gonna get these things done.”
The union president, who released a statement Thursday saying the city’s current reopening plan does not meet safety standards for students and staff on several fronts, said he’s been pushing City Hall and the DOE to take COVID-related air quality issues seriously since April.
“We’ve been telling them and telling them and telling them,” he said. “We couldn’t get any movement on the air quality issue. Hopefully by doing these visits, we can get better results.”

-- ZOË KIRSCH

The state has no requirements for reopening plans. How will we know schools are safe?

-- Indianapolis Star Indiana: August 02, 2020 [ abstract]

It didn’t take long for Indiana to record a case of COVID-19 in a school.
The first districts in the state to start the new school year reopened their doors at the end of July, bringing students back into school buildings for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic closed them in March.
Part-way through the first day of school at Greenfield Central Junior High School, the local Health department alerted school officials that one of its students had tested positive for COVID-19. Greenfield-Central Schools Superintendent Harold Olin said the district was prepared for such an eventuality and followed its prepared protocol.
The debate about how, when and if schools should reopen for in-person learning isn’t going anywhere.
State guidance on reopening made only suggestions for safe reopening, but mandated nothing. No plans are required to be reviewed or approved.
Now as schools reopen — and more across the state will this week — a new conversation is taking shape around how cases will be tracked, how much information will be given to the public, who is responsible for ensuring adequate plans are not just in place, but being followed, and whether it was safe to return to schools already.
No requirements
School districts across the state have released detailed plans for reopening their buildings to students. The plans cover things such as how often schools will clean their buildings, where students will be seated on buses and what happens if a case is connected to a school.

-- Arika Herron

Poor, minority students at dilapidated schools face added risks amid talk of reopening classrooms

-- The Telegraph National: July 31, 2020 [ abstract]

(THE CONVERSATION) Classrooms, gyms and cafeterias at schools across the U.S. have remained empty for months now. And despite some districts beginning to reopen, many others will remain closed amid fears that prematurely restarting in-person classes could cost more lives in the pandemic. Local, state and federal officials wrangle over how to make schools safe, with concern over how to sufficiently disinfect and ventilate schools. But for low-income students, their teachers and families, returning to school is a more risky proposition due to the age and condition of the buildings to which they would return. In a 2018 report to Congress, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found that “low income students and students of color are often relegated to low-quality school facilities” that lack “physical maintenance.” This can “negatively impact a student’s Health,” the commission concluded. I have seen this firsthand. As a former school superintendent and now as a university professor working with K-12 schools, I see the inequities experienced by some of the U.S.‘s most vulnerable students as a stark reminder of the opportunity gap holding many back. By requiring them to attend schools in desperate need of maintenance, I fear that the schools and classrooms attended by low-income students of color could become epicenters of a second wave of pandemic.

-- Hardy Murphy

D.C. schools go all virtual, with mayor citing parent concerns and ‘workforce’ gaps

-- Politico District of Columbia: July 30, 2020 [ abstract]

Schools in the nation’s capital will remain completely virtual when they reopen next month, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Thursday.
While the city has largely been able to keep coronavirus spread from increasing in recent weeks, Bowser pointed to staffing concerns and unease among parents as key to the decision not to initially reopen schools for in-person learning, alluding to negotiations with teachers unions.
“I wouldn’t say that the attention to the Health metrics is the only thing leading to our decision today," the mayor said. "Clearly we want to work with our workforce. We want to make sure parents have confidence in an in-person option and make sure that, when we do have an in-person option, we can maximize the attendance of our teachers and our kids."

Bowser said the city is looking at options for opening school buildings on a limited basis for some students who need a safe place to go. But she said workforce issues are a complicating factor.
“If we don’t have teachers who want to come in person, we would have to find another set of adults who want to come in person,” she said. “And we will, if the chancellor comes and says, 'This is what we need for our kids in the building.'"

-- MICHAEL STRATFORD

Health Department: Reopening Tucson schools for traditional learning unsafe

-- tucson.com Arizona: July 29, 2020 [ abstract]

The Pima County Health Department says it’s unsafe to reopen schools for traditional face-to-face learning as the coronavirus continue s to heavily impact the Tucson community. The guidance to Tucson-area schools, released Tuesday, says the earliest traditional instruction could be anticipated to resume is after Labor Day. Pima County Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Cullen and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Francisco Garcia used public Health data to form their recommendation — which schools are not required to follow. A memo from Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry outlined the reasoning for delaying in-person traditional instruction: Local, daily COVID-19 infections are at the highest amounts since the pandemic began. Pima County’s total monthly infections have gone from 153 for March to more than 6,700 confirmed cases thus far for the month of July alone.
Coronavirus transmission rates are above 11%. The World Health Organization recommends rates should be below 5% before reopening.
Masks were only recently mandated, and it will take six weeks to see if the mitigation strategy is working.
COVID-19 hospitalizations are at record levels. Local hospitals have nearly exceeded their ICU bed capacity, transferring some critical patients to hospitals around the state.
Widespread testing is just now becoming available, and timely test results to allow for contact tracing do not exist in Pima County.
Though the guidance does not advise resuming traditional face-to-face learning, it does recommend the opening of school facilities for at-risk youth on a limited basis as envisioned in Gov. Doug Ducey’s latest executive order.

-- Danyelle Khmara

How Utah schools are creating re-opening plans

-- FOX13 Utah: July 29, 2020 [ abstract]

SALT LAKE CITY — The regularly scheduled start to the Utah school year is quickly approaching and school districts are faced with the task of creating re-opening plans. The Utah State Board of Education has released guidelines for districts to follow, but each district is able to come up with its own unique plan that best fits the need of the community. "The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) worked with a panel of experts—educators, administrators, public Health experts, physicians, epidemiologists, teacher representatives—to articulate minimum elements and requirements that Local Education Agencies (LEAs) must address as they plan to reopen schools for in-person instruction in the fall of 2020," the state's website said. On Tuesday, Utah’s largest teacher union, the Utah Education Association (UEA), called for a delay in the return to school buildings due to COVID-19. Wednesday, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE), announced they would be supporting the UEA’s call to delay the start to the school year. “We have seen that premature opening of the economy in many states has only served to create crisis level spread. There is every reason to assume that opening up schools in the setting of persistently high rates of infection will do the same,” the UPHE said in a news release.

-- Sydney Glenn

School districts finalizing plans to handle COVID-19 cases in school buildings

-- CNYCentral New York: July 29, 2020 [ abstract]

SYRACUSE — The New York State Education Department says Health & safety is paramount for a successful school year. It’s why school districts are also required to come up with plans for when a student or staff member becomes sick with symptoms of COVID-19 in school. Thomas Colabufo is the superintendent of the Central Square Central School District in Oswego County. While parts of his district’s reopening plan still need to be finalized, Colabufo said they will likely follow state department of Health’s recommendation as listed in the NYSED reopening guidance: Closing off areas used by a sick person and not using these areas until after cleaning and disinfection has occurred; -Opening outside doors and windows to increase air circulation in the area. -Waiting at least 24 hours before cleaning and disinfection. If waiting 24 hours is not feasible, wait as long as possible; -Clean and disinfect all areas used by the person suspected or confirmed to have. -COVID-19, such as offices, classrooms, bathrooms, lockers, and common areas.
"I believe it’s just the building," said Colabufo, discussing what would temporarily close. "It wouldn’t be the whole district unless there's staff members coming back and forth to that school.” So who will make the call to close a building or section of a school? NYSED points to Education Law 906 which reads in part, “The director of school Health services, or other Health professionals acting upon direction or referral of such director, may make such evaluations of teachers and any other school employees, school buildings and premises as, in their discretion, they may deem necessary to protect the Health of the students and staff."

-- Tommy Sladek

Elgin School District needs building work

-- The Observer Oregon: July 28, 2020 [ abstract]

ELGIN — The Elgin School District’s aging buildings do not need to be replaced, but they do need $9.3 million in renovation work.
This is the conclusion Scott Marshall of Straightline Architecture of Boise, Idaho, has arrived at after preparing a School Facilities Assessment Report for the Elgin School District.
“The overall condition of the district’s primary facilities is fair to below fair,” said Marshall, Straightline’s principal architect, in his assessment report.
The buildings need major repair and systems upgrades, he said. The good news is the school district has some breathing room.
“Overall, the buildings currently do not appear to be immediate Health, life, or safety concern for students and staff in occupied spaces,” Marshall wrote in his report.
Marshall said an Oregon Department of Education methodology known as the Replacement Cost Index indicates it would be more feasible financially for the Elgin School District to renovate its building rather than replace them.

-- Dick Mason

Colorado schools consider how cohorts would work when students return

-- FOX31 Colorado: July 27, 2020 [ abstract]

DENVER (KDVR) — As school districts across the state make plans for fall, many will consider putting students and teachers into cohorts, or small groups, in order to limit the amount of interaction at school. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Department of Education recommend cohorts in their school guidance, but say schools and districts can choose what works for them. The goal of cohorts is to reduce the number of exposed students or staff, if a person at school tests positive for COVID-19. “As a result of that, it will result in fewer students or staff members needing to quarantine if there was a confirmed case in that school,” Rhonda Haniford said, Associate Commissioner of the Colorado Department of Education. CDPHE offered this example from earlier in the year to show the benefit. Child care facility number one in Grand County used a strict cohorting system. When one staff member tested positive, six children and two staff members were exposed. So eight other people quarantined, but the rest of the facility continued to operate. Child care facility number two in Weld County did not use cohorting, and allowed children and staff from multiple classes to co-mingle throughout the day. When one staff member tested positive, 40 children and seven other staff members were exposed. Those 47 people were quarantined, and one child later tested positive.

-- Kim Posey

COVID-19 Poses Another Challenge for Schools: Air Quality

-- Oklahoma Watch Oklahoma: July 27, 2020 [ abstract]

Plans to safely reopen Oklahoma schools are plentiful, but not much can be done to improve air quality in buildings. School officials must rely on existing equipment that is not designed to filter out coronavirus particles. Replacing heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems to meet new guidelines for addressing COVID-19 is cost prohibitive for school districts unless patrons agree to pay for it through a bond issue. Even upgrading current systems by incorporating higher-grade filters is expensive and is not always feasible, experts agree. “The problem is so insurmountable that people aren’t talking about it,” said state Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, who taught high school for 15 years. The state House Democratic Caucus is drawing attention to the issue by including it on a list of “needs that must be met before school can resume in the fall.” The lawmakers argue that school buildings should meet ventilation standards for COVID-19 recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC on July 9 published steps office building managers can take to create a safe and Healthy workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines are based on the standards written by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The engineers group recommends a filter with a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 1

-- Kathryn McNutt

Is it possible to make school ventilation safe enough to open this fall?

-- thenotebook Pennsylvania: July 27, 2020 [ abstract]

One of the biggest challenges facing the Philadelphia School District as it struggles with how to start the 2020 school year is concern over whether the city’s aging buildings are properly ventilated. Opinions differ on how much ventilation improvement may be needed to protect students and staff from COVID-19. But a look at District data shows that the scale of the challenge will be significant. According to a Notebook analysis of more than 200 Facilities Condition Assessments from 2017, at least 80% of Philadelphia public schools had ventilation systems that weren’t up to current codes. The reports, one for every District school, catalog a multitude of concerns citywide, including problems with fans, ducts, and schoolwide systems, with replacement costs estimated at more than $600 million. And although city Health officials say that ventilation concerns can be allayed if students and staff consistently follow proper protocols — including wearing masks and social distancing — experts worldwide agree that poorly ventilated indoor air is one of the major risk factors for COVID-19 transmission. Under the District’s current “hybrid” reopening plan, some students would attend an all-virtual “digital academy,” while others would enter school buildings twice a week, in Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday “cohorts.” Each teacher would be in the building for all four days.

-- Neena Hagen

Reopening Schools: Anderson County Schools release detailed reopening plan

-- abc6 Tennessee: July 27, 2020 [ abstract]

ANDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — Anderson County Schools has released its reopening plan that “focuses on the Health and wellness of every student and every staff member every day,” that was developed with guidance from the state as well as input from staff, parents and the community.
The plan also provides students with the maximum face to face instruction within the state and local COVID-19 safety guidelines. As always, all plans are subject to change. Below is information and a timeline to open school.
ANDERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS
Health and Safety Protocols
�-� Students/staff should stay home if they are sick or have a fever.
�-� Schools will have designated entry/exit points for staff and student car/bus riders, signage will be posted to provide guidance.
�-� Sanitation stations will be placed at all entry points.
�-� Every school will have a full time nurse on staff.
�-� COVID-19/nursing guidelines will be followed when students/staff become ill or do not pass Health screenings.
�-� Temperatures will be taken at all entry points.
�-� Students with a temperature will be quarantined. Parents will be required to pick up their child.
�-� In grades 3-12, students will be required to wear masks on buses, in hallways/ common areas, and in classrooms where social distancing is not practical. – In grades PreK – 2, students will be required to wear a mask on the bus and at other times to the best of their ability. – Staff will be required to wear masks in large group gatherings, hallways/ common areas, and in classrooms where social distancing is not practical. Staff is encouraged to social distance during plan times, lunch, etc. – The only exemptions for staff and students will be if they have a medical or physical condition preventing them from wearing a mask. (Medical documentation will be required)
�-� Face covering for staff will be required for certain instructional settings.

-- Caleb Wethington

Congress urged to provide billions of dollars to fix crumbling school buildings that pose threat to safety

-- Washington Post National: July 22, 2020 [ abstract]

A coalition of dozens of education and civic groups are asking Congress to provide billions of dollars in emergency funding to repair aging, crumbling school buildings that are an obstacle to the safe reopening of schools during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
BASIC, or [Re]Build America’s School Infrastructure Coalition, said in a letter (see below) sent to congressional leaders that there is an urgent need for $10 billion to be targeted to at least 14,000 schools in the highest-poverty communities that are in the poorest physical shape.
“The children and staff returning to schools serving low-income communities are far more likely to be in old and severely deteriorated buildings that are woefully unprepared to operate safely during this Health crisis,” the letter says. “Many of these schools in high-poverty communities educate children from families who are essential workers. … These schools and communities are often where broadband and virtual schooling are most deficient.”
The condition of America’s school buildings and the threat that failing systems pose to Health and safety have been given little attention in the national debate about how to reopen schools for the 2020-2021 academic year during the pandemic.
According to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report released last month, more than half of all U.S. public schools need to update or replace multiple systems or features. And it said failure to address poor mechanical, plumbing, electrical, roof, windows and other systems and components could pose Health and safety problems for everyone inside.
The report said that heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems were the ones most in need of repair, affecting at least 36,000 school buildings nationwide. Guidance for safe reopening of schools from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that ventilation systems should work properly.

-- Valerie Strauss

Ten things parents could and should do to help schools safely reopen

-- Washington Post National: July 22, 2020 [ abstract]

There are a mountain of stories every day about what schools and districts have to do to reopen schools in a manner deemed safe for the 2020-21 year. Schools and districts are, for example, spending enormous amounts of money to buy masks to give students and teachers, thermometers to take temperatures of kids before they walk onto a bus or into a classroom, and other protective equipment. Much of what is being done seems to assume these things will not be done at home — and that is the subject of this piece. Written by Mary Filardo, an education advocate and expert on schools facilities, it recommends 10 things parents can be ready and able to do to support the safe reopening of their children’s schools. Filardo is a leading national authority on school facility planning, management and public private development. She has written extensively on public school facility issues and developed software to support long-range facilities master planning. Filardo founded and serves as executive director of the 21st Century School Fund, which provides the District of Columbia and other urban communities with leadership, innovative financing solutions, research, and public policy analysis of school facility issues. She also founded the Building Educational Success Together collaborative, a learning community of urban education reform organizations dedicated to building the public will and capacity to improve urban school facilities so they support high-quality education and community Health.

-- Valerie Strauss

‘My Colleagues Are Terrified’: Colorado Teachers Say Reopening School Needs More Safety And Transparency

-- CPR News Colorado: July 21, 2020 [ abstract]

Colorado gave schools guidelines for reopening this week, but the state’s largest teacher's union said Tuesday there shouldn't be any in-person learning and schools should operate remotely unless demands about safety and teacher input are met. They sent a petition, signed by 13,000 school staff, to state education and Health officials, school principals, school board members and local Health department officials. The Colorado Education Association, which has 39,000 members, are asking that educators play a central role in any decisions on school reopening and want teachers to vote on any plan to return to school. They want safety protections and protocols for staff and students spelled out, as well as transparency on the planning and Health data used to drive decisions. And they want school districts to make sure all students have access to learning, after inequities were exacerbated this spring when thousands of students could not get connected to teachers because they didn’t have devices or lacked internet access. “Unless those expectations can be met, we should not move to in-person learning,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association. State officials say they agree with the spirit of the four expectations for employee engagement, safety protections, transparency and equity.

-- Jenny Brundin

State develops tiered health advisory system to help determine educational reopening plans

-- Wiscasset Newspaper Maine: July 20, 2020 [ abstract]

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills announced Friday through a news release a series of steps her Administration is taking to assist and support school systems across Maine as they consider whether and how to return to in-classroom instruction this fall. Each of these actions aims to provide essential support to promote a safe return for children, teachers, and school staff. To that end, the Governor announced Friday the Maine Department of Education, in close partnership with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), has updated its “Framework for Returning to Classroom Instruction” to include Health and safety precautions that all schools must follow if they decide to return to in-classroom instruction to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff. The Governor also announced that these science-based protocols, which follow national best practices and include the use of face coverings and physical distancing, will be financially supported by up to $165 million in Federal CARES Act funding that she has authorized to be distributed to school systems across Maine. Further, Governor Mills also announced that her Administration will provide school superintendents and school boards with public Health guidance in the form of a three-tiered Health advisory system to assist them in making decisions about whether and how to bring students back to the classroom.

-- Staff Writer

Back-to-school reopening plans have few details on how many COVID-19 cases would close schools

-- USA Today National: July 17, 2020 [ abstract]

Even as they recommended working to reopen schools in-person, the nation's science academies warned: "It is likely that someone in the school community will contract COVID-19."
But largely missing from the reopening protocols at states and schools around the nation are concrete plans for what administrators are to do when coronavirus infections enter a school.
The prospect of reopening school in the fall is already looking less likely in much of the nation. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have skyrocketed to nearly 3.6 million, and more than half of states have paused or scaled back efforts to reopen their economies. A growing number of school districts, including Los Angeles, the second-largest in the U.S., have decided to start the fall semester online. Other districts are pushing back their start dates.
But many still plan to hold in-person classes. They're releasing plans that include implementing social distancing, closing school buildings to visitors and, in some cases, splitting students into groups that attend school on some days and study from home on others.
How a school would handle multiple coronavirus cases across the building, and how many infected students or teachers would raise alarms, are details often left up to parents to guess. Typical plans include only references to "case-by-case" decisions.
USA TODAY Network reporters reviewed 35 schools' reopening plans. Most plans didn't include specifics on decisions that would lead to closing school buildings and putting learning online for all students.
Instead, most schools echoed some of the basic recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: deep-cleaning the area where an infected person spent time, quarantining the person, and leaving it up to consultation with state or local Health officials to make decisions about school closures.

-- Elinor Aspegren

Biden launches ‘roadmap’ for reopening schools as Trump calls for return to the classroom

-- WCSJ News National: July 17, 2020 [ abstract]

As back-to-school time inches closer and the debate over how --or if-- students should return to classrooms this school year rages on, former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden laid out his “roadmap to reopening schools safely,” Friday afternoon, calling on Congress to provide an influx in funding to help get students back into the classroom.
“Everyone wants our schools to be open. The question is how to make it safe, how to make it stick. Forcing educators and students back into a classroom, into areas where the infection rate is going up or remaining very high is just plain dangerous,” Biden said in a video released along with his plan.
The former vice president laid out five areas of focus in his roadmap, including insuring schools have the funding needed to allow for in-person learning for students, calling on Trump and Senate Republicans to allocate the $58 billion for local school districts to stabilize public education that was included in the House-passed HEROES Act.
Biden also calls for an additional $30 billion emergency funding package to “ensure schools have the additional resources they need to adapt effectively to COVID-19.”
“This package should include funding for child care providers and public schools — particularly Title I schools and Indian schools — for personal protective equipment; public Health and sanitation products; custodial and Health services; and alterations to building ventilation systems, classrooms, schedules, class size, and transportation,” Biden’s plan stipulates.

-- MOLLY NAGLE and JOHN VERHOVEK,

Governor Wolf and PA Department of Health Provide Updated Guidance to Safely Reopen Pennsylvania’s Schools

-- SKook News Pennsylvania: July 16, 2020 [ abstract]

On Thursday, Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine and Education Secretary Pedro Rivera jointly announced updated guidance to help Pre-K to 12 schools prepare to reopen and safely educate students for in-person learning. Each school entity will determine if classes resume in person at school buildings, remotely or a combination of both options. “Our goal is to ensure a safe return to school for students, educators and staff by following best practices to mitigate the spread of the virus, including wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “In those instances when someone tests positive, public Health staff from the department will immediately assist the school with risk assessment, isolation and quarantine recommendations, and other infection control recommendations.” The guidance represents endorsed best public Health practices related to social distancing, face coverings, hand hygiene, and cleaning and disinfecting in school settings. It also outlines how to accommodate individuals with disabilities or chronic conditions, procedures for monitoring symptoms, and responding to confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 in the school community. “The Health and safety of students, teachers and staff must be paramount as schools prepare for the upcoming school year,” said Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. “The Department of Education has been focused on supporting schools with resources and best practices to help school leaders make informed decisions within their local contexts and in response to evolving conditions.”

-- Staff Writer

Delaware officials release report outlining school reopening guidance and scenarios

-- WDEL Delaware: July 15, 2020 [ abstract]

Delaware officials publicly released Wednesday their guidance detailing the various methods for reopening schools in the 2020-21 academic year.
Governor John Carney's decision on which method to adopt won't come until August, but the Department of Education, in cooperation with three working groups and the Division of Public Health, released a report July 15, 2020, that broke down what those steps might look like depending on the current status and level of control around novel coronavirus COVID-19.
“Since the day we closed school buildings, our goal has been to return students and educators to their classrooms as soon as it is safe to do so,” said Carney. “When we do return to our school buildings, we know our daily routines will look different than they did in March. Important safety measures, such as wearing face coverings and socially distancing, will help protect our children and educators and help us reduce the spread of COVID-19 so we can stay in our classrooms, where our students learn best.”
While the guidance only applies to district and charter schools, private schools are encouraged to adopt the recommendations as well, and officials recognized the approach may vary by region.

-- DJ McAneny

Texas classrooms can stay closed this fall without losing state funding if local health officials order it

-- The Texas Tribune Texas: July 15, 2020 [ abstract]

Local public Health officials will be able to keep Texas schools closed for in-person instruction this fall without risking state education funding, a Texas Education Agency spokesperson confirmed to The Texas Tribune on Wednesday. Last week, the state's education agency released an order requiring schools to open their buildings to in-person instruction five days a week for all students who want it. The order gives districts a transition period of just three weeks at the start of the year to hold classes virtually and get their safety plans in place before allowing students back on campuses. After the three-week transition, districts that stay entirely virtual would risk losing funding. But TEA officials confirmed Wednesday they would continue to fund school districts if local Health officials order them to stay closed, as long as they offer remote instruction for all students. Gov. Greg Abbott told a Houston television station this week that the state would ease up on stringent reopening requirements, as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations skyrocket across Texas, and would give school districts more flexibility to stay virtual for longer than three weeks. Public Health officials warn that reopening school buildings in areas with a lot of community spread will exacerbate the virus’ impact on those communities.

-- ALIYYA SWABY

‘Living or learning’ �" School ventilation becomes major issue for reopening possibilities

-- Clark County Today Washington: July 15, 2020 [ abstract]

CLARK COUNTY — Another, much more center-stage, factor has emerged in the struggle to understand the novel coronavirus, and it’s all about ventilation.
On June 15, New York Times (NYT) reporter Donald McNeil Jr., who has covered pandemics for decades, explained that what the U.S. and the world is learning is that COVID-19 can be caused by aerosol transmission of droplets hanging in the air for hours. Even with masks.
Now, as Washington state public schools, and schools here in Clark County strategize on how to safely reopen in the fall of 2020, air flow and strong circulation of fresh air is becoming a point of disagreement.
On June 20, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and state Superintendent Chris Reykdal, released a video explaining expectations for school districts. Among other things, he stated that many activities of students moving around and using school supplies would happen as normal.
“What makes this tolerable in the world of public Health is that we have other metrics that we’re using, other measures,” Reykdal said. “We’re wearing our face coverings, we’re washing our hands, we’re frequently cleaning, we have good ventilation in our schools, and it’s a short duration, these contexts that are within six feet.”
Specifically, the comment regarding ventilation has created the aforementioned disagreement. In many cases on Facebook, educators across the state and across the county have refuted Reykdal’s statement, citing their own experiences with the opposite.
Radon and asbestos, poor air flow, unclean water stations, lead, unreliable HVAC systems, no opening windows and a lack of funding to remedy such issues are among the reasons cited.

-- Jacob Granneman

Getting Ready to Reopen, Rural Schools Brace for Epidemic’s Challenges

-- The Daily Yonder National: July 14, 2020 [ abstract]

When Meigs Middle School in Decatur, Tennessee, closed its doors for the spring break on March 17, many, including special education teacher Matthew Coe, did not know they would remain shut through the end of the school year. “I did not realize it was our last goodbye,” said Coe, who has been a special education teacher for 15 years, seven of which have been at Meigs Middle. “It was hard for everyone.” The closure compelled more than 30 teachers at Meigs Middle to scramble to modify their carefully crafted lesson plans to cater to the safety and Health of their students. Across the country, most k-12 schools shut in spring in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. The abrupt move worked well with other districts but was a complete disappointment for others. In the days after the break, Coe said the school recommended that teachers create packets for students to pick up and drop off in lieu of in-person classes. These packets, pocket folders with sheets of instruction and homework inside, were left to the teachers’ discretion. It was an experiment that the school has never done before. Because of the special needs of his students, Coe had to make individualized packets for each. Math, he said, to no surprise, was the most challenging. He decided on a two-week interval for his students to complete the packets, requiring parents to drop them off each time. Coe made the first batch available for pick up on March 31, a Sunday, and due two Sundays later, on April 14. “There were a lot of packets that came back more than we expected,” Coe said, who, along with his colleagues, thought about half the students would return the assignments. For his class of 10, he got everything back, though some came past the deadline.

-- Isabelle Lee

Gov. Cooper announces Plan B reopening option for North Carolina schools. Here's what it means.

-- WFMY2 North Carolina: July 14, 2020 [ abstract]

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the state is pushing forward with plans to reopen schools by the fall, which will include Health screenings for students and social distancing guidelines depending on what option school districts choose.
Cooper announced North Carolina schools will reopen under Plan B but will have the option to open under Plan C. Plan B is a more restrictive plan with lots of scheduling options. It also limits the number of students at schools and on buses. Plan C operates under virtual learning.
“The most important opening is that of our classroom doors. Our schools provide more than academics; they are vital to our children's Health, safety and emotional development,” Cooper said.
“After looking at the current scientific evidence and weighing the risks and benefits, we have decided to move forward with today’s balanced, flexible approach which allows for in-person instruction as long as key safety requirements are in place in addition to remote learning options,” North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said.
Health leaders recommend schools allow families to opt-in to all-remote learning so students who don't feel comfortable returning to the classroom will have the option of virtual learning.
Cooper announced the state will give five reusable face coverings to every student, teacher and school staff member in the public schools' system.

-- Carrie Hodgin

Georgia updates school COVID-19 guidance

-- AJC Georgia: July 13, 2020 [ abstract]

New guidance issued Monday for Georgia’s K-12 schools eliminates the coronavirus infection rate in a community as the key consideration when deciding whether or not to bring kids into classrooms.
Now, a revised flow chart that guides superintendents and school boards is premised on schools being open. Shifting the focus from when to open, it advises school leaders instead on when to close.The initial 10-page guidance document, released June 1 by the Georgia Department of Education, focused on how to react to the local danger level, or “community spread,” when making their decisions. The revised document, now 12 pages, focuses more on how to respond to coronavirus cases within school buildings.There has been immense pressure to open — from parents, President Donald Trump and even pediatricians — who cite detrimental effects of missing school. Parents also need their kids in school so they can return to work. Without schools, the economy suffers.Many superintendents were unhappy with the original guidance because it focused on a simple measure — the number of local infections — without regard to other facts on the ground, like whether cases were concentrated in assisted living facilities.Teachers, fearful about their own Health or that of family members, have been critical of what they see as a rush to reopen. The Georgia Department of Education’s revisions to its “Path to Recovery for K-12 Schools” document prompted criticism from two big teacher groups, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators and the Georgia Association of Educators.Lisa Morgan, a kindergarten teacher who has temporarily exited her classroom to serve a term as president of GAE, said she thinks the new guidance will endanger teachers and students by operating as if the default is opening schools regardless of the local spread of the virus.“We are all going to come into schools as if the school is separate from the community, and that is making us less safe,” she said.

-- Ty Tagami

New York State Education Department releases guidelines to reopen schools

-- WBNG12 New York: July 13, 2020 [ abstract]

he New York State Education Department presented its reopening guidance to the New York State Board of Regents Monday. In advance of the meeting, NYSED released a copy of its presentation. The presentation is designed to help school districts to reopen for the fall semester, whether that means in-person, remote, or hybrid instruction. The guidelines were designed to outline the school year by working with each community, providing assistance to local school districts because no "one size fits all". Below is an outline of the presentation: Health AND SAFETY Schools must perform Health checks of students and staff, and educate staff to recognize symptoms of COVID-19
Schools must design plans to enhance and maximize social distancing
Schools must isolate people with symptoms of COVID-19 until they can be sent home
Schools must inform people how to properly wash their hands
School staff and students are required to wear face coverings
Schools to clean and disinfect per CDC recommendations
NUTRITION School food service directors to be included in the planning process
All students, whether attending classes in-person or remotely, must have access to daily school meals
Update procedures to address Health and safety guidelines
Ensure Child Nutrition Program requirements are met
Must communicate with families

-- Staff Writer

OC Board of Education Panel Calls for a Fall Return to Classes with No Masks or Distancing

-- Voice of OC California: July 12, 2020 [ abstract]

The Orange County Board of Education is hosting a special meeting Monday evening, where officials are expected to recommend that schools return in the fall — without implementing the use of face masks, social distancing or reduced class sizes.
The board of education panel recommendations apply for all ages between kindergarten and 12th grade, and state that children represent the lowest risk and that as a result, major changes will not be implemented.
The recommendations also sought to give parents options, calling remote learning an “utter failure,” and allows parents to send their children to a new district with every day in class instruction.
The recommendations are being sent out as many school districts across the county are meeting to determine plans for whether or not students will return this fall.
One of the experts on the panel – which included a county supervisor and the head of Orange County’s Health Care Agency – was quoted anonymously as saying, “This is a disease that kills our most elderly and spares our children. It may sound callous, but would we want it the other way around?”
The report also specifically cited concerns about masks and social distancing harming children multiple times.
“Requiring children to wear masks during school is not only difficult – if not impossible to implement – but not based on science. It may even be harmful,” the board’s report read under its recommendations.
A lower section of the report linked social distancing with harmful effects on children.
“Because of the established link between social-distancing and child harm, we cannot support extraordinary efforts aimed at social-distancing at school,” the report said. “Mandatory masks may well lead to a spike in childhood behavior problems such as learning disabilities, anxiety disorders, and depression to name a few.”
“We have hurt hundreds of thousands of more children than we have helped,” said Dr. Sherry Kropp, one of the panelists, in the report.
The report also spoke out against distance learning, calling it an “utter failure,” and said that school districts that were “unable or unwilling to reopen schools in a manner that resumes a typical classroom environment and school atmosphere,” should help parents transfer their children to different districts where those opportunities were offered.
“(Distance learning) produced irregular attendance by children, and teachers simply (generally through no lack of effort) unable to manage distracted children in multiple locations,” the report said. “Its reliance on parental oversight is also a fatal weakness.”

-- NOAH BIESIADA

Can NYC Make its Century-Old School Buildings Safe from Coronavirus?

-- Spectrum News New York: July 11, 2020 [ abstract]

“It weighs on me heavily," Custodian Engineer William Carroll told NY1. "I feel responsible for every person walking in that building.”
Carroll is the custodian engineer overseeing the heating, cooling and maintenance of two city public schools serving more than 1,800 children in Brooklyn. He said he and his staff are working hard to implement COVID- 19 cleaning protocols for when schools reopen in September.
“We’re gonna do the best job we can," he said.
He's confident the ventilation in his buildings is sufficient to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Both schools are served by window AC units that bring in outside air and HVAC Air Conditioning systems with filters that meet CDC guidelines for trapping many airborne particles.
“I’ve looked at my stock and it does meet those needs and it’s a high micron value,” Carroll explained.
City Councilman Mark Treyger told NY1 though; he's concerned that the ventilation in some schools will put teachers and students at risk. He wants to give the Health department the authority to inspect all public schools.
"For some reason, the Mayor's office does not allow Health inspectors entering school buildings,” Treyger explained. "The Mayor's plan that he released with the Chancellor is incomplete and leaves many people unready."

-- MICHAEL HERZENBERG

Hawaii debates how close kids can get after school reopening

-- West Hawaii Today Hawaii: July 10, 2020 [ abstract]

HONOLULU — Education professionals, state officials and parents in Hawaii are considering how close to allow children to get in classrooms as schools reopen for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak.
Hawaii public schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto drew opposition when she said children’s desks could be as close as 3 feet if facing forward, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Thursday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends seating students at least 6 feet apart when feasible.
Hawaii State Teachers Association President Corey Rosenlee called Kishimoto’s plan “ludicrous” and “dangerous.”
Special education teacher Amy Suzuki urged education officials to mandate the full extent of social distancing in classrooms.
“The thought of schools allowing three feet distancing when the current Health recommendation is six feet distancing is appalling,” Suzuki wrote as part of online testimony for a state Board of Education meeting Thursday.
State Health Director Bruce Anderson and state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park recommended 3 to 6 feet of spacing in classrooms after weighing the risk of infection versus the benefits of children being in school.
The American Academy of Pediatrics also called for placing student desks 3 to 6 feet apart when feasible.
The academy advocated students attending school in person, saying the experience is important for academics and for social, emotional and physical Health. Reopening schools also benefits the community as a whole, the organization said.

-- Associated Press

With Social Distancing, Schools Should Be Safe to Reopen This Fall, Experts Say

-- U.S. News And World Report National: July 10, 2020 [ abstract]

Kids should be able to safely return to reopened schools this fall, resuming their studies with little risk that they will contribute to the COVID-19 pandemic, some infectious disease experts argue.
The scientific evidence so far indicates that children do not tend to spread the novel coronavirus between themselves, nor do they appear to regularly infect adults, a new editorial in the journal Pediatrics claims.
"Generally, the younger you are, then the less likely you are to transmit to other children or adults," said editorial co-author Dr. William Raszka Jr. He's a pediatric infectious disease specialist with the University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine, in Burlington.
"With precautions, schools should reopen," Raszka said.
The upcoming school year became a political football this week, with President Donald Trump threatening to cut federal funding for schools that do not fully reopen in the fall.
But the drive to reopen schools is supported by mounting epidemiological evidence that kids don't appear to play a major role in the spread of COVID-19, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, in Baltimore.
"We have seen schools open in places like Denmark and Finland without a problem, and day care centers have been open for essential workers throughout the pandemic," Adalja said. "It will be important for schools to develop a plan for dealing with cases and allowing for social distancing, but we are causing harm to a whole generation of students who are not able to be educated adequately."
Not all medical experts share this view, however.

-- Dennis Thompson

Congress' next fight: Reopening schools

-- Politico National: July 09, 2020 [ abstract]

Congress’ push to deliver its next coronavirus relief package is facing a massive new hurdle: the national fight over reopening America’s schools.
President Donald Trump’s demands for in-person education this fall — despite a resurgence of Covid-19 cases in dozens of states — has emerged as another partisan flashpoint in Washington, with both parties split over the path to restoring normal life in the U.S. with the coronavirus still largely unrestrained.
The terms for expansive funding for education will now likely to be a central component of the next $1 trillion-plus package, along with soon-to-expire jobless benefits and additional stimulus checks. While the federal government can’t set procedures for local school districts, Republicans and Democrats are eager to use the package to help shape how the nation reopens schools for millions of students.

“Everyone wants to see schools open,” said Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.), a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions, whose own proposal would provide federal grant money to help schools reopen. “The unfortunate thing is that the president doesn’t use the word ‘safely’ in front of ‘opening.’ And I think that that’s the key.”
Trump’s closest allies, meanwhile, are downplaying the dangers of the virus for school-age children, with Freedom Caucus member Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) declaring Thursday that “the risk is extremely low that anything will happen to them” if they don’t have underlying conditions. He said the risk would also be low for school staff under the age of 60.
As Congress begins to assemble its next package, Senate Republicans are considering incentives for schools to fully reopen safely, according to a GOP aide. Republicans in both chambers are also demanding liability protections for schools that reopen full time and have begun to float a special school voucher that would give parents “flexibility” with their federal education dollars — an idea that’s likely to be a nonstarter for Democrats.

-- SARAH FERRIS and MARIANNE LEVINE

Crumbling School HVAC Threatens Safe Comeback to Classrooms

-- The Daily Yonder National: July 08, 2020 [ abstract]

Poorly maintained or out-of-date ventilation systems in rural and urban schools could complicate districts’ plans to return students to traditional classrooms this fall.
An estimated four out of every 10 public school districts in the U.S. need significant renovations in their buildings’ HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems, according to a report released last month by the Government Accountability Office.
The findings were released just weeks before a group of 240 experts sent an open letter to the World Health Organization emphasizing the importance of good HVAC systems in preventing the spread of Covid-19 in public buildings, including schools.
The GAO report is part of a larger inventory of physical-plant deficiencies in public schools. The study found that more than half of all districts need to fix multiple building systems, with the biggest need being for repair or replacement of HVAC systems. Those deficiencies alone affect over 36,000 school buildings nationwide.
The average school building is 44 years old, according to a 2013 National Center for Education Statistics report.
On July 2, the House of Representatives passed the Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act, a $130 billion package for school upgrades and repairs that is part of a broad $1.5 trillion infrastructure package called the Moving Forward Act.
“For decades, underserved students and educators have spent nearly every day in school facilities with outdated air filtration, air conditioning, and roofing systems that endanger their Health,” said House Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott during the floor debate of the Moving Forward Act.
“We all want to reopen our schools as soon as possible,” Scott added. “But we cannot take this step when the Centers for Disease Control guidance requires functioning ventilation systems to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”

-- Isabelle Lee

Florida schools ordered to reopen next month

-- clickorlando.com Florida: July 07, 2020 [ abstract]

ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida schools will open this fall amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which shows no signs of slowing, according to a statewide executive order issued Monday.
Florida Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran signed the order Monday, with the stated goal of reopening all brick-and-mortar schools for at least five days a week for all students beginning in August, according to the executive order.
The executive order was signed around 11 a.m. Monday, hours later President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter, “SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!”
Florida has reported more than 206,000 cases of COVID-19 since March and nearly 3,900 have died statewide in the same time period.
Before Florida schools reopen they must submit a plan to the school district detailing plans for Health and safety precautions as well as how to monitor learning gaps amid the pandemic, according to the order. This also applies to charter schools and private schools that accept scholarship students.
The Florida Department of Education will give the final OK for school reopening plans.

-- Emilee Speck

Lawmakers grill education officials on plan for K-12 school amid pandemic

-- Arkansas Times Arkansas: July 07, 2020 [ abstract]

Important questions related to how schools in Arkansas will return to in-person instruction and operate safely will be answered at the district level, Secretary of Education Johnny Key told a legislative committee today.
Will students, teachers and other employees be required to wear masks in school buildings, on school buses or in other close quarters?
Key said the state has provided guidance, not a mandate, to districts that strongly encourages children 10 and older to wear masks. If districts want to mandate masks, they can, Key said, but he emphasized that policies should be “practical,” “feasible” and “appropriate.” Key said the Arkansas Department of Health had determined that masks weren’t practical or developmentally appropriate for kids younger than 10. Asked a similar question recently, Secretary of Health Nate Smith said he thought kids might surprise us in terms of how capable they are at keeping a mask on their face.
“We can never give up on trusting people to do the right thing,” Key said later, when pressed on mandating masks on buses.
What about teachers? Sen. Linda Chesterfield (D-Little Rock) asked. Will they be required to wear masks? Will they be provided personal protective equipment?
Again, Key said, the state hasn’t issued a mandate on teachers or other employees wearing masks. He said teachers would be provided with “the standard” PPE — masks, gloves, sanitizing chemicals.

-- Lindsey Millar

School openings across globe suggest ways to keep coronavirus at bay, despite outbreaks

-- Science Magazine National: July 07, 2020 [ abstract]

Early this spring, school gates around the world slammed shut. By early April, an astonishing 1.5 billion young people were staying home as part of broader shutdowns to protect people from the novel coronavirus. The drastic measures worked in many places, dramatically slowing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
However, as weeks turned into months, pediatricians and educators began to voice concern that school closures were doing more harm than good, especially as evidence mounted that children rarely develop severe symptoms from COVID-19. (An inflammatory condition first recognized in April, which seems to follow infection in some children, appears uncommon and generally treatable, although scientists continue to study the virus’ effect on youngsters.)
Continued closures risk “scarring the life chances of a generation of young people,” according to an open letter published last month and signed by more than 1500 members of the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). Virtual education is often a pale shadow of the real thing and left many parents juggling jobs and childcare. Lower-income children who depend on school meals were going hungry. And there were hints that children were suffering increased abuse, now that school staff could no longer spot and report early signs of it. It was time, a growing chorus said, to bring children back to school.
By early June, more than 20 countries had done just that. (Some others, including Taiwan, Nicaragua, and Sweden, never closed their schools.) It was a vast, uncontrolled experiment.
Some schools imposed strict limits on contact between children, while others let them play freely. Some required masks, while others made them optional. Some closed temporarily if just one student was diagnosed with COVID-19; others stayed open even when multiple children or staff were affected, sending only ill people and direct contacts into quarantine.
Data about the outcomes are scarce. “I just find it so frustrating,” says Kathryn Edwards, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine who is advising the Nashville school system, which serves more than 86,000 students, on how to reopen. Her research assistant spent 30 hours hunting for data—for example on whether younger students are less adept at spreading the virus than older ones, and whether outbreaks followed reopenings—and found little that addressed the risk of contagion in schools.

-- Jennifer Couzin-Frankel, Gretchen Vogel, Meagan We

The importance of clean air inside the classroom

-- airqualitynews.com National: July 07, 2020 [ abstract]

As children across the UK return to schools, we turn our attention to their indoor air quality. Children spend approximately 1,000 hours in the classroom every year, and with a growing body of evidence highlighting the link between exposure to air pollution and the severity of coronavirus symptoms, it is more important than ever to ensure that children are exposed to clean air as they start to return to school. A significant proportion of indoor air pollutants come from outside sources. For example, particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxide (NOX) from vehicle emissions can penetrate through buildings or can simply enter into the classroom through open doors and windows. However, many dangerous air pollutants are also generated inside. One major source is volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which come from building materials, cleaning or teaching products and certain types of paints. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is no ‘safe level of exposure to VOCs.’ In the UK, 1 in 11 children suffer from asthma, this is more than any other country in Europe and indoor air pollution is a major cause. These statistics mean that 1.1 million children across the UK are now seen as vulnerable in the face of COVID-19, highlighting the urgent need to clean up our indoor air.

-- PIPPA NEILL

Reopening schools seen as vital step in pandemic recovery

-- The Hill National: July 04, 2020 [ abstract]

Public Health experts are increasingly calling for the reopening of schools in the fall, citing the educational and social damage to children if they are kept away, even if such a move would require tradeoffs to safeguard public Health. The extent to which schools can reopen depends in large part on the severity of the coronavirus outbreak in the surrounding area, making steps such as closing bars to reduce the spread of the pandemic critical ahead of the fall. In a sign of a shift in those priorities in at least one state, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) on Wednesday announced she was shutting down indoor bar service in much of the state in part as an effort to allow for schools to open after the summer.
“If we want to be in a strong position to reopen schools for in-person classroom instruction this fall, then we need to take aggressive action right now to ensure we don’t wipe out all the progress we have made,” she said. A wide range of Health experts are emphasizing the importance of having students physically in school, not learning online, given the educational and social harms from being away from school. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said in new guidance that it “strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school.”

-- PETER SULLIVAN

Roanoke County parents, staff press school board about reopening plan

-- WDBJ7 Virginia: July 03, 2020 [ abstract]

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - School districts around our region are struggling with how to reopen safely this fall. That struggle played out in Roanoke County, with dozens of parents, teachers and students pressing the school board on its current plan.
Thursday night, Northside High was packed, with parents, teachers and students lining the walls, floors and doorways. Nearly 50 took to the podium to weigh in.
“Do you really want to put your students and your employees at risk?”
“And the current plan that’s proposed means that my husband or I have to quit our job. So you’re lowering our family income.”
One of the largest groups present: Roanoke County teachers.
Many said they’re in favor of the current proposed schedule, with one telling the board because she has an immunocompromised husband, she may have to rent an apartment if she and her son return to school.
“This is going to be an emotional and financial burden for me. But I’m willing to do these things to go back to school if we go back safely. If we don’t follow Health department guidelines, we’re doomed for failure.”
But support for the plan was far from uniform, with plenty of parents saying the district needs kids in the classroom full time.
“We as parents, you the board and principals and teachers can make this a truly exceptional year by giving our students a chance to be back together, learning with their live teachers in their physical building classrooms.”
Board members were also split - with some, including David Linden and Chair Mike Wray - expressing support for a five-day-a-week schedule where parents could opt in or opt out.
“Because there will be some people that opt out regardless,” he said.

-- Staff writer

Here’s How Hawaii Plans To Bring Kids Back To School This Fall

-- Honolulu Civil Beat Hawaii: July 02, 2020 [ abstract]

Hawaii’s public school students are scheduled to start the 2020-21 school year in a month — the first time many of them will have set foot on their campuses since the middle of March, when the coronavirus shut school facilities down.
But how many days a week they are on campus, and just what their school day might encompass will depend largely on their individual school, age, grade level, school size and whether or not they are classified as a vulnerable student.
The Hawaii Department of Education released a school reopening plan on Thursday that provides Health and safety requirements, as well as expectations around things like attendance and the number of total instructional days.
But it largely gives the state’s 257 DOE-operated campuses autonomy in terms of choosing whether students will be on campus full time or whether they will opt for a different school model that combines in-person and distance learning.
Some students might be in a classroom just two days a week on a rotational basis with their peers. The other three days would be spent at home, with instruction delivered remotely.
Students with additional needs, such as low-income students, English language learners, homeless and students with disabilities, might come to campus four or five days a week.
The DOE plan emphasizes that face to face learning should be prioritized for the state’s youngest kids — those in pre-kindergarten through second grade, as well as those who are classified as vulnerable.
“We’re not just answering to instructional, academic design, we’re answering to a state that relies heavily on its public school system as a safety net for kids,” Superintendent Christina Kishimoto said Thursday.
All 257 schools must choose an instructional model based on a broad DOE menu of options by Wednesday.
The DOE estimates the total cost of technology it needs to adjust to virtual learning at $58 million.

-- Suevon Lee

Return to School Plan Includes Distancing, Small Groups

-- KUAC Alaska: July 02, 2020 [ abstract]

Schools in Fairbanks and North Pole will look very different this fall. Students are expected to return to The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District classrooms on August 19th or 20th, according to a Return to School plan that is still evolving. It hinges on the number of coronavirus cases in the community.
Superintendent Karen Gaborik unpacked a Return to School plan for K-12 students attending classes during a pandemic.
“If we can keep our school district Healthy, and remember we have 13,500 kids and over 2,500 employees, so if we can keep our school district Healthy then we can keep the community Healthy.”
Gaborik talked about the plan for school return in a live, on-line broadcast Wednesday. It is based on the state of Alaska Department of Education and Early Development’s Smart Start plan that is color-coded for COVID risk.
“Green, Yellow and Red.”
As of today, none of the “Big Five” largest Alaska school districts fall into the “green, low-risk” category, defined as having no positive COVID-19 cases for two weeks.
The state is asking schools to keep kids apart, have them wash their hands frequently, limit their social bubbles, and at least for the older kids, wear masks.
“Dr. McLaughlin, with State Epidemiology talks with superintendents about what we need to consider and he says, ‘you also have to look at wearing masks’.”

-- Robyne

Every State's Plan to Reopen Schools in the Fall

-- 24/7 Wallst National: July 01, 2020 [ abstract]

When students return to school for the start of the 2020-2021 academic year, their schools and classes will look very different than they did in March, when schools were suddenly ordered to close. Every state’s education department is releasing a roadmap to safely reopening schools. This roadmap is only a guidance and it is not mandated, or state required. Local school districts have the authority and flexibility to make decisions that best accommodate their communities. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed executive orders, directives, and guidelines issued by either governors or education and Health departments to create a list of restrictions and safety recommendations for resuming in-person instruction in every state. Many of the requirements and suggestions are dependent on whether states have been able to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Most states’ guidelines were released at the beginning or in the middle of June, before a resurgence of COVID-19 infections was reported in many states across the country — here are the states where the virus is growing the fastest right now.

-- Hristina Byrnes

State releases initial guidance for fall reopening of K-12 schools

-- Wyoming Tribune Eagle Wyoming: July 01, 2020 [ abstract]

CHEYENNE – Lunch in classrooms, widespread hand sanitizer stations and face coverings are just a few of the features Wyoming students can expect to see if the state’s schools return to in-person instruction this fall.
The Wyoming Department of Education’s initial framework to reopen K-12 schools, which was released Wednesday afternoon, requires districts to prepare for three possibilities: fully open facilities, fully closed facilities and a hybrid model somewhere in between.
If buildings are open to students, procedures for social distancing and face coverings will be followed “to the greatest extent possible,” the plan states.
During a news conference Wednesday afternoon, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow said much of the decision-making outlined in the plan, developed by Health and education experts across the state, will be left to local communities.
“Health officials, school boards, educators, parents and students will make informed decisions in the coming weeks,” Balow said. “Communities know best how to address your own unique challenges.”
Statewide, school districts have been asked to submit a plan to the education department by Aug. 3 that accounts for all three potential scenarios, with a focus on four areas: communication, safety and wellness, school operations, and instruction and technology.

-- Tom Coulter

Clay County couple sues IDPH, ISBE over school reopening guidelines

-- KHQA7 Illinois: June 30, 2020 [ abstract]

CLAY COUNTY, Ill. (WICS/WCCU) — Gov. JB Pritzker recently announced schools would reopen this fall. It'll be quite an adjustment for students, faculty, staff, and parents.
While many parents are making plans for their children to return to school, others want a judge to intervene.
James and Kali Mainer have three children in the 3rd, 5th and 7th grades in the Clay City Community Unit 10 School District.
The Clay County couple has filed a lawsuit over the school reopening guidelines.

Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and its director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, as well as the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the State Superintendent, Dr. Carmen Ayala, are named as defendants.
According to the complaint, the Mainers want a judge to rule that it is unlawful for their children to have to wear a face covering, be subjected to temperature checks, and not gather in a group of more than 50 people inside a school building in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Mainers claim the guidelines are "unlawful as well as arbitrary and capricious."
The complaint says the couple's children's right to an education is being placed in jeopardy because of these guidelines.

-- Haydee Clotter

CT moves forward on school reopening as virus surge prompts other states to step back

-- The CT Mirror Connecticut: June 30, 2020 [ abstract]

While some states are reassessing plans to allow even limited in-person learning for elementary and secondary school students, Gov. Ned Lamont is moving forward with a recommendation that Connecticut schools return to their classrooms five days a week this fall. School districts in other parts of the nation had been planning a mix of classroom and virtual learning for the 2020-2021 school year. But with coronavirus infections rising in other parts of the country, governors — even those in red states that had ambitious reopening plans — are reconsidering. Texas delayed releasing its final school recommendations as cases exploded in the state and South Carolina, another state where cases are rising, says it will be “difficult” to have face-to-face classes in the fall. “If this continues across the country, kids are going to be home for a long time, “New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on “Meet the Press” on Sunday. Connecticut has one of the lowest infection and hospitalization rates in the nation and its back-to-school plan is contingent on those rates staying low. While calling for “regional consistency” in school district plans, the guidance released by the Connecticut Department of Education on Monday also says districts should have contingency plans for “blended” learning — a mix of in-school and online classes — and all-remote learning. “My number one principle metric was the public Health lens, just like we said about reopening our businesses nothing makes any sense unless people feel like they’re safe, and they are safe,” Lamont said last week as he announced the school reopening plan. “And that was priority number one, two, and three as we give you confidence that we can reopen the school safely, provided COVID behaves.”

-- ANA RADELAT

How schools across the globe are reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic

-- EdSource International: June 30, 2020 [ abstract]

Each morning before Chengbao Shang leaves for school in Guangzhou, China, his parents take the 7-year-old’s temperature and send the results to his teacher using a program on WeChat, the popular Chinese social media platform. It’s the same for every student in this city of more than 15 million.
Chengbao’s father then drives him to school and drops him off 20 yards away from the campus. Chengbao, a first-grade student, gets his temperature taken again when he approaches the front gate of the school, this time by security guards. He and his classmates enter one-by-one, walking about three feet apart. He then goes to his classroom, where 51 students sit at their own desks, also three feet from their closest classmates.
“I really enjoy the classes and I can play with my classmates and friends. I can hear stories from my teachers,” he said during a conversation over WeChat. “And I feel safer and safer slowly.”
In California, it remains unclear how students will ultimately return to the classroom amid the coronavirus pandemic. However, schools that have opened in China, Belgium and the Netherlands — as well as in remote areas of America — provide insights into what may lie ahead.
EdSource conducted interviews by phone and email with students, parents and administrators in a sampling of overseas and rural American schools to learn how they are reopening in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
In many cases, the precautions taken overseas mirror what education officials in California have said to expect next year: regular temperature checks, physical distancing, hybrid schedules and even new restrictions on eating lunch.
But no matter how careful the plans, schools may have to close again, as happened in Beijing this month following a new outbreak of the coronavirus. Schools in China’s capital were abruptly closed earlier this month. An elementary school student in Beijing’s Xicheng district was among those who tested positive for Covid-19.
Chengbao’s school reopened in April for older students, but he and other students in his grade didn’t return until May 25. To minimize the risk of the virus, the school has hired more doctors and other Health staff and required all teachers and other staff to be tested for the virus before schools reopened.
When the school initially reopened, students had to wear masks while inside the school, but that requirement was lifted on May 31.
“Before the school reopened, I was a little worried, and I even asked my wife, ‘How about we delay sending the kid to school for a week?’” said Chengbao’s father, Yakun Shang. “But we decided to send him back on time. I worried since there were many students in one big class. What if someone catches a cold? But now, I feel less worried. Since the school reopened, they are doing well.”
About 80 miles south of Guangzhou, in Hong Kong, high schooler Ansel Zhang, 17, and his classmates are required to wear masks every day.

-- Michael Burke and Yuxuan Xie

School reopenings addressed in statewide press conference

-- Shelby County Reporter Alabama: June 30, 2020 [ abstract]

State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey spoke Friday, June 26 in a 10 a.m. press conference addressing the reopening of schools for the 2020-21 calendar year. Alabama schools have been closed since mid-March due to COVID-19.
In a well-organized briefing, Dr. Mackey presented a basic roadmap for what campuses and learning facilities will look like when they reopen in August. Mackey emphasized multiple times that scenarios will vary from school system to school system and classrooms, while continuing in a somewhat traditional setting, will look different. Aside from classrooms being physically open, remote learning opportunities will be available to students. High-quality options will be available from local school systems with teacher direction.
Continuing to work closely with State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris, Mackey reaffirmed that heavy criteria from each school system will dictate what is best for that area; meaning what one county does may not look at all like another. Local assessments will be based on (and change accordingly once school opens) the number of cases locally, the spread of the virus, cases documented within the school, community needs and so forth.
Dr. Mackey and his team have several areas that critically make up the cornerstones of successfully reopening schools and campuses in August. Of course, a huge focus is on wellness, social distancing and cleanliness, but also important are operations, instruction and technology. The most noticeable changes students will note lie within actual physical distancing, sanitation processes and enhanced cleaning protocols.

-- BECKY J. BEALL

Why aren't Iowa schools being told to require face masks? Here's the Department of Education's clarification

-- The Gazette Iowa: June 30, 2020 [ abstract]

The Iowa Department of Education on Tuesday attempted to clarify its school reopening guidance, a two-page document published last week that drew swift criticism from teachers and school administrators for its stance against requiring face masks when classes resume and for its brevity. In Tuesday’s guidance document, the department said it is not recommending face coverings “because of the considerable Health and safety, legal and training implications for such a policy.” The document, which department spokeswoman Heather Doe said should be read in tandem with Thursday’s guidance, goes on to outline a “nonexhaustive list of considerations” school districts and accredited private schools should consider if they opt to require face coverings anyway. Those include determining what type of face coverings will be allowed, how schools will address staff and students with communication needs hindered by face coverings, how use of coverings will be enforced and determining who will be responsible for providing and ensuring appropriate use of the coverings. In four pages, the document answers a dozen questions the department has received since it released its reopening guidelines, which were originally said to be the department’s final word on reopening school facilities amid the coronavirus pandemic barring public Health changes. Following criticism, the department promised clarification Friday. The clarifying document includes more information about social distancing, temperature screenings and the department’s recommendation that schools prevent “stigma associated with the use or non-use of facial coverings.”

-- Molly Duffy

Governor approves school board plan for reopening Utah public schools this fall

-- Deseret News Utah: June 29, 2020 [ abstract]

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah governor has given his seal of approval to the Utah State Board of Education’s requirements and recommendations for K-12 schools to reopen this fall — a document that addresses a host of issues ranging from social distancing to cafeteria practices. All public schools are required to create and share their plan on their respective websites by Aug. 1 so families have time to plan for the coming school year. “We appreciate the thought, care and work that went into these requirements and recommendations,” Gov. Gary Herbert said in a Monday news release. “We appreciate that so many Health care professionals, teachers, administrators, parents, classified workers and others devoted their energies into creating these guidelines to help keep our children and our school employees safe and Healthy this coming academic year.” The State School Board’s plan, titled Planning Requirements and Recommendations for K-12 School Reopening, defines a compilation of recommendations and requirements that schools will need to incorporate into their respective reopening plans in order to safely resume in-person learning this coming fall. The plan addresses a host of considerations related to reopening schools such as social distancing, wearing of masks, riding school buses, cafeteria practices, hygiene practices, contact tracing and large-group gatherings.

-- Sahalie Donaldson

Denver Public Schools Plans To Reopen In Person In August

-- CPR News Colorado: June 26, 2020 [ abstract]

Good news, Denver parents. You have something to look forward to in August: Denver Public Schools will be back in session. Classrooms and expectations will look different for children. Parents can expect students and educators to undergo Health screenings and wear masks inside the schools. Student schedules will also be adjusted to avoid large groups of students transitioning from class to class. Those schedules haven’t been released yet. DPS said there will be no assemblies, students will eat breakfast and lunch in their classrooms and will not be sharing supplies. Frequent hand washing and generous use of hand sanitizer will be encouraged if not mandatory. School facilities will be disinfected regularly. The Metro Denver Partnership for Health collaborated with several metro public Health agencies to create reopening guidelines and strategies for schools. “Colorado children need to get back to school,” their report states and the partnership is “pleased to provide evidence-informed guidance to our regions’ school superintendents to support their efforts in reopening school safely.” “We are both excited to welcome our students and educators back to our schools and committed to doing it safely,” Superintendent Susana Cordova wrote in her letter to parents. “We will strictly follow the Health guidelines that were released.” DPS has been monitoring the disease, watching how other schools across the globe have coped with the coronavirus pandemic and weighed the effect school closings have had on parents and the community.

-- Allison Herrera

Des Moines Public Schools on fall return: 'We intend to require face masks'

-- We are Iowa Iowa: June 26, 2020 [ abstract]

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa's largest school district is planning to require face masks for its students and staff in the fall.
The Iowa Department of Education's latest guidance, however, did not make such coverings mandatory for schools to return.
"We intend to require face masks of our students and staff to return to school," Des Moines Public Schools Director of Communications Phil Roeder said. "It's one of the proven things that help prevent the spread of coronavirus. In our case, we have 40,000 people that go in and out of our buildings—between students and staff and volunteers—on any given school day."
School districts across the state have until July 1 to submit their Return to Learn plans.
Roeder said the move is a "small step" to help out the community's overall Health, and that the district is equipped to help those who may not have a mask.
"We serve a very large, diverse district with people at all income levels," Roeder said. "And so if this is a challenge for students, we're going to help meet that challenge for them."
DMPS is also taking inventory of current supplies.
The Iowa Department of Education issued the following statement Friday:

-- Simon Daniels

Schools expected to open this fall...with some changes

-- WZDX Alabama: June 26, 2020 [ abstract]

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Alabama State Superintendent of Education announced that schools will reopen for traditional classes this fall - but with some options, including virtual learning for children whose parents aren't comfortable sending them back.
Superintendent Eric Mackey did warn that these plans could change based on the spread of the virus.
Mackey says a survey showed about 15 percent of parents still are not comfortable sending their kids back to school.
Following this guidance, both Madison City Schools and Huntsville City Schools say they are now working to finalize plans for their districts.
Huntsville City Schools said in a statement:
The Alabama State Department of Education shared its Return to School Roadmap at a press conference earlier today. Following today’s announcement from State Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey, our team will continue to finalize our Reset Plan surrounding a return to school in August. We have put much thought, research, and consideration into our plan over the past several months based on stakeholder feedback and guidance from Health officials, state leaders, and existing educational plans related to returning to classrooms.

-- Staff Writer

Schools should plan to reopen in the fall, state announces

-- The Day Connecticut: June 25, 2020 [ abstract]

Connecticut schools should plan to reopen in the fall, with mask-wearing, frequent cleaning of facilities and social distancing protocols in place, the state announced Thursday. As the state sees positive trends in COVID-19 transmission, Gov. Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona presented the statewide schools reopening plan for daily in-person instruction. But the state also is asking districts to prepare alternate plans, should there be an uptick in cases. “As you might imagine, developing a plan for school reopening that predicts where we will be as a state in terms of COVID spread in two months is extremely challenging, but we are pleased to have a plan for Connecticut that promotes Health and safety for our students and staff,” Cardona said in unveiling the plan. The state reported on Thursday that two fewer people were hospitalized due to COVID-19, for a total of 122. The state also reported 81 additional COVID-19 cases for a total of 45,994, and 11 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 4,298. The data showed 1,157 COVID-19 cases and 62 probable cases in New London County as of Thursday evening, as well as 76 COVID-19 deaths and 26 probable deaths, the same as on Wednesday. Two people were hospitalized with the disease in the county. As long as current trends continue, he said school districts will reopen in the fall and must maximize social distancing, provide frequent hand-washing opportunities, and enhance cleaning and disinfecting measures. Students and staff are expected to wear face coverings, except in cases in which teachers are instructing from a distance or when there is a medical reason. The state is asking districts to reconfigure available classrooms and spaces, such as gymnasiums and auditoriums, to maximize social distancing as much as possible, he said.

-- Kimberly Drelich

Portland students likely will attend school in-person only part-time this fall, officials say

-- Oregonian Oregon: June 24, 2020 [ abstract]

When students return to Portland Public Schools this fall, they’ll likely be separated into small groups that can only meet with each other and rotate their days in and out of the classroom.
Some children, particularly those in grade school and students from historically underserved groups, may see more in-person instruction than their peers and receive additional supports in math and reading.
Decision-makers in the state’s largest school district on Tuesday presented their early-stage plans to reintroduce students into Portland classrooms, saying they hope to have an idea of what their blueprints will look like by July 1.
But those plans will likely remain under wraps until at least mid-summer, Chief of Student Support Services Brenda Martinek said, as officials track down “as many potential potholes as possible.”
Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero billed the presentation as an overview of the “moving parts” district leaders are considering as they prepare for the coming school year.
Schools Chief Shawn Bird, who was hired from the school district of Philadelphia in January, said district officials will focus as the school year launches on assessing students’ social-emotional Health and quickly move on to gauging their academic readiness.
“We want to make sure every student is level-set at the beginning of the year,” he said. “As you might imagine, a student in math builds upon a foundation. You need to make sure kids have those skills so they can go on to the next level.”

-- Eder Campuzano

Budgets put limits on social distancing options for schools

-- Associated Press National: June 23, 2020 [ abstract]

As schools consider how and when to reopen their buildings during the pandemic, many are finding themselves overwhelmed by the potential expenses that would come with operating under social distancing guidelines: protective equipment, staff for smaller classes and additional transportation to keep students spread out on bus rides.
The burdens loom large in particular for urban, under-resourced districts that often have neither the space nor the budgets to accommodate new Health protocols.
In Hartford, Connecticut, Superintendent Leslie Torres-Rodriguez shudders at the thought of how to afford a scenario where each teacher had dramatically fewer students. In some grades, she said, she has individual teachers with as many as 27 students in their classrooms.
“My budget would be nonexistent,” she said.
The vast majority of American school districts have yet to announce when they will resume in-person instruction. The trajectory of the outbreak remains uncertain, and many are waiting on direction from their states. Many are developing plans for at least some distance learning, and budgets are one of the factors that could determine how much they do from afar.
In Camden, New Jersey, one of the state’s poorest cities, Superintendent Katrina McCombs said costs for classroom cleanings, protective equipment and other virus-related expenses are a concern, especially because the city relies on cash infusions from a state government that is facing a $10 billion shortfall over the current and next fiscal years.
New Jersey has not yet issued guidelines for reopening schools, but McCombs said she hopes the governor leaves flexibility for big urban districts like hers, where families could be at especially high risk for exposure, given the number of multi-generational households.
“I think the big thing that comes to mind right away ... just thinking about those logistics of our city, I would hope that as the governor is rolling out those recommendations, they can take those unique factors into consideration, especially in our large urban districts,” she said.

-- MIKE CATALINI and MICHAEL MELIA

Face masks, hybrid schooling discussed by reopening working groups

-- Delaware State News Delaware: June 20, 2020 [ abstract]

Conversations spanning children wearing face masks, managing athletics and keeping hybrid schooling possibilities equitable continued as the reopening schools working groups wrapped up their third week of discussions. The working groups were continuing conversations from last week about what school would look like under a minimal to moderate spread scenario, which could see significant changes to typical operations. In this scenario, schools opening would be situation dependent and could include temporary closures or hybrid scenarios — where students are learning through in-person and virtual components. In the Health and Wellness group, discussions focused on considerations regarding screening students and responding to positive cases in both student and staff, in addition to dining and gathering and athletics. Perhaps one of the bigger changes would be dining, where it is suggested that students eat in classrooms if possible and school meals should be delivered to those classrooms. Otherwise, meals in cafeterias should be staggered, with six feet of distance between students. “In the schools I’ve worked, they’ve been at capacity. Several of these things are going to be really difficult decisions for schools to make,” said Stacy Greenly, a counselor at Polytech High School. “In my school we already have three lunches, we may need to have six lunches to space students out.”

-- Brooke Schultz

Salt Lake School Board Vows to Create More Environmentally Sustainable Schools

-- KSL.com Utah: June 20, 2020 [ abstract]

SALT LAKE CITY — With the objective of establishing “Healthier, more environmentally sustainable schools,” the Salt Lake City Board of Education has adopted a resolution that calls on the school district to meet all of its energy needs with carbon-neutral energy no later than 2040. The resolution includes incremental goals that build on ongoing efforts by district staff to reduce energy consumption and lessen the school district’s carbon footprint. The resolution, approved by unanimous vote, calls on the school district to use 100% clean, renewable energy in its electricity sector by 2030. The amended resolution sets a goal that the district meets 100% of its energy needs with carbon-neutral energy by 2040 at the latest. Under the resolution, the school board will form a sustainability task force of community members, students, energy experts, partners and district staff by Oct. 1. Paul Schulte, the school district’s executive director of auxiliary services, will lead the group.

-- Marjorie Cortez

HJUHSD releases plan to reopen schools, resume activities

-- The Sentinel California: June 19, 2020 [ abstract]

The Hanford Joint Union High School District has revealed its first draft of a plan for students to return back to school in the fall. The plan, aptly titled “Districtwide Plan for a Safe Return to School,” details a reopening timeline, daily cleaning practices, procedures for if a student becomes ill at school, how sports will operate, distance learning options, and a wide variety of other topics. It’s important to note this plan is a draft that, as of Friday afternoon, has been sent to staff members for review. This will not be the final draft given to parents. After input from staff members, the plan will more than likely be modified, although major changes aren’t expected. HJUHSD will have a finalized plan for parents by July 1, if not sooner. The nine-page document released on Friday is divided into various sections and subsections, which breaks down steps, logistics, procedures and practices. The items described here will be a summary of each section. To view the complete plan, visit www.HJUHSD.org. The opening statement of the “Districtwide Plan for a Safe Return to School” states that all the schools will reopen for student attendance on Aug. 13. Extracurricular and co-curricular activities will begin on July 1. The plan has been reviewed by the Kings County Department of Public Health and is aligned with many of the other districts in the region. It was put together by a COVID-19 response team made up of administrators, teachers, counselors, secretaries and classified staff.

-- Noe Garcia

Texas Teachers Object To School Reopening Plan

-- Forbes Texas: June 19, 2020 [ abstract]

Two teachers’ unions in Texas have strong objections to Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan for reopening public schools in August. They’re criticizing the governor’s lack of transparency with educators.
Abbott told lawmakers yesterday that schools would reopen in the fall for in-person instruction. Remote learning will be available for families with Health concerns, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told The Texas Tribune.
School districts will not be required to mandate masks or Covid-19 testing for students, according to a spokesperson for the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the branch of the state government responsible for public education. The TEA will announce additional reopening guidelines on Tuesday. “Texas AFT says a big ‘Hell No’ to what looks like a return to normal in August,” said the Texas American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Zeph Capo in a statement. “We are not in normal times. We won’t sacrifice our members and students for politics.” He criticized the governor’s plan to reopen without proper precautions, and he encouraged the use of masks at schools “whenever possible.” Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) President Noel Candelaria also spoke out against Abbott in a statement, saying that reopening schools too soon will endanger “the Health and safety of millions of Texas schoolchildren, educators and their families.”

-- Chelsey Zhu

WVDE releases possible scenarios for school re-entry

-- The Fayette Tribune West Virginia: June 19, 2020 [ abstract]

CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) released initial scenarios for the re-entry and recovery of schools for the 2020-21 school year and beyond during the June meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE). The information, housed on the WVDE’s website, represents the work of the state’s School Re-entry Advisory Council which is a partnership between the Office of Governor Jim Justice, WVDE, the WVBE, public Health officials, local and national agencies and organizations and county superintendents. The information considers three re-entry scenarios: • Safer at School/Safer at Home; • Blending Learning Delivery Models; or • Full Remote Delivery. Counties may use the scenarios or hybrid models to best meet the needs of their students.

-- Staff Writer

Kennewick School District reopen school survey results see face masks as concern

-- KNDO23 Washington: June 18, 2020 [ abstract]

KENNEWICK, WA- The Kennewick School District sent out surveys to families in early June for reopening plans. The results show that over 6,000 families responded and had some concerns about face coverings. The KSD Superintendent sent the letter as follows in response to results: Dear Kennewick Families, As the 2019-20 school year comes to a close today, we want to again thank you for your support and partnership in providing continuous distance learning for students and provide you with an update on our reopening planning for fall 2020. On June 11, we shared the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s “Reopening Washington Schools 2020 District Planning Guide.” Our goal is to develop a fall reopening plan for students to return to face-to-face instruction. We have been and will continue to work throughout the next several weeks to address all aspects of the reopening plan. Committees of administrators and staff are convening to assess needs and develop plans that address Health and safety, teaching and learning, social-emotional learning, and facilities aspects of our reopening plan. We will be continuing to periodically update families and seek your input on our reopening plans throughout the summer. Based on the results of the recent initial family survey we conducted, we feel it is important to highlight two of the specific mandates from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), which districts and schools are required to follow as a condition of their reopening plan.

-- Staff Writer

The show must go on: school during COVID next fall

-- The Star Washington: June 18, 2020 [ abstract]

The institution of public school will look a lot different in the 2020-21 school year due to the COVID-19 Health precautions that will still be in place, and schools are now beginning to grapple with freshly issued state guidelines that bring the challenges into focus. Last week, the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction released guidelines for how to resume school in the 2020-21 school year in keeping with Department of Health safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines anticipate a return to the physical schools in the fall but include such restrictions as maintaining 6-foot distances between everyone, requiring students, staff, and visitors to wear cloth face coverings or face shields, Health screening for all prior to entry to school, and more. Multiple options are presented to schools to keep in line with these restrictions, including the option of a rotating schedule for students to attend school in person some days, and do distance learning other days. The guidelines include encouraging schools to cancel field trips, assemblies, and other events that make social distancing difficult, as well as suspending or modifying classes such as choir or band that make wearing a mask difficult. Ideas for school meals include having them served in the classrooms, encouraging students to eat outside when possible, and avoiding cafeteria settings. Staggering arrival and departure times, class dismissal times, and lunch times is another way to make social distancing easier, the guidelines say. The guidelines address other topics as well, such as making digital access for all students at their homes a priority, cleaning and disinfecting protocols for the schools, transportation, and more.

-- Jacob Wagner

Vermont issues guidelines for reopening schools

-- VTDigger Vermont: June 18, 2020 [ abstract]

When students head back to school this fall, they’ll be wearing face masks and getting temperature checks.
New guidance issued by the Agency of Education and Department of Health June 17 sets guidelines on hygiene, social distancing and containment strategies as schools prepare to welcome students back to in-person instruction for the first time since schools were adjourned in March.
Last week, Gov. Phil Scott’s administration announced that Vermont schools will reopen in the fall. The guidelines, drafted by a panel of Health and education experts, sketch out a back-to-school experience that will look very different than usual.
Facial coverings will be mandatory. The guidelines spell out more than a dozen different instances when students and staff will need to sanitize their hands, including when they arrive, when they come back in from playing outside, and whenever they switch rooms.
All students and staff will need to go through a daily Health check, including answering questions about how they feel and having their temperature taken. Kids that take the bus will need to go through screening as they board, and others will do so when they get to school.
The guidelines encourage keeping the same group of students together through the day — perhaps having teachers cycle through different classrooms instead of students. Schools could broadcast instruction through technology to students in classrooms around the building. Schools could also “require students to stay in an assigned section of the school yard as opposed to mingling with other classes,” the guidance states.

-- Elizabeth Hewitt

Idaho governor forms committees to tackle school reopening, 'digital divide'

-- KTVB7 Idaho: June 17, 2020 [ abstract]

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Gov. Brad Little has formed two new committees aimed at creating a plan that will allow schools to safely reopen in the fall.
One of the committees will focus on the reopening of public schools, while the other will tackle the so-called "digital divide," the gap between students' access to the technology and tools they need to do their schoolwork remotely.
Both committees will work with the Governor’s Office and the State Board of Education, and are extensions of Idaho's K-12 Emergency Council, which was formed in March in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Despite these extraordinary circumstances, it is my intent to have schools safely reopen across Idaho in the fall, although it may look different than it has in the past,” Governor Little said. “Both of the committees, led by State Board of Education members, can support and remove barriers to the fall reopening, provide clear expectations, and identify the tools to meet those expectations.”
Idaho State Board of Education President Debbie Critchfield, who was picked to chair the Public Schools Reopening Committee, says the group will seek input from legislators, Health officials, and public and charter school administrators and operations staff, among others.
“Our goal is to successfully reopen schools in the fall and provide clear expectations for student learning and guidance to school districts as they make their decisions locally,” Critchfield said. “Districts are discussing approaches to reopening and how to navigate the learning environment. Many decisions are contingent upon developing and changing conditions.”
The committee's guidance to public and charter schools should be expected in the coming weeks, according to the governor's office.

-- Staff Writer

New York State Department of Education Discusses What School Reopenings Will Look Like

-- FOX40 New York: June 17, 2020 [ abstract]

BROOME COUNTY, N.Y. -
The New York State Education Department is holding a series of meetings to discuss what reopening the school system should look like. The department is focusing on 9 basic areas.
Health and safety, transportation and facilities, teaching and learning, digital equity and access, budget and fiscal, social emotional needs, special education, bi-lingual education, and staffing and human resources. Their number one goal? Equity. Making sure each student is able to overcome the hardships of the pandemic and continue their education. Betty A. Rosa, Chancellor of the 12th Judicial District, said "As we set about our work today and into the future... Let's keep in mind the sad reality of the COVID and how it has hurt people of color and the poor more than it has hurt anyone else in terms of Health... In terms of employment... And in terms of the ability to receive a meaningful education... This systemic injustice only strengthens our resolve..." They are taking these principles and discussing whether in person, digital, or a combination of both would be most effective. Many of the groups discovered many issues transcend the categories they were investigating, including broadband internet quality, which is a top concern. Alex Trikalinos, Executive Director of the Office of Educator Quality, said "Something I did learn which is surprising depending on where in the state you are... Some of the regions of the state really struggle with having high speed internet access for everyone and so that leaves an educational equity issue for students while we are in a remote learning environment..."

-- Paul Beam

Washington school districts’ response to COVID-19 guided by health officials

-- The Puyallup Post Washington: June 17, 2020 [ abstract]

The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OPSI), released guidance for Washington school districts which aims to provide expectations and viable school models for the return to K-12 education this fall. A few of the key guiding principles released by OPSI on May 15 detail keeping students at the center of attention to build relationships and help them feel safe, along with designing new learning systems for equity and access regarding learning content. “There will not be a one-size-fits-all model for school in Washington state next year,” wrote Education Sector Liaison, Benjamin King of the COVID-19 Response Joint Information Center. “In partnership with their community, local school districts will choose and adapt a school model and guidance that works best for their school community, and how severe the COVID-19 outbreak is in their area.” Managing and monitoring student learning and using strategies to provide feedback or assess student learning are also taken into account when developing the key guidance elements of the new school year. The safety and reassurance of student value is a top priority for schools within Washington districts during the ongoing pandemic, according to OPSI. Another priority is to make instructional adjustments and guide instruction based on effectiveness. The last principle relates to adhering to family engagement and the necessity of communication between educators and student learners. An overview of state and district planning mentioned some of the recommendations for potential models and provided examples for considerations within schools and the public Health issue, according to OPSI. Some of these concerns include how schools will effectively conduct Health screenings and grading system accommodations for students and staff, along with how staff should recognize the unique circumstances families might face. Additionally, a workgroup was formed in May 2020 consisting of more than 100 education officials, educators, parents, students, community members and organizations. The information from this group is expected to be released by OPSI on June 12, detailing what those models for safely reopening might look like for districts.

-- Elissa Blankenship

San Diego Unified Has Plan For Reopening Schools, But Needs More Funding

-- KPBS California: June 16, 2020 [ abstract]

After months of school closures, the San Diego Unified School District on Tuesday evening approved a plan for reopening amid the ongoing pandemic.
It’s still far from certain, however, whether the district will have the money it needs to fully implement the plan.
Under the plan, unanimously approved by the board during a virtual meeting, students will have the option to be on campus for full school days with social distancing and smaller class sizes. Students whose families have Health concerns or are not comfortable returning to school would have the option of distance learning. A hybrid model will also be available.
“The outline we’re sharing with the board today emphasizes flexibility,” Superintendent Cindy Marten said. “We know parents want to have both on-campus and online options.”
The district, however, has only secured enough federal and state funding to keep schools open for half of the 2020-2021 school year.
“Our preference would be to have it for the full year,” said John Lee Evans, president of the school board. “Worst case scenario, for the second half of the year, we would have to revert back to distance learning.”
Tuesday’s meeting started with an hour of public comment from parents. The commenters were divided between those who urged the district to reopen schools and those who said it was too early for students to return to campuses.
“It is imperative for the general educational and emotional well-being of the 121,000 San Diego Unified School District students that normal classroom instruction be resumed immediately,” wrote one member of the public.
Others were more reluctant to reopen schools.

-- Joe Hong

Path forward on new school year still unclear, but leaders say prepare for more closures

-- courier journal Kentucky: June 15, 2020 [ abstract]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — About two months from the typical first day of school, Kentucky officials say they do not have a definitive school reopening game plan. State education officials and district superintendents, aided by Health officials and a coronavirus task force, have been virtually meeting for weeks to determine the best way to get Kentucky kids back into the classroom. Districts have been warned that the coronavirus could spike again this fall, and they should be prepared for another long-term closure. Shorter closures may be necessary if extra cleaning is needed or if a student or teacher is infected. "We need to be prepared," Gov. Andy Beshear said during his Monday coronavirus update of potential intermittent closures. Closures and reopenings may be more "surgical" in the fall, Beshear said. Districts may be able to send just one school or class home, instead of shutting down all schools, he suggested.

-- Olivia Krauth

Wisconsin education department expects schools to open in fall

-- The Cap Times Wisconsin: June 15, 2020 [ abstract]

The state Department of Public Instruction “expects schools to reopen in the fall,” it told school district administrators in an email Friday.
The message, posted on DPI’s COVID-19 updates website, also says the department anticipates releasing guidance on returning to school amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic on June 22.
“The focus of this guidance is to provide considerations for district and school leaders to plan and implement a safe, efficient, and equitable return to school,” Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson wrote.
DPI acknowledged in the message it expects “changes to school operations to address risk factors to control the spread of COVID-19,” as well as meeting the needs of students who cannot return because of Health needs and “changing conditions” of the pandemic.
“It is likely that school districts will need to provide access to remote learning throughout the year to some students in addition to the regular school operation,” the email states. “As a result, DPI’s guidance will reflect considerations for both returning to school and once school is underway to help inform your decisions.”
Schools around the state closed in mid-March for the remainder of the school year as statewide and local public Health orders attempted to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Schools are among the institutions allowed to open under Phase 2 of Public Health Madison & Dane County's reopening plan. The county entered Phase 2 beginning Monday.

-- Scott Girard

CA reopening guidelines for public schools receive criticism from parents in Berkeley school district

-- The Daily Californian California: June 14, 2020 [ abstract]

On June 8, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Education, or CDE, issued Stronger Together, a guidebook that addresses the reopening of public schools for fall 2020. The guidebook targets local education agencies and is intended to direct school reopening discussions by incorporating Health and safety checklists concerning school operations, questions for consideration and examples of good practice during the pandemic. Berkeley Unified School District, or BUSD, spokesperson Trish McDermott said in an email that BUSD’s reopening guidelines will be primarily provided by Berkeley Health officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez, with additional guidance provided by the CDE and the California Department of Public Health, among others. The district currently lacks sufficient information to establish fall school schedules, according to McDermott. However, these state-issued guidelines have received criticism from parents and school administrators. According to Scott Hofmeister, treasurer of the Emerson Elementary School PTA, the proposed guidelines complicate matters for both the school and parents. Hofmeister said since his school was at capacity before the shutdown, restricting students to groups of 12 at 6 feet apart would require half the students to be at home half the time to accommodate the guidelines. “There really is no such thing as ‘distance learning’ for a 1st grader,” Hofmeister said in an email. “If kids are going to be home at or around 50% of the time, then we are really in a homeschooling model, where the parents are responsible for the teaching / management of our kids.”

-- Blake Evans

Freeport school’s reopening offers glimpse into what classrooms could look like this fall

-- Press Herald Maine: June 14, 2020 [ abstract]

SOUTH FREEPORT — At the start of the school day Emily Walsh stands in the entryway to L’Ecole Francaise du Maine holding an electronic thermometer and a clipboard of papers on student attendance and how to do at-home Health checks.
Plastic cones on the ground mark the appropriate distance parents should keep from one another as they walk their masked children to the door of the school. Walsh, who also wears a mask, greets the children by taking their temperature and giving them a squirt of hand sanitizer.
“You’re good,” she says, giving the OK to students one by one so they can enter the building and find their way to a classroom where they’ll stick with one teacher and a small group for the day.
This is what school looks like in the coronavirus era.
The day starts with a special drop-off regimen and is followed by social distancing and cleaning. There are fewer people in the building and no field trips. And there are programmatic changes such as the option for students to continue school remotely if they so choose.
The independent French immersion school, which serves about 60 students in preschool through fifth grade, has a clear advantage in its small size and the fact it doesn’t have to provide some of the services required in public schools, like transportation and a school meal program.
Still, the school could serve as a model for what classrooms will look like this fall, as many of the things it has implemented reflect what the state is asking schools more broadly to consider.
A draft framework for reopening released by the Maine Department of Education last week calls for students and teachers to wear masks, conduct daily “self-checks” to monitor Health and rearrange physical spaces – all things the French school has already done.
“I’ve never looked at the school the same way,” said Willy LeBihan, founder and head of school, who said the decision to reopen was based on concerns about the long-term impact staying at home would have on students and parents’ needs for child care as they returned to work. “Being in a rural setting and being a small school is a huge commodity. It’s a huge advantage.”

-- Rachel Ohm

Five takeaways from state's back-to-school guidance

-- Kitsap Sun Washington: June 12, 2020 [ abstract]

The likely scenarios for a return to school this fall, even as the world awaits a coronavirus vaccine, became more clear Thursday, as state schools Superintendent Chris Reykdal issued guidelines for districts to follow. State officials are calling for face-to-face instruction in districts across Washington state. "To be very clear, it is my expectation that schools will open this fall for in-person instruction," Reykdal said in the document "Reopening Washington Schools 2020: District Planning Guide." But it won't exactly be back-to-school as we know it, Reykdal said. A safe return to school rests on the three pillars of COVID-19 prevention promoted by Health officials: wash hands, wear a mask and practice social distancing. So how will that work exactly? Districts are asked to plan for in-person instruction for all students as a Plan A. Inadequate facilities, individual needs of students and families, and the possibility of a spike in COVID-19 cases, mean districts should have a back-up plan that could involve phased re-entry, split or rotating schedules, or some form of distance learning.

-- Chris Henry

Maine tells schools to prepare for a fall that could still involve remote learning

-- BDN State Maine: June 12, 2020 [ abstract]

Maine is advising schools districts across the state to prepare for in-person, remote and blended learning models for the fall, with protocols in place to respond to potential coronavirus cases if they arise, according to a draft plan released by the Maine Department of Education.
The document, released Thursday evening, acknowledges that Maine students may have experienced learning losses due to the prolonged shutdown and advises schools to prepare creative learning practices as well as provide professional development opportunities to teachers over the summer to equip them for the full range of scenarios.
When schools return will be determined by the Department of Education, in cooperation with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Maine Emergency Management Association, the plan says. That decision will be based on local coronavirus trends and whether reopening would be consistent with public Health orders, such as capacity limits.

-- Jessica Piper

Classroom learning in El Paso County schools will look a bit different this fall

-- The Gazette Colorado: June 11, 2020 [ abstract]

El Paso County K-12 students returning to school in late summer will be back in familiar surroundings after the coronavirus pandemic abruptly ended the spring semester. But that could be all that's unchanged. They may stay in the same classroom or with the same group of students all day with scheduled breaks for hand-washing. There'll be no assemblies or lunch in the cafeteria. Students will have their temperature checked and wear face masks or shields. Hugging is out. These and other suggested conditions for reopening schools are outlined in a letter the Pikes Peak Area Superintendents Association sent to county Health and government officials Thursday.

-- Debbie Kelley

County announces guidelines for reopening schools

-- The Healdsburg Tribune California: June 11, 2020 [ abstract]

Sonoma County Superintendent Steve Herrington announced the county’s guidelines for reopening schools Thursday afternoon, June 11. The announcement came on the heels of the state releasing its own set of education guidelines on June 9.
While Herrington briefly discussed county guidelines for reopening schools, the full guide created by the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) will be released on Friday, June 12. The roadmap for reopening was developed by a school and Health planning committee, which was made up of various superintendents — Twin Hills School District’s Barbara Bickford, Petaluma City Schools’ Gary Callahan, Cloverdale Unified School District’s Jeremy Decker, Santa Rosa City Schools’ Diann Kitamura, Guerneville School District’s Dana Pederson, Herrington, Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase and county counsel Adam Radtke.
The committee met numerous times over the past few months to discuss a plan for reopening, and it consulted with the county’s other school district superintendents.
According to Herrington, the document is designed specifically to help districts reopen once the county enters stage three of its reopening and, like the information released by the state, is a guide rather than a mandate.
While SCOE provides oversight and guidance to local districts, each of the county’s 40 school districts are autonomous when it comes to how they decide to tackle the county and state criteria — for example, someone with kids in both the Gravenstein Union School District and kids in the West Sonoma County High School District may have to follow two different reopening plans. Herrington said that since districts are creating their own individualized plans, some may decide to err on the side of caution while others may not to. Regardless, districts are limited in how much they can reopen, based on what reopening phase the county is in.
Herrington emphasized that while other counties in California may be further into the state’s phase progressions for reopening, based on epidemiology and statistics, Sonoma County is in phase two. Partial reopening of schools is allowed in stage three and full-time reopening of schools is allowed in phase four.

-- Zoe Strickland

D.C. Voices: How will facilities and operations adapt when schools reopen?

-- DC Policy Center District of Columbia: June 11, 2020 [ abstract]

On May 22, 2020, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that D.C. Public Schools would begin its next school year on August 31. Public charter schools are determining their start dates independently, but it’s likely that some will align their calendars with DCPS. It remains uncertain whether students will attend school in-person, learn virtually, or participate in a hybrid of distance learning and in-person class. Conversations are ongoing, but it’s expected that school facilities will have to adapt, and operating procedures will change drastically. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have published guidelines for schools to consider as they think about how to best protect their students, teachers, administrators, and staff. They offer strategies schools can implement to encourage behaviors that reduce the spread of COVID-19 such as teaching proper handwashing techniques and reinforcing the use of cloth face coverings. They also offer strategies to maintain Healthy environments, maintain Healthy operations, and prepare for when someone gets sick. To further inform the conversation on safely reopening schools, the Learning Policy Institute reviewed the Health and safety guidelines from five countries that have continued or reopened schools during the outbreak and successfully avoided spreading COVID-19. It compiled a list of best practices that overlap with the CDC’s guidelines and should be taken into consideration as the District plans for reopening.

-- Tanaz Meghjani & Chelsea Coffin

Schools need an additional $116 billion to reopen facilities safely, the AFT says

-- American School & University National: June 11, 2020 [ abstract]

The American Federation of Teachers says the average school will need an additional $1.2 million, or $2,300 per student, to open its doors safely in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. A report prepared by the teachers union, “Reopening Schools During a Time of Triple Crisis: Financial Implications,” argues that federal lawmakers must provide significant funding to ensure school buildings can reopen with Health protections and learning layouts in place for students and educators. The AFT says schools nationwide will need an additional $116.5 billion for instructional staff, distance learning, before- and after-school care, transportation, personal protective equipment, cleaning and Health supplies, Health staffing, custodial and cleaning staff, meeting children’s social and emotional needs and additional academic support for students. Without the additional support, school buildings will stay shuttered, the AFT says.

-- Mike Kennedy

What will school look like in the fall? State Board approves new guidance

-- EdNC North Carolina: June 11, 2020 [ abstract]

The State Board of Education on Thursday approved operational guidance for schools reopening in the fall that draws on guidance released by the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) earlier this week.
The 116 page guide for school districts covers the requirements and recommendations from DHHS as well as things for schools to consider as they try to put together their plans, including sample scheduling options.
“This is a living document,” said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson in a press release. “It’s not set in stone. Our goal is to provide a roadmap that supports reopening schools to make this enormous task less difficult for our districts, schools and communities.”
Here is a summary document which schools and districts can use to navigate the larger document via links and photo strips.
The document states that with the exception of measures which are considered required, districts and schools have a lot of flexibility this fall.
“Public School Units (PSUs) have the authority and the flexibility to meet their local needs and be responsive to their communities. As impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic evolve, the SBE and NCDPI will continue to provide updated guidance and recommendations to districts and schools on navigating the academic, social, and emotional effects on students and employees,” the document states.
State Board Chair Eric Davis praised Department of Public Instruction (DPI) staffers who put together the plan voted on by the Board. He also praised the user-friendly structure and format of the documents, as well as the close coordination of DPI with DHHS.

-- Alex Granados

Arizona releases guidelines for reopening schools

-- The Center Square Arizona: June 10, 2020 [ abstract]

(The Center Square) – The Arizona Department of Education has released its guidelines for reopening schools for the 2020-2021 school year.
Schools have been closed since March 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Per Gov. Doug Ducey and Superintendent of Instruction Kathy Hoffman, schools will be able to reopen in the fall of 2020. A 41-page document details guidelines.
"Kim Wright and Superintendent Hoffman did a remarkable job gathering a team, including stakeholders, and providing a well-informed document in a remarkably short period of time," Wes Brownfield, executive director of Arizona Rural Schools Association, told The Center Square. "This document provides great guidance regarding practical guidance, informed choices, and allowing for the maximum amount of local flexibility. It develops a good framework for the conversations districts must have as they decide how to re-open this fall."
Some of the reopening guidelines include students being screened by staff members dressed in appropriate PPE before entering the building, social distancing measures and physical barriers or guides, smaller class sizes, no communal dining halls, cloth face coverings and no shared objects. Students and staff who feel ill will be encouraged to stay home.
There are also requirements to keep the school a Healthy environment, including cleaning and disinfecting classrooms, ensuring proper ventilation, cleaning water systems regularly and having staff trained on safety protocols.

-- Kimberly James

Oregon’s blueprints for reopening schools call for clustering students and a whole lot of cleaning

-- The Oregonian Oregon: June 10, 2020 [ abstract]

School is going to look very different for Oregon students come fall.
The state Department of Education on Wednesday released mandatory and recommended guidelines for districts to reintroduce pupils to classrooms. They include social distancing guidelines, cleaning protocols and instructions to cluster classes into smaller groups to manage potential spread of COVID-19.
“We are all leading through a time that nobody has experienced before. A global pandemic is a new challenge for school districts in Oregon,” state schools chief Colt Gill said.
School districts will have to submit blueprints for how they plan on adhering to these new guidelines by Aug. 15. The education department will host districts’ blueprints on its website.
“This will help parents understand exactly what it is their school is doing to ensure safety,” Gill said.
Those blueprints will differ between districts, department officials say, as state education and Health officials recognize communities across the state have different needs.
It’s an approach Jim Green, executive director of the Oregon School Board Association, agrees with.
“We understand that our students, parents and staff members are facing numerous challenges in safely restarting school this fall,” he said in a statement. “This is unfamiliar ground for all of us, and what works at one school district may look quite different at another.”
Districts will have three overarching options for what classes will look like during the 2020-21 school year.

-- Ed Campuzano

Reopening means an additional $1.8 million in costs for average-sized school district, administrators estimate

-- American School & University National: June 10, 2020 [ abstract]

Schools and universities have been making plans to reopen their campuses, even though much uncertainty remains about when and how quickly reopening happens. But one thing is clear—when in-person classes resume, schools will have to operate much differently to ensure the Health and safety of students and staff. And those differences are going to be expensive. How expensive? AASA—The School Superintendents Association and the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) have worked up estimates of how much it will cost for schools to put into place the cleaning and safety steps needed to combat Covid-19. The bottom line: An average school district (defined for this purpose as 3,659 students, 8 school buildings, 183 classrooms, 329 staff members and 40 buses transporting at 25% capacity), will have to spend an additional $1,778,139 to follow safety protocols needed to bring students back into classrooms. The estimate "is not intended to be exhaustive, but illustrates how the overall cost of school operations will substantially increase to safely reopen as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic," AASA and ASBO say.

-- Mike Kennedy

The Socially Distanced School Day

-- Education Week National: June 10, 2020 [ abstract]

Classrooms. Hallways. Buses. Schedules. Extracurriculars. Every facet of the school day will have to be fundamentally altered when students eventually return to school.
To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, school leaders must ensure social distancing—limiting group sizes, keeping students six feet apart, restricting non-essential visitors, and closing communal spaces. Those measures run counter to how schools usually operate, with teachers and students working together in close quarters, children socializing throughout the day, and the buildings serving as a community gathering space.
Anyone who’s been to a school knows it will be difficult, if not impossible, to guarantee “absolute compliance with any social distancing measure,” said Mario Ramirez, the managing director of Opportunity Labs who was the acting director for pandemic and emerging threats in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Ebola epidemic.
The goal, he said, is to “drive as much of the risk down as you can.”
To help district and school leaders navigate decisions and planning, Education Week spoke to numerous experts, from public Health officials to superintendents, about ways that schools can adjust their operations to allow for a safe return to in-person schooling as the pandemic continues.
In the first installment on how to go back to school, we take a detailed look at social distancing and safety protocols, the starting place for every decision that school leaders must make. We outline recommendations, present different strategies, and weigh some pros and cons.
There are no easy solutions. Many of the recommended changes will come with new, sometimes hefty, costs.

-- Madeline Will

Virginia releases plan for phased reopening of schools

-- WUSA9 Virginia: June 10, 2020 [ abstract]

FAIRFAX, Va. — All Virginia schools will reopen to in-person learning this fall, but at a phased-in approach, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday. Northam said districts will open in three phases, with hybrid learning models as the standard. "Closing our schools was a necessary step to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and protect the Health and safety of staff, students, and our communities," Northam said in a press release. "Our schools have risen to the occasion and found ways to provide remote learning opportunities, keep students engaged, continue serving meals for children who otherwise would have gone hungry, and support students and families through an immensely challenging time. Resuming in-person instruction is a high priority, but we must do so in a safe, responsible, and equitable manner that minimizes the risk of exposure to the virus and meets the needs of the Virginia students who have been disproportionately impacted by lost classroom time."

-- Jess Arnold

West Virginia schools will re-open in August with non-traditional format

-- WTRF West Virginia: June 10, 2020 [ abstract]

Charleston, W.Va. (WTRF)- The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) released initial scenarios for the re-entry and recovery of schools for the 2020-21 school year and beyond during the June meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE).
The information, housed on the WVDE’s website, represents the work of the state’s School Re-entry Advisory Council which is a partnership between the Office of Governor Jim Justice, WVDE, the WVBE, public Health officials, local and national agencies and organizations and county superintendents.
The information considers three re-entry scenarios: Safer at School/Safer at Home; Blending Learning Delivery Models; or Full Remote Delivery. Counties may use the scenarios or hybrid models to best meet the needs of their students.
Safer at School/Safer at Home
Students will attend school four days with one day of remote learning or some
similar configuration determined by the county. On the remote days, the building
will be rigorously sanitized.
(Preferred elementary school scenario to best meet developmental needs.)
Blending Learning Delivery Models
Students may attend schools a limited number of days. Class sizes may be limited and/or creative scheduling implemented to minimize student mobility in the school. All students will be engaged in learning five days a week through a blended learning model.
Full Remote Delivery
If an outbreak occurs and a stay at home order is issued,
all students will complete school assignments remotely five days a week. This will require the teacher and students to communicate daily and develop a process for monitoring, reviewing
and/or grading of student engagement activities.

-- John Lynch

Nevada school facilities to reopen for summer learning and activities

-- The Progress Nevada: June 09, 2020 [ abstract]

(NV Dept of Education) Today, Governor Steve Sisolak signed a directive allowing local school districts, charter schools, and private schools to immediately reopen for summer learning and activities while implementing the Phase 2 protocols designed to keep students, staff, families, and communities safe. The directive and accompanying guidance come just in time for summer school but cover a wide range of topics. The guidance provides support for districts and schools to make local decisions regarding re-opening facilities, offering in-person instruction, and hosting meetings and events under the proper social distancing protocols. Districts and schools may offer summer learning opportunities through distance education, in-person instruction, or a combination of both. In the interest of the Health and safety of local communities, districts and schools may continue to keep school facilities closed to students, staff, parents, guardians, and/or the public at their discretion. “For the last three months, our students, families and educators demonstrated tremendous flexibility and resiliency when asked to stay at home and switch to distance learning to flatten the COVID-19 infection rate curve. I know this hasn’t been easy, but I’m proud Nevadans took this seriously,” Gov. Sisolak said. “This directive will allow schools to return to a sense of normalcy while keeping the Health and safety of students and staff at the forefront.”

-- V Robison

Recommendations on how schools should open released by MS Dept. of Education

-- abc11 Mississippi: June 09, 2020 [ abstract]

A three-month timeline of guidelines for Mississippi public schools has been released to districts across the state as they prepare to reopen schools.
The guidelines were formed by a committee of nine superintendents from around the state, including Dr. Bonita Coleman from Ocean Springs School District, who headed the group.
The areas of focus laid out by the the Department of Education include six key areas that districts need to focus on to safely reopen. The guidelines are written out through August. They will be updated every three months, allowing districts to adapt to any necessary changes or developments.
These considerations are recommendations made by MDE and are meant to serve as a guide that districts can use to tailor to their own schools. Ultimately, it is up to each individual district on how they wish to proceed moving into the 2020-2021 school year.
We have broken down each of the six considerations below, along with some of the key guidelines recommended for June, July and August.
Academic Programming
These are strategies for Mississippi leaders to consider as they plan to reopen schools to address learning gaps and provide high-quality instruction. They focus on evaluating students’ and teacher’s needs, virtual learning capabilities, implementing diagnostic screening, and other areas that focus on academics. Some of the guidance school leaders are advised to look at over the next three months include grade-level transitions and grading expectations, as well as developing an instructional plan for students’ schedules. Those schedules will most likely be one of the following: traditional, hybrid, or virtual.
Traditional Schedule
A traditional schedule would see students back in schools full time with daily screening and disinfectant protocols. Student movement and gatherings would also be restricted. Accommodations would also be put in place for students and staff with Health issues that prevent them from returning.

-- Staff Writer

Virginia governor announces state plans for reopening schools in the fall

-- CNN Virginia: June 09, 2020 [ abstract]

For students in Virginia, the end of summer break will mean a return to classes -- in-person.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday announced that all schools will open for students next year, ridding parents and students of the looming uncertainty following closures and a move to remote learning due to Covid-19.
PreK-12 schools in the state were closed in mid-March in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Sports and other school events were also canceled. Other states had similar closures.
For the upcoming 2020-2021 school year, Northam said all public schools will be allowed to reopen as long as the state continues to slow the spread of the virus. State officials presented a three-phase approach to reopening schools on Tuesday.
"School will be open for all students next year, but instruction will look different," Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. James Lane said in a statement. "The phased, hybrid approach allows PreK-12 students to have valuable class time and face-to-face interaction with their peers, while prioritizing Health and safety by ensuring physical distancing measures are maintained."
Phase 1 of the plan to reopen schools, effectively immediately, has remote learning as still the dominant method of instruction. Only child care for working families may operate in schools.
But in phase 2, which "most schools can enter right now," according to Northam, schools may offer instruction for preschoolers through third graders, English language learners and students with disabilities. Summer camps in school buildings will also be allowed. However, strict social distancing measures need to be enforced, such as only one child assigned to each seat on a school bus and limiting large gatherings to 50 people.

-- Alicia Lee

Danny De Gracia: Let’s Use The COVID-19 Crisis To Improve Hawaii’s Schools

-- Honolulu Civil Beat Hawaii: June 08, 2020 [ abstract]

The Hawaii Department of Education, in planning to reopen schools, should leverage COVID-19 preparations as a means to improve public campuses and present students with cleaner, Healthier, even newer facilities to study in.
Last week, Superintendent Christina Kishimoto published a letter to parents which specifically addressed the matter of “children physically returning to campuses” and spoke of how department staff were “relying on the expertise of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state’s Department of Health to inform our policies and procedures.”
Those changes are already beginning to emerge.
A guidance statement recently issued by the HIDOE for reopening schools includes recommendations that cover everything from the expected physical distancing and face coverings to additional mentions of increasing ventilation by opening windows, deterring infection by stocking restrooms, and even grouping students with the same staff.
While it is clear that these announcements are meant to instill a sense of public confidence that Hawaii is safely transitioning to a “new normal” we ought to go the extra mile for students and renovate schools to make them feel like they are coming back to a better school than the one they left behind prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just like many state office buildings, our public schools are extremely old and many of them offer appearances that look extremely run down.

-- Commentary - Danny de Gracia

Here’s What Mass. Schools Might Look Like When They Reopen in the Fall

-- NBC Boston Massachusetts: June 08, 2020 [ abstract]

As parents and students begin to wrap up remote learning for the school year, new guidance is emerging on what school may look like when it reopens in the fall after the coronavirus shutdowns – and it will likely be a hybrid model of in-class and remote learning.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – or DESE – sent a seven-page memo to superintendents, assistant superintendents and the leaders of charter, special education and private schools Friday with some basic guidance for reopening schools in the fall.
"We are operating with the best information we have as of early June about how to maintain the Health and safety of our students and staff in any in-person school programs and limit the risk of COVID-19 transmission," the memo said.
The document included Health and safety guidelines for reopening as well as required supply items like gloves, hand sanitizer and masks and recommended ordering quantities for the first 12 weeks of school.
The document makes several assumptions, including that students will bring their own face coverings or masks to school. Schools will provide face coverings or masks for all teachers and staff who do not bring their own.

-- Marc Fortier and Alysha Palumbo

N.C. leaders, health officials set guidance for reopening public schools in fall

-- WBTV North Carolina: June 08, 2020 [ abstract]

RALEIGH, N.C. (WBTV) - North Carolina leaders and Health officials are working on plans that will allow schools to reopen on time in August.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services provided guidance that will allow schools to open its buildings for students and staff for 2020-21 school year if the data and metrics are trending in a positive direction.
The schools will reopen if data has shown improvement.
“We very much want to open the school buildings but won’t open them and make a reckless decision when it is so important,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said. “We know this coming school year will be like no other.”
[ Guidance for reopening NC schools for 2020-21 year ]
Cooper said that students and staff will go through new measures during the next school year.
He said students and staff will be screened for illness before entering the school, and students will be asked to stay distant from classmates, and they won’t be sharing pencils or textbooks.
Schools will also be directed to sanitize the buildings throughout the school days.
“We will all need patience as the plans for each school come together in the coming months,” Cooper said. “This guidance is an important first step. Now, the hard part will be done by local social boards, superintendents, principals, school nurses to tailor the plans for their particular school.”
Cooper was joined by Dr. Mandy Cohen, with the NCDHHS, State Superintendent Mark Johnson and Eric Davis, Chairman of the State Board of Education, to lay out the guidelines.
As of Monday afternoon, North Carolina reported 36,484 COVID-19 cases, including a new single-day increase of 1,300 on Saturday. There have also been more than 1,000 deaths with 739 hospitalizations.
“We know schools are more than buildings,” Cohen said. “How we move forward has immediate and long-term consequences. We want to be able to open schools for in-school learning for the next academic year, but we are going to have to work together to make that happen.”

-- Staff Writer

Regents to hold four regional meetings on reopening schools; will develop guidelines for districts

-- lohud New York: June 08, 2020 [ abstract]

The state Board of Regents will hold four regional meetings this month, all virtual, to discuss what it will take to reopen schools in the fall, the Regents announced Monday.
The Regents plan to use input from the meetings to develop guidelines on reopening for school districts.
The guidelines are not scheduled to be unveiled until the next Regents meeting in five weeks, on July 13.
At this point, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has not said whether school buildings will reopen in September.
Each regional meeting will bring together more than 200 people — teachers, administrators, school board members, parents and experts. Each group will be considered a regional task force, and participants will be listed on the state Education Department's website prior to the meetings.
The meetings will not be visible to the public.
The regional groups are supposed to provide input in nine areas: Health and safety, teaching, the social-emotional needs of students, special education, bilingual education, digital equity, fiscal issues, transportation/facilities/nutrition, and staffing.
“As we continue to consider what our educational communities will look like next school year, our paramount concern is to ensure the Health and safety of children and adults in our schools,” said Betty Rosa, chancellor of the state Board of Regents.

-- Sophie Grosserode

Reopening Schools “Not As Simple” as Wearing Masks and Moving Desks Officials Say

-- Los Feliz Ledger California: June 08, 2020 [ abstract]

Schools in the Southland and throughout the state won’t be the same if and when they reopen this fall, with California education officials releasing new safety guidelines today that include small classroom cohorts, face masks, virtual field trips, half-empty school buses and other changes to protect against the spread of coronavirus. “As we prepare to move into the likely reopening of our schools, we provide this guidance as a ‘how to,'” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said about the 55-page document titled “Stronger Together: A Guidebook for the Safe Reopening of California’s Public Schools,” which details the need for changes to accommodate physical distancing. All schools in the state closed in March due to stay-at-home orders protecting against the spread of COVID-19. Reopening dates have not yet been set. Los Angeles County Supt. of Schools Debra Duardo said the state’s guidebook contains many of the same considerations included in the 45-page framework released on May 27th on behalf of the county’s 80 school districts. Both sets of guidelines are recommendations only, not requirements — individual school districts are responsible for developing their own reopening plans. “Both sets of guidelines recognize that the Health and safety of students, staff and families must always come first. They are built on the directives of public Health authorities and are subject to change as the Health crisis evolves,” Duardo said.

-- Staff Writer

School Closures Always Hurt. They Hurt Even More Now

-- Education Week National: June 08, 2020 [ abstract]

America at large is facing two pandemics: racism and COVID-19. But, low-income Black and Brown children in America are facing one more, the temporary and permanent closure of their schools. For Black and Brown children living in poverty, the school building is a portal for crucial assistance, where students, their families, and members of the broader community receive a variety of resources from free meals to flu shots. The closure of the school building deactivates the distribution of those same resources, and in doing so, reveals the irreplaceable role that they place in filling the gaping holes in our weak social safety net. Closed school buildings result in a loss of routine child care that makes going to work every day possible for the 11 million parents with school-aged children who live in poverty. For the nearly 1.5 million students experiencing homelessness, school closures remove an important source of stability and access to social workers and Health-care providers. For the 13 million children experiencing hunger, they disrupt a critical source of food that students rely on to maintain a nutritional diet. Since closed, institutions have worked to continue providing these supports but their efforts are not enough. A recent report by Reuters found that roughly 75 percent of districts have served 4.5 million fewer meals a week since closing, and about a third stopped providing federally required services to their special needs’ students. Local stories from Evanston, Ill., to Philadelphia further confirm the inability for school systems to provide the same level of service while physically shuttered.

-- Opinion - Sally Nuamah, Ryan Good, Ariel Bierbaum,

State releases guidelines for reopening schools

-- The Republic Indiana: June 07, 2020 [ abstract]

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Education has released guidelines for reopening public schools in the midst of the pandemic, developed in partnership with the governor’s office, the Indiana State Department of Health, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, the Indiana High School Athletic Association and IDOE’s Reentry Advisory Group. “The Health and safety of Hoosier students, school staff, and communities is priority one,” said State Superintendent Jennifer McCormick in an official statement. “Providing students with a quality education is critical and therefore it is crucial we offer considerations focused on getting students back in the classroom in a safe manner.” The guidelines presented in IN-CLASS are considerations, not mandates. Districts and schools are asked to use the document as a guide and consult with local Health departments. In addition, the state advises school corporations to contact relevant stakeholders and local legal counsel to determine which considerations are feasible.

-- Jana Wiersema

Masks on the bus? Partitions in classrooms? School, health officials wrestle with reopening

-- Lexington Herald Leader Kentucky: June 05, 2020 [ abstract]

Kentucky public Health officials this week reversed their position about social distancing on school buses, after several school superintendents have said they were worried about whether they could adequately meet guidelines. With an earlier directive that would have required school children to sit on every other seat being a chief concern of superintendents, Kentucky Department of Public Health officials now say that social-distancing does not need to be enforced on school buses if students are wearing masks, practicing proper hand hygiene and have had their temperature and Health checked. Daily, education and public Health officials are moving ahead in unchartered territory as they try to come to a consensus on whether to safely open schools in the fall or offer families more of the at-home education that public schools have operated under since Kentucky schools stopped in-person learning in March.

-- Valarie Honeycutt Spears

Report: Public schools need major building repairs

-- Finance & Commerce National: June 05, 2020 [ abstract]

The majority of U.S. public school districts need to make major building repairs in at least half of their schools, yet many districts are unable to pay for updates or have postponed them to improve security in case of a shooting, according to a federal report. The U.S. Government Accountability Office on Thursday released a study that was the agency’s first on the issue since 1996. Based on a survey of hundreds of districts, the report found that many are left on their own to pay for building repairs but often lack the necessary dollars, leaving them stuck with aging buildings that can pose Health and safety risks. At one Michigan school visited by the agency, an engineer has to stay on site to make sure the boiler, which dates to the 1920s, doesn’t build up pressure and explode, the report said. A school in Rhode Island said parts of its ventilation system are nearly 100 years old. The report found stark disparities based on wealth. Districts in poorer areas spend $300 less per student on capital costs than do wealthier districts. Schools in more affluent areas can often call on local taxpayers to add money for building updates, the study found, while schools in poorer areas are more likely to rely on limited state funding. Congress called for the study in 2019 legislation, but it’s being released as Democrats revive a push for new federal money to improve schools. A bill proposed by Democrats last year calls for $100 billion to help repair aging schools. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, said the report provides “clear, irrefutable evidence” that Congress needs to act quickly.

-- Associated Press

More than half of America’s public schools need major repairs: U.S. report

-- The Washington Post National: June 04, 2020 [ abstract]

More than half of the United States’ public schools need to update or replace multiple systems or features in more than half their buildings, and failure to address them could pose Health and safety problems for everyone inside, according to a government report released Thursday.
What’s more, many district don’t even know exactly what they need: The report says that 65 percent of districts had conducted a facilities condition assessment of their schools at least once in the past decade, and 35 percent didn’t know if one had been done. Only 15 states reported requiring school districts to conduct facilities assessments.
The report comes in the middle of the covid-19 pandemic, during which most schools were closed this spring to stem the spread of the disease. Districts across the country are devising plans to reopen schools, with new protective measures including social distancing and requiring the wearing of masks.
But even before the pandemic, districts struggled to maintain their school buildings, with some of them having to close because of heating or other issues, and others allowing school operations to continue even under unHealthy conditions. (See pictures below.)
The report — released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), its first study of school infrastructure since 1996 — said that heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems were the ones most in need of repair. Four in 10 districts are estimated to need to update or replace these systems in at least half of their school buildings, affecting 36,000 school buildings nationwide.
That raises issues for schools planning to reopen buildings this fall during the covid-19 crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says in its guidelines for reopening schools that ventilation systems should work properly.
Officials in several school districts visited by GAO investigators reported schools have been closed because of facilities problems, and the potential for mold and air quality issues could cause Health problems.
“In the last year, several school districts across the country have temporarily closed schools due to hazardous conditions of the school buildings that can pose Health and safety risks to students, teachers, and staff,” the report said. “For example, water damage caused by a leaking roof or [HVAC] system can lead to problems with indoor air quality and exposure to substances such as mold or asbestos.”
It said in one Michigan district, officials said about 60 percent of their schools do not have air conditioning.
“In 2019, some temporarily adjusted schedules due to extreme heat,” the report said.

-- Valerie Strauss

Education, health leaders join school reopening panel

-- The Detroit News Michigan: June 03, 2020 [ abstract]

Twenty-five leaders in education and Health care will serve on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's COVID-19 Return to Learn Advisory Council, state officials announced Wednesday,
The advisory council was created by Whitmer on May 15 to formalize a process for determining how schools may be able to reopen in the fall. The council includes students, teachers and principals as well as union leaders, a psychologist, Health officer and medical director.
“This group brings together experts in Health care and education, including students, educators and parents to think about how to ensure the more than 1.5 million K-12 students across Michigan get the education they need and deserve,” Whitmer said.
“On behalf of our kids, their families and the more than 100,000 educators in our state, we must all work together to get this right. I know this group is prepared to carefully examine the data and consult with experts when helping me determine what is best for our kids.”
The council will advise the governor and the COVID-19 Task Force on Education and will develop recommendations on how to reopen K-12 classrooms.

-- Jennifer Chambers

Forsyth County Schools presents early plan for reopening in August

-- Forsyth County News Georgia: June 03, 2020 [ abstract]

Students eating lunches in classrooms. Random temperature checks. Virtual school events. Forsyth County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Bearden gave the public a preview of what the return to face-to-face school might look like for students and staff on Aug. 6, the first day of the 2020-21 school year, during a virtual meeting of the Forsyth County Board of Education on Tuesday, June 2. The superintendent laid out a draft plan for reopening schools, which closed for the final quarter of the 2019-20 school year amid the coronavirus pandemic, highlighting dozens of new policies aimed to curb the spread of the virus. School officials are preparing for three scenarios to open the school year, Bearden said: Full online learning, similar to the final quarter of the 2019-20 school year; A hybrid model, with an “A week, B week” schedule where students switch week to week between in-person and online learning; And regular in-person learning with Health guidelines in place. Online learning “is the least desirable option,” Bearden said, and a hybrid model would be “very challenging” for teachers and parents. Bearden said the only way Forsyth County Schools would adopt those scenarios is if they were directed to by the state. District officials are also making contingencies in case a second wave of the coronavirus hits and schools are limited to online learning for a period of time. Bearden’s presentation lasted six slides and covered guidelines that he felt closely resembled those released in a 10-page document by the Georgia Department of Education on Monday aimed at helping schools open safely in August. “That’s a great guide to use,” Bearden said. “... If you compare the two, you’ll see a lot of similarities, but it’s not going to be exact. We’re able to tailor (our plan) to our community, which is the right thing to do.”

-- Brian Paglia

Pa. Dept. Of Education Releases Guidance About Reopening Schools

-- CBS Local Pennsylvania: June 03, 2020 [ abstract]

HARRISBURG (KDKA) — The Pennsylvania Department of Education has released “preliminary guidance” for reopening schools in the state.
The department says on its website that the plans will continue to evolve and that the information provided should be considered “a starting point” for educators.
Each school district for primary and secondary education will be required to draft a Health and Safety Plan before students can return. The plan must keep Gov. Wolf’s color-coded reopening plan in mind, so school districts in red phase counties must continue remote instruction, for instance. The plan will have to be approved by the district’s board of directors and then submitted to the state Department of Education for review. According to the department, the plan also must be posted on the school district’s public website before schools can reopen.
Schools in yellow phase counties may resume in-person instruction after July 1 and must follow the state Department of Education guidelines as well as the state Department of Health’s guidelines and the CDC’s guidelines. Some of the protocols include having a pandemic coordinator or pandemic team responsible for COVID-19 mitigation, having steps to protect children more vulnerable to the virus, having guidelines for when quarantined students, staff members or administrators can return to school, having guidelines for all staff to wear masks as well as some older students and ensuring other physical distancing measures at all times.

-- Staff Writer

Berkeley BOE members disagree on Monday plan to reopen school buildings

-- Herald-Mail Media West Virginia: June 02, 2020 [ abstract]

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Berkeley County Schools officials are working on a plan to reopen school buildings and other district facilities that have been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Deputy Superintendent Don Dellinger said at Monday night's online school board meeting. The plan, which is intended to go into effect Monday, also would reopen facilities and fields to student athletes and community youth-sport organizations. Board members voted to allow that effort to continue, but the vote was split 3-2, with Michele Barnes-Russell and Pat Murphy voting against it. Both objected to the plan being prepared and finalized by senior-level staffers before board members would have input. Dellinger said the action is being done in conjunction with Berkeley County Health Department guidelines and is a step toward being ready for whatever the fall semester brings. "We have been in discussions about plans to reopen our facilities, especially concerning staff and bringing staff in as we start working toward next year," he said. The plan will include reopening schools, the district's central office and other facilities in a "safe and responsible manner," he said. This move also is in line with Gov. Jim Justice's ongoing plan to reopen the state's economy, Dellinger said. He said the governor will allow youth sports to resume effective Monday, and that two local Little League organizations use district fields.

-- Jenni Vincent

Boston schools superintendent weighs options for reopening in September

-- Boston Herald Massachusetts: June 02, 2020 [ abstract]

Boston students could face a new school landscape come fall as Superintendent Brenda Cassellius weighs the many options for reopening while keeping public Health in mind, a process she called “mind-blowing.” “As we are thinking about going back in the fall, we are absolutely thinking about every single contingency that could be,” said Cassellius on a call with the Herald on Tuesday. Cassellius said that could range from a full reopening to a hybrid model that would involve half days, staggering student schedules or alternating days to allow for social distancing in school facilities. With the options come several layers, including what can happen with sports, class transitions, high-touch school materials, lunch periods, staffing, transportation and personal protective equipment for school nurses, said Cassellius.

-- ALEXI COHAN

Guidelines for reopening schools in the fall include social distancing, mask wearing

-- Hawaii News Now Hawaii: June 02, 2020 [ abstract]

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state Education Department has released new guidelines for reopening schools this fall, including how officials will have to implement social distancing.
The guidelines are effective July 1, and also call for mask wearing and sanitation procedures.
What isn’t clear: How schools will be able to socially distance in crowded classrooms.
The state also hasn’t officially said when campuses will reopen, but leaders are looking at Aug. 4.
The DOE will continue to use the summer break to formalize the plan for next school year.
Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto said Tuesday they are working with the state Department of Health to develop specific guidelines to safely bring students back to in-person classes.
Other options include to continue distance learning for some students in grades 6 through 12.
This month, Kishimoto says the DOE will be collecting data from parents, students, teachers, and principals to better understand the challenges with online education.
“That will give us a school-by-school view of what the distance learning looked like this quarter four, what were some of the struggles, what were some of the things that worked well, how many devices do our schools have, how many families per school need support with devices or need support with connectivity,” Kishimoto said.
The DOE purchased 10,000 new devices for students without access to technology.

-- Staff Writer

State Department of Education issues guidelines for reopening schools

-- Sand Mountain The Reporter Alabama: June 02, 2020 [ abstract]

The Alabama State Department of Education recently issued detailed guidelines for schools as they begin to reopen and allow students back on campus.
Phase 3 of the reopening plan began June 1, when limited access to campus facilities for summer learning opportunities and extracurricular activities was given to students grades seventh-12th under social distancing and heightened sanitation restrictions. Phase 4, which will give younger students the same access as upperclassmen, is scheduled for July 6. The planned return to school for the 2020-2021 academic year — Phase 5 — is set for August.
Included in the checklist and supportive guidance for keeping students and staff Healthy and safe during extracurricular and co-curricular activities are:
1. Group Size and Physical Standards
• Implement social distancing strategies to maintain at least a six-foot distance between persons from different households
• Change parent drop-off and pick-up processes to limit contact and building access
• Ensure school-sponsored extracurricular and co-curricular activities, including athletics and band, adhere to established safety and hygiene protocols
2. Symptom Monitoring
• Require sick students and staff to stay home
• Maintain adequate number of thermometers to screen students when necessary
• Implement isolation measures if a student becomes sick, then follow with cleaning and disinfecting processes
Address vulnerable students with Health conditions

-- DANIEL TAYLOR

Georgia Dept. of Education releases guidelines for K-12 schools to reopen

-- Alive Georgia: June 01, 2020 [ abstract]

ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Education has released a set of "considerations and recommendations" for returning the state's schools to normalcy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Georgia's Path To Recovery for K-12 Schools is a document that has been focused on Health and physical requirements necessary for reopening school facilities across the state.
The idea, according to the document, is to get school systems and buildings across the state prepared to deliver instruction for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year.
The document emphasizes that it is not a mandate or set of state requirements. The local school districts are being given wide latitude and authority to meet individual needs within their own communities.
The biggest issue that is faced by school systems is the rate of spread of COVID-19 within their individual communities.
School systems are being asked to coordinate with their local Health departments in order to help determine the best way to move forward. School systems should, in all areas, participate in contact tracing efforts and specimen collection efforts as directed by local Health officials, at least to the extent that is feasible.

-- Michael King

What will the fall look like for Vermont’s K-12 schools?

-- VT Digger Vermont: June 01, 2020 [ abstract]

With Vermont seeing one of the country’s slowest rates of growth for coronavirus infections, K-12 officials have said they intend to have students back in classrooms come fall. But schools will look starkly different, they warn. And all plans are subject to change. “The best thing about it is the whole nation’s in this together, so we’re figuring it out,” said Jeanne Collins, president of the Vermont Superintendents Association. “But the worst thing about it is there really aren’t any models.” Administrators say they’re exploring a roster of options that fall into one of three categories: remote learning, in-person instruction, or some hybrid model, which could see students in school on alternating days or younger children at school while older students remain at home, for example. In consultation with the teachers union, the organizations representing principals and superintendents, and the Department of Health, the Agency of Education has started crafting guidance for reopening. Dan French, Vermont’s secretary of education, believes that planning for any of the three models under consideration – virtual, in-person, or some hybrid version – isn’t even the trickiest part. It’s assuming that schools will likely have to do all of the above. Districts will need to plan on moving back-and-forth between remote and in-person instruction as infection rates wax and wane, he said. Officials may hope to start the school year with children back in classrooms, but rolling closures at some or all schools are likely. “The idea that we are possibly – no doubt, probably – going to be shifting between and among the dispositions and how we do that is I think going to be our greatest challenge,” he said. There is tremendous pressure to reopen schools, particularly as people return to work. But education and Health officials also worry about the effects of long-term school closures on children, particularly where the most vulnerable students are concerned.

-- Lola Duffort

As Washington Considers Reopening Schools, Emerging Research Hints That Closures Helped Contain the Coronavirus

-- The Seattle Times Washington: May 30, 2020 [ abstract]

As schools in Washington and across the U.S. (remotely) wind down for summer break, many families, teachers and state decision makers are hoping for an answer: Did closing school buildings ultimately help curb spread of the novel coronavirus? New epidemiological and social science research hints that shuttering school buildings did indeed help slow the virus's spread. The findings, based mostly on unpublished data and a handful of peer-reviewed studies, don't definitively prove that closing schools altered the epidemic's course. But such emerging data may help policymakers decide if and how it's safe to return to school come fall. Those officials will also have the advantage of watching how some other countries and states are reopening their schools -- and the consequences of those decisions. To understand the role of school closures, researchers are homing in on two angles: the biological ability of children to spread the coronavirus, and what we know so far about how school closures tracked with the disease's trajectory. Researchers have already moved beyond a big biological question that marked the early days of the coronavirus's spread: whether children actually contract it. They do, several studies find. But children tend to be spared from its worst effects, with some exceptions. Now, scientists are racing to unravel other important aspects of the condition in children. Epidemiological studies are attempting to trace infected children's contacts to decipher how well kids transmit the coronavirus. Some researchers are examining children's so-called "viral load" -- the concentration of virus a person has inside them -- compared to adults, which may also lend insight into this question. A major project funded by the National Institutes of Health aims to track incidence of the disease in children.

-- Hannah Furfaro

Plan to reopen San Mateo County schools detailed

-- The Daily Journal California: May 28, 2020 [ abstract]

Masked students and teachers, reconfigured classroom arrangements, a continued reliance on remote learning and suspended school gatherings — all part of the plan to reopen campuses this fall, the county’s top education official said Wednesday.
County Superintendent Nancy Magee said officials are putting the finishing touches on a comprehensive framework designed to help local districts start classes again in the safest fashion possible.
The guidelines for K-12 schools, expected to be published next week, are established around four pillars — Health and hygiene protocol, face coverings requirements, physical distancing standards and gathering restrictions, said Magee.
For her part, Magee said educators and Health officials are working hard to come up with a thoughtful set of strategies and measures while acknowledging amendments will be needed when unanticipated issues are encountered.
“Planning is a challenge. I believe we will get there. I don’t believe it will be an easy road,” she said. “I think we will have a two steps forward, one step backward scenario.”
Face coverings
Magee said students and staff will be expected to always wear face coverings while on campus, especially in common areas shared by large groups, as officials are focused on slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Once in the classroom, she suggested there could be some latitude among smaller student groups. And exceptions will be made for those with sensory complications or other issues which make wearing masks or face coverings challenging.

-- Austin Walsh

Schooling Solutions - What will CNY schools look like in the fall?

-- CNYcentral New York: May 27, 2020 [ abstract]

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — For almost all of us, it was the most routine part of the day. Get up, get dressed, get on the school bus and off to a day of classes with friends, gossip at the lunch table and recess out on the jungle gym. Now that school day schedule is as big a question as anything we are facing in this pandemic. And with the education of our future leaders on the line, our children, it is imperative that this problem is solved the right way. For a lot of school leaders, that starts with a framework of how to re-envision the school day with the Health of students and staff at the forefront. That guidance has been slow coming. Just last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued some guidelines for schools to consider. It advised closing communal spaces like cafeterias if possible, cleaning frequently touched surfaces, modifying classroom layouts, and having students and teachers wear masks when possible. But the CDC also noted that there are exceptions to many of these things as each school district and each student is different. Those guidelines have a lot of leeway, and that is leaving both primary school districts and colleges across Upstate New York coming up with ideas and more ideas, hoping they will have it right by the fall.

-- Megan Coleman

Colorado Schools May Open For 2020-2021 With These ‘Hybrid’ Models, Limiting Number Of Students On Campus

-- CPR News Colorado: May 26, 2020 [ abstract]

State officials gave an early look Tuesday at how Colorado’s 900,000 students can return to school in the fall. Schools closed in mid-March as a result of the highly contagious novel coronavirus. When they open for the 2020-2021 schoolyear, Colorado schools will likely run in a “hybrid” fashion that limits the number of students at school at any one time and eliminates large social gatherings. Districts who have released initial plans say recess will involve social distancing and hallways may be one-way only. The "toolkit," developed with school leaders and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, includes recommendations for symptom screening, isolation of those with symptoms, and those who test positive as well as quarantine for those who may have been exposed. There are steps as well for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, supporting and encouraging hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. Schools would be required to shut down if there is an outbreak of COVID-19. Under CDC rules, schools would have to arrange desks six feet apart. “We know that the context could be very different across diverse communities,” said associate commissioner Rhonda Haniford. “So we do urge districts to work closely with their local Health departments to fine-tune their own plans controls.” The toolkit recommends that districts consider grouping students to have recess together, eat together and have passing time together. Teachers could move between classes -- instead of students -- to reduce contact with other students and slow the spread of COVID-19.

-- Jenny Brundin

Local high schools plan for reopening of facilities

-- Mail Tribune Oregon: May 23, 2020 [ abstract]

As Jackson County moves through a phase one reopening of the state amid the coronavirus pandemic, local schools are doing their best to take proper action toward making their facilities available again for sports despite a cloud of uncertainty. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) recently clarified that a directive from Gov. Kate Brown, in conjunction with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), that school facilities remain closed through June 30 should be interpreted to mean that those facilities are closed through the end of the school year for each institution. As a result, that means that any school that chooses may open its sports facilities beginning the following weekday so long as they abide by phase one mandates, especially Health screenings, 6 feet of social distancing and a maximum group size of 25. “The biggest thing for us is we really are excited to be able to get kids back together,” said Crater High athletic director David Heard, “and I think the kids are excited to get out of the house.” “The excitement is we can start talking to kids again and meeting with kids, even if it’s in small groups,” he added. “I feel like it’s an important step for kids and coaches for their mental and emotional Health, too. They miss each other and miss being a part of a team and doing things together, so I think they’re super excited about reconnecting.”

-- Kris Henry

Reopening America’s Schools and the Privilege of Opting Out

-- U.S. News & World Report National: May 23, 2020 [ abstract]

IF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC schools physically open in the fall, there is a good chance Maritza Guridy won't send her children.
"This side of Pennsylvania is still in the red,"' says the mother of two 4-year-olds, a 6-year-old and a 15-year-old. "We don't know when we are going to be out of the red. If the schools open up too soon, these children will be out here exposing each other. I'm terrified."
"We live in a part of the city where people are not abiding by social distancing," she says. "It's very scary. I would rather keep my children home for a year and get my teaching degree if needed than send them into a dangerous situation."
Guridy, whose husband is a clinical case manager for people struggling with drug and alcohol abuse, put her career aside two years ago to care full time for her family. She recognizes that if schools do open this fall, most parents in her neighborhood won't have the option she currently has to keep her children home.
"Their children have to be taken care of as well," she says. "Who can speak for them? Who can help them?"
Guridy is hardly alone. New polling from the National Parents Union shows that two-thirds of parents want schools to remain closed until it is certain that there is no Health risk, even if it means students falling further behind academically.
The mounting resistance from parents, especially in places where community spread of the virus is still a daily threat, comes as President Donald Trump, who sees opening schools as the key to jump-starting the economy, pressures governors to swing classroom doors open wide.
"I think you should absolutely open the schools," he said last week, countering Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease expert, who warned members of Congress about the hazards associated with opening schools too soon, especially with so much still unknown about the new inflammatory disease affecting children infected with COVID-19.
Now, as the academic year winds down and state and local education officials begin thinking about what school will look like come fall, many are staring down a new face of education inequality: the privilege of keeping children home.

-- Lauren Camera

Orange parents, school staff split on campuses reopening, early survey results show

-- Orlando Sentinel Florida: May 22, 2020 [ abstract]

Orange County public school parents and employees are divided on whether campuses should reopen for the new school year or schools should continue “distance learning,” but the biggest group prefers something other than a traditional, in-person school schedule, according to preliminary results.
About 41 percent of parents preferred that “distance learning” continue for the 2020-21 school year or that schools adopt a “blended” model where students might spend some time doing online lessons and some time on campus, Superintendent Barbara Jenkins said at a Thursday evening Orange County School Board meeting.
Those parents were split 24% to 17% on the “blended” versus “distance learning” choice. The survey also showed 38% of parents wanted campuses reopened with “Health and safety rules” in place and 21% percent weren’t sure.
For staff, 50 percent preferred either “distance learning” (22%) or the “blended” model (28%), while 33% wanted schools to reopen and 17% weren’t sure.
The school district Tuesday used a telephone survey to gauge both parent and employees views about how school should look when the new year starts. The survey continued Thursday night and Friday morning and then final results would be tabulated, Jenkins said, to catch families who reported they did not receive a call Tuesday night or were not able to answer their phones then.
The survey results aren’t scientific, she said, nor are they a vote to determine what will happen. “It’s simply trying to gauge where our community is,” she told the school board during the video conference meeting.

-- LESLIE POSTAL

Here is exactly what the CDC wants schools and camps to do before reopening

-- Washington Post National: May 21, 2020 [ abstract]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has finally issued full interim guidance on how schools and other establishments can safely open during the covid-19 pandemic, and below are all the recommendations for schools and camps. They are detailed but worth reading to see the level of care CDC experts want school officials to consider before reopening campuses.
Last week, the CDC released short “decision trees” in six areas but held off on this more detailed version because that is all the Trump administration would allow the country’s premier Health agency to do then. The CDC later published the extensive set of guidelines on its website without announcing the move.
President Trump has repeatedly urged states to allow businesses and other sectors of the economy and civic life to reopen and has mocked calls by experts such as Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to go slowly so as not to spark a surge in novel coronavirus cases.
The new extended guidance covers reopening schools, child-care facilities, restaurants and mass transit, as explained in this Washington Post story. You can also read the entire set of guidelines at the bottom of this post.
The CDC made clear that opening many institutions should be guided by the transmission rates of the novel coronavirus in each community.
Here’s what the CDC issued for schools and camps, complete with every link the agency provided.

-- Valerie Strauss

Distant Desks And Disinfect: CDC Guidelines For Reopening Schools

-- Patch New York: May 20, 2020 [ abstract]

NEW YORK, NY — Federal Health officials have released recommendations for reopening schools amid the coronavirus outbreak, including keeping desks 6 feet apart, canceling field trips, shuttering cafeterias, and intensifying disinfection of everything from door handles to drinking fountains. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week unveiled a gradual three-step system and numerous tips and tricks for schools that are preparing to reopen. The suggestions were included as part of a broader reopening roadmap, a 60-page document titled, "CDC Activities and Initiatives Supporting the COVID-19 Response and the President's Plan for Opening America Up Again." Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered New York school buildings closed to students for the remainder of the school year. All nonessential state workers were also told not to come to work through May 31.

-- Daniel Hampton

Europe learning the dangers of going back to school after coronavirus

-- Politico International: May 20, 2020 [ abstract]

Europe has two problems when it comes to reopening schools.
First, there's weighing the risks of opening the gates again against the potential damage done by keeping them closed, whether to economic recovery or mental Health. Even more challenging may be convincing anxious parents that now is the time to send their children back to school.
As Europe counts the cost of nearly four months of the coronavirus pandemic, governments are having to make the call.

It’s “one of the most difficult things” for policymakers, said Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. “It’s an impossible balancing task."
With no easy answers, Europe hasn’t been able to settle on a consistent approach. Germany began reopening schools in April, with older students returning first. In England, it's the opposite, with primary schools poised to begin reopening in June.
In Belgium this week, those in the final years of primary and secondary school began to return to school. Italy and Spain, on the other hand, are treading much more cautiously and only reopening schools in September.
To complicate matters, parents aren’t always on board with their government’s plans. Over 500,000 Britons have signed a petition calling for the right to opt out of sending their children back to school. In Denmark, when schools began to reopen in April, some parents kept their children at home, saying they didn't want them to be “guinea pigs,” Reuters reported.
And it’s not just the children who need to be considered.

-- ASHLEIGH FURLONG

Most California school districts plan to open in the fall. Here’s how it would work

-- Los Angeles Times California: May 20, 2020 [ abstract]

Most public school districts in California are planning to reopen campuses on their regular start dates in late August and September — but the new normal amid the coronavirus outbreak will likely include masks, daily school sanitation and smaller class sizes to maintain six feet of distance, state Supt. of Instruction Tony Thurmond said Wednesday.
Also, some school districts will likely offer a combination of in-person and distance learning, something parents have asked for, Thurmond said.
But the new safety accommodations will require more funding, Thurmond said during a news conference Wednesday, almost a week after the governor’s May budget revise slashed about $19 billion from schools over the next two years.
“We believe that our school districts cannot reopen safely if they have to implement these kinds of cuts,” Thurmond said, echoing the governor’s plea for additional federal aid for schools. “We need to maintain all that we have in our educational sector, and we’re going to need to be able to do more.”
California schools have been closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus crisis, disrupting the education of 6.1 million students. Educators have scrambled to provide distance learning for students and have attempted to provide computers and internet access to an estimated 1 in 5 students without digital access. However student needs have not been met evenly, especially in small and rural districts and those serving students from low income families.
Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom said schools could physically open as early as July.
Thurmond said the state was not mandating when schools would open and that the state Education Department was working with public Health officials, school leaders and workplace safety experts to compile guidelines for how to do so safely.

-- SONALI KOHLI

South Korean High School Seniors Return to School

-- New York Times International: May 20, 2020 [ abstract]

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean students began returning to school on Wednesday, but not without some hitches, in a possible template for other countries struggling to reopen educational facilities. Hundreds of thousands of high school seniors across South Korea entered their schools after having their temperatures checked and rubbing their hands with sanitizer — familiar measures amid the coronavirus pandemic. Students and teachers are required to wear masks, and some schools have installed plastic partitions at each student’s desk, according to the Education Ministry. Only high school seniors returned on Wednesday. Younger students are scheduled to return to school in phased steps by June 8. In a reminder that getting back to normalcy won’t be easy, students in some schools near Seoul were asked to return home in the morning after two students were found to have contracted the coronavirus. Earlier Wednesday, Health authorities also reported 32 new cases in South Korea for a total of 11,110, the first time the daily jump has been above 30 in more than a week.

-- The Associated Press

Spokane Public Schools creates task force to consider challenges to reopening schools in the fall

-- The Spokesman-Review Washington: May 20, 2020 [ abstract]

Spokane Public Schools is taking its first steps toward envisioning what education will look like this fall – no matter where it takes place.
The district is assembling a task force that will address several major challenges, including curriculum, assessments, coordination of online platforms, special education and extracurricular activities, district staff told the Spokane School Board on Wednesday night.
That work will happen concurrently at the state level, but Spokane Superintendent Shelley Redinger said the district doesn’t want to get ahead of the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
“We want to do it in parallel,” said Redinger, who also noted that guidance from state and local Health officials “will determine a lot” of how the district proceeds.
For example, Associate Superintendent Mark Anderson pointed out that directives on social distancing may affect how in-school lessons are delivered.
District officials acknowledged that they’re dealing with many uncertainties but need to move forward and plan for instruction online, in-person or a combination of both.
Associate Superintendent Adam Swinyard laid out some broad plans for the fall.
“We’re still in the process of developing the composition and the structure (of the committees),” he said. Topics will include an elementary school assessment plan and a closer look at coordinating various online learning platforms.
The district has almost finalized plans for closing and cleaning its buildings and allowing students to retrieve belongs left behind when schools closed on March 16.
“We are starting putting together a structure for a restart,” Anderson said. “But the in meantime, we are working with administrators for closing schools.
Anderson said families of elementary school students will be able to pick up belongings from June 15 to June 19.
Middle school and high school students – “a few at a time,” Anderson said – will be allowed to clean out lockers from June 5 through June 19.
During that time, Anderson said, teachers will prepare their classrooms for deep cleaning.

-- Jim Allen

Ohio’s draft plan to reopen schools includes social distancing, face masks

-- WDTN Ohio: May 19, 2020 [ abstract]

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — An unofficial plan released by the Ohio Department of Education lays out what school may look like for K-12 students this fall. “We’re going to have to be so flexible to get what the parents want,” said Lisa Woods, member of the state board of education. The drafted plan outlines the educational, social, and Health and safety guidelines required to reopen schools. It includes social distancing and a requirement that everyone on school grounds and using school transportation wear face masks. Dayton Public Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli was one of 9 superintendents across the state to work on the plan. She says the changes proposed are necessary to help everyone learn and stay safe at the same time.

-- Kiona Dyches

Six urban California districts say proposed budget cuts will set back restarting school

-- EdSource California: May 19, 2020 [ abstract]

Los Angeles Unified and five other urban California school districts collectively enrolling about 1 million students warned Monday that “unrealistic” funding cuts proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in his revised budget would force them to delay reopening of schools this fall.
“Reopening our school campuses will require more — not fewer — resources to ensure and sustain proper implementation of public Health guidance and the safety of all of those involved. Cuts will mean that the reopening of schools will be delayed even after State guidance and clearance from public Health officials is given,” superintendents of the districts wrote in a three-page letter, dated May 18, to legislative leaders.
The letter comes less than a week after Newsom released his May budget revision that would cut funding for school districts by about $7 billion. That proposal includes a cut of $6.5 billion in general funding through the Local Control Funding Formula, which directs additional funding to high-needs students — low-income, foster and homeless students and English learners. That 10% reduction would be the first cut in the formula since its passage seven years ago. Signing the letter were superintendents of the state’s three largest districts, Austin Beutner, L.A. Unified; Cindy Marten, San Diego Unified and Christopher Steinhauser, Long Beach Unified, as well as Vincent Matthews, San Francisco Unified; Kyla Johnson-Trammel, Oakland Unified; and Jorge Aguilar, Sacramento City Unified.

-- JOHN FENSTERWALD

Where things stand with high school sports in all 50 states amid pandemic

-- Maxpreps National: May 19, 2020 [ abstract]

There appears to be a break. The same day the National Federation of State High School Associations offered a 16-page guide to help states with the possible reopening of athletics, Texas announced today a couple plans to start football conditioning in early June. This comes after Louisiana and Indiana had already rolled out more summer conditioning dates last week. With all but a handful of state associations forced to cancel basketball championships, and then all 51 dropped the spring season due to the coronavirus pandemic, the focus now for all administrators, Health officials, student-athletes, parents and high school sports fans is clearly on summer conditioning, the fall and the entire 2020-21 sports campaign. Here are state-by-state thumbnail updates moving into the coming months. Alabama — In its latest COVID-19 update, the Alabama High School Athletic Association is still working on contingency plans for the summer and fall. It was encouraged by the comments of Alabama State Department of Education Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey, who said last week that he is "hopeful" schools will reopen campuses on June 8 and start the 2020-21 school year as planned. Updates: www.ahsaa.com. Alaska — The Alaska School Athletic Association has opened up its "out of season" and "open facility" policies starting June 1, however coaches must have the approval of their school district and operate "any activities in accordance with all local and state Health mandates." Updates: www.asaa.org. Arizona — There's been no major announcements since the Arizona Interscholastic Association canceled the spring season on March 30, though conference realignment for 2020-22 was introduced last week. In an April Q&A with azpreps365.com, AIA Executive Director David Hines said "At this point, the fall timeline has not been shifted." Updates: www.aiaonline.org. Arkansas — High school sports are still suspended in the Razorback State, but according to arkansasonline.com, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences issued guidelines last week advising schools on how to proceed with the pandemic when play resumes. Speculation is high school activities will resume on June 1, but that depends on Gov. Asa Hutchinson and his medical team. Updates: www.ahsaa.org. California — With every county in the state given different COVID-19 reopening orders, the California Interscholastic Federation (www.cifstate.org) has many challenges. Said Executive Director Ron Nocetti: "We're taking cues from the governor's office, the California Department of Education and state and local public Health departments. Believe me when I say the CIF and all 10 of our sections are working on contingency plans considering every possibility. Once we have a date when we can go, we'll roll out the plan of action." Updates: www.cifstate.org.

-- Mitch Stephens

Coronavirus flare-ups force France to re-close some schools

-- CBS News National: May 18, 2020 [ abstract]

Paris — Just one week after a third of French schoolchildren went back to school in an easing ofthe coronavirus lockdown, there's been a worrying flareup of about 70 COVID-19 cases linked to schools. Some schools were opened last week and a further 150,000 junior high students went back to the classroom Monday as further restrictions were loosened by the government. The move initially spelled relief: the end of homeschooling for many hundreds of thousands of exhausted French parents, many whom were also working from home. But French Education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer sounded the alarm Monday, telling French radio RTL that the return has put some children in new danger of contamination. He said the affected schools are being closed immediately. French media reported that seven schools in northern France were closed. The situation highlights the precarious situation the French government is finding itself in as it seeks both to reassure the public that the country is moving forward past coronavirus and to react prudently to safeguard public Health.

-- Staff Writer

Here’s What Designers and Architects Anticipate Schools Will Look Like in the Fall and After COVID-19

-- Spaces4learning National: May 18, 2020 [ abstract]

With the school year ending soon, schools across the country are looking ahead to the fall. The CDC recently released a one-page checklist for administrators to consider when reopening schools that include screening students and staff upon their arrival, increasing cleaning and disinfecting throughout facilities, social distancing, promoting regular hand washing and employees wearing face coverings.
These guidelines, along with input from state and local Health officials, will impact the learning environment moving forward. We asked designers and architects from across the country what they anticipate classrooms will look like in the fall if they were to reopen, how the coronavirus will impact school design in the long-term, and suggestions on design concepts schools can implement right away to help with social distancing in facilities. Their answers offer insight to available design options and possibilities that can help school leaders plan and make the best decisions for their students and staff.
What changes do you anticipate schools making in terms of classroom design in the fall?
“Within classrooms, there may be a need to create physical distance by making operational decisions such as staggering the number of students within the physical space. Perhaps by deploying remote learning tools and strategies, students can join the classroom instruction from another location within the school building.” — James E. LaPosta Jr., Principal, Chief Architectural Officer at JCJ Architecture

-- Yvonne Marquez

Reopening schools: When, where and how?

-- World Bank National: May 18, 2020 [ abstract]

It has been around two months since schools closed in more than 190 countries, affecting 1.57 billion children and youth - 90% of the world’s student population. Closures happened in quick succession as a measure to contain the Covid-19 virus. Just as speedily, governments deployed measures for learning to continue through platforms, television and radio in what has been the most far-reaching experiment in the history of education. But when it comes to reopening schools, the tempo is far more uncertain. According to UNESCO data, 100 countries have not yet announced a date for schools to reopen, 65 have plans for partial or full reopening, while 32 will end the academic year online. For 890 million students however, the school calendar has never been so undefined. When and how to reopen schools is one of the toughest and most sensitive decisions on political agendas today. Is it safe to reopen schools or is there a risk of reigniting infections? What are the consequences to children’s mental Health and to the social development of young children? Are students engaged in remote learning actually learning? And when the time comes, how will schools ensure students return and help learners who have fallen behind during school closures? The decision is complex because the pandemic continues to evolve, and not in linear manner. There is insufficient evidence on risks of transmission. Everywhere, confinement will be lifted gradually, with many question marks on how the process will be managed, to a great extent because there are many characteristics of the virus that we just don’t know. Yet, even with the current uncertainties, governments can anticipate and prepare to reopen schools successfully, putting the necessary safeguards in place.

-- STEFANIA GIANNINIROBERT JENKINSJAIME SAAVEDRA

Johns Hopkins calls for more research to guide school reopening decisions

-- FOX5 News National: May 17, 2020 [ abstract]

BALTIMORE, M.D. (WBFF) -- Will it be safe for students to return to the classroom come fall?
It's a question parents across the country want to know.
A group of researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is making it a priority to find those answers.
In a new report called, "Filling in the Blanks: National Research Needs to Guide Decisions about Reopening Schools in the United States", researchers are calling on the federal government to fund additional studies that look into this. They say there is an urgent need to understand the evidence that would support how students could safely return to school.
"The report calls for a national mandate to prioritize and fund research and in doing that we walk through what's known in the science about kids and COVID and also what other countries are doing right now as they go back to school so that we can learn those lessons," said Dr. Tara Sell, Senior Scholar with Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
Dr. Sell is one of five authors on the new report. She says new research will help answer key questions including:

-- Liz Ortiz

Schools could reopen in the fall with strict social distancing guidelines

-- NorthcentralPA.com Pennsylvania: May 17, 2020 [ abstract]

Harrisburg, Pa. -- Pennsylvania schools got a slightly clearer picture Monday when Education Secretary Pedro Rivera, testifying in a Senate committee hearing, acknowledged schools will need additional aid to respond to all the challenges posed by COVID-19.
The Department of Education released a statement through email, "The Department of Education fully expects students to return to school in the fall in some capacity and is currently developing a plan to help guide schools as they prepare for the new academic year. The Health, wellness and safety of students, staff and communities remains the top priority, and the guidance will be grounded in the science and recommendations from the state Department of Health, current research on school reopenings and stay-at-home orders from the governor’s office. PDE will provide a framework of strategies to assist schools within the coming weeks."

-- Brett Crossley

Whitmer announces process to chart path for reopening of schools

-- WNMU-FM Michigan: May 17, 2020 [ abstract]

LANSING, MI— Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced the creation of the Return to Learning Advisory Council via Executive Order 2020-88, formalizing a process for determining how schools may be able to reopen in the fall.
The panel – which will be comprised of students, parents, frontline educators, administrators and public Health officials – will be tasked with providing the COVID-19 Task Force on Education within the State Emergency Operations Center with recommendations on how to safely, equitably, and efficiently return to school in the Fall. The State of Michigan will also partner with a national nonprofit organization called Opportunity Labs to bring national expertise to this project.
“It’s critical we bring together experts in Health care and education, as well as students, educators, and families to think about how and if it’s possible to safely return to in-person learning in the fall and how to ensure the more than 1.5 million K-12 students across Michigan get the education they need and deserve,” Governor Whitmer said. “This panel will use a data-informed and science-based approach with input from epidemiologists to determine if, when, and how students can return to school this fall and what that will look like.”

-- NICOLE WALTON

Safety guidelines for reopening schools are expected soon, according to state health official

-- The Progressive Pulse North Carolina: May 16, 2020 [ abstract]

They’re the big questions of the day.
What does the timeline look like for deciding when to and how to reopen North Carolina’s public schools?
And when they do reopen, possibly as early as Aug. 17, what will they look like?
What directives will school staffs, parents and students be given about protecting themselves against the contagious and deadly COVID-19?
There are no definitive or answers, for now.
But they’re coming, says Susan Gale Perry, chief deputy of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
“Very, very, very quickly here, within the next week or so, we’re going to have to start getting some clarity on school guidance,” Perry said Thursday, noting that virus data will drive school reopening decisions.
Perry’s remarks were made to the House Select Committee on COVID-19 focused on educational issues.
The committee met remotely with Perry and school leaders to receive an update on the work being done by the Schools Reopening Task Force (SRTF) created to address the challenges of reopening schools.

-- Greg Childress

Miami-Dade County Public Schools Wants Parent Input On Possible Reopening Plans For 2020-2021 School Year

-- CBS Miami Florida: May 15, 2020 [ abstract]

Miami Dade County Public Schools educates nearly 350,000 students. On Friday the parents and guardians of those students received some homework.
Miami-Dade Schools wants them to fill out a survey, weighing in on possible reopening plans for the next school year as society grapples with COVID-19. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said it’s important for the voices of parents and guardians to be heard.
“It is important for us to understand parents expectations, their concerns and certainly understand the unique crisis and challenges they are individually facing,” Carvalho said.
Miami-Dade Schools is studying a number of options for what school might look like in the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.
“We are prepared to teach kids at home,” Carvalho said. “We are prepared to teach kids half time in school and part of the time at home or 100 percent at school.”
In the survey, Miami-Dade County Public Schools wants to know parent’s opinions about the effectiveness of online learning and the effectiveness of cleaning procedures at schools to keep kids safe and Healthy. Miami-Dade Schools also want to know how parents feel about children having their temperatures taken at school, wearing face coverings and eating in the classroom instead of the cafeteria.

-- Carey Codd

Temperature Checks, Isolation Rooms, Closed Playgrounds: Schools Could Look Much Different In A COVID-19 World

-- Capradio California: May 15, 2020 [ abstract]

Going back to campus could be a very different experience for California’s more than 6 million K-12 students once schools eventually reopen. Educators and Health experts say it’s possible campuses will open this fall, but only after measures are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Those could include temperature checks for students and staff upon arrival, adding isolation rooms for sick students, making playgrounds off-limits and even suspending sports and choir groups. “I think social distancing is still going to be required. I do see temperature checks on every student, every day. Even possibly testing of students periodically, as well as the faculty,” said Jeff Freitas, president of the California Federation of Teachers, which represents 120,000 teachers and staff at public and private schools across the state. Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom estimated schools could reopen as early as July or August. A CapRadio reader asked us whether that timeframe was realistic. The answer might vary by region. State and federal Health officials can offer guidance, but individual school districts will ultimately decide when to reopen. In many rural California counties, for example, there are few COVID-19 cases. Freitas said he expects schools could reopen sooner in those areas.

-- Chris Nichols

What Social Distancing Could Look Like At Massachusetts Schools In The Fall

-- CBS Boston Massachusetts: May 15, 2020 [ abstract]

BOSTON (CBS) — Concord mom Kara Lyons is enjoying this extra time with her teenagers, but when it comes to online learning, she and the kids have their limits. “We have our ups and downs like anything,” she said. “Some days are great, some days [the kids] are like, ‘Mom, I can’t look at the screen any more, I have a headache.” Lyons said she has her fingers crossed that her kids, 13-year-old Gunnar and 14-year-old Katlyn, will be able to return to their schools in the fall. “Of course I’m worried about the Health of the kids, but saying that, there are so many other parts, the physical, the mental, they need to be around their peers,” she said. Billerica Superintendent Tim Piwowar is working with a group of educators from around the state, trying to weigh the options and decide what is in the best interest of kids in terms of their education and their Health. “The one thing we know is we really don’t know where we are going to be from a Health perspective in September,” he said. With a vaccine unlikely before September, Piwowar said schools will have to maintain physical distancing. “Which means that we know that it is highly likely that we are going to engage in some sort of remote learning in the fall,” he said.

-- Staff Writer

School districts plan for students to return to classrooms in August

-- KMOV4 Missouri: May 12, 2020 [ abstract]

ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -- School districts across the St Louis region are busy making plans for how to safely return students to classrooms in school building when the 2020/2021 school year begins in late August. But they're finding a monumental amount of safety considerations.
"I think it's fair to say that this is probably the hardest thing we've ever had to do in education. The planning for all the different contingencies is is mind boggling," said Robin Wallin.
Wallin is the director of Health services in the Parkway School District. Wallin is a registered nurse who spent a year at the Centers for Disease Control as a fellow.
Wallin said the district is developing three plans for a return to classrooms in the fall, each with a different level of safety restrictions.
"So we're looking at each, all three of those scenarios, and trying to plan out exactly what school will look like. Given that those particular public Health situations," said Wallin.
Webster Groves superintendent John Simpson told News 4 that educators want to bring students back into the classroom because teachers are much more effective when the instruction is in person.
He said among the many issues to consider are: whether the school year could start with remote learning and transition into the classroom at some point later. He said some of the practical considerations are, whether to remove all drinking fountains and how to take the temperature of 1,400 high schoolers at the start of each school day.
Darren Kieschnick is a parent and former teacher who's concerned about the daunting task facing educators.
"I'm worried about teachers and administration's going to deal with all this stuff," said Kieschnick.

-- Russell Kinsaul

Can Schools Really Reopen Safely?

-- WebMD National: May 11, 2020 [ abstract]

As parts of the United States begin to reopen, two big questions loom for parents -- how quickly can kids get back to school and can it be done safely? Many factors need to be considered and worked out in partnership with local Health departments before individual school districts can open again, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In newly released guidance, the AAP highlighted some of those factors, such as how do you keep kids at a safe distance from each other when in the classroom or on a playground, and when schools will need to shut down again if infection rates rise. "From a Health perspective, the Health of kids and the Health of staff has to be thought through before schools reopen," explained pediatrician Dr. Nathaniel Beers. He's a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Council of School Health, and a pediatrician at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. "But the reality is that not having schools open decreases the ability of parents to return to work. Kids are missing out on education, but schools also provide much more than just education," Beers said. "School is important for a child's development. Many children are reliant on school for free lunch and other meals. Other kids get special education services like speech therapy and occupational therapy. Schools are a real, clear piece of kids' behavioral Health support and community support." Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the National Education Association (NEA), the teachers' labor union, also pointed out that while there are problems with reopening, a closed school causes its own problems. "Teachers may live in areas without good Wi-Fi. A lot of kids don't have access to the technology they need. There have been a lot of problems with consistency and equity, and with who can get a meaningful learning experience. Schools have been creative -- bus drivers might drive their routes to deliver meals to kids, or to provide a Wi-Fi hot spot from a router in the bus," she said.

-- Serena Gordon

School and State Leaders Address How to Reopen Schools

-- NBC Connecticut Connecticut: May 11, 2020 [ abstract]

As the state prepares to reopen some businesses, school officials are also looking at how to reopen schools, colleges and universities and what they will look like in the future to keep students, faculty and staff safe.
A round table discussion was held Monday and several people people in the state's education community took part, sharing information on what is on the minds of school leaders.
One lingering question is what schools will do about graduation with schools still operating online, and Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona said guidance on graduations will be coming.
Cardona said much of the school reopening plan will depend on infection trends in the state and they will need to be flexible. He said plans to reopen will have to be based on what officials learn about the pandemic so not to have to turn around and close again.
Don Williams, the executive director of the Connecticut Education Association, said teachers are eager to get back to school, but it needs to be done the right way. They are concerned about Health and he said class sizes would need to be reduced and the number of students on a bus would also need to be reduced.
Schools have been closed since March and have operated online, but teachers have said distance learning is not a solution for the long-term, Jan Hochadel, president of AFT Connecticut, said.
She said most teachers understand that schools will look different and they are also looking at other states to see what things will look like as they move toward reopening.

-- Staff Writer

Campuses may lack students, but some Napa school workers remain on the job

-- Napa Valley Register California: May 10, 2020 [ abstract]

With 32 campuses, the Napa Valley Unified School District has hundreds of acres of land and property to manage and maintain. And even though school sites are temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the grass still needs to be cut. That’s where operations workers from the NVUSD come in. While Napa teachers and students are sequestered at home doing distance learning, these staffers have remained on the job, mowing, sanitizing, cleaning and otherwise maintaining Napa’s school campuses. “The operations services team are our unsung heroes,” said Michael Pearson, executive director of school planning and construction, maintenance and operations at NVUSD. Most of those workers can’t do their jobs remotely, he noted. “They have to report to work to ensure that the facilities and our equipment continue to operate properly.” It’s no change from any other emergency, such as a flood, earthquake or wildfires, said Pearson. “They have been there willing to do whatever is necessary.” Pearson said he couldn’t give exact numbers, but he oversees more than 200 employees in departments including maintenance, grounds, operations, custodians, food service and transportation. To comply with the public Health order for social distancing, “we are staggering employee shifts, thus limiting the number of employees performing work at a site. All employees are assigned a shift unless they are sick, have an underlying Health condition with a note from a physician and/or over the age of 65. We are also ensuring services are able to be performed within the required six feet of other people and/or safely with protective gear,” he said. Some may question why the district doesn’t simply just let the grass grow. “If we don’t mow the grass, it will get too long and turn to weeds,” and then it becomes a fire hazard, Pearson said. “That’s no good.”

-- Jennifer Huffman

Sen. Bill Cassidy On Reopening Schools: Children Are Paying A High Price At Home

-- NPR National: May 10, 2020 [ abstract]

Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican of Louisiana and also a medical doctor, is thinking a lot about what it will take for schools to reopen. Cassidy sits on the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which will hear from public Health officials this week about how to safely reopen U.S. businesses and schools. Cassidy has proposed "aggressive" testing and contact tracing as part of any reopening. He says the U.S. has enough testing if it's targeted appropriately. For children and schools, it means a "sophisticated strategy." "Children are at low risk for complications and high risk for asymptomatically carrying the disease and spreading it to teachers," he said in an interview Sunday with NPR's Weekend Edition. "So there has to be what I call an 'if-and-then-but' strategy. If they're a child, then they are likely safe. But if they get infected, they can still infect the teacher." Most states, including Louisiana, have been falling short of the recommended number of daily tests needed to reopen schools and businesses, according to estimates from researchers at Harvard.

-- Staff Writer

Advocates urge Newsom to order schools not to permanently close any buildings

-- EdSource California: May 08, 2020 [ abstract]

At a time when officials are looking to reopen schools, but with more distance between students, a group of Health experts, parents, teachers and community members is asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to issue an executive order that would halt any permanent school closings during the pandemic.
The group supports stopping all permanent closures until a COVID-19 vaccine is developed or the threat of spreading the virus is greatly diminished through immunity or effective treatments.
Although most schools are doing distance learning through the end of the school year, six districts — from the San Francisco Bay Area to Southern California — are slated to close or merge at least 16 schools when the school year ends.
Those districts include Pasadena Unified and Oceanside Unified in southern California; and the Evergreen Elementary, Ravenswood Elementary, San Rafael City Elementary and Oakland Unified districts in the Bay Area.
The 16 schools were identified in an analysis of the state’s 30 most densely populated counties by Advancement Project California — a racial justice organization with offices in Los Angeles and Sacramento that focuses on research and advocacy.
“This is a statewide issue affecting thousands of students, unfortunately impacting students of color most of all,” said Chris Ringewald, director of research and data analysis for the organization. “Black and Latinx communities are disproportionately experiencing school closures and mergers at the same time these communities are disproportionately suffering from COVID-19.”

-- THERESA HARRINGTON

Education commissioner weighs in on Nebraska schools potentially opening this fall

-- Omaha World-Herald Nebraska: May 07, 2020 [ abstract]

Some Nebraska schools closed by the pandemic should be able to open in the fall on their scheduled calendar start dates, Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt said Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference with Gov. Pete Ricketts, Blomstedt said opening dates would depend on local Health conditions.
“I do think that there will be areas of the state that will be able to keep pretty much their regular calendar intact, and I think that’s what folks are interested in,” he said. “But we are also asking schools to be very thoughtful about digital and remote learning as we continue down that path.”
He said schools can use summer to help figure out the best practices and policies that would work in the fall, including how to use technology to address learning gaps and continue learning in a disruption.
To assist districts in planning and preparing for a restart, he said, the Nebraska Department of Education has created a website, launchne.com.

-- Joe Dejka

Unlikely schools will open as scheduled in the fall, says superintendent

-- Forest Park Review Illinois: May 07, 2020 [ abstract]

The 2020/2021 school year at District 91 will most likely begin with remote instruction rather than in-person classes, according to a May 7 memo from Superintendent Lou Cavallo in which he discussed Governor J.B. Pritzker's Restore Illinois, the five-phased plan to re-open the state. "The District 91 Board of Education has not yet adopted an official calendar for the 2021 school year. Our initial plan to begin school on August 24 is on hold until we know more about when we will be able to open. It is likely that it will be past that date," said Cavallo. In his memo, Cavallo referenced what needed to happen in Illinois before schools would be allowed to open once more based on Restore Illinois. Restore Illinois is, according to the official document, "guided by Health metrics and with distinct business, education, and recreation activities characterizing each phase. This is an initial framework that will likely be updated as research and science develop and as the potential for treatments or vaccines is realized." In his memo, Cavallo acknowledged the likelihood of students losing academic ground. He said the district is "planning for every contingency" since "school will certainly look different than it did before the pandemic."

-- Maria Maxham

We've Known How To Make Healthier Buildings For Decades

-- The Verge National: May 07, 2020 [ abstract]

People in the United States spend upward of 90 percent of their time indoors — inside homes, apartment buildings, schools, and offices. With the threat of COVID-19 looming over every interaction, those indoor spaces (where the virus spreads more easily) can seem loaded with hidden threats.
Fortunately, scientists already have the tools to make buildings better for people and less hospitable to pathogens like the coronavirus. “The science is decades old on all the benefits that come from Healthy buildings, including infectious disease reduction,” says Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “But these strategies have not been fully deployed in buildings.”
The COVID-19 pandemic may be the stressor that pushes many buildings to adopt Healthy practices, and those benefits could linger long after the outbreak fades. “Once we get in the mindset of using our buildings as a tool we can definitely do things to help in the short term, but also in the long term,” says Anja Jamrozik, a cognitive scientist who studies physical environments. “I do hope that it spurs people to action.”
REDUCING RISK
Much of the information that we have about how to make buildings less hospitable to viruses comes from studies on the ever-present flu. All efforts to create Healthy buildings start with the basics: the people who occupy buildings and carry the virus. During active outbreaks, minimizing the risk of disease spread in office buildings starts with keeping people out of them and having as many people as possible work from home. Next is identifying the bare minimum number of people who have to be physically present in the building and bringing them back in.
Once they’ve dealt with the people, designers can start trying to make the interiors of buildings as safe as possible. One of the most important solutions is increasing the ventilation and filtration of the inside air, says Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg, co-director of the Biology and the Built Environment Center at the University of Oregon. “The idea is diluting the viral contaminant indoors,” he says. Designers should increase the rate at which air inside is replaced with air from the outside, by windows or other systems, and should find ways to filter the inside air to remove dangerous particles. “It’s two major parts,” Van Den Wymelenberg says.

-- Nicole Wetsman

State superintendent says challenges await when students return to class

-- Alabama Political Reporter Alabama: May 05, 2020 [ abstract]

Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey said Tuesday that as public schools plan to reopen for in-person instruction in the fall, school nurses could play a critical role in slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus that shuttered them.
Mackey, speaking with reporters and members of the Alabama House Democratic Caucus in a webinar session Tuesday, said the state’s approximately 1,000 school nurses may be trained as contact tracers, able to help identify those who may have been exposed to the virus and help prevent its spread.
“We’re going to have severe challenges when we come back to school next year,” Mackey said.
House Democrats who opposed returning to Montgomery amid the COVID-19 outbreak to close out this year’s legislative Session instead held the online meeting to discuss the state’s coronavirus crisis with Mackey and other state leaders.
“Right now, what we believe is that probably we’ll be able to open in the fall, but we may be looking at, again, these rolling outbreaks across the state for another year, depending on, as we all know, when a vaccine is widely available,” Mackey said.
To help mitigate outbreaks, Mackey said they’ve offered to have school nurses across the state to be trained to conduct contact tracing, in which they’d contact each person who may have come into contact with a COVID-19-infected person, instruct them on how to monitor for symptoms and suggest self-quarantining.
“Therefore we can take over that vital role for outbreaks that that occur in a school family, rather than public Health having to use their limited resources in schools,” Mackey said. By doing so, he said, the state Department of Health could instead focus on contact tracing for state nursing homes and other areas that may have outbreaks.
Health experts have said that increased testing and contact tracing are critical to getting the virus under control, APR reported on April 27.

-- Eddie Burkhalter

Can California schools put safety measures in place in time to open early? Many district leaders skeptical

-- EdSource California: May 04, 2020 [ abstract]

The unexpected announcement that California schools could resume as early as late July or early August was met with immediate pushback and raised more questions than answers for school districts, teachers and parents.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s suggestion to reopen schools — aimed at mitigating the learning loss resulting from school closures that began in mid-March in response to the coronavirus pandemic — means some schools would start the school year earlier than usual.
There are concerns that schools will not have enough time and funding to stagger school schedules and create social distancing and related Health plans to keep students and staff safe if campuses are reopened in late July or early August.
Reopening schools would be part of the second — and next — of four phases of returning life to normal, Newsom said. He offered no details about how an early start to the school year would work, how it would be paid for or phased in by counties where public Health officials would have the final say on conditions for reopening schools.
Organizations representing school boards and school administrators said their members were caught off guard by Newsom’s announcement, leaving them unprepared for the complaints and questions they received.
“This, by far, generated the biggest reaction of anything the governor has said at his noon press conferences about education,” said Edgar Zazueta, senior director of policy and government relations for the Association of California School Administrators. “People hang on every word the governor says, and though that was not his intent, parents interpreted what he said as a mandate for an early school start, so now we had to respond to a different set of expectations.”

-- DIANA LAMBERT AND JOHN FENSTERWALD

Clark County School District releases phase one of reopening plan

-- Las Vegas Review-Journal Nevada: May 02, 2020 [ abstract]

Clark County School District released phase one of its reopening plan Friday night, including specifics about remote summer school and bringing additional employees back to work.
Phase one won’t begin until Gov. Steve Sisolak lifts the stay-at-home order — currently in effect until May 15, Superintendent Jesus Jara said in a video statement.
“In anticipation of the Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak’s stay-at-home order being lifted, the Clark County School District (CCSD) has developed a phased approach to reopening CCSD facilities,” the school district said in a community FAQ document. “The plan’s focus is on protecting the Health and safety of our employees and students, while slowly completing the tasks required for the long-term operation of our buildings.”
Sisolak announced April 21 that schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year, with distance learning continuing. The last day of school for CCSD campuses is May 20.
All CCSD facilities will remain closed to the general public during phase one, the district said.
The district also announced an extended school year program for students who have a disability, and summer school will be provided through distance education.
Parents who have a child in the extended school program will receive information by mail in late May, the district said in a Saturday post on Twitter.

-- Julie Wootton

COVID-19: Countries around the world are reopening their schools. This is what it looks like

-- World Economic Forum National: May 02, 2020 [ abstract]

Coronavirus lockdown measures have partially or fully closed schools for more than 90% of the world's student population across 186 countries and territories, according to UNESCO.
After closing schools to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, a handful of countries like Denmark and Japan have started reopening them.
New safety measures range from keeping windows open for ventilation to spacing desks six feet apart and resuming classes for students of a certain age.
Here's a look at some countries and provinces that have reopened schools so far.
In late January, China instituted a lockdown for the 11 million residents of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus outbreak originated. Fifteen other cities soon followed, and at its peak, China's quarantine extended to 20 provinces and regions, according to the Wall Street Journal. Due to lockdown measures, some 200 million students transitioned to online learning in February, the Washington Post reported.
On March 18, China reported no new local coronavirus cases for the first time since the outbreak and has gradually lifted restrictions in the weeks since.
While schools in nine mainland provinces had reopened for graduating students as of early April, according to the South China Morning Post, UNESCO's data shows that most schools remain closed in larger regions. High school seniors in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou only just returned to school on April 27 to prepare for their college entrance exams.
BBC reported that China's Ministry of Education is requiring that students have their temperatures checked at school entrances and that they display a "green" code of Health via China's smartphone Health code program.
Taiwan reopened schools on February 25 after extending winter break by ten days.

-- Melissa Wiley

Canada - Are BC Schools Clean Enough to Reopen?

-- The Tyee National: May 01, 2020 [ abstract]

Students shouldn’t be counting on any return to “school as we know it” before September, Premier John Horgan said Wednesday.
And while parents struggling to balance work, childcare and home schooling may be disappointed, for many teachers the news comes as a relief.
Many fear an early return to classes would raise serious Health and safety issues.
“On the scale of one to 10 of teachers’ anxiety, it’s at 100,” said Surrey high school teacher Lizanne Foster, who posted her own concerns about B.C. school cleanliness during the pandemic on Twitter.
“And they’re coming onto Facebook groups and feeding each other’s fears. You’ll have 10 absolute freakout posts, and then one person will say ‘You know, they’re going to make Health and safety the most important thing, they are not going to send us into places that are not Healthy and safe.’ And then we get another 10 freakouts.”
Teachers also fear the burnout some are already experiencing after revamping the entire system to deliver learning remotely — while ensuring their own families are cared for — would be worsened by a return to in-class instruction before the end of June.
It’s a concern BC Teachers’ Federation president Teri Mooring understands.
“Taking more than 600,000 students in B.C. to remote learning has been quite a feat,” she said.
But teachers and students will not be thrown back into the classroom without ample notice and planning, she said.
“It certainly won’t be everyone back on a particular day, just like nothing ever happened. There’s going to be some kind of phased approach taken, because we’re going to have to reduce the overall density in schools.”
Horgan, echoing comments by Education Minister Rob Fleming earlier this week, also said any return would involve “a gradual increase in the number of students.”
Fleming said planning for a possible return to classrooms is focused on “Health and safety protocols, both for staff and students.”

-- Katie Hyslop

Pa. schools expected to reopen in fall, officials say

-- YorkDispatch Pennsylvania: May 01, 2020 [ abstract]

As of Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Education was still planning to see schools reopen in the fall. While decisions on reopening will depend on the Health and safety of students, "at this time, there are no plans to keep schools closed in the 2020/21 school year," said department spokesman Eric Levis in a statement Friday. The statement follows comments by Education Secretary Pedro Rivera to ABC 27 News on Wednesday which offered a more cautious assessment about whether schools throughout Pennsylvania would reopen for the fall term. “We’re going to track the data and we’re going to hope for the best, but unless we can really work towards solving this pandemic and lessening the number of cases, there’s a chance that students may not return to school,” Rivera told the TV news station.

-- Lindsay C VanAsdalan

How will N.J. schools navigate reopening? No one quite knows the answer.

-- NJ.com New Jersey: April 29, 2020 [ abstract]

Gov. Phil Murphy still holds out hope that New Jersey schools will reopen by June.
But if districts are going to resume in-person instruction before the school year ends, classrooms will certainly look different.
The problem is, no one knows exactly what that means.
From staggered schedules and canceled assemblies to mandated masks, schools will be tasked with implementing some form of social distancing as the coronavirus outbreak continues, experts say.
Each school faces a range of challenges to do so, depending on its resources and the number of students. While the state can provide guidance, the burden will fall on administrators, educators and parents in each district to keep kids as safe as possible while they try to return to some semblance of normalcy.
Whether reopening in May or September, schools are laying the groundwork for what could be big changes.
“You have to balance the Health concerns with the education concerns with the societal and economic transition that’s going to be taking place," said David Hespe, a former state education commissioner and an education attorney with Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C. "If folks go back to work, who’s going to take care of their kids if the school’s not open? It’s very difficult to bring these things into sync.”
For now, nothing is certain.

-- Amanda Hoover

Teachers union calls for experts to guide Florida’s school reopening

-- Tampa Bay Times Florida: April 29, 2020 [ abstract]

As Gov. Ron DeSantis prepares to unveil his plans to reopen Florida on Wednesday, the state’s teachers union called on the Department of Education to convene more panels of experts to guide any return to schools.
In a letter to education commissioner Richard Corcoran, Florida Education Association president Fed Ingram urged the creation of two statewide panels — one for K-12 schools and another for colleges and universities — to prepare recommendations for a safe resumption of in-person classes.
He suggested that each committee include large numbers of educators, in addition to school leaders, students and parents. He further proposed that diversity of membership be widened from the governor’s ‘reopen’ efforts, which were heavily white, male and Republican.
The focus, Ingram wrote, should be placed on students and staff Health and safety, but other critical issues such as meeting the specific education needs of all students — in particular those from under-served communities and groups — also should be addressed.
“Time is of the essence,” wrote Ingram, whose organization has received credit for pressuring DeSantis to keep schools closed through the end of the academic year. “Many decisions for the 2020-2021 academic year already are being discussed. Direction must be given soon, and these committees will need time to do the work.”
DeSantis said Tuesday that he expected to present ideas within a day for getting Florida back in business. Several committees met over the past week to prepare recommendations, which he has received but not released.

-- Jeffrey S. Solochek

Masks, staggered schedules, social distancing: When Pa. students return to school, things will look different

-- The Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: April 28, 2020 [ abstract]

Whenever the coronavirus permits Pennsylvania students to return to class, whether it’s September or otherwise, things will look different, Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera said Tuesday.
“We’re planning for the best, but we’re preparing for the worst,” he said.
That could mean masks, smaller class sizes, rethinking school transportation, new ways of delivering children breakfast and lunch, reduced crowds at sporting and arts events, and other things students, teachers, and parents have not seen in the past.
“We’re looking at a hybrid staggered model that addresses not only the academic needs of students but also their Health needs as well, and I would encourage parents to think the same way,” Rivera said in a call with reporters.
“When we return back to school, it will not look like the schools we participated in just over a month ago,” the education secretary said.
Rivera spoke to reporters shortly after President Donald Trump suggested states consider reopening schools, but Gov. Tom Wolf has already ordered all Pennsylvania schools closed through the end of the academic year.
Summer school could also be affected by the pandemic, Rivera said. Under Wolf’s plan for reopening the commonwealth, schools will only be permitted to hold in-person classes when an area is considered in the green zone, with the least amount of restrictions.
While there is a chance that summer learning programs may be able to happen in person, Rivera said, it’s also possible that “students would not be able to congregate and teachers would not be able to show up to school” and other arrangements would have to be made.

-- Kristen A. Graham

School Renovation: Proposed bond taxes will be delayed

-- The Chronicle Oregon: April 28, 2020 [ abstract]

The St. Helens School District Board of Directors has announced that if Measure 5-282 passes during the May 19 election, they have instructed the District to delay the sale of bonds until 2022.
The delay would not impact the proposed construction schedule to the high school, according to a release from the St. Helens School District.
The following is the release from the District.
Bond Package Developed, Referred to Voters
In 2015 when the St. Helens School District held listening sessions throughout the community about the direction they wanted their school district to lead, they were told, among other things, that the Middle School and High School needed to be updated to modern Health, safety and education standards.
“Over the past five years, the St. Helens School District has been planning and working with our community to upgrade these facilities,” Board Chair Bill Amos said. “We have built a new middle school and a new options high school building both of which were built under budget."
For the past year and a half, the District has worked with the community to develop a High School improvement plan that would address Health, safety, building systems and education programs at the facility. In February, the board of directors referred the proposed bond to voters for the May 2020 ballot.

-- Staff Writer

Wisconsin Voters Approve over 90 Percent of Referendums

-- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Wisconsin: April 28, 2020 [ abstract]

Voters across the state emphasized their commitment to Wisconsin students and teachers by approving more than 90 percent of school district referendum questions on the ballot in the recent spring election. Overall, 48 school districts had a total of 57 referendum questions up for vote in the election, which took place on April 7, 2020. Voters approved 52 of those referendums. The additional funding approved by voters will aid school districts in improving mental Health services, increasing access to technology, adding additional resources, help cover rising operating costs, upgrade outdated facilities and other renovation projects, and more.

-- Staff Writer

American Schools Will Look Different When They Reopen: Again Where do we go from here?

-- Heffx National: April 27, 2020 [ abstract]

About 40 US states have closed their schools for the rest of this academic year and turned to remote learning, but federal officials say that having children return to classrooms is a Key priorities for getting the nation back to normal. Many educators and parents have expressed concerns, the biggest of which was voiced by the President of the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union: The Big Q: Is it safe and Healthy for my children to pack them into a classroom? The Big A: Public Health experts and educators polled by NPR, say that certain changes must be made that could alter the landscape of what schools will look like after reopening, they are as follows: Improved Health and hygiene measures. Experts recommend reducing class size to 15 children or less here in the US
Staggered schedules. By reducing class size, schedules would have to be amended.
Adjusting the school calendar. Some options recommended by teachers’ unions is to end the current academic year early and give students Summer instruction.
No assemblies, sports games or parent-teacher conferences.
Remote learning continues. Every expert polled said that the need for remote learning will continue because of staggered schedules, precautions schools must take for future waves of infection, and remedial instruction for many students.
Social and emotional help for children. According to developmental experts the coronavirus has been “an adverse experience” for America’s children. And that mental Health support and the wraparound supports for students is needed when children go back, to help them recover and bring back that safety net of schools.
The experts did not mention home schooling.

-- Paul Ebeling

Virus not stopping Chandler school building projects

-- SanTan Sun News Arizona: April 27, 2020 [ abstract]

The COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped Chandler Unified School District officials from moving ahead with using bond money to finance several new construction projects. During a meeting April 8, the district’s Governing Board authorized spending about $5.3 million in funding from a 2019 voter-approved bond meant to finance a number of capital improvements on Chandler Unified’s 42 school campuses. Though the ongoing public Health crisis has been generating much uncertainty about the future financing of cities and schools, CUSD is finding a way to move forward with a number of projects already budgeted in a $291-million bond passed overwhelmingly by voters last November. Grant Hamill, a financial advisor for Stifel Nicolaus, recently told the Governing Board the national bond market has been plagued by a lack of liquidity that’s resulted in fewer investments and a supply-demand imbalance. But a recent injection of liquidity by the Federal Reserve should improve market conditions in the coming weeks, he added, and restore the confidence of investors. “We do think the market is starting to thaw out a little bit and it’s becoming a little less volatile,” Hamill said.

-- Staff Writer

Widespread testing, contact tracing is needed to reopen LA schools, says superintendent

-- Los Angeles Daily News California: April 27, 2020 [ abstract]

The nation’s second-largest school district will not reopen campuses without widespread coronavirus testing and contact tracing for students and employees, Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner said on Monday, April 27.
The edict came six weeks after the district closed all of its nearly 600 schools and launched remote learning and food aid distribution in hopes of thwarting the spread of COVID-19, alongside stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns.
“We closed school facilities on March 13 so our schools did not become a petri dish and cause the virus to spread in the communities we serve. That has worked. We do not want to reverse that in a hasty return to schools,” said Beutner, echoing overtures of local Health officials.
Beutner called for a “robust” system of testing and contact tracing before schools could even begin reopening. Though details of what reopened schools would look like were not provided, the return would be “a gradual process with a schedule and school day that may be different.”
“Our 75,000-plus employees serve the needs of almost 700,000 students who live with another couple of million people. Will testing be available for all of these individuals and who will pay for it? This is the sort of challenge which lies ahead.”
In the Monday address, Beutner also said the district made gains connecting to students online as the vast majority of teachers completed 10 hours of distance learning training.

-- ARIELLA PLACHTA

Keep it clean: Expert says higher attention to clean rooms, clean air will be key in age of COVID-19

-- Tulsa World National: April 26, 2020 [ abstract]

The COVID-19 pandemic brought people’s attention to better hand-washing habits and covering their mouths when they sneeze or cough.
It should also bring attention to how our homes, schools and businesses are cleaned as well, according to a local indoor air quality expert.
“With COVID-19 it has all hit the fan and we are doing webinars across the country. Tuesday we did one for more than 100 people internationally,” said Richard Shaughnessy, who has been director of the University of Tulsa’s Indoor Air Research Program for more than 25 years.
For more than 10 years, his department’s research has focused on transmittal of illness through contact with bio-contamination on high-touch surfaces with further spread via hand-to-hand and person-to-person contact. They have been inundated with requests for information the past three months, he said.
The International Society for Indoor Air booked a webinar to reach its 40 countries. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Indoor Environments Division wants a webinar to be aimed at schools, he said.
With people sheltered at home and some now returning to the workplace, attention to air quality and cleaning practices should be a high priority in Oklahoma, too, he said.
However, when budgets get tight the first cuts often are made to janitorial staffs. Air inside many buildings recirculates to save on heating or cooling bills. But years’ worth of Health and air-quality studies have shown workplaces sacrifice more in lost productivity and absenteeism than is saved attempting frugality in those ways, he said.

-- Kelly Bostian

Schools reopening could be phased in, says CT education commissioner

-- ctpost Connecticut: April 25, 2020 [ abstract]

A plan to reopen schools in the state on May 20 — and in the fall — will be dictated by safety, Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona said on Thursday.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced two weeks ago the possible reopening of schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic was being pushed back by a month
At the time, Cardona said the reopening date would be re-evalutated as the time gets closer.
“This decision has not been made lightly,” Cardona said at time time.
On Thursday, during Lamont’s daily update, Indra Nooyi, who is helping lead the Connecticut Reopen efforts said says COVID restrictions in the state won't begin loosening until June and continue “to the end of the year.”
What that means for the potential reopening of school on May 20 remains unclear.
Also on Thursday, in an interview, Cardona said several scenarios have been discussed on what the reopening might look like and involve, but that no decisions have yet been made.
“I talked to the governor yesterday about it,” Cardona said. “He is listening to us and of course the Health commissioner about what we need to have ready.”

-- Linda Conner Lambeck

9 Ways Schools Will Look Different When (And If) They Reopen

-- NPR National: April 24, 2020 [ abstract]

Three-quarters of U.S. states have now officially closed their schools for the rest of the academic year. While remote learning continues, summer is a question mark, and attention is already starting to turn to next fall. Recently, governors including California's Gavin Newsom and New York's Andrew Cuomo have started to talk about what school reopening might look like. And a federal government plan for reopening, according to The Washington Post, says that getting kids back in classrooms or other group care is the first priority for getting back to normal. But there are still many more unknowns than guarantees. Among the biggest, says Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union, is this: "Is it safe and Healthy for my kids to pack them into that classroom?" Here are nine key ideas — drawn from interviews with public Health experts, education officials and educators around the country — for what reopening might look like.

-- ANYA KAMENETZ

Balow Says Schools Can Soon Begin Reopening on Limited Basis

-- Cowboy State Daily Wyoming: April 23, 2020 [ abstract]

Wyoming Department of Education Superintendent announced Thursday that Wyoming schools will be able to reopen soon in a limited capacity. During a press conference on Thursday afternoon hosted by Gov. Mark Gordon and State Health Officer Alexia Harrist, Gordon announced his plans to begin gradually scaling back the restrictions on businesses next week. New state Health orders reflecting an easing of some restrictions are to to be issued by April 30. Balow said that the scaling back of restrictions created an opportunity for Wyoming schools to provide limited in-person instruction for certain students, such as those with learning disabilities or other special needs. But, proper social distancing and increased sanitation measures will need to be put in place before in-person learning can happen, even on a limited basis, she said. “Various students will need to enter the school facilities throughout the summer, so we need to discuss how to make that work, and we can start with these special populations,” Balow said.

-- Ellen Fike

School Construction Issues Remain Murky

-- JDSUPRA Pennsylvania: April 22, 2020 [ abstract]

Even with Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announcing today that construction projects can resume May 8, that's still three weeks away. And school districts across the state have been advised to use their “best judgment” when it comes to continuing construction projects that already had been started or were set to start during this time when schools and businesses are closed. Consistently evolving guidance has muddied the issue and the answer is not always clear. It is clear, however, that unplanned work stoppages may cause damage, significant delays in project completion, or otherwise cause school entities to incur additional expense. The Pennsylvania Department of Education released guidance recently urging districts to “use [their] best judgment” in determining whether to continue “critical” construction projects. The department advised that school district construction decisions should appropriately balance public Health and safety, while ensuring safety of critical infrastructure. If school districts continue construction projects, they must ensure that all contractors comply with social distancing and other mitigation efforts. The department also advised that in-person work should be performed on the most limited basis possible.

-- Barley Snyder

West Virginia cancels in-person school for the rest of the academic year

-- WHSV3 West Virginia: April 21, 2020 [ abstract]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ/WHSV) — Students in West Virginia will not return to a typical classroom this school year.
Governor Jim Justice announced Tuesday during his daily news conference that students will continue distance learning until the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
That moves the state's policy on schools in line with Virginia, where Gov. Ralph Northam made the call to cancel in-person school for the remainder of the academic year nearly a month ago on March 23.
West Virginia schools had been closed since March as well, but Gov. Justice had previously set a date for them to reopen this week.
Gov. Justice added on Tuesday that students will return to school next year.
“As educators, we have supported Governor Justice’s goal to reopen school buildings and facilities when it could be done safely for students, educators and staff,” said West Virginia Department of Education Superintendent W. Clayton Burch. “While decisions of this magnitude are never easy, we appreciate that the Governor understands the importance of guarding the Health of the education community, and we thank him for his leadership.”

-- Staff Writer

Gov. Greg Abbott keeps Texas classrooms closed for remainder of school year

-- The Texas Tribune Texas: April 17, 2020 [ abstract]

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday that public and private school classrooms will remain closed for the remainder of the school year to avoid quickening the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
The decision, made with the advice of doctors and Health officials, came alongside a series of executive orders intended to slowly reopen the state economy, relaxing restrictions on retail businesses, doctor's offices and public parks.
"The team of doctors advising us have determined it would be unsafe to allow students to gather at schools for the foreseeable future," Abbott said.
The Texas State Teachers Association applauded a decision that "removes uncertainty for hundreds of Texas communities and, Health experts say, will help slow the spread of the coronavirus. ... Meanwhile, teachers will continue to work with their students to provide lessons and activities — remotely — as they have been doing for several weeks."
TSTA President Noel Candelaria also urged the state to continue fully funding school districts and require them to keep paying hourly workers such as custodians and food service workers.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath will provide school districts more details soon, Abbott said. "[Texas Education Agency] fully supports the governor's actions and continues to work closely with districts across the state to ensure students are getting what they need: meals, dedicated efforts to keep kids feeling safe and connected during these times, and support so students can continue to learn and grow academically," the agency said in a statement.
Until late March, when Abbott ordered schools statewide to shut down until at least May 4, local districts were making their own calls on whether to close.
Early reports of community spread in Texas prompted many school administrators to extend their spring breaks. As more districts closed, educators asked state officials to scrap mandatory statewide academic exams, and began trying to line up laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots to make sure vulnerable students would be able to participate in online schooling.

-- ALIYYA SWABY

Whitehall-Coplay School District approves borrowing $20 million for construction projects bid pre-coronavirus

-- The Morning Call Pennsylvania: April 17, 2020 [ abstract]

The Whitehall-Coplay School District had major construction plans underway before the coronavirus pandemic, and at a virtual meeting this week, the school board voted to move forward on most.
The board approved borrowing $20 million to finance the three projects that were bid and awarded prior to the pandemic: a large-scale high school renovation, improvements to the sports stadium and field house, and a new elementary school for kindergartners and first graders.
That’s the amount need to fulfill the district’s contractual obligations to these projects, which are all in progress, Superintendent Lorie Hackett said.
But the board voted to deem only the first two as “critical construction,” following recently released guidance from the state which allows school districts to decide whether or not to resume projects.
Gov. Tom Wolf’s order on March 19 to halt all non-life-sustaining business, including construction, impacted ongoing school projects. About a week and a half later, the state issued the clarification and said districts would not need to seek a formal exemption.
In its motion to approve the high school and stadium renovations as critical, the board wrote that they are “necessary to the planned continuity of education and the Health and safety of the District’s students, staff, and community.”

-- KAYLA DWYER

Huntington Beach Parents and Activists in Uproar Over Proposal to Close School Serving Many Latino and Low-income Kids

-- Voice of OC California: April 15, 2020 [ abstract]

Huntington Beach school officials could shutter an elementary school with the highest concentration of Latino and English-learning kids in their district to save money. The closure of Joseph R. Perry Elementary would be the latest effort by Huntington Beach City School District officials to tighten their cash-strapped budget and ward off the threat of the district falling into state receivership – a scenario in which the district’s control over the schools would be relinquished to the state, and school board members would fall back into an advisory role. Opponents to the proposal — many of them teachers, parents, and social justice groups – say the closure would deal a discriminatory blow to low-income students and their parents at the school, many of whom speak Spanish as a first language. Perry is one of seven elementary schools in the district, which also counts two middle schools. It’s the second time the school’s fate was thrown into question by officials concerned over low enrollment. Perry was considered for closure once before in 2018, but the district ultimately backed off. The school district Board of Trustees took no action on the new closure proposal at their Tuesday meeting, held virtually on Zoom to abide by Health separation guidelines during the coronavirus emergency. A decision on the closure proposal is expected on April 28 after two public hearings on April 23 and April 27. At Tuesday’s meeting, 103 public comments were submitted by parents, teachers and community members – many of them opposed to the closure. A small volume of those comments were read, and many were submitted in Spanish, which were read aloud by staff to the school board but weren’t translated publicly into English.

-- BRANDON PHO

Glens Falls school district holds off putting $24 million capital project to vote

-- The Post Star New York: April 11, 2020 [ abstract]

The Glens Falls City School District has decided to hold off on proposing a $24 million capital project that involved making upgrades to buildings and improving the athletic field and track. The Glens Falls Board of Education on Monday voted to rescind a resolution passed at last month’s meeting putting the question on the ballot. The project involved work at Big Cross and Jackson Heights elementary schools, Glens Falls Middle School and the district administration building and the athletic field at the high school. The district planned to tap $5.25 million of its fund balance for the project and $250,000 from a capital reserve fund to replace the artificial turf. Superintendent Paul Jenkins recommended that the board delay the project given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “We really don’t have an opportunity to have the public meetings we’ve had in the past when we’ve talked about capital projects,” he said at the meeting, which was held online through videoconferencing. Another factor is state officials have advised against seeking approval for capital projects at this time, according to Jenkins. “School districts should be cautious about capital projects and making sure that they’re only (to address) Health and safety issues; so if there’s a building in disrepair that has to be done, that should be put up for a vote,” he said.

-- Michael Goot

Gov. Jay Inslee extends school building closures for rest of this school year

-- Gazette-Tribune Washington: April 06, 2020 [ abstract]

OLYMPIA – In mid-March, Governor Jay Inslee closed all public and private K–12 schools in Washington state through April 24. Today, he extended that directive and ordered all school buildings to close throughout the remainder of the 2019–20 school year. Gov. Inslee has extended the closure of school buildings, both public and private, until the end of the school year. While students can continue to do school work remotely, it is still up in the air as to whether thousands of senior students will have graduating ceremonies. The governor’s proclamation prohibits in-person instruction through June 19, with exceptions for students with disabilities and English language learners for whom distance learning would present challenges. Facilities remain accessible for limited use, including providing child care and packing take-home meals for students’ families to pick up. All activities must follow Department of Health social distancing guidelines. “This closure is guided by science and is our greatest opportunity to keep our kids, educators and communities safe,” Inslee said at a news conference Monday afternoon. “If there is any opportunity to bring students back for a few days, including graduation ceremonies for our seniors, we will continue to explore that option. That opportunity will be guided by our collective behavior and the success we can achieve with the choices we make today.” Inslee said students’ grades will not suffer as a result of the closure and encouraged them to take advantage of remaining learning opportunities. The governor also asked teachers and administrators to work together on the best path forward for the remainder of the school year.

-- Staff Writer

Union carpenters suspend work on new Durfee High School over coronavirus concerns

-- The Herald News Massachusetts: April 06, 2020 [ abstract]

FALL RIVER — Construction of the new B.M.C. Durfee High School, and at job sites across the state, continued without union carpenters Monday, when members of the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters stopped working over concerns about safety during the coronavirus pandemic. Thomas Flynn, the statewide union’s executive secretary and treasurer, said in a letter dated April 2 and sent to the district that “it has become apparent that working on construction sites in Massachusetts is abnormally dangerous,” and poses an immediate threat to workers and the public as confirmed case counts rise. The union directed all members to stop working, beginning Monday, on all projects except Health facilities needed to address the pandemic until “it is safe to do so,” according to the letter, placing some aspects of construction of the $260 million Elsbree Street school on hold for now, owner’s project manager Adam Keane said. “The carpenters is a big union, and a big part of what we do on projects, so it will suspend some work activity that we’re doing,” said Keane. “But there’s still plenty of work to do.” Keane said construction of the school is scheduled to be completed in May 2021 and as of Monday was still on track to open for students at the start of the 2021-2022 school year. “We’re on schedule at the moment but no one has a crystal ball to say what type of delay this will be. A couple weeks wouldn’t hurt us, a month wouldn’t hurt us,” he said.

-- Amanda Burke

Erie Collegiate construction moves ahead despite virus

-- GoErie.com Pennsylvania: March 31, 2020 [ abstract]

The pandemic has failed to pause construction at the Erie School District. Contractors on Tuesday started working on the $12 million renovation project at the 103-year-old Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, part of the school district’s $80 million plan to repair the infrastructure at most of its 16 school buildings. The statewide school shutdown and Gov. Tom Wolf’s closing of all non-life-sustaining businesses do not prohibit school districts from undertaking construction projects. But the projects must “appropriately balance public Health and safety while ensuring the continued safety of critical infrastructure,” according to the state Department of Education. The Erie School District decided to move ahead with the Collegiate work after determining that it constitutes a “critical construction project” because of “failing infrastructure,” including a concrete promenade and roof that are in disrepair, the school district’s executive director of operations, Neal Brokman, wrote in letter Monday to the project’s general contractor, the Erie-based E.E. Austin & Sons Inc.

-- Ed Palattella

GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT EXTENDS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO CLOSE SCHOOL FACILITIES THROUGH MAY 1

-- East Texas Review Texas: March 31, 2020 [ abstract]

Tyler – Governor Greg Abbott has extended his executive order closing school facilities through Friday, May 1. The Governor originally issued the executive order on March 19 ordering school facilities to close through April 3. The extension aims to assist state and local efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. During this time, Tyler ISD will continue its Distance Learning and Free Curbside Meals programs. During the week of March 23-27, the District saw 135,000 student logins to its online distance learning platforms, as well as an additional number of students completing assignments through printed instructional packets and workbooks. Tyler ISD Food Service has served more than 21,300 meals since March 16. The District will add an additional location starting Monday, April 6, at Dixie Elementary School. Additionally, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is also vital to the Health of students and families during this time. Access to the District’s school counselors is available right now. Students and parents can submit counseling Referral Forms through their campus websites and online SEL resources for students and parents are available at www.tylerisd.org/distancelearning.

Defense Department schools in Japan, South Korea to remain shuttered beyond spring break

-- Stars & Stripes DoDEA: March 30, 2020 [ abstract]

URUMA, Okinawa — Defense Department schools in Japan and South Korea will remain closed beyond spring break and virtual instructions will continue “until further notice” due to ongoing coronavirus concerns, school officials announced Tuesday. “Due to the current Health protection conditions in our communities, we will not be able to resume our normal operations on April 13,” said Lois Rapp, director of the Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific, wrote in a letter Tuesday, a copy of which was obtained by Stars and Stripes. The goal remains for students to meet required standards to move on to their next grade level “and for seniors to graduate as scheduled, whether that accomplishment is celebrated in person or virtually,” Rapp wrote. DODEA schools in South Korea will also remain closed through spring break, and DODEA-Pacific officials will “continue to monitor the environment in coordination with U.S. Forces Korea,” DODEA-Pacific spokeswoman Miranda Ferguson told Stars and Stripes on Tuesday.

-- DAVE ORNAUER

How essential is construction during the coronavirus pandemic?

-- Curbed.com National: March 30, 2020 [ abstract]

The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed life down for millions of Americans, but it hasn’t for Evan Adams, a specialty sports contractor based in Northern California. He currently has five in-progress construction projects, mostly installing school gymnasium floors, that are going full steam ahead due to contractual obligations. In construction, time is money, even during a global Health crisis. “More than anything we need schools to extend deadlines and just slow the pace,” Adams says. “It is not essential to keep going at normal speeds.” The federal government hasn’t issued specific mandates to the construction industry, so states and cities are enacting their own policies. California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on March 19 instructing all residents statewide to stay at home, but he granted exceptions for essential workforce, which includes “construction workers who support the construction, operation, inspection, and maintenance of construction sites and construction projects, including housing construction.” Because of the nature of his projects as a flooring subcontractor, Adams and his team are typically brought in toward the end of a project, when multiple subcontractors are also at work, and everyone is jockeying for space. He offered to pay his workers overtime, out of his own pocket, if they want to come in over the weekend and finish their job when the job site would be empty. “My guys want to do their part, but they don’t want to crawl over everyone at the end of a project,” he says. “They just want to stay home. They have wives that might have immune system issues, they might have older parents at home that they are caring for.” From coast to coast, stay-at-home and social-distancing orders have been issued to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. By the end of last week, 21 state orders took effect, limiting activity to critical infrastructure and services. The list of states and cities telling people to stay home is growing. While some of the essential businesses seem uncontroversial—like hospitals and grocery stores—others fall into a gray area. Construction, which employs over 7 million people nationwide, is one of them.

-- Diana Budds

Lawrence High School construction continues while schools are closed for COVID-19 pandemic

-- LJWorld.com Kansas: March 30, 2020 [ abstract]

Construction at Lawrence High School continued as usual Monday as students began learning from home because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Without students in the hallways of the large high school because of local and state Health orders, the challenge of conducting construction during the school year has become less complicated, said Tony Barron, the school district’s executive director of facilities and operations.
The high school is currently undergoing a $46 million renovation, and it has been allowed to continue its construction progress despite a Douglas County “stay at home” order. A superseding state order began Monday and is scheduled to last until April 19. Prior to the orders, the state had closed K-12 school buildings for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.
Barron said both the county and state orders list construction as “essential” services, allowing the LHS project to continue while many businesses and organizations are closed to the public or shut down completely.
The multi-phase construction project is currently in its third phase, renovating the heart of the school, which includes the areas where math and social studies classrooms were housed. Barron previously told the Journal-World that the third phase was expected to be completed before the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. On Monday, Barron said that is still the case.
“Everything is still on target to meet projected deadlines,” he said in an email to the Journal-World.

-- DYLAN LYSEN

Rutherford County's school funding projects face delays because of 'uncertain times'

-- Daily News Journal Tennessee: March 30, 2020 [ abstract]

Plans to build an elementary school in southeast Rutherford County and an addition at La Vergne Middle by August 2021 may be delayed because of the coronavirus-impacted economy. "We'll take that wait-and-see approach," Rutherford County Schools Director Bill Spurlock said Monday about a week after the County Commission Health & Education Committee postponed votes on his requested projects for August 2021. "In times like we are in currently, we have to look at alternatives." Spurlock said his Board of Education may have to revise the district's $510 million building plan for a district adding over 1,000 students per year and depending on 153 portable classrooms. The plan for 2021 includes a $47.1 million elementary school on the southeast side near Epps Mill Road and Interstate 24 and a $21.4 million addition at La Vergne Middle.

-- Scott Broden

Lockwood school construction continuing, but administrators wary of further shutdowns

-- Billings Gazette Wyoming: March 29, 2020 [ abstract]

Lockwood's new high school under construction is still on schedule to open for next school year. But as the new coronavirus causes sweeping closures, school officials are concerned the Health crisis could affect the building's timeline. Construction workers are considered essential under Montana's stay-at-home order, and construction is continuing, Lockwood superintendent Tobin Novasio said. But the speed of changes to the fabric of American life has made him uneasy. “If we had a two-month shutdown, there’s no way we’re going to be ready to open," he said. He sees potential concerns about construction supply chains that could delay work, or further restrictions that would send workers home, or even a disruption to next year's school schedule.

-- Matt Hoffman

More than $1.6B in school referendums on ballot as COVID-19 pandemic creates economic uncertainty

-- Wisconsin State Journal Wisconsin: March 29, 2020 [ abstract]

As the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has upended daily lives, bringing with it economic uncertainty, voters in 48 Wisconsin school districts — including in two of the state’s largest school systems — will decide next month on referendums totaling more than $1.6 billion. Unlike recent spring elections, when Dane County voters signed off on large school building projects in Sun Prairie, Verona and DeForest, few Dane County residents will see referendums on the ballot in the April 7 election. Madison is contemplating building and operating referendums totaling $350 million in November. But voters in the state’s largest district, Milwaukee, and fifth-largest, Racine, have big asks before them — permanently raising operating funds by up to $87 million and spending up to $1 billion on school projects over the next three decades, respectively. The referendums in districts throughout the state come as thousands of people are out of work and businesses shuttered to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Whether the economic impact of the public Health crisis will hamper the success of school referendums is uncertain. The passage rates of referendums have historically tended to track with the strength of the economy, said Anne Chapman, a senior researcher for Wisconsin Policy Forum. At the height of the Great Recession in 2009, voters approved 45% of school referendum questions, down from 60% in 2006, Chapman said.

-- Logan Wroge

Gov. Brian Kemp closes schools through April 24

-- Forsyth County News Georgia: March 26, 2020 [ abstract]

Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order Thursday, March 26 to close public elementary and secondary schools for in-person instruction through April 24 in the state’s continued effort to address the novel coronavirus pandemic. Under the new order, Forsyth County’s 50,000 public school students, who have been learning online since March 16, would return to school on Monday, April 27. The University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia will remain closed for in-person instruction through the rest of the semester. "I am deeply grateful to State School Superintendent Richard Woods, the Georgia Department of Education, superintendents, and parents for keeping us informed and helping us make the right decision for our students,” Kemp said in a statement. “Throughout this process, we will continue to seek the advice of public Health officials, school leaders, and families to ensure the Health and safety of the educational community. As we approach April 24, 2020, we ask for continued patience and flexibility since circumstances may change, but we encourage families to stay strong and follow the guidance of federal, state, and local leaders in the weeks ahead."

-- Brian Paglia

School construction still scheduled for fall

-- East Oregonian Oregon: March 26, 2020 [ abstract]

HERMISTON — Hermiston School District still intends to start construction of its new schools this fall, despite the economic blow to the country dealt by COVID-19. In a statement on Thursday, the district touted the jobs the projects will bring, paid for by the $82.7 million bond voters passed in November 2019 and a $6.7 million grant from the Oregon Department of Education. Superintendent Tricia Mooney said the statement was not intended to downplay the district’s concern over the public Health crisis, and the district’s primary focus was still the well-being of its students, staff and community. “However, the Hermiston community has a track record of working together for the common good,” she said. “This community will emerge from this crisis stronger, and the District is fully intending to leverage the valuable role of the bond projects to deliver on the commitment to the common good.”

-- Jade McDowell

HIDOE: Hawaii school facilities to remain closed until April 30

-- Hawaii Business Journal Hawaii: March 25, 2020 [ abstract]

All school facilities within the Hawaii State Department of Education system will remain closed to students until April 30, officials with the DOE announced Tuesday, following stay at home mandates from several Island county mayors and Gov. David Ige. Until then, traditional, in-school instruction is on hold until schools reopen. Teachers will telecommute, providing distance learning. The DOE has also created an online resource guide for parents to aid in their child's education. During the extended closure of HIDOE's campuses, more than 40 Hawaii public schools will be providing breakfast and lunch to children who are 18 years or younger. Parents can review a list of designated schools and food pick up times here. “I want to thank each and every one of the Department’s 44,000 employees for working in new ways during these unprecedented times,” Superintendent Christina Kishimoto said in a statement. “These are uncertain and anxious circumstances for everyone in our communities and we sincerely appreciate your patience as our response to this Health crisis continues to evolve and we make the needed adjustments for Health and safety.”

-- Olivia Peterkin

FCC: Schools and libraries may open their Wi-Fi networks for public use during closures

-- KRCR National: March 23, 2020 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Communications Commission confirmed Monday, March 23 that schools and libraries closed due to the coronavirus pandemic may open their Wi-Fi networks for public use. The announcement would allow schools and libraries to provide connectivity to their communities without fear of losing their E-rate funding, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition said in a press release. "We leave it to individual schools and libraries to establish their own policies regarding use of their Wi-Fi networks during closures, including hours of use, and we remind all parties that Health and well-being are paramount and to follow any applicable Health and safety guidelines, including those on social distancing, as may be set out by relevant federal, state, local, and Tribal authorities," the FCC said in a public notice.

-- LISA LIBRENJAK

List: Employees who are considered essential workers during Ohio's stay-at-home order - Includes School Construction

-- abc6 Ohio: March 23, 2020 [ abstract]

Columbus, Ohio — Governor Mike DeWine and Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health, issued a stay at home order that goes into effect Monday night.
The order, signed on Sunday afternoon, identifies essential businesses for the state and society in Ohio and declares that all other non-essential business must cease as of 11:59 p.m.
Essential businesses as defined by the Department of Homeland Security were exempted from Sunday's order.
Outside of the individuals who work in the Health care industry such as nurses, doctors, and pharmacies, as well as those who work in law enforcement, the following individuals who work in fields that are considered essential workers, are listed as follows:

-- Falycia Campbell

Coronavirus: Satellite shelter opens at North High School, Worcester has plan to keep homeless population healthy during

-- Mass Live Massachusetts: March 20, 2020 [ abstract]

One of several new satellite shelters for Worcester’s homeless population is opening, with a plan in place to keep people safe as the city and state continue to see new cases of COVID-19, a disease caused by a new coronavirus.
A shelter at North High School is opening Friday, in partnership between the city and Richie Gonzalez, of Net of Compassion, which operates the shelter Hotel Grace. For its opening at 4 p.m., a group of 25 people will be picked up outside St. John’s Church on Temple Street and brought over to the high school.
The group will first need to register and be screened to come inside the shelter, city officials explained from the school’s gymnasium on Friday afternoon.
Inside the gym, space is ready to house those in need of shelter. There’s an area for men with 20 beds and an area for women with five beds. That area is strictly for sleeping. In a separate room, there is space for people to eat during the day, watch TV and play games.
During the day, Gonzalez and his staff will provide meals and clean the shelter. The Worcester Public Schools will provide three shifts of custodians who will help clean the area, according to Rob Pezzella, the WPS school safety director.
Breakfast and lunch will be delivered from the Worcester Public Schools school nutrition department, which is also delivering meals on wheels to students in some neighborhoods, Pezzella said. In the evening, meals will be delivered from donations in the community.

-- Melissa Hanson

Area schools respond to COVID-19

-- Messenger Alabama: March 19, 2020 [ abstract]

Following Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s declaration of a state of emergency in regard to the impending Coronavirus (COVID-19), all K-12 public schools throughout the state closed on March 18 in the hopes of reopening on April 6. During the closures, local administrators and staff are dedicating themselves to ensuring Etowah County students remain safe without compromising their Health or education. Attalla City Schools implemented closures on Tuesday, March 17. Parents of students with medications at school were encouraged to contact their school nurses to arrange for pick-ups if their child’s medication was needed at home. Attalla City Schools Superintendent Jeff Colegrove assured community members that Attalla City Schools will provide meal kits to all children 18 years old and younger. On Thursday, March 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., meal kit pick-ups were available. A drive-through pick up occurred at the Etowah Middle School lunchroom where parents and children received meal kits on a first-come, first-serve basis. “We value the Health and well-being of our students,” said Colegrove. “Our first priority as a school district is to provide a safe, Healthy environment for your child to learn.” Beginning Wednesday, March 18, all Attalla City Schools athletics and extracurricular activities will be cancelled. During this time, no contests, weight training, conditioning, practices or any related activities will be conducted. Activities and athletics will resume Monday, April 6. Etowah High School rescheduled its prom to an unspecified date in May. Effective immediately and through April 30, all field trips are cancelled. While some field trips will be rescheduled and others will not, parents and students are encouraged to contact their local school administrator and teachers that are conducting the field trips for specific details.
Colegrove stated that during the absence, schools may send home packets or implement online activities to assist with the learning process, but all at-home work is optional and no school work is required. Parents are urged to ensure their children remain engaged in some form of learning during the closure period.

-- Katie Bohannon

Every public and private school in Illinois is closed because of the coronavirus. Here’s what you need to know.

-- Chicago Tribune Illinois: March 19, 2020 [ abstract]

Efforts to slow the spread of the new coronavirus mean every public and private school in Illinois is closing Tuesday, if it hasn’t already.
How long will schools be closed?
Chicago Public Schools will remain closed through April 20, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Thursday.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order closes all kindergarten through 12th grade schools — public and private — “for educational purposes” from March 17 through March 30, with students returning to classes March 31. Some individual districts, and some other states, have chosen to keep schools closed longer than that.
It’s possible that the Illinois statewide shutdown could be extended. State officials have said that future decisions about statewide closures will be made “in consultation with public Health officials.”
For CPS, it’s the second shutdown this school year, following an 11-day teachers strike in October.
[The latest] Health officials, leaders warn world is entering critical period to slow coronavirus spread: ‘We can change the trajectory’ »
There are a few small exceptions to the shutdown: Schools operated by the Illinois State Board of Education or the state’s human services or juvenile justice departments are exempt from the order if they “exercise the necessary precautions to protect the Health and safety of students and staff."

-- HANNAH LEONE

Gov. Abbott declares public health disaster, orders all Texas schools closed

-- KFLD Texas: March 19, 2020 [ abstract]

AUSTIN, Texas — On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order, requiring all bars, gyms, schools, and restaurant dining rooms to shut down, only allowing delivery and take-out services for food establishments, in response to rapidly growing coronavirus cases in the state. The order takes effect 11:59 P.M. Friday and continues until April 3. This comes after several counties and states in the state already issued similar orders. Texas joins more than 20 states with similar orders - including California, Illinois, and New York. "We have to get back to business as usual as quickly as possible. We can only do that by everybody joining with us," Abbott said. "Our collected goal as a state is to make sure that spike levels off." At Thursday's press conference, Abbott mentioned the fact Texas leads the nation in natural disaster declarations, but this response requires a different approach. "The traditional mode we have employed in the State of Texas for such a long time so effectively does not apply to an invisible disease," Abbott said.

-- Christian Flores

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb announces all Indiana schools closed through May 1

-- WSBT Indiana: March 19, 2020 [ abstract]

Indiana's governor gave a coronavirus briefing on Thursday afternoon. One of the biggest announcements was that all Indiana schools will be closed an additional 30 days -- to May 1. In addition to this, Governor Holcomb announced the cancellation of all state standardized testing.
The governor's office issued the following release:
INDIANAPOLIS — Governor Eric J. Holcomb took additional unprecedented actions today to protect and support Hoosiers during the COVID-19 outbreak by signing executive orders that extend the closure of schools, provide economic relief and protections for individuals and businesses, and expand unemployment insurance benefits for those impacted by job loss.
“Every day we learn more about how to tackle this monster. We are being thoughtful about how to approach every action we are taking in this national public Health emergency and putting Hoosiers’ Health and safety first,” said Gov. Holcomb.
Daily COVID-19 testing capacity in Indiana has expanded with the addition of a new partnership between the Indiana State Department of Health and Eli Lilly and Company, and at least one other entity has initiated testing this week. In the past 24 hours, about 200 tests have been completed.

-- Staff Writer

Central Virginia schools extend school closures through mid-April

-- WTVR Virginia: March 18, 2020 [ abstract]

RICHMOND, Va. -- School Districts throughout Central Virginia are extending their closures as the Coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the region. School districts throughout the region announced Wednesday that schools will continue to be closed through mid-April. On March 13, Gov. Ralph Northam ordered that all Virginia public schools close for at least two weeks. But as Virginia's Coronavirus case numbers continue to rise and social-distancing measures increase, many school districts are extending their closures. All school districts are working with the Virginia Department of Health to create food pick-up and delivery centers where students and families can receive meals.

-- Staff Writer

Bill would aid small-school construction

-- Big Country News Washington: March 17, 2020 [ abstract]

OLYMPIA - A bill to help the state’s 150 smallest school districts pay for modernization of their facilities has been approved by the Legislature and sent to the governor. Second Substitute Senate Bill 5572, sponsored by Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, is aimed at small districts that struggle to pass bond issues and levies, “and may be in desperate need for this help,” he said. “Many of our small rural school districts don't have sufficient property value to allow them to access state school construction assistance program financing, sometimes creating an environment with unHealthy conditions for students,” he said. “This bill would create a construction-grant program specifically for our smallest schools and provide them with an avenue to address their needs. It would also provide access to our tribal compact schools, which is important for reducing the educational achievement gap faced by those students.” The program would be for districts and compact schools with 1,000 or fewer enrolled students.

-- Staff Writer

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Extends Statewide School Closures Until April 28 to Stem COVID Spread

-- Canby Now Oregon: March 17, 2020 [ abstract]

Gov. Kate Brown today announced a month-long extension of Oregon’s statewide school closure, which now must remain closed until at least April 28, in a continued effort to stem the spread of coronavirus, or COVID-19. This is an addition to an initial two-week closure of Oregon’s schools that would have ended on March 31. Her new orders and guidance for public schools across Oregon includes that while school facilities are to remain closed until April 28, districts must provide “learning supports and supplemental services to students and families” during the closure, including meals and child care. This includes the delivery of food assistance and offering child care for essential Health care professionals and first responders. School districts may also call on public school educators and employees to deliver limited learning and support services. Gov. Brown is further requiring that each district continue to pay all their regular employees during the closure, and is directing the Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Health Authority and Department of Human Services to support public schools in the continuity of mental Health services. “I do not take the decision to extend school closures lightly,” said Gov. Brown said. “This will have real impacts on Oregon’s students, parents, and educators. But we must act now to flatten the curve and slow the rate of COVID-19 transmission in Oregon, otherwise we face a higher strain on our medical system and greater loss of life to this disease.”

-- Tyler Francke

When will school reopen? No date in sight, and schools struggling to put learning online

-- USA Today National: March 17, 2020 [ abstract]

With at least 70% of America's schools shutting down and a chorus of prominent voices calling to close the rest, millions of parents entered a strange new reality this week: attempting to manage their children's education from the confines of home.
The new landscape of remote work coupled with remote schooling is bizarre and chaotic. And it stands to get worse before it gets better: Districts and states vary wildly in their ability to deliver educational services at a time of social isolation.
President Donald Trump on Monday called for limiting gatherings of people to no more than 10 for the next 15 days and suggested school-age students take classes from home. Although it has not called for all schools to close, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said to avoid crowds of 50 or more people.
Traditional schools that stay open may be technically defying these recommendations. But they lack firm guidelines.
Coronavirus updates:US braces for possible recession as death toll rises; Ohio cancels election
Social distancing:Restrictions could last for months
"Nobody is taking the bull by the horns and saying, 'This is what we're doing or should be doing,' " said Dan Domenech, head of the American Association of School Administrators. "We need more guidance."
On Tuesday, Domenech's group and the CDC scheduled a joint call to offer guidance to school leaders. But 10 minutes before it was scheduled to start, the AASA said the CDC had canceled. Health officials offered no explanation. In a statement, the group of school administrators then blasted the government for the confusion caused by varying recommendations.

-- Erin Richards

Oregon plans for children stuck at home due to COVID-19

-- YakTriNews Oregon: March 14, 2020 [ abstract]

Gov. Kate Brown said Friday that the state will help find childcare for the children of frontline medical workers and first responders as schools statewide are closed for two weeks to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Oregon also obtained a federal waiver Friday to allow districts to serve free and reduced-price lunches to lower-income students outside a school setting, at places such as bus stops, churches and community centers. About half of the 580,000 children in Oregon affected by the two-week closure of all school statewide receive meal subsidies, Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill said. School officials are developing take-out style meals that can be eaten at home and handed out in batches instead of hot meals that are served in schools, he said. As for childcare for doctors and nurses, Brown equated it to a wartime effort to make medical workers available. “I would put this as a World War II-capacity daycare for our public Health workers because we’re going to need every single body we can get,” she said. “These are unprecedented times.”

-- Associated Press

Schools closed in W.Va., Va. as 'measure of caution' against virus

-- Bluefield Daily Telegraph West Virginia: March 14, 2020 [ abstract]

CHARLESTON — Public schools in both West Virginia and Virginia were ordered closed Friday, effective on Monday. Schools are closed indefinitely in West Virginia at least through March 27 in Virginia. Gov. Jim Justice said in a press conference Friday it is a measure of caution in the face of the coronavirus (COVID-19). “This was a very difficult decision but I know in my heart that closing our schools in an effort to protect our kids, our teachers, and all those they come in contact with is the right thing to do,” Justice said. “Now what we have to do is fall back on our superintendent and our education leaders – because they have assured me that they will be ready to take care of our kids who are at risk; to call their homes and check up on them and to find ways to make sure they get fed. Additionally, our Communities In Schools program will play a big role in this effort.” Also citing the danger posed to the elderly population, Justice said it puts everyone in a situation to try to avoid the spread of the virus. Schools are closed to students, but faculty and staff are expected to report to work. Although West Virginia has not yet seen a positive test, Justice said, “Let’s be real. It has to be here. We just haven’t found it yet.” Justice said everything will be done for kids during the closures to make sure they are safe and secure, and the National Guard will do community assessments. He also said there is an obligation to protect teachers. “A lot of our teachers are elderly,” he said. “We have to protect them too. They are our jewels in every way … they do so much for our children.” Justice said it is “too much” to put them in “this arena” of being possibly exposed to the virus in schools. “We need to look after them too.” “It’s a question of, if this thing were to turn really ugly, we could lose 150 elderly people,” he said. “Then how do you look and say, was it really okay not to close schools?” Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., not only agreed with Justice’s decision he also sprang into action and asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to approve West Virginia’s waiver application to provide meals to students during this outbreak so no child will go hungry while schools are closed. “The decision by Governor Justice to close West Virginia schools due to the coronavirus outbreak was the most prudent decision based on the advice we have received from public Health experts, including the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci,” Manchin said. “They have made it clear that the most effective way we can mitigate the spread is to minimize large gatherings and social contact for the immediate future

-- CHARLES BOOTHE

Gov. Brown orders all K-12 schools statewide to close over coronavirus spread

-- KATU2 Oregon: March 13, 2020 [ abstract]

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has ordered all K-12 schools in the state to close from Monday, March 16 through Tuesday, March 31 because of the coronavirus outbreak. Students are expected to return to class Wednesday, April 1. The governor made the announcement in a news release late Thursday night as the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the state rose to 30. The Oregon Health Authority had also announced Thursday night that six new cases of the virus had been confirmed at the Edward C. Allworth Oregon Veterans’ Home in Lebanon. Two cases at the home were announced Wednesday night.

-- Staff Writer

West Virginia Department of Education prepares for coronavirus

-- The Parkersburg News and Sentinel West Virginia: March 12, 2020 [ abstract]

CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Department of Education is actively preparing for the coronavirus, while the search for a new state schools superintendent continues.
Acting Superintendent of Schools Clayton Burch said Wednesday during a coronavirus briefing at the state Capitol that he has been in conference calls daily with the state Department of Health and Human Resources regarding the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
No confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been found in West Virginia, but Burch said schools are being proactive.
“We are monitoring it daily,” Burch said.
The Department of Education issued a memo to all 55 county school superintendents this week. Burch said all county superintendents will be in Charleston Friday to hear a briefing from Bill Crouch, secretary of DHHR, and Dr. Cathy Slemp, the state Health officer and commissioner of DHHR’s Bureau of Public Health.
“One of the things we’ve been very clear about over the last several weeks is clear and concise information and communication to the 55 districts and the Schools for the Deaf and the Blind,” Burch said. “One of the things Dr. Slemp and I talked about on a few occasions most recently is communication must be concise and it must filter down to the folks who need it — 266,000 children and their families. It’s very important they feel safe in their schools.”
Burch said the department has a webpage at wvde.state.wv.us with the latest information about coronavirus. As of now, no schools have been directed to close down, with superintendents encouraged to stay in close contact with their county Health departments, review plans for infectious diseases, and update emergency communications plans.
Schools have been directed to have custodians clean their schools consistently and diligently, remind employees and students to wash their hands and cover their mouths when they sneeze or cough, and stay home if they’re sick. Department of Education activities and events are continuing on with no cancelations planned. While the department isn’t involved with the individual schedules or school sporting events, no changes have been made.

-- STEVEN ALLEN ADAMS

State Education Department and State Department of Health issue updated guidance to schools regarding novel Coronavirus

-- Binghamton New York: March 10, 2020 [ abstract]

From the State Education Department and State Department of Health: The New York State Education Department and the State Department of Health today issued updated guidance to school and community Health officials regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which includes the requirement for schools to close for 24 hours if a student or staff member attended school prior to being confirmed as a positive COVID-19 patient. The guidance provides an update on measures needed to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak as well as recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions and community containment measures that may be useful to reduce disease transmission in schools including a checklist for schools to assist in planning. NYSED also provided updated guidance to colleges and universities in New York state. All resources for schools related to COVID-19 can be found NYSED’s dedicated website. “As we continue to see an increase in the number of novel coronavirus cases, we must ensure that schools have the information and resources to respond appropriately working in coordination with the state and local Health departments,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. “The Board of Regents and the Department will continue to work with our partners at the state, local and federal level to keep our school leaders informed as this situation continues to evolve so that they can best protect the children of New York State.” “In close consultation with our partners at the New York State Department of Health, we developed this updated guidance for schools across the state to help us ensure the Health and safety of students during this emerging Health concern,” said State Education Department Interim Commissioner Shannon Tahoe. “The measures outlined in the guidance reflect best practices for reducing exposure and transmission of infectious diseases in community settings, such as schools. We will remain in close contact with the Health Department and will update and disseminate additional guidance as necessary.”

-- Staff Writer

Coronavirus means late nights for custodians in Sarasota schools

-- Herald-Tribune Florida: March 03, 2020 [ abstract]

The district will be paying overtime as school maintenance staff work to wipe down surfaces and prevent the virus from spreading.
Custodians will be working overtime as the Sarasota County School District leaders seek to prevent the spread of a virus causing the disease called COVID-19, commonly referred to as the coronavirus.
Jody Dumas, the district’s chief operations officer, told Sarasota School Board members during a meeting Tuesday that district employees are staying late to wipe down surfaces, including door knobs and desktops.
Dumas said the district had worked closely with local, state and federal Health officials on how to keep the community informed.
“It’s business as usual while behind the scenes we are managing the process,” Dumas said.
The district has set up an email address for community members who have concerns about the virus.
Beginning Wednesday, the district will be responding to emails sent to coronavirusinfo@sarasotacountyschools.net. Dumas said most emails will get an automated response with links to helpful sources, but he said the district would use the questions and concerns they receive to keep track of what the community needs to know.
Chuck Henry, a Health officer with the Florida Department of Health Sarasota County, emphasized the need for the district to speak with one voice and to consistently refer concerned parents to authorized sources, like the federal Centers for Disease Control. He encouraged families to take caution but to not overreact.
“Our most important message is trying to remain calm as a community,” Henry said. “If there is illness, we want everyone to stay home and self-isolate.”

-- Ryan McKinnon

As Howard schools’ deferred maintenance price tag surpasses $500M, a bill to help remains up in the air

-- The Baltimore Sun Maryland: March 02, 2020 [ abstract]

For the 623 students who attend Dunloggin Middle School in Ellicott City, there are seven toilets total between four girls bathrooms and 13 urinals and six toilets between four boys bathrooms.
“It’s about 45 girls to one toilet and 52 boys to one toilet,” said Lynn Bolenbaugh, an Ellicott City resident who has a seventh grader at the school.
“I have found that many parents are concerned about [the lack of bathrooms], and I have heard stories about students holding it in all day and then running home to use the restroom,” Bolenbaugh said.
“That is not Healthy.”
Those figures represent the general classroom-area bathrooms available to students daily. It does not include bathrooms in the Health room or gym locker rooms. There are no bathrooms in the portable classrooms.
Dunloggin Middle’s bathroom shortage is one of the many deferred maintenance issues within the Howard County Public School System.

-- JESS NOCERA

Superintendent says school district's experience with air quality is lesson for others

-- NBC 10 Massachusetts: March 02, 2020 [ abstract]

LAKEVILLE, Mass. (WJAR) — When your child gets sick, you probably assume it's a virus, but what if the culprit is their school building?
It's an issue NBC 10 News started looking into after air quality issues were detected at the Freetown-Lakeville Middle School last year.
The issues may have never been discovered if it wasn’t for a parent who spoke up following suspicions that the school building was causing his son’s respiratory illnesses.
Superintendent Richard Medeiros told me they asked the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to conduct air quality testing at the school, which exposed mold and high levels of carbon dioxide, indicating a lack of air flow.
NBC 10 News obtained a copy of the DPH report. It showed in some parts of the building, carbon dioxide levels were two to three times higher than the preferred level. DPH noted that water damaged pipes, stained ceiling tiles and clogged heating vents partially contributed to that issue.
The state gave the district a list of short- and long-term recommendations to help improve air quality. There’s no state law that requires schools to implement recommendations, but Medeiros said they immediately got to work.
"Most of the recommendations in the air quality report we’ve addressed," he said. "We’ve had multiple vendors come in and most of the issues are already taken care of or are close to being taken care of."

-- TAMARA SACHARCZYK

State to check schools' water for lead levels

-- Arkansas Democrat Gazette Arkansas: February 24, 2020 [ abstract]

The Arkansas Department of Education will test for lead in the drinking water of schools and early childhood centers -- the first widespread program of its kind in recent memory -- thanks to a $450,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Schools and day care centers can apply to participate in the program beginning in late March, said Tim Cain, director of the Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation. Bids for the voluntary program will be ranked based on the age group served and the age of the building, Cain said in an email.
Money was provided through a federal lead-testing program established by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, which Congress passed in 2016.
Children are especially vulnerable to the negative Health effects associated with ingesting lead in drinking water. They can include behavioral and learning problems, a lower IQ and slowed growth, according to the EPA. There is no safe level of lead in an individual's blood, the agency says.

-- joseph Flaherty

Students, staff say America's failing school infrastructure is affecting their health

-- DENVER 7 Pennsylvania: February 14, 2020 [ abstract]

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – One of the hidden dangers in schools across America may be the schools themselves. Around the country, students and teachers are reporting, failing and old school infrastructure is affecting their Health. “Earlier this year, one of our teachers, a 26-year veteran, was diagnosed with mesothelioma,” said Jerry Jordan, who is the president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. PFT is a union suing the School District of Philadelphia over the failure to maintain school buildings, and failure to protect teachers and students from potentially cancer-causing asbestos. PFT said it informed the district of potentially dangerous conditions at several schools last year. That include issues of asbestos, mold, rodent infestation and failing HVAC systems. “It’s a responsibility to educate children and educate them in a safe and Healthy environment. That has been ignored over and over again,” said Jerry Jordan. “When the budget season comes around in June, it is just pushed on the back burner every year. Well it is time to stop.” Jennifer Ballard is an elementary school teacher at Thomas M. Pierce in Philadelphia. Late last year, students and teachers were moved out of the school building, because of the discovery of asbestos in the building’s basement. “That was the gym. The kids would walk past it all the time,” said Ballard.

-- Alicia Nieves

Baltimore County schools to use $14.2 million in state funding to address cooling, heating issues

-- The Baltimore Sun Maryland: February 12, 2020 [ abstract]

The Baltimore County Board of Education voted Tuesday night to accept $14.2 million in state funding for temporary air conditioning and heating units at seven public schools, but can’t say if the systems will be installed before temperatures heat up again. “We will try” to install the systems by summer, but “there are so many unknowns at this point, it’d be wrong for me to give an exact date,” said Pete Dixit, executive director of school facilities. The money, disbursed to the school system from Maryland’s Interagency Commission on School Construction’s Healthy School Facility Fund, is matched by $16 million in county funds announced in October to cover the full cost of the vertical temporary air conditioning systems that will be installed at Dulaney, Eastern Technical and Lansdowne high schools, the Western School of Technology, Bedford Elementary School, Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies and Campfield Early Learning Center. Campfield was originally not included in then-$13.4 million funding plan approved by the IAC panel in September. Also part of the plan, two steam boilers will be replaced at Hampton Elementary School.

-- TAYLOR DEVILLE

State school construction needs top $565 million

-- VTDigger Vermont: February 12, 2020 [ abstract]

Since the state put a moratorium on school construction aid a decade ago, Vermont’s preK-12 districts have bonded on their own for local projects to the tune of about $350 million. But that number could more than double in the next couple years as schools begin addressing long-deferred capital needs. An ad-hoc group convened by the Vermont Superintendents Association surveyed school districts and gathered information from the Vermont Bond Bank over the summer to get a statewide picture of planned projects. It found another $565 million in proposed or pending construction coming down the pike. “That was an eye-popping number, I think, for everybody,” David Epstein, a principal at the Burlington architecture firm TruexCullins, told lawmakers in the House Education Committee on Tuesday. And despite dwindling enrollments, administrators often complain that they’re running out of room. That’s in part because some communities are growing, but also because most schools were built before districts became de-facto hubs for a slew of new social service and mental Health services. Epstein noted his own wife, a school-based clinician, had at one point worked with children from inside a gym storage closet. “So while she’s working with the most needy populations, there’s basketballs hitting her door, interrupting the sessions. And that’s the way it is in Vermont schools right now,” he said. Many of the state’s middle and high schools date back to the 1950s and ’60s, when the union school movement swept Vermont. And the most recent wave of school construction was in the late ’80s and ’90s, when the state saw a population boom. But a recent spate of school construction projects has prompted state officials and lawmakers to return to the subject of capital needs. And of particular concern is which communities are – and which communities aren’t – getting bonds greenlighted at the ballot box. Two Chittenden County cities – Burlington and Winooski – have recently passed large bonds, and the most expensive project proposed in the state right now is in South Burlington, where the school board is pitching to build a new middle and high school for $209 million. Meanwhile, rural, often poorer districts are putting forward much smaller projects – or getting shot down by voters.

-- Lola Duffort

JP superintendent plans to close schools, move thousands of students, build new K-8 campuses

-- WDSU News Louisiana: February 07, 2020 [ abstract]

JEFFERSON PARISH, La. —
Sweeping changes could be on the way for the Jefferson Parish Schools system.
Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley released details of significant changes that could be up for school board approval as soon as March 4.
Brumley’s office said the plan would consolidate four existing schools, create five new K-8 schools, renovate over a dozen aging schools, and expand seats at early childhood centers and advanced study academies in the parish. It would also expand mental Health services for students and build 13 new playgrounds.
According to details outlined Thursday, the following schools would be most significantly impacted:

-- Jennifer Crockett

Measure E will fund facilities upgrades in Sebastopol School District

-- Sonoma West Times & News California: February 05, 2020 [ abstract]

Faced with aging classrooms and the need to bring school facilities up to current building standards, the Sebastopol Union School District has placed a $17.5 million general obligation bond measure on the March 3 ballot. “In order to maintain a safe and Healthy environment for our students, we need to keep our facilities upgraded and in good working order,” Sebastopol Union Superintendent Linda Irving said. The proceeds of the bond will be used to modernize and renovate the district’s aging school facilities, particularly Park Side Elementary, which serves grades K-4, and Brook Haven, which serves grades 5-8. General obligation bonds or GO bonds are used to fund both school renovation projects and new construction. Similar to home loans, they are typically repaid over 25 to 30 years. The loan repayment comes from a tax on residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial property located within the district’s boundaries. The tax rate per property owner for Measure E is estimated to be $25 per $100,000 of assessed valuation per year. For example, the owner of a home that is assessed by the county at $800,000 would pay $200 per year for this bond. Irving said the district needs voters to approve Measure E because the scope of the facilities improvements needed by the district is far more than it can pay out of its operating budget.

-- Laura Hagar Rush

Baltimore City students have missed almost 1.5 million hours of class time because of inadequate school facilities

-- The Baltimore Sun Maryland: February 04, 2020 [ abstract]

Baltimore students collectively have missed nearly 1.5 million hours of class time over the past five years — equal to about 221,000 school days — when schools close because their buildings are too cold or hot, a pipe has broken or an electrical problem has developed, according to a team of Johns Hopkins University researchers.
Most of those closings have happened in the past couple of years after the school system put in more stringent policies to ensure that students were not learning in buildings that were too cool or too warm. During the winter of 2018, dozens of schools were closed during a cold snap when school heating systems failed. And schools have closed more frequently in the past year when temperatures in classrooms have risen and the school system decided to release students due to lack of air conditioning.
The Hopkins researchers said the project was an attempt to quantify the effect of poor facilities on students.
“We think that this is a core issue of equity in the city. Kids should be able to go to school in a Healthy environment,” said Dr. Josh Sharfstein, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and one of the authors. “Obviously, there is an urgent need for improvement for the environment in many city schools.”

-- LIZ BOWIE

EPA targets lead contamination in Georgia schools, homes

-- Atlanta Journal-Constitution Georgia: February 03, 2020 [ abstract]

Georgia schools have received a grant of $1.1 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to identify sources of lead in drinking water at schools or child care facilities. The Georgia Department of Education will use the funds for testing in high-risk communities across the state. Georgia was one of 22 states that received a failing grade on protecting students from lead in water at school, based on data in a 2019 report from Environment America, a group of environmental advocates. In Atlanta, water sources at 25 of 60 schools tested had lead above 15 parts per billion, the level at which the EPA recommends remediation. There is no amount of lead that is safe for children. Exposure can lead to lowered IQ, damage to the brain and nervous system, slow growth and behavioral problems in young children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Few states have provided funding for lead testing through school drinking water programs. A 2017 bill in the Georgia Senate that would have required school water testing died in the House. It was reintroduced in the last legislative session. In 2018, the EPA introduced the Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts. Part of that includes a proposed rule that would require water systems to take drinking water samples from the schools and child care facilities they serve. The grant announcement came just days after the EPA held a public meeting to discuss the cleanup of lead-contaminated soil at 66 properties in the Westside neighborhood of English Avenue. Of 124 samples taken in the neighborhood, more than half have shown lead concentrations above the risk levels set by the federal agency.

-- Nedra Rhone

Is the Tisbury School safe?

-- MV TImes Massachusetts: January 29, 2020 [ abstract]

Students returned to the Tisbury School from holiday break Jan. 6 and were reunited under one roof after four months of separation. The reunion came with assurances the school was safe.
It came after a first half of the year that saw the opening day of school delayed a week as school officials scrambled to come up with a plan. Kindergarteners through fourth graders were confined to the most modern wing of the school, and the upper grades relegated to the high school, while lead and asbestos mitigation was done.
A visit to the school on Friday revealed that while lead paint was encapsulated inside the school, some of the areas on the school’s exterior may have been ignored.
Lead is a neurotoxic metal, particularly harmful to the development of young children’s brains. The sale of lead paint for interior use in homes has been banned by the federal government since 1978. “There is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects,” according to the World Health Organization. Lead paint inside Tisbury School was encapsulated using emergency funds voted in at a special town meeting in October. The encapsulation work was only done on interior portions of the school, in classrooms, on steam radiators, and at various other spots. Lead paint has previously been documented on the outside of the school, but despite a flurry of investigations into the environmental Health of the building, exterior lead paint hasn’t been part of any recent testing processes, mitigation efforts, or even a topic in public discourse. Lead paint became a school concern in 2019 after back-to-back reports from the Martha’s Vineyard Education Association (MVEA) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) showed the school to be leaky, rife with peeling paint, and a potential respiratory hazard.

-- Rich Saltzberg

Rising rents, falling enrollment: San Jose district plans to close two schools

-- East Bay Times California: January 28, 2020 [ abstract]

Despite protests by parents, students and neighbors, a San Jose Evergreen School District advisory committee has recommended the closure of Laurelwood and Dove Hill elementary schools after years of declining enrollment and budget shortfalls anticipated to reach $12.5 million in the district. The Evergreen School District consists of 18 schools that serve about 11,000 East San Jose students in kindergarten through eighth grade. District enrollment has significantly declined in recent years — and the district expects the trend to continue as more of its families move out of the area because of the Bay Area’s rising cost of living. “I know that this situation is very personal for our families, but I am a superintendent of 18 schools and I do need to advocate for our entire district and our overall Health, which will ultimately allow us to be able to provide high-quality programs and world-class education,” Evergreen Superintendent Emy Flores said in an interview. Since its peak enrollment of 13,400 students during the 2005-06 school year, the number of students attending district schools has declined 20 percent, which equates to a loss of nearly $28 million in state funding, according to district figures. Over the next five years, the district projects it will lose another 1,300 students — or $12.1 million in state funding.

-- MAGGIE ANGST

Are your kids safe? Reports show mold, toxic chemicals in some schools go unaddressed

-- 13WLOS North Carolina: January 27, 2020 [ abstract]

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Chipping lead-based paint, water-stained ceilings and mold-like substances in the water fountains. Those are just a few risks jeopardizing the Health and safety of students in mountain schools.
A News 13's investigation uncovered some of these violations go on for years. While the immediate concerns get fast tracked, News 13 found it’s not uncommon for some Health and safety concerns to get cited year after year. While the inspections are mandated by the state, no one holds schools accountable for making the repairs, and News 13 found cutbacks in maintenance funding just add to the problems.
As buses arrive and students make their way to classrooms, most parents trust schools will not only improve their minds but make their Health and safety a priority.
Environmental Health inspections, mandated by the state, are done in all schools
There is someone inside school hallways, learning more about the Health and safety of these buildings’ students spend half their year in.

-- Jennifer Emert

Deferred Maintenance, Sick Buildings Making Students, Teachers Ill

-- facilitiesnet Connecticut: January 27, 2020 [ abstract]

Many institutional and commercial facilities have been unable or unwilling to adequately fund building maintenance in the last three decades. The result often is astounding amounts of deferred maintenance — sometimes in the billions for large, multi-facility organizations. Public school districts have been among the hardest hit, thanks in large part to resistance from citizens to pay more taxes that fund school maintenance. Connecticut is now coming to grips with the impact of its failure to adequately maintain its school buildings, and the results include reports of serious Health threats. More than 1,200 teachers recently participated in a survey conducted by the Connecticut Education Association about their work environment. The teachers reported getting sick from mold and other environmental hazards, including rodent droppings, extreme heat and cold, dust, asbestos and more. The union says teachers from 334 schools in 104 school districts responded to the survey last spring, reporting respiratory ailments, rashes, sinus problems, and constant coughs. Those with asthma and allergies reported having more acute symptoms.

-- Editorial

Gov. Wolf to seek school construction aid amid health issues

-- TRIB Live Pennsylvania: January 24, 2020 [ abstract]

HARRISBURG — With budget season approaching, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is developing a plan to help deal with aging school buildings plagued by environmental problems, including lead paint and asbestos insulation, his office said. Wolf must deliver a budget proposal to the Legislature on Feb. 4, and lawmakers who are pressing for state aid to address what they call a massive and growing problem have asked the Democratic governor to include money in the spending package. Wolf has discussed the need in the past, saying that a sprawling infrastructure plan he floated last year could have been a source of help. But that plan — a $4.5 billion infrastructure proposal to be paid off by imposing a tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas production — never saw a vote in the Republican-controlled Legislature, and Wolf’s office said he will try a new strategy to deal with deteriorating school buildings. “Gov. Wolf remains committed to putting significant resources to protect kids from these harmful contaminants and will be proposing a new comprehensive plan in the near future,” Wolf’s office said in a statement. In the Legislature, Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler and Sen. Vincent Hughes, both Philadelphia Democrats, have introduced legislation backed by labor unions, public school advocates and rank-and-file Democrats to marshal $125 million for the cause.

-- Associated Press

Parents, teachers push for testing Hartford schools for toxic PCBs

-- Hartford Courant Connecticut: January 21, 2020 [ abstract]

Environmental tests of the air inside Achievement First Hartford High found only insignificant levels of toxic chemicals known as PCBs, alleviating concerns about the Hartford Public Schools-owned facility even as city schools with the same potential for contamination go untested.
Achievement First spokesperson Amanda Pinto said air samples taken on all floors of the building over the winter break contained less than 50 ng/m3 of polychlorinated biphenyls, toxic synthetic chemical compounds widely used in building materials in the 1950s to 1970s that have been associated with cancer and other Health problems. That’s below the federal limit for children, ranging from 100 to 500 ng/m3, depending on age.
The charter school system decided to test its facility, Hartford’s old Lewis Fox Middle School, following a December news report about the potential presence of the hazardous chemicals in Hartford schools built between 1950 and 1979, when the PCBs commonly used in caulk, paint and other materials were banned by the federal government.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if Hartford would do the same?” said Carol Gale, a teacher at Global Communications Academy and candidate for president of the Hartford teachers union. “That’s really what everybody has been looking for, is that kind of reassurance. They have said a couple times some buildings have been tested during renovation periods but never have they disclosed what those tests were. That’s the communication we’re looking to have.”

-- REBECCA LURYE

SCHOOL GARDENS RECONNECT KIDS WITH FOOD

-- Futurity Missouri: January 21, 2020 [ abstract]

As technology and supermarkets have made buying food easier and more convenient than ever, researchers believe people are growing more distant from the food they consume. As knowledge about crops, food production, and Healthy eating is lost over generations—a process sociologists call “de-skilling”—some school districts are looking to reconnect children with their food by educating them in a garden setting. For their new study in Agriculture and Human Values, researchers observed one such “school garden” in a rural Midwestern school district, in which teachers held classes outside in a garden one or two times per month. Not only was the concept successfully integrated into an otherwise normal public school district, but it also fostered an appreciation for fresh, Healthy foods. “We have lost touch with a lot of basic skills related to food, which raises concerns for the future of food production and the eating habits of our children,” says Mary Hendrickson, an associate professor of rural sociology at the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. “We wanted to see if allowing children to ‘taste’ their education in a garden setting could have the potential to reorient them toward environmental and Health issues that will only become more important as they grow. This case study showed that the answer is ‘yes.’ The potential is there.” The idea of school gardens is not new, but the vast majority of these programs have occurred in wealthy urban settings. In this case, however, the school garden was in a school district not particularly wealthy, allowing researchers to study the program’s impact on a broader socioeconomic range.

-- AUSTIN FITZGERALD

Map: 100 Pa. schools found lead in their drinking water. Here’s how they responded.

-- Pennsylvania Capital-Star Pennsylvania: January 12, 2020 [ abstract]

Public Health experts all agree that there’s no such thing as a safe level of lead exposure for children.
But new state data show that thousands of children across Pennsylvania have likely been exposed to the toxic metal in their school drinking water.
Water at more than 100 buildings in 32 school systems across Pennsylvania had unsafe levels of lead in the 2018-2019 school year, according to a list the Pennsylvania Department of Education published in late November.
From center city Philadelphia to rural Jefferson County, the test results forced school officials to replace plumbing fixtures, disable drinking fountains, and distribute bottled water to protect students and staff from contamination, according to reports they submitted to the state.
“This really is an issue that criss-crosses Pennsylvania — rural, urban and suburban,” said Chris Lilienthal, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania State Education Association, a union representing 187,000 educators. “Lead in schools is a huge Health concern.”
Even in low concentrations, lead exposure can have disastrous, permanent effects on a child’s physical and developmental growth. It has been linked to nervous system damage, learning disabilities, impaired physical growth and hearing, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Before scientific research made its dangers apparent in the 1970s, lead was a common component of house paint and pipes. It remains an environmental hazard in old buildings and plumbing systems across the United States.
Lawmakers and public Health advocates have long known that Pennsylvania’s old pipes and housing stock make its children particularly vulnerable to lead exposure.
Even so, the state does not require universal lead testing in homes or schools.

-- Elizabeth Hardison

Schools matter for every community

-- Virginia: January 11, 2020 [ abstract]

No matter where you travel across the commonwealth, from Bristol to Norfolk, the most important investment we can make for our communities is in our public schools. It’s where we give our children the tools and guidance to forge their path in life and where our businesses find their workforce to grow their company and, in turn, our economy.
That’s why it’s unconscionable that our children’s educational opportunities vary so dramatically in Virginia from one ZIP code to another. Students and educators in some parts of the state endure dire working conditions that threaten not only their ability to teach and learn, but also their Health and safety. These conditions send students a clear message: Their education, and their futures along with it, are not valued.
It’s a message that was heard loud and clear when part of the auditorium ceiling collapsed during a band concert at the 120-year-old Maury High School in Norfolk, and one that’s sent every time class changes are disrupted in Lee County because it’s raining outside and the hallways flood. It’s a message sent to students and teachers in Chesterfield County when they are diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease because preventative maintenance was not appropriately completed for their cooling systems, and when children at Flatwoods Elementary in Lee County were dismissed multiple times in one month because of antiquated boilers filling classrooms with smoke.
And it’s not just the facilities.

-- Opinion - Jerrauld "Jay" Jones and Todd Pillion

Senate bills to improve Virginia school facilities, teacher planning time head to finance committee

-- The Roanoke Times Virginia: January 09, 2020 [ abstract]

RICHMOND — A Senate committee signed off Thursday on efforts to improve school facilities across the state and give teachers more planning time.
The Senate Education and Health Committee, the first Senate panel to meet during the 2020 General Assembly session, approved the bills by two Republican senators, sending them to the newly-named Finance and Appropriations Committee.
Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, has brought back his legislation that seeks to improve school infrastructure after leading a special committee on the issue in 2018.
One bill, Senate Bill 4, would create a special fund — formally called the Public School Assistance Fund and Program — to give grants to school districts to repair or replace school roofs.
“It was not a situation that was regional, it was statewide,” Stanley said. “We found this to be pervasive in almost every school.”
The bill was unanimously approved by the 15-member committee and referred to the chamber’s money committee. So was Senate Bill 5, which would require the Virginia Board of Education to create minimum standards for public school buildings.
If approved, the bill would require school boards to evaluate each building annually and submit a plan to comply with the standards.

-- Justin Mattingly

Over $63 million in disaster funding coming to impacted districts

-- dailycomet.com Florida: January 02, 2020 [ abstract]

TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Ron DeSantis last week announced that Florida has been awarded an additional $63.2 million in federal disaster funding through the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) to restore educational programs in counties affected by Hurricane Michael. The $63.2 million in funding includes $44.2 million under the Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations (K-12 Restart) program, $2.6 million for postsecondary education, and $6.3 million for Emergency Impact Aid. “Since day one of my administration, we have used every resource at our disposal to ensure Northwest Florida completely rebuilds from Hurricane Michael,” said Governor DeSantis. “I’m grateful that we have been able to work with Secretary Betsy DeVos and the U.S. Department of Education to secure these additional funds that will provide much needed relief to local students and families who deserve to return to normalcy after Hurricane Michael. For the many families, educators, and schools who are still recovering from this storm, I can assure you that we are working every day to make sure you and your community recovers.” “As Panhandle communities continue to rebuild after Hurricane Michael, these additional funds help ensure students, teachers, and school leaders have further support to return to normalcy after the devastation of Hurricane Michael, helping these communities rebuild safe and Healthy learning environments,” said Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran.

-- Special to The Star

New case tests big question: Can Philly kids sue after getting sick in school buildings?

-- WHYY Pennsylvania: December 30, 2019 [ abstract]

Dean Pagan became a poster child for Philadelphia’s school infrastructure woes when The Philadelphia Inquirer featured his case of lead poisoning in an investigative story last year. Pagan’s tale helped kick-start a storm of controversy and agitation over the conditions inside Philadelphia’s public schools — one that continues to swell. Now, the elementary school student from Northeast Philly is at the vanguard again, testing a critical legal question: When children like Pagan suffer life-altering consequences after exposure to toxins in their public school buildings, can the School District of Philadelphia be held legally liable? If the answer is yes, Pagan’s case could trigger a cascade of similar lawsuits. But the question is far from settled. Earlier this month, Pagan and his parents filed a federal lawsuit claiming that the School District of Philadelphia and the City of Philadelphia “caused a public Health crisis” and failed to protect the then-first-grader from hazardous conditions inside Watson T. Comly Elementary, the K-5 school he attended in Northeast Philadelphia. The lawsuit claims the district violated Pagan’s constitutionally-protected due process rights by “allowing young children to occupy classrooms contaminated with hazardous lead; by failing to warn students, parents and teachers of the presence of lead in a timely fashion; and by failing to perform timely repair/remediation of known lead hazards.”

-- Avi Wolfman-Arent

Push Continues for New School Facilities

-- Newportnow Rhode Island: December 27, 2019 [ abstract]

Newport might not receive the reported 52.5 percent state reimbursement to help finance new school facilities. Instead, according to Joseph da Silva of the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), the reimbursement could be only 50 percent. Currently, financial assistance is based largely on a fixed rate, which is determined by a formula that considers the latest median family income and the total amount of that community’s property tax base, which in Newport’s case works out to the state minimum of 35 percent. There are also temporary incentive bonuses funded by a $250 million state bond issue in 2018. By law, there are six criteria that can each increase the reimbursement rate by five percent. Da Silva said that Newport is assured to qualify for three of the criteria, yielding only an additional 15 percent. Those three criteria are Health and Safety, where a new school is demonstrably more secure than the one it’s replacing; Educational Enhancements, which the new high school and pre-K designs achieve; and Replacement, where the facility to be replaced falls below a formulaically calculated standard of suitability.

-- Andy Long

School closures in D.C. will further traumatize already vulnerable students

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: December 27, 2019 [ abstract]

Brian Wheeler is a staff member at Washington Met.
In 2013, the PBS documentary “180 Days: A Year Inside an American High School” described Washington Metropolitan High School as “an alternative school with a devoted staff. To district leaders, it is a failure. To many of the school’s students, it is a home — a safe haven from sometimes unsparingly difficult lives.”
Last month, the day before Thanksgiving break, the school staff was told that Washington Met, which serves middle and high school students who struggled on traditional campuses, would close in June. D.C. Schools Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee wrote, “Washington Metropolitan has consistently underperformed.” Ferebee cited under-enrollment as the main reason for the sudden change four months into the school year.
Since the 2013 documentary, Washington Met students have experienced the change of five principals in six years. In this period, D.C. Public Schools has cut Washington Met’s art classes, athletic programs, music and library. Academics are down to math and reading. So who is to blame? DCPS wants to blame Washington Met staff for failing to live up to unattainable goals; Washington Met staff will say the school was set up to fail and lacked the supportive resources from DCPS that other schools receive.
To the students who attend Washington Met, this is another failure in a long list of traumatizing and disappointing events in their lives. The blame is irrelevant.
DCPS has long used mental-Health language such as “trauma-informed care” and “social-emotional learning,” but rarely has the needed depth of trauma-informed care been implemented in school settings.
In 2017, as part of the mayor’s school mental-Health expansion program, Washington Met was assessed and ranked as having the highest need in the city based on its high at-risk population. The purpose of the expansion was to place additional mental-Health clinicians in the highest-needs schools. Dozens of schools across the District have received additional mental-Health support. Yet, as 2020 approaches, Washington Met has yet to receive a social worker.

-- Brian Wheeler

Area schools spend millions to maintain buildings, grounds

-- Dayton Daily News Ohio: December 24, 2019 [ abstract]

Schools try to focus their spending on classroom education, but a review of larger local districts show some have to put aside millions of dollars per year to maintain their buildings and properties, contributing to a string of recent investments and levy requests.
The Dayton Daily News asked the three largest districts in Montgomery County – Dayton, Centerville and Kettering schools – plus the slightly smaller Springboro and Northmont districts, how much they spend per year on facilities maintenance and repair. The answers ranged from about $3.5 million per year in Northmont to $5 million in Springboro, $6 million in Centerville, $8 million in Kettering and $11 million in Dayton. Those were costs to maintain existing facilities and did not include new construction projects, such as Kettering’s new auditorium.As with most school costs, salaries and benefits top the list, in this case paying for both skilled trades maintenance staff, as well as the many custodians who keep buildings clean and functioning from day-to-day. Other costs include contracts with outside companies for projects such as roof repair or computer networking upgrades, plus maintenance materials and custodial supplies.Penn State University’s Center for Education Policy Analysis said recently that “a growing body of research has found that school facilities can have a profound impact on both teacher and student outcomes.” They said the quality of school facilities affects teacher recruitment and effort, as well as student Health, behavior and achievement.

-- Jeremy P. Kelley

Decatur City Schools intends to sue 3M over chemicals on Brookhaven Middle School property

-- WHNT19 Alabama: December 22, 2019 [ abstract]

DECATUR, Ala. – The Decatur City School (DCS) system has announced its intent to sue 3M over high levels of PFAS chemicals found at the former Brookhaven Middle School property. The school system says it is seeking clean up of hazardous waste and removal of PFOA and PFOS chemicals in the soil, groundwater and surface water at the Brookhaven site. Lawyers representing DCS sent a 60-day-notice letter to 3M representatives, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) less than two weeks after it was made public that PFAS chemicals were on the former school site. WHNT News 19 obtained the letter that says DCS intends to “sue for abatement of an imminent or substantial endangerment of Health and the environment in connection with contamination caused by illegal dumping.” 3M produced the chemicals in question for decades at its Decatur plant. The chemicals were manufactured to make products like Scotchgard. The letter references human Health risks caused by exposure to the manufacturing chemicals, including cancer, immunotoxicity, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis, and high cholesterol.

-- Chelsea Brentzel

Newport-Mesa school district appeals state fines over rat infestation and other problems

-- Los Angeles Times California: December 22, 2019 [ abstract]

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District has appealed about $20,000 in state fines for various workplace violations at three of its campuses, including plumbing and maintenance issues and a rodent infestation problem at one high school that was so bad it triggered a student walkout last year.
The fines are the result of three separate inspections by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health that were conducted in May, June and November 2018. The fines were initially levied last December, but the district is appealing.
District spokeswoman Annette Franco said Newport-Mesa declined to comment on the case because of the legal issues involved.
“We prioritize safety of our students and staff and continually evaluate and improve upon our practices,” she said.
Cal/OSHA’s investigation was triggered by a complaint filed by the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers after students at Newport Harbor High School staged a walkout in April 2018 to protest the rodent problem at the campus.
About 150 students, chanting and holding signs bearing slogans such as “Congrats, we have rats” and “The plague, Part II,” protested in front of the campus administration building during a school day.
Teachers and students said they had complained for months about a rat infestation at the school’s Dodge Hall, where math and world language classes are held. They told about live and dead rodents, rat urine and blood from a rat crushed in a trap on and around desks.
Around the same time, representatives of the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District visited the campus, and a county Health worker who was at the school for a routine inspection reported vermin evidence elsewhere, including rat droppings around a cafeteria trash bin.

-- HILLARY DAVIS

For Small, Rural, Crumbling �" and Closing �" Classrooms, New School Bond Rules Could Be Big

-- Lost Coast Outpost California: December 18, 2019 [ abstract]

The foul odor had invaded almost every classroom. It was late March 2017, and Burnt Ranch Elementary was teetering on disrepair. The heating and ventilation systems were so unreliable that educators and staff in the small Trinity County school had been warming up frigid classrooms with portable heaters. Water leaked through the light fixtures, spilling onto the floor. Kathleen Graham, the superintendent and principal, knew something had to be done, but raising the money through local bonds – California’s main driver of school facilities funding – was next to impossible for the single-campus, 100-kid district. The alternative wasn’t much better: Competing with larger, better financed and more amply staffed districts for a piece of a state bond passed in 2016, a process that involved navigating California’s byzantine School Facilities Program. But as winter became spring in rural Northern California, Graham recalled, the need only became more pressing. “Our buildings,” she said, “just went off the charts with mold.” Health and safety cases like Burnt Ranch have become top-of-mind as California voters weigh a new statewide school bond that would generate $15 billion for schools, community colleges and universities. Proposition 13, slated for the March ballot, would not only raise much-needed funding for maintenance and construction, but also end the first-in, first-out application system for state bond money that disadvantages small, poorer and rural schools.

-- Ricardo Cano

Children deserve to learn with dignity in safe, healthy buildings

-- The Notebook Pennsylvania: November 26, 2019 [ abstract]

Our children, teachers and school staff have been suffering in broken and toxic schools for far too long. A number of incidents, including school closures, heating and air quality, asthma-inducing conditions, and more, occurred before the Inquirer‘s reporting on toxic schools last year. Most notably, Christopher Trakimas, a facilities mechanic at Edmonds Elementary School in East Mount Airy, died of injuries he suffered in a boiler explosion in 2016. In 2017, 4th grader Chelsea Mungo wrote a heartbreaking letter to State Sen. Hughes saying she felt like she was in prison – or a junkyard – when she was in school at Lewis Cassidy Academics Plus School in West Philadelphia. “Why does the color of the students’ skin matter how much money we get for our school?” she asked. Both stories are tragedies in their own right. Even with the spotlight from that award-winning news coverage, we still had the Ben Franklin High School and Science Leadership Academy debacle and reports of exposed asbestos at T.M. Peirce School this fall. On Good Morning America, Lea DiRusso, a teacher with 30 years of experience in Philadelphia schools, went public with her diagnosis of mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer.

-- Vincent Hughes and Helen Gym

Brown County "back to the drawing board" on school building issues

-- Herald-Whig Illinois: November 25, 2019 [ abstract]

MOUNT STERLING, Ill. -- Charging a laptop computer isn't as simple as just plugging it in for Brown County High School teacher Gail Gallaher. It takes a little finesse -- and a lot of monitoring -- to maintain the connection. "The electrical system isn't adequate enough for our building. If you bump the cord, it doesn't always connect. You have to unplug it from the wall and plug it back in," Gallaher said. She checks periodically to make sure the device is charging, so it's ready to use for her math classes. "Little things like that you just kind of get used to, but it is a pain to deal with sometimes," Gallaher said. "We learn to function the way it is, make accommodations for things." Upgrading electric service at the high school is just one of the big-ticket projects listed in the school district's latest Health life safety plan. "We have 10 years to complete those things. Everything doesn't have to be done today or this year, but we do have to address those issues," Superintendent Vicki Phillips said. "What we need to do and what we're doing is taking that 10-year plan and pacing it to a calendar that can support the work that needs to be done and finances that we can provide to pay for that work." Voters in April rejected another option, a $25 million referendum to build a new elementary school and a high school, improve the school sites and demolish the existing high school except for the auditorium, proposed as an alternative to spending an estimated $20.2 million over 20 years to upgrade the district's aging buildings.

-- Deborah Gertz Husar

Parents concerned about maintenance issues at Wake County elementary school

-- CBS17 North Carolina: November 22, 2019 [ abstract]

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Parents at a Raleigh elementary school told the Wake County Board of Education this week they’re concerned maintenance issues in the school are impacting the Health and safety of their kids and their teachers. The parents of children at Durant Road Elementary School mentioned unreliable HVAC systems, black growths, damaged ceiling tiles, and broken sinks. “One teacher shared this: the black growth and HVAC problems have caused me great issues with my asthma. I’ve had to see a doctor as much as three times in one month. I’ve had steroid shots and prednisone just so I could breathe,” said Heather Goode, a parent. Collette Meador, president of the school’s PTA said, “You must keep our kids and our staff safe.” Dr. Jim Martin, chairman of the school board, said the issues the parents highlighted are a concern across the district. “The school system has been looking into that. In fact, we have quite a number of schools where there are quite a number of facilities issues that just haven’t been able to be addressed,” he said. “Furniture, carpets, plumbing, there’s quite a number of things that need to be done. How do we make sure these things get done in a timely fashion?” CBS 17 obtained a copy of a letter the school’s principal sent to families earlier this month noting that WCPSS administrators recently toured the school to identify the various issues. “We noticed the sour smell on the first-grade hallway. We discussed the HVAC system that was replaced four years ago. We checked one of the school’s 14 modular classrooms, as well as, classrooms along the third and first grade hallways,” wrote principal Janet Kehoe. “WCPSS Environmental Quality has conducted an air quality test in the first-grade hallway. There will be additional testing conducted this week.”

-- Michael Hyland

Teacher’s union: Connecticut schools are “falling apart”

-- The Hour Connecticut: November 05, 2019 [ abstract]

Mold. Heat. Cold. Dust. Rodent droppings. Asbestos. These are a few of the hazards faced by students and teachers in Connecticut, according to the Connecticut Education Association, which announced the results of a survey of more than 1,200 teachers from 334 schools about environmental hazards in classrooms Monday. According to the union, 74 percent of teachers who responded reported experiencing “extreme” hot and cold temperatures in their classrooms; 48 percent reported “damaged walls, ceiling tiles, carpeting, or vents;” 39 percent said they had “experienced mold and mildew problems;” and 30 percent “reported rodent dropping in their classrooms,” among other concerns. Approximately 53 percent of those surveyed “reported environmental conditions in their classrooms that are not conducive to teaching and learning,” according to the report. CEA officials called for a greater effort to address the environmental issues in Connecticut schools in the release. “We must take action to ensure the Health and safety of everyone in our public schools,” said CEA Executive Director Donald Williams. “This is not just a Connecticut problem. Nearly half of public school buildings across the country have poor indoor-air quality, and teachers have the highest rate of asthma among non-industrial occupations.” “Devastating cuts to our school budgets ultimately undermine staff, students and critical programs, and now we are also seeing a direct impact on building facilities and maintenance,” said Williams. “As buildings get older, more repairs are needs and budgets need to include adequate funding to keep them in working order, free from toxins and other hazards that can cause Health concerns for our children and teachers.”

-- Ben Lambert

Intersection of Schools and Highways Produces Bad Air

-- EcoRI News Rhode Island: November 03, 2019 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE — The Vartan Gregorian Elementary School sits at the intersection of Wickenden and East streets. It’s close to a cafe, a doughnut shop, India Point Park, residences, and the bustle of city life. Behind it is Interstate 195, and close by is Interstate 95. “It's at the intersection of two highways. That’s really quite close,” said Gregory Wellenius, director of the Center for Environmental Health and Technology at Brown University. “The last time I looked at the building, the areas where the kids play and have recess, those are actually right adjacent to the highway.” According to the Center for Public Integrity’s data visualization map of school proximity to highways, the interstate nearest Vartan Gregorian is used by more than 30,000 cars daily. That’s a lot of pollution passing by the windows of the elementary school. The vehicles of today, be it a Prius or a Ford F-150, aren’t nearly as clean as we may think. These vehicles spew a cocktail of particulate matter (such as soot, which is less than a tenth the width of a human hair), volatile organic compounds (which are often carcinogenic and contribute to increased ozone), carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide, among other pollutants. These contaminants are linked to a slew of childhood development issues, ranging from stunted lung growth and worsened asthma symptoms to increased risk of heart disease and cancer to learning disabilities.

-- GRACE KELLY

$4 million approved for mold remediation, shelter at Craven County Schools

-- WNCT9 North Carolina: November 01, 2019 [ abstract]

The State of North Carolina and FEMA are announcing more than $4.1 million to the Craven County Board of Education for Hurricane Florence-related costs. The funds, approved through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, reimburse cleaning mold from Craven County elementary, middle and high schools that flooded during Hurricane Florence. The mold removal eliminated Health and safety threats to students, faculty, and staff who could return to school. The $4.1 million also reimburses costs related to using four Craven County schools as shelters as a response to Hurricane Florence. FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations to reimburse the cost of debris removal, emergency protective measures, and permanent repair work. Public Assistance is a cost-sharing program. FEMA reimburses applicants at least 75% of eligible costs and the remaining 25 percent is covered by the State of North Carolina.

-- Dalisa Robles

Segregation in Pennsylvania schools: How a ZIP code determines the quality of a child’s education

-- The Morning Call Pennsylvania: October 31, 2019 [ abstract]

Students at Allentown’s Harrison-Morton Middle School look forward to hearing the squeaky wheels of the technology cart approaching their classroom, though the iPads they hold may not be the latest models and time with them is limited. A luxury in Allentown schools, such technology has become a necessity for many suburban students — something they’re accustomed to tapping at-will and often. Technology is one of the many things that separate students in Pennsylvania’s school districts, where wealth equates to quality. Food is another. That’s why the staff at Donegan Elementary School on Bethlehem’s South Side sends students home with a bag of Healthy snacks on weekends. Because clothing also can divide students who have from those who have not, the Bethlehem Area School District installed a washer and dryer at Donegan, ensuring children have access to clean clothes. Language sets students or schools apart, too. And so do ZIP codes, education reformers say, effectively segregating students by income and race. The problem Where you live determines what type of education you receive in the Lehigh Valley and elsewhere in Pennsylvania. Where the tax base is high, the educational offerings tend to be many. Where it is low, the options decline. The gap isn’t just between districts but sometimes between schools in the same district. Joan Preston, who has been teaching science in Allentown for more than two decades, tries to put her Harrison-Morton students on equal footing with those in the bordering Salisbury Township, East Penn, Parkland and Whitehall-Coplay districts. But she doesn’t have the resources to get them all there. “I want to provide the same science experience that their counterparts get," Preston said, "but it’s a challenge with our budget.” This disparity, said Maura McInerney, an attorney with the Education Law Center in Philadelphia, comes down to one thing: the property tax structure that Pennsylvania uses to fund education. Because the system relies more heavily on local taxes than on state and federal money, the scales tip in favor of wealthier suburban districts. Urban districts, which are educating a disproportionate number of low-income and minority students, don’t have the tax base to provide the same quality of education, McInerney and others say. They often can’t afford to replace old schools, fix heating systems, add air conditioning, buy new technology or hire the additional teachers needed to reduce class sizes, address language issues and provide instructional support.

-- JACQUELINE PALOCHKO, SARAH M. WOJCIK and MICHELLE

Soil Samples Reveal Lead Contamination at Oakland High Schools

-- NBC Bay Area California: October 23, 2019 [ abstract]

Two Oakland high schools sit atop land that is contaminated with lead, according to Oakland Unified School District officials. The "elevated lead levels" were discovered under pavement on the campuses of Ralph Bunche Academy in West Oakland and Street Academy in North Oakland after crews took soil samples in preparation for planned landscape improvements. Larry Brooks, director of Alameda County's Healthy Homes Department, which runs programs aimed at preventing lead poisoning in children, said in a OUSD news release that "the soil does not present a current Health risk because it is under the blacktop, therefore the lead is entirely contained." Multiple soil samples were taken from both schools and one sample from each campus came back with elevated levels of lead, according to the school district. The holes that were dug in order to take the samples have been capped with concrete, district officials said.

-- Staff Writer

Toxic PCBs linger in schools; EPA, lawmakers fail to act

-- ABC News National: October 16, 2019 [ abstract]

At first, teachers at Sky Valley Education Center simply evacuated students and used fans to clear the air when the fluorescent lights caught fire or smoked with noxious fumes. When black oil dripped onto desks and floors, they caught leaks with a bucket and duct-taped oil-stained carpets. Then came the tests that confirmed their suspicions about the light ballasts. "Sure enough ... it was PCB oil," said Cynthia Yost, who was among teachers who sent pieces of carpet and classroom air filters to a lab. Tests found elevated levels of the toxic chemicals, used as coolant in the decades-old ballasts that regulated electrical current to the lamps. Millions of fluorescent light ballasts containing PCBs probably remain in schools and day care centers across the U.S. four decades after the chemicals were banned over concerns that they could cause cancer and other illnesses. Many older buildings also have caulk, ceiling tiles, floor adhesives and paint made with PCBs, which sometimes have been found at levels far higher than allowed by law. Yet the Environmental Protection Agency has not attempted to determine the scope of PCB contamination or assess potential Health risks, in large part because of lack of funding, political pressure and pushback from industry and education groups, according to dozens of interviews and thousands of pages of documents examined by The Associated Press.

-- TAMMY WEBBER AND MARTHA IRVINE, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Californians will vote on biggest-ever school construction bond in 2020

-- San Francisco Chronicle California: October 07, 2019 [ abstract]

SACRAMENTO — Californians will vote next year whether to approve the largest school construction bond in state history. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB48 on Monday, placing a $15 billion bond to upgrade public school and college facilities on the March ballot. “We are back asking the voters yet again to do what they historically have always done,” Newsom said during a signing ceremony at a Sacramento elementary school, “and that is to embrace our children and embrace their fate and future and do more to do justice to the cause of public education in the state of California.” The bond proposal is the product of a last-minute deal between legislative proponents and Newsom’s office, which sought changes to California’s school construction bond program. Rather than being awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, the $9 billion included for preschools and K-12 schools would be prioritized for Health and safety projects such as mold removal and seismic retrofits, removing lead contamination in water sources and reducing overcrowding. Nearly $3 billion of that money would be for new construction and about $5 billion for modernizing existing facilities. Separately, charter schools and career technical education programs would receive $500 million each.

-- Alexei Koseff

LYNN WILL TAKE STATE FISCAL RECOMMENDATIONS INTO CONSIDERATION

-- ItemLive.com Massachusetts: October 03, 2019 [ abstract]

LYNN — The city’s fiscal stability officer has recommended that officials start to invest more into Lynn’s capital needs and infrastructure, which have been neglected in past years because of its financial difficulties. Sean Cronin, senior deputy commissioner of local services for the state Department of Revenue, who oversees Lynn’s budget, has recommended that half of the city’s remaining $1 million in Health insurance savings, and the $1.8 million from a higher-than-anticipated increase in state aid, go toward its $231 million, 5-year capital improvement plan. “With the condition the city’s school buildings are in today, actions such as this are greatly warranted,” Cronin wrote in a correspondence with Mayor Thomas M. McGee and the City Council. “Absent any steps to redirect some of the savings from Health insurance and additional state aid, the city will be hard pressed to find the resources needed to fund a capital improvement plan.” For instance, he pointed to a lack of capital investment leading to the city formally withdrawing in June from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) statement of interest process for a new Pickering Middle School. “Due to concerns around a shortage of public commitment, combined with substantial city infrastructure needs, ongoing efforts to stabilize our budget and upgrade our bond rating, the Lynn City Council concluded they were not ready to move forward with the process of submitting a statement of interest at this time,” School Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler wrote in a June 19 letter to the MSBA. Last week, the City Council authorized the transfer of $3.94 million of the $5 million in Health insurance savings negotiated through collective bargaining to cover $1.24 million in retroactive fiscal year 2019 raises for city employees, $1.5 million for net school spending, $720,000 for 10 new police officers, and $300,000 for sidewalks, along with other expenses.

-- GAYLA CAWLEY

High lead levels in NJ school water add to need for action, Murphy and lawmakers say

-- northjersey.com New Jersey: September 26, 2019 [ abstract]

Gov. Phil Murphy and lawmakers said Wednesday that the prevalence of water with dangerous amounts of lead found in schools around the state in recent years should bolster a drive to finally eliminate the longstanding Health hazard. Although officials have known for at least two decades that lead was leaching from pipes into homes and pouring from school drinking fountains, an analysis by the Trenton bureau of the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey published Wednesday added new details showing the extent of the problem. The analysis estimates that in one year of testing, between 2016 and 2017, more than 250,000 students were exposed to water with lead levels above the federal government's 15 parts per billion standard requiring corrective action. But it's likely that many more students may have ingested toxic water, since the state did not require testing until 2016, when about half of Newark's schools shut off their taps because of elevated lead levels. And although Health officials agree that there is no safe level of lead for children, the state does not require schools to report levels below the federal standard. "It’s another data point that this is not a Newark issue or a New Jersey issue. This is a national issue," Murphy said in an interview Wednesday. "I’m looking forward to working with leadership to move the lead-related things" pending in the Legislature, he added.

-- Dustin Racioppi and Stacey Barchenger

Trump administration emergency response guide calls for proactive hazard prep

-- Education Drive National: September 26, 2019 [ abstract]

Dive Brief: A new emergency planning guide jointly released by the U.S. Departments of Education, Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services — all of which were involved in the Federal Commission on School Safety — aims to help school districts create customized emergency response plans to "prevent, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from emergency situations," Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin K. McAleenan said in a press release. Titled "The Role of Districts in Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans," the planning guide instructs districts to coordinate with schools and community partners to make emergency operations plans (EOPs) and to lay out planning parameters for each school in the district, noting that it is districts’ responsibility to support school officials in the planning process. The guide instructs districts to make sure the plans include all types of hazards, from natural disasters to gun violence, and includes a checklist of actionable items that include developing a fact sheet on possible threats as well as training staff on the emergency plan.

-- Shawna De La Rosa

Emergency preparation: Are schools prepared for the unthinkable?

-- Study International News National: September 24, 2019 [ abstract]

Natural disasters, disease outbreaks and violence on school campuses can and do happen at any given time. But are schools equipped to deal with such situations with an emergency preparedness plan in place? Last year, Reuters reported that many public schools in the US are not equipped for disasters. Quoting a study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they found that less than two thirds of school districts have plans in place to handle an influenza pandemic or another type of infectious disease outbreak. Weighing in, Dr. Laura Faherty, a researcher at the RAND Corporation in Boston and a pediatrics professor at Boston University School of Medicine who wasn’t involved in the study, told Reuters: “The response to an acute emergency that happens on a single day is very different from the ongoing response to an infectious disease like influenza that may affect a school district over many weeks to months.” CDC researchers also found that when compared with larger districts, smaller and mostly rural districts were also less likely to fund emergency preparedness training for school faculty and staff or students’ families. The authors noted that limitations of the study included that they relied on school district officials to accurately report on their emergency preparedness policies and practices, while it also didn’t examine whether schools complied with any required disaster planning efforts. Dr. David Schonfeld, Director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement and professor at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, opined that schools may simply state that “students will be provided counseling by school mental Health staff” but are not, in fact, prepared to meet that need. “It is therefore quite noteworthy that more than one out of five school districts don’t even reach this bar,” he told Reuters.

-- Staff Writer

D.C. Officials Remediate Elevated Lead Levels At 17 School Playgrounds

-- DCist District of Columbia: September 23, 2019 [ abstract]

The D.C. government found and remediated elevated lead levels at 17 playgrounds across the District, the city announced to residents on Friday. The findings come after the Department of General Services closed three playgrounds in early August after testing revealed elevated levels of lead on those play surfaces. The testing and closures followed years of advocacy from some parents and community members concerned about pour-in-place playgrounds, which are made of a bouncy material consists of recycled tires and a top layer of poured rubber. Advocacy organization DC Safe Healthy Playing Fields has been calling for an end to the use of PIP for fields in the District and the and the use of crumb rubber in synthetic fields. They fear, in part, that the heterogeneous materials present in PIP fields, including tire fragments, may contain lead. Even small amounts of lead are hazardous to children, who can suffer permanent neurological and physical damage from lead exposure. Earlier this year, the organization commissioned a third-party organization, the Michigan-based Ecology Center, to test samples from various elementary schools with pour-in-place rubber playgrounds, and found elevated lead levels at Janney Elementary. The Ecology Center sent those results to the city in May, and DGS conducted its own testing, which it said came back with lead levels below the threshold set by the Environmental Protection Agency (below 400 parts per million).

-- Natalie Delgadillo

Dangerous Air Pollution Is Getting Into Schools And Homes Near Highways, Research Shows

-- WGBH Massachusetts: September 23, 2019 [ abstract]

Traffic-related air pollution is a Health problem around the region, contributing to cardiovascular disease and other Health impacts. But it’s not just an outdoor problem. New research from Boston-area scientists shows dangerous air particles are getting into homes, schools and workplaces along highways in the region. But there are ways to limit that exposure. Brugge used to be on the faculty at Tufts Medical Center in Chinatown. Tufts researchers have measured traffic air pollution all over Boston, and have found the highest levels just outside their offices in Chinatown. Brugge pointed out that just up the street from there are several public schools built right along the Mass Pike. "They don't have the adequate filtration," he said. "There are lots of schools near highways. There's three schools right along the Mass Pike here. They don't have anything special in their ventilation system." Richard Chang, the headmaster of the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Chinatown, said that's absolutely true. "We do not have any kind of remediation at this point," Chang said. "The Arlington Street building was constructed in 1912. It does not have central ventilation of any kind, and so typically teachers would open up windows when it's warm. And those windows face the Mass Pike highway, and there is no barrier to any of the pollutants that would be present." The city plans to build a new school to replace that one, and the architect says they intend to include state of the art filtration. But it isn’t scheduled to open until 2023. "It's human instinct to sometimes not want to know the truth," Chang said. "Because it’s kind of scary that we might be in these buildings that actually are very dangerous for us — harmful — that can cause cardiovascular diseases. Not just pulmonary diseases. It's going to become an issue: How do we remediate and to improve the air quality for schools such as ours?" According to a 2017 report from the city, about 70 percent of middle and elementary schools and 44 percent of high schools in Boston had deficient or poor ventilation. Researchers say something could be done now to reduce the exposure at schools like Josiah Quincy Upper School. Neelakshi Hudda of Tufts University has studied the effectiveness of free-standing air filters that can just be plugged in. The devices are called High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, and they filter the tiniest and possibly most dangerous particles, called ultrafines. Hudda published a study comparing air quality in two different situations. "One where there was nothing, just the home as is," she said. "And then one where the HEPA filter was running inside the home." She found the filters can cut as much as 85 percent of ultrafine particles in a room. "So, HEPA filters [are] designed to clean up the air," Hudda said. "And that is exactly what it does. It reduces the concentrations indoors." Boston Public Schools spokesman Dan O’Brien said in a statement that for HEPA filtration to be effective, it would need to be part of a centralized HVAC system — but the Josiah Quincy Upper School doesn’t have one. And, O’Brien said, HEPA filtration would be incompatible with the HVAC system in the elementary school next door. The statement also said the school system’s testing didn’t reveal any air quality issues in those schools that would require additional filtration. But ultrafine particles aren’t regulated, and schools don’t test for them.

-- Craig LeMoult

Ridgewood High School anticipates $1.5 million savings by refinancing bonds

-- Chicago Tribune Illinois: September 16, 2019 [ abstract]

Ridgewood High School District 234 refinanced bonds this month, a change officials say will save taxpayers $1.5 million in interest costs over the next nine years. The bonds, called Series 2009 bonds, were issued in July 2009 for $10,570,000. The funds from the bonds were used for fire prevention, Health and safety improvements, renovating classrooms and other facilities updates, according to Tom Parillo, assistant superintendent of finance and operations. The district had agreed to pay for the bonds until Dec. 1, 2028, at an interest rate that varied from 5.75% to 6.4%, Parillo said. With interest, the total came to $17,596,217. This month, the district instead refinanced the bonds to Series 2019 bonds under new owners. The bonds will still be paid off by 2028, but at a lower interest rate. “We’re not extending the bond. We’re keeping the same length and saving taxpayers money,” said Superintendent Jennifer Kelsall.

-- TAYLOR HARTZ

Massachusetts Welcomes Innovative New High School

-- School Construction News Massachusetts: September 12, 2019 [ abstract]

BILLERICA, Mass.—The new Billerica Memorial High School is now open, a sign of the town’s reaffirmed commitment to educating its students in an innovative, Healthy and flexible environment. The project is the result of a partnership between the Massachusetts School Building Authority, the town of Billerica, design firm Perkins and Will, construction manager Shawmut Design and Construction, and project manager Leftfield. “As a community, this is a space that we all should be proud of,” says Billerica Schools Superintendent, Timothy Piwowar. “We’ve equipped our students with a facility that will allow them to best prepare for their future, helping Billerica to become a top-tier destination for education in the Merrimack Valley.” “The new Billerica Memorial High School will stand as an extraordinary vessel of learning for many future generations,” says Billerica Town Manager John Curran. “Anyone who walks through this building will know that the people and the educators in this town place a high value on a first-rate education for their children.” The design of the new school supports Billerica’s diverse and forward-looking educational program through a flexible planning and design approach. Highly specialized areas—like the auditorium and STEAM spaces—are complemented by agile classrooms and informal learning areas that can be easily modified to meet different user needs. “We wanted to equip Billerica’s students, teachers, and administrators with a space that will support evolving educational models well into the future,” says Brooke Trivas, principal at Perkins and Will. “Flexible classrooms and interdisciplinary spaces allow students to develop skills like communication and collaboration, while providing teachers and administrators the freedom to grow and expand their teaching styles.”

-- Staff Writer

Achieving fair funding for school modernization in California: a case study [VIDEO]

-- EdSource California: September 06, 2019 [ abstract]

EdSource examines the challenges that an urban, low-wealth school district in California faces modernizing its schools. Fresno Unified, the state’s 4th largest district, is struggling to repair aging buildings while student and community needs for air-conditioned lunch rooms, Health centers and gymnasiums go unfunded. Fresno Unified ‘s assessed value per student is about a fifth of the statewide average. That puts it at a disadvantage with wealthier districts in floating larger construction bonds that are eligible for matching state funding. Finance and research experts suggest ways to reform the system.

-- JOHN FENSTERWALD

A school garden for the whole community

-- The Coast News Group California: September 05, 2019 [ abstract]

OCEANSIDE — Over the last two years, Libby Elementary has transformed what was once a vacant lot on its campus into a green, thriving garden for its community. “There was nothing here — no trees, no plants, no irrigation lines, just bare dirt,” said Principal César Mora during the garden’s community grand opening on Aug. 28. “And we’ve turned it into this beautiful garden.” Now, when parents walk their children to campus, they see a “green space” dedicated to their entire community. “Our mission is to bring our school community together to provide a Healthy, a safe and thriving environment for our neighbors, children, our youth, our adults and more importantly our senior citizens,” Mora told an audience of students, teachers and parents. The garden originally started in a much smaller, enclosed space with garden beds of squash and other vegetables before expanding to include a small orchard of lemons, pomegranates, plums, oranges, avocadoes and other fruits as well as cherry tomatoes, beans, corn and other produce. The expansion also included installing irrigation lines into the garden, an ADA-compliant gate, a black fence and a concrete pad meant for a greenhouse at a future date. To pay for the garden’s expansion, Oceanside Unified School District obtained a grant from the County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency. Community members can tend to their garden beds during and right after school hours when they come to pick up their kids. Mora hopes the garden will help community members feel better about venturing out of their homes and making connections with neighbors — something they may be otherwise afraid to do. Mora said the garden is a “safe place for everybody.”

-- Samantha Taylor

Md. work group’s challenge: Assess the state of school buildings

-- WTOP Maryland: August 29, 2019 [ abstract]

Overcrowding. Leaky roofs. A lack of temperature control. All are problems in Maryland schools — but what should be addressed first? A work group is examining whether the state should create an index to compare the relative condition of school buildings throughout the state — from electrical hazards and asbestos threats to overcrowding and missing playground equipment. At the most basic level, threats to life and Health would be most heavily weighted, while school infrastructure that is beyond its expected life but still in good repair would be documented, but not heavily weighted as a deficiency. At the moment, school construction money in state law isn’t tied to such an index — but it could be if there’s sufficient support from education officials, lawmakers and the public. A nine-member work group met in Annapolis on Wednesday morning to wade through a proposed formula to apply scores for physical facility deficiencies as well as conditions that could hinder teaching and learning. A statewide assessment of school facilities was recommended by the Knott Commission, which made the recommendations contained in the 21st Century School Facilities Act of 2018. The work group’s task was to be based on a statewide school facility assessment that was supposed to be complete by July 1, but a bid protest during the procurement process means that task hasn’t yet begun.

-- Danielle E. Gaines - Maryland Matters

Decaying school facilities pose health risks to students, staff

-- Education Drive National: August 26, 2019 [ abstract]

Dive Brief: Crumbling school buildings pose Health threats to students, including lead exposure, mold and water damage, and pests, according to an article published by New America, a centrist think tank. These issues not only affect the Health of students, but also contribute to negative academic outcomes and increasing absenteeism, research indicates.
Some of these issues are being considered at the federal level: A 2014 studyby the National Center for Educational Statistics indicated that 24% of schools across the nation were in fair or poor condition, while national studies released this summer revealed lead-based paint was present in half of K-12 schools tested and lead-contaminated drinking water was present in more than one-third of schools buildings tested. The Rebuild America’s Schools Act now under consideration would provide $100 billion in school infrastructure money, while other pending legislation may provide funding for early-childhood education facilities.
School and local leaders are ultimately responsible for providing safe schools that are conducive to learning and can look for grants and other funding sources to improve conditions, the report said. Teachers and staff members can make sure facilities are clean, free from clutter and properly ventilated — though in extreme cases, teachers have gone on strike to draw attention to Health hazards at their schools.

-- AMELIA HARPER

Why teachers and parents are hot about these 60 Denver schools without air conditioning

-- Chalkbeat Colorado: August 26, 2019 [ abstract]

For years, Denver teachers and parents have expressed concerns about hot classrooms when students return to school in August — many to buildings without air conditioning. It’s no different this year, despite efforts by the district to cool some of its hottest schools. The temperature on the first day of school last week was 98 degrees. As the forecast calls for weather in the mid-90s this week, heat concerns are once again reaching a fever pitch. “I joke that I don’t teach reptiles, I teach mammals,” said Lisa Yemma, a teacher at Slavens K-8 School. “Thirty middle schoolers in a room, it’s hot.” On social media, teachers and parents have been sharing photos of thermometers: 90 degrees in a special education classroom. 89 degrees in a second-floor middle school classroom. 88 degrees in an elementary school classroom where the teacher is pregnant. “Teachers tend to be martyrs,” Yemma said. “We say, ‘This totally sucks, but we’re going to do it anyway because it’s for the kids.’ But at this point, we are risking the Health and safety of the kids.” A group of teachers organized a rally Monday evening outside Denver Public Schools headquarters to protest hot classrooms. “We demand the district come up with a plan, including concrete steps to fix the problem,” said South High School teacher Elizabeth McMahon, who helped organize the rally.

-- MELANIE ASMAR

All School Playgrounds To Close For Soil Tests: Fairfield Supt.

-- Patch - Fairfield, CT Connecticut: August 25, 2019 [ abstract]

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Fairfield school district is closing all of its playgrounds after three school sites tested positive for contaminants. The tests were conducted in connection with an investigation of illegal dumping at the town public works yard and the contractor hired to run the facility. Arsenic found at the Jennings Elementary School soccer field and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found at the Mill Hill Elementary School playground walkway and the Riverfield Elementary School baseball fields and playground exceeded residential standards, the town of Fairfield announced Saturday. "Given the proximity of the test sites at Jennings, Mill Hill and Riverfield which raised concerns we are going to close our playscape areas at all schools and test the soil beneath those areas," Superintendent Mike Cummings stated in an email Sunday to parents. "We will also secure more information on the mulch we use and post that information online." State officials said the levels of contamination at the sites that tested positive will not cause any Health effects, according to the town. The sites will be remediated and access will be restricted in the interim.

-- Anna Bybee-Schier

Millions in Nevada taxpayer money set for school security

-- 3 News Las Vegas Nevada: August 16, 2019 [ abstract]

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Millions of dollars, set aside by state lawmakers during the last legislative session, will soon be headed for school districts statewide to enhance school safety and security. "We allocated an additional $75 million to school safety," said Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak. Both through the counseling side, the soft side, and on the hard side, hardening the targets with some physical improvements, with more cameras," Sisolak added. Christy McGill, Director of the Nevada Department of Education Division of Safe and Respectful Learning, said the $75 million in state money is on top of another $1 million from a Federal grant program established by Congress after the deadly high school shooting in South Florida. "In Parkland," said McGill, "Many people knew that this young person was struggling." She added, "So, we're hoping with this multi-pronged approach, and by strengthening behavioral Health in our schools, we can actually intervene earlier and de-escalate some of these kids." The state money will also include infrastructure improvements and security assessment to make Nevada schools harder targets. "That threat assessment around the school buildings itself will help schools decide what are the most important school safety features to fund first," said McGill.

-- Steve Wolford

Poorer kids may have less shade in their schoolyards

-- Reuters National: August 14, 2019 [ abstract]

(Reuters Health) - Elementary schools with the greatest proportions of poor children may have the least amount of shade in their schoolyards where kids spend their recess, a new U.S. study finds. Researchers analyzing available shade in St. Louis elementary schools found a steady decrease in the amount of shade, especially from trees, with an increase in the number of children who qualified for subsidized lunches, according to the results in JAMA Dermatology. And that means poor kids are more exposed to the sun’s damaging rays, said the study’s lead author, Jolee Potts, a medical student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “Shade on playgrounds is important because UV exposure is cumulative - meaning as you age, all of the sun exposure over your entire life adds up and contributes to your risk of getting skin cancer, including melanoma,” Potts said in an email. “About half of lifetime UV exposure occurs in childhood, making this time especially important for prevention. Adequate playground shade can also help immediately protect kids that are especially susceptible to the sun, including those with very fair skin, kids with conditions like lupus, or kids taking medications that make them more sensitive to the sun.” Potts and coauthor Dr. Carrie Coughlin analyzed data from 174 elementary schools, including 139 in St. Louis County and 35 in the city of St. Louis. They used subsidized school lunches as a proxy for household income and socioeconomic status. Their data on free and reduced-price lunches came from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Comprehensive Data System.

-- Linda Carroll

Arsenic fears didn't stall federal cleanup at Indiana school

-- WTHR13 Indiana: August 11, 2019 [ abstract]

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (AP) — Federal authorities are forging ahead with the Superfund cleanup of a lead-contaminated former school in northwestern Indiana, despite residents' concerns about the potential Health risk from arsenic at the site. The Environmental Protection Agency is overseeing the project to remove contaminated soil that began July 8 at the former Carrie Gosch Elementary school site in East Chicago. Concerned residents have said the agency moved too fast and ignored their concerns about a lack of adequate testing. Mark Templeton, an attorney for opponents of the project, told The (Northwest Indiana) Times that the EPA does not inspire trust when it pushes ahead without addressing valid questions about testing and scope. "EPA responses are often: 'There's no problem here. Trust us,'" Templeton said. "So you have EPA saying there's no problem here, without supporting documents." The EPA said in a statement that it fielded public comments about the project in 2012 and is now "implementing the remedy selected" at that time. That agency said "the original cleanup plan is still appropriate" and added that it had distributed informational flyers to the community before the cleanup began.

-- Associated Press

It's time to fix our nation's public-school buildings

-- The Hill National: August 02, 2019 [ abstract]

More than 50 million children and 6 million adults — one in six Americans — set foot in a school each weekday. Schools are not only where our children are educated, they are the heart of our communities — hosting countless community events every week; serving as emergency shelters; and where meals, aftercare and Health care are provided to millions of children. Our nation’s public schools are the second largest national infrastructure sector for capital investment. Yet, historically, unlike roads and bridges, school facilities have received virtually no federal investment. The result? Our school buildings are in as bad or worse shape as our roads and bridges. Nearly half of the nation’s schools are 50 years old. At best, they lack the technological updates required to meet 21st-century educational needs. At worst, they expose our students, teachers and staff to mold, lead and asbestos. The American Society of Civil Engineers has given the condition of our nation’s schools a D+. One-third of our nation’s school buildings require updates or replacement. Not surprisingly, the schools in the worst condition are concentrated in lower-wealth communities, particularly in our rural and inner-city areas. As leaders of national associations representing principals and parents, we have seen firsthand and heard many stories of the deplorable conditions inside some of our nation’s school buildings.

-- Opinion

NO FUNDING IN SIGHT TO REPAIR NEWARK’S CRUMBLING SCHOOLS

-- NJ Spotlight New Jersey: July 11, 2019 [ abstract]

Buildings in cash-strapped district have leaky roofs, damaged walls, peeling paint, old electrical systems, missing sinks and toilets. Newark’s school buildings desperately need fixing. Yet, despite a longstanding court order that the state replace Newark’s crumbling schools, no help is on the horizon. In 2016, New Jersey’s education and school construction agencies offered to pay for urgently needed repairs in certain school districts. The projects had to address school conditions that could cause “imminent peril to the Health and safety of students and staff.” This was exciting news to Newark officials, who knew the district’s schools were in serious disrepair. They catalogued the most egregious problems: falling roofs, obsolete fire alarms, faulty heating and cooling systems, broken windows, and deteriorating doors. Ultimately, they asked the state to fund more than 150 projects at an estimated cost of $311 million. Nearly a year later, the state responded. The education department approved just 11 projects in Newark — a fraction of what district officials said was needed to make their buildings safe and sound.

-- Patrick Wall

At least 2% of US public water systems are like Flint's �" Americans just don't hear about them

-- My Journal Courier National: July 10, 2019 [ abstract]

(THE CONVERSATION) More than five years after Flint’s water crisis first hit the news, the city has successfully lowered the lead levels in its water. The most recently available testing, from the second half of 2018, puts the lead in Flint’s water at 4 parts per billion. That’s well below the level, 15 ppb, that the federal government currently regards as dangerous for public Health. No amount of lead in water is safe, but the lower level in Flint represents a substantial improvement over the 27 ppb reported by the Virgina Tech Water Study at the peak of the crisis in April 2015. However, even Flint’s highest levels were not atypical for water systems that have problems. Most reports of elevated lead levels cluster in the range between 15 and 20 ppb. Where lead problems occur The federal Lead and Copper Rule requires public water utilities to sample home tap water yearly in neighborhoods most likely to face contamination. If more than 10% of samples exceed 15 parts per billion of lead, the rule states that the water system must take steps to control pipe corrosion – the main source of lead in residential tap water – as well as to inform the public and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Water systems, especially in rural areas, can report much higher levels than the EPA cutoff. In 2017, for example, an elementary school in Tulare County, California, home to agricultural laborers, reported lead levels of 4,600 ppb. The school distributed bottled water to its students and replaced its well. The same year, a senior living center in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, had lead levels of 3,428 ppb. Such drinking water is truly poisonous, especially for children.

-- Laura Pangallozzi, Binghamton University, State Un

Governor Carney Signs $863 Million Capital Budget to Complete 2019 Legislative Session

-- Delaware.gov Delaware: July 01, 2019 [ abstract]

DOVER, Del. — Governor John Carney on Monday signed the largest infrastructure package in Delaware history, capping a 2019 legislative session that included action to invest in Delaware’s highest-needs schools, fix roads and bridges, raise the age to buy cigarettes, ban single-use plastic bags, and make it easier for all Delawareans to vote in elections. Highlights of 2019 Legislative Session: Opportunity Funding: $75 million/three years for English learners, low-income students, and new mental Health supports in schools
Infrastructure: Record $863 million capital budget will invest in clean water, new roads and bridges, affordable housing, colleges and universities, and economic development projects
Plastic Bag Ban: Ban on single-use plastic bags will help protect Delaware’s environment, wildlife and communities
Tobacco 21: Raising the age to buy cigarettes to 21 will prevent younger Delawareans from smoking, improve the Health of young Delawareans, and reduce Health care costs
Early voting: New law allowing in-person voting up to 10 days prior to an election seeks to increase voter participation
Medicaid Waiver: New reinsurance program seeks to lower costs for Delaware families who get Health insurance on the exchange
Safe storage: New law requires safe storage of firearms around children The $863 million Fiscal Year 2020 capital budget signed by the Governor on Monday will fund new school construction, preserve open space and farmland statewide, invest in new drinking water infrastructure, and provide new funding for Delaware’s colleges and universities. Delaware’s capital budget also includes $425.3 million for the Transportation Trust Fund – part of a six-year, $3.2 billion plan to fix roads and bridges statewide through 2025. “We are investing in the future of our state – improving schools for all Delaware children, fixing roads and bridges in every Delaware community, and responsibly managing taxpayer dollars so we’re prepared to keep investing where it matters most,” said Governor John Carney. “Our work with members of the General Assembly is paying off. Graduation rates are up, unemployment is down, and our state is on sound financial footing, just two years after climbing out of $400 million budget deficit. But we have plenty of work ahead to make sure that all Delaware families have an opportunity to participate in Delaware’s success. That’s why we’re investing in high-needs schools, in clean drinking water, affordable housing, open-space, and rural broadband infrastructure – to give more Delaware families a real shot to succeed in the Delaware of the future.”

-- Office of the Governor

NYC Congressional Delegation Calls For Additional Lead Tests In Schools

-- gothamist New York: June 27, 2019 [ abstract]

All twelve Congressional delegates from New York City, led by Representative Nydia Velázquez, issued a letter to NYC Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza and NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot on Thursday, urging them to conduct lead-dust testing in public school buildings. The call-to-action cited a WNYC investigation that found deteriorated lead paint in four public elementary schools, along with lead-dust levels as much as 1,000 times the city’s current safety standard. “We call on your agencies to immediately begin a collaborative response effort to identify the scope of current lead issues,” the letter reads. “Families should have the peace of mind knowing that their children are attending schools that are safe and free of dangerous lead levels.” It asks the agencies to begin by prioritizing schools that will soon open for summer classes and the city’s free Summer Meals program. “With these programs beginning next week, it is critical that we ensure that children are not going to be exposed to hazardous conditions when the intent of their participation in summer programs is to enrich their academic potential,” wrote the members of Congress.

-- Christopher Werth

Hundreds of school repairs across Arizona delayed for more than a year, audit find

-- azcentral.com Arizona: June 21, 2019 [ abstract]

More than 100 facility repairs at Arizona schools took longer than a year to complete, potentially posing Health and safety risks to students, according to a June 2019 audit of the state's School Facilities Board. In the report, the Arizona Auditor General's Office investigated the state's Building Renewal Grant Fund, which is managed by the School Facilities Board. The School Facilities Board, a nine-member voting board appointed by the governor, distributes tens of millions of dollars allocated every year by the state Legislature to the Building Renewal Grant Fund for critical school repairs. Schools apply for grants to fix everything from leaking roofs to outdated cooling systems. Problems at the SFB included delayed building renewal projects, an unclear procurement policy and undisclosed conflicts of interest by a majority of board members, the audit found. The amount of funding the agency receives to send to schools for building repairs has more than doubled, to $76 million in budget year 2019 from $29 million in budget year 2016, according to the SFB's audit response. But the number of full-time employees the agency is budgeted for has not kept up: It had 14 in 2019, plus two outside consultants, compared with nine employees in 2016. Paul Bakalis, SFB's executive director, wrote in a letter responding to the audit that his agency is not "sufficiently staffed for a robust and growing workload."

-- Lily Altavena

State Board Approves $401M for School Construction Projects

-- Mile High CRE Colorado: June 18, 2019 [ abstract]

The Colorado State Board of Education has approved 43 school construction projects totaling more than $401 million from the Capital Construction Assistance Fund for the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant program that is partially funded by marijuana state excise taxes. The projects at school districts, BOCES and charter schools from throughout Colorado range from roof and boiler replacements to constructing entire school buildings. Approximately $129 million of the 2019 awards will be funded through cash grants provided by income earned from the Colorado State Land Board, marijuana excise taxes, spillover from the Colorado Lottery and interest on the assistance fund. Applicants will contribute $110 million in matching funds. Another $100 million is through lease-purchase grants from the state. Financing will be repaid with future assistance fund revenues. Applicants will contribute $62 million in matching money for those projects. The grants are intended to improve Health, safety, security and technology in public schools. Schools apply for the grants and the Capital Construction Assistance Board reviews the applications, prioritizing them and submitting their recommendations to the state board for approval. Since 2008, BEST has funded 354 grants in 141 school districts for a total of $2.1 billion in projects. Forty-three projects and three backup projects were selected for the 2019-20 cycle out of 58 grant applications that had requested a total of $437 million in state grant funds with $383 million in matching funds.

-- Staff Writer

Why DC pledges to test all playgrounds for toxic lead after prior ABC7 investigation

-- WJLA7 District of Columbia: June 17, 2019 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON (ABC7) — The 7 On Your Side I-Team continued its investigation into poison playgrounds, now alerting parents in multiple DC neighborhoods that a lab spotted toxic levels of lead in their school playgrounds. The two schools are Truesdell Education Campus and Takoma Education campus, both in Northwest Washington. ABC7 News and testing lab The Ecology Center out of Ann Arbor, Michigan alerted DC’s Department of General Services about elevated levels of lead Thursday morning. “There’s a lot at stake. In addition to lead poisoning which we’ve all seen the very tragic effects all over the country when we look at all the public outrage that happened with Flint Michigan with the water,” said Kevin Bell with PEER. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility observed and certified the collection of this most recent round of samples. The ABC7 I-team observed samples taken from Janney Elementary School gathered by parent group DC Safe and Healthy Playing Fields. Those samples came back twice with toxic lead rubber crumbs according to the Ecology Center.

-- Nathan Baca

Districts Could Get $14 Billion More This Fall. Here Are Five Ways They Might Spend It

-- Education Week National: June 13, 2019 [ abstract]

School districts this year appear to be on track to receive a windfall of money from their states. Income and sales tax are at surging with the Healthy economy, and few states missed their revenue projections resulting in huge surpluses in some places and the ability for governors to deliver on a key campaign promise: increased K-12 spending. According to a fiscal survey released this week by the National Association of State Budget Officers, governors collectively proposed to spend around $14 billion more on schools in fiscal year 2020 than they did this school year. It's still too early to tell how much of that money will land in districts' coffers. Legislatures this year were at odds with each other over whether to spend the majority of increased revenue on schools, squirrel the money away for the case of another recession, or spend it on other state obligations such as prisons and Medicaid. Many state legislatures, including in Alaska, Kansas, and Texas sent the extra revenue back to taxpayers in the form of tax cuts. But there are early signs that the majority of states will spend more on their schools this year. So how will superintendents use the extra money? Across the nation, superintendents, their chief financial officers, teachers and board members have had the same sorts of debates as state lawmakers. Some districts, despite the surging economy, will make dramatic cuts this year due to demographic shifts and overall insufficient tax revenue to pay for climbing costs such as in Oakland, Sacramento and Clark County, Nevada. But others are looking to boost spending.

-- Daarel Burnette II

Parents voice concern about Shell Beach Elementary building conditions

-- KSBY6 California: June 12, 2019 [ abstract]

The Lucia Mar Unified School District is responding to concerns from parents of students at Shell Beach Elementary, who fear mold may be growing in their classrooms after heavy rains damaged the roof of at least one building. “Personally, I’m working on transferring my daughter to a different school to protect her Health,” said mother Natalie Beller at a school board meeting Tuesday night. During the public comment portion of the meeting, Beller voiced her concern about the potential for mold in her daughter’s classrooms. Beller said her daughter has a mold allergy. “The fiberglass insulation was exposed and a black substance that looked like mold was covering the insulation,” Beller said. Cindy Naber, the district’s executive director of facilities, recognizes that inclement weather did damage some school structures. “With the record rainfall we had last season, there’s some roofs that need to be… there was water damage, so we’re doing roof repairs,” Naber said. Those repairs are set to begin this summer while students are away.

-- Aja Goare

Fund Our Facilities Coalition announces legislation to invest $85 million in school building repairs

-- The Philadelphia Sunday Sun Pennsylvania: June 07, 2019 [ abstract]

The union leaders and legislators who comprise the Fund Our Facilities Coalition met on May 29 at Richard Wright Elementary School to announce legislation sponsored by State Sen. Vincent Hughes that would invest $85 million to make critical repairs to Philadelphia’s school buildings. The dollar amount in Hughes’ companion bills –- SB 555 and SB 556 –- represent exactly half of the $170 million the coalition has said is needed to address immediate Health and safety concerns, and to ensure every Philadelphia school building is safe, clean and Healthy. Funding for SB 555 would come in the form of a $125 million grant from several Commonwealth special funds with outstanding balances. SB 556 calls for a $125 million grant that would be funded from the current state budget surplus. With each bill, Hughes proposes directing $85 million to the School District of Philadelphia; $30 million to 134 school districts throughout the state with a significant number of students experiencing poverty; and $10 million to the remaining public schools in the state. “We are in a position to fix a critical structural need and we cannot afford to lose this opportunity to provide thousands of teachers, students and school staffers with a Healthy, safe environment each day,” Hughes said. “The investments I am proposing would help fund the critical maintenance and repair and provide those conditions. We must act now and repair the unHealthy and unsafe conditions for the future of our students and our education system.”

-- Staff Writer

Sonoma County schools superintendent testifies before House on wildfire impacts, asks for increased recovery funds

-- The Press Democrat California: June 05, 2019 [ abstract]

The Sonoma County schools superintendent appeared before a Congressional committee Wednesday, urging for more federal funding for schools and mental Health resources for students and staff affected by wildfires. Superintendent Steve Herrington testified on the financial, emotional and physical impacts the 2017 wildfires had local schools and children during a U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor hearing on schools’ response and recovery in the wake of natural disasters. “In my 46 years as an educator, I have responded to numerous floods and earthquakes. But I have never seen a natural disaster take such a toll on an educational community as did the Tubbs fire,” said Herrington, who testified alongside education officials from Florida, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands, places that are recovering from typhoons or hurricanes. Herrington asked lawmakers for portable structures that schools can use after fires, more time for districts to spend recovery grant funds and for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse schools that set up community shelters. He also urged the committee to create federal standards for school disaster response, as well as guidelines for reopening campuses after wildfires. “You need to reopen schools as soon as possible because it gives children a sense of security,” Herrington told the committee. His requests appeared to resonate with committee members, who followed up his testimony with questions about how schools made up for lost time and how other western states can prepare schools for wildfires. “As climate change continues to intensify, the federal government’s responsibility to provide school communities with resources to recover from natural disasters is more important now than ever before,” said Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, committee chairman and delegate of the Northern Mariana Islands. Insurance companies paid Sonoma County schools over $7.1 million to cover losses and damages after the 2017 wildfires.

-- SUSAN MINICHIELLO

Years of inadequate funding have left many school facilities neglected

-- Education Drive National: May 31, 2019 [ abstract]

Many students in Virginia and other parts of the nation are attending school in substandard or even dangerous conditions because of a lack of funding for maintaining, updating, or building school facilities, the Washington Post reports. A 2013 study found that it would require more than $18 billion to renovate schools more than 30 years old in Virginia alone, and a 2014 federal study indicated that 53% of the nation’s schools were in need of repairs and upgrades. Estimates for addressing these school facility needs range from $197 billion to $542 billion.
Schools that are not properly maintained or replaced can contribute to Health problems in students and teachers, impact attendance rates at the schools and interfere with a student’s ability to learn. Neglected schools also impact student and teacher morale and are often indicative of equity issues, with schools in more affluent — and white communities — often better maintained than in low-income, minority neighborhoods.
Some states and cities are increasing funding for school capital projects by raising local taxes or diverting more state funding to school construction. But some bond referendums have failed, and the additional funds that are made available are inadequate to meet the need. Some school districts are pursuing public-private partnerships to help address the issue and, at the federal level, Congress is considering investing $100 billion over a 10-year period to rebuild public schools.

-- AMELIA HARPER

Hughes introduces bill to raise $85 million for immediate school repairs in Philly

-- Philadelphia Public School thenotebook Pennsylvania: May 29, 2019 [ abstract]

Pennsylvania State Sen. Vincent Hughes has introduced legislation that would raise $85 million for repairs to Philadelphia school buildings. The money would come either from unused money in state special programs or from a surplus in the general fund. Hughes made the announcement Wednesday morning with the Fund Our Facilities Coalition, made up of state and city legislators and union members, at Richard Wright Elementary School. “We are in a position to fix a critical structural need, and we cannot afford to lose this opportunity to provide thousands of teachers, students, and school staffers with a Healthy, safe environment each day,” Hughes said. “The investments I am proposing would help fund the critical maintenance and repair and provide those conditions. We must act now and repair the unHealthy and unsafe conditions for the future of our students and our education system.” Hughes (D-Philadelphia) is proposing a $125 million package. Of that, $85 million would go to Philadelphia, where the coalition has estimated that it will take $170 million to make all District schools free from lead paint, asbestos, and other immediate Health hazards. Of the remainder, $30 million would go to 134 high-poverty school districts and $10 million would be split among other districts.

-- Staff Writer

2 more Long Island school facilities shut down because of mercury vapor

-- Newsday New York: May 19, 2019 [ abstract]

Two more Long Island districts have shut down facilities after tests found mercury vapor coming from rubberlike synthetic flooring, prompting lawmakers to call for a wider state investigation into an issue that now impacts three public schools. Tests found low levels of mercury vapor in Amityville and Merrick elementary schools, according to notices sent to parents in April and May. Miller Place closed its high school gymnasium April 28 after tests found mercury vapor above an old synthetic floor that had been covered by wood. Schools told parents there was no threat to children and that the facilities were closed as a precaution. Health experts said mercury vapors can accumulate in the body and eventually affect brain function, particularly in children. They also said mercury concentration levels increase during warmer weather, and when ventilation systems are shut off. "You don’t want your kids exposed to mercury in any form, especially not in a school," said Dr. David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at University at Albany. "It reduces IQ, causes reduced attention span. It's associated with more anti-social behavior … all the last things you want associated with schools." While there's no New York state standard for mercury exposure in schools, testing reports prepared for Merrick and Amityville show concentration levels there mostly below standards set by other states for short- and long-term exposures. The levels, however, were above a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard for a lifetime of continuous exposure. Miller Place has not yet released its testing reports in response to a May 7 Freedom of Information Law request.

-- David M. Schwartz and Joie Tyrrell

Piketon school closes because of radioactive contamination fears

-- The Columbus Dispatch Ohio: May 13, 2019 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON — A school district in southern Ohio has closed its middle school because of concerns of radioactive contamination from a shuttered uranium enrichment plant fewer than five miles away. The Scioto Valley Local School District announced it was closing Zahn’s Corner Middle School on Monday after U.S. Department of Energy officials said they had no plans to stop their work at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a 3,000–acre facility that stopped producing enriched uranium in 2001. Energy Department contractors are building a waste disposal site on the plant as they work to clean up the site. Board of Education President Brandon K. Wooldridge said the district is working with the Ohio Department of Education to make up the eight remaining days in the school year for students. The school has a population of about 360, he said. County Health Department officials became concerned about contamination after the recent release of a 2017 Energy Department report that said the DOE found traces of neptunium at an air-monitoring station on the grounds of the middle school. Neptunium is a carcinogen linked to bone cancers. In a statement, the Department of Energy confirmed that trace amounts of neptunium were found in two ambient air-monitoring stations near the plant. “Even though the detected levels were well below the established thresholds of concern for public Health, DOE is taking immediate steps to obtain independent soil and air quality samples in the surrounding area, and will take all appropriate actions to address community concerns,” the statement read.

-- Jessica Wehrman

7 On Your Side: Labs say toxic lead is present at this D.C. elementary school playground

-- WJLA7 District of Columbia: May 06, 2019 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON (ABC7) — Children play at Janney Elementary School's playground in DC's Tenleytown neighborhood. Their families did not know that at the same time, two scientific laboratories found extremely high levels of toxic lead inside the recycled tires that made the bouncy floor of this playground. THE TEST RESULTS "Our certified third-party lab identified lead in rubber crumbs up to about 7,000 parts per million,” said Jeff Gearhart, Research Director of the Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For the test results, click here. The Ecology Center and TUV Rheinland lab of Arkansas tested individual crumb rubber samples gathered by parent group “Safe and Healthy Playing Fields.” Those recycled tire pieces were gathered from well-worn and pitted areas of the rubber flooring, while observed by 7 On Your Side. Janney Elementary was chosen by the parent group for the first test due to the deteriorating condition of the 2011 “poured in place” rubber installation. Ecology Center’s lab results show around a quarter of Janney Elementary's recycled tire playground samples showed lead at what scientists call dangerous levels: more than 1,000 parts per million. Two samples showed lead at 7,000 parts per million. “We're concerned about this level of lead in playground materials. Regulatory levels are not well established for this material. For comparison, you can look at the level of lead that's allowed in children's products, in toys, which is 100 parts per million. So the level we're seeing in some of these rubber crumbs is are several orders of magnitude higher than what's allowed in children's products,” explained Gearhart.

-- Nathan Baca

Are DC playground materials safe for kids? Council to fund study

-- WTOP District of Columbia: May 05, 2019 [ abstract]

Is the recycled rubber padding going in at playgrounds and fields safe? The District is set to fund a study to reassure a small group of concerned parents and determine what should or should not be allowed in the future. The playground material looks like permeable pavement, and is usually made up of things like recycled tires. The study, funded with an additional $100,000 the D.C. Council Committee on Transportation and the Environment proposed adding to the budget, is expected to check things like how hard the material is compared to dirt and assess whether there are any potential Health impacts from anything like lead that may be in the recycled rubber. Combined with another planned review, and under a law passed in December, Council Member Mary Cheh said this will provide the city “with the information necessary to assess and remediate any Health risks.”

-- Max Smith

How crumbling school facilities perpetuate inequality

-- Phi Delta Kappan National: April 29, 2019 [ abstract]

With Congress and the president pledging to address America’s long-term infrastructure needs, the challenges of maintaining school facilities are gaining more visibility. It is about time, too, because our public school facility infrastructure needs significant upgrading. The average public school building was built around 1968 — more than 50 years ago — and the National Center for Education Statistics reports that half of all public schools in the United States need at least one major facility repair (Alexander & Lewis, 2014). The American Society of Civil Engineers (2017) gave our public K-12 infrastructure a quality grade of D+ on their 2017 Infrastructure Report Card. However, despite tremendous needs, many of our schools lack the funds to renovate or modernize their obsolete and crumbling facilities. The State of Our Schools 2016 report documents a $38-billion-per-year shortfall on capital investments for public school construction and an additional $8-billion gap in maintenance and operations spending (Filardo, 2016). This spending gap has worsened in recent years. States and localities cut capital spending for elementary and secondary schools nationally by nearly $21 billion, or 26%, between fiscal years 2008 and 2016, after adjusting for inflation (Leachman, 2018). How the condition of school buildings affects education The Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education stated in a 2014 Dear Colleague letter that: Structurally sound and well-maintained schools can help students feel supported and valued. Students are generally better able to learn and remain engaged in instruction, and teachers are better able to do their jobs, in well-maintained classrooms that are well-lit, clean, spacious, and heated and air-conditioned as needed. In contrast, when classrooms are too hot, too cold, overcrowded, dust-filled, or poorly ventilated, students and teachers suffer. Decades of research confirm that the conditions and qualities of school facilities affect students, teachers, and overall academic achievement. In their review of the peer-reviewed literature, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health conclude that “the evidence is unambiguous — the school building influences student Health, thinking, and performance” (Eitland et al., 2017).

-- Mary Filardo, Jeffrey M. Vincent, and Kevin J. Sul

A Camp Pendleton Elementary School Receives $47.5 Million Federal Grant

-- Military.com California: April 27, 2019 [ abstract]

The Fallbrook Union School District will receive more than $47.5 million in federal funding to address problems with its capacity and aging facilities at Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary School, located on Camp Pendleton. Those funds come from the Department of Defense Public Schools Military Installations Program, which bases the allocations on a priority list developed by the Secretary of Defense. The law provides funds to build, repair or expand public schools on military installations "to ensure the children of service members are learning in safe, modern, and efficient facilities that meet the local standard." "I am thrilled to announce that the Fallbrook Union School District is being awarded nearly $50 million for critical upgrades to the Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary School..." said Rep. Mike Levin, (D-San Juan Capistrano) who represents the congressional district where the school is located. "Students deserve safe and Healthy learning environments, and I am glad to see the Defense Department invest in our district and address these much needed repairs." The existing school was built in 1954 for a student population of 361, but the campus is outdated and the student body has outgrown its space. It now enrolls about 772 students, according to the California School dashboard, and many students attend class in relocatable units.

-- Deborah Sullivan Brennan, San Diego Union-Tribune

County seeks action on school construction funding during special session

-- WBALTV11 Maryland: April 25, 2019 [ abstract]

TOWSON, Md. — Baltimore County officials are making a last-minute plea for additional school construction money. County leaders want Gov. Larry Hogan to permit lawmakers to take up a school construction bill during next week's special session. Some called the idea a longshot to have lawmakers add a school funding bill to an agenda that has just one item to elect a new speaker of the House. "Too many of our schools are aging. Too many of our schools are rundown," Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski said. "As the Legislature prepared to convene for a special session, I believe we have an opportunity to step up and do right by our children." County officials said the right thing is more money to help replace rundown schools like Dulaney, Lansdowne and Towson high schools. It's money Baltimore County thought was on the way until a bill designed to secure the funding failed in the state Senate. "This was Baltimore County's most important priority. In fact, it was the county executive's only priority, and it was such a shame that it didn't get passed," state Sen. Chris West said. The lack of state funding put pressure on the county executive and Board of Education to make good on promises to build new high schools. "It is vital that we have provide equitable, safe and Healthy learning environments for each and every one of them," said Kathleen Causey, president of the Board of Education.

-- Tim Tooten

Area schools get share of $2M federal grant to aid hurricane recovery

-- WECT6 North Carolina: April 24, 2019 [ abstract]

State Superintendent Mark Johnson announced Wednesday that North Carolina has received a $2 million federal grant that will aid continued hurricane recovery efforts for schools across the state. The funds will restore learning environments in 271 schools in 12 school districts and one charter school, helping more than 130,000 public school students. Funds from the grant will be awarded to Bladen, Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender, and Onslow County schools, as well as the GLOW Academy in Wilmington. Other districts receiving the grant money include Carteret, Chapel Hill-Carrboro, Davidson, Jones, Randolph, Robeson, and Sampson County schools. “We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Education for recognizing the impact that these storms continue to have to students and educators in North Carolina,” Johnson said. “A violent storm is disruptive and can have a long-lasting, traumatic effect on students and affect their academic performance and mental Health. These resources will help us ensure these schools continue to be the anchor of their communities.” The grant will fund projects such as rebuilding playgrounds, transporting students displaced by the storm to allow them to continue attending their home schools, pay to those who worked tirelessly to preserve and restore school facilities and learning environments, and providing additional instructional time.

-- Clint Bullock

Proposed Legislation Could Be A Boon For Public Facilities

-- Facility Executive National: April 22, 2019 [ abstract]

Something good could happen as a result of congressional action. A recently introduced bill would provide a $5 billion boost for the construction and rehabilitation of government-owned buildings. The Public Buildings Renewal Act (S. 932), if passed by Congress, will open up tax-exempt financing for public buildings — many of which are in dire need of salvaging and/or improving. Bill sponsors say the bill will encourage public-private partnerships for construction projects, lower the cost for taxpayers, and incentivize investors. It would also create jobs and provide an economic boost. Many government facilities which heretofore have been ineligible for federal tax-exempt funding could get significant attention because of the bill. Eligible facilities would include the following:

an elementary or secondary school;
facilities of a state college or university used for educational purposes;
a public library;
a courthouse;
hospital, Health care, laboratory or research facilities;
public safety facilities; or
offices for government employees.

-- Mary Scott Nabers

Board Questions Decision To Lower PPS Bond By $100 Million

-- OPB Oregon: April 16, 2019 [ abstract]

A recent audit of Portland Public Schools’ 2017 bond found cost estimates provided to the public for the school renovations and Health and safety projects were $100 million less than professional construction estimates circulated internally. But auditors found no documented reason why the estimate was lowered — or who made the decision. Consulting firm Sjoberg Evashenk presented their findings to the PPS Board at a meeting Monday evening. Portland voters approved the $790 million bond in May 2017, to cover modernization and renovation at three Portland high schools and one middle school, and to address Health and safety problems such as lead-based paint and ADA requirements. School board members have been wrestling with cost overruns on the 2017 bond since April 2018, when projects appeared to run nearly $90 million over budget. Costs have risen since then, though the district has made changes to rein them in to a degree. Internal documents from the PPS Office of School Modernization showed cost estimates totaling $678 million for the four major rebuilds. But when executive leadership from OSM presented the bond to the PPS board in January 2017, total project cost for those four school projects had been reduced to $580 million.

-- Elizabeth Miller

Report: Pennsylvania gets 'F' for not addressing lead in school drinking water

-- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pennsylvania: March 26, 2019 [ abstract]

A statewide advocacy group has given Pennsylvania a failing grade for lead in school drinking water and is looking to a state bill introduced Tuesday for solutions. For the second time in roughly as many years, the organization PennEnvironment has given an “F” to the state in its “Get the Lead Out” report for not requiring lead testing of water in schools. “We released this report for the first time in 2017 and identified gaps in Pennsylvania law around protecting kids from lead in school drinking water,” said Ashleigh Deemer, spokesperson for PennEnvironment. “The gaps were that there’s no regular testing required in schools to assure us of the drinking water quality there, and when schools do test voluntarily, they’re not required to disclose the results to the public or parents. and then finally they’re not really required to fix the problem if they find that lead levels are high.” Lead is a known neurotoxin, and according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, low levels in a child’s blood can result in learning and behavioral problems, slowed growth, and other issues. "There is no safe level of lead for children," Karen Hacker, Allegheny County Health Department director said in a news release Tuesday on the report. “The Health department is working hard to identify and address lead hazards in Allegheny County, and we support any measures the state can take to make our schools safer.” A bill in the state House would require annual testing of water used for drinking and cooking in schools, require results to be disclosed to parents and set a statewide standard that lead concentrations in school water can be no higher than 5 parts per billion.

-- ASHLEY MURRAY AND ELIZABETH BEHRMAN

NC gets an ‘F’ grade for keeping lead out of school drinking water, new report finds

-- The News & Observer North Carolina: March 21, 2019 [ abstract]

RALEIGH - North Carolina is failing to protect children from drinking lead-contaminated water in schools, advocacy groups warn, prompting state lawmakers to push for testing at public schools and childcare facilities. North Carolina was among 22 states that got an “F” grade for not getting rid of lead from school drinking water, according to a new study released Thursday by Environment America Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund. Advocates and lawmakers said Thursday that the state needs to act now to protect the Health of North Carolina’s children.

-- T. KEUNG HUI

Florida legislators announce bill to ensure structurally sound schools for all students in the state

-- Southern Poverty Law Center Florida: March 12, 2019 [ abstract]

Florida state Rep. Anna Eskamani and Florida state Sen. Janet Cruz today announced legislation that would create uniform requirements to ensure that all Florida students can receive an education in school buildings that are structurally sound. The legislation, House Bill 1233 and Senate Bill 586, would create what is known as the Florida Students’ Bill of Rights. The Students’ Bill of Rights requires that all Florida students attend schools that are designed and constructed, where applicable, to minimize the impact from hurricanes or other natural disasters; that meet required fire-safety and Health standards; that are accessible to individuals with disabilities; that follow safe school design principles; and that have sound infrastructure. Because not all school buildings adhere to the same construction safety standards, many Florida students lack access to life-saving protections. Private schools supported by state funds – and some charter schools – do not have to meet the state building code requirements that public schools do. Additionally, they are not built to the same safety standards as most public schools, and they are not required to meet the same minimum safety requirements. “When newly built schools do not play by the same rules and do not adhere to basic structural safety requirements, student lives are at risk,” Eskamani said. “There are Florida children attending schools that are falsifying fire-safety and Health records. How can we expect our students to reach their fullest potential, when we are not protecting them with some of the most basic safety requirements?”

-- Staff Writer

Making School a Safe Haven, Not a Fortress

-- Education Week National: March 12, 2019 [ abstract]

Big, airy windows that allow for clear views of the street and plenty of natural light. Meditation rooms. Koi pounds. Carpet that resembles prairie grass to evoke a sense of nature. A centrally-located school counseling office. Those touchy-feely sounding features probably aren't the first ones that spring to mind when you imagine designing schools to thwart or mitigate future school shootings and other physical threats. But they can bolster student safety, well-being, and even learning—all without making students feel like they are going to school in a fortress, say architects who have spent years designing building to improve school safety. "Security and designing beautiful spaces are actually symbiotic. They don't work in opposition to each other," said Jenine Kotob, architectural designer with Hord Coplan Macht, a design firm in Alexandria, Va., and an active member of the American Institute of Architects, which is championing this design philosophy. "I can successfully design a school that functions as a school, that the learning environment functions in a Healthy and inspiring way. I can also integrate the safety and security into that, so that … students can feel safe without being burdened by fear." Kotob focuses on school design in part because she has personal experience with school shootings. She was a student at Virginia Tech in 2007 when a student shooter killed 32 people, including her close friend, Reema Samaha.

-- Alyson Klein

Abundance of caution leading to mold check at Gateway Education Center

-- News & Record North Carolina: March 09, 2019 [ abstract]

GREENSBORO — Officials with Guilford County Schools are bringing in a consultant to check for mold at Gateway Education Center after recent heavy rains brought water inside the building. Scott McCully, the school system’s chief operations officer, said Saturday that he was not aware of evidence of mold in the school, but school officials know that can happen when an older building gets wet inside. He said he expects consultants to complete their work within the next few days. At that point, he said, school officials will learn the findings and look at next steps, if needed. The water has been cleaned up, he said. Gateway serves students with severe and multiple mental and/or physical disabilities, who range from 6 months to 22 years old, according to information on the school’s website. Some students at the school are medically fragile, McCully said, pointing to the importance of keeping a Healthy, mold-free school for them. Mold can cause or worsen coughing, congestion and other breathing issues, among other concerns. McCully said Gateway needs a new roof, so leaks are likely contributing to the problem and it’s possible some water is seeping in through slab floors.

-- Jessie Pounds

Stevensville Schools will try again for passage of bond issues

-- 8KPAX.com Montana: March 08, 2019 [ abstract]

STEVENSVILLE – Stevensville School leaders will go back to the voters this spring to ask approval for a pair of bond issues to bring the first major improvements to the district’s elementary and high school buildings in decades. The decision to seek a vote on a $6.3 million bond for the Elementary School District, and a $14.1 million bond for the high school, comes after extensive re-tooling of bond packages that failed last year. The school board is endorsing the proposal after extensive discussions and surveys. “There is significant support for the elementary and high school remodel, and then also some repairs to our gymnasium facility,” said Stevensville School Superintendent Dr. Robert Moore. “Not as much support for our outdoor athletic facilities that we tried to pass the last time. We put basically everything that was on a 20-year plan on the table and said ‘okay, what will you support? What do you think?’ And one thing that came back was a Trade and Technological Education Center.” That means the bond proposals will still include the critical upgrades that are needed to the elementary and high school buildings, which are not only showing their age, but becoming an expense because of the old infrastructure. Some of those improvements have been deferred for more than a decade. That would solve Health and safety concerns, but also be an effort to modernize not only classrooms, but the programs that use them.

-- Dennis Bragg

State: Elevated levels of contaminants identified at 18 East Hawaii schools

-- Hawaii Tribune Herald Hawaii: March 07, 2019 [ abstract]

The state Department of Education and Department of Health are implementing environmental hazard management plans at 18 East Hawaii schools after a study found elevated levels of contaminants such as lead, arsenic and chlordane in the soil at those facilities. According to a joint news release set to be issued this morning, the review was initiated in 2017 to evaluate the presence of arsenic in soil due to the historic use of arsenic-based herbicides when the land was used for sugar cane cultivation before the schools were built. Assessments of lead and pesticides such as chlordane were included in the study because historically they were known to be used in lead paint and termite treatments.

-- STEPHANIE SALMONS

New report: Legislation to address NC’s school building crisis would only begin to address school facility needs

-- NC Policy Watch North Carolina: March 06, 2019 [ abstract]

North Carolina lawmakers are debating two proposals that would direct state money to fund long overdue public school construction needs, but both fall short of offering sustainable solutions for the state, according to a new report from the NC Justice Center. Ultimately, rolling back tax cuts made in the last several years could completely address the state’s school building needs without undermining funding for education. “Where students learn matters for their educational outcomes,” said Kris Nordstrom, Senior Policy Analyst with the Justice Center’s Education & Law Project and co-author of the report. “Leaving children to learn in unHealthy, unsafe environments will have a negative impact on their well-being now and in the future as well as our state’s educational goals.” North Carolina has a massive backlog in needed investments such as school construction and repairs, the report said, across a range of projects in communities facing very different demographic and fiscal challenges. Rapidly growing populations in some urban parts of the state drive needs for construction, while economically struggling communities lack the tax base to fix aging and dilapidated school buildings.

-- Rob Schofield

Dothan City Schools will close Head Start for a week after Spring Break to deal with poor air quality

-- Dothan Eagle Alabama: February 27, 2019 [ abstract]

Dothan City School board declared an emergency action to address poor air quality issues and prevent the growth of mold. The action will close the Head Start building on Powell Street the week after Spring Break, April 1-5. Superintendent Dr. Phyllis Edwards and Facility Director Tim Holley were recently made aware of the issue’s urgency after an environmental services report revealed a risky amount of moisture in the air. The report shows levels are within state guidelines and do not pose an immediate Health risk to students. However, Edwards said she would like to stay ahead of the problem in preparation for higher moisture levels in outdoor air expected to come with spring weather. “By coming in and doing the things we need to do, that will buy us the three months or so, and then we’ve got to come back in and do all kinds of other things, because it is a very old building,” Edwards said. The oldest of Dothan’s existing education facilities, the main Head Start structure was built in 1926, with the last renovations taking place in 1990. The problem lies in decades-old heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units housed in mechanical rooms around the school. Edwards said you can “smell the mustiness” when walking into the school.

-- Sable Riley

School construction brings together Gov. Cooper, GOP speaker

-- Miami Herald North Carolina: February 23, 2019 [ abstract]

Political adversaries for the past two years, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and a top Republican legislative leader are now rare allies on whittling down North Carolina public schools' construction and repair needs. House Speaker Tim Moore and Cooper want to put a public education construction bond package on the 2020 ballot and have been traveling around the state separately drumming up support. That puts them at odds with Senate Republicans, who approved a bill last week to build more by spending more money from existing tax revenues, rather than issuing debt that would be repaid plus interest through the 2040s. Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger downplayed the speaker's alliance with Cooper, saying they're still quite unified on a conservative agenda this decade that's resulted in lower tax rates, less regulation and expanded school choice. "I have a great deal of respect and a lot in common in terms of philosophy with Sen. Berger and with the Senate," Moore said in an interview. "We are generally aligned on most issues, but there are differences." But this school bond partnership, with backing from legislative Democrats and House Republicans, exemplifies the increased leverage Cooper has after November election gains weakened the GOP's majorities so they no longer hold veto-proof control. During his State of the State address Monday, Cooper is expected to call on legislators to support the bonds and expand Medicaid through the federal Health care overhaul law — something Berger opposes but Moore hasn't fully closed the door on. Choosing between a $1.9 billion bond package backed by Moore and many Democrats and the "pay-as-you-go" plan from Senate Republicans comes as state educators estimated in 2016 there were $13 billion in public school building and infrastructure needs through 2026.

-- GARY D. ROBERTSON ASSOCIATED PRESS

Reed touts plan to invest in schools

-- The Valley Breeze Rhode Island: February 05, 2019 [ abstract]

During a tour of local schools in Pawtucket and Central Falls Monday, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said he got a firsthand look at some of the challenges students, teachers, and principals face when it comes to school infrastructure and how it affects classroom productivity and Health. Reed, who was joined by Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien and Superintendent Patti DiCenso, as well as Central Falls Mayor James Diossa, said the condition of school infrastructure has a direct impact on classroom learning environments, and given the enormous scope of need, the federal government needs to step up and be a partner in upgrading public school infrastructure. “Today, the mayors and I saw some areas of need, as well as members of the community, teachers, and parents all coming together and pitching in to deliver the best for our kids, improve our schools, and make a positive difference,” he said. “And our message today is: The federal government must pitch in too.”

-- Staff Writer

Marion County Releases Report on Lead in School Drinking Water

-- Nuvo Indiana: January 31, 2019 [ abstract]

The Marion County Public Health Department has Health.org/schoolwaterreport/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(228, 28, 61) !important;">released the results of a comprehensive survey of county schools, which showed that, before remediation, of the 297 facilities initially tested, 161 of them were in violation of Environmental Protection Agency standard for lead at the time.

The Report on Lead in School Drinking Water led by the MCPHD included extensive voluntary testing of thousands of water fountains and other potable water supplies within area schools, according to Curt Brantingham, media and public information coordinator.

There are currently no federal or state laws mandating regular testing of school drinking water for lead in Indiana.

Over the course of the testing, 8,842 water samples were taken, of which, 5.4 percent, or 475, were in violation of EPA lead standards at the time. After remediation, fixtures in all schools are in compliance with EPA standards at the time of testing, or have been taken out of service, according to Dr. Virginia A. Caine, MCPHD director.

“Testing sites included all areas where children had access, or one could reasonably assume a child could access,” stated Caine. “These areas included kitchen prep sinks, fountains, bathroom sinks in classrooms for younger children, clinics and teacher lounges if children were allowed to access them. Testing staff relied on school personnel to identify areas within the buildings that children had access. Out buildings, such as concession stands and athletic facilities, were included in testing sites.”

-- Rob Burgess

Norcross Introduces the Rebuild America’s Schools Act

-- Insider NJ New Jersey: January 30, 2019 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), and Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) led House and Senate Democrats in introducing a proposal to invest more than $100 billion in America’s public schools. The Rebuild America’s Schools Actwould fund $70 billion in grants and $30 billion in bonds to help address critical physical and digital infrastructure needs in schools across the country. According to economic projections, the bill would also create more than 1.9 million good-paying jobs. “In Congress, my top three priorities are jobs education and security, and the Rebuild America’s Schools Act will create jobs in our communities, improve educational opportunities and ensure students learn in buildings that are safe and more secure. It’s a win-win-win,” said Congressman Norcross, a member of the Education and Labor Committee. “No student should be going to a school that poses a serious safety threat but, unfortunately, that’s happening right now. The Rebuild America’s Schools Act provides investments that help students and teachers, as well as the men and women who will build new schools. As a grandfather of students and a construction worker by trade, I’ll continue to support initiatives that lift up workers, improve schools and help students succeed.” The bill comes as students, teachers, and parents across the country are demanding more support for public education. In a recent poll conducted by Politico/Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 84% of Democrats and 65% of Republicans said increasing K-12 funding is an “extremely important priority” for the 116th Congress. There is currently a $46 billion nationwide shortfall in annual funding for public school infrastructure. The bill was introduced with 153 House cosponsors.

-- Staff Writer

HCS looks at new Carolina Forest elementary school amid St. James mold complaints

-- WBTW13 South Carolina: January 28, 2019 [ abstract]

CONWAY, SC (WBTW) - Another elementary school may be coming to Carolina Forest, but the renewed look at a school there comes as some parents want another elementary school in Horry County to be replaced. Parents of students at St. James Elementary School near the Burgess community say they're worried the building is too old, hurting their kids and staff members. "There are several concerns, Health-related, concerning mold in the school, inconsistent heating and air, students are sitting in classrooms with jackets on," said June Johnson, a grandmother of kids at St. James elementary. Several St. James elementary parents are upset the Horry County Schools board did not select replacing their school when narrowing down potential projects in the district's $750 million capital plan. "It seems that Band-Aids are put on the school, instead of a resolution," Johnson said during Monday night's board meeting. Another project that also was eliminated in December was a new elementary school in Carolina Forest, but it may be revived. It would be the sixth elementary school in the Carolina Forest attendance zone.

-- Chris Spiker

Despite plans, former Lower 9th Ward school building could collapse 'any day'; here's why

-- The Advocate Louisiana: January 27, 2019 [ abstract]

The Rev. Richard Bell worries that the three-story T.J. Semmes Elementary School building on Jourdan Avenue will collapse one day with a mighty rumble, showering neighborhood houses and cars with bricks. “It could fall any day,” said Bell, a co-chairman of A Community Voice for the Lower 9th Ward. “This place is caving in on itself. It’s a Health hazard.” Mark Holian, 78, who has lived across from the school’s North Rampart Street side for 45 years, shook his head to see the current condition of the once-sturdy building. “I have an affinity for this building. When I first moved here, it was so solid and so pretty,” he said. Holian craned back his head to take in the building’s full scope. “When you think about it, it’s amazing how long it stood there with almost no upkeep,” he said. “It withstood years and years of neglect.” A past owner, former state Sen. and City Councilman Jon Johnson, appears to have milked the building for his own gain. Its current owner, a company called 1008 Jourdan Avenue, purchased the building in 2017 and has been working to put together a development plan that included historic restoration tax credits, said one of the owners, Michael Tubre. As long as the four exterior walls can be made stable, even some badly neglected buildings can be salvaged. Tubre, for instance, worked to create apartments in the former McDonogh 16 School on St. Claude Avenue, which had been a longtime "squat" for homeless people. Alembic Community Development redid the Myrtle Banks School building on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard despite a fire that collapsed the third floor and the roof on its second floor. And last year, ArtSpace Bell School Apartments opened in the former Andrew J. Bell School building, even though nearly all the building’s interior had been destroyed because of a badly leaking roof that wasn’t repaired for years after Katrina. In recent months, the owners of the former Semmes School felt their plans were coming together. They’d worked all summer with a school that had expressed interest in relocating there. In mid-December, engineers had finished a plan to shore up the historic brick building. Shoring was an essential step, because one wall had already collapsed over the summer, Tubre said.

-- KATY RECKDAHL

New App Allows Teachers, Students To Report School Building Issues In Real-Time

-- 3 CBS Philly Pennsylvania: January 24, 2019 [ abstract]

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A new app available has teachers in the Philadelphia School District hoping to hold the district more accountable when it comes to poor building conditions. The app, called Healthy School Tracker, was launched Thursday by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. It’s no secret some Philadelphia schools need repairs and now this app let’s teachers and students take the report of those into their own hands. Officials say the average age of school buildings in the district is 70 years old. The Philly teacher’s union says the goal of the app is to get a faster resolution from the school district when dealing with building issues. “We’re really excited to go public,” Jerry Jordan, of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, said.

-- Matt Petrillo

Philadelphia’s deteriorating school building conditions are a human rights issue | Opinion

-- The Inquirer Pennsylvania: January 24, 2019 [ abstract]

In Governor Wolf’s inaugural address, he said, "We’ve gone from a Commonwealth at a crossroads to a Commonwealth on a comeback.” The governor is correct. I was reminded of this recently as I read the Philadelphia House delegation’s plan for the city. I was struck by how much is at stake and by how much is possible. The work ahead of us is monumental — but as Philadelphia Delegation Chair Jason Dawkins stated, it is about our priorities. It’s encouraging to know the delegation is committed to putting everyday people at the forefront of our path. The current state of our school facilities is untenable. Every day, the PFT seeks input from our members about what they’re experiencing. We’re sounding the alarm, providing scientific analysis of hazards, and working with our environmental scientist to develop protocols to identify and remediate them. Through the Philadelphia Healthy Schools Initiative, we are building a broad-based coalition of partners who share our commitment to this pivotal work. But it is not nearly enough. Addressing the basic human rights of our schoolchildren and educators who teach them is a collective societal responsibility. Make no mistake: More investment in school facilities is not something that would be “nice to have.” It is a human rights issue. As the chair of the American Federation of Teachers’ Human Rights Committee, I can’t help but think about how much our society still neglects the basic human rights of the most vulnerable among us. From flaking lead paint, asbestos exposure, persistent rodent issues, the presence of mold, and even the lack of heat on bitterly cold days, educators and children in Philadelphia are learning and working in environmentally toxic facilities every day.

-- Jerry Jordan, For the Inquirer

Hogan Budget Boosts Spending For Education, School Construction

-- The Annapolis Patch Maryland: January 18, 2019 [ abstract]

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Gov. Larry Hogan, R, this week released a $44.6 billion state budget for the upcoming 2020 fiscal year, fortifying his objectives for the 2019 General Assembly session — education, economic growth, Health, state employees, transportation and the environment — into writing. The budget grew 4 percent over last year, and includes $19.6 billion for operating expenses. At a press conference on Thursday, Hogan said he made a record investment of $6.9 billion for Maryland's K-12 education, and has set aside $438 million in a "Building Opportunity Fund," a $3.5 billion five-year school construction program. Maryland senators and delegates said based on the budget highlights, many of the priorities of the legislature were funded as they liked. Senate President Mike Miller, D-Prince George's, Charles and Calvert, said a proposed salary increase for state employees and correctional officers, money for retirement relief, and provisions for much-needed facilities in some areas of the state were all good things. "Obviously there's going to be changes (to the budget)," Miller said Friday. "But the initial reflections … is that it's a very positive budget.

-- Deb Belt

Teacher Sickout Looming in Oakland as Anger Boils Over

-- KQED California: January 17, 2019 [ abstract]

After more than a year and a half without a contract, Oakland teachers are preparing to vote on a strike. But teachers frustrated with how slowly the formal bargaining process works say they want to show the district they're willing to strike. So for the second time in two months some teachers plan to call in sick en masse Friday in what they’re calling a "sickout." "Oakland teachers are sick," said Life Academy of Health and Bioscienceteacher Matt Hayes, “sick of being underappreciated, sick of the low pay. We’re walking out tomorrow because we want to show the district we want a fair contract and we want it now.” Hayes listed grievances that ranged from the proliferation of charter schools in Oakland to the state of school facilities. He has helped organize the action and says he's heard from teachers at 10 schools who plan to take part, plus students and parents.

-- Vanessa Rancaño

North-side schools face millions in updates

-- Ottumwa Courier Iowa: January 16, 2019 [ abstract]

OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa School District faces millions of dollars in improvements to its north-side buildings, according to a recent facility assessment. Just how much the district will need to spend is yet to be seen. The district contracted with Estes Construction to conduct a comprehensive facility condition report with total recommendations ranging from $35.9 million to $42 million. The report will be used by the facility committee to create a District Facility Master Plan. “We want to be proactive thinkers when it comes to our facility planning instead of being reactive,” said Superintendent Nicole Kooiker. “We also want to be able to get community feedback and support for whatever decisions we make in the future. We want a long-term plan that will be beneficial for our students and families for many years to come.” The report was broken up into the categories of Health and life safety, building improvements and site improvements. Each recommendation was given a grade of urgent, required, recommended or suggested. “We wanted to get a comprehensive review of the ongoing facility needs at some of our older buildings and use that to prioritize the long-term maintenance and capital improvement plans in each of those facilities,” said John Berg, the district’s Chief Financial Officer, who also sits on the facility committee.

-- Tracy Goldizen

Repairing Puerto Rico's schools post-Maria will cost $11B, take 7 years

-- Construction Dive Puerto Rico: January 16, 2019 [ abstract]

Puerto Rico Education Secretary Julia Keleher told Education Week that it will cost $11 billion and take from three years to seven years to bring the U.S. territory’s 856 public schools up to new building codes after they were devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.
Keleher said she will try to secure $100 million of unspent Federal Emergency Management Agency Category B financial assistance, which pays for urgent Health and safety work like mold remediation. In a December 2018 press release, FEMA said work on the schools will focus on resiliency and energy efficiency.
Puerto Rico’s schools are also able to tap into approximately $1 billion of long-term construction work at 64 schools, which are supposed to be a realistic sampling of the type of work that is needed at all of the island’s educational facilities. Work on those 64 structures will better inform the Puerto Rico Department of Education as to how much total construction costs will be.

-- Kim Slowey

District 205 OKs $40M in bonds for building work

-- The Register-Mail Illinois: January 14, 2019 [ abstract]

GALESBURG — In the first school board meeting of the year, the District 205 Board of Education approved two bond issues, outlined plans for facilities committees, and made an agreement with Russell Construction as preparation escalates for the district’s ongoing Building Replacement Program. The district is planning to use approximately $40 million in Health/Life Safety bonds, alongside an additional $12 million or so, to fund sweeping changes to its schools that will leave some buildings updated, others closed, and the district’s grade structure significantly overhauled. Grades K-4 will be attending neighborhood schools, grades 5-6 will be in Lombard Middle School, and 7-12 will attend a larger campus at Galesburg High School. Nielsen, Gale and Churchill are all set to be closed under this plan by the 2020-2021 school year. Construction is set to begin by this summer. The district’s bonds are being levied in two separate chunks, one at $22,635,000 and the other totaling at $17,040,000. While the first set of bonds was approved Monday morning at the state level, the second is still being worked through the Illinois State Board of Education’s approval process. Interest rates for the first set of bonds sat at 4.34 percent with the average coupon at 5.285 percent. Both bonds were approved by the board. A Letter of Intent was approved from Russell Construction. Russell has worked with the district for past renovations on Lombard and Steele, a relationship Assistant Superintendent of Finance Jennifer Hamm considered worth continuing.

-- Matt Koester

Middle school building poses hazards

-- Moab Sun News Utah: January 10, 2019 [ abstract]

Outdated infrastructure in the Grand County Middle School is posing a risk to student learning, a Health teacher at the school says. Sentiments within the Grand County School District that the Grand County Middle School is due for replacement date back to as early as 2007, according to a report from that year regarding the structural Health of buildings owned by the school district called the “Grand County School District Facilities Assessment.” The team of building assessors from MHTN Architects that prepared the report for the school district provided a recommendation based on their findings that the middle school “be scheduled for replacement as soon as reasonably possible.” The replacement can’t come soon enough for the students and teachers working inside the building. Brook Shumway, a physical education and Health instructor, said during a tour of the school on Dec. 14 that its aging appearance and functionality impacts teachers’ abilities to effectively teach and students’ sense of pride in their school. “You’re always tracking down an electrician, a maintenance person to get this fixed, to get that fixed,” Shumway said. “It’s just not a prideful thing for the students to sit in a school that’s just not up to snuff, if you will.”

-- Carter Pape

New round of mandated lead testing finds elevated levels in six Howard County schools, bringing total to 18

-- The Baltimore Sun Maryland: January 07, 2019 [ abstract]

The latest round of testing for lead in water at Howard County public schools found levels exceeding federal standards in six buildings — bringing the total to 18 schools where lead has been found since the start of a state-mandated review. Jurisdictions across Maryland are being required to test for lead under a law passed last year. By 2020, all 77 Howard County school facilities will be tested for lead. Twenty-nine county schools were tested between September and December, and lead levels exceeding federal Health standards were detected in water from some fixtures in 18 overall, according to the school system’s test results. Cafeteria sinks, drinking fountains, ice machines and any other outlets that dispense cooking or drinking water are sampled. If elevated levels of lead are detected, the water fountain or faucet is shut off until repairs are completed. In the latest round of sampling at 13 public schools, elevated levels were detected in various sinks and fountains at Harpers Choice Middle School and Waterloo Elementary School in Columbia; Centennial High and Manor Woods Elementary in Ellicott City; Glenelg High School in Glenelg; and Hammond Middle School in Laurel. The tests were completed between Nov. 3 and Dec. 22. The samples testing positive for lead showed readings in a range between 20 parts per billion — which is the federal threshold — and 78.3 parts per billion, according to school data.

-- Jess Nocera

School replacement created challenges for school board in 2018

-- The Brunswick News Georgia: December 29, 2018 [ abstract]

Plans are now moving smoothly forward to begin construction on a new Altama Elementary School. Glynn County Schools recently received approval from the Georgia Department of Education on its site application to build the new school at 6045 Altama Ave. in Brunswick, three-fourths of a mile from the current 53-year-old school building. The road to this point in the process, though, has been bumpy. The Glynn County Board of Education and district leaders faced criticism from many community members earlier this year when the school board voted to build the new school on the same 18 acres on which the current school is located, at 5505 Altama Ave. The property sits adjacent to one of four Superfund sites in Glynn County. Superfund sites are areas that have been contaminated by hazardous waste and ordered by the federal government to be cleaned up or mitigated. Many voiced concerns that building the new school on that property would lead to future Health issues for the school’s occupants. The school board changed its plans in response and voted in July to build the school at a new site. “We have worked hard to be transparent and open in finding the best site for this new school,” said Virgil Cole, superintendent of Glynn County Schools, at the meeting July 10. “The question we have continually asked ourselves is where is the best place for this school.” Looking back The year began with a school board meeting at which board members were given a report about the toxaphene levels on the current school site.

-- Lauren McDonald

5 CPS Schools Selected for Green ‘Schoolyard Transformations’ in 2019

-- wttw Illinois: December 27, 2018 [ abstract]

A handful of Chicago elementary schools will receive major upgrades next year as part of a program aimed at improving outdoor learning spaces while also addressing flooding and other water management issues. Five schools were selected earlier this month for participation in Space to Grow, an initiative that transforms Chicago schoolyards with the goal of providing kids in low-income neighborhoods with safe spaces to play and recreate. The new “green schoolyards” will incorporate special surfaces and landscape features that help capture a significant amount of rainfall, resulting in less neighborhood flooding, according to a press release from the Metropolitan Water District of Greater Chicago. MWRD runs the Space to Grow program in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Department of Water Management, the Healthy Schools Campaign and the environmental advocacy group Openlands. Schools eligible for the program are located in areas identified by the city to be at high risk for flooding. Eligible schools must also be in need of a playground, have at least 30,000 square feet of available outdoor space and have no other major construction projects planned. Since its creation, Space to Grow has completed transformations of 15 schoolyards that together have the capacity to capture nearly 2.8 million gallons of rainwater, equivalent to more than four Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to MWRD.

-- Alex Ruppenthal

What is a 'community school?' A tour of Lynn Middle School's growing social program

-- Las Cruces Sun News New Mexico: December 27, 2018 [ abstract]

LAS CRUCES - On a Wednesday afternoon early in December, nearly a hundred people formed a line on the northern side of Lynn Middle School on South Walnut Street as pallets stacked high with onions were lowered from a truck. Inside the school's cafeteria, students were busy organizing produce for distribution to an expected 100 families at their school's monthly food bank, a partnership with Roadrunner Food Bank. Today, volunteers planned to give out 5,211 pounds of food. Elsewhere in the cafeteria, an employee of the United Health Care company staffed a table with information about its Medicare plans, and representatives from the Department of Workforce Solutions had arranged literature in English and Spanish about how to access job training, tuition assistance and job-seeking services. Looking on was Las Cruces Public School's coordinator for community schools, David Greenberg. “What we were hearing from a lot of folks was that they were trying to get back into the workforce," Greenberg said. Lynn Middle School launched its community school program in January of 2017, joining a movement to bring a wide range of local community services into school facilities. The launch followed years of meeting with the community served by the school as well as local agencies and potential partners. Greenberg said the process of dialogue and gradually adding services continues - and the pace is a feature, not a bug.

-- Algernon D'Ammassa

School drilling setback rules approved

-- The Daily Sentinel Colorado: December 18, 2018 [ abstract]

Schoolchildren and staff will receive increased protections from oil and gas development under new drilling setback regulations approved Tuesday that also will apply to child-care facilities under newly negotiated language. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission unanimously approved regulations expanding on the current requirement that wells and production equipment be located at least 1,000 feet from schools unless the commission grants an exception following a hearing. Under the new rules, the setback applies not just to school buildings but to school facilities, including outside areas such as athletic facilities and playgrounds, and also temporary, modular classrooms. The setback likewise applies to child care centers and associated outdoor play areas. The new rules mark the culmination of what has been a multi-year push by activists to close what they have seen as a loophole in the current setback requirement. They say it has left students and staff inadequately protected from air pollution, potential fires and explosions and other impacts from nearby oil and gas development. Previous efforts to address the issue through legislative action have failed. “Finally, after three years of effort, the COGCC is responding to the concerns of impacted schools, parents, and residents,” Leslie Robinson, chairwoman of the Grand Valley Citizens Alliance and a Garfield County resident, said in a news release. “We should not put children at risk for a privately owned company’s bottom line. Everyone is a champion when we protect children’s Health and safety and we hope that this rule is the beginning of more significant changes in Colorado’s oil and gas industry.”

-- Dennis Webb

Despite recent cleanups, Philadelphia schools still expose kids and teachers to asbestos

-- The Inquirer Pennsylvania: December 17, 2018 [ abstract]

After the successful cleanup of more than half a dozen schools, and with 38 more planned, the School District of Philadelphia is getting accolades for its aggressive, revamped efforts to protect students from lead paint. Now, city lawmakers and advocates for Healthy schools are urging district officials to apply the lessons learned from lead-paint remediation and tackle an equally pressing crisis: asbestos. “We know it’s a big issue. Let’s start working on a plan,” said Councilman-at-Large Derek Green. “Just like we did with lead, let’s be proactive with asbestos as well." The district continues to falter with asbestos abatement, hampered by limited resources and an ineffective strategy for safeguarding kids and teachers from exposure to the cancer-causing fibers. Recently obtained documents, photos, and emails reveal a district that triages asbestos-related emergencies and blunders, rather than apply comprehensive reforms.

-- Wendy Ruderman, Barbara Laker and Dylan Purcell

Poughkeepsie school conditions spark complaints, lawsuits

-- Poughkeepsie Journal New York: December 17, 2018 [ abstract]

Poughkeepsie City School District building conditions have played a part in lawsuits and complaints over the past few years, records show. In April, an unnamed employee alleged that "teachers have gotten sick due to environment of working in basement classrooms" at Clinton Elementary School, and blamed "possible mold contamination and poor indoor air quality," according to a report from the state Department of Labor's Public Employee Safety and Health (PESH) bureau. PESH does not check for mold behind walls, in heating, ventilating or air-conditioning systems, or in any other "hidden" areas. In the areas of Clinton it did check, "no mold was visible... and there were no mold/mildew-type odors noticed anywhere," PESH said in an investigation report. "Some general air screening sampling was conducted in six locations in the basement," and tests for air contaminants such as carbon monoxide were negative.

-- Nina Schutzman

Task force narrows recommendations for improving school-construction funding

-- Washington State Wire Washington: December 05, 2018 [ abstract]

The Improving State Funding for School Construction Joint Legislative Task Force held a meeting this morning, in which members discussed recommendations due to the legislature December 15. The task force, which was created in the 2017-19 capital budget, went on site tours in four school districts and held four meetings “to hear from school facilities and construction experts and stakeholders” between July and December of this year. The task force landed on five key recommendations (on the blue pages of this document), based on task force members’ responses to a survey. The top five are as follows, in order of priority:

“Address the needs of rural schools that cannot otherwise qualify for the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP).”
“Adjust square footage per student allocation to reflect what is getting built (130 sq. ft. for elementary).”
“Support K-3 class size.”
“Consider credit for construction of schools used for other community services like early learning and Health services.”
“Pursue simple majority on school district bonds.”

-- SARA GENTZLER

40 Nevada schools receive funding to keep gardens growing

-- Las Vegas Review-Journal Nevada: December 04, 2018 [ abstract]

Forty school gardens across Nevada will grow with a $200,000 boost from the state Department of Agriculture. The schools in Churchill, Clark, Douglas and Lyon counties will each receive up to $5,000 for this school year, the department announced Tuesday. The gardens provide educational opportunities around Healthy eating, enabling teachers to incorporate school garden beds in instruction. “School gardens as an educational tool allow teachers to provide a course of study addressing multiple subject areas in a hands-on setting as an extension of the classroom,” Amber Smyer, agriculture literacy coordinator for the department, said in a news release. The award is the second two-year grant for school gardens made possible by a 2017 law. The first year awarded up to $10,000 each to 48 schools in five counties to create new gardens.

-- Amelia Pak-Harvey

Clarke County School District moves forward with West Broad proposal despite backlash

-- The Red&Black Georgia: November 24, 2018 [ abstract]

The Clarke County School District has released plans to revitalize the West Broad School property by demolishing two buildings at the site and rebuilding the two-story building to become an Office of Early Learning Center. The West Broad Street School was used for black students during segregation in the late 19th century. The now-vacant building is being considered by the CCSD Board of Education for historic renovations. The district’s plan calls for a renovation of the West Broad building to include a school-based Health clinic, parent information center, community meeting rooms and some sort of “historic recognition of education” in the community. The controversial plans have caused backlash from some members of the community and came in a Future Facilities Use Report as a call of action for the Board of Education to consider proposals from CCSD. The district has been engaged in an arrangement with the Athens Land Trust to designate approximately 0.5 acres of land at the property as a farmer’s market and community garden. CCSD said students in the district have barriers that will hamper their outcome for academic success.

-- Shania Shelton

S. Orange-Maplewood School Board Approves $140M Facilities Plan

-- Patch New Jersey: November 20, 2018 [ abstract]

MAPLEWOOD, NJ - The South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education voted Monday to approve Superintendent Thomas Ficarra's recommendations for a Long Range Facilities Plan to the tune of around $140 million dollars. It took nearly four hours, but the motion passed unanimously. According to officials, part of the plan includes expansion to meet growing enrollment and to replace the classrooms which will be lost when the decaying portables are removed from the elementary schools. The plan includes:

$93.1M in Health and Safety Renovations
$47.8M for Expansion, with a K-5/6-8/9-12 configuration

The newest numbers with enrollment projections have raised the estimated cost of expansion to $47.8 million dollars. This is what Ficarra referred to as the "absolute floor" in terms of capital improvement.

-- Russ Crespolini

Basic needs aren’t being met: Schools run behind on maintenance

-- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Georgia: November 14, 2018 [ abstract]

LaTonya Hill is certain her classroom is making her sick. The Dresden Elementary School special education teacher has spent more than two weeks out of her classroom battling sinus and upper respiratory infections she said were not common before she began working at the school in 2016. At first, she attributed the Health problems to working with children who carry a lot of germs. She spent two weeks on bed rest after her second upper respiratory infection of the school year, which began in August. She said she is worried about mold. “I’ve never had all these problems, and there doesn’t seem to be much (school administrators) can do about it,” said Hill, adding she was advised by school officials to wear a surgical face mask to work. Of the school’s 29 active maintenance requests, reported to the school district’s operations division, nine are for leaks in classrooms and hallways, or for standing water. Metro Atlanta schools have more than 10,000 school maintenance requests for hundreds of school buildings across the region, anything from major overhauls for heating and cooling systems to needing soap and other supplies in a school lavatory. The repairs often take a backseat to competing priorities as teacher salaries, retirement benefits and growing administrative staffs take a large chunk of the annual budget, forcing districts to use special, voter-approved tax pots for much-needed maintenance and renovation.

-- Marlon A. Walker

Plans advancing for work at three Rogers schools

-- Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette Arkansas: November 14, 2018 [ abstract]

ROGERS -- The School District is moving forward with plans to improve three of its oldest buildings. Charles Lee, assistant superintendent for general administration, provided a facilities report at Tuesday's School Board meeting that included an update on plans for Lowell, Northside and Westside elementary schools. The district aims to begin projects at all three schools -- each of which is more than 50 years old -- in late May or early June. It's estimated the three projects combined will cost the district $15 million, though costs won't become clear until bids on each project are submitted. The idea is to give each building a more modern look, upgrade their safety features and replace things such as heating and air conditioning systems, Lee said. "We're just trying to make sure we're taking care of our older buildings, give them the care that they need. We want to make sure we're addressing the Health of those buildings," he said. Lowell Elementary's project will take the longest at 15 months. The plan there includes expanding the cafeteria and adding a large canopy at the front entrance with the school's name on it. The building's exterior, which consists of five different colors of brick because of various additions to the building over time, will get a uniform color, Lee said. At Northside, the biggest thing will be adding office space to the building's front end. The office is currently down the hallway from the main entrance, which is not ideal from a safety perspective, Lee said. Work there is expected to take five to seven months. Westside will see aesthetic improvements to its exterior, including a canopy out front. Work there is expected to take seven to nine months.

-- Dave Perozek

REPORT: Most Tennessee school facilities meet safety standards, but more work is needed

-- Brentwood Home Page Tennessee: November 14, 2018 [ abstract]

Findings in a new report on school safety show that most of Tennessee’s schools meet or exceed standards on many items related to school facilities and operations, but data gathered in the study revealed the greatest weaknesses to be in vehicle control, access control, and surveillance for schools across the state. Education Commissioner Candice McQueen on Wednesday released the report to provide insight on the strengths and challenges in school security seen across districts. This new report allows the state to increase awareness, prompt further conversations, and spur future action. “We take seriously the responsibility of providing a safe and secure learning environment for Tennessee students and will continue to support our schools in this daily effort,” Commissioner McQueen said. “Critical work to improve school safety has been started under Governor Haslam’s leadership and this report shows us several ways we can continue to improve our practices moving forward. “I am grateful for the partnership of our state legislature, other departments, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to make this work a priority in Tennessee.” While Tennessee has made several efforts in recent years to promote student safety and prepare schools for potential threats, Haslam took further action in March 2018 by convening a School Safety Working Group that recommended a statewide review of school facilities and safety procedures and precautions. These recommendations were swiftly accepted by the governor, which led to the first statewide individual school safety assessments that rated each school on 89 safety standards and was overseen by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of Education and local school officials. “My goal was to ensure the committee work carefully yet swiftly to develop a well-informed plan that would provide security guidelines for our TN school districts,” Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner David W. Purkey said. “A 17-member committee represented by professionals in the area of education, mental Health and public safety from across the state were able to accomplish this mission.”

-- Mark Cook

School Dist. 205 board approves $56M facilities plan

-- The Register-Mail Illinois: November 12, 2018 [ abstract]

GALESBURG — Monday night’s school board meeting brought a culmination to months, if not years, of board discussion. The board unanimously approved a plan for school renovation, setting in motion a large-scale reshaping of the district. The plan — Option 2 — which totals $56,397,499, will result in closures at Nielson, Gale and Churchill, as well as expansion of Galesburg High School into a grades 7-12 attendance center, a necessity to pay for improvements on school facilities set to take place over the next two years. The decision comes on the heels of multiple community meetings since last year, as well as a culmination of sorts of 2011′s “Operation Rebuild” initiative. Assistant Superintendant of Finance Jennifer Hamm emphasized that the plan would not result in tax increases due to approximately $1.1 million in annual operational savings that would come from the plans. Monday’s vote, Superintendent John Asplund argued, was largely symbolic. No buildings are being closed at the moment, and there are still more steps the board must take to move forward with its plans. The board will continue to “dive deeper” into the chosen plan, and the effort, and the use of $40 million in Health life safety funds to pay for the majority of it, still must be approved by the State Board of Education. The board also approved selling $40,500,000 in School Fire Prevention and Safety Bonds, as well as $12,000,000 in Working Cash Fund Bonds in order to tackle the project.

-- Matt Koester

Arkansas safety panel drafts plans to prevent, respond to school-related violence

-- Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Arkansas: November 10, 2018 [ abstract]

The Arkansas School Safety Commission on Friday completed the drafting of recommendations for a final report to the governor on ways to prevent school-related violence, as well as defend against it and recover from it if it happens. "This is going to be a report that's going to have a big impact," commission Chairman Cheryl May, director of the University of Arkansas' Criminal Justice Institute, said of the document that is due to Gov. Asa Hutchinson by Nov. 30. "This is something that can really, really help make a difference.' The final report, which builds on a preliminary report sent to Hutchinson in July, will include provisions and supporting information on mental Health programs, employment of law enforcement and security officers, emergency planning, communication systems and school building security. The commission's recommendations are the result of numerous presentations from experts and others interested in school safety, a survey of district superintendents and visits to a dozen schools in all parts of the state. Hutchinson established the 18-member commission of educators, law enforcement agents and mental-Health professionals in March to make recommendations on improving school security. He did that in the aftermath of the Feb. 14 shooting deaths of 17 students and employees by an intruder at a Parkland, Fla., high school. School building and and school bus security measures -- and potential revenue sources for them -- were a focus at Friday's daylong commission meeting.

-- Cynthia Howell

Pender County denies rumors that its Florence shelters were unsaf

-- Port City Daily North Carolina: November 04, 2018 [ abstract]

BURGAW — On Thursday Pender County Health and Human Services Director Carolyn Moser denied rumors that school shelters opened during Hurricane Florence were not rated to withstand up to Category 3 force winds. “That wouldn’t be true, otherwise we wouldn’t have housed people in those shelters,” Moser said. “That’s why Pender Memorial closed, because it was not rated to withstand Category 3 winds.” She said that each of the four shelters was thoroughly vetted and approved by the Red Cross and her own Health staff prior to Florence’s landfall. “The rumors are unsubstantiated,” Moser said, when asked about some residents’ concerns that the shelters were not built to withstand Category 3 winds. Pender County spokeswoman Tammy Proctor earlier said that a few of the schools had incurred wind damage and flooding, but Moser said that to her knowledge, no such damages were reported in the schools operating as shelters. “There were no damages to facilities that had people in them at the time, that I know of. If they had been, we would have worked to find other places to put them,” Moser said.

-- Mark Darrough

Study: Westover should have been tested for mold in 2009

-- Stamford Advocate Connecticut: November 03, 2018 [ abstract]

STAMFORD — A facilities report showed Westover Magnet Elementary School was recommended for a mold assessment nearly 10 years ago. According to the 2009 report from consultants EMG, several isolated, suspected mold and moisture spots were found in the school and a follow-up assessment by a Health and safety professional was recommended. The report also said the sources of the moisture should be addressed to prevent future mold problems. EMG’s words of caution turned into reality on Friday when the city’s newly formed Mold Task Force announced Westover would be closed indefinitely while the district renovates the building to address water infiltration. According to members of the task force, mold was found in the sheet rock in the interior walls, in the insulation and in the glue of the wallpaper. It was unclear late this week if any action had been taken at the school following the 2009 warning. “We all know that in the political sphere ... we all spend our time pointing fingers,” said Mayor David Martin when asked by a parent at the Friday announcement how the mold was allowed to get to the point it had. “This task force was established specifically to solve this problem as soon as possible. We have plenty of time later to discuss whose fault it was and whose fault it wasn’t. We want to get it fixed and get a solution.”

-- Erin Kayata

Auditors Raise Questions About Technical High Schools' Maintenance, Accounting

-- Hartford Courant Connecticut: November 01, 2018 [ abstract]

A wide-ranging report on the state Department of Education found that almost all of the Connecticut’s technical high schools did not have sufficient staffing to ensure the buildings were clean enough “to provide students with a Healthy and comfortable environment.” The state Auditors of Public Accounts said that 16 out of the 18 technical schools did not have sufficient custodial staffing according to an analysis done in 2017 by the state education agency, with one school, J.M. Wright Technical High School in Stamford, at a staffing level considered “below not Healthy.” Four schools had staffing levels considered “below not acceptable” and five schools had levels considered “not acceptable,” the auditors said in their report Thursday. State Auditor John Geragosian said the situation raised concerns for Health and safety and also from a cost perspective. “The buildings are often assets of the state,” he said. “If you don’t maintain them, it’ll end up costing you a lot more in maintenance costs and shorten the life of the building.” The schools with staffing levels considered “below not acceptable” include A.I. Prince Technical High School in Hartford, E.C. Goodwin Technical High School in New Britain, Platt Technical High School in Milford and Bullard-Havens Technical High School in Bridgeport. Kerry Markey, spokeswoman for the technical high schools, said while the schools have had too few maintenance workers, they have always been clean and Healthy. That’s because the system has prioritized the need to have clean, safe schools, she said, and has contracted out for maintenance and custodial services when needed.

-- Kathleen Megan

Time, staffing top obstacles to sustaining school gardens

-- Reuters National: October 26, 2018 [ abstract]

Lack of time and staff support are the two biggest barriers to school garden success, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. “The physical space itself doesn’t seem to be the problem,” Dr. Kate G. Burt of the City University of New York in The Bronx, who led the study, told Reuters Health in a telephone interview. Across the US, 44 percent of schools reported growing edible gardens during the 2013-2014 school year, up from 31 percent in 2011-2012, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s most recent data. Over the same period, the number of school gardens rose from 2,401 to 7,101. School gardens have been shown to help students eat more fruits and veggies, be more active and do better in math and science, to name just a few of their benefits. But for a school garden to succeed, it must be well-integrated, meaning it “fosters meaningful educational experiences for students, and is valued as part of the school’s culture,” Dr. Burt and her team note in their September 25 report.

-- Anne Harding

Supt.: Galesburg must modernize high school

-- The Register-Mail Illinois: October 24, 2018 [ abstract]

GALESBURG — About 45 residents spread out in Lombard Middle School’s auditorium Wednesday night for the first of two late October/early November community outreach meetings. The subject was, of course, school facilities. Superintendant John Asplund noted that the meeting was the 20th community meeting the board has held since it first convened, and the meeting also marks the seventh engagement particularly focused on facilities. District 205 is inching toward a consensus regarding its facilities use, with a decision expected as soon as the Nov. 12 board meeting, and if not then, a special meeting afterwards. The district has until 2024 to make about $39 million in Health life safety fixes to its schools, some of which are in serious disrepair. Instead of spending that amount on changes that would mostly be “invisible,” such as asbestos removal, structural repairs, roofing and boiler fixes, the board has been working with Legat Architects to build alternate plans to partition that money into improvements to district facilities. With these proposed fixes come caveats, however. The district’s three floated options currently in play all involve school closures at Gale, Churchill and either King or Nielson schools. The community also has expressed concerns over plans that suggest turning Galesburg High School into a 7-12 center, with grades 7-9 and 10-12 on separate floors and possibly schedules. Grades 5-6 in this case would be at Lombard. Concerns over the 7-12 plan was dominant throughout the meeting. Brian Archibald of Legat Architects started the meeting with a review of the board’s situation, and the way’s Health life safety can be used to fix facilities, but also to reimagine them or rebuild them. While the district can’t fully rebuild its facilities the way it previously did for Silas Willard, it can work to adapt its facilities into places that encourage 21st century learning, and use the same funds.

-- Matt Koester

Who are the financial backers of San Diego’s school bond measure? Charter schools, labor unions and construction compani

-- The San Diego Union-Tribune California: October 23, 2018 [ abstract]

A charter school advocacy group, labor unions, architects, engineers and others have together spent more than $622,000 on the campaign to pass a San Diego Unified School District bond measure in November, making it San Diego County’s most expensive school bond race for the Nov. 6 election. If it passes with at least 55 percent of the vote, Measure YY would raise property taxes by $60 per $100,000 of assessed valuation for 39 years, so someone with a house assessed by the county at $500,000 would pay $300 per year. The bond would authorize $3.5 billion for projects, but after factoring in interest, it’s expected to actually cost $7.5 billion by the time it’s completed. Advocates of the bond say it will help keep students safe. The bond, which is supported by a campaign committee named “Safety and Learning for Our Schools,” would include school building safety and security improvements, modernization and repairs and classroom technology. But the bond also includes language about building new facilities, not just improving old ones. The bond includes language that would allow the building of new school administrative facilities, joint-use athletic fields, performing arts theaters and facilities for marine science, language and Health science education. The bond proposal has fueled controversy largely because it’s the third time that San Diego Unified has asked voters to raise taxes for a bond measure since 2008. The district is still spending money from two other bond measures — the $2.1 billion Proposition S, which was passed in 2008, and the $2.8 billion Proposition Z, which was passed in 2012.

-- Kristen Taketa and Lauryn Schroeder

Floridians wait in school shelters: I have no home to go back to

-- WDBJ7 Florida: October 20, 2018 [ abstract]

Hundreds of people (in the Florida Panhandle) remain in shelters - unsure where to go next. The Red Cross set up a shelter at Deane Bozeman school in Panama City. More than 280 people slept there last night. They have access to hot meals, showers and cots to sleep in the school gym as well as direct access to FEMA representatives. One woman whose been there for a week says she and many others have no home to go back to. "Just heart wrenching. You'll be talking to somebody and they cry and you have to cry with them because you're in the same boat they are. I haven't seen one person that was mad . And I've met people, and I know people by name out here and I didn't know them before," said Janis Baker of Springfield, FL. Red Cross leaders say in addition to medical care, they're also trying to address everyone's mental Health - Saying many people in the shelters are still dealing with the trauma of this catastrophic storm.

-- Leanna Scachetti

Robeson County schools to open on Tuesday more than a month after closing due to Florence

-- WBTW North Carolina: October 15, 2018 [ abstract]

ROBESON COUNTY, NC (WBTW) - Schools in Robeson County will reopen on Tuesday more than a month after closing for Hurricane Florence. Superintendent Shanita W. Wooten said in a post on the district's Facebook page and website that Public Schools of Robeson County will open for students on Tuesday, October 16 after closing on September 11. School employees were asked to report to work on Monday to inspect classrooms, report additional concerns, and to prepare for the return of students, according to Wooten. The district's deadlines for vaccination records and Health assessments for Pre-K Title I students has been extended until November 1, Wooten also said. Students now have until December 1 to submit proof of immunizations. "North Carolina Law requires all students entering kindergarten must have a Health assessment and completion of required immunizations. 7th grade students must receive a meningococcal and TDAP vaccine." "Bus drivers are prepared to safely transport students to and from school beginning Tuesday," Wooten added. Detours will impact Green Grove Elementary School, Fairgrove Middle School, and South Robeson High School. Breakfast will be served on Tuesday and "all services will be available at the two Shining Stars program sties," according to Wooten. School principals and support staff will help with the student transfer process for the coming weeks. "Students displaced by storm damage to their homes are protected by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act," Woooten said. "Students displaced by the storm have the right to remain in their schools of origin (i.e., the school the student attended when permanently housed or in which the student was last enrolled) if that is in the student’s best interest, regardless of whether they are currently staying in that school’s district attendance zone."

-- Jessica Minch

Scottsdale schools talks rebuilding amid shrinking student enrollment

-- azcentral Arizona: October 15, 2018 [ abstract]

Scottsdale's schools have about 4,800 fewer students than its 27,214-student peak in 2002 and are projected to shrink further over the next decade. The Scottsdale Unified School District has enrolled just more than 22,000 students this school year and the count is projected to dip to just more than 20,000 in 2026, an Applied Economics enrollment study projects. Reasons range from Health/2017/07/03/us-birth-rates-lowest-history-but-ascend-one-age-group/444326001/" style="color: rgb(25, 144, 229); text-decoration-line: none;">birth rates reaching record lows, a maturing community with higher-priced homes that attract older families and growing competition from charter and private schools. “By and large, the decline has been districtwide,” Applied Economics' Rick Brammer said. The reality makes for tough conversations on what it would take to attract students and when it's time to close schools. Amid the debate, the school board must decide where to proceed with its school renovation and rebuild plans. Voters approved $229 million in bonds in 2016, largely to upgrade schools. So far, the district reports its spent $47.8 million of the bond authorization. The board should decide this month which school to rebuild next. The broader question on school sizes isn't likely to be answered so quickly.

-- Lorraine Longhi

Residents question multi-million-dollar outdoor facilities project at Unionville school

-- Daily Local News Pennsylvania: October 12, 2018 [ abstract]

EAST MARLBOROUGH—A planned multi-million outdoor facilities project in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District is being challenged by some residents who claim it will put an undue financial burden on the district’s taxpayers. District officials hired a consulting firm to review existing outdoor facilities and make recommendations. Some of those recommendations indicate fields used for varsity softball, soccer, field hockey, middle school football and girls’ lacrosse are over established standards but sustainable with high levels of maintenance. In addition, the existing synthetic turn and synthetic track should receive new surfaces within the next two years. The consulting firm reported that the greenhouse program could be expanded with potential community-based gardening. The report states that the upper portion of land at the Unionville High School campus could be utilized for expanded stormwater management facilities serving new synthetic turf tennis, and parking areas. “I don’t see a need for this project,” said Jack Greenwood of East Marlborough, who was a Health and physical education teacher in the Kennett School District for 40 years and who coached numerous sports. “Your long-range plan is based on constant spending.” Greenwood said the outdoor facilities project, which could cost in excess of $10 million, would put a financial strain on the district’s seniors on a fixed income.

-- Fran Maye

Disaster Recovery: School Infrastructure Resilience Roadmap & Best Practices

-- EfficientGov National: October 11, 2018 [ abstract]

Communities facing the loss of a school after a hurricane, earthquake or other disaster can increase school infrastructure resilience. Get a roadmap for stakeholders, tools and best practices. School districts that face the loss of a school in a natural disaster like a hurricane face myriad challenges after the immediate danger passes, ranging from education and public safety to reconstruction. To improve community resilience, replacement schools can be designed to mitigate disaster risk and increase school infrastructure resilience in affected areas following a disaster. The World Bank Global Program for Safer Schools (GPSS) offers a 2017 roadmap to engage stakeholders and 2018 100 Resilient Cities workshop in Cali, Columbia, generated best practices for communities focused on or required to increase school infrastructure resilience.

Roadmap for School Infrastructure Resilience

According to a 2017 World Bank briefing, there is impact to the learning environment through the affected community’s recovery phase, which extends into public safety and public Health operations.

Damaged school infrastructure exposes the educational community to physical and mental stress and interferes with school operations, teaching and learning. When non-resilient communities experience a natural disaster, the effort to bring children back to school and recover the full operation of the education sector is prolonged, often involving a lengthy emergency response and a protracted recovery and reconstruction process.

The GPSS launched a Roadmap for Safer Schools in 2017 to provide governments affected by devastating natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes a systematic guide infrastructure managers and government and school district stakeholders can use to structure and promote a more informed dialogue on making new school infrastructure investments. The Roadmap:

Uses concepts and language that are accessible for those without experience in disaster risk reduction and construction
Provides guidance on the technical expertise required by the activities

It consists of six steps that follow a logical sequence from diagnosis to analysis, opportunity and investment, shown in this inforgraphic posted to the blog:

-- Andrea Fox

Hurricane Michael: Leon County Schools to open shelters Tuesday at noon

-- Tallahassee Democrat Florida: October 08, 2018 [ abstract]

Update Tuesday, 5:24 p.m.: Leon High will open at 6 p.m. as a shelter, according to Leon County Emergency Management. It's located at Leon High School, 550 East Tennessee Street. StarMetro is offering transportation to shelters for those who need it — call 850-891-5199. As Hurricane Michael continues to strengthen on its way to the Big Bend, local agencies are prepping shelters and evacuation centers. "Everyone is on standby," said North Florida Red Cross Executive Director Sharon Tyler. Leon County Schools runs the shelters along with the county's Emergency Management team. Red Cross staff are on standby for support. Leon County evacuation centers and shelters include Chiles, Godby, SAIL and Lincoln high schools, as well as Fort Braden School, according to Leon County Schools. They will open at noon Tuesday. A special-needs shelter run by the Florida Department of Health will also open at noon at Florida High. Chiles High is the designated pet-friendly shelter with the most resources for caring for pets, but they will not be turned away at other shelters, said Leon County Assistant to the County Administrator MathieuCavell. Tyler said Gadsden County will have three: East High, West High and Havana Middle. Jefferson County's shelter will be at Somerset High, and Liberty County's shelter is at W.R. Tolar School.

-- Nada Hassanein

Between the Rows: A school garden’s life lessons

-- Greenfield Recorder Massachusetts: October 05, 2018 [ abstract]

School gardens can be classed as one of the most special places in a school, offering fertile ground for children’s learning. In a school garden, students of every age can learn about plant growth, insects, the life to be found in Healthy soil and more. A school garden provides the first practical science lessons. Sunderland Elementary School has had a small garden for the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes. For some years, these young children have been able to get their hands dirty and learn to use their eyes as plants are transformed from a tiny shoot, to a flower or a carrot. However, when they graduated from kindergarten, they lost their garden and the fun and learning they had there. That loss was corrected. Early in the spring of 2017, Flora Cox, Amanda Berg, Darrel Beymer and Molly Wickline, who all work at the school in various capacities, formed a garden committee with the goal of starting a new garden. “The garden gave us a wonderful opportunity to teach science in a playful and natural way,” Cox said. “We looked for earthworms, wooly bears, grubs, insects; talked about weeds and learned how to pull them out; plant our own produce like kale and carrots, and learn how to harvest them, and, of course, eat them. But once the kids graduated from kindergarten, there was really no carryover to the upper grades.” So, the newly formed garden committee settled on a piece of land that would become home to another garden.

-- PAT LEUCHTMAN

Framingham School Committee Approves $4.6 Million Capital Infrastructure Plan; Including $1.1 Million For Air Conditioni

-- Framingham Source Massachusetts: October 03, 2018 [ abstract]

FRAMINGHAM – Tonight, October 3, the City of Framingham’s School Committee voted to approve the school district’s annual request of priority capital projects.

These projects and the district’s capital planning process save money in the long-term by prioritizing preventative maintenance and Health safety projects, utilizing existing infrastructure, and fully using warranties and cost effective contract vehicles in partnership with municipal departments.

“The School Committee’s request seeks to fund what is sorely needed so students, staff, and our community can benefit,” said Adam Freudberg, Chair of the Framingham School Committee and District 4 Member. “Security improvements, environmentally friendly upgrades, ADA compliance, exterior upgrades, and fixing a major Health safety and educational delivery gap at Framingham High School by adding air conditioning were prioritized by the committee. With this plan, we have teamed up with the Superintendent and Buildings and Grounds to create an opportunity to make limited strategic investments to support our current students and educators, as well as the generations to come.”

-- Susan Petroni

Rogers High School students walk out to protest poor building conditions

-- Providence Journal Rhode Island: October 03, 2018 [ abstract]

More than 100 student protesters, together with parents, said the aging school is unHealthy and unsafe and called for it to be replaced. NEWPORT — More than 100 students at Rogers High School walked out of classes Wednesday at about 1 p.m. to protest deteriorated conditions at the school and underscore the need for a new high school building. “The conditions are horrible and gross to be in,” said Sierra Wright, a senior. “We go to class in rooms where there is mold, mice leaks and a plumbing system that doesn’t work. There is not enough heat in the winter and no air conditioning when it gets hot.” Wright caused a stir last month when she photographed the school conditions she talked about and posted them to her Facebook page. Her post has generated hundreds of comments and shares since then. The students joined Wednesday’s walkout after a message was posted on the Facebook page, “Save Our School, Rogers High.” “The floors are a big problem — they’re dangerous,” said senior Dante McCray as the students assembled in front of the main entrance near the auditorium. “When it gets humid and wet outside, they’re slippery and wet.” “Just last week, when the floors were so slippery, I slipped and fell,” said Brenda Perry, a junior. “I was brought to Newport Hospital, where they said I broke my lower tailbone and my hip popped out of place. They had to pop it back in.” “There is mold and water spots on the ceiling, and we’ve had mice fall from up there,” said Jamel Wills, a senior. “Rogers is falling apart. It’s disgusting.” “This school is unsafe,” said Tyrese Lawton, a sophomore. “They always say they are going to do something about it, but nothing happens. It’s just talk.” About a half-dozen parents were present for the walkout to support the students’ actions. Melody O’Brien, who has a son at Thompson Middle School, used a bullhorn to encourage the students and led them in chants.

-- Sean Flynn

Federal grant to better equip Cane Bay High School as emergency shelter

-- The Berkeley Independent South Carolina: October 01, 2018 [ abstract]

After Hurricane Florence washed over the Carolina coast last month, weather emergencies remain on the minds of local officials. And to prepare for potential future emergencies or evacuations, weather or non-weather related, Berkeley County has applied for federal funding to better equip its special needs shelter at Cane Bay High School and ultimately better care for the Health and safety of residents. Berkeley County Emergency Operations Center has identified the school’s need for a 750-watt backup generator, though it will only support the designated shelter area, not the entire facility, according to county officials. During Florence, the school was also utilized as a pet-friendly shelter. “Providing continuous power will provide safety and continuity to individuals that are physically challenged,” said Hannah Moldenhauer, public information officer for the county.

-- Jenna-Ley Harrison

Key Democrat: Congress Wouldn't Find Puerto Rico School Conditions Acceptable on Mainland

-- Education Week Puerto Rico: September 27, 2018 [ abstract]

Traumatized students desperately in need of mental Health counseling. Schools without electricity. School buildings that leak or have mold. Missing desks and chairs. That's the picture of life in schools in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands painted by witnesses at a forum organized by House Education and the Workforce Committee Democrats. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., has called as recently as last week for hearings on the federal response to Hurricane Maria last year and how it is impacting education on the islands. So far, Republicans have declined to hold such a hearing. So Scott organized his own. President Donald Trump has praised his administration's response to the hurricane in Puerto Rico. But Scott said no one would allow for such conditions in a U.S. state. "The federal government's response to Hurricane Maria was severely inadequate," Scott said. "Of the U.S. Virgin Island's 32 public schools, eight are condemned, which forced students to attend other schools on a double-session schedule. This means students only received instruction for half the day. Many of Puerto Rico's schools in operation are still without power a year after the storm. I doubt Congress would find those conditions acceptable in a mainland U.S. state struck by a storm." And Scott has big concerns about some of the education redesign efforts proposed by Puerto Rico's Secretary of Education Julia Keleher and her team. Keleher has closed hundreds of schools, due to declining enrollment that was exacerbated by Hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico has also introduced charter schools and worked to create a voucher program.

-- Alyson Klein

Flooding at Palumbo: When it rains, it pours

-- thenotebook Pennsylvania: September 26, 2018 [ abstract]

It rained inside Academy at Palumbo again last night. This came after weeks of work repairing water damage in the 80-year-old school that was caused by flooding discovered on Tuesday, Sept. 11, after a three-day weekend. The sixth floor of Palumbo, a high school that formerly was an elementary school at 11th and Christian Streets, didn’t just flood, according to an inspector from the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. The water cascading down through the building carried chunks of plaster coated in a layer of lead paint. And as that water seeped down through several floors of the school, it was soaked up by other walls and ceilings. The resulting water damage caused more paint to flake and peel. Students at Palumbo are no strangers to water intrusion, given the school’s long-leaking roof. Staff members have been reporting rainwater in classrooms for years. And the District already had put Palumbo on the list of schools to receive paint and plaster stabilization after Gov. Wolf announced that the state would send the city over $7 million for such work. The flooding was caused by clogged roof drains. At the moment, students are continuing to attend classes at Palumbo, but portions of the school where repairs are underway have been roped off. Work in the hallways, cafeteria, and library is complete. Work is still going on in three classrooms and a staff bathroom on the upper floors. As of Tuesday night, that list includes two newly damaged rooms on the fifth floor. “The District doesn’t always address these problems before a crisis like Palumbo hits,” said Arthur Steinberg, head of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers’ Health and Welfare Fund, which manages employee Health-care benefits. “They don’t search out the root causes ahead of time. Instead, they just deal with symptoms when they appear. They need to start dealing with root causes and prevent more major repair issues from occurring.”

-- Greg Windle

Quincy Public Schools Building Committee looks at resurfacing vs. upgrading Flinn track

-- Herald-Whig Illinois: September 26, 2018 [ abstract]

QUINCY -- State officials have denied several projects in the 2019 plan for Health life safety work in Quincy Public Schools. One major project denied was the estimated $450,000 to install a new running surface over the existing concrete paving on the track at Flinn Stadium. Superintendent Roy Webb said if the district holds a public hearing, then resubmits the request to the Illinois State Board of Education, the project will be approved. "The issue with that is that's $450,000 to redo the six-lane track that's out there," School Board member Mike Troup told the Building Committee on Tuesday. Upgrading to eight lanes all the way around -- instead of eight lanes in only a portion of the track -- would take the cost to an estimated $800,000 after factoring in moving bleachers and other existing fixtures. Webb said the upgrade would be considered new construction, which is not covered under Health life safety funding. "The question is do we spend $450,000 of taxpayer money today or work with the booster club to see what they can raise ... to do what they really want to do," Troup said. The Illinois High School Association requires eight-lane tracks for sectional meets. "The question for the board and Building and Grounds is that $400,000 to $500,000 worth a sectional meet," Webb said. "Every other meet we can run there. We hosted the conference meet, run our own meets there. The only thing we miss out on is a sectional meet for $500,000 for one or two days every four, five or six years."

-- Deborah Gertz Husar

Mold Forces Yonkers School to Close Tuesday

-- nbcnewyork.com New York: September 24, 2018 [ abstract]

The Yonkers public school board is scrambling to figure out where to put students of Paideia School 15 after a quarter of mold tests came back positive Monday, forcing officials to dismiss early and close school on Tuesday and Wednesday. The 600-student building of Paideia was evacuated after tests showed ceiling tiles on the third floor had mold. "On the loudspeaker, they told everyone to drop everything and meet in the hallway," said third-grader Bridget Burke. "I got very scared." One family is convinced the mold has been in the school for awhile. Parent Kerri Burke said her daughter had no Health issues during summer break -- no allergies, no runny nose. But during the school year, she breaks out in hives, and "last year, I had to take her to the emergency room every week. It only happens in the school year."

-- Wale Aliyu

The Defenders: CMS lead problems may lead to other issues in schools

-- WCNC North Carolina: September 24, 2018 [ abstract]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) started its second round of voluntary lead testing Monday at more than 30 additional schools, a federal report urged more districts to do the same. The U.S. Government Accountability Office report found only 43 percent of school districts nationwide test for lead, and of those, more than a third found elevated levels. Beyond that report, an environmental Health expert said CMS' initial results are an indicator of an even bigger problem. "It tells us that the school infrastructure is failing and that we really need to take a close look at that and make the investment we need for our kids," retired UNC Charlotte Public Health Professor Dr. Gary Silverman said. "An old infrastructure that's not managed properly can result in substantial long-term Health impacts. Unless we invest in our infrastructure, our kids will be at risk." While the environmental Health and water quality expert said he was concerned about CMS' original lead testing results, he worries "about other things more." Dr. Silverman said it's time to dedicate more money to school facilities that aren't just home to lead, but also mold, problematic heating and cooling units and other possible environmental contaminants. "You have to worry about the infrastructure and not just ignore it hoping that it will be okay because we don't see immediate adverse impacts," he said.

-- Nathan Morabito

Alachua County Schools Facilities Crisis And Tax Referendum On Forum Agenda

-- WUFT5 Florida: September 21, 2018 [ abstract]

Troubled with roof leaks, broken air-conditioners and overcrowding, Alachua County Public Schools officials assert that a districtwide facilities crisis adversely affecting how students learn. The district maintains that state lawmakers have cut funding for local schools to improve facilities by $168 million over the last 10 years. A lot of the district’s schools are out of date and have maintenance issues, said Jackie Johnson, the district’s public information officer. Facilities are just one of the topics on the agenda at the “Making Our Schools Everyone’s Priority” forum set for 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Gainesville High School. The Education Foundation of Alachua County, the Education College Council, the League of Women Voters and the Alachua County Council of PTAs are sponsoring the forum. Other topics include the district’s education gap and students’ mental Health needs. Alachua County Schools Superintendent Karen Clarke; Valerie Freeman, director of equity and outreach, and Veita Jackson-Carter, the Systems of Care program administrator, are scheduled to speak. If voters approve a half-cent sales tax referendum on the ballot in November, the county would reap an extra $22 million annually each of the next 12 years. The measure would cost families around $5 more a month, according to the school district.

-- Christina Morales

Mayor declares State of Emergency for Cannon Falls, shelter set up at high school

-- KTTC Minnesota: September 21, 2018 [ abstract]

CANNON FALLS, Minn. (KTTC) - The Mayor of Cannon Falls declared a State of Emergency for the City of Cannon Falls on Friday. Strong winds and tornadoes left a trail of disaster in Cannon Falls, Minn. School in Cannon Falls was canceled Friday due to power outages. The city says been it could be a couple days before power is back on.Until then, it's recommended residents without power stay with family or friends. Friday afternoon a shelter was set up at the city's high school. Residents from The Garden - a local nursing home in Cannon Falls, are taking shelter there. The school is hosting 56 elderly residents, until they can be taken to another nearby establishment Cannon Falls Police sent a request to residents Thursday night urging them to stay inside their homes while they dealt with down trees and power lines throughout the town. Mayo Clinic Health System also wanted to share a message with the public explaining how those power outages are affecting patients. The Cannon Falls Clinic is closed Friday. The hospital and E.R. remain open for emergency care. The Kenyon and Faribault clinics are also closed Friday. Officials are working to set up shelter at the Cannon Falls High School for residents affected. Care center residents are also being evacuated due to a generator fire.

-- Staff Author

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, Districts and Postsecondary Institutions Recognized; Green Strides To

-- US Department of Education National: September 19, 2018 [ abstract]

Forty-six schools and six districts were honored today at the 2018 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools ceremony for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and costs, promote better Health, and ensure effective environmental education. In addition, six colleges and universities were recognized with the Postsecondary Sustainability Award. Representatives from honored schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions received sustainably crafted plaques in recognition of their achievements. On hand for the ceremony at the U.S. Commerce Department were Assistant U.S. Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Frank Brogan, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Education Director Louisa Koch, Director of the Campaign for Environmental Literacy James L. Elder and Director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council Anisa Heming. “Today’s honorees can be proud of what they have accomplished in their local communities,” Brogan said. “They have reduced institutional operating costs and helped conserve our precious natural resources, while engaging students in authentic sustainability learning in safe, Healthy and inspiring environments.” “Our children are the hope and promise for our future and an even better future for generations to come,” Koch said. “The U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools recognition awards honor what the students, teachers and staff are doing to make the world a better place.” “Over the past seven years, U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools have helped to define what it means to be a sustainable school and how to effectively offer environmental education, so it’s my pleasure to celebrate this work annually,” Elder said.

-- Staff Author

Black mold found in Pre-K school trailers in Paterson, New Jersey

-- abc7 New Jersey: September 13, 2018 [ abstract]

PATERSON, New Jersey (WABC) -- There are concerns about mold in some classrooms in New Jersey.

Paterson is providing Health screenings for 48 Pre-K students after discovering black mold in a trailer where classes were held.

It was an alarming discovery inside three of the four trailers at Public School 1 in Paterson. It prompted an immediate evacuation of the students.

Eyewitness News spoke with administrators about the cleanup process and Health screenings that are currently underway.

A school facilities manager says the black mold was recently discovered when a technician from the HVAC department was servicing equipment inside the trailers Wednesday morning.

The technician noticed something abnormal, and school administrators immediately relocated the 48 small children and eight staff members to the multipurpose room inside PS 1.

A robo call was sent out to parents, and a meeting was held later with the assistant superintendent and principal.

"It was disturbing, it was concerning because the safety of these children is paramount to me and my staff as well," principal JoAnn Barca said.

-- A.J. Ross

Middle school costs explained

-- The Valley Reporter Vermont: September 13, 2018 [ abstract]

The cost of four options for the middle schools in the local school district range from $7 million to $17 million. Community members heard details on the four options on Wednesday, September 5, when members of the Harwood Unified Union School District (HUUSD) executive committee explained the four possible scenarios for Harwood Union Middle School and Crossett Brook Middle School and their costs. The executive committee is comprised of some members of the HUUSD Board, school principals, the TruexCullins architectural firm, and ReArch, the construction manager that the board hired. The cost of middle school renovations, regardless of which option is selected, are in addition to an estimated $19 million needed to upgrade Harwood Union High School. In the first proposal, renovation would happen at Harwood Union Middle School with no work done at Crossett Brook and with no change in student status quo. Harwood Union Middle School would be expanded with the addition of two wings, one on either side of the existing middle school, and a renovation to the existing middle school space. There would be team spaces and administrative suites and the space would be self-contained. This plan costs an estimated $7,035,929 – subject to change. The second option, would be renovation and additions to Harwood Union Middle School with no work to Crossett Brook, with the proposed wings, plus a new gym space attached onto the building and 10,000 feet of renovation to the existing middle school. This space would be self-contained. The new gym option would have an eating area for the middle school and new classrooms for Health, art and music. This renovation would cost an estimated $12,498,688 -- subject to change. Option three also involves work only at Harwood Union Middle School and features the addition of an entire second floor. The renovation would be the same as the proposed second option with an elevator access to the second floor. All seventh- and eighth-grade students in the district would attend Harwood Union Middle School, and Crossett Brook would host the Waterbury and Duxbury fifth- and sixth-graders only. This would mean the addition of new staff to accommodate the influx of students. The board members present expressed the dire need of more parking spaces. This plan would cost an estimated $17,471,489.

-- Katie Martin

Springfield schools gearing up to sell sales tax increase to voters

-- The State Journal-Register Illinois: September 09, 2018 [ abstract]

Under the circumstances, District 186 Superintendent Jennifer Gill is proud of how well the district has maintained its aging facilities over the past few years. The district has leveraged dollars from Health, life and safety bonds to renovate some of its oldest buildings and keep up with maintenance. But with 81 percent of Springfield’s public schools now 50 years or older, the task has not been easy. “That’s something that I’m proud about in District 186,” Gill said. “You can walk into our schools, you can see modern elements. But in order to do this next level of work that we need to do, there has to be something above and beyond our Health, life, safety dollars that we’ve been able to sell bonds for and pay back over time.” This “something” beyond existing revenue sources, school proponents hope, is a 1-percentage-point countywide sales tax increase that would go exclusively to Sangamon County school districts for facilities upgrades. This question will be in the hands of Sangamon County voters, who will answer the binding referendum question at the ballot box in November. If approved, the sales tax increase would not be applied to cars, trucks, ATVs, boats, RVs, mobile homes, unprepared food, drugs (including over-the-counter and vitamins), farm equipment and parts, farm inputs and services. Advocates say the sales tax is a better way to fund facility improvements than other alternatives, such as raising property taxes or even more borrowing. For one, several counties across Illinois have already taken advantage of the sales tax as a revenue source.

-- Brenden Moore

Old schools, hot buildings: A public health concern?

-- The Inquirer Pennsylvania: September 08, 2018 [ abstract]

When Rafi Cave dropped his daughter off at school Friday, it felt like a revelation — it was the first time since classes began Sept. 4 that children at Evans Elementary in Yeadon had a full day's instruction. "We're a week into school, and she hasn't met her reading teacher yet," Cave, a member of the Yeadon Borough Council, said of his fourth grader, Ryen.Last week's late-summer heat wave forced schools from Philadelphia and Camden to Tredyffrin/Easttown and Cheltenham to call multiple early dismissals in the nascent school year. To Gina Curry, a member of the Upper Darby school board, the fact that many school systems were unable to cool their buildings is a symptom of a larger problem. "This is not just a matter of air-conditioning units," Curry said. "It's about a failing infrastructure. This is a public Health concern."For many districts, the cooling challenge isn't limited to installing units: Wiring old buildings is expensive. And in Pennsylvania, where schools are funded heavily by local property taxes, and state money for school construction has withered, the costs can be prohibitive for poorer districts.

-- Kristen A. Graham and Maddie Hanna

Philly schools to close early Wednesday; officials decry dangerous conditions inside schools

-- The Inquirer Pennsylvania: September 04, 2018 [ abstract]

With temperatures in the 90s and the heat index over 100, Philadelphia students and teachers are boiling over building conditions inside 200-plus public schools. Schools will dismiss at noon Wednesday, officials said, but there was no relief on Tuesday, when the high was in the mid-90s and many classrooms felt hotter. Most Philadelphia School District buildings are old and do not have air-conditioning. "With the Health and safety of our children and educators at stake, it's unacceptable that the district hasn't taken any action or made any announcements about their plans for dealing with this heat wave," Philadelphia Federation of Teachers president Jerry Jordan said in a statement.

-- Kristen A. Graham

Facing a Really Big Issue, Senators Push for First Federal Survey of the Condition of U.S. Schools Since 1995

-- The 74 Million National: August 24, 2018 [ abstract]

Senators added language to the pending U.S. Education Department spending bill that would require the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office to study the state of America’s outdated school facilities for the first time since 1995. The bipartisan amendment, sponsored Thursday by Democrats Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, would require the GAO to study 10 specific areas, including heating and air conditioning, the presence of contaminants like lead and asbestos, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The report would be due 18 months after the bill takes effect. “We need clean, Healthy, well-equipped schools in order for this generation to meet the challenges of the future: social, environmental, economic, and global. It’s the right thing to do and it will lead to success for us as individuals and communities and help us remain leaders in the world,” Reed said in January when touting separate legislation he proposed to put $200 billion into school facilities.

-- CAROLYN PHENICIE

Rhode Island conduit issuer targets school facilities

-- The Bond Buyer Rhode Island: August 21, 2018 [ abstract]

Improving public school facilities will be a priority of the Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corp. under its new executive director, Kimberly Mooers. "This is a particularly exciting time to be joining RIHEBC as Rhode Island ramps up its financing for the repair and construction of school facilities across the state," she said. Mooers, who began Aug. 8, succeeds Robert Donovan, who held the position for 25 years. Donovan will remain as a senior advisor during the transition, then retire at the end of the year. Mooers brings more than 25 years of government and nonprofit finance to the position. Most recently, she was senior vice president, manager and principal at UniBank Fiscal Advisory Services Inc. Previously she held senior positions at the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency and the Massachusetts Health and Educational Facilities Authority. She also has extensive experience in the region as a senior investment banker at various national banks and broker-dealers. "My heart is in 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations, so that part of RIHEBC has me excited," she said in an interview from the organization's headquarters in downtown Providence. "I also want to leverage my previous position."

-- Paul Burton

Delay in releasing APS construction-cost audit raises eyebrows

-- Inside Nova Virginia: August 14, 2018 [ abstract]

Arlington residents will have to wait a little longer for an analysis of the reasons behind the high costs of school construction in the county. The audit committees of the County Board and School Board had been slated to meet Aug. 7 in a joint session to discuss a report by school-system auditor John Mickevice on school-construction costs. That meeting, however, was called off. Chris Horton, the county government’s auditor, said the confab had been nixed due to a request from the school system. Through a spokesman, School Board Chairman Reid Goldstein said summer schedules had not yet permitted all School Board members to be briefed on contents of the report in time for the meeting. No revised meeting date has been set. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the county government’s audit committee is Sept. 27. Cancellation of the public meeting engendered a number of conspiracy theories, and while he wasn’t one of the theorists, the delay served as a red flag to Tim Wise, president of the Arlington County Taxpayers Association. “A delay in releasing any audit report should always raise the suspicion of taxpayers,” said Wise, currently undergoing Health-rehabilitation treatment in Fredericksburg. Until the onset of the 2008-09 recession, Arlington Public Schools often paid some of the highest costs nationally for school construction, and both School Board members and the then-superintendent in that era seemed to revel in, rather than shrink from, the high spending, pointing to it as a commitment to the needs of students.

-- SCOTT McCAFFREY

Carlsbad schools seeking $265 million for upgrades, repairs

-- sandiego Union Tribune California: August 10, 2018 [ abstract]

Carlsbad Unified School District will float a $265 bond measure in November to fund science and math labs, technology, school site safety, and repairs to aging campus infrastructure. The school board voted last month to place the measure on the November ballot, after approving a facilities master plan in January. That document describes improvement and maintenance projects needed in the next 15 to 20 years. In 2006, district voters passed Proposition P, a $198 school bond measure that funded the modernization of Carlsbad High School and construction of the Sage Creek High School. The new high school christened its $14 million performing arts center on June 4, according to the high school website. With the completion of that project, the district closed the book on Proposition P. This year, officials turned their sights to the next series of improvements that they hope to accomplish through subsequent school bonds. The district aims to prepare students for “in demand careers,” including Health care, biomedical science, computer science, robotics and skilled trades, by upgrading science and engineering labs, and career technical education facilities.

-- Deborah Sullivan Brennan

Severe storms at new school site; raise concerns for homeowner

-- South Carolina: August 09, 2018 [ abstract]

INDIAN LAND, S.C. - A huge new high school is planned for Indian Land on Highway 521. The school is still two years from opening, but the ongoing construction has already had an upsetting impact on a family that owns the land behind it. Milton Hood reached out to Channel 9 after contacting state Health officials. He's owned 22 acres of land off Highway 521 at Witherspoon Trail for more than 20 years. "I used to love my pond, but not now," Hood said. The roughly 2-acre fishing pond was clear and looked clean.

-- Greg Suskin

Savannah-Chatham schools tax collections fall short

-- Savannah Now Georgia: August 04, 2018 [ abstract]

The penny sales tax for education in Savannah-Chatham County delivered lower than expected monthly revenue in 2017 and early 2018. The shortage could affect the district’s schedule for improving facilities. The shortfall stems from overly optimistic forecasts in the amount of revenue expected to be collected from the Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or ESPLOST. The projections weren’t a large part of the school board’s fiscal 2019 budget discussions in June, where the focus was on a millage increase. The 13.5 percent increase in the millage rate to 18.881 mills from 16.631 a year ago will support unfunded state mandates of retirement and Health care, a step increase for teacher salaries and a safety enhancement program that involves new safety aides and well-being personnel. But board members also discussed the need for an investment in capital spending to improve the security of buildings, which can come from ESPLOST funds, school officials said.

-- Ann Meyer

Bemidji Area Schools approves long-term maintenance plan

-- The Bemidji Pioneer Minnesota: August 03, 2018 [ abstract]

BEMIDJI—Bemidji Area Schools has a new ten-year plan to fix up its buildings. School board members in July approved a long-term facilities and maintenance plan that aims to spend about $1.8 million each year, about $1.2 million of which comes from taxpayers in the district. The remaining $600,000 comes from the state. So where does that money go? The largest expenses this coming school year are $600,000 for "roof systems," another $225,000 for mechanical systems, and $201,000 for environmental Health and safety management, according to documents presented to school board members last month. District staff plan to spend about $410,000 annually on Health and safety-minded projects like asbestos removal and fire safety. They can save up some of the money the district receives each year to spend on more expensive projects, if necessary.

-- Joe Bowen

OUSD Turns Asphalt School Playgrounds into Green Spaces

-- Oakland Post California: August 03, 2018 [ abstract]

With less than two weeks to go before the 2018-19 school year begins, schools across Oakland are getting ready. At Melrose Leadership Academy, work is now underway to make the campus green and, in the process, help children learn. Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), the Trust for Public Land, and Green Schoolyards America announced a partnership at Melrose, the first of five schools to serve as demonstration sites where asphalt covered schoolyards will be transformed into green spaces or “living schoolyards.” The partners will also collaborate on a district policy, funding strategy and joint use agreements to ensure more OUSD schoolyards become Healthier and more climate resilient. “Working with the Trust for Public Land, Green Schoolyards America and the community provides OUSD with added resources and technical expertise that we need to improve the learning environment for our students,” said Kyla Johnson-Trammell, OUSD Superintendent. “This effort will also create Healthier conditions at our schools and get our students to think more globally and be more environmentally conscious.” The partnership focuses on increasing equity across OUSD by prioritizing schools that serve low-income neighborhoods. There are five demonstration schoolyards involved in the project. Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, Markham Elementary School, Melrose Leadership Academy, Ralph J. Bunche High School, and two elementary schools that share a campus, International Community School and Think College Now.
The process will involve receive community engagement, participatory design, asphalt removal and planting. The demonstration schools will also benefit from professional development from Green Schoolyards America’s Principals’ Institute. Nearly 1,700 students attend these five schools and will directly benefit from the transformation. A total of 30,000 people live within a 10-minute walk of these sites.

-- Post Staff

New Hampshire gets money to address asbestos in schools

-- The State New Hampshire: July 29, 2018 [ abstract]

CONCORD, N.H. New Hampshire is set to receive a $140,000 federal grant to help communities address asbestos contamination in schools. The state's Democratic congressional delegation announced this week that the money from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would be directed to the New Hampshire Asbestos in Schools Program. The program reviews school asbestos management plans to ensure they comply with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, maintain an asbestos accreditation and certification training program, and provide educational outreach to parents, teachers, and school maintenance personnel on the dangers of asbestos exposure. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said that it was critical for the Health and safety of the children that the state combat asbestos. The grant, she said, would provide critical information for all stakeholders in the event of asbestos exposure.

-- Associated Press

New Baird Elementary School taking shape; additional construction projects on schedule

-- Green Bay Press Gazette Wisconsin: July 27, 2018 [ abstract]

GREEN BAY - Work is underway this summer on Green Bay's first new public school building in 20 years. The work site for the new Baird Elementary School is marked by clouds of dust, beeping machinery and construction workers preparing the site for the steel beams that are expected to go up next week. The foundation, underground pipes and electrical connections are already in place for the 98,000-square-foot, two-story building. The school district's last new school was Red Smith, a kindergarten through eighth-grade school, built in 1998. The new Baird Elementary School is one of several major construction projects being worked on over the summer break. The new school is estimated to cost $25.8 million. It is being funded through the $68.25 million construction referendum approved by taxpayers in April 2017. The school will be able to hold up to 600 students in 5-year-old kindergarten through fifth grade. "It will have a community space. It will have space for some of our community partners, like oral Health and mental Health," said executive director of facilities Mike Stangel. "There will be opportunities for different community agencies to use the building." The new school is being built on property that was previously Henry Baird Park on Humboldt Road. The district agreed to a land swap with the city in September.

-- Samantha Hernandez

OPINION: JPS: More Than A School Building

-- Jackson Free Press Mississippi: July 27, 2018 [ abstract]

Helen Keller once said, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” It is that same hope and confidence we as Jackson Public School students need to move forward, while trusting the current school leaders. We all aspire to make a difference in our schools and communities by having more opportunities to participate in activities that support our growth and development. #While the bond issue does not explicitly relate to all of those things, it is a start. When students see that the community values them and their surroundings, we will realize the importance of an education, and we can exceed the expectations set before us. The bond represents hope. It is an opportunity for you to express your optimism for our future and support our value to this community. If we truly embody all of your hopes and dreams, we simply ask for you to give us the tools so that we can make a difference. #People cannot expect children to succeed in the face of debilitating infrastructure, not when the resources to improve it are so readily available. Only with a clean and Healthy environment can we even hope to begin to change the attitudes of students and thus address the attitudes of the community.

-- Jackson Public Schools Students

Why the new Lincoln High School is $58M over budget

-- KGW8 Oregon: July 25, 2018 [ abstract]

PORTLAND, Ore. – Last spring, the Lincoln High School lawn was covered in campaign signs urging voters to pay more than three-quarters of a billion dollars to rebuild the overcrowded, unsafe school as well as several other schools in the district. Exasperated Lincoln students invited reporters to tour their school, pointing out exposed asbestos, water-damaged ceilings, and packed classrooms in a basement never intended for that use. “As students it is difficult to learn in a facility where your Health is constantly being harmed and where your classrooms are ridiculously overcrowded,” said Lincoln High School senior Michael Ioffe. Voters responded, passing the historic $790 million school bond in May 2017. About a quarter of that pot -- $187 million – was allocated for a brand-new Lincoln High School. Construction is slated to begin in 2020 and the school will be finished in 2023.

-- Sara Roth

Marblehead school discovers garden contaminated with floor cleaning water

-- Boston 25 News Massachusetts: July 24, 2018 [ abstract]

MARBLEHEAD, Mass. - The Organic Garden at the Malcolm L. Bell School in Marblehead has been contaminated with dirty water. According to a letter Marblehead Public Schools Superintendent Maryann Perry sent to the Bell School community, custodians have been discarding floor cleaning water next to and directly into the garden for several years against district protocol. The water would have contained residue from floor cleaning operations including stripper, wax, neutralizer and floor cleaner. In light of the recently discovery, the district has put a plan in action to address the needs of the garden. The district consulted with the Marblehead Board of Health, which recommended removing 18 to 24 inches of soil in the lower beds. The residue doesn’t affect the raised beds. The soil will be removed and replaced with certified organic soil. The Organic Garden committee has taken steps to get pricing and scheduling from a local contractor who has previously worked on the garden. The district is working with the committee to set up a time to get the work done.

-- Mike Saccone

Senator urges testing lead in schools' drinking water

-- The Philadelphia Tribune Pennsylvania: July 19, 2018 [ abstract]

Sen. Art Haywood, (Philadelphia/Montgomery) said on Wednesday that provisions in the recently enacted School Code will prompt school districts to test for lead in drinking water in Pennsylvania schools. “A 2014 study by the state Department of Health found that 18 communities across Pennsylvania have children who have tested positive for increased levels of lead,” he said. “We must do what we can to reduce exposure to lead and ensure that school facilities do not have lead in drinking water.” Haywood’s legislation, Senate Bill 647, was used as the framework for language inserted in the School Code. School districts will now be required to test for lead in every facility within their district or conduct a hearing that discusses lead within their school facilities. The testing must be completed by the beginning of the upcoming school year and testing will be required in subsequent years. “This is a step forward for school districts to be sure they are providing a Healthy environment for teachers and students to focus on education,” Haywood said.

-- Staff Author

State faults Easthampton for poor indoor air quality response at White Brook Middle School

-- MASS Live Massachusetts: July 03, 2018 [ abstract]

EASTHAMPTON -- Interior air quality remains a problem at White Brook Middle School, and a recent report urges action and claims school officials didn't follow through on recommendations made two years ago. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health in June advised the city's school department to remove 'severely worn' carpeting at White Brook Middle School, to regularly wipe and vacuum accumulated dust, to remove peeling paint that could contain lead, and keep an aging ventilation system running non-stop when there are people in the building. The interior air quality report from the department's Bureau of Environmental Health states that unacceptable levels of carbon dioxide were detected within certain areas the school, which was built in 1976, during a June 8 inspection. A similar inspection in 2016, conducted during cooler weather when windows were closed, found elevated levels of the tiny pollutants known as "PM 2.5," microscopic particles that can irritate the respiratory system and create special problems for children with asthma. Water-damaged ceiling tiles were observed in 2016 and 2018, creating a pathway for potential mold, and dust control throughout the building was found to be a "significant problem."

-- Mary C. Serreze

Funds needed for Central Oregon school gardens

-- Bend Bulletin Oregon: June 29, 2018 [ abstract]

The Environmental Center in Bend recently launched a campaign to raise $7,500 by July 27 to fund a second year of its school garden program, which provides Central Oregon schools with resources to start student-grown gardens. Last year, the Bend-based sustainability organization used donated funds to support seven schools in the region, including Bend International School, Bear Creek Elementary and Realms Middle School in Bend, Sisters Elementary and Seed to Table Educational Farm in Sisters, Three Rivers Elementary in Sunriver, and Henry Slater Elementary in Burns. Students at each school created different interpretations of a school garden. Some gardens were indoor, outdoor or a mix of both. Some are harvested with early spring crops, while others are being maintained by school staff over the summer. Denise Rowcroft, sustainability educator at the Environmental Center, said the school gardens offer a direct benefit to the children, and connect them with the ideas of nature, food and Health. “It’s getting them connected to where their food comes from,” Rowcroft said. The school gardens last year incorporated irrigation, fencing, and seeds and dirt.

-- Kyle Spurr

Many schools keep gardening efforts going all summer

-- The Columbian National: June 28, 2018 [ abstract]

The school year runs just the opposite of the growing season, making it difficult for educators to teach kids how to garden. But many school systems enlist volunteers to prep garden beds while students are on summer break, making the crops ready to tend when classes resume in September. “We’re working against nature but we add a lot of season extenders,” said Seth Raabe, South Whidbey (Island) School Farms coordinator in Langley. “That includes greenhouses and different plant varieties. We want to get the school gardens going as early as possible and then extend them as late as possible in order to fit class schedules.” School gardens have been used as an educational tool in the United States for well over a century, developing from standard vegetable beds into year-round windowsill settings, Grow Labs and hydroponic towers. Fresh student-grown edibles augment public school menus, contribute to Healthier nutritional habits and food safety, teach record keeping and marketing, provide exercise and build a life-long appreciation for the environment.

-- DEAN FOSDICK

How we decided to clean up the hazards in our school | Commentary

-- The Inquirer Maryland: June 27, 2018 [ abstract]

In January, Philadelphia School District officials informed us that our school, George W. Nebinger Elementary, had an issue with flaking lead paint in our hallways, classrooms, and offices. At an elementary school, that posed great concern to us, and as you can imagine, it led to a very vocal and public outcry by our parents and community. From there, we had two choices. We could complain, or we could be part of the solution. As an environmental consultant and a principal, we asked the district to work with us on a plan for action to protect the Health and safety of our students. What resulted was the creation of a working group made up of district officials, school-based staff, dedicated volunteers, and members of the Philadelphia Healthy Schools Coalition. In a series of collaborative meetings, we quickly realized that the lead stabilization plan, while clear on paper, would face challenges when implemented due to the unique needs of schools. We also figured that going through this process at Nebinger and Jackson Elementary Schools could give us ideas to formulate a plan that could be implemented district-wide.

-- Natalie Catin-St. Louis & Gretchen Dahlkemper

Many schools keep gardening efforts going all summer

-- OA Online National: June 26, 2018 [ abstract]

The school year runs just the opposite of the growing season, making it difficult for educators to teach kids how to garden. But many school systems enlist volunteers to prep garden beds while students are on summer break, making the crops ready to tend when classes resume in September. "We're working against nature but we add a lot of season extenders," said Seth Raabe, South Whidbey (Island) School Farms coordinator in Langley, Washington. "That includes greenhouses and different plant varieties. We want to get the school gardens going as early as possible and then extend them as late as possible in order to fit class schedules." School gardens have been used as an educational tool in the United States for well over a century, developing from standard vegetable beds into year-round windowsill settings, Grow Labs and hydroponic towers. Fresh student-grown edibles augment public school menus, contribute to Healthier nutritional habits and food safety, teach record keeping and marketing, provide exercise and build a life-long appreciation for the environment. In short, students are encouraged to shift from being couch potatoes to cultivating lunchroom tomatoes.

-- Associated Press

Lindbergh students learn about healthy eating and shared responsibility in school garden

-- Madison.com Wisconsin: May 26, 2018 [ abstract]

Kenneth Stancer is not afraid to meet students where they are, even if it is in a pile of dirt. Stancer, a veteran music teacher at Lindbergh, coordinates Lindbergh’s school garden. Stancer and Lynn Scoby, an English as a second language teacher, took over the garden three years ago with the goal of encouraging students to spend more time outdoors and understand where their food comes from.

-- Amber C. Walker

Mankato School District has more funds for building maintenance

-- The Free Press Minnesota: May 07, 2018 [ abstract]

Mankato Public School District leaders are planning extra school building improvement projects thanks to an increase in local and state funding. The School Board has approved three sizable building and parking lot summer maintenance projects in recent weeks and is making plans for years to come. A new funding formula for districts to update and maintain buildings, improve accessibility and continue required Health and safety programs is in the second of a three-year phase in.

-- Kristine Goodrich

New jobs, maintenance budget included in possible fall South Milwaukee school referendum

-- Journal Sentinel Wisconsin: April 18, 2018 [ abstract]

A referendum to establish a building-maintenance budget, improve building safety and hire staff to deal with mental Health and social issues is being considered by the school board.

-- Darryl Enriquez

Facilities Master Plan up for review by Travis Unified School District

-- The Reporter News California: April 09, 2018 [ abstract]

Recommendations for the district’s Facilities Master Plan and clarification of the January cash payment of Health and welfare benefits to unionized employees are on the agenda when Travis Unified leaders meet tonight in Fairfield. Superintendent Pamela Conklin and Cathy Dominico, of Capitol PFG, a Sacramento financial advisory firm, will update the five-member governing board about the latest changes to the Facilities Master Plan, a 71-page document that will guide the district’s future capital construction and major remodeling projects.

-- Richard Bammer

America’s Deathtrap Schools

-- The New York Times National: April 07, 2018 [ abstract]

Every weekday during the academic year, more than 50 million children across the United States enter public school buildings. Many of these buildings are so dilapidated and poorly designed that children’s Health and safety are at risk.

-- Lori Peek

Sharing Public Spaces to Improve Public Health

-- The New York Times National: March 27, 2018 [ abstract]

As a farmworker in Orange Cove, one of California’s most impoverished cities, Lorena Gomez starts her day just past dawn, teetering on a ladder to pluck fruit and place it in a canvas sack that weighs heavily across her chest. Despite this grueling work, Gomez, a 31-year-old single mother, manages to drum up the energy twice a week to attend an evening Zumba class at a local middle school, her 10-year-old daughter, Katelyn, often twirling by her side on the dance floor. “You go to the fields, cook, clean, take a quick shower and then you go to Zumba,” Gomez said of her routine, which has helped her lose 30 pounds and “made me feel more pretty,” she added. “The Zumba relaxes me.”

-- Patricia Leigh Brown

Gov. Scott unveils half-billion dollar plan for school safety

-- Tallahassee Democrat Florida: February 23, 2018 [ abstract]

Gov. Rick Scott unveiled today a $500 million threefold plan to address safety in schools following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 students and staff. The plan focuses on gun laws, school safety and mental Health.

-- Nada Hassanein

District 30 approves new Maple School construction contracts

-- Chicago Tribune Illinois: February 13, 2018 [ abstract]

The Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 Board of Education Feb. 8 approved multiple contracts for construction on the new Maple School. In 2016, District 30 reviewed its facilities and officials decided the district should build a new Maple School and complete Health and life-safety work at the other elementary schools, according to a district news release. The total cost of all the projects is $41.5 million, of which $40.6 million will go toward the new Maple School, according to the release.

-- Alexandra Kukulka

Why a ‘Make America Great Again’ infrastructure program must include public schools

-- Washington Post National: February 13, 2018 [ abstract]

A “Make America Great Again” infrastructure package needs to go beyond roads and bridges. It must include public schools. Local communities and states in the United States are projected to spend about $1 trillion on public school buildings and grounds over the next 10 years �" but still fall over $400 billion short on what they need to house students and staff in Healthy, safe and educationally appropriate public school infrastructure. This funding gap degrades the education and Health of children, depresses the vitality of communities, and overburdens our natural resources.

-- Mary Filardo

Auburn school board: Diving into the depths of a capital project

-- Auburn Pub New York: February 08, 2018 [ abstract]

Capital projects are a complex undertaking. A great deal of preparation goes into them from determining that one is needed to the completion of the project. A lot of capital projects formulate from a building condition survey that New York state education law mandates school districts to perform every five years. The BCS is intended to provide districts and BOCES with all of the detailed information necessary to properly maintain safe and Healthy school environments for New York’s public schoolchildren. The data allows school districts to properly plan and prioritize capital improvements and allows the state to properly plan for building aid reimbursements to districts.

-- Michael McCole

Lopez School District receives long-awaited state grant

-- The Island's Weekly Washington: February 05, 2018 [ abstract]

Lopez Island School District has been awarded a $1.8 million state capital grant to add safety, energy conservation, and Health projects to the school’s overall renovation program. “We’ve fought long and hard for this funding for the school and Lopez,” stated John Helding, school board president. “Our county council and particularly our state legislators, Kristine Lytton, Jeff Morris and Kevin Ranker, supported us the whole way and were instrumental in helping us secure these funds.”

New high school? Sanford Health donates 35 acres for school in northwest Sioux Falls

-- Argus Leader South Dakota: January 22, 2018 [ abstract]

The Sioux Falls School District doesn't yet have plans for its next school building, but it does know where it's going to be. Sanford Health donated 35 acres of land in northwest Sioux Falls, south of the Sanford Sports Complex and north of the Best Western Plus Ramokta on Maple Avenue. School board members voted to approve the donation Monday night.

-- Megan Raposa

Osseo spends $70,000 to clean school after health complaints

-- Star Tribune Minnesota: January 21, 2018 [ abstract]

Concerns about unexplained illnesses in a special-needs school building have led the Osseo Area Schools to spend more than $73,000 to test for mold and study the air quality, heating and air conditioning, among other things. Since September, staff members and students have reported symptoms such as burning in the throat and eyes, fast heartbeat, dizziness and numbness in the face.

-- Faiza Mahamud

Budget plan seeks $250M bond to launch R.I. school infrastructure improvements

-- Providence Journal Rhode Island: January 18, 2018 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE �" Gov. Gina Raimondo’s 2019 budget calls for a massive infusion of spending to repair Rhode Island’s deteriorating school buildings. An engineering study recently concluded that the state’s 306 public schools need $2.2 billion worth of repairs �" $500 million alone to bring schools to minimum standards called “warm, safe and dry.” The report found more than 50,000 deficiencies, many of them severe. Her budget asks voters to approve a $250-million bond to begin what Raimondo is calling “a once-in-a-generation” investment in the state’s aging school infrastructure. This would be in addition to the $80 million a year that the state has been spending on school construction, including repairs that address immediate Health and safety hazards.

-- Linda Borg

Communities, Schools Desperate For State Construction Funds Get Welcome News

-- NW News Network Washington: January 18, 2018 [ abstract]

Communities and schools across Washington state are getting some welcome news. After a months-long delay, lawmakers Thursday night passed a $4.3 billion, two year state construction budget. "It is good news for Washingtonians that the Legislature passed the long-overdue construction budget," Governor Jay Inslee said in a statement. "This allows us to restart hundreds of stalled projects at schools and mental Health facilities and build more affordable housing--as well as put thousands of Washingtonians to work." Chehalis School Superintendent Ed Rothlin was among those celebrating the end to a stalemate in Olympia that put the capital construction budget on ice.

-- Austin Jenkins

More than 150 Democrats Ask Trump to Invest in Public School Infrastructure

-- US House of Representatives National: January 17, 2018 [ abstract]

Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and 153 House Democrats sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging the administration to invest in the critical infrastructure that affects every city and town in the nation �" our public schools. Too many of the more than 50 million students and six million staff who learn and work in our public schools spend their days in facilities that fail to make the grade. “To address this crisis, the federal government should partner with states and territories to ensure that public schools in every community are safe, Healthy, and modern �" particularly in low-income and rural school districts where the need is often most profound. This is the right thing to do for students, teachers, and communities. It is also a smart investment, since it will give a needed boost to our economy by creating local jobs in every community across the country,” the members wrote. “According to recent economic analysis, every $1 billion dollars invested in construction creates nearly 18,000 jobs. That means a federal investment in school infrastructure of $100 billion would yield an estimated 1.8 million jobs that are high-paying and immediately available.” Democrats have already introduced legislation in the House that would create such a partnership, providing $100 billion for direct grants and low-cost financing to help states and local communities upgrade their school facilities.

Reed, Murkowski Lead Letter Urging Trump Administration to Bolster Public School Infrastructure

-- US Senate National: January 17, 2018 [ abstract]

In an effort to rebuild and modernize public schools, boost student achievement, and grow the nation’s economy, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who both serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee, are leading a bipartisan effort to urge President Trump to create a federal-state partnership to invest in the infrastructure of the nation’s public schools. The Senators say public schools are essential to the fabric of our communities and investing in 21st Century schools should be a key piece of a bipartisan infrastructure proposal. In a bipartisan letter sent to the White House today, Reed, Murkowski, and 23 of their Senate colleagues note: “safe, Healthy, modern, well-equipped schools are essential for advancing student achievement and for ensuring that the next generation can achieve the American Dream and meet the economic, social, environmental, and global challenges our nation faces.” Reed has introduced the School Building Improvement Act (S. 1674), which would help provide $100 billion in federal grants and school construction bonds over the next decade to help build and renovate schools. By providing states with grants and low-cost bonds to meet their school construction and modernization needs, the bill would help strengthen communities and create an estimated 1.8 million jobs, while also laying the foundation for better schools, smart growth, and a brighter future. Similar legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representative by Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. In their letter to President Trump, the lawmakers state: “the federal government should consider partnering with states on innovative financing mechanisms to help every community ensure their schools are safe, Healthy, and modern, particularly in low-income and rural school districts where the need is often most profound. This is the right thing to do for students, educators, and communities. It is also a smart investment, since it will give a needed boost to our economy by creating local jobs in every community across the country. According to a recent economic analysis, every $1 billion dollars invested in construction creates nearly 18,000 jobs. That means, for example, that a federal investment in school infrastructure of $100 billion would yield an estimated 1.8 million jobs.”

School construction among top 2018 priorities for Raimondo

-- Houston Chronicle Rhode Island: December 27, 2017 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Â¡Âª Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo has placed a school construction initiative among her top priorities for 2018, and said "no department will be spared" as she works to close a budget deficit. MOST POPULAR Voting in Texas for 2018 just weeks away thanks to nation's... Texans GM search: Brian Gaine the favorite $20M gift will create regional mental Health center Gerald Green feels right at home with Rockets Sports reporter Courtney Roland found safe near Houston... Review: FM Kitchen & Bar plays to Houston's icehouse-loving heart Former HCC trustee Chris Oliver gets 70 months in prison after... The Democratic governor, speaking to The Associated Press in her annual year-end interview, said she also supports the continued phaseout of the car tax.

-- MIchelle R. Smith and Jennifer McDermott

School communities to have more say in new facility designs

-- Austin Monitor Texas: December 19, 2017 [ abstract]

Following an intensive community engagement process in the drafting of the 2017 bond package, Austin Independent School District staff informed the board of trustees at its Dec. 11 work session that the designs of the new facilities will continue in that spirit by prioritizing the inclusion of school communities in the implementation of the Facility Master Plan Update. The $1.1 billion bond package was approved by voters on Nov. 7, providing the necessary funds for the district to build new facilities and modernize existing ones. Up-to-date technology and infrastructure will not be the only way these schools will be renovated. The design of classrooms and buildings themselves, Director of Planning Services Beth Wilson said at the meeting, will better reflect 21st-century learning principles, Health and safety, and sustainability.

-- Joseph Catherine

Hamilton schools studying future facilities, with option of tearing down historic auditorium

-- Herald-Whig Illinois: December 01, 2017 [ abstract]

HAMILTON, Ill. -- The Hamilton School District's focus on the future could jeopardize a significant piece of its past. The School Board is looking at options to create 21st-century learning environments for students that support collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking in facilities that are safe and secure, designed for technology, flexible, and student-centered. One option calls for building an addition to the elementary school and converting it to serve kindergarten through eighth grade, making Health life-safety and 21st-century updates at the high school, and demolishing the high school's Safford Auditorium at an estimated cost of $12 million.

-- Deborah Gertz Husar

Construction may begin in spring on new school in Mercer County

-- Bluefield Daily Telegraph West Virginia: October 30, 2017 [ abstract]

GREEN VALLEY �" School officials in Mercer County are hoping to begin construction early next year on a new elementary school for the Green Valley community. The school system was awarded $7.8 million in grant funding earlier this year from the West Virginia School Building Authority for the Pre-K to fifth grade facility. The new school will be constructed on approximately 23 acres of land located along Blue Prince Road across from the Mercer County Health Department.

-- Charles Owens

Erie students grow healthy food in school garden and find peace of mind

-- Times-Call Lifestyles Colorado: September 06, 2017 [ abstract]

The Red Hawk Elementary School back-to-school night on Aug. 29 had a special bloom about it â€” parents and community members were greeted at the school's entrance by a colorful, fresh bounty of tri-colored cherry tomatoes, corn on the cob, beets, cantaloupe, turnips, basil, carrots, heirloom tomatoes and more. Alongside the annual meet-and-greet opportunity, the evening included the first ever student-run Farmers Market, which featured produce freshly harvested from the school's own garden.

-- Wendy McMillan

County Weighs Larger Bond Referendum for More School Construction

-- The Pilot.com North Carolina: September 01, 2017 [ abstract]

After years of rejecting the idea of a bond referendum to fund school construction, the Moore County Board of Commissioners is not only embracing the notion, but expanding the reach beyond initial plans. The bond referendum, which could go before voters next spring, would include money not just for elementary schools in Aberdeen and Southern Pines, but also major improvements to several other schools across the county and a new Health education center for Sandhills Community College.

-- David Sinclair and Mary Kate Murphy

Community Garden opens

-- Carbondale News Pennsylvania: July 07, 2017 [ abstract]

Nothing can beat the taste of freshly picked vegetables and savory herbs harvested right from the garden. Thanks to the Dimes From Heaven nonprofit organization, growing your own Healthy and delicious vegetables can be a fun and stress-free endeavor this summer. Founded by Michael and Linda Melnick, Dimes From Heaven endeavors to breathe new life into Simpson by rejuvenating old landmarks into usable community features. The most visible of these efforts is the old Fell School and its grounds, which now feature new Miss C softball fields and auxiliary buildings, a modern playground for local children, and a reservoir stocked with perch, bullheads, bluegills, and bass for catch-and-release fishing.

-- Barbara Grace

Community garden teaches students life lessons in Braintree

-- Braintree Wicked Local Massachusetts: June 28, 2017 [ abstract]

Flaherty School students are learning firsthand the adage - you reap what you sow �" literally. Last week, students prepared the school’s vegetable garden for the season that will soon produce a bountiful harvest. Onions, bush beans, potatoes, carrots, beets, tomatoes, kale, celery, lettuce and snap peas were among the veggies planted. Principal, Stacey Soto, said the garden not only promotes Healthy eating but gives students an incentive to eat vegetables.

Local students benefit from gardening program

-- Times Herald-Record New York: June 20, 2017 [ abstract]

NEW WINDSOR �" Tomato plants and lettuce, and kale and peas and summer squash sprout in plots outside Temple Hill Academy in New Windsor. While destined for the bellies of students at the Newburgh district elementary school and the food pantry at St. Patrick’s Church in the City of Newburgh, the Healthy vegetables are not the only harvest to be reaped from the seeds sown inside Temple Hill’s student-run garden.

-- Leonard Sparks

Lawmakers right to increase school-construction dollars

-- The Seattle Times Washington: April 16, 2017 [ abstract]

SCHOOL officials have been telling the Legislature they need more than teachers to fulfill the state’s commitment to smaller classes and all-day kindergarten for all kids. They also need more classroom space to fulfill the requirements of the Washington Supreme Court’s 2012 McCleary decision. The Legislature seems to be listening to schools on this issue. A bipartisan plan for the state capital budget sets aside $1 billion to build new schools, plus money for preschools, colleges and universities. This positive development shows that lawmakers in both parties and both houses understand the importance of helping more children graduate from high school prepared for college or career. The House and the Senate have passed similar capital budgets but still need to compromise on the details. Top Opinion stories Lawmakers right to increase school-construction dollars | Editorial Greenlight Washington State Convention Center expansion | Op-Ed Can Trump take Health care hostage? | Paul Krugman / Syndicated columnist Dear reader: Here’s why I can’t write soothing words | Leonard Pitts Jr. / Syndicated columnist Reform Western State and community services | Editorial Trump’s new Muslim travel ban has same old problems | Op-Ed The capital budget proposals also include money for community mental Health facilities, supportive housing for the chronically mentally ill and renovations at state mental-Health facilities. With these capital-budget proposals, the Legislature demonstrates it can budget with the state’s values in mind. More of the same approach in the operations budget for the next two years would be most welcome. The capital budget also shows some fiscal restraint. Although the proposal approved almost unanimously by the House on Wednesday would authorize spending $3.99 billion, about $2.7 billion is reappropriated from previous capital projects. One section of the House version of the capital budget that deserves another look involves money set aside for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program. The House budget offers about $12 million less than the Senate’s $80 million for acquiring or improving recreation and conservation land. While schools are the state’s No. 1 priority, the Legislature should not forget how much Washington’s citizens value their public land. The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program has put more than $1.3 billion in public dollars toward 1,200 projects since 1989. The program buys, develops and restores land for animal habitat as well as hiking, hunting, fishing and other recreation. Although the House and Senate versions of the capital budget disagree by millions of dollars in some areas, both houses seem motivated to reach a compromise on this part of the state budget. Lawmakers should be commended for this effort. Now they should apply the same enthusiasm toward reaching a compromise on the operations side of the state biennial budget.

-- Seattle Times Editorial Board

Christie challenges N.J. Democrats to revamp school funding in final budget address

-- The Inquirer (Phila.) New Jersey: February 28, 2017 [ abstract]

TRENTON â€” Gov. Christie delivered his last budget address Tuesday, unveiling a $35.5 billion spending plan that was perhaps most noteworthy for what it did not include: a proposal he had pushed to dramatically redistribute school funding. Instead, the Republican governor called on the Democratic-led Legislature to work with him to create a new funding formula, and challenged lawmakers, who have failed to reach consensus on a plan of their own, to agree on an approach within 100 days. â€�"No phony task forces. No stupid blue ribbon commissions,â€ Christie said in the Assembly chamber, where he also called on the state's largest Health insurer to fund addiction treatment and proposed contributing state lottery revenue to the public worker pension system.

-- Maddie Hanna & Andrew Seidman

Cumberland applying for more state aid for school upgrades

-- The Valley Breeze Rhode Island: February 01, 2017 [ abstract]

CUMBERLAND �" A new building committee was appointed last week as Cumberland school leaders prepared a new package of proposed school upgrades that will cost in the range of $4 million to $5 million. As they did in 2015, administrators, hoping to win the go-ahead for 42 percent reimbursement in school aid funding, are targeting Health and safety concerns identified in a 586-page report by Torrado Architects. The application for reimbursement was due to the state Department of Education this week. In October, Supt. Bob Mitchell advised Joseph Paul da Silva, RIDE’s school construction coordinator and architectural design reviewer, of the department’s intent to request $4 million in school housing aid reimbursement. “Deficiencies and improvements needed include inefficient heating and ventilation systems, communications systems, parking lot and sidewalk repairs, lighting, brick repointing of significant cracks and ADA compliance issues,” he said in a letter signed also by Mayor Bill Murray and Town Council member Lisa Beaulieu, who was still chairwoman of the School Committee at the time.

-- MARCIA GREEN

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality testing water at more than 1,000 schools for lead levels

-- abc15 Arizona: January 17, 2017 [ abstract]

PHOENIX - Officials have begun testing more than 1,000 schools across the state for possible high levels of lead in the water supply. According to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, the testing is a proactive measure designed to see if lead levels in the water are at levels that may pose harm to children's Health. The testing is expected to take six months to complete and includes taking a total of 14,000 samples from more than 7,000 buildings across 205 districts. Lead contamination can happen even when a school's water supplier is in full compliance with regulations designed to keep lead out. Officials said lead might leach into the water from pipes, faucets and water heaters inside the schools themselves. Water Quality Division Director Trevor Baggiore said problems arising around the nation â€” for example, the Flint, Michigan water crisis â€” is pushing them to take action before water problems come to light in our state.

-- Max Walker

Wyoming school closed because of oil well leak won't reopen until fall 2017

-- American School and University Wyoming: December 21, 2016 [ abstract]

Midwest School in Midwest, Wyo., will remain closed until the 2017-18 school year as engineers and consultants work to mitigate air quality problems caused by a leak from a nearby oil well. The Casper Star-Tribune reports that more than 150 students from the Midwest School, a K-12 campus in the Natrona County district, will continue to be bused 40 miles south to campuses in Casper while environmental consultants design and build a mitigation system that will pump air away from the school and monitor air quality. The Midwest School was evacuated in May and subsequently closed after students and staff reported headaches, sore throats and other Health problems. A state report said the symptoms were likely caused by the oil well leak. Testing found high levels of carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds in the air.

-- Mike Kennedy

Concerns About Cancer-Causing Asbestos Rise Amid Mass. Renovation Boom

-- wbur Massachusetts: December 20, 2016 [ abstract]

Demolition worker Henry Aguilar stopped short when he saw cracked floor tile glued to the underside of a carpet he was tearing out of an office in downtown Boston. They were brown and old, signs that they might contain asbestos, a potentially deadly Health hazard. The Skinner Demolition employee said he told his supervisor about the tile on the site in September, but was urged not to worry and keep on working. Aguilar did. He said he also placed some of the tile into a plastic bag for testing, at the request of The Eye and WBUR. Analysis at a state-accredited lab, ProScience Analytical Services, showed that the tile contained asbestos at levels requiring workers to wear specialized breathing masks to filter out cancer-causing asbestos dust. Yet the Guatemalan immigrant said he wore only a paper mask �" protection not designed to keep out dust fibers hundreds of times finer than a strand of hair. "I wish they told me about it and someone moved it before I did the work," said Aguilar, 32, of Central Falls, Rhode Island. He said he was not trained to remove asbestos. Two of Aguilar’s fellow workers say they saw him complain to the supervisor. A lawyer for Skinner’s parent company said it is looking into Aguilar’s allegations about the downtown Boston worksite.

Asbestos concerns prompt Trailwood parents to request demolition dela

-- The Kansas City Star Missouri: December 16, 2016 [ abstract]

Trailwood Elementary parents want to delay until this summer an asbestos abatement and demolition planned for the Shawnee Mission district school. They’re worried that going ahead with the project this winter might expose children to contaminants. After hearing from parents the past few weeks, Shawnee Mission School District officials say they have yet to determine whether they will consider a delay. They plan to re-examine any potential safety and environmental risks at a construction meeting in January. “We have not made a decision yet as to whether we will follow the existing plan or whether we will have some delay or some modified plan,” said Shawnee Mission Deputy Superintendent Kenny Southwick. “It’s difficult for us to make a decision one way or the other until we have examined all the information from the experts.” This month, the construction of a new school building for Trailwood will conclude and both teachers and students will move into the new building �" built adjacent to the original school �" by Wednesday. But dozens of Trailwood parents have come forward in recent weeks with concerns that an asbestos abatement scheduled to begin Jan. 27, as well as an ensuing demolition, could put children at some risk for Health problems because the original building backs into a parking lot and a recess area that will continue to be used. Asbestos is a fibrous material that was once used to fireproof buildings, but has since been linked to mesothelioma cancer. During an abatement process, asbestos, which is not harmful when it’s contained, is removed using techniques meant to prevent it from being airborne.

-- KATY BERGEN

Spending gap widens among school districts

-- Rome Sentinel New York: December 09, 2016 [ abstract]

The spending disparity between high-need and low-need school districts has continued to increase, says a report on school district spending over a nine-year period by a statewide group. In the 2013-14 school year, financially well off districts spent $5,828 more per pupil than high-need districts, up from a $5,020 difference in 2011-12, said the report by the New York State Association of School Business Officials (NYSASBO). It reviewed districts’ spending and funding from 2005-06 to 2014-15. Rome is considered a high-need/low-wealth district, including larger numbers of students considered to be economically disadvantaged and more students with disabilities. It spends an average of $20,892 per pupil, compared to an average of $30,358 for the state’s 100 wealthiest districts, said a separate report earlier this year by the Alliance for Quality Education. Among other findings in the NYSASBO report, school district spending statewide in 2014-15 rose 4.1 percent from the prior year. Among spending categories over nine years, teacher pension costs grew the most, rising 155 percent, while spending rose 59 percent for Health care. Spending for special education grew by 43 percent over an eight-year period for which information was available, and by 22 percent for general education.

-- Staff Writer

ACLU: Valley children �" especially Latinos �" are most vulnerable to pesticides near schools

-- The Fresno Bee California: December 07, 2016 [ abstract]

The American Civil Liberties Union is calling for stricter pesticide regulations near schools, pointing out that children living in the Central Valley �" especially Latinos �" are the most vulnerable in California. Fresno County and Tulare County have the most schools near where pesticides are applied to crops, according to a 2014 report by the California Environmental Health Tracking Program. Fresno County has more schools within a quarter-mile of pesticides than anywhere else in the state, with 131 schools near fields or orchards treated by pesticides, according to the report. Tulare County has the highest percentage of its schools near pesticides, at 63 percent. While newly proposed regulations would ban pesticide applications between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday near schools and child care facilities, the ACLU says the restrictions are not enough. In a letter to the state Department of Pesticide Regulation on Wednesday, the ACLU demands taking those regulations further by limiting pesticide use near schools altogether instead of just during the proposed time frame; extending the quarter-mile buffer zone to a full mile; and expanding protections to charter and private schools.

-- MACKENZIE MAYS

Oregon Maps School Lead Levels

-- OPB FM Oregon: December 07, 2016 [ abstract]

Oregon Health officials released an interactive map Wednesday showing which schools have tested their water for lead, and which have not. The Oregon Health Authority’s map lets you click on most local schools to see their lead test results. Almost every public school in the city of Portland has submitted results �" with several charter schools as the main exception. All the Grant and Morrow county schools have submitted results, but so far Oregon’s database doesn’t show results from any schools in Hood River County. Some schools tested in recent months, after Portland and other districts found high levels of lead in drinking fountains and sinks. Other districts run their own water systems and are under federal mandate to test them, particularly in rural parts of the state. Schools face a January 2017 deadline to submit Healthy and Safe School Plans with the recommendation that all school facilities be tested for lead.

-- Rob Manning

Long Vacant, Historically Black School Site in D.C. Gets Redevelopment Plan

-- Washington City Paper District of Columbia: November 03, 2016 [ abstract]

An empty school in Ivy City that was founded in 1911 and served the District's black students until 1972 is slated to become a community center surrounded by more than 300 apartment units, industrial space, and businesses. On Wednesday, the District announced its selection of development team Ivy City Partnersâ€”composed of The Jarvis Company, Stonebridge Carras, and ProFishâ€”to spearhead the transformation of the unused 108,000-square-foot Crummell School site in Ward 5. The neglected building and associated land south of New York Avenue NE, between Gallaudet and Okie streets, have been unused for more than three decades as nearby Hecht Warehouse has been converted into luxury apartments and retail, a key component in the anticipated revitalization of Ivy City. With the District's blessing, Ivy City Partners will create 320 rentals ranging from studios to two-bedrooms (over 60 of which will be affordable), 22,000 square feet of retail, and 35,000 square feet to be occupied by ProFish, a seafood company that has its headquarters on Fenwick Street NE. Some of the apartments will have townhouse-style facades. The site will feature a garden, "working farm," and restaurant on Okie of roughly 5,000 square feet. D.C. will continue to own the Crummell School building itself, which the developers will refurbish for community uses, including a daycare center, Health clinic, culinary school, and recreation, according to DMPED. Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5Dâ€”which covers the siteâ€”voted in majority support of the team's plans last month.

-- ANDREW GIAMBRONE

New Haven Community Schools seeks millage for facility renovations

-- The Voice Michigan: October 22, 2016 [ abstract]

New Haven Community Schools is on the road to financial Health, officials say. Though it remains $65,000 in deficit, the district has reduced its deficit by $231,000 in the past year alone, said Bob Lenhardt, New Haven Community Schools business manager. However, officials say more needs to be done to ensure the school district’s financial Health. That is why New Haven Community Schools Board of Education will ask voters on Nov. 8 to approve a 1.2 mill building and site sinking fund millage, intended for the repair and renovation of district facilities. “We’re doing this for our students and the programs we have for them,” said Superintendent Todd Robinson. “It’s indirect. We can’t take this money and spend it on the classroom. But, for instance, we have a major roof repair that needs to be done. If that money is not in reserve, it’s coming out of the general fund and away from the classroom.” Unlike a bond, which is intended for new construction, a building and site sinking fund does not require a school district to pay interest and can be used for renovation of existing buildings. New Haven Community Schools completed a facilities assessment in March and identified and prioritized renovation projects that will be needed over the next 10 to 20 years. The projects include parking lot replacements at New Haven Elementary, Endeavour Middle School and New Haven High School; replacement of the track at New Haven High School; replacement of boilers at New Haven Elementary and New Haven High School; replacement of the roofs at New Haven High School and the Clark Street Administrative Building, and repairs to the foundation of New Haven Elementary School.

-- Meg LeDuc

$46 Million School Construction Bond Vote Passes Easily In Harrison

-- Harrison Daily Voice New York: October 19, 2016 [ abstract]

HARRISON, N.Y. -- Residents of the Harrison Central School District easily approved a proposed $46.5 million construction bond issue by more than a four-to-one margin on Tuesday. The vote count, according to Deputy District Clerk Gene George, was 1,693 in favor and 414 against. School officials have said they don't expect additional taxpayer costs because of debt retired last year and because they will use capital-improvement funds. State aid is expected to cover 10 percent of project costs. All six of Harrison's school buildings have projects, including Health and safety issues. Examples are roof replacements and bringing some spaces up to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

-- Jon Craig

Christina mold concerns persist: 'I feel like we're slumlords'

-- WDEL 101.7FM Delaware: October 19, 2016 [ abstract]

Mold at Pulaski Elementary School highlights an at times contentious Christina School Board meeting. "I feel like we're slumlords," said School Board member Shirley Saffer. "We're not slumlords," answered District Facilities Manager Nick Vacirca. Saffer responded, "I feel that's how we are at this point." This back and forth was about how the district has dealt with a mold issue that some teachers said is making them sick with an illness they've dubbed the 'Pulaski Kennel Cough.' Vacirca said the Health of the students and staff was a big concern for the district. Despite the district's best efforts to put the board, teachers and parents at ease, Saffer still wanted to be safe rather than sorry. "Can't we just shut the building down for one week, put the children at Bancroft or Palmer or another school?" asked Saffer. "Please can't we just do it for one week-- I don't care what it costs us--I don't care if we have to do something else; we have to do something."

-- Joe Irizarry

PCBs in schools: US needs to invest in its classrooms, report says

-- The Christian Science Monitor National: October 06, 2016 [ abstract]

Up to 14 million American school students sitting in aging classrooms could be exposed to unsafe levels of toxic chemicals that were banned almost 40 years ago, according to a new report. Now, some environmental and Health experts are calling for a federal law to mandate testing, after the revelation that so-called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may be leaching from caulking, fluorescent lighting, floor finish, and paint in an estimated 13,000 to 26,000 schools. The push to rid schools of PCBs, a class of chemicals produced by agrochemical giant Monsanto between the 1920s and late 1970s, received some high-profile attention in recent years after celebrity Cindy Crawford headlined a parent-led campaign in Malibu, Calif. The study’s authors say it’s now clear the problem extends beyond the small beach city. US Sen. Edward Markey (D) of Massachusetts on Wednesday put out a report estimating that up to 30 percent of students could be spending their school days in buildings contaminated with PCBs, which research has shown can cause serious Health problems. “This data demonstrates that PCBs in schools are a national problem,” said Dr. Robert Herrick, primary author of the study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, which formed the basis of Senator Markey’s report. “And while the scope of the problem remains poorly characterized, it is clear that where people look for PCBs in schools, they are very likely to find them.”

-- Josh Kenworthy

Frankfort Independent Schools get help funding facilities projects

-- The State Journal Kentucky: September 19, 2016 [ abstract]

Frankfort Independent Schools has received a $3 million bond for Health and safety renovations at Second Street School and Frankfort High School. The school board voted Monday to accept the funding. The Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) from the Kentucky Department of Education allows schools to borrow �" with low or no interest �" to complete renovations on existing school facilities. Second Street School and Frankfort High are the top two priorities on the district’s facilities plan, with estimated needs of over $3 million apiece. “I’m just excited. It’s a great opportunity,” Superintendent Houston Barber told the board members Monday. “We’re one of the few schools that got this opportunity.” The school district requested the maximum $3 million, according to the QZAB application provided at the Aug. 22 board meeting, and was notified by the Department of Education that it received the full amount requested.

-- Rosalind Essig

Maine reopens applications for schools wanting state to fund construction project

-- BDN Maine Maine: September 16, 2016 [ abstract]

BANGOR, Maine �" After a long hiatus, the state is reopening the application process for schools that want funding to help rebuild or overhaul their aging facilities under the Major Capital School Construction program. “In consultation with the State Board of Education, the [Department of Education] has determined that for the first time in six years, the time is right to open a new application cycle,” Deputy Commissioner Bill Beardsley said in a Friday news release. “The application, review and approval process will remain consistent with the past process.” Schools that want to be included in the new priority list will have to reapply, according to the Department of Education. The new applications, which are expected to be very similar to previous ones, will be available by Oct. 15. Projects are prioritized based on a number of factors, including the physical state of the school facilities and Health and safety issues.

-- Nick McCrea

Portland may borrow from state for some school renovations

-- The Forecaster Maine: September 06, 2016 [ abstract]

PORTLAND �" The School Department is applying for state loans for renovation projects at three schools to the tune of just over $2.5 million. The School Board was slated to have a first reading at its Tuesday night meeting about the projects, which are not to exceed $3 million. The proposals are for roof repairs at Portland High School, a new sprinkler system at Deering High School, and electrical service work and a new elevator at Longfellow Elementary School. The application is being made to the Maine Department of Education’s School Revolving Renovations Fund, which provides funding to schools to ensure they are Healthy and safe environments. Under Department of Education guidelines, the grants would be funded through the Maine Municipal Bond Bank. A portion of each loan is forgiven at rates ranging from 30 to 70 percent, depending on the amount subsidized by the state. Portland’s forgiveness rate is 30 percent; the remainder will be paid back over five or 10 years at zero interest. The maximum loan is $1 million per priority, per school building, within any five-year period. This year there is funding available in two priorities.

-- Colin Ellis

Do kids who grow kale eat kale?

-- Fairfield Citizen National: September 05, 2016 [ abstract]

It’s back-to-school time in the United States, and for countless children across the nation, it’s also time to get back into the school garden. For centuries, educators and philosophers have argued that garden-based learning improves children’s intelligence and boosts their personal Health. In recent years, concerns related to childhood obesity and young people’s disconnection from nature have led to a revitalized interest in the topic. Tens of thousands of American schools have some form of school garden. Many are located on school grounds and others are run by external community partners. Most are connected to the school’s curriculum. For instance, seeds are used in science class to explain plant biology, fruits are used in social studies to teach world geography and the harvest is used in math to explore weights and measures. Some even incorporate food from the garden into the school lunch. As a researcher and an activist, I’ve spent the better part of the last decade working to promote a Healthy, equitable and sustainable food system. Through this process, I have heard bold claims made about the power of garden-based learning to meet these challenges.

-- Garrett M. Broad, Fordham University

Swallows’ nests to be removed at Ukiah High School

-- Ukiah Daily News California: September 02, 2016 [ abstract]

In a cleanup effort largely unrelated to the ongoing eradication of cockroaches at Ukiah High School, maintenance employees plan to remove the nests birds have built on many of the buildings. “We won’t be knocking down or killing any birds,” said Gabe Sherman, director of Maintenance, Operations and Transportation for the Ukiah Unified School District, explaining that cliff swallows have been building mud nests �" using a combination of saliva and dirt �" high on buildings such as the gym for years. “In the past, they’ve just been knocked down, but that leaves behind traces that the birds are attracted to, so they return and build their nests again,” said Sherman, adding that it’s not necessarily the nests that are the problem, but the feces the birds coat the campus with. “They’re (defecating) everywhere,” he said, describing the feces as dropping on walkways, doorways and even drinking fountains. “Even when you wash it off, it leaves behind a stain.” The problem is not just aesthetic, however. During recent visits by California Department of Pest Regulation employees to evaluate the school’s cockroach eradication efforts, Sherman said his staff was told that the birds pose a greater Health risk than the insects because of pathogens their feces can carry. Sherman said state regulations prohibit the removal of nests in the spring and summer, but as of Sept. 1 they can legally remove them. “But I still saw some activity in some of the nests this week, so I don’t want to remove them just yet,” he said, explaining that the plan is to remove them the weekend of Sept. 10. “It has to be done on the weekends, but this weekend is a holiday weekend for Labor Day, and I wanted to give my staff an actual three-day weekend, since they’ve been working so hard with other cleanup efforts related to the cockroaches.” Sherman said the plan is to use pressure washers to remove the nests and more thoroughly clean the area to hopefully prevent the birds from returning. In addition, he said they plan to install netting and spikes to physically prevent future installations.

-- Justine Frederiksen

District officials finished installing filters on all DCPS drinking sources

-- Fox 5 District of Columbia: August 28, 2016 [ abstract]

After alarming levels of lead were found in D.C. public schools and other buildings, district officials have finished installing filters on all DCPS drinking sources, but are still working to get filters on fountains in recreation centers. D.C.’s Department of General Services is in charge of that work. “DGS completed the installation of filter systems on traditional drinking sources in D.C. Public Schools on August 19, 2016,” mayor’s office spokesman Shayne Wells said in an email to Fox 5. “This was comprised of 2,805 drinking water devices made up of coolers, fountains, Health room sinks, and a kitchen food prep sink at each school. Installation of filtration systems on traditional drinking water sources in DPR Recreation Centers is progress and will conclude with sample collection by September 30th.” FOX 5 was first to report on D.C.’s stringent new lead standards and plans to install filters on all drinking watersources at public schools, public libraries and rec centers, at a cost of $2 million at the onset and $1.5 million annually. The news came after public officials apologized for failing to take proper steps after high levels of lead were discovered at multiple D.C. schools.

-- Lindsay Watts

School construction becomes big business for Sonoma County designers, builders

-- The Press Democrat California: August 28, 2016 [ abstract]

This is the era of billions when it comes to quantifying all the construction work in the works at Sonoma County’s public schools and community college. In recent years county voters have approved more than $1 billion in bonds to finance improvements at local school and college facilities, an unprecedented figure. It is just the first phase of the funds sought for work that education officials hope one day to complete. Santa Rosa City Schools currently has bond financing for about a fifth of the $1.2 billion of projects in its master plan, and Santa Rosa Junior College has a list of roughly $1 billion in desired upgrades and deferred maintenance. The efforts follow a significant amount of school construction already completed. The North Bay’s largest design firm, Quattrocchi Kwok Architects in Santa Rosa, counts $1.5 billion worth of education projects that it has designed in Northern California over 30 years in business. It all adds up to much improved facilities for students and a significant injection of money into the local construction industry, according to school and building officials. “You’re making an investment in the future of your community,” SRJC President Frank Chong said. The college, he said, plans in the coming years to upgrade classrooms and construct a new science building to train the next generation of workers in public safety, Health care and other fields. Slightly more than 70,000 students are enrolled in the county’s 40 school districts. Roughly 30,000 more students take classes through the junior college, which has campuses and facilities in five locations.

-- ROBERT DIGITALE

Portland Public Schools Clear Gardens For Consumption

-- OPB FM Oregon: August 25, 2016 [ abstract]

Portland Public Schools said Thursday it’s OK to eat vegetables grown in the dozens of community gardens on school grounds. That reverses advice from last week telling Portlanders not to eat the school garden produce due to high levels of lead in school water used to irrigate the plants. PPS based its original advice on a statement from the Oregon Health Authority’s web site. District spokeswoman Courtney Westling says the new guidance comes after discussions with OHA. “We’re no longer recommending not to eat produce from school gardens,” Westling said. “The caveat of course is that �" and we’ve been open about this �" is the kitchens faucets are not being used to prepare food, so we still cannot use kitchen sources to wash produce from school gardens.”

-- Rob Manning

Mold problem at West Vigo High School serious

-- Tribune-Star Indiana: August 24, 2016 [ abstract]

Vigo County Health and school district officials met Wednesday afternoon to hammer out a plan to deal with a serious mold problem at West Vigo High School. “It needs to be addressed immediately,” said Joni Wise, Vigo County Health Department administrator. “We are concerned.” The mold is aspergillus/penicillium, and last week, air sampling was done in 15 rooms where mold had been visible. “They are dealing with a moisture problem, and they need to reduce the relative humidity in the school to help limit the growth of mold,” said Travella Myers, Health department environmental Health specialist. Test results indicate the outdoor mold count was 40, which is acceptable, according to the Health department. But some of the classrooms tested at 5,000 to 7,000, with the highest about 31,000. Two rooms with high mold counts are not being used, Myers said. There are no federal guidelines for mold levels, but, “31,000 is pretty high when your level outside is 40,” Myers said. The cause of the mold is unknown. Those with allergies, asthma and others whose immune systems are compromised are most at risk for Health issues that can include runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, difficulty breathing and headaches, Myers said.

-- Sue Loughlin

Don't eat produce from any Portland school garden, officials warn

-- oregon Live Oregon: August 19, 2016 [ abstract]

Portland Public Schools warned employees and families Friday not to eat produce from any school garden, citing guidance from the Oregon Health Authority. Fruits and vegetables grown on school grounds and watered with water from a school district spigot could contain dangerous levels of lead, according to Courtney Westling, the district's interim chief of community involvement and public affairs. According to the Oregon Health Authority, lead can be absorbed by plants and accumulate in soil, so water containing lead above 15 parts per billion should not be used for irrigating or watering garden plants. Lead from flaking lead paint as well as from lead-contaminated water can find a pathway into garden produce. Portland Public Schools completed water quality tests at every school fountain and fixture this summer and found excessive lead in at least one water source, and more often at dozens of water fountains and sinks, at all 88 schools sampled. At numerous schools, some of the highest lead readings were found at outdoor spigots.

-- Betsy Hammond

Districts must report lead test results within 5 days under new state rules

-- KATU Oregon: August 18, 2016 [ abstract]

SALEM, Ore. â€“ Schools in Oregon have new rules for lead testing that the state says will keep students safe from exposure. Districts are now required to report findings of tests for lead or other environmental Health factors within five days of when they receive the results. Governor Brown said the new testing rules are a â€�"swift responseâ€ to the numerous reports of high lead levels in Oregon schools, and the investigation into how Portland Public Schools handled test results. â€�"Children and families â€“ as well as educators â€“ must be assured of safe and Healthy school facilities,â€ Governor Kate Brown said. "That's why I directed state agencies to work together with school officials to ensure that local school districts address environmental Health factors, such as lead in drinking water and paint. Additionally, new reporting requirements for districts ensure greater accountability and transparency at the local level, so parents, educators, and policymakers receive clear and current information about the state of their school facilities.â€

-- Staff Writer

Work begins to banish the bats at Terre Haute middle school

-- Tribune-Star Indiana: August 17, 2016 [ abstract]

The fuzzy, flying mammals are getting evicted from their “bat cave.” Work began Wednesday to remove bats from Sarah Scott Middle School in Terre Haute as Health officials and university bat experts gathered to count the winged mammals. Sarah Scott has a bat problem, and the school building was closed and its students transported to Riley Elementary while the problem is addressed. “We’re probably looking at 200 man-hours of work,” said Will Langman, owner of Langman’s Wildlife, which is doing the bat removal. The problem stems from small gaps between the brick and metal flashing along the school’s roof line; those small gaps have allowed bats to enter the building. Langman’s will seal the area between the flashing and brick all the way around the building and then install “excluders,” or a way for bats to exit, but they won’t be able to get back in. The process does not involve trapping or touching the bats. Once the bats are out, the last openings are sealed. “You have to seal everything around the building a bat could remotely get into,” Langman said. There is more than one entry point. Four staff will work four days to complete the work �" including sealing and installation of excluders �" by the end of the week, as long as weather cooperates.

-- Sue Loughlin

City schools to get water hydration stations this fall

-- Philly.com Pennsylvania: August 16, 2016 [ abstract]

Hydration stations have arrived in the School District of Philadelphia. The stations - water fountains equipped with filters and separate faucets from which to fill water bottles - will be up and running at 43 schools when classes start next month, school officials announced Monday. Each school is receiving at least three hydration stations, and plans call for the remainder of the district's more than 170 schools to receive stations by the end of the school year, spokesman Kevin Geary said. The $1 million initiative is part of the district's recently announced GreenFutures sustainability plan, which is designed to provide a framework to conserve resources, decrease consumption and waste, and create green school settings and Healthy indoor environments for students.

-- Mensah M. Dean

Howard County schools test high for mold, but questions still remain

-- The Baltimore Sun Maryland: August 16, 2016 [ abstract]

Glenwood Middle School was one of 12 schools tested in Howard County and found to have higher levels of mold spores than expected, based on industry standard practices, according to a study published on Aug. 8 that was commissioned by the Howard County government. Conducted through an independent contractor, Skelly and Loy Inc., the school air quality tests measured 15 different mold spores. The results were published based on which classrooms they were found. Levels higher than industry standard practice were highlighted in red. Glenwood Middle School had 27 red measurements, with most as a result of penicillium mold spores and basidiospores. John White, director of communications for Howard County Schools, said they have hired their own industrial hygienist to review the report. He said the county's contractor described the mold readings within normal ranges that do not present a Health hazard. "Students, staff and the community members can look forward to returning to Healthy schools on Aug. 29," wrote White in an email.

Elementary, middle schools stand to lose most in APS construction halt

-- KOAT New Mexico: August 08, 2016 [ abstract]

Two APS schools stand to lose the most as the district puts a halt to a handful of crucial construction projects due to a legal scuffle. Earlier this year, Albuquerque Public Schools and Central New Mexico Community College held a bond and mill levy election. Voters passed CNM's $84 million general obligation bond, APS' $375 million mill levy and APS' $200 million bond. APS and CNM vowed to use the money for new buildings, construction improvements and upgrades. Yet shortly after the election, Albuquerque attorney Robert Pidcock sued APS and CNM claiming that their election had broken state laws. Pidcock's lawsuit alleges CNM and APS changed a ballot question just days before the election without informing voters. He says the organizations failed to tell voters on the ballot what kind of projects the money they were voting for or against would go toward. Finally, Pidcock says APS planned to use bond money to build a Healthcare clinic for employees. According to Pidcock, state law only allows bond money to go toward constructing "school buildings," and he says a Healthcare clinic is not one of those.

-- Matt Howerton

Work to abate bad odor at elementary school begins

-- Plumas County News California: July 29, 2016 [ abstract]

Visitors driving by C. Roy Carmichael this summer will see the efforts of contractors and engineers working to rectify a problem that has been in existence for many years at the site. The odor that presented itself this past year at the elementary school was not new, but was definitely stronger than it had been in the past. With the goal of providing Healthy, comfortable and welcoming learning environments for all students, Plumas Unified School District administrators set out to discover the cause and correct the issue as quickly as possible. The first thing that the maintenance department and district staff did was to ensure that the school site was safe for students. They did this by consulting professional hygienists, Plumas County Environmental Health, local Health care providers and a multitude of experts. All possible causes were looked at extensively. The district immediately scoped the sewer lines and storm drains to determine their integrity and address any concerns that would be easily fixed. The district assessed the propane tank and propane lines to ensure they were not a contributing factor.

-- Leslie Edlund

Decades After Ban, Lead Paint Lingers

-- The Pew Charitable Trusts National: July 27, 2016 [ abstract]

In the wake of the Flint water crisis, states are rushing to test for high levels of lead in drinking water. But many are failing to come to grips with a more insidious problem: lingering lead paint in homes and schools. Paint, rather than drinking water, remains the main source of lead poisoning of young children in the U.S. But even though there are myriad federal and state laws designed to eradicate lead paint, enforcement is lackluster, hampered by a lack of money and the misperception that the problem has been solved. Many state laws don’t conform to federal recommendations, and federal funding for lead abatement has been slashed from $176 million in 2003 to $110 million in 2014. Though the federal government banned lead-based paint in 1977, it persists in an estimated 38 million homes, lingering on old window frames and trim, and in dust. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children in at least 4 million U.S. households are being exposed to “high levels” of lead, and an estimated 535,000 children between the ages of 1 and 5 have elevated lead levels in their blood. (The CDC does not consider any level of lead safe for children.) Lead poisoning in children has been linked to lower IQs, hormonal issues and behavioral problems, costing U.S. taxpayers an estimated $55 billion annually. A 2009 study determined that every dollar spent on limiting lead exposure saved taxpayers between $17 and $221 by reducing spending on Health care, special education and crime.

-- Teresa Wiltz

Mold, mildew samples don't meet standards in two county schools

-- WSAZ3 West Virginia: July 26, 2016 [ abstract]

ELKVIEW, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Crews are working around the clock to get Elkview Middle School and Bridge Elementary ready for the first day of school on August 8, following the June 23 floods. With only 13 days left until students go back to school, many parents are concerned there isn't enough time to clean the schools well enough to ensure their children are learning in a Healthy environment. According to Kanawha County Schools Maintenance Manager Terry Hollingsworth, Kanawha County Schools hired outside contractors trained in flood clean up and restoration. Kanawha County Schools also hired an environmental contractor to take samples from the floor, walls, and air of the buildings and test them to "ensure that the levels of cleanliness and mold remediation are met." "They look for the bound of particulates in the air so it could be mold, mildew, dust, dirt," Stanley Mills, with the Kanawha Charleston Health Department, said. If those levels do not meet the Health Department's standards, the contractor must go back in and resanitize the building.

-- Katy Andersen

Lake George finds possibly hazardous chemical in elementary school renovation

-- The Post Star New York: July 18, 2016 [ abstract]

Crews doing work at a Lake George Elementary School discovered a chemical in insulating material, which could be contaminated with asbestos. Interim Superintendent Jon Hunter said workers found vermiculite was used to insulate the core of the bricks that make up the building. The naturally occurring mineral is used as insulation in attics and walls. More than 70 percent of the vermiculite sold in the United States between 1919 and 1990 came from a mine in Libby, Montana, which was contaminated from a deposit of asbestos, according to the Environmental Protection Agency website. Exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other diseases. It must be airborne to cause a Health risk. Hunter said school officials do not know if the vermiculite in the school came from the contaminated mine. “We’re going to treat it as such because the care of the kids and the safety of the building is job one,” he said. The district is working with the state Department of Labor to submit a plan to “contain and encapsulate” the vermiculite in the building, Hunter said. Crews will come in and use industrial strength vacuums to clean and remove any flakes or particles that have come loose, according to Hunter. “We’re going to recaulk any areas where there might have been pipe or electrical or wall penetration to make sure there’s no seepage,” he said.

-- MICHAEL GOOT

Jackson County launches ‘Open For Summer’ campaign, opens 13 schools as recreation centers

-- Jackson Newspaper West Virginia: July 07, 2016 [ abstract]

In 2015, the House and Senate, passed unanimous bi-partisan legislation that reduces the liability for schools that want to open up their doors after hours, or during the summer, for “shared use” purposes. Delegate Stansbury championed this policy, a crucial step toward increasing community access to schools’ outdoor or indoor facilities for recreation. Jackson County’s legislators, Westfall and Carmichael have supported the overall policy and worked locally with Superintendent of Schools Blaine Hess, school administration, parents and local business leaders to make Kenna Elementary’s innovative outdoor recreation and outdoor learning area, a cornerstone for the entire Kenna community. An open gym and accessible outdoor facilities, like the playground at Kenna, affords a community lacking recreation facilities a safe place for physical activity. The 2015 law made it easier for schools to open their doors before and after school hours, weekends and most importantly during holidays and summer breaks. Increasing access to physical activity is key to reversing some startling Health statistics and getting West Virginia off the worst Health lists: * One in five West Virginia 11 year olds has high blood pressure. * One in four 11 year olds has bad cholesterol. * One in six kindergartners is obese. That means they are heavier than 95 percent of children their height and age in the national norm group. White said she was proud to have Kenna Elementary School declare Jackson County Schools open for summer as recreation centers.

-- GREG MATICS

SFUSD places $744M facilities bond on November ballot

-- San Francisco Examiner California: June 30, 2016 [ abstract]

The San Francisco Unified School District will ask city voters to approve a $744 million facilities bond in the upcoming November election to build a new school and arts center, improve existing school sites and help create below-market-rate housing for educators. The Board of Education unanimously approved two bond-related resolutions Tuesday, the first placing the measure on the Nov. 8 ballot and the second spelling out how the money will be allocated. The resolutions were passed during a lengthy board meeting in which the SFUSD’s recommended $823 million operating budget for 2016-17 was also approved, reflecting a funding boost for the district despite slowing contributions from the state. The district would spend a majority of the bond funds �" $409 million �" on building construction and renovations, including seismic upgrades, corrections to Health and safety risks and computer technology improvements. But most of the conversation at the board meeting surrounded the $100 million from the bond that would be used to build at least one new school. The district is considering constructing a school to serve families currently moving into Mission Bay or the families expected to move into the Hunters Point Shipyard development.

-- Michael Barba

Gov. Kate Brown: Schools must share radon, lead results

-- Oregon Live Oregon: June 21, 2016 [ abstract]

Oregon school districts may soon be required to test for lead and radon, and then share findings annually along with any proposed repairs, Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday. Under draft rules headed for the State Board of Education on Thursday, districts would have until Oct. 1 to send the Oregon Department of Education a "Healthy and Safe Facilities Plan" that lays out plans to test for lead, radon and other chemicals. Districts also would have to produce public reports every year detailing testing, results and needed fixes. If districts didn't follow the rules, they could lose funding from the state's schools fund. Right now, the state imposes no requirements on schools when it comes to testing or repairing toxic hazards.

-- Talia Richman

Elevated copper found in drinking water at 5 Olympia schools

-- The Olympian Washington: June 14, 2016 [ abstract]

Elevated levels of copper have been found in drinking fountains at five Olympia Schools: Garfield, L.P. Brown and Roosevelt elementary schools, Jefferson Middle school and Avanti High School, which also houses the Knox Administrative Center. “A state Department of Health official this morning recommended the district notify families and employees of the five sites with the elevated copper and then take flush samples at those sites,” stated a news release issued Monday evening by the district. “The flush sample method requires running water for 30 seconds after water sits unused for eight to 18 hours before collecting samples.” Testing in that method will help determine if the elevated copper is coming from a specific fixture or a building’s pipes, officials said. The action level for copper is 1.3 milligrams per liter, and the district’s water samples ranged from 1.4 to 3.9 milligrams per liter, according to the news release. Unlike elevated lead levels, the state does not require fountains to be shut off for elevated copper, officials said.

-- LISA PEMBERTON

How to fix our crumbling schools

-- Politico National: June 10, 2016 [ abstract]

As another school year ends, we are reminded that where we teach children is just as important as what we teach them. The US Green Building Council recently reported that over $45 billion in additional funding is needed annually to upgrade and maintain our schools to ensure for Health and safety. Thousands of U.S. children are attending deteriorating public schools where asbestos, moldy walls, falling ceiling tiles, lead paint, broken toilets, pesticides, leaking roofs, and poor ventilation have become the norm. Such conditions impact academic performance and, more importantly, cause severe Health consequences. Schools built prior to the 1980s usually include materials known now to be hazardous to our Health�"such as lead in plumbing and paint, asbestos in plaster, insulation, and flooring; and PCBs in caulking and lighting. A 2011 study by the New York State Department of Health found that pediatric asthma hospitalizations typically increase up to 300 percent when children return to school in September. It’s clear big upgrades are needed. But there’s a problem: one of the most helpful new approaches to updating public infrastructure isn’t available to schools. This approach is called a public private partnership and the idea is to take the burden off cash-strapped governments by harnessing private sector innovation. Faced with funding shortfalls, many state and local governments have increasingly turned to public-private partnerships to complete projects and produce long-term accountability.

-- BILL ARCHER and SAMARA BAREND

State advances plan to test all Oregon schools for lead

-- Education Week Oregon: June 09, 2016 [ abstract]

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) �" Oregon Health and education officials said Wednesday they will team up with school districts and licensed child care programs statewide to facilitate testing for lead in school drinking water over the summer. The plan responds to a directive from Gov. Kate Brown in April and comes on the heels of belated disclosures about lead in the drinking water of some Portland Public Schools.

-- Staff Writer

Springfield schools to spend $12.6M on capital improvements

-- Springfield News-Sun Ohio: June 02, 2016 [ abstract]

Springfield City School District expects to spend between $2.5 million and $4 million each of the next five years on capital projects, including sealing and resurfacing school parking lots, athletics site upgrades and technology. The $12.6 million capital plan was presented at a school board work session Wednesday. The money to support the projects comes from the district’s permanent improvement levy that generates about $750,000 per year, millage built into the school’s building projects for maintenance, federal money allocated for school technology, and about $1.7 million expected to be committed by the board from the general fund. “We have a lot of flexibility,” because of the district’s Healthy financial situation, board member Jamie Callan said. “There are a lot of districts that would just love to be in the position we are in.”

-- Katie Wedell

Soil to be tested at Western Middle School

-- Greenwich Time Connecticut: June 01, 2016 [ abstract]

GREENWICH �" The New Lebanon School building committee on Wednesday decided to test the soil at Western Middle School, where temporary classrooms could be placed for New Lebanon students during construction of a new building for their school. Western’s grounds have faced scrutiny since a neighbor of the school, Dawn Fortunato, sent out in April the results of private soil testing that showed two findings of arsenic and one of lead that exceed state standards for residential exposure. Those tests, paid for by Fortunato and several of her neighbors, were conducted on Western grounds by land surveyor Michael Finkbeiner. Town and school officials did not authorize Finkbeiner to do the tests, and have chosen not to follow his results with testing of their own. School officials have kept the Western playing fields open since Finkbeiner’s test results were announced. The New Lebanon building committee on Wednesday unanimously approved an approximately $33,000 allocation for a land survey and soil testing. Before Finkbeiner’s test results were disclosed, New Lebanon committee members had considered testing at Western. Marzullo made two unsuccessful motions in April for a land survey and soil testing at the school. Marzullo has said he is concerned about the middle school’s location because it adjoins the town dump on Holly Hill Lane, which once included an incinerator whose ash has been linked to public Health concerns, including the 2011 discovery of PCBs in the ground at Greenwich High School. Western remains the committee’s top pick for the site of temporary classrooms for New Lebanon students during the 2017-18 school year, when their new school will be built, but a final decision has not been made.

-- Paul Schott

Rally to release school construction money withheld by Governor over AC issues

-- WMAR Baltimore Maryland: May 31, 2016 [ abstract]

BALTIMORE, Md. - Baltimore education advocacy groups held a rally in front of the Historic Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Elementary school Tuesday asking that the Board of Public Works release money for school construction projects. A showdown over state capital improvements funds and air conditioning in Baltimore City and County has been going on for the past month. The Board of Public Works voted on May 11 to withhold $5 million from the City and $10 million from the county until all portable A/C units are installed in schools still lacking cool air. Following the rally, the more than 50 people marched to the State Center to demand that the Board of Public Works release funds needed for critical repairs that they said pose Health and safety risks to students. â€�"This is the focus of the school system and I don't think it's right for the governor or the comptroller to exercise their authority in telling them that portable AC should be the priority,â€ said Frank Patinella, a senior education advocate for ACLU of Maryland, and co-chair of the Baltimore Education Coalition.

-- Mallory Sofastaii

RIDE approves ‘Stage 2’ for school facilities plan

-- The Valley Breeze Rhode Island: May 31, 2016 [ abstract]

NORTH PROVIDENCE �" The Rhode Island Department of Education approved the facilities project for North Providence, which includes the construction of two new schools and Health and safety repairs for some of the district’s school buildings. “Stage 2” of the project, which includes schematic drawings, a traffic analysis and a master plan, was approved by RIDE earlier this month, Supt. Melinda Smith told The Breeze. Now a bill for “Stage 2” is in play at the Rhode Island State House, where, if legislation is approved by the Rhode Island General Assembly, North Providence voters will cast their ballot this November on a bond referendum for the project. The upgrade plans call for a new James L. McGuire Elementary School and Stephen Olney Elementary School and Health and safety repairs to other elementary schools, middle schools and North Providence High School. Repairs would total $16 million, and the construction of the two new elementary schools to replace three old schools built in the 1930s would be part of a $75 million construction plan, administered by Torrado Architects and Gilbane, Inc.

-- BRITTANY BALLANTYNE

Asbestos found in at least 3 Cumberland schools

-- NBC 10 News Rhode Island: May 13, 2016 [ abstract]

CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WJAR) â€” School is almost done in Cumberland, but there's a plan for a busy summer after asbestos was found in several schools. Teachers were told they'll need to pack up so work can begin the last day of school. "At no time were any children or any adults in danger in any way," Cumberland School Superintendent Robert Mitchell said. This summer, the school district will remove all flooring at three schools, including North Cumberland Middle, McCourt Middle, as well as Ashton Elementary. In 1994, NBC 10 News reported that several schools were closed so asbestos floor tiles could be removed. They were used in school construction for decades before asbestos was identified as a Health risk in the 1980s. If disturbed, asbestos particles can cause major Health problems -- and even cancer -- if inhaled. The school district decided to remove the tiles because it's making other updates and might disturb the asbestos. "When you take something out as part of the process for renovation work, we are required by the state to test for asbestos," Mitchell said.

-- CIERRA PUTMAN

Federal Schools for Native American Students Are Crumbling. Here’s How to Fix Them

-- Huffington post Bureau of Indian Education: May 04, 2016 [ abstract]

Classrooms and hallways so cold children wear coats all day. Ceilings that leak year round. Buckled floors and broken doorways. A science classroom so poorly ventilated it can’t be used for chemistry experiments. These are the conditions that the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe’s high school students experience every day at the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School in northern Minnesota. That’s because their school is located in a dilapidated metal pole barn built to store vehicles. I first visited Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig in 2009 and I was appalled by what I saw: one of the worst examples of what decades of neglect have done to schools for Native American children. Under treaty and trust responsibilities dating back more than a century, the federal government has an obligation to provide an education for Native American children. It is very similar to the federal responsibility to educate children of Defense Department personnel at home and around the world. More than 40,000 Native American students attend a school overseen by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), the federal agency tasked with providing a high-quality education in a safe and Healthy setting.

-- Rep. Betty McCollum

BIE Schools Take Another Hit

-- LakePowellLife.Com Bureau of Indian Education: April 26, 2016 [ abstract]

The much-maligned Bureau of Indian Education schools – including those on the Navajo Nation – received scathing criticism in a study conducted by the General Accountability Office. In addition to the BIE, the GAO also gave poor marks to Department of the Interior’s assistant secretary for Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The GAO found that Indian Affairs’ national information on safety and Health deficiencies at schools is “not complete and accurate” because of key weaknesses in its inspection program, which prevented the GAO from conducting a broader analysis of the schools’ safety and Health conditions. Indian Affairs’ policy requires its regional safety inspectors to conduct inspections of all BIE schools annually to identify facility deficiencies that may pose a threat to the safety and Health of students and staff. However, GAO found that 69 out of 180 BIE school locations were not inspected in fiscal year 2015. It’s not a new problem. In 2012, 55 0f the schools weren’t inspected. The GAO study discovered that some of the schools haven’t been inspected for four or more years. Indian Affairs officials told the GAO that vacancies among regional staff contributed to this trend. As a result, Indian Affairs lacks complete information on the frequency and severity of Health and safety deficiencies at BIE schools nationwide and cannot be certain all school facilities are currently meeting safety requirements. The GAO study reported some BIE schools in deplorable conditions, with Indian children learning in facilities without fire extinguishers or sprinklers and, in one case, with raw sewage exposed. At one BIE school, four aging boilers in a dormitory failed inspection due to elevated levels of carbon monoxide, which can cause poisoning where there is exposure, and a natural gas leak, which can pose an explosion hazard.

-- John Christian Hopkins

Excessive lead levels reported at 6 schools in Tacoma, Wash.

-- American School and University Washington: April 26, 2016 [ abstract]

A day after the Tacoma (Wash.) district disclosed that two schools were found to have extremely high levels of lead in their water, officials revealed that tests at four more schools showed high lead levels. Meanwhile, the district’s safety and environmental Health manager, who is responsible for monitoring test results, apparently failed to report the excessive readings to district administrators, and has been placed on paid administrative leave. The Tacoma News-Tribune reports that the district has alerted parents of students at Whittier, DeLong and Manitou Park elementary schools and in the Madison Head Start program that tests performed in 2015 showed high lead levels in isolated area of those schools.

-- Mike Kennedy

Medford School Board discusses increase in state funding for deferred maintenance

-- Owatonna.com Minnesota: April 25, 2016 [ abstract]

MEDFORD �" Thanks to the approval of the Long Term Facilities Maintenance law last year, Medford School district is receiving an increase in funding for priority facilities projects, effective for fiscal year 2017. At the school board meeting on April 18, Medford School District Superintendent Rich Dahman called the increase in funding from the Long Term Facilities Maintenance Revenue a “pretty good chuck of money” compared to what they have received in the past. In the past, Medford received funding for Health and safety projects and deferred maintenance projects. The new legislation combined the two funds and allocated more funding for the creation of the Long Term Facilities Maintenance Revenue. The Minnesota Legislature established the Long Term Facilities Maintenance Revenue program to give school districts access to alternative facilities funding in hopes that school buildings and grounds can be responsibly maintained. “I think it is a good idea. It allows us to be more forward thinking in our planning,” reported Dahman to the school board members.

-- ANNA SEGNER

Maloney Would Create Green Schools, Good-Paying Jobs

-- Hudson Valley News Network National: April 22, 2016 [ abstract]

In celebration of Earth Day, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) announced legislation at Arlington High School to provide funding to schools to encourage green development of their aging infrastructure. School Modernization And Revitalization Through (SMART) Jobs Act would authorize funding for the development of green schools, which would encourage energy efficiency and the use of renewables, and create numerous high-skilled jobs in the clean energy industry. “As a father, I believe we owe it to our children to adopt policies which will preserve our environment and create a Healthier world for them to grow,” said Rep. Maloney. “Incentivizing our schools to adopt environmentally-responsible building practices creates a better learning environment for students while creating more good-paying high skilled jobs in the Hudson Valley.”

-- Office of Representative Sean Patrick Maloney

What info is needed to make Philly's schools healthier?

-- Philly.com Pennsylvania: April 21, 2016 [ abstract]

Protecting the Health and safety of Philadelphia’s school children from hazardous school conditions is a fundamental and urgent public obligation. While certainly not all of the 214 District-operated schools have widespread, persistent and dangerously unacceptable building conditions, currently available data indicates there may be as many as 60 percent or more of our schools that are in need of serious remediation in order to adequately protect students and staff from exposures to lead, mold growth, inadequate air quality, and numerous “asthma triggers” in addition to other hazards. According to District data, about 85 percent of all Philadelphia school students are people of color and 87 percent are considered to be “economically disadvantaged.” These numbers matter when it comes to student Health, well-being and educational achievement because this population is placed at increased risk from exposures to in-school environmental hazards. In my first blog post, I talked about how I believe that deficient building conditions are at an unacceptable degree for students and staff. I also said that the Philadelphia Federation of Teacher’s Union and Health and Welfare Fund were developing an action plan to remedy the situation. A critical first element of that plan requires incorporating all relevant data to understand the true scale and scope of the environmental hazards and building condition deficiencies we face. Describing, in detail, the current state of our schools, what specific problems exist where, how widespread the issues are, and what has been done to address them to date is crucial.

-- Jerry Roseman

Portable Classrooms Find Permanent Home In San Diego County Despite Heat, Noise

-- KPBS California: April 20, 2016 [ abstract]

One striking thing about Scripps Ranch High School is how typical it looks. Opened in 1993, it’s not particularly modern, but it doesn’t seem outdated. Teal stripes accent the tan walls so familiar to San Diego students and teachers. Two-story buildings face a circular courtyard. In a rear parking lot is another common feature �" portable classrooms. In a countywide survey, inewsource found that almost one in five classrooms in 35 school districts are portable. Click here to search the number of portables at your school Special Feature Click here to search the number of portables at your school These cheap and easy structures have been flagged for poor ventilation, and they are often either too hot or too cold. The sounds inside can be loud enough to justify a noise complaint. In Scripps Ranch, skunks and flooding have plagued the portables. In addition to Health concerns, studies show school surroundings can negatively affect a student’s ability to learn.

-- Leo Castaneda

1/3 of Detroit elementary schools report unsafe lead, copper levels in water

-- RT Question More Michigan: April 15, 2016 [ abstract]

Almost a third of elementary schools in Detroit, Michigan tested positive for unsafe levels of lead or copper �" or both �" in their water, prompting the city’s Health chief to suggest that every child in the district get screened for exposure. According to data released by Detroit Public Schools (DPS), 19 of the city’s 62 elementary schools featured lead or copper levels over the safety thresholds established by the Environmental Protection Agency, with officials pinpointing old infrastructure with lead pipes as the root cause of the problem. Drinking fountains at the schools have been shut down and bottled water is being provided for the students.

-- Staff Writer

Decaying school buildings have physical, psychological consequences

-- EducationDive National: April 13, 2016 [ abstract]

Crumbling infrastructure in American K-12 classrooms isn’t just a political football. It also presents physical and psychological dangers for students and teachers alike. Poor school conditions have an impact on student performance and learning. In the United States, the average school building is more than 40 years old. And in some states, like Michigan, decaying school conditions like those in Detroit Public Schools have now resulted in litigation. Both the district and former state-appointed emergency manager Darnell Earley are named in a lawsuit filed by the Detroit Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers, blaming them for unsafe learning conditions. The suit came on the heels of a January visit by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan to four DPS buildings, which ultimately triggered a district-wide investigation of 97 different buildings. One or more violations were found at every single school building. Some schools had broken classroom windows, mold, and other safety hazards �" conditions that Duggan told the Detroit Free Press "break your heart." Last month, a report co-authored by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council found that the United States would need to spend an additional $46 billion annually on school building construction and maintenance in order to ensure safe and Healthy facilities for students. Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Oregon and Nevada were identified as being especially in need of school building repairs.

-- Erin McIntyre

High copper levels found in county, school building water in Mason

-- Lansing State Journal Michigan: April 08, 2016 [ abstract]

MASON �" Elevated levels of copper have been detected at all seven Ingham County buildings in Mason as well as in two schools, officials say. But both county and city say the city’s water system is just fine. County Health Officer Linda Vail attributes the high reading to old piping systems. “It’s not huge,” Vail said Wednesday. “We’re not picking up lead in the schools or anywhere (else). We’re picking up some elevated copper levels. “They’re not excruciatingly high but at the same time they exceed EPA action limits, which means something needs to be done.” The U.S. Environmental action level for copper is 1.3 milligrams per liter. The highest reading of two dozen county tests, officials said, was 2.94 mg/l at the Hilliard Building on Maple Street �" more than twice the EPA maximum. That building houses parks and financial services staff among others. Mason City Administrator Deborah Stuart said Mason and county officials will meet today to discuss the problem and possible solutions. Once actions are taken the structures will be tested again.

-- Curt Smith

Could Your Child Be Drinking Lead-Tainted Water at School?

-- Care2 National: April 07, 2016 [ abstract]

When parents send their children to school each day, they trust administrators and teachers with more than their child’s education �" they’re trusting the school with their child’s Health and safety. Unfortunately, despite the presence of dangerous aging pipes and infrastructure, public schools in the U.S. aren’t required to ensure that the water in the school drinking fountains is free from poisonous lead. Newark, N.J., has been making headlines recently due to the presence of lead in numerous schools and educational facilities: so far, 30 of the 66 public school buildings in the city have turned off their drinking fountains and posted signs in the bathrooms warning children not to drink from the taps. Instead, students are being provided with bottled water for drinking and food prep. As the state investigates, more and more schools and educational facilities have been discovered with dangerous amounts of lead in their drinking water.

-- Julie M. Rodriguez

Can we make Philly schools safer, healthier?

-- philly.com Pennsylvania: April 06, 2016 [ abstract]

Deplorable building conditions are present in too many Philadelphia public schools resulting in serious Health and safety consequences for students and staff. For the past many years, I have been involved in evaluating, measuring, and documenting these dangerous environmental conditions in Philadelphia public schools. I do this work on behalf of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Health & Welfare Fund & Union so that we can provide practical, implementable, and necessary recommendations for controlling these dangers. The PFT is the largest internal stakeholder group in our schools representing more than 11,000 educational and support staff and they also have direct, primary responsibility for the education, care, support and protection of the more than 130,000 students in their daily charge. Staff and students share the same buildings and face the same conditions day in and day out: “Student Learning Conditions Are School Staff Working Conditions.” It is therefore crucial for school staff, students and parents, to work closely together to help ensure that the schools in which we work, learn and send our kids are safe, Healthy, comfortable, warm and dry.

-- Jerry Roseman

AMERICA’S SCHOOL BUILDINGS�"LIKE CALIFORNIA’S�"NEED FIXING

-- Center for Cities and Schools California: April 05, 2016 [ abstract]

Our country's K-12 infrastructure is in crisis. Far too often, these learning environments are rundown and in disrepair, discourage and sicken children and teachers, waste energy, and fail to support a 21st century education. A new national study by the 21st Century School Fund, the National Council on School Facilities, and the Center for Green Schools sheds much-needed light on the grim reality: a $46 billion annual shortfall in funds needed to keep the country's school buildings Healthy, safe and conducive to learning. My research on California echoes the national trend: more than half of the state's school districts underspend each year on their facilities, leading to all sorts of problems for students and teachers. A NATIONAL PROBLEM, ALL TOO FAMILIAR TO CALIFORNIA The alarming fact is that millions of students across the country attend school in dilapidated, obsolete and/or unHealthy facilities that pose substantial obstacles to learning and overall wellbeing. In 2014, the National Center for Education Statistics found that more than half of U.S. public schools reported needing to spend money on their school buildings to bring them up to good condition. â€�"Sick building syndromeâ€ is a hard reality for many children, especially low-income and minority children who are more likely to have run-down school facilities. There is a clear relationship between the condition of school facilities and factors critical for student academic performance.

-- Jeff Vincent

Decaying School Infrastructure Putting Student Health At Risk

-- neaToday National: April 05, 2016 [ abstract]

School facilities is second only to highways as the largest sector of public infrastructure spending, but it’s been more than 20 years since the federal government conducted a comprehensive review of the nation’s school buildings. The fill this void, the Center for Green Schools teamed up with 21st Century Fund and the National Council on School Facilities to comb through any and all relevant data to answer this question: Are we spending enough on school facilities to support student learning? According to the just-released report, State of Our Schools: America’s K�"12 Facilities, the answer is we’re falling short �" to the tune of $46 billion. That’s the size of the funding gap needed to bring all U.S. public school facilities up to modern standards. “The current system of facilities funding leaves school districts unprepared to provide adequate and equitable school facilities… In total, the nation is underspending by $46 billion �" an annual shortfall of 32%,” the report states. The importance of modernizing school infrastructure cannot be overstated. Too many buildings across the country have been allowed to deteriorate as budget cuts have forced districts to forgo maintenance to pay for programs. Millions of educators and students teach and learn surrounded by peeling paint, crumbing plaster, and poor ventilation and faulty heating and cooling systems.

-- TIM WALKER

How crumbling and crowded schools hurt student performance

-- BDN Maine Maine: April 05, 2016 [ abstract]

As someone who educates other teachers, I’ve worked in Maine schools where some lessons are taught in hallways, stair landings, and book rooms because there are no other spaces �" where the walls between classrooms are so thin that students can hear the next class, sometimes louder than their own. There are schools with patterns of teacher illness and higher rates of student asthma as older buildings leak and develop mold and other asthma triggers. Research tells us that the quality of a school building influences the quality of the education, particularly when it comes to meeting minimal safety and Health requirements. There are many factors that contribute to this, including lighting, technology, class size and the ability for students to hear the lesson. Air quality, room temperature and other Health-related factors influence absenteeism among both students and teachers. Several research reports found that students who attended school in buildings in poor condition had achievement scores that were 6-11 percent lower than students whose schools were in good or excellent quality, even when controlling for other factors such as rates of poverty. And having pleasant, Healthy environments helps to attract and retain good teachers.

-- Flynn Ross

Back to the Future: Clean Air, Clean Water for Kids

-- Huffington Post National: March 31, 2016 [ abstract]

For parents of young children, is there anything more important than knowing your kids are safe ... at school? And that is beyond physical safety. Today, we all make assumptions about safety, including safe and Healthy environments. But in recent weeks, that has changed dramatically. The Flint, Michigan water crisis opened up a torrent of new concerns about an old issue. Now news stories and reports about pollutants in city and community drinking water, including lead and Teflon chemicals, are destroying those old assumptions and raising fresh worries about problems we all thought were solved. Here in my state, Ithaca, one of New York’s greener cities, recently tested school water and found high lead levels. In Los Angeles, elevated lead in school drinking water was also found in the district’s new systems, but leaching from new brass fixtures, not old pipes. This is truly back to the future. There are laws across the county �" local, state and federal �" that require potable water in schools. But we ask, is testing taking place at the tap or only at the water source, and what happens if the test at the tap shows contaminants ? Aging �" and new �" water infrastructure must be fixed when problems are identified. And that’s not cheap. So, for too many school districts and nonprofit child care centers, planned ignorance is the chosen path: no data = no problem. Schools are up against hard times: if they close the water fountains, can they afford to give kids free water?

-- Claire Barnett

Scottsdale Schools may pursue bond program as legacy facilities crumble

-- Scottsdale Independent Arizona: March 30, 2016 [ abstract]

Fueled by the creation of a district-wide facilities master plan, the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board is mulling the potential for a bond election in November 2016 to improve, replace and renovate facilities �" some of which are more than 50 years old. The Blue Ribbon Advisory Council, a collection of both district and community stakeholders, presented the Governing Board Thursday, March 17 with its final recommendation on how to meet the tenets of the recently forged facilities master plan. Within its final report, the advisory council suggests the school district ought to pursue a bond election to rebuild the district’s elementary schools. The advisory council’s recommendations include: Rebuilding all SUSD elementary schools; Providing properly sized learning environments for students and teachers based on enrollment tallies; Taking into account cyclical trends of enrollments, neighborhood integrity, traffic patterns, and improved property use. Governing Board President Bonnie Sneed says she expects both the Blue Ribbon recommendations on the facilities master plan and potential scope of a capital bond program to be discussed at a work session scheduled for Thursday, April 7. “As stewards of the district, we have the fiduciary duty to manage our plants,” said Scottsdale Schools Interim Superintendent Denise Birdwell in a March 23 statement. “The completeness of a master plan takes into consideration all systems from sprinkler systems to paint in the hallways. In addition to the facilities master plan the District is putting together continuous academic improvement processes. The teaching and learning that occurs inside the facilities is just as important as the Health and safety of the environment.”

-- Terrance Thornton

K-12 Facilities Spending Falls Short of Need, Groups Say

-- Education Week National: March 29, 2016 [ abstract]

American children spend about six hours a day in their schools, much of that time in buildings that are decades old, deteriorating, and in need of significant repairs. Those conditions are a direct result of the nation's underinvestment in public school facilitiesâ€”a lack of support that falls short by $46 billion annually, according to a new report on the state of America's K-12 infrastructure. "It is totally unacceptable that there are millions of students across the country who are learning in dilapidated, obsolete, and unHealthy facilities that pose obstacles to their learning and overall well-being," said Rick Fedrizzi, the CEO and founding chairman of the U.S. Green Business Council, whose group co-authored the report with the 21st Century School Fund, and the National Council on School Facilities, groups that push for modernizing school buildings. "U.S. public school infrastructure is funded through a system that is inequitably affecting our nation's students, and this has to change," Fedrizzi said. While the physical conditions of schoolsâ€”the average age of a U.S. school is 44 years oldâ€”are known to have some effects on how students do in the classroom, the topic has not garnered as much attention as other factors that weigh heavily on student learning. But concerns over lead-tainted drinking water in schools and communities in recent monthsâ€”most notably in Flint, Mich., and Newark, N.J.â€”are bringing renewed attention to the age and conditions of buildings. In Detroit, teachers have been staging periodic sickouts this year, in part to draw attention to that city's dilapidated and unsanitary building conditions. And air quality also is a major concern in many school districts. The last in-depth, federal examination of the condition of K-12 facilities was released more than 20 years ago, in 1995, by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

-- Denisa R. Superville

Report finds massive under-investment in nation’s school buildings

-- Washington Post National: March 23, 2016 [ abstract]

The nation is spending $46 billion less each year on school construction and maintenance than is necessary to ensure safe and Healthy facilities, according to estimates in a new report. The study, released by a group that advocates for environmentally-sound buildings, is meant to draw attention to the condition of buildings that on weekdays house some 56 million students and teachers �" more than one-sixth of the U.S. population �" but that nevertheless attract little attention in the national debate over education policy and reform. “We are consistently and persistently underinvesting in our nation’s schools,” said Rachel Gutter of the D.C.-based Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, which co-authored the report. “Communities want to resolve these issues, but in many cases the funds simply aren’t there.” Detroit has made headlines this year for crumbling schools plagued by rats, roaches and mold. But while conditions in the Motor City are particularly deplorable, the average U.S. school is more than 40 years old, and thousands of school buildings nationwide are in need of upgrades, according to the federal government. Poor communities in far-flung rural places and declining industrial city centers tend to be in a particularly bad situation: School construction budgets rely even more heavily on local dollars than operating budgets. And in many places spending has not recovered from cuts made during the recession, leaving school districts struggling to patch problems.

-- Emma Brown

Report Shows Systemic Inequity in a State-By-State Analysis of Investment in American School Infrastructure

-- Center for Green Schools at USGBC National: March 23, 2016 [ abstract]

Washington, D.C. �" (March 23, 2016) �" The State of Our Schools: America’s K-12 Facilities report, released today by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the 21st Century School Fund and the National Council on School Facilities, shows that the nation faces a projected annual shortfall of $46 billion in school funding, despite significant effort on the part of local communities. “One out of every six people in the U.S. spends each day in a K-12 public school classroom, yet there is very little oversight over America’s public school buildings,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “It is totally unacceptable that there are millions of students across the country who are learning in dilapidated, obsolete and unHealthy facilities that pose obstacles to their learning and overall wellbeing. U.S. public school infrastructure is funded through a system that is inequitably affecting our nation’s students and this has to change.” The report features an in-depth state-by-state analysis of investment in school infrastructure and focuses on 20 years of school facility investment nationwide, as well as funding needed moving forward to make up for annual investment shortfalls for essential repairs and upgrades. The report also proposes recommendations for investments, innovations and reforms to improve learning environments for children in all U.S. public schools. “The data on funding school infrastructure paints a clear picture of the importance of a national conversation regarding the way improvements are funded. The conversation surrounding student achievement must also include a component addressing the places where our children learn,” said Mike Rowland, president, National Council on School Facilities and director of Facilities Services for the Georgia Department of Education.

-- Leticia McCadden

City school parents decry ‘deplorable’ fields despite 2012 bond

-- The Sacramento Bee California: March 18, 2016 [ abstract]

Days after heavy rains, the standing water on the fields at McClatchy High School remains downright splashable. There are potholes. Uneven terrain. And a student athlete narrowly escaped injury after a sinkhole last month swallowed her foot, according to one booster club leader. “It’s a jewel of an asset within the community, and it’s in deplorable condition,” said Brian Nelson, Restore the Roar treasurer. Despite voter approval of more than $400 million in bonds less than four years ago, McClatchy booster club leaders are worried that no help is in sight for the school founded in 1937. They have sought support from community leaders and neighborhood associations, and have appeared repeatedly before the district board. Trouble is, McClatchy is not the only district school facing deteriorating conditions, according to a recent district overview. And Sacramento City Unified School District officials say all bond funds from a 2012 ballot measure are already committed. Measure R authorized $68 million for long list of “Health and safety” improvements for playgrounds, athletic fields, physical education buildings, irrigation systems, asbestos and lead removal, and upgraded kitchen facilities. The items appeared in that order on the 2012 ballot, with no particular emphasis given to any one of them.

-- Loretta Kalb

Lead Found In 34 Washington Drinking Water Systems

-- kuow.org Washington: March 18, 2016 [ abstract]

Flint, Michigan, isn't the only place with lead in its drinking water: 34 water systems in Washington state have tested above acceptable levels of the toxic metal, according to a new investigation from USA Today. The list includes water systems at five schools: Maple Valley Elementary, Griffin School near Olympia, Shelton Valley Christian School, Skamania Elementary and Washington State Patrol Academy. Water at those schools is currently in compliance with federal law, according to Mike Means with the Washington Department of Health. Four other water systems, and a fifth that was not on USA Today's list, are currently putting corrosion controls in place to keep lead out of the water people drink. "There's only four of them remaining that were shown on that list that actually have any ongoing issue, which we're continuing to work with those water systems to address," Mike Means with the Washington Department of Health told KUOW.

-- JOHN RYAN

Safety Inspections System for Indian School Facilities Flawed, Report Finds

-- Education Week Bureau of Indian Education: March 15, 2016 [ abstract]

The U.S. Interior Department's flawed inspections system for Bureau of Indian Education schools poses a serious safety threat to students and staff, the Government Accountability Office has found. Inspectors for the congressional watchdog agency found that critical violations, such as missing fire extinguishers and elevated levels of carbon monoxide caused by aging boilers, identified in inspection reports were not immediately addressed. According to the report, the fire extinguishers were still not in place a year after the initial inspection and the boilers, which also leaked natural gas, were not repaired until eight months later. Overall, the GAO found that more 69 out of the 180 BIE schools, or nearly 40 percent, were not inspected for safety and Health violations in fiscal year 2015. The schools serve more than 47,000 students. "Indian Affairs cannot effectively determine the magnitude and severity of safety and Health deficiencies at schools and is thus unable to prioritize deficiencies that pose the greatest danger to students and staff," the report's conclusion read, in part. "... Indian Affairs cannot ensure that the learning and work environment at BIE schools are safe, and it risks causing harm to the very children that it is supposed to educate and protect." In a response to the GAO report, the Interior Department's Office of Indian Affairs said that staff shortages limit the schools' ability to address safety deficiencies. But the GAO concluded that the agency has not developed a plan to address the shortage.

-- Corey Mitchell

State asks for more soil testing at site of Irvine's fifth high school, Portola High

-- The Orange County Register California: March 07, 2016 [ abstract]

IRVINE �" More than one year after stained soil was uncovered near where a new high school is being built, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control has ordered additional soil testing at the site. The directive follows months of outreach by a vocal group of residents concerned about the adequacy of the testing that originally garnered state approval for the construction of Irvine Unified School District’s fifth comprehensive high school, Portola High. “This additional sampling will assess the site for the potential presence of contaminants that could pose a threat to the Health of individuals who attend classes or work at the school, or people who might otherwise use the school’s property,” agency chief Barbara Lee wrote in a March 2 letter obtained by the Register to Irvine Unified’s John Fogarty, assistant superintendent of business services. The $300 million project, slated to open Aug. 24, is intended to serve up to 2,400 students from the neighborhoods being built around the Orange County Great Park. Superintendent Terry Walker, in a letter sent Friday to Irvine Unified families, said the district does not expect the testing to delay the school’s August opening. District administrators and school board members have said they consider the site safe, and point to more than 200 tests done sitewide �" testing that garnered the district approval from the Department of Toxic Substances Control to begin construction in October 2014.

-- Sarah de Crescenzo

Committee releases guidelines for inspections of Howard County schools

-- The Baltimore Sun Maryland: February 26, 2016 [ abstract]

The Howard County school system's Indoor Environmental Quality Advisory Committee, formed last September in response to parent concerns about mold in several county schools, has released guidelines for bi-annual inspections of county school facilities. Superintendent Renee Foose will implement the guidelines before the start of the 2016-2017 school year, according to a presentation to the Board of Education by committee co-facilitators and school system employees Anissa Brown Dennis and Gina Massella Thursday night. Environmental quality teams will be created at every school that will include school Health employees, teachers, custodial staff and parents, and will inspect schools twice a year for unusual odors, excess moisture, proper ventilation and general cleanliness, according to the committee's report. The report also indicated that a new central office-based Indoor Environmental Quality Coordinator will be the point person for any issues identified in the inspections or through a new form that members of the public can fill out on the school system's website. Problems, as well as related updates and resolutions, will be posted on the school system's and the affected school's website. In developing its recommendations, which will be tested at three pilot schools in the spring, the committee consulted the Environmental Protection Agency's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools, as well as past work of the PTA Council of Howard County's School Environment Team.

-- Lisa Philip

Berea, Middleburg Heights Mayors support Berea City Schools' construction, school closure proposal

-- Cleveland.com Ohio: February 22, 2016 [ abstract]

BEREA, Ohio -- Despite the mixed reviews of bond issue-weary residents, Berea and Middleburg Heights Mayors Cyril Kleem and Gary Starr both support the Berea City Schools' proposal to renovate, consolidate and reconstruct the district. "Children need a Healthy environment to learn and thrive, that includes updated and modern school facilities," said Starr. "Governor John Kasich has made massive cuts to school funding at the local level that has put enormous pressure on our taxpayers and schools. The Berea school district's building plan is a step in the right direction." The proposal -- which will likely be redrawn in the weeks ahead -- calls for Berea-Midpark High School to be demolished and rebuilt for $75.5 million, with the other $25 million paying for renovations to Middleburg Heights Junior High School, Ford Intermediate School and Big Creek Elementary School.

-- John Deike

Noxious odors upset students, parents at Bethune Elementary

-- The Advocate Louisiana: February 18, 2016 [ abstract]

Noxious odors at a brand-new Orleans Parish elementary school have upset students and parents, sparked a state Health investigation and raised questions about the $27.6 million facility’s construction. Students at Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary, housed at the site of the former Stuart R. Bradley School on Humanity Street in Gentilly, have dealt with a foul smell for at least four of the six months they have attended classes there. Officials have been unable to contain the odor, to the dismay of parents who say their children have reacted strongly to it. “My baby just came home from school, two days after Mardi Gras, and he’s complaining; he’s telling me that he had a headache at school,” Camille Blackburn said. Schools officials said they are working to rectify the problem and that preliminary tests show the building is safe for occupancy. The building was constructed under the city’s nearly $2 billion school facilities master plan, a multiyear construction plan jointly managed by the state-run Recovery School District and the Orleans Parish School Board. Its goal is to place every child in a new or renovated facility. Students moved into the new, 850-student school, which is under parish School Board management in August, an event that was widely praised by School Board members and administrators. But by October, the board had contacted the state Department of Health and Hospitals about the odor. Health officials, after an initial inspection, said Bethune’s entire plumbing system was “leaking sewerage gases,” in violation of state code. Bethune was told to fix the problem by Nov. 15.

-- JESSICA WILLIAMS

St. Vrain Valley refinances $115 million in general obligation bonds

-- Daily Camera Colorado: February 18, 2016 [ abstract]

The St. Vrain Valley School District this week refinanced $115.155 million of its general obligation bonds to take advantage of low interest rates. Greg Fieth, St. Vrain's chief financial officer, said the lower interest rates should save taxpayers about $20 million in future repayments over the life of the bonds. "We were very happy with our final savings figures," he said. The refinancing was for the bonds issued from the $189 million bond voters approved in 2008 and the $212 million bond approved in 2002. The 2008 bond included building a new Frederick High School, building Red Hawk Elementary School in Erie and remodeling Skyline High School. Since 2010, the district refinanced its bonds four other times, resulting in savings of $14.3 million, district officials said. Combined with the most recent refinancing, St. Vrain has dropped its interest cost on its outstanding general obligation debt by $34.45 million. Fieth said a high credit rating qualified the district for low rates in the most recent refinancing. Standard & Poor's rating for the district is "AA," while Moody's Investor Services gives the district a rating of "Aa2." The rating reports noted the district's "strong financial management and policies" and a Healthy general fund balance. The district's diversified tax base and low to moderate overall debt burden were also cited as reasons for the ratings.

-- Amy Bounds

Tab for fixing Phila. School District facilities: $5 billion

-- Philly.com Pennsylvania: February 11, 2016 [ abstract]

Fixing every Philadelphia School District building - more than 300 schools, athletic fields, offices, shops, and garages - could cost $5 billion, district officials said Thursday. But amid a perpetual budget crisis, the school system manages to allocate just $160 million yearly on maintaining its buildings, leaving thousands of work orders unfilled and putting students' Health at risk daily, some suggested. "We find ourselves in a very difficult position of having to play catch-up. We focus on things" that are emergencies, said Danielle Floyd, the district's director of capital programs. Her comments came Thursday evening at a hearing convened by Democratic State Sens. Vincent Hughes and Art Haywood.

-- Kristen A. Graham,

Gym Floor Mercury Poses Painful Puzzle

-- Payson Roundup Arizona: February 05, 2016 [ abstract]

The discovery of minute amounts of mercury off-gassing from the rubberized floors in the Pine school gym and cafeteria represent one of those nerve-wracking intersections of science and public policy. #Worried, thoughtful, articulate parents and community members this week peppered representatives of the state Health department, state department of environmental quality and school facilities board with intense questions about whether their children face long-term Health risks as a result of the mercury salts used to catalyze the hardening of the Tartan brand floors installed decades ago. #On the face of it, the results of two sets of tests on the gym and cafeteria floors sound pretty reassuring. The levels of mercury in the air at the height of a third-grader’s nose average about 0.29 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Federal standards consider levels safe anywhere below 3.0 micrograms �" which is at least 10 times the levels measured in Pine. To try to wrap your mind around how small 1 microgram is �" picture one inch covered on a trip between here and Portland, Maine. #Still, parents raised great questions about the methods of monitoring. These thoughtful questions convinced the state to do additional tests. Parents wanted tests that track concentrations over eight hours when the gym is actually in use. The state representatives agreed to undertake the additional tests and we will fully report the results when we get them.

-- Staff Writer

Why Detroit schools are crumbling - look at state's funding foundation

-- Mlive Michigan: February 01, 2016 [ abstract]

Black mold in school buildings. Classroom heating systems that fail during frigid Michigan winters. Leaky roofs, warped floors, and collapsed ceilings. As Lansing lawmakers belatedly work to address the Detroit Public Schools' financial crisis, these physical manifestations of that crisis have provoked perhaps the loudest public outcry. Classroom conditions are a focal point of teachers' ongoing protests. And activists warn that the school system's ancient infrastructure poses Health risks to both students and employees. Little attention, however, has been paid to the regressive school-finance system that all but ensured Detroit schools' physical decay. And until legislators reform that system, children from poorer districts across Michigan will continue to face substandard, unequal learning conditions. A bit of background: Pursuant to Michigan law, the state provides each local school district a per-pupil "allowance" each year. That allowance â€” which largely derives from state sales and property taxes â€” is meant to fund basic operations: textbooks, teacher salaries, supplies and so forth. Not every district receives the same per-pupil allowance. But each district does receive an allowance within a statutorily defined range, theoretically ensuring a modicum of funding equality across the state. The facade of equality collapses, however, when one realizes that Michigan funds only part of local school districts' expenses. Crucially, Michigan provides zero funds for building new school facilities, or for improving or maintaining older schools. Whenever a district needs to replace or refurbish an aging school building, it must raise the funds itself. And as a practical matter, Michigan provides school districts just one way to pay for physical infrastructure: through local property taxes.

-- Eli Savit

EPA Releases Guide for Healthier School Renovations

-- EPA National: January 28, 2016 [ abstract]

LOS ANGELES �" Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a new booklet entitled Sensible Guide to Healthier School Renovations that will help schools around the country keep school environments Healthy while cleaning up contaminants such as asbestos, mold, mercury, lead, and radon that are associated with renovations. The guide was announced by EPA Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld during the Children’s Environmental Health Symposium in San Diego, California. “Our children are more sensitive than adults to environmental contaminants because their respiratory systems are not fully developed, and they are more active,” said Mr. Blumenfeld. “It is critical for schools to understand potential hazards when undertaking renovation projects.” “Children spend many hours each week in school, and Healthy school environments optimize children’s learning potential,” said Dr. Ruth Etzel, EPA’s Director of the Office of Children’s Health Protection. “School renovations, if done incorrectly, have the potential to present environmental Health risks to children. This guide provides an overview of potential hazards that schools face during renovations �" it provides best management practices to avoid exposure and protect children’s Health.” The guide also reviews the risks, regulations and resources available for schools to use during school renovations and includes strategies for reducing exposure to environmental contaminants. The guide includes a robust reference section with links to more in-depth guidance. EPA created this guide in response to interest from parents, schools and public Health advocates for a one-stop, easy to understand document that outlined key environmental Health considerations when renovating schools.

-- Nahal Mogharabi

‘Shabby’ facility needs an upgrade, say Grant Street school volunteers

-- ptleader.com Washington: January 27, 2016 [ abstract]

The quality of public school facilities has a direct connection to the Health of the entire community, said some of the people who support Port Townsend School District's proposed construction bond issue. Replacing Grant Street Elementary (opened in 1956 and partially remodeled in the 1990s) is not cheap. The $40.9 million bond, which totals $67.34 million after a 20-year interest payout, is the most ever asked of voters in Jefferson County. Any new property tax may be reason enough for some voters to reject the proposal; a less expensive project would likely win over other voters. Those are the two "vote no" themes raised so far. For retirees like Catherine Kapp, a former teacher who is a four-year volunteer tutor at Grant Street, a property tax increase is worth the investment for what it means to the overall community. â€�"I'm sorry, but it's shabby,â€ Kapp said of the Grant Street facility. â€�"We had the visitors here from our sister city in Japan, and I saw the looks on their faces when they came through here and thought, â€˜This is education in America?'â€

-- Patrick J. Sullivan

City inspections of Detroit schools find rodents, mold

-- Detroit Free Press Michigan: January 25, 2016 [ abstract]

City of Detroit inspections of 11 public schools â€” conducted as part of a district-wide review in response to mass teacher sick-outs â€” revealed widespread code violations, including multiple instances of rodents, mold, damaged roofs and broken glass. City inspectors found 152 violations, an average of nearly 14 for each school. School officials will have about a month to make repairs. Cody-Detroit Institute of Technology College Prep High School had the most property maintenance code violations of those inspected with 30. Citations included insect/rodent on the premises, a water-damaged ceiling, a broken sink in a boys' bathroom and mold/mildew in two classrooms. Benjamin Carson High School had 17 violations, including missing and stained ceiling tiles in several rooms, broken light switches, a broken elevator and a storage room susceptible to water penetration. Mayor Mike Duggan, who called for the inspections Jan. 13 after he saw conditions at four schools, said the city will take "prompt legal action to enforce compliance" if repairs aren't made on time. "I don't want there to be any confusion," Duggan said in a statement. "A claim of a shortage of funds is not a defense to violations of building or Health codes for any building owner. We're not going to allow our children, DPS employees, or the public to continue to be subjected to substandard conditions."

-- Joe Guillen

LA Unified survey finds cafeteria equipment more than 3 decades old

-- LA School Report California: January 25, 2016 [ abstract]

Some of LAUSD’s cafeteria freezers are more than three decades old. Some of the stoves in the kitchens don’t work anymore. The board has approved spending up to $856,635 to survey 477 public school cafeterias to see what needs to be upgraded, fixed or replaced. “Many of our kitchens are aged and have walk-in refrigerators and freezers that have been in use for over 30 years,” Timikel Sharpe, co-director of the LA Unified’s Food Services Division, said in a report to the school board. “Currently, there are more than 770 open repair tickets for refrigeration work alone across the district.” Sharpe said, “Like many pieces of our kitchen equipment, they have far exceeded their life expectancy and pose a potential threat to our ability to prepare and provide safe and Healthy meals for our students. For many schools, new equipment has become a necessity.”

-- Mike Szymanski

Survey Outlines Mt. Pleasant Schools’ Infrastructure Needs

-- The Examiner New York: January 25, 2016 [ abstract]

A study of Mount Pleasant School District facilities released last week highlighted a series of infrastructure projects that should be completed, but district officials must figure out how to pay for the improvements if work is pursued. The Building Condition Survey, unveiled to the public at the Jan. 20 Board of Education meeting, is a visual inspection of all district buildings and their systems and must be done by a state-licensed architect or engineer. The state mandated survey, which each district must complete every five years, was compiled by H2M Architects and Engineers. The results will be used by district officials to compile a five-year capital plan that will be submitted to the state Education Department (SED) by June, said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Susan Guiney. Guy Page, vice president of H2M Architects and Engineers, said the survey will be reviewed with the director of facilities and the district’s Health and Safety Committee. Some of its key points found that fresh air ventilation at Hawthorne and Columbus elementary schools does not meet state requirements, said Dana Hochberg, H2M’s senior architect. Parking and roadways have deteriorated at both elementary schools, the fields need renovations, masonry cracks must be repaired and lockers have exceeded their useful lives, Hochberg said. At Hawthorne Elementary School, a new HVAC system is needed and the Columbus Elementary School ceilings should be replaced, Hochberg said.

-- Neal Rentz

Pine Schools Reopen Mercury-Tainted Gym

-- Payson Roundup Arizona: January 22, 2016 [ abstract]

The Pine-Strawberry School Board at its meeting on Jan. 11 voted to re-open the gym it had closed last year. #No one has used the gym since October of 2015 due to the fear of mercury in the spongy rubber Tartan brand floor. #“The floor was installed when the school was built in 1988,” said Principal Cody Barlow. #Barlow said the school found out about the mercury during a grant application process to the Arizona School Facilities Board to fix a crack in the floor. #“It was used in the ’70s and late ’80s as a catalyst to level the floor,” said Barlow. #The contractor, Dominion Environmental Construction, sent samples to the Apex Environmental Laboratory. #The lab came back with a reading that caused alarm. #Once the Pine-Strawberry School discovered the mercury, they immediately shut down the gym for further testing. #Barlow said so many Tartan floors were installed in schools, hospitals and other institutions around the state, the School Facilities Board created a task force with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and Health Department to study the floors to determine the full extent of the danger. #In Pine-Strawberry’s case, after two months of research and numerous tests, the task force told the school it could re-open the gym. The task force advised the school to keep the gym well ventilated whenever it’s in use.

-- Michele Nelson

Water Contamination Raises Health Concerns for Mich. Students

-- Education Week Michigan: January 19, 2016 [ abstract]

Educators in Flint, Mich., have long taught students buffeted by the pressures of poverty and urban blight. Now, they're facing a new crisis: toxic tap water. City and school officials are dealing with the fallout of a contaminated-water crisis, after it was discovered several months ago that hundreds of children in the financially strapped city have high levels of lead in their blood, in part because of the state's decision to switch Flint's water supply. Over the weekend, President Barack Obama declared a federal emergency in the city, which frees up as much as $5 million in federal aid to help with the public Health crisis. The manmade catastrophe started nearly two years ago, while the city was under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager. That's when officials decided to save money by switching its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River, a tributary with water so corrosive that General Motors didn't want it used at its engine plant in the city. The cost-cutting move introduced lead and iron into the water. In the time since the switch, the percentage of infants and children with elevated blood-lead concentrations that can cause permanent IQ loss and developmental delays has doubled, rising to nearly 5 percent, according to researchers and local Health officials. This school year, water from faucets and drinking fountains at four city schools have tested above the federal limits for lead content. One of those schools tested at more than six times the federal limit.

-- Corey Mitchell

Branstad promotes water quality plan that would tap school tax, may derail lawsuit

-- Omaha.com Iowa: January 15, 2016 [ abstract]

A looming battle between rural Iowa and Des Moines could be avoided if the Iowa Legislature approves a plan that would tap a slice of existing sales tax revenue for water quality programs, Gov. Terry Branstad said Thursday. The governor touted his proposal to share sales tax funding that now is directed only at improving school infrastructure. He said that could derail a lawsuit in the Iowa Supreme Court that threatens to create unnecessary fault lines between urban and rural Iowans. “That’s not Healthy for our state. It would tear the state apart,’’ Branstad said during a meeting with The World-Herald editorial board. Among the water quality issues facing Iowa is a Des Moines Water Works lawsuit seeking damages from drainage districts in three northern counties for nitrate-laden drinking water. The lawsuit, filed nearly a year ago, alleges that drainage districts in Sac, Buena Vista and Calhoun Counties are conduits that enable high levels of nitrates to move from farm fields into the Raccoon River. The river is one of two sources of drinking water for 500,000 Des Moines-area residents.

-- David Hendee

Many Detroit schools remain closed as teachers protest poor facility conditions

-- American School and University Magazine Michigan: January 12, 2016 [ abstract]

A day after more than half of Detroit Public Schools were closed because of a teacher sickout, another wave of schools canceled classes for the day. The Detroit News reports that district officials said Tuesday that 24 schools were closed, more than 20 percent of the district. Ivy Bailey, interim president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT), issued a statement Tuesday about the situation: "As frustrations by educators, parents and the community continue to mount over deep concerns about Detroit Public Schools' deplorable Health, safety and learning conditions, we need real answers from Emergency Manager Darnell Earley and Gov. Rick Snyder. The community is crying out for help over what is clearly a crisis in our schools. The DFT has called for public hearings to fully reveal all of the problems in every school and for Earley to announce how he intends to mitigate the issues. Our students and their families deserve real answers." MONDAY: Several dozen public schools in Detroit were closed Monday as many teachers staged a "sickout" to protest poor facility conditions on numerous campuses. On its Facebook page Monday morning, the district listed 64 school sites that were closed because of excessive teacher absences. The Detroit Federation of Teachers held a news conference Monday morning outside A.L. Holmes Elementary School, and said the toxic conditions at that and other facilities were a â€�"travestyâ€ that is being ignored and causing understandable angst among educators, parents and the community.

-- Mike Kennedy

Marie Reed Building and Site Modernization Designs and Plans Continue to be Refined

-- TheInTowner District of Columbia: January 09, 2016 [ abstract]

Progress in the detailed planning and preparation of specifications for the modernization and adaptive re-use of the Marie H. Reed Learning Center and its multi-acre Adams Morgan site by the District’s Department of General Services (DGS) and the architectural firm of Quinn Evans continues into the new year on the basis of a planning document issued by the architects on October 22, 2015. That document reflected Quinn Evans’ understanding of what the District could afford to spend in the re-making of Marie Reed to meet modern requirements as stipulated by the District’s school system (DCPS) and the parks and recreation department (DPR) together with those specified by the District’s Department of Health (DOH) backed by funds identified by the DC Council in support of modernization of the Health facilities presently housed in the Marie Reed building. The Quinn Evans foundational document for this effort, titled “Schematic Design Progress for the Marie H. Reed Learning Center, Presented to the Community,” was made available solely on-line; no printed copies were provided to the community. The actual presentation by the architects occurred at a relatively short, community-wide forum in held the Marie Reed elementary school gathering space.

-- Anthony L. Harvey

Despite Frigid Winter Temperatures, Students Are Waking Up To Unheated Classrooms

-- ThinkProgress National: January 05, 2016 [ abstract]

As east coast temperatures begin to dip after an unusually warm December, students in major school systems across the country are sitting in unheated classrooms wearing winter jackets. In Baltimore, for example, temperature lows are in the teens and the city’s Health commissioner sent out a “Code Blue” advisory on Monday night instructing homeless residents and other vulnerable populations to stay inside. But at Baltimore City College High School, students say the heaters aren’t working. Through the CityBloc Twitter account, a political grassroots collective of students against social injustice in Baltimore, students have been tweeting at Baltimore City Schools to raise concerns. These issues aren’t new. In New York City, complaints about freezing classrooms have risen 46 percent over the past five years, NBC New York reported. The school with the largest number of complaints was International Leadership Charter High School in the Bronx. In Chicago, public schools closed for two days last January when temperatures were particularly low. Some people complained that the cold temperatures weren’t worth closing school for, but it is certainly a safer alternative for schools that don’t have heat. Earlier that month, two Chicago schools had issues with heat not working in several classrooms during very cold days, according to WGNTV.com, forcing students to wear coats, hats, and gloves in class.

-- CASEY QUINLAN

LAUSD prepares schools for relocated Porter Ranch students due to gas leak

-- Daily Bulletin California: January 04, 2016 [ abstract]

Nearly 2,000 students will return from winter break next week to a different school from the one at which they started the school year, but school district officials are attempting to make the new environments resemble the old ones. The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education decided on Dec. 17 that students from two schools in Porter Ranch would be relocated to two new sites amid growing concerns about a leaking gas well at the nearby Aliso Canyon storage facility in the Santa Susana Mountains above Porter Ranch. District officials said the gas leak disrupted student learning because of an increasing number of student and teacher absences caused by the Health effects of the gas leak. Since the board’s vote, crews have been working days, nights and weekends, only taking Christmas Day off, to transform two school sites about 8 miles away into satellite campuses for the two Porter Ranch schools. School district officials said the scope of the work would normally take six months.

-- Sarah Favot

Asbestos at School: Is THAT What Your Child Is Breathing

-- The Huffington Post National: December 29, 2015 [ abstract]

We thought the asbestos problem was solved. Thirty years ago, concern in Congress over the impact of exposure to asbestos hazards led to passage of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). While the law led to an increase in awareness of the cancer-causing toxic and resulted in rules designed to protect the 55 million children and 6 million staff in schools, the passage of time and fiscal restraints still leave people facing potential -- or very real -- exposures and costly long-term illnesses. Unfortunately, this is the conclusion reached in a report published in December by United States Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA). In March, the senators sent letters to the governors of all 50 states seeking information that would help determine the "extent of asbestos hazards remaining in schools across the nation." They heard back from only 20, and what they did learn left them deeply concerned. With many more questions left unanswered than answered, they are proposing a set of recommendations to get AHERA back on track and to raise awareness about a persistent public Health threat.

-- Claire L. Barnett

Construction to begin on first Cy-Fair ISD school-based health clinic

-- Community Impact Newspaper Texas: December 16, 2015 [ abstract]

Ground broke Dec. 14 on the first-ever Cy-Fair ISD school-based Healthcare clinic. The federally qualified clinic will serve district students and staff as well as members of the community. The 10,000-square-foot facility will be located on the 179-acre multi-school site at the corner of FM 529 and Westgreen Boulevard where Cypress Park High School is also under construction. Both the clinic and the high school are expected to open together in August 2016. CFISD Superintendent Mark Henry said the clinic will bring access to affordable Healthcare to thousands of students. “There is such a need in many of our communities for Healthcare services for our students and their families,” he said. “It will be a much less expensive option for families that typically rely on hospitals and emergency rooms, especially when treating things like strep throat or the flu.” The center was made possible because of a partnership between CFISD and Good Neighbor Healthcare Center, a nonprofit that has helped build federally qualified Health clinics across the Greater Houston area. Their partnership was first announced at a May 11 CFISD board meeting. “The clinic will have the ability to serve all members of the family,” Good Neighbor CEO Ann Thielke said. “This has been done in other parts of the country. The statistics show that there is an 85-percent reduction rate in absences and a decrease in manageable diseases like asthma.” The facility is designed to provide Health services to medically underserved populations. Integrated Health care services include pediatric care, adult care, dental, vision, nutrition, mental Health, psychiatry and behavioral Health, Thielke said. The clinic will also offer vaccinations and physicals. Henry also commented on the link between a student’s Health and their academic performance.

-- Shawn Arrajj

State's new construction bond program of no use to many school districts

-- The State Journal-Register Illinois: December 12, 2015 [ abstract]

Under an initiative the Illinois State Board of Education announced earlier this month, cash-strapped school districts will soon be able to apply for federally backed low- or no-interest bonds to help pay for construction projects, repairs, renovations and other building needs. However, many area school districts may not be able to use the bonds because of voter-approved restrictions on the amount of debt the districts can incur. The state board has opened applications for the Qualified School Construction Bond program and expects to distribute more than $495 million in bonding authority to school districts. The program, created under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, offers bonding for school districts to fund the rehabilitation, repair or construction of facilities or land acquisition related to the construction. Districts that qualify would be able to issue low- to no-interest bonds instead of higher-interest Health and life-safety bonds. "These low- to zero-interest bonds will enable school districts to use more of their existing funds for educational uses and educator professional development rather than paying off interest," State School Superintendent Tony Smith said in a news release. Central Illinois school districts are interested in the offer. However, many are unable to take advantage because of limits voters in their counties have placed on taxpayer-funded debt service. Voters can raise those limits through public referendums, but there is no time to do so before the Jan. 15 application deadline for the bond program. "The problem with a lot of the schools in Sangamon County is that tax caps have been in effect since the late 1990s," said David Root, superintendent of Williamsville-Sherman School District. "There are a lot of districts that have a 0 percent debt service extension base. That means I can't take out bonds like this without running a referendum to build buildings. From that standpoint, these bonds are not useful in our scenario."

-- David Blanchette

State set to match school construction bond dollars

-- KTVZ.COM Oregon: December 10, 2015 [ abstract]

SALEM, Ore. - The State Board of Education approved temporary rules Thursday governing the new Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching program, which will provide matching grants to support improvements to school facilities. Communities that pass general obligation bonds to improve their local school buildings will be eligible to receive matching grants of up to $8 million. The Oregon Legislature authorized the sale of state-backed general obligation bonds for the program, which will provide about $123 million to help stretch local dollars and address urgent school facility needs across the state. In Oregon, communities generally address school facility needs by passing local, voter-approved bonds. In many communities, getting the votes needed to pass these bonds has been a challenge, and statewide, there is currently an estimated $7.6 billion in deferred school maintenance costs. “Our students need and deserve schools that are safe, Healthy, and promote learning,” said state Deputy Schools Superintendent Salam Noor. “This grant program can help communities address critical maintenance needs, upgrade aging buildings, and improve learning conditions for our students. "Through leveraging both state and local resources, we can maximize our impact and remove barriers to student success by improving our schools.”

-- Staff Writer

School closure debate highlights tough year in city neighborhoods

-- Baltimore Sun Maryland: December 02, 2015 [ abstract]

When Debra Baker raced to stay ahead of rioters on Pennsylvania Avenue last April with the children she cared for at her home day care center, there were few places in her Penn-North neighborhood where she could take refuge. Westside Elementary School was one of them. "I didn't know where else to run with my kids when they were tearing down our stuff, but they took me in," said Baker, a 40-year resident of Penn-North who has run the day care center for 30 years. Baker and other residents have testified in recent weeks before the city school board as it considers closing Westside and four other schools at the end of the school year. Westside is located in the neighborhood where looters and rioters set stores ablaze amid protests over the death of Freddie Gray a week after he suffered a severe spinal cord injury while in police custody. City schools CEO Gregory Thornton has recommended closing Maritime Industries Academy High School, Baltimore Community High School and Westside. He also recommended that two charter schools, Roots and Branches and the Maryland Academy of Technology & Health Sciences, lose their contracts.

-- Erica L. Green

Elevated radon levels in 26 schools touch off retesting in Montgomery

-- Washington Post Maryland: December 01, 2015 [ abstract]

Montgomery school officials sent letters to parents at 26 schools with elevated levels of radon Tuesday, saying the district will conduct more testing in coming weeks and voicing assurances that there is not an immediate safety threat. The plan for retesting follows a report detailing radon levels at 205 schools and district buildings, compiled following a public information request from a citizen activist in the suburban Maryland school system. Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is odorless and colorless, is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, according to federal Health officials. School officials say Montgomery has done radon testing in its schools since the late 1980s. The sites designated for retesting �" 26 schools and two other buildings �" are located in areas including Silver Spring, Bethesda, Potomac, Rockville and Damascus. Most are elementary schools. [See the results of radon testing at each Montgomery school] “We do not believe we have any immediate safety issue at these schools,” said Brian Edwards, a Montgomery schools spokesman who described the levels of radon as “slightly elevated” and said remediation would be performed at any school that needs it.

-- Donna St. George

State Board approves process for schools to receive Qualified School Construction Bonds

-- Illinois State Board of Education Illinois: December 01, 2015 [ abstract]

SPRINGFIELD �" School districts will soon be able to apply for low- to no-interest rate bonds to pay for construction projects, repairs, renovations, and other building needs through the Qualified School Construction Bond program (QSCB). The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) approved the guidelines and application process for the QSCB during its regular business meeting Nov. 20. ISBE expects to be able to distribute more than $495 million in bonding authority to school districts. “These low- to zero-interest bonds will enable school districts to use more of their existing funds for educational uses and educator professional development rather than paying off interest,” said State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith, Ph.D. “I encourage eligible districts to take advantage of this great program.” The QSCB program was created under Section 1521(a) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The program is a source of limited financial bonding for school districts to fund the rehabilitation or repair of an existing public school facility, construction of a new public school facility, equipment associated with repair or construction, or for land acquisition related to the construction of a new facility. Since the bond proceeds can be used for building rehabilitation and repair, districts will be able to issue low- to no-interest bonds in lieu of Fire Prevention (Health, life, and safety) bonds that would be at a higher interest rate. In 2012, ISBE entered an intergovernmental agreement with the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) to grant GOMB the authority to allocate or issue these bonds. The GOMB recently notified ISBE that it has relinquished its authority back to ISBE.

-- Staff Writer

Report: California’s ailing K-12 facilities need funding fix

-- Berkeley News California: November 30, 2015 [ abstract]

With forecasts of a super wet California winter, findings released today by UC Berkeley’s Center for Cities and Schools may set off alarms: More than half of the state’s K-12 public school districts fail to meet minimum industry standards for annual spending on maintenance and operations, or on capital improvements like new roofs. Center researchers took a look at 93 percent of the conventional K-12 districts in the state between 2008 and 2012, the most recent year for which data is available. They found 57 percent of the 879 districts examined fail to meet benchmarks in capital improvement spending, and 62 percent failed to reach the standards for basic maintenance and operation in that period. Approximately 2.2 million of California’s 6 million K-12 students attend these struggling schools. “This trend signals costly long-term consequences for the state as accumulated facility needs risk becoming a Health and safety crisis,” according to the analysis, which notes that more than two-thirds of the state’s public school buildings are more than 25 years old.

-- Kathleen Maclay

Crumbling Schools Add Health Problems to Classroom Stress

-- takepart National: November 24, 2015 [ abstract]

Among teachers, it’s known as the 2:30 headache, describing the pain that sets in after hours of breathing polluted air in an old school building or a temporary classroom. For Rachel Gutter�"and educators and schoolchildren nationwide�"it isn’t theoretical. “My mom suffered permanent respiratory damage by working in a sick school,” says Gutter, the U.S. Green Building Council’s vice president for knowledge. A school administrator in metropolitan Washington, D.C., her mother had asthma and mold allergies, which were constantly irritated by the bad air. Gutter says one visit to a portable classroom triggered a particularly severe attack. According to the survey, eight out of 10 respondents support “green” schools�"construction and renovation concepts that create airy, spacious, sunshine-filled environments�"which enhance learning while saving energy and protecting the planet. “Where our children learn matters,” says Gutter, who unveiled the findings at a green-building conference in Washington late last week. Education-conscious parents, she said, “will talk to you about the who and the what�"the teachers and the curriculum�"but they won’t talk to you about the where,” which can be just as critical. “I’ve been in schools that feel like jails,” with high security, poor ventilation, and little natural light, Gutter explains. “I come from three generations of educators. I believe every child is entitled to a Healthy, safe place to go to school.”

-- Joseph Williams

Report: Some CMS schools score low on building health inspections

-- WSOCTV.com North Carolina: November 18, 2015 [ abstract]

Some Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools are in dire need of upgrades and better maintenance, reports found. Channel 9 dug through building Health inspection reports and found that several public schools scored â€�"Câ€ on their inspections, some for years in a row. The Mecklenburg County Health Department conducts the inspections once a year. Scores from 70 to 79.5 are considered a â€�"C.â€ Mike Murdock's daughter goes to Olympic High School, which received 70 points on its most recent inspection. The score is the worst among CMS schools. He said there are a lot of good things going on at the school and the learning that happens within the school's walls is what's most important. However, he recognized that the condition of the facilities is important too. â€�"It is a distraction from the overall goal when you are paying attention to things that are not related to the teacher engaging with the students,â€ he said. Each school is inspected once a year to make sure it's up to Health and safety standards.

-- Angela Hong

Baltimore City Schools recommended that five schools close at the end of the yea

-- ABC2 WMAR Baltimore Maryland: November 10, 2015 [ abstract]

The Baltimore City Schools CEO recommended that the school board vote to close five schools at the end of this school year. The schools are Baltimore Community High School, Maritime Industries Academy in Cherry Hill, Westside Elementary School in the Penn North Community, and two charter schools -- Roots and Branches, and the Maryland Academy of Technology and Health Sciences. Baltimore Community high school is an alternative school in far Southeast Baltimore, with students ages 14 through 21. Back in March, police say a group of students walking to a bus stop attacked a neighbor, Rick Fletcher. Download the ABC2 News app for the iPhone , Kindle and Android . Months later, friends say he is still recovering. People who live nearby have been calling for the school to be closed; now it appears that will happen at the end of this year. The calls to save Westside Elementary began at the school board meeting Tuesday night. â€�"It's a community that's hurting. It's a community that's in trouble,â€ said Del. Antonio Hayes in testimony before the school board.

-- Christian Schaffer

Fort Totten, North Dakota getting $3.6 million to replace moldy school building

-- Crookston Times North Dakota: November 10, 2015 [ abstract]

Bismarck, N.D. North Dakota's congressional delegation says the Fort Totten School District is getting $3.6 million in emergency federal funding to build a new facility for high school programs. The delegation says students and faculty were forced to evacuate the old facility due to mold and dust levels that were three times higher than is considered Healthy. Programs have been temporarily relocated to another facility.

-- Associated Press

Wake County abandons Superfund site for new high school

-- The News and Observer North Carolina: October 18, 2015 [ abstract]

The Wake County school system has abandoned plans to build a high school on land in northeast Raleigh that’s on both state and federal lists of hazardous-waste sites. The school board had agreed in June to offer $4.5 million for the 32.55-acre former Corning Glass Works industrial plant site at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and New Hope Church Road. But Wake school administrators said a further review of the site discovered more soil contamination from chlorinated solvents �" which can cause respiratory or other Health issues �" than previously identified. “We realized it’s just not possible to guarantee that other issues might not arise,” said Betty Parker, Wake’s senior director of real estate services. “Student and faculty safety is more important than anything else. We presented it to the (school) board and they decided not to move forward with the site.” The board voted Oct. 6 to transfer its rights to the property back to the previous owner. School board Chairwoman Christine Kushner said terminating the deal was the right decision to make. But she said it was disappointing.

-- T. KEUNG HUI

Flint water tests suggest statewide lead issues

-- The Detroit News Michigan: October 08, 2015 [ abstract]

State and local officials hope switching Flint back to Detroit’s water system, announced Thursday, will solve lead contamination issues there in the short run, but the situation exposed a Health issue that may be happening in other parts of the state. Water sampling at Flint’s schools discovered a few instances of lead levels that exceed the federal safety standard. The findings raised the possibility that lead problems may exist in other parts of the state, including Metro Detroit. Private and public schools are not covered under federal testing guidelines, said Dan Wyant, director of Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality. State testing of four water samples from three Flint schools came back with lead levels exceeding the 15 parts per billion standard set by the federal government. A total of 37 water samples were taken from 13 Flint schools. “This data underscores the need for a complete and thorough evaluation of the plumbing system in each school,” Wyant said. State officials plan to contact all schools in the state, urging them to assess their lead levels in drinking water. Facilities built in the last quarter-century are unlikely to have lead issues, but others built before the mid-1980s may have lead connections and could be a problem, according to the agency. “Schools that have lead infrastructure should be testing,” Wyant said.

-- Jim Lynch

Pawtucket school officials establish reserve fund to accelerate building upgrades

-- The Valley Breeze Rhode Island: September 29, 2015 [ abstract]

PAWTUCKET - The Pawtucket School Committee has voted to invest $500,000 of last year's school surplus in a new capital reserve fund, allowing officials to apply for funding from the state's School Building Authority. The move is meant to help accelerate school building repairs across the district at a much cheaper cost to local taxpayers, said Supt. Patti DiCenso. Under the SBA created by Gov. Gina Raimondo as part of her budget this year, the Pawtucket School Department would be eligible to receive 82.4 percent reimbursement for any Health and safety projects approved to be funded through a portion of the $20 million state fund this year. The School Committee voted unanimously last Thursday evening to move ahead with all capital fund project applications to the state as well as a request to apply for a capital fund loan request application.

-- ETHAN SHOREY

School facilities: Why some rural residents near Las Vegas are feeling cheated

-- Las Vegas Sun Nevada: September 29, 2015 [ abstract]

SANDY VALLEY �" Shana Hairston can still remember sitting in class in the old building on the Sandy Valley School campus. The spacious, windowless classrooms dating back to when the school was founded in 1984 aren’t anything to get excited about, but they have sentimental value, just like the sapling she and her classmates planted in the dirt outside in the mid-90s, now a towering pine after all these years. But a bad storm years ago caused flash flooding that sent a river of mud washing through campus. Hairston’s old classroom building was inundated with more than a foot of sludge that soaked into the structure. Mold grew, followed by a dank, musty stench. Not wanting to risk the Health of the 300 elementary, middle and high school students that share the small campus, Principal Chris Lounsbery ordered the classrooms condemned. Now Hairston is 25 and has a daughter, Natasha, attending second grade at the school. The condemned classrooms are still vacant, but they stand as a lasting symbol of dissatisfaction for this rural desert community, where California is a literal stone’s throw away and the economy is a mix of ranching, farming and the mining of minerals like zeolite. For years, people like Hairston and her mother, Dawn Haviland, have been pushing the Clark County School District to honor a plan to renovate the aging campus and build much-needed classroom space.

-- Ian Whitaker

Schools as community hubs: Integrating support services to drive educational outcomes

-- Brookings National: September 28, 2015 [ abstract]

Effective approaches to the problems of struggling neighborhoods�"from Health to school success and poverty�"require the focused use of integrated strategies. Consistent with this, community schools and many charter schools now function as hubs, helping to deliver a range of services beyond education in order to prepare their students to learn and to assist families. These include social services, “two-generation” support, and population Health services. There is debate over the potential of schools as hubs and the impact on school achievement. For success, we need to explore how schools can best “integrate backwards.” That requires us consider how schools can function in an interdependent manner with providers of, say, mental Health care or social services yet maintain the control needed to customize services to a student’s needs and achieve academic objectives. Despite their considerable potential, schools face many challenges in operating as hubs: Sharing student information with other services sectors is often difficult because of privacy rules and interoperability problems. Fortunately a variety of organizations are taking steps to ameliorate these problems. The wider community impact of hub-based services is rarely measured fully or reflected in city or county budgets for the hub. In addition to better measurement of such “externalities,” wider use of budget waivers and creative financing would help address this. School leaders need specialized training to coordinate services efficiently. Intermediaries can help schools coordinate services, but turning to outside organizations can alter the focus of a school and the locus of control.

-- Michael B. Horn, Julia Freeland and Stuart M. Butl

After Consolidating Districts, Towns Face Challenges Redeveloping School Buildings

-- VPR News Vermont: September 10, 2015 [ abstract]

The Deerfield Valley towns of Wilmington and Whitingham voted to consolidate their towns' school districts in 2011 and at the end of the 2014 school year the Twin Valley High School building in Wilmington closed. High School students started the 2015 school year in a newly renovated facility in Whitingham. The newly merged district now wants to develop the shuttered Twin Valley High School building but there are a number of state laws and rules that are getting in the way of that plan. Education officials and lawmakers are now watching what happens in Wilmington as other districts that are looking into consolidation and closing schools could be facing similar challenges. During consolidation efforts the state agreed to pay 50 percent of the construction costs associated with the merger and part of that deal included an agreement with the state that the closed school would not be used for educational purposes. Now the supervisory union's special ed program is eyeing the available space and Twin Valley athletes want to use the gym and locker rooms. But the agreement with the Agency of Education is preventing both actions from happening. Another obstacle is a provision in the school construction aid law that says districts have to repay a portion of the tax dollars that were used for past projects if the building is sold. Twin Valley received money for a project dating back to the early 1980s and the school board now wants relief from returning the money if the building sells. And there are Health and fire codes that demand that building owners upgrade their facilities if there is a change of use.

-- HOWARD WEISS-TISMAN

Why So Many Schools in Connecticut Probably Have Toxic PCBs �" But Aren’t Being Tested

-- WNPR Connecticut: August 25, 2015 [ abstract]

For nearly three decades across the U.S., toxic polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, were widely used in school construction and renovation work. A WNPR investigation has found that two-thirds of schools in Connecticut could be contaminated. Despite a 1979 ban on PCBs -- a synthetic chemical -- and their classification as a known human carcinogen by the World Health Organization, there’s no state or federal law that requires testing for the presence of PCBs in schools. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that much like asbestos, undisturbed PCBs don’t pose a Health risk. But a growing body of research disputes that position. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that PCBs can pose a long-term inhalation risk for workers, and a more serious risk in the case of a fire. About 66 percent of public schools in the state were built or renovated between 1950 and 1979, when PCBs were commonly used. The chemicals are likely to be in adhesive or caulk inside the walls, or sealing the windows -- in fireproofing, flooring, or paint. The EPA recommends testing to be sure.

-- DAVID DESROCHES

There are 45 fracked wells within 2 miles of my daughter's school

-- theguardian California: August 20, 2015 [ abstract]

very morning, I send my daughters off to school with a kiss on the cheek and a heavy heart. School is supposed to be a safe and supportive environment where children are able to learn without worrying about threats to their Health. Unfortunately, this is not the case in my hometown of Shafter, California. California state laws have allowed oil companies to hydraulically fracture oil wells perilously close to my daughters’ schools, exposing them to dangerous air toxins and putting their Health and safety at risk on a daily basis. Earlier this summer, two weeks after California’s first-ever hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, regulations went into effect, my family filed a lawsuit against Governor Jerry Brown and California Oil and Gas Supervisor Steve Bohlen. We are challenging the regulations for illegally discriminating against students of color by permitting wells that are disproportionately close to the schools they attend. Fracking is a process used to extract oil from the ground that involves injecting a mixture of water, sand and hundreds of different chemicals into the ground at very high pressures to fracture the rock and release oil. There are 45 fracked wells within a mile and a half of my daughter’s junior high school. At Sequoia Elementary School, which she attended for years, there are three separate fracked wells within a half-mile of the school, and one that is just 1,200 feet from the school.

-- Opinion - Rodrigo Romo

Glenwood parents testify on mold issue at Board of Education

-- The Baltimore Sun Maryland: August 14, 2015 [ abstract]

Two Glenwood Middle School parents told Howard County Board of Education members Thursday they believe mold in the middle school building caused a host of Health problems for their children, including nosebleeds, dizziness and achy, tingling joints. Several parents and teachers have come forward in recent weeks with similar stories, but many so far have been reluctant to speak publicly. School system officials have acknowledged they found mold on desks, chairs and bulletin boards in the school after the building's air conditioner system stopped working in July 2013. Subsequent air quality tests revealed fluctuating relative humidity and mold spore counts in the building. An environmental contractor's report concluded that the school system had taken the appropriate steps to remediate the problem. Last month, in a letter to a concerned parent, Board of Education Chairwoman Janet Siddiqui wrote that "at no point has this mold issue been a public Health hazard for our students and staff."

-- Amanda Yeager

The blossoming health and academic benefits of school gardens

-- CNN National: August 14, 2015 [ abstract]

Many of the kids who go to John J. Pershing Elementary School in Dallas do not spend much time outdoors. They live in what some would describe as unsafe neighborhoods and their parents often do not let them go outside and play. "They look at life through a window," said Margie Hernandez, the school's principal. But these kids are at least experiencing the great outdoors when they are at school. Four years ago, Pershing built a garden that has grown to include a pond and four chickens. Teachers take students into the garden at least once a week for class or just for a walk, to pick some basil or water the chickens. When they are in the garden, "children who normally would not speak or raise their hand are now engaging in a lesson without being prompted," Hernandez said. And the effects seem to last after they leave the garden. The students are scoring better on standardized tests and are just more excited in general about school.

-- Carina Storrs

Gov. Raimondo unveils $20M fund for school construction

-- WPRI12 Rhode Island: August 11, 2015 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) �" Making the case that Rhode Island schools need to be “safer, better and Healthier” learning environments, Gov. Gina Raimondo on Tuesday launched a new program aimed at repairing and refurbishing aging schoolhouses across the state. Known as the Rhode Island School Building Authority (SBA), the governor said the program and its advisory board will oversee the school construction process, starting with an independent assessment of all of the state’s school buildings. The SBA is funded with $20 million from the new 2015-16 state budget, money that will be used to immediately assist schools will smaller construction projects over the next year. Those projects will be determined in the coming weeks and Raimondo said work could begin as soon as September. “Too many kids in Rhode Island schools go to school with paint chipping on the walls and ceilings falling, so it’s time to fix that,” Raimondo told reporters following a kickoff event inside the newly renovated auditorium at Kickemuit Middle School in Warren. The $20-million cash infusion for the SBA is on top of $70.9 million that Raimondo and state lawmakers committed to reimburse school districts for projects they completed before the state placed a four-year moratorium on all new construction projects. The General Assembly lifted that moratorium this year.

-- Dan McGowan

School gardens help fruit, vegetables to flourish in low-income food deserts

-- The Christian Science Monitor National: August 10, 2015 [ abstract]

Green classrooms, incorporated into high school curricula, have sprouted nationwide to educate teenagers about nutrition and include them in community gardening. Participating students invest their time and energy in providing their neighborhoods with ready access to Healthy and affordable food. As a result, they may also improve academic performance and engagement at school and pass on their knowledge and habits to their families. Roshawn Little, a rising junior at Eastern High School in Washington, D.C., has worked with City Blossoms, a non-profit that brings community gardens to schools, for three years, NPR reported. She is paid to work Tuesday through Saturday and is one of nearly a dozen students harvesting vegetables for the weekend’s farmers market, where teens sell the produce they make, NPR noted. Little lives in an area defined as a "food desert" �" a neighborhood that lacks access to Healthy food, where junk-food restaurants typically outnumber grocery stores with fresh produce. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, about 23.5 million Americans live in food deserts.

-- Sanya Mansoor

State funding changes stand to benefit Park Rapids School District

-- Park Rapids Enterprise Minnesota: August 08, 2015 [ abstract]

The Park Rapids School Board approved a long-term facility maintenance plan which based on changes at the legislature should bring additional dollars into the district. School district business manager Carol Hutchinson reported to the board Monday legislation this past session changed, eliminating Health and safety and deferred maintenance funding, and creating a new Long Term Facilities Maintenance Revenue. The change makes facility funding more equitable across the state, Hutchinson said. LTMF revenue is an amount based on age of the buildings and pupil units.

-- Kevin Cederstrom

Environmental groups threaten suit to block construction of school at site of former city dump

-- The New Orleans Advocate Louisiana: August 04, 2015 [ abstract]

Environmental advocacy groups and alumni of Walter L. Cohen High School are threatening to sue the state Department of Education and the Recovery School District if they continue moving forward with construction of a new Cohen School on a contaminated site without first conducting more tests to determine whether it is hazardous. The notice of the potential lawsuit, sent on Monday to school officials and contractors working at the former Booker T. Washington School site on Earhart Boulevard, is the latest step in efforts to block the construction, which opponents say would place the Health of children attending the school at risk. The group Advocates for Environmental Human Rights and the Sierra Club are calling on the RSD to do testing �" in conjunction with experts from those organizations �" to determine whether contaminants left over from the days when the school site was part of the Clio Street/Silver City dump represent an environmental hazard under the law. The Cohen School alumni, who are being represented by the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic, are involved in the case because the school’s 500 students would be transferred to the new facility on the site. The school is now known as Cohen College Prep. “There hasn’t been any determination of whether hazardous waste is on the site,” said Monique Harden, an attorney with Advocates for Environmental Human Rights. “If you’re digging it up, you need to know for certain that it’s not hazardous.”

-- JEFF ADELSON

The Struggle To Breathe Life Back Into Empty Schools

-- NPR National: July 28, 2015 [ abstract]

Virginia Savage lives in a part of north St. Louis, Mo., that's filled with vacant buildings, including Marshall Elementary. It has been closed for years now, and vines crawl into the building's smashed-out windows. The playground is littered with empty liquor bottles. Savage went to school at Marshall as a young girl, and now she sees bigger problems beyond all those blemishes: "Drug dealers, drug users, eyesore. That's what I see." In St. Louis, the student enrollment is one-fourth the size it was in the 1960s. That drop has led the district to close 30 or so schools. It's the same story across the country in cities like Atlanta, Detroit and Chicago, where district leaders are facing the big question â€” what to do with all of those empty schools? Savage volunteers at a neighborhood church that used to be a vacant school, too. So she doesn't just see problems, she also sees potential. "Apartments, room for the homeless, a community center," she says. "There's a lot that can go on with this building." Empty buildings are difficult to secure, they can attract crime, and they fall apart quickly. So St. Louis Public Schools rounded up a group of volunteer architects, contractors and community Health experts to pitch developers and lure investors into doing something with these places. And because this all boils down to real estate, the first thing to do was throw a bunch of open houses at schools like Eliot Elementary, another stately historic school. It's more than 100 years old and classic St. Louis with an impressive stature, deep red brick and thick, wrought iron.

-- Staff Writer

Hawaii's DOE fined $1.4M for mishandling disposal of tainted soil

-- Star-Advertiser Hawaii: July 23, 2015 [ abstract]

The state Department of Education and several contractors have been fined $1.4 million for violating solid waste laws during the renovation of Radford High School’s track field last year. Last spring, the DOE stopped renovation work on the school’s track field after debris and soil samples tested positive for contaminants including lead and arsenic. The state Health Department on Thursday said it has issued four violation notices tied to the removal, transportation and disposal of soil contaminated with debris and concrete waste from the school construction site to a private residence in Kaneohe, a construction site in Kapolei and an unpermitted concrete recycling facility in Kailua. “Based on analytical laboratory results provided by DOE and its consultant, the transported soil was contaminated with heavy metals such as arsenic, barium, cadmium, lead, and mercury at amounts that exceeded DOH Environmental Action Levels posing a potential Health risk to the public,” the Health Department said in a statement.

-- Staff Writer

Schools get $300 million in state bond aid

-- PortlandTribune Oregon: July 03, 2015 [ abstract]

Oregon lawmakers, as one of their final actions of their 2015 session, approved $300 million in state bonds for seismic reinforcements and other building improvements in public schools. Also among the bond allocations are $45 million for nonroad projects under Connect Oregon, $35 million for a handful of highway projects, including outer Powell Boulevard in Portland, $7.5 million for the Willamette Falls riverwalk project near Oregon City, and smaller amounts for projects around Portland and Eastern Oregon. Bonds also will pay for the state's $200 million share of the Knight Cancer Center at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland â€” lawmakers had committed that money previously for the project, which has reached its $500 million match â€” and a $17.7 million state share of a multimillion-dollar replacement of the Multnomah County Courthouse in Portland. No money is proposed for seismic reinforcement and other renovations at the Capitol, which had a total price tag of $337 million, $34.5 million of which came from a bond issue two years ago for design and engineering. Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, was its most prominent champion, and called it â€�"a devastating loss.â€ â€�"But it is not my style to hold up a session over one issue, even one as important as this,â€ he said Friday.

-- Peter Wong

Princeton sues manufacturer over school PCBs

-- telegram.com Massachusetts: July 02, 2015 [ abstract]

PRINCETON - The town has filed a lawsuit against the largest manufacturer of PCBs to recoup the cost of removing the dangerous chemical from the Thomas Prince School. The town is asking for $700,000 in the property damage civil suit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Worcester. The defendants are Monsanto Co., the exclusive manufacturer of PCBs in the United States from 1935 to 1978; Pharmacia LL, the new name of Monsanto; and Solutia Inc., a global chemical manufacturer formed in 1997 by the divestiture of Monsanto Co., according to the lawsuit. PCB, or polychlorinated biphenyl, is an odorless man-made chemical composed of chlorine atoms attached to a double carbon-hydrogen ring. PCBs have been demonstrated to cause a variety of serious Health effects, including effects on the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system and endocrine system. PCBs, which cause cancer in animals, are also considered probable human carcinogens. PCBs were widely used in the construction and renovation of schools between 1950 and 1978. The chemical was found in the caulk around windows, door frames and other masonry building materials. Manufacture of the product was discontinued in 1979.

-- Elaine Thompson

"Hazardous, unsanitary" conditions inside city schools

-- Philly.com Pennsylvania: July 01, 2015 [ abstract]

City Controller Alan Butkovitz Wednesday detailed what he said were "hazardous and unsanitary" conditions inside Philadelphia schools. He said he found immediate Health hazards that went unaddressed by the Philadelphia School District. Over four months, members of the Controller's staff visited 20 schools throughout the city as a followup to a 2008 report citing problems with school facilities. Things were much the same, Butkovitz said. His staff found "fire hazards, electrical hazards, safety and tripping hazards, water damage, damaged or deterioriated masonry, and other damaged building elements," the report said. They believe the schools they examined are emblamatic of others across the district. Among the problems were a 600 volt electrical closet left open in an auditorium where children could access it; asbestos insulation in a hallway that was not properly sealed; and water damage at 95 percent of the schools visited. In some bathrooms, cockroaches were found on floors and toilets had waste permanently in them. "That's not something that happens in a first-world public facility," Butkovitz said. "That's totally unacceptable."

-- Kristen Graham

General Assembly adopts flexible school construction plan

-- The Valley Breeze Rhode Island: June 25, 2015 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE - An end to the four-year moratorium on state aid for school construction projects was approved by the Senate Tuesday with the adoption of state Sen. Ryan Pearson's school construction bill. Similar language had passed the House of Representatives with the budget package a week earlier. Pearson called the new plan "a welcome relief" in a state where school investment has been stalled since 2011. "This appropriation is a step in the right direction, and we hope it indicates a willingness to make investments in improving the state of school buildings in Rhode Island," Pearson said. Pearson had led a 2014 Senate task force on school construction aid. He says that prior to the 2011 moratorium, the Rhode Island Department of Education was approving construction projects without a clear fiscal cap. "It became completely uncontrollable," says Pearson, forcing the General Assembly to shut down the program entirely, except for repairs related to Health and safety.

-- Staff Writer

Federal panel backs $60 million for American Indian schools

-- Pioneer Press Minnesota: June 15, 2015 [ abstract]

A congressional subcommittee is backing $60 million in new funding for federally overseen schools for American Indian students that some lawmakers say are in "deplorable" condition. The U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies moved forward legislation including new money for school facilities overseen by the Bureau of Indian Education, or BIE. The committee issued a report that references "serious Health and safety hazards at BIE facilities across the country, including the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe" in northern Minnesota. It urges federal leaders to work with tribes to repair and replace rundown school buildings across the country. U.S. Rep. John Kline, R-Burnsville, visited the "Bug" school earlier this year to highlight the poor learning conditions students face there. Kline and other Minnesota lawmakers have pushed to make new funding for Native American students a priority. Many of Minnesota's American Indian students trail their peers academically. Only about half graduate high school on time. In a statement, Kline said he was pleased the subcommittee members acknowledged that Congress wasn't living up to its commitment to providing American Indian students with an "excellent education in a safe and Healthy environment." He added that more must be done to "untangle the maze of bureaucracy that continues to plague BIE schools and students."

-- Christopher Magan

Schools face drinking water safety mandate

-- The Cabinet Report California: June 11, 2015 [ abstract]

(Calif.) School districts, already required to provide free, fresh drinking water for students during meal times, could soon be mandated to make sure that water, if it comes from the tap, is also safe. Under SB 334 by Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, districts would have to provide “free, fresh, clean and cold” drinking water throughout the entire school day. In addition, the Department of Public Health would be required to test drinking water at a sampling of school sites for lead contamination. A second bill, AB 496, authored by Assemblyman Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, would require the California Department of Education to identify funding sources schools can access to improve drinking water quality. “In 2013, California declared a ‘Human Right to Water,’ affirming a state priority to have universal access to safe, clean and affordable water,” Rendon said in a statement following Assembly approval of his bill last week. “Now is the time to invest in the Health of our children and the integrity of the water systems they rely on at school.” Both legislators cite research indicating that “unsafe drinking water plagues school water systems at a startling rate” as their impetus for proposing statutory mandates to address the issue. Indeed, a 2009 Associated Press evaluation of 10 years’ worth of Environmental Protection Agency data found that California led the nation in number of schools in violation of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Drinking water at those schools and thousands across the country were found to contain unsafe levels of bacteria, lead, pesticides and other toxins. The AP study focused on schools that operate their own well systems �" but found that contaminants had surfaced at public and private schools, both rural and inner city, in all 50 states.

-- Kimberly Beltran

Timothy C. Duffy: Smart plan to assess, build R.I. schools

-- Providence Journal Rhode Island: June 10, 2015 [ abstract]

Public schools are the cornerstone of our communities. Our schools are where our children spend most of their time outside their homes, and we have a responsibility to ensure that every child in Rhode Island has the opportunity to learn in a warm, safe, clean and dry school. Rhode Island's economy is also in a tailspin, with bold change needed to spark a comeback and put people back to work. The recession and the moratorium on school construction have created challenges for local school districts to provide much-needed improvements. Current school regulations demand that new facilities receiving state aid meet the highest standards of building construction, but are silent on the quality of existing buildings. As a result, too many of our educators and students work and learn in facilities that are at best unpleasant, and at worst, unsafe. With the average school facility being 60 years old, tremendous inequity exists in schools across the state. Gov. Gina Raimondo's School Building Authority proposal sets out a new and efficient way to administer and fund school construction â€“ one that is focused on creating safe and Healthy learning spaces for all children, while also bringing predictability, sustainability, and fiscal responsibility to the state's school construction process. This program is designed to move quickly to create countless construction jobs in the process.

-- Timothy C. Duffy - Opinion

Sen. Schatz Introduces Legislation to Repair Schools

-- BiIslandNow.com Hawaii: June 04, 2015 [ abstract]

Legislation that would provide federal grants to states and local school districts to help them build, repair, and renovate school facilities was introduced by United States Senator Brian Schatz on Thursday. Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education introduced the legislation as the School Building Fairness Act of 2015. “When students are in a safe, well-maintained school environment, it improves their ability to learn and gives them a better shot at success. Today, a majority of our public schools in Hawai‘i and across the country are in disrepair. It’s unacceptable,” said Senator Schatz. “My bill invests in our students, giving states and local school districts the resources to build better schools and better futures for every student.” An estimated $197 billion is needed nationwide, according to a 2014 report that found that many public schools in the country were in need of modernization or repair.

-- Staff Writer

Redwood City officials consider how to spend $200M necessary to upgrade existing facilities

-- The Daily Journal California: May 27, 2015 [ abstract]

As officials in the Redwood City Elementary School District prioritize how to spend money from a proposed, upcoming bond measure required to fix aging classrooms and campuses, initial indications are there are more needs than the bond could finance. The district Board of Trustees is slated to approve a facilities master plan during its meeting Wednesday, May 27, which lays out the various issues to be addressed by the $193 million bond measure officials are considering putting on the fall ballot. But there are roughly $390 million worth of fixes and updates necessary to the district’s campuses, which could indicate officials may consider laying the groundwork for a second bond measure in coming years. John Gill Elementary as well as Garfield and Taft community schools are among the top priorities to receive a majority of the funds from the bond measure, as all require about $20 million or more in improvements, which would consume about $66 million of the $141 million that would likely to be available for projects, should the bond pass, according to a district report. But all district schools will benefit from improvements identified in the plan, Superintendent Jan Christensen wrote in an email. “Most of our schools are 50 years old, and three are more than 80 years old. The schools need updates to current Health, safety, fire and earthquake standards. The only way for the district to pay for the improvements detailed in the facilities master plan is by issuing a bond,” she said. “No other source of funding exists at this time; the state is not providing adequate funds for upgrading and repairing our schools.” Most of the bond money should be used to modernize and reconfigure classrooms and offices with structural upgrades, and improvements to windows, doors, floors, ceilings and paint, according the priorities identified in the report.

-- Austin Walsh

Marie Reed School Modernization Addressed in Fully Detailed Community and ANC-1C Vision Statement

-- TheInTowner District of Columbia: May 10, 2015 [ abstract]

The Adams Morgan Advisory Neighborhood Commission’s (ANC) well-advertised April 20th special meeting in the family room of the Marie Reed Elementary School drew a capacity crowd of ANC commissioners, DC public school and Health center administrators, teachers and education specialists, leaders of neighborhood citizen associations, parents �" some with their young children in tow �" and community activists, many of them users of facilities and services at Marie Reed, including those provided by the District’s Department of Parks and Recreation. The meeting was convened to allow the Commission to hear comments and reactions to a 20-page draft resolution entitled “Marie Reed: A Vision for its Renewal” �" widely circulated in English and, through DC Public Schools in Spanish for elementary school Spanish=speaking households throughout Adams Morgan �" and electronically accessible via the Adams Morgan/Yahoo listserv and on the ANC’s website. The draft resolution was the result of a series of community meetings and open forums conducted by the ANC and Marie Reed’s Principal Katie Lundgren beginning in the late fall of 2014 and continuing through the first four months of 2015. The ANC convened six open forums and consensus sessions, including a walk-through of the entire Marie Reed Learning Center “to gain first-hand insights on the infrastructure and to hear from teachers, administrators, and Health and human services staff.”

-- Anthony L. Harvey

Pontiac voters to decide Tuesday on sinking fund for school repairs

-- Oakland Press News Michigan: April 30, 2015 [ abstract]

Some Pontiac schools could close due to their poor condition if a sinking fund millage for repairs isn’t approved by voters Tuesday, the district said this week. The five-year, 2.87-mill sinking fund tax levy on the May 5 ballot would provide $35 million for critical repairs. “What we want are safe and well-operating school facilities so that our students are able to concentrate on their improved education and move forward,” Superintendent Kelley Williams said in a statement. “Better schools mean a stronger community, with more learning and career opportunities for our students, Healthier property values and most important, a brighter future for all.” The millage proposal comes in a district that signed a consent agreement with the state in 2013 and has since reduced what was a $51.7 million general fund deficit by 24 percent to $39.1 million, putting the school system two years ahead of schedule in its restructuring.

-- Dustin Blitchok

School Gardens Can Help Kids Learn Better And Eat Healthier. So Why Aren't They Everywhere?

-- Huffington Post National: April 29, 2015 [ abstract]

The case for garden-based learning in schools seems simple, even obvious, at first: What harm could there be in encouraging young children to connect with nature and learn more about the ecology around them, including where the food they eat comes from? But given the ever-growing demands on teachers’ time and the poor financial Health many of the nation’s school districts are in, the obstacles facing the school garden movement in the U.S. are clear. Both the challenges and possibilities are discussed at length in Ripe for Change, a new book on garden-based learning written by Jane Hirschi and published earlier this month. Hirschi is the founding director of CitySprouts, an initiative based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that seeks to establish gardens as learning tools in public schools nationwide. “School gardens, it turns out, are amazing places for kids to learn basic academic subjects, to understand what science and the natural world are all about,” Hirschi told The Huffington Post.

-- Joseph Erbentraut

Martinez: Las Juntas school will get its air conditioning

-- Contra Costa Times California: April 28, 2015 [ abstract]

MARTINEZ -- Heeding the demands of parents, teachers and others who have asserted students attending all district schools have the right to learn in a comfortable environment, the Martinez Unified School District board voted unanimously Monday to provide air conditioning to both John Swett and Las Juntas elementary schools. That decision came as part of a more sweeping approval of a plan for spending about $17.3 million in Measure K bond money, almost half of that to be spent in the next few years on a new building and major renovations on two other buildings on the Alhambra High School campus to accommodate planned new information and communications, engineering and Health sciences "career pathways." That $17.3 million remains from the $45 million originally generated with the Measure K bond's passage in 2010. The board has faced accusations of racial and socioeconomic discrimination over long-standing plans to pay for air conditioning at mostly white John Swett but not at largely Hispanic Las Juntas. Board trustee Denise Elsken took the brunt of that criticism, having said at an earlier board meeting that students at Las Juntas students might be better able to withstand hotter classrooms than those at John Swett, reasoning that most Las Juntas students were accustomed to living without air conditioning at home, and could better do without it at school.

-- Sam Richards

DIG Philly wins Knight Cities grant to reinvent schoolyards

-- thenotebook.org Pennsylvania: April 10, 2015 [ abstract]

DIG Philly is spreading the gospel of schoolyard conversion. â€�"Schoolyards are the next great urban spaces,â€ said Lois Brink, chief strategist for The Big SandBox, a nonprofit group that revitalizes schoolyards in Philadelphia. The Big SandBox received a $149,000 grant from the Knight Foundation to launch its campaign DIG Philly. The effort partners with schools, parents, and neighborhoods to turn school's outdoor play areas into community spaces, like gardens and parks. The goal is to start a civic movement among Philadelphians that will lead to the renovation of the city's 300 schoolyards into Healthy, green spaces used by diverse members of the community. It is one of seven grantees based in Philadelphia to receive a Knight Cities Challenge grant to make cities more successful. Overall, $5 million was given to 32 organizations in 26 cities with ties to Knight-owned newspapers. Another recipient was South Philly's Stoop, which received $147,000 to transform vacant space around the shuttered Bok High School into shared community space. The project is spearheaded by Lindsey Scannapieco, a developer who is also remaking the former school building into a maker space. The Big SandBox sees the potential of schoolyards to take learning beyond the classroom and make it participatory. Gardens, for example, would serve as research tools and make environmental learning tangible. â€�"A big piece of what we're trying to do is to change the perception of what a schoolyard is and what its power and potential can be, particularly in education,â€ said Brink. Research shows that green schoolyards can also reduce disruptions in classrooms, improve nutritional education and increase physical education options. Added benefits of increased physical activity also include improved physical and emotional Health.

-- Camden Copeland

Bill would ban building schools on toxic sites

-- WWLTV.com Louisiana: April 07, 2015 [ abstract]

NEW ORLEANS -- The Recovery School District hoped to break ground this spring on the former site of Booker T. Washington High School. However, lawsuits and public outcry have slowed the project down because of hazardous toxins at the site that was once a city dump. One local state lawmaker is now joining the fight. Spray-painted buildings and an overgrown lot is what is left of the former Booker T. Washington High School. Buried a few feet in the ground is an arsenal of toxins left over from the Clio Street Silver City dump. State Rep. Joseph Bouie, D-New Olreans, said the remaining toxins raise serious Health concerns. "As a member of the Booker T. Washington's marching band, we'd be in the yard kickin' up dust, football team would be there," said Bouie, who attended the school. "I can tell you of about 15 members of the team who have died." The city dump was in operation until the 1930s. It was shut down to make way for low-income housing and the Central City high school. State records show that several toxins were found at the Roman Street address like mercury, lead and arsenic, in some cases at unHealthy levels. The Recovery School District wants to rebuild at the former high school site. A remediation plan calls for removing a few feet of top soil, installing a protective layer, and then adding more dirt. But Bouie, who addressed a group inside New Zion Baptist Church on Tuesday night, is trying to pass legislation prohibiting school authorities from building new facilities on a toxic waste sites.

-- Tania Dall

West Contra Costa school board to create plan for future construction

-- Contra Costa Times California: April 02, 2015 [ abstract]

For the first time in eight years, the West Contra Costa school district will create a new plan to help guide future construction. The school board on Wednesday unanimously voted to seek an outside consultant to develop a long-range school facilities plan and to create a special committee to rank projects that could be built with money remaining in the district's $1.6 billion bond construction program. Trustee Madeline Kronenberg said the district should freeze decisions on new construction projects until the plan, which is expected to take 10 months to complete, is approved by the board. After voting for the plan, Board President Todd Groves cautioned that trustees would face "tough decisions" in the future because there is not enough money left to rebuild about a dozen schools that haven't yet been upgraded. After trustee Val Cuevas urged the district to spend money more efficiently, Superintendent Bruce Harter said the district could re-evaluate its construction standards to see if modifications might save money. Trustee Liz Block -- who has been critical of "extras" such as community kitchens, a mock courtroom, mock Health clinic and retractable swim center roof -- said the district should ask whether such items are "educationally necessary" before moving ahead.

-- Theresa Harrington

Schools in favor of Gov. Dayton's pre-school proposal if they have space

-- DL-Online Minnesota: March 29, 2015 [ abstract]

Area school superintendents agree that getting 4-year-olds into the classroom on a regular basis is a good idea, but some say they don’t have the space to implement the proposal. ADVERTISEMENT VIDEOPRINT White Earth Reservation Tribal Council WHITE EARTH RESERVATION TRIBAL COUNCIL LOVE WORKING WITH CHILDREN? BECOME A TEACHER AT THE CIRCLE OF LIFE SCHOOL. COMP SALARY & BENEFITS! VIDEOPRINT Northwest Technical College NORTHWEST TECHNICAL COLLEGE 88% OF GRADUATES ARE HIRED IN THEIR FIELD OF STUDY, OR CONTINUE TO PURSUE A BACHELORS DEGREE PRINT Join Our Growing Team! JOIN OUR GROWING TEAM! HIRING ENTRY LEVEL GENERAL LEDGER ACCOUNTANT! COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION AND GROWTH OPPORTUNITY! PRINT Family Healthcare FAMILY HealthCARE SEEKING A DENTIST FOR NEW, BEAUTIFUL & MODERN FACITILY! GREAT PAY/BENEFITS + TUITION REIMBURSEMT. VIDEOPRINT Mayville State University MAYVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY COMPLETELY ONLINE, ACCELERATED RN TO BSN PROGRAM FOR CURRENT RNS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL VIDEOPRINT Rural Minnesota CEP RURAL MINNESOTA CEP JOB FAIR APRIL 9 3-6PM COME JOIN US PRINT CUSTOM EXECUTIVE HOME IN PRESCOTT AZ NO MORE FREEZING IN THE WINTER! VIDEOPRINT Voyager Industries VOYAGER INDUSTRIES VOYAGER INDUSTRIES, BRANDON MN SEEKS A MARKETING COORDINATOR VIDEOPRINT White Earth Reservation Tribal Council WHITE EARTH RESERVATION TRIBAL COUNCIL LOVE WORKING WITH CHILDREN? BECOME A TEACHER AT THE CIRCLE OF LIFE SCHOOL. COMP SALARY & BENEFITS! VIDEOPRINT Northwest Technical College NORTHWEST TECHNICAL COLLEGE 88% OF GRADUATES ARE HIRED IN THEIR FIELD OF STUDY, OR CONTINUE TO PURSUE A BACHELORS DEGREE PREVIOUS NEXT VIEW ALL OFFERS | ADD YOUR BUSINESS Gov. Mark Dayton wants to spend about $348 million, nearly a fifth of Minnesota’s budget surplus on creating a universal preschool program for Minnesota’s 4-year-olds. That would make Minnesota one of just a few states to offer universal, full-day pre-K. In a nutshell, here’s what the local superintendents said: Frazee-Vergas has the space available and welcomes the opportunity to expand its existing programming for 4-year-olds. Waubun-Ogema-White Earth will have to do some tweaking but has some extra space in its early childhood center and could make the proposal work. Detroit Lakes and Lake Park-Audubon just don’t have the room to expand to cover all 4-year-olds for five hours a day. Detroit Lakes hopes to solve the problem through a school construction project.

-- Nathan Bowe

Some Eastern Connecticut school playgrounds getting upgrades

-- The Norwich Bulletin Connecticut: March 29, 2015 [ abstract]

Several Eastern Connecticut school playgrounds will be receiving upgrades thanks to a series of recently approved state grants. The State Bond Commission this month approved funding for early childhood-related projects in Plainfield, Sterling and Lisbon, many of them focusing on student recreation. In Plainfield, part of an $81,902 grant will be used to add handicap-accessible playground equipment outside the district's Early Childcare Center, which includes students from the Readiness and Head Start programs. A canvas-draped shell will be replaced with a gazebo-style shaded area, and a second play area will get a new ramp and fencing, said Rena Cadro, district director of curriculum and grants. "These are the type of upgrades we couldn't do without grant money," she said. "We're looking to do the upgrades within the year." Barbara Tetreault, head teacher and assistant director of the Readiness Program, said approximately 63 preschool students are on the playgrounds on any given day. "The students go outside three times each day, weather permitting," she said. "It's really important at that age that the children have chances to go out, expel some energy and be Healthy."

-- John Penney

25 Public Schools Awarded School Garden Grants to Increase Student Exposure to Healthy Food Choices

-- OSSE District of Columbia: March 26, 2015 [ abstract]

(Washington, DC) �" The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) announced today that 25 District of Columbia public and public charter schools have been awarded school garden grants, totaling $360,595. Through the School Garden Grant Program, under the DC Healthy Schools Act, six additional schools will plant new gardens and introduce students to new nutritional foods, how their food is grown and the physical and enjoyable benefits of gardening. “Increasing access to educational tools that teach students to make Healthy choices is essential to child development,” said State Superintendent Hanseul Kang. “We are extremely pleased that our school garden program continues to grow in the District to demonstrate the importance of firsthand learning experiences that develop lifelong Healthy habits.” With107 active school gardens in the District, this grant aims to support schools and the 37.4 percent of children in DC who live in households that are food insecure, according to DC Hunger Solutions. The funds will establish a school wellness committee and a school garden coordinator for both new and active school gardens in order to implement school garden and farm to school programming and integrate overall wellness in to the mission of the schools.

-- Victoria Holmes

Parents raise concerns after learning air quality may close Spencer school

-- myFOXboston.com Massachusetts: March 26, 2015 [ abstract]

SPENCER, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- State inspectors will return to a Spencer elementary school to assess air quality issues amidst mounting parent concern. Earlier this week, school committee members voted to close Lake Street School after revealing that in January 2014, state environmental Health inspectors found high levels of carbon dioxide and major issues with the school's aging ventilation since. After parents expressed concerns, district officials held a meeting Thursday night where they announced the inspectors will return for an emergency assessment on Friday. "We have no concerns at this point. We have no reason to have any concerns about safety," said school committee chairman Kevin Hayes. Superintendent N. Tracy Crowe told parents she recommended to close the school only because it would cost too much money to fix the ventilation problems. FOX25 obtained a report that showed state investigators first recommended the district evaluate the ventilation and repair or replace in 2006 - which district officials did not do. "I don't know why nothing's been done," said parent Shauna Evans. "I would like a game plan, and answers why the kids keep getting runny noses, and coughs and colds." In a 2014 state inspection, investigators noted those symptoms are results of long term exposure to elevated levels of carbon dioxide, which were found throughout the building.

-- Staff Writer

School district faced bankruptcy, forced to close two elementaries

-- mLive Michigan: March 24, 2015 [ abstract]

WOODLAND, MI - Lakewood Public Schools Superintendent Michael O'Mara says a budget crisis due to declining enrollment was the driving force behind the district's recent decision to consolidate schools. "Bankruptcy was a year away," O'Mara said. "We have lost over 500 kids in the last 10 years and are projected to lose 125 students over the next three to five years." The school board decided earlier this month to close two of its four elementary schools - Clarksville and Sunfield. Next fall, West Elementary will serve students in first through fourth grade and Woodland Elementary will teach preschool and kindergarten students. Lakewood Middle School will expand to serve grades 5 through 8. O'Mara said he understands closing the small, rural schools is emotional for many in those communities. "This decision was made in what we believe was the in the best interest of of our kids in school," he said. "Long-term this will keep the Health of our district and provide those students the best education possible. This decision had to be about the kids, not the adults." The move saves the 1,948-student district $900,000. Still, he said it is not a silver bullet because a lot unknowns still exist, including state funding. Clarksville has 114 students and Sunfield has 155 students, according to the state. Ten years ago, the schools had 133 students and 202 students, respectively.

-- Monica Scott

Citizen's Lawsuit Alleges PCB Contamination In Malibu Classrooms

-- Santa Monica Mirror California: March 23, 2015 [ abstract]

A citizen's lawsuit filed today accuses Malibu school officials of violating the federal Toxic Substances Control Act by failing to decontaminate the city's combined elementary, middle and high school campuses of allegedly illegal levels of cancer-causing chemicals embedded in caulk and other building materials. The suit, lodged in Los Angeles federal court, seeks immediate removal of materials identified as containing toxic polychlorinated biphenyls -- PCBs -- in concentrations above those allowed by law. The plaintiffs are also seeking expedited PCB testing of all school facilities. Gail Pinsker, a Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District spokeswoman, said she had not yet seen the lawsuit, and, in any case, could not comment on pending litigation. The suit was filed by America Unites for Kids, representing parents and other concerned Malibu residents, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, on behalf of Concerned Malibu/Cabrillo Teachers, a group of 30 teachers and staff at the Malibu schools. The complaint names all members of the district's board of education, its superintendent, associate superintendent and chief financial officer. The suit alleges that since October 2013, when a group of 20 teachers jointly complained of Health problems, including thyroid cancers they believed were linked to contaminated classrooms, the district has avoided a comprehensive source testing of the campuses. Instead of immediately addressing PCBs allegedly embedded in building materials, the district has scheduled work to begin in late June, according to the complaint.

-- Staff Reporter

State payments authorized for disaster recovery, safe rooms

-- The Joplin Globe Missouri: March 19, 2015 [ abstract]

Joplin area school districts and Mercy Health are among those in Southwest Missouri that will soon receive more than $20.3 million in disaster assistance payments for tornado rebuilding and $6.5 million in reimbursement toward the cost of building safe rooms. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on Thursday signed House Bill 16, which allows the State Emergency Management Agency to pay out federal funds that were due for local recovery and hazard mitigation for schools and hospitals as well as road and bridge repair and debris removal by towns and state agencies. "From the new high school in Joplin to repairing roads and bridges damaged by floods in Phelps and Pulaski counties, these federal disaster funds are urgently needed to reimburse local communities across the state," Nixon said in a statement. SEMA has received requests since January to reimburse $36.5 million for more than 200 projects across the state, his office said. The Joplin School District has obtained bridge loans to help with rebuilding and safe room construction while waiting on some of its reimbursements. The district is to receive $5,286,960 in disaster assistance payments and $3,679,839 for safe room construction reimbursement.

-- DEBBY WOODIN

West Fargo district expects renovation projects to cost more than projected

-- INFORUM North Dakota: March 09, 2015 [ abstract]

WEST FARGO �" Renovations at West Fargo High School will likely cost more than school officials here anticipated because of the rising cost of construction and supplies. Julie Newman Rokke of YHR Partners �" the Moorhead-based architecture firm in charge of the project �" told the School Board on Monday that it may have to cut some of the project’s planned features to keep costs under budget. One of the reasons for the potential increased costs: Sanford Health is hogging the area’s drywall contractors. Construction of Sanford’s new hospital in south Fargo is limiting the number of available drywall contractors in the Fargo-Moorhead area, Neman Rokke said. “Sanford hospital probably has five acres of drywall going in right now,” Newman Rokke said. “So we’ve been struggling as we bid things recently, getting our drywall.” The West Fargo High School project will add six new classrooms and rearrange other spaces to accommodate more students. The district originally set aside $340,000 for the renovations, but that cost could increase to $410,000 if the board approves every line item planned when the project comes up for bids in mid-April.

-- Josh Francis

School Facilities Committee to seek $15 million for health and safety

-- The Valley Breeze Rhode Island: February 24, 2015 [ abstract]

NORTH PROVIDENCE - With time running out to submit enabling legislation for the $76.3 million school district facilities overhaul, the North Providence Facilities Committee decided to move forward on $15 million in immediate Health and safety needs, which does not include renovations for the three 1930s-era schools set to be demolished under the master plan. The motion to delay the main project came after committee members learned of the March 1 deadline for new legislation. State Rep. William O'Brien, of District 54 in North Providence, told the committee at the Feb. 19 meeting it would have to wait until January to seek enabling legislation for the $76.3 million bond. But, he said, "You still have time to put forward the Health and safety bill and get that money." Finance Director John McNamee said because the money is being sought for immediate Health and safety at the schools, the legislation for that could be introduced at the Statehouse anytime before May.

-- JESSICA BOISCLAIR

Cumberland County schools asking state to change funding formula

-- fayobserver.com North Carolina: February 09, 2015 [ abstract]

The Cumberland County schools need funding help from the state, officials from the school system and county government told members of the county's legislative delegation Monday. The pleas were made during a meeting to discuss legislative goals at the outset of a new session of the General Assembly. During the meeting, school system officials asked legislators to push to restore lottery funding for school capital needs, revise the low-wealth school-funding formula, fully fund state-mandated education programs such as driver's education and oppose shifting the cost of replacing school buses from the state onto the counties. County government officials asked the legislators to support continued state funding of Medicaid, the current model of public mental Health administration and restoration of state aid funding for public libraries and to work to reverse changes to a childcare subsidy program for working families. School and county leaders decided to hold the joint meeting since county funds are a key piece of the school system's operating budget - nearly 22 percent in 2013-14. State funds accounted for nearly 64 percent of the school operating budget, with the remainder coming from federal funds and grants. "We share funding goals," said Kenneth Edge, chairman of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. "We thought it would be more efficient to meet together." John Szoka, a Republican House member from Fayetteville who is chairman of the local delegation, said the joint meeting was "a great idea so we can hear one voice from the county schools and the county commissioners."

-- Catherine Pritchard

How safe is your school building?

-- recordonline.com New York: January 31, 2015 [ abstract]

More than 50,000 of the mid-Hudson's 95,000 public school students are sitting in classroom buildings with unsafe Health and safety systems or serious structural problems, according to state Education Department-mandated building inspections. Though there are no indications that any of the buildings are on the verge of collapsing, 2010 and 2012 safety inspections labelled critical components in dozens of mid-Hudson classroom buildings as "unsatisfactory." The rating is the official term for when a building component is not working properly. And when the problems are related to what are called critical systems - the structure of the building or Health-and-safety systems - a whole building is rated unsatisfactory. In such cases, the building is legally unsafe, according to a statement provided by Education Department spokesman Jonathan Burman. But which buildings are unsafe? And how bad are they? The inspection reports may hold the answers, but a Times Herald-Record investigation of the reports indicates that no one at the state level and few at the local level review them for years, if ever, and the reports themselves may not be all that accurate or reliable. No one doubts that many buildings are old and worn. Experts say they often don't meet the educational needs of current and future students. Repairing or replacing, even just maintaining them, is expensive, and local taxpayers have more than once refused to approve money for projects.

-- Paul Brooks

Post navigation LA Unified making plans to upgrade buildings most in need

-- LA School Report California: January 21, 2015 [ abstract]

LA Unified is getting close to fixing its schools most in need of repair. Superintendent Ramon Cortines has developed a priority list for rehabilitating 11 campuses, once the Bond Oversight Committee, then the school board approve his plans. In a memo to school board members last week, Cortines said he would present his plan to the bond committee on Feb 27, and with its blessing, put it before the board for a vote in March. The modernization projects, called the School Upgrade Program, represents the next phase of the district’s bond program. The majority of the funding �" approximately, $4.2 billion �" would come from the district’s forthcoming Measure Q bond sale, with additional money from bonds that were previously sold. “Despite the billions of dollars invested in building new school facilities and improving older school facilities, this district still has a facilities crisis,” Cortines explained in the memo. “Due to the size of the district, and the significant need for capital improvements, many aging and deteriorating school facilities were left unaddressed.” Cortines has talked of embarking on the renovations projects, a mandate begun under his previous superintendency, since his return to the district in October. Over the last few months, he said, “I directed staff to move forward with identifying secondary school sites with the worst physical conditions; those that may pose a Health and safety risk or negatively impact a school’s ability to deliver the instructional program and/or operate.”

-- Vanessa Romo

6 firms cited for asbestos violations during work at Evanston school

-- Chicago Tribune Illinois: December 31, 2014 [ abstract]

Federal safety officials say six Chicago-area companies have been cited after workers allegedly were exposed to asbestos and other hazards while renovating a middle school in Evanston. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the exposure occurred during the summer renovation of the Chute Middle School cafeteria. The agency is proposing a combined $132,000 in penalties. OSHA and Illinois Department of Public Health officials say the companies didn't require employees to limit asbestos exposure or wear personal protective equipment while cutting pipes that contained asbestos, failed to take air samples and didn't properly dispose of debris.

-- Associated Press

Pasco superintendent wants to close Moore-Mickens school

-- The Tampa Tribune Florida: December 30, 2014 [ abstract]

DADE CITY �" By August, students will no longer be educated at Moore-Mickens Education Center, which was Pasco County’s first school for black children. Similar plans were debated early last year, but Superintendent Kurt Browning changed his mind after many members of the area’s black community protested at heavily-attended community meetings. Students now enrolled at Moore-Mickens will instead take courses and attend programs at locations closer to their homes, Browning said, adding that he can make all of the “logical arguments” necessary to justify moving students out of the aged, asbestos-filled building. “What I will have a hard time with is the emotional case,” Browning said. “Nobody can make that emotional case. It was the county’s first black school. If we were rolling in all kinds of money, we’d give serious thought into putting money into that structure. “But, this building has declined over many years. Now, I have to be superintendent and make a decision. We’re literally going to pick up programs as they are and relocate them to other sites.” Browning said it costs taxpayers about $2.4 million annually to keep the campus open. About 130 students attend Moore-Mickens, where programs include adult education, a Cyesis program for pregnant teenagers and an early childhood education program for child-care workers. “We’re not going to bulldoze the building, but every time you move a ceiling tile or drill a hole in a wall, you run the risk of disturbing asbestos,” Browning said. “Why would I want to expose our students, their children and faculty and staff to long-term Health risks?” The school is a landmark in Dade City’s black community, tracing its roots to Moore Elementary and Mickens High School, which were all-black schools in the decades before integration.

-- GEOFF FOX

School Facilities Department Requests Modest Budget Increase

-- Wyoming Public Media Wyoming: December 22, 2014 [ abstract]

The Legislature’s Appropriations Committee has approved a modest budget increase for the state agency responsible for building and maintaining Wyoming’s K-12 schools. The State had given the School Facilities Department nearly $430 million dollars for school construction in 2015 and 2016. In a supplemental budget request, the agency asked for $21 million additional dollars to account for inflation, unanticipated costs and Health and safety projects. Director Bill Panos told lawmakers his agency has worked to decrease the size of its request�"compared to past years. “In 2011, we requested $183 million dollars in our supplemental request,” said Panos. “In 2013, we requested $209 million. And in 2015, this year, we’re requesting approximately $21 million in additional funds. We listened.” Panos says part of the reason for the decrease is that the agency was better able to keep its projects under budget this year than in years past.

-- AARON SCHRANK

South Philadelphia High drives toward becoming a community school

-- The Notebook Pennsylvania: December 15, 2014 [ abstract]

For Kamoy Gumbs, a senior at South Philadelphia High School, the school day doesn’t end after the final bell. Instead, he heads up to the third floor to do some homework in the school’s teen lounge before he trades his pencil for an apron. “I love cooking, and one of my friends told me about it, so I came over,” said Gumbs, 17, who takes part in a culinary arts program after school provided by Sunrise of Philadelphia, a social services organization. “I started in 10th grade -- it’s my third year. I go every day.” Southern, as the school is often called, has been working with local service providers like Sunrise for three years to provide afterschool programming and social services inside its building for students, parents, and, when it can, other community members. In addition to the culinary program, the school offers many other services, including class credit recovery, sexual Health education, outpatient therapy, college preparation for children of migrant and refugee parents, and social benefit access. In August, City Council held a hearing on the possibility of creating “community schools” in the District. Then, in late October, the District’s chief of student services, Karyn Lynch, announced tentative plans to turn Southern and Strawberry Mansion into community schools. Although definitions vary somewhat, the idea of a community school is grounded in a notion of the neighborhood school as a vital educational and social service hub in the community. Classes are held like at any other school, but a community school threads social and academic supports into its educational model, forging partnerships with neighborhood services that cater to students and their families.

-- Payne Schroeder

Seattle School District seeks playground space for more portables

-- King 5 News Washington: December 08, 2014 [ abstract]

SEATTLE -- Making more space to learn could mean less space to play. That's the dilemma facing at least one Seattle elementary school that could end up losing part of its playground for up to four more portables. Parents for Playgrounds and Proper Planning is trying to stop it. They say they're concerned about the district's effort to change the zoning so it can legally add more portables at Laurehurst Elementary. The school is currently zoned for 35 percent building lot coverage. The district wants to increase that to 45 percent. "Play takes space," said parent Jill Geary. "And if you start filling up that space with portables where are the kids going to play?" In a written statement, the District admits adding portables reduces available play space for students. "However, it is a necessary step to have more instructional space when we don't have the current fiscal capacity to physically expand all of our buildings through a renovation process." Parents say Laurehurst already has the smallest lot size of all eleven northeast elementary schools and the highest building-to-lot ratio. "It doesn't make sense to put more kids on our playground and yet take away the space that they need to play and be Healthy," said Geary. Geary also cites studies that suggest recess is critical to a student's overall success. And taking away play space sets a dangerous precedent. "Children need to be able to play. And they need to be outside. We're hearing more and more from every level that play is important to kids, important for their Health and conquering the obesity problem," said Geary.

-- Meg Coyle

Mahoning Valley lawmakers push for state funding reform for school buildings

-- Daily Legal News Ohio: November 25, 2014 [ abstract]

A new piece of proposed legislation designed to cut local taxes and reduce the costs of funding school construction has been filed into both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly. Senate Bill 376, led by Sen. Joe Schiavoni, D-Boardman, and House Bill 650, sponsored by Rep. Ron Gerberry, D-Austintown, would require the state to pay set percentages of school construction costs while decreasing the cost of local school improvement levies by 12.5 percent for local property taxpayers. In a statement, the lawmakers said the proposed changes would increase the fairness of school construction funding. The proposal would cap local matching funds at 75 percent of total school improvement costs through the Classroom Facilities Assistance Program and establish a 50-50 cost share between the state and local districts for construction under the Exceptional Needs Program, a funding model that prioritizes single building replacement based on student Health and safety. The current funding system is based on an assessed property valuation per student. “The state needs to make a greater investment into public education now and into the future,” Schiavoni said. “This legislation will take some of the burden off local taxpayers while ensuring that our young people have more opportunities to succeed.” If enacted, the measure would reduce the increased cost of local levies for some schools by reinstating the 12.5 percent state cost sharing for local school improvement levies that was eliminated in the last state budget.

-- TIFFANY L. PARKS

Guilford County Schools move forward with nine school construction projects

-- Fox8 WGHP North Carolina: November 21, 2014 [ abstract]

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. �" Thursday night the Guilford County Board of Education approved the increased estimated budget for nine school projects. The nine school projects include renovations, expansions and complete replacements based on the number of deferred maintenance repairs. Northwood Elementary School tops the list with an estimated cost of $487,500. The Guilford County Health Department said the kitchen in school cafeteria is undersized and must be changed to better serve the school. Dudley and Northwest High School are second and third on the list due to the traffic concerns the existing layout creates. Bluford STEM Academy Constriction Director Sam Masters said the priority order could change at any time. Construction bids for the projects will start in March 2015. Masters said if the actual cost is more than the budget a project could be left out or the school board would have to ask commissioners for more money. “All the money’s covered and we have about $5 to $5.5 million left after that but that’s not a lot of cushion when you’re talking about $84 million worth of construction costs,” Masters said. “They would start with the top priority and work our way down and then maybe one project at the end doesn’t get done if we’re over budget.”

-- JASMINE SPENCER

Report: School kitchens need equipment

-- EdSource California: November 13, 2014 [ abstract]

The vast majority of school kitchens in California need equipment �" from a $5 student meal tray to a $297,000 steam kettle capable of cooking and chilling 5,000 meals a day �" to be more successful at serving lunches that meet federal nutrition standards, according to a report released Thursday. And two of three school districts reported needing additional training for school nutrition staff to fully implement the nutrition requirements, according to the report by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The California Endowment. In a survey of 238 randomly selected school district food service departments in the state, 93 percent said they needed at least one piece of kitchen equipment to help them store fresh, canned and frozen foods, prepare entrees and serve meals, the report said. Statewide, 95 percent of school districts are meeting the nutrition standards introduced in 2012, which call for more fruits and vegetables, low-fat foods and whole grains, the report said. But food service employees often manually chop pounds of fruits and vegetables, keep food off-site and drive it back every day because of lack of storage space, and prepare lunch in shifts because of lack of counter space, the report said. Many equipment needs pre-date the requirement that schools serve Healthier meals, said Jessica Donze Black, director of the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, a collaboration of The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The increase in servings of fruits and vegetables, and the renewed emphasis on fresh rather than processed foods, has prompted the call for more preparation space, slicers, knives and refrigeration and other equipment, Black said.

-- Jane Meredith Adams

Advocates question Paterson school district’s lack of building repair applications

-- NorthJersey.com New Jersey: November 05, 2014 [ abstract]

PATERSON �" During the past 40 months, Paterson education officials have not filed any requests for state funding through a program designed to provide money to fix impending Health and safety problems in urban schools. The lack of applications under the state’s “emergent repairs” program has frustrated local education advocates, especially because state-appointed superintendent Donnie Evans has said that the Paterson district ranks high in New Jersey in terms of facilities’ needs. “So our kids got to sit in run down schools?” said Linda Reid, president of the city’s Parents Education Organizing Council. “We’re always blaming the state, the state, the state,” said city school board member Flavio Rivera. “But the state has resources and we’re not trying to take advantage of that. Who’s been minding the store?” Rivera initially made comments about the district’s lack of emergent repairs at a board meeting in October. To verify what Rivera was saying, Paterson Press filed a public records request for all emergent repair applications that the district filed with the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, the agency that runs the program, since July 2011. The district responded that no applications existed. “That is going to be corrected,” said school board president Chris Irving.

-- JOE MALINCONICO

"School-based health centers" could be the future of medicine for teens

-- elevation DC District of Columbia: October 20, 2014 [ abstract]

While a school nurse can hand out band-aids and Tylenol, Jason Beverly, a medical provider at Anacostia Senior High School, can prescribe and administer antibiotics, allergy meds and more. Beverly is part of a movement in over 2,000 "school-based Health centers" across the nation that aim to change medical care for school-aged youth. These centers, in several D.C. public high schools, provide a full range of Health services from treatments for the common cold, headaches and asthma, administer vision and hearing screenings, and help students stay up to date on immunizations and physicals. Some centers even have full dental laboratories. Forget what you remember about the school nurseâ€”this is serious Healthcare. â€�"We function as a full-service primary adolescent care clinic, so we augment the services that have been traditionally provided by the school nursing program,â€ says Beverly, family nurse practitioner and full-time Healthcare provider at Anacostia Senior High School. "We assist children in staying in school and graduating successfully." Each center is a collaboration with DCPS, the DC Department of Heath and local Health institutions. The Anacostia centerâ€”entering its third year-- is run by Medstar Georgetown University Hospital. About 60 percent of the student bodyâ€”500 studentsâ€”are signed up to receive services. In addition to keeping students' Health intact, the most fundamental aspect of the centers is their ability to keep students' heads in the books. â€�"We assist children in staying in school and graduating successfully,â€ says Beverly. Anacostia's center sees an average of 12 students per day, who are given treatment then sent back to class, whereas previously, students would have to leave school, travel to a clinic and miss countless hours of class time, or perhaps not be treated at all for minor symptoms. In other words, if you can't bring the student to the doctor, bring the doctor to the student.

-- Christina Sturdivant

Indian Schools Face Decayed Buildings, Poverty

-- abc News Bureau of Indian Education: October 18, 2014 [ abstract]

Federally owned schools for Native Americans on reservations are marked by remoteness, extreme poverty and a lack of construction dollars. They also are among the nation's lowest performing. The Obama administration is pushing ahead with an improvement plan that gives tribes more control. But the effort is complicated by the disrepair of so many buildings, not to mention the federal legacy of forcing American Indian children from their homes to attend boarding schools. Consider Little Singer Community School, with 81 students on a remote desert outpost. The vision for the school came in the 1970s from a medicine man who wanted area children to attend school locally. Here's the reality today: a cluster of rundown classroom buildings containing asbestos, radon, mice and mold. Students often come from families struggling with domestic violence, alcoholism and a lack of running water at home, so nurturing is emphasized. The school provides showers, along with shampoo and washing machines. Teachers have no housing, so they commute together about 90 minutes each morning on barely passable dirt roads. The school is on the government's priority list for replacement. It's been there since at least 2004. Not even one-quarter of students were deemed proficient in reading and math on a 2012-2013 assessment. "We have little to work with, but we make do with what we have," says Verna Yazzie, a school board member. The 183 schools are spread across 23 states and fall under the jurisdiction of the Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Education.

-- KIMBERLY HEFLING AP Education Writer

EPA Releases Guidance to Improve Schools’ Indoor Air Quality and Energy Efficiency

-- enewspf.com National: October 17, 2014 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON --(ENEWSPF)--October 17, 2014. Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new guidance to help school districts protect indoor air quality while increasing energy efficiency during school renovations. “This guidance provides common-sense solutions for improving energy efficiency and indoor air quality in schools across the country,” said Janet McCabe, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “By using these guidelines, school districts can cut their energy bills and help ensure that students have a Healthy and safe learning environment.” Both energy management and protection of indoor air quality (IAQ) are important considerations for school facility management during energy upgrades and retrofits, and schools can protect occupant Health by addressing both goals holistically. These renovation and construction activities can create dust, introduce new contaminants and contaminant pathways, create or aggravate moisture problems, and result in inadequate ventilation in occupied spaces. EPA’s Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for School Building Upgrades offers opportunities to prevent and control potentially harmful conditions during school renovations. The practices outlined in the new guidance support schools as Healthy, energy-efficient buildings that play a significant role in local communities. Nearly 55 million elementary and secondary students occupy our schools, as well as 7 million teachers, faculty and staff. In addition, many communities use school buildings after regular school hours as after-care facilities, recreation centers, meeting places and emergency shelters during natural disasters.

-- Staff Writer

State of California Announces $94 Million for School Construction Projects

-- Imperial Valley News California: October 16, 2014 [ abstract]

Sacramento, California - The State Allocation Board (SAB) announced today that it has awarded approximately $94 million for school construction projects throughout the state. The SAB awarded approximately $94 million for 352 Emergency Repair Program (ERP) projects within 51 school districts. The ERP provides grant and/or reimbursement funding to school districts for the cost of repairing or replacing existing building systems or structural components that are broken or not functioning properly and which pose a Health and safety threat to students and staff at eligible school sites. The ERP funds will be released automatically and should be deposited into district accounts within five weeks of today’s meeting. "The State Allocation Board’s actions today provide cash apportionments for emergency repair projects across the state," said SAB Chair Eraina Ortega, who also serves as Chief Deputy Director, Policy at the California Department of Finance. "The funds will be distributed to school districts within five weeks so local emergency repair projects can move forward as quickly as possible."

-- Staff Writer

$2B draft bill for K-12 would be largest in ND history

-- Dickinson Press North Dakota: October 15, 2014 [ abstract]

BISMARCK �" North Dakota lawmakers got their first look at a draft bill Wednesday that proposes more than $400 million in new spending for K-12 education in the next two years, part of a $2 billion package that would be the largest education funding bill in state history. Of the roughly $405 million increase in spending, about $280 million would follow students, including a 3 percent bump in the per-student funding rate in each year of the 2015-2017 biennium. The other $125 million would be available as low-interest school construction loans to growing school districts. Sen. Tim Flakoll, R-Fargo, chairman of the Legislature’s interim Education Funding Committee, which requested the draft bill and reviewed it Wednesday, called it “a really a strong bill going into the session.” “We’re really in a nice time where we are able to do some very nice things with the strong economy that we have,” he said. The per-student funding rate would jump to $9,482 in 2015-16 �" a $390 increase over the current rate �" and to $9,766 in 2016-17. “There were years when we were excited if we had a $25 per student increase, and we’ve certainly come a long way from that,” Flakoll said. The rates are derived from a report presented to the 19-member committee in June by consulting firm Picus Odden & Associates, which recommended raising the rates to account for rising pension benefits and Health care cost estimates.

-- Mike Nowatzki

D.C.'s New Ballou High School Also Meets Community Needs

-- ENR.com District of Columbia: October 10, 2014 [ abstract]

When the 800 students of Frank W. Ballou High School in southeast Washington, D.C., come back to classes in January after the holiday break, they won't return to the time-worn, heavily used 54-year-old brick building they left in mid-December. Instead, they will go next door to a just-completed, $124-million complex that will not only serve students but the entire neighborhood. The project's architects, engineers and construction firms all faced numerous tests as they worked to deliver a 356,000-sq-ft facility that will meet a diverse set of local needs. Besides providing long-awaited upgrades to Ballou's high-school classroom areas, the new facility's design had to accommodate a range of other activities: an outpatient Health clinic; an 800-student adult education program; a full-service automotive shop; a collegiate-level competition swimming pool; and a rehearsal/recording area for Ballou's nationally recognized marching band. Brian Hanlon, director of the District of Columbia Dept. of General Services (DGS), says his agency recognized that if the new Ballou were to be a true community anchor, it would have to stand up to more than the wear and tear expected from future generations of teenagers. Facing the Slope "We didn't want to just plug another building into the grid," Hanlon says. "This was an opportunity to bring the community together in a lot of ways and provide a model of sustainability, with a design and materials that won't be torn down in 50 years, but rather restored and renewed." The team faced site challenges from early in the process. The new building had to be integrated into a 16.4-acre hillside site, which had been partially leveled decades ago to construct Ballou's athletic fields. The slope includes marine clay and other difficult soils that required foundations sturdy enough for a structural system to support expansive interior spaces and ample daylighting and also enable the school to fill a critical role as a neighborhood shelter-in-place in case of natural disasters. As is DGS's custom for big projects, its procurement path for the new Ballou began with a best-value design competition. The winning design, from a joint venture of Washington-based Bowie Gridley Architects and Perkins+Will's D.C. office, includes three multi-level wings for academics, athletics and career development oriented around a 38,500-sq-ft courtyard.

-- Jim Parsons

Chicago Public Schools Under Fire Over Dirty Conditions, Rotten Food

-- Huffington Post Illinois: October 08, 2014 [ abstract]

CHICAGO -- The new school year is off to a messy start in Chicago, the nation's third-largest school district. Michael Flynn, who has taught sixth grade at Otis Elementary in Chicago's West Town neighborhood since 1977, said he's never seen his school dirtier. A whole floor went untouched overnight recently, leaving surfaces unswept and heaps of garbage in classrooms. "It's a germ factory,â€ Flynn told HuffPost. "And it's as bad now as it's ever been in terms of kids not getting what they need.â€ The Chicago Public School system has faced notorious budget cuts in recent years, and closed 49 schools in 2013. Recent money-saving moves to privatize management of custodial and cafeteria services have drawn the ire of parents and faculty, who have alleged schools are dirtier -- and school lunches are worse -- than ever. A teacher at a high school on the city's Southwest Side, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal from the district, described where he's taught for the past eight years as "gross and disgusting." "We're running out of toilet paper," he said. "I'm seeing more bugs than ever before. There's overflowing trash that sits for days and weeks in some cases." The teacher said his classroom has had a leaky ceiling that's gone unfixed for two years, and roaches were recently spotted in a student locker room, causing students to avoid using the showers after phys ed class. "It's gross and disgusting and my Health is being affected," he said. "I want to be outside the minute I'm in here. It smells. Everything smells and I can't focus. If I can't focus to teach, how can kids focus to learn?" The complaints follow the school district's hiring of Philadelphia-based Aramark in February to supervise and train school custodians. Aramark in the spring pulled many custodians from their longtime schools and assigned them to a floating pool of janitors. This led to fewer permanent custodians in schools, and talk of layoffs.

-- Joseph Erbentraut

Cranston seeks $15 million bond issue to make health, safety repairs in schools

-- Providence Journal Rhode Island: October 05, 2014 [ abstract]

CRANSTON �" Our schools are safe, officials say. We just want them to be safer. That is the message from school leaders, who are campaigning for voter approval of $15 million in borrowing to make Health and safety repairs in most of Cranston’s 26 schools. The planned work varies from the installation of fire alarms and fire doors to the replacement of floor tiles containing asbestos and improved access for the physically disabled. Cranston is one of eight school districts that have threaded the bureaucratic needle at the Rhode Island Board of Education this year and won an exception from the controversial moratorium on state financial aid for local school construction. State legislators imposed the moratorium �" causing an estimated logjam of $600 million in local projects statewide and a lot of handwringing �" to give themselves time to devise a new way of paying for the growing cost of school construction. There is one exception to the moratorium: the state will reimburse about half the cost of a local school construction or repair project if the project is Health- or safety-related. In Cranston, officials are walking a fine line, stoking a sense of urgency to encourage local voters to approve the $15-million bond issue on next month’s general election ballot even as they reassure the public that there are no dangerous conditions in the schools. To promote approval of the bond, they are raising the subject at school open houses and community forums and sending emails to parents, and they intend to talk it up on the School Department website. “Everywhere we go, we’re speaking about it,” said schools Supt. Judith A. Lundsten. The $15-million school bond is the majority of an $18.2-million borrowing request by the city. The administration of Mayor Allan W. Fung also is asking for the approval of $2 million in borrowing for parks and recreation projects and $1.2 million for libraries. Cranston is very deliberate when it comes to capital spending. The last school bond was issued seven years ago, and the city is still spending the remainder of those proceeds, as well as the proceeds of a bond issued in 2002.

-- GREGORY SMITH

Lawmaker pushes for more partnerships between Maine schools, community organizations

-- Bangor Daily News Maine Maine: September 23, 2014 [ abstract]

BANGOR, Maine �" Nearly 70 percent of all children under age 6 in Maine live in households where both parents work, Rita Furlow of the Maine Children’s Alliance told a room full of teachers, school administrators, lawmakers and other education officials on Tuesday. She also presented census data showing that about 17 percent of children in Maine lived in poverty in 2013. Those are among the reasons Sen. Rebecca Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth, hopes the concept of community schools will take hold in Maine. Millett organized the event held at Eastern Maine Community College, which drew at least 50 people. Community schools are public, private, charter or parochial schools that have built strong partnerships with local groups. The idea is to extend the program schools can offer students beyond the academic curriculum by working with organizations such as the YMCA, Boys and Girls clubs, local colleges, libraries or other groups. “The word is intentional,” Mary Kingston Roche, public policy manager for the Coalition for Community Schools, a national organization, told the group. “That’s the difference between how a regular school partners with the community and how a community school does.” Many of the partnerships that make an institution a community school promote the Health and safety of the students.

-- Nell Gluckman

Rodent droppings, leaky roof, termite damage point up lack of New Orleans school maintenance

-- The Times-Picayune Louisiana: September 15, 2014 [ abstract]

Joan Reilly, principal of Homer A. Plessy Community School in New Orleans, is an optimist. So when the state Department of Health and Hospitals inspector met her for a tour of the A. P. Tureaud Elementary campus in the 7th Ward, after her charter organization rented the building and just one month before she was to welcome students back from vacation, she thought, "Nothing a coat of paint can't fix." Four and a half hours later, the inspector turned to her and said, "Well, you have a water fountain that works." Dating to 1939, Tureaud has stately bones, with high ceilings and tall, built-in windowed cabinets. But the July inspection report was long and disgusting. Rodent droppings in the kitchen. Peeling paint and damaged plaster everywhere. Ceiling tiles hanging loose or with holes in them or just not there - not just in one room, but on every floor. The paint had bubbled like cauliflower from the moisture that had seeped through from outside. Termites had chewed away the brick building's wooden windowsills. Loose doors and windows let in bugs, rain and mice. On the top floor, wasps had built a nest. When Plessy staff moved a file cabinet, the entire plaster wall behind it collapsed. Just two months earlier, at the end of the 2013-14 academic year, 200 children were being educated in that building, in one of the last conventional schools run by the state Recovery School District. The Health inspector had been to Tureaud previously and was furious, Reilly said, having thought the building was closing for good instead of being rented out to a charter organization. It is still set to be closed, eventually, designated to be "landbanked" by the Recovery School District when New Orleans' $1.8 billion school facilities rebuilding plan is finished. But to help Plessy move into the Tureaud campus right away, the Orleans Parish School Board approved $1 million for immediate repairs. Decrepit New Orleans school buildings such as Tureaud are nothing new. The massive, federally funded overhaul of the city's school stock was required in large part not by Hurricane Katrina damage but because the buildings were already in such bad shape before the 2005 storm. Katrina was only the last nail in the coffin for many of these campuses.

-- Danielle Dreilinger

School gardens teach real life skills

-- Tallahassee Democrat Tennessee: September 12, 2014 [ abstract]

It is 2 p.m. on a hot and humid Wednesday afternoon. Students drop their backpacks outside the picket fence and gather trowels, rakes and baskets from the storage area. It’s “Weeding Wednesday” at Chiles High School’s garden. The students are excited and inquisitive: “Potatoes in the ground?” “I smell something wonderful!” “Look at all the bees!” And my favorite, “Can we pick it now and eat it?” There is a growing divide between today’s youth and the ecology that surrounds them. Many young people stay inside in front of computers or playing video games, exploring virtual reality instead of the natural world. Traditional classrooms are too often tightly structured and stifle a student’s creative exploration. School gardens are outdoor classrooms where learning happens through trial and error and hands-on experiences. Their benefits are numerous, substantiated by an abundance of research and anecdotal evidence. They are a means of improving academic success, promoting good Health, demonstrating stewardship, fostering community and instilling a sense of place. School gardens have been shown to improve math, science, writing, social studies and attitudes toward learning. Teachers view school gardens as living laboratories, a botany lesson on a plate, math for determining the growth rate of plants, and the muse for writing a poem. Gardens represent a pure and direct experimental, inquiry-based approach to learning. Students benefit enormously from school gardens by gaining knowledge of good nutrition and Healthy lifestyle choices. Besides exposing students to fresh veggies, school gardening also requires physical work. Students burn energy pulling weeds, shoveling compost or mulching the beds with pine straw. Working in the garden is very different from the traditional classroom where students sit in a desk for most of the day. Every school resides within a watershed and ecosystem. These systems have water, waste and energy flowing into and out of them and this can be clearly demonstrated in a school garden. School gardens reduce the school’s ecological impact through composting food scraps, mulching beds with pine straw and harvesting rainwater with rain barrels. Understanding the ecosystem in which the school is located fosters a strong environmental stewardship ethic. School gardens also encourage community and social development. Life skills such as teamwork, volunteerism and communication are products of working in the garden. These skills are important to the development of youth and a strong community. Being involved in the school garden gives students an understanding of the area and a sense of place �" what the natural world looks, feels and smells like. Recognizing this helps them distinguish how they are the same and how they are different from the rest of the world.

-- Angela Breza-Pierce

California Announces $193.9 Million for School Construction Projects

-- Imperial Valley News California: August 20, 2014 [ abstract]

Sacramento, California - The State Allocation Board (SAB) announced today that it has awarded approximately $193.9 million for school construction projects throughout the state. The SAB awarded approximately $100.5 million for 34 School Facility Program (SFP) projects within 21 school districts statewide. The state matching funds for SFP projects are distributed to local school districts to help finance shovel-ready school construction projects or reimburse districts for projects already completed using local funds. State funding for SFP projects is provided by bonds authorized under Propositions 1A, 1D, 47, and 55. In addition, the SAB has awarded approximately $93.4 million for 489 Emergency Repair Program (ERP) projects within 53 school districts. The ERP provides grant and/or reimbursement funding to school districts for the cost of repairing or replacing existing building systems or structural components that are broken or not functioning properly and which pose a Health and safety threat to students and staff at eligible school sites. The ERP funds will be released automatically and should be deposited into district accounts within five weeks of today’s meeting. The 2014-15 California Budget provided $188.5 million to fund ERP projects. The Office of Public School Construction expects the remaining amount to become available as early as October. Additional projects will be presented at a future SAB meeting once funds are available.

-- Staff Writer

New law to alleviate school overcrowding in NYC

-- Brooklyn Daily Eagle New York: August 14, 2014 [ abstract]

With a third of city elementary schools significantly overcrowded, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday signed a bill into law that will eventually help alleviate packed classrooms. The legislation, sponsored by state Senator Daniel Squadron and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, is expected to add more seats in neighborhoods experiencing population booms, like Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Sunset Park, Bay Ridge and Williamsburg, along with crowded areas in Queens and lower Manhattan. The law requires the School Construction Authority (SCA) to collect population data from several city sources and use this information in connection with the five-year educational facilities capital plan. P.S. 8 in Brooklyn Heights, for example, has been forced to eliminate space dedicated to preschool kids because it doesn’t have enough room for them anymore -- and thousands of additional residential units are planned nearby. According to SCA, in October 2013 P.S. 8 had a capacity for 524 students at its Hicks Street location in Brooklyn Heights, but 742 children were enrolled there, for a 142 percent utilization rate. While the law goes into effect immediately, a new five year capital facilities plan won’t come out until 2019. Testifying before the state Senate, Squadron said in June that SCA did not previously factor in forward-looking data from City Planning, the Department of Buildings or the Department of Health �" like births and building permits. Over the last several years, “The SCA seemed shocked at the explosion of school-age population” in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, Squadron said. The bill also requires that the data is distributed not just for school districts, “which are pretty wacky, crossing district lines and neighborhoods,” but on the Community Board level. “The Community Boards and the community will know what the projected school-age population is for their neighborhoods for the first time,” Squadron said.

-- Mary Frost

Midland Public Schools facilities need up to $140 million in updates

-- Midland Daily News Michigan: August 12, 2014 [ abstract]

Midland Public Schools needs an estimated $116.5 million to $140 million to bring its facilities up to date with current Health, safety and educational standards, according to a facility assessment released on Monday. MPS Superintendant Michael Sharrow said the district’s buildings are aging, with 88 percent of them more than 50 years old. The average age of MPS school buildings is 61 years old. Many of the buildings are not energy efficient and they lack safety features found in current educational designs, Sharrow said. He said some facilities that closed in recent years are deteriorating.

-- Tony Lascari

Costs of new schools coming due

-- Valley Morning Star Texas: July 26, 2014 [ abstract]

HARLINGEN �" The Harlingen school district is repaying three construction bonds for a variety of projects, ranging from new schools to a performing arts center and new Ag Farm to an aquatics center. Two of those bond packages, one issued in 1999 and the other in 2010, required tax increases totaling 17.8 cents, Julio Cavazos, assistant superintendent for business services, said. The district, he said, also purchased $13.9 million in Qualified School Construction Bonds in 2013. These bonds were sold to finance the construction of the Harlingen School for Health Professions. The QSCB is a federal program and did not require a tax increase, and the bonds are repaid from the district’s maintenance and operations fund. In 1999, the Harlingen district sold $80,270,000 million worth of bonds, Cavazos said. Voters approved the bond package, and the accompanying tax increase of 8.5 cents per $100 of property valuation. The state Instructional Facilities Allotment grant is paying 47 percent of this debt, which amounts to $2,421,169, with the district paying $2,730,255 per year on these bonds. The outstanding balance is $54,990,000 on bonds that will mature in 2029. The money from those bonds was used to build Vela Middle School and Rodriguez Elementary School, as well as renovations to the district’s central administration building and the home field side of Boggus Stadium. These bonds also paid for classroom space that was added to several campuses, and two mini-stadiums built at Harlingen High School and Harlingen High School South. “The (junior varsity) team plays there,” Cavazos said. “They all have a track.” School district spokesman Shane Strubhart said the money was also used to build a field house at each mini-stadium for a weight room and shower facilities. The $98.6 million bond issue of 2010 required another vote. Taxpayers voted approve the bond sale that would raise their taxes another 9.3 cents per $100 in property value. The district currently owes $87,285,000 on these bonds. An annual payment of $6,385,000 is made to pay these bonds. The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act pays $1,000,090 on these bonds, bringing the payment down to $5,295,000. The Instructional Facilities Allotment grant pays $2,488, 650, and the district pays $2,806,350

-- TRAVIS M. WHITEHEAD

General Assembly extends moratorium on new-school construction for another year

-- Providence Journal Rhode Island: July 11, 2014 [ abstract]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. �" The General Assembly has extended a moratorium on new school construction for another year, putting about $60 million worth of repairs and renovations on hold. Joseph DaSilva, the state Department of Education’s school construction coordinator, said renovations involving immediate Health and safety issues will be permitted, pending reviews by RIDE and approval by the state Board of Education. But new buildings, additions or repairs to athletic fields will have to wait another year before moving forward. House Finance Committee Chairman Raymond Gallison said that extending the moratorium allows the legislature to spend more time considering “viable options as the state faces continued budget pressure and the potential for several hundred million dollars in new project requests.” In January, DaSilva told a House task force that the moratorium, which took effect three years ago, had resulted in “missed opportunities” because districts couldn’t get state reimbursements for part of their school construction costs. During the moratorium, he said, $600 million worth of repairs, energy efficiencies and other school improvements have been deferred. Meanwhile, many of the state’s school buildings need substantial updates; the average age of a school building in Rhode Island is 58 years. “It definitely impacts our charter schools because they are growing,” DaSilva said. “It’s a real struggle for them to find places to house their kids.”

-- Linda Borg

Annual school building inspections to be cut under new legislation

-- Watertown Daily Times New York: June 22, 2014 [ abstract]

WATERTOWN �" A bill to eliminate a requirement for annual visual inspections of school buildings passed the state Senate on Tuesday. The measure was approved by the Assembly on June 12 and awaits Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s signature to go into law. Under existing law, public school buildings must undergo an annual visual inspection. In addition, as part of a five-year Capital Facilities Plan, school districts also must submit a five-year building condition survey, which evaluates the need for maintenance, repair, rehabilitation and reconstruction of facilities. “This legislation is just one example of a duplicative, wasteful mandate that costs our school districts �" and our taxpayers �" money,” Sen. Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, said. The building condition survey is completed by licensed professionals, and building components are evaluated for condition, useful life remaining and cost to replace. This information is used to create a comprehensive facilities capital plan in which capital items are prioritized based on Health and safety. The old law required that the annual inspection be conducted by a school facilities director and a code enforcement official to monitor school buildings to see if the district was on track with its goals and priorities. Jack J. Boak, outgoing superintendent of the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Cooperative Education Services, said most schools associated with BOCES hire Health and safety coordinator John Warneck to conduct the visual inspection for $2,000. A spokeswoman from Sen. Ritchie’s office said around the state the inspections can cost up to $12,000. State Education Department spokesman Jonathan Burman said the department requested the elimination of the annual inspection because the same information is being tracked repeatedly. Mr. Burman said looking at all information collectively demonstrated that the inspection was redundant and did not significantly contribute to the department’s goal of maintaining safe and Healthy facilities when compared with other information available.

-- KATHERINE CLARK

Bill would require NYC to factor in population growth in planning school facilities

-- Brooklyn Daily Eagle New York: June 20, 2014 [ abstract]

The state Assembly and Senate have passed legislation to alleviate severe overcrowding in many New York City schools by requiring the School Construction Authority (SCA) to collect population data from city agencies in advance when planning where to build schools or enlarge facilities. The bill, sponsored by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senator Daniel Squadron, is expected to help alleviate overcrowding in Brooklyn neighborhoods experiencing enormous population booms -- like Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Sunset Park and Williamsburg �" and in Manhattan and Queens by requiring the SCA to factor in how future population growth might affect overcrowded schools. Schools like P.S. 8 in Brooklyn Heights have already been forced to eliminate space dedicated to preschool because they don’t have enough room to house all of their incoming students, and thousands of additional residential units are planned for the Heights and surrounding neighborhoods. The legislation needs to be signed by the governor to become law. Schools in Bay Ridge and Borough Park are also packed. The Community Education Council of School District 20 passed a resolution last year calling on elected officials to put pressure on the state’s Department of Education to force the New York City DOE to reduce class sizes. “Class sizes up to 32 in elementary and middle schools and up to 34 in high schools, such large classes, do not provide the individual attention that either general education or special education students need and deserve,” the resolution reads. Testifying before the state Senate, Senator Squadron said that SCA has never factored in data from City Planning, the Department of Buildings or the Department of Health when forming their five-year educational facilities capital plan. Over the last several years, “The SCA seemed shocked at the explosion of school-age population” in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, Squadron said. The bill also requires that the data is distributed not just for school districts, “which are pretty wacky, crossing district lines and neighborhoods,” but on the Community Board level. “The Community Boards and the community will know what the projected school-age population is for their neighborhoods for the first time,” Squadron said.

-- Mary Frost

Education officials promote community school model

-- WVgazette.com West Virginia: June 18, 2014 [ abstract]

State education officials want to see more community schools implemented in West Virginia. The community school model partners public schools with nonprofit organizations and local businesses to create a sort of hub that fosters student achievement by combating issues such as poverty and Health care access. State and national education officials met in Charleston on Tuesday at the KidStrong Conference alongside Health officials to promote the use of community school programs. A new state policy that provides the framework for schools that want to implement the comprehensive approach is expected to be approved by the state school board next month, and State Board of Education President Gayle Manchin hopes her project, Reconnecting McDowell, can lead by example. “When we say it takes a village to raise a child, it certainly does, but in this case we have to raise the village to support our children and families and communities, and community schools are one way to build that village that continues to bring people together,” Manchin said on Tuesday. “We know that one of the main points of community schools is that it removes that isolation. No longer is the school a separate entity from economic devastation.” In McDowell �" the lowest-achieving school district in West Virginia that also leads the U.S. in prescription drug overdoses �" more than 120 partners have signed on and implemented unique strategies most districts don’t see: Students have been given personal laptops and assigned mentors, families living in rural areas have been provided Internet access at discounted rates and new teacher housing has been built to reduce turnover. Though most community school programs across the country have been implemented in cities such as Cincinnati and Boston, they can be especially important to rural districts, Manchin said. “All children can learn. Now, across the state and this country we offer a lot of excuses sometimes about why children aren’t learning �" why we’re not doing as well in our schools and on our achievement tests... we always have a lot of excuses to share with people, and poverty tends to be one of the big excuses that we tend to offer,” she said. “Well I believe, and I think we all should believe, that that can’t be an excuse. In education, our challenge is that we prepare all kids �" not just some kids, but all kids. All children can learn. That’s the reality. Poverty doesn’t discriminate.” But Shital Shah, assistant director of education issues for the American Federation of Teachers, said problems like poverty are out of the hands of teachers �" that’s why community schools are so crucial.

-- Mackenzie Mays

From DC to Denver: School gardens growing next generation of leaders

-- Elevation DC Media National: June 10, 2014 [ abstract]

“What happens in D.C. is really exciting and, in a number of ways, different,” says DC Greens executive director Lauren Shweder Biel, whose organization connects local communities to Healthy food. As part of that mission, DC Greens supports and sustains school gardens within DCPS. These gardens function as an outdoor classroom, offering unique learning opportunities that provide lessons in problem solving, teamwork, nutrition, agriculture, seasonality, and locality �" and, best of all, they are places where kids can dig in the dirt, play with worms, and just be themselves. “We have a supportive city council,” says Biel. The Healthy Schools Act, passed in 2010 and funded by a soda tax, created a grant-making process to support school gardens by providing $10,000 to $15,000 in grant money to schools looking to start or sustain a garden. The grant not only allows schools to hire folks to care for the gardens, it insists on it �" with up to 80 percent of funds allowed to go toward maintenance staffing. “It takes much more than putting in infrastructure,” says Biel. And that’s where DC Greens comes in. The organization doesn’t plant gardens in schools. Rather, it provides resources and support to the teachers and staff who do. “We try to make sure everybody is resourced up,” Biel explains. DC Greens created a professional network of garden-based educators and hosts free workshops for teachers. Participating educators receive free seedlings and instructional materials for use in their classrooms. There are roughly 200 charter and public schools in DCPS; 93, reports Biel, house school gardens. Gardens are built using a variety of funds �" grants from the Healthy Schools Act are augmented with other small donations from, say, the Whole Kids Foundation, Home Depot, or extra PTA money…or a farmer’s market at the school. But we’ll get into that in a bit. First, we have to journey to Denver, where the whole thing got started…

-- JAMIE SIEBRASE

Maximize the impact of school construction funding with effective master planning

-- North Bay Business Journal California: June 09, 2014 [ abstract]

Throughout California, school districts face a significant need to upgrade and renovate their facilities. Many schools were built in the post-war boom and are nearing their 60th birthdays. At the same time, significant changes in education are occurring as schools adapt to provide learning experiences that prepare students for success in college and careers in the 21st Century global economy. Many of these changes require additional technology, new types of learning spaces and other upgrades. Compounding these issues are the recent cuts in school facilities funding and operating budgets that leave schools with limited options for funding these critical upgrades. To counter this, school districts, including 27 in the North Bay alone since 2010, and their communities are coming together to raise funds to upgrade their schools through local general obligation bond measures. Successful bond measures provide significant funding to upgrade school facilities and create a Healthy, safe and inspirational learning environment for students and teachers. When a community places its trust and tax dollars in a district’s hands, it is important for the district to have a clear plan to maximize that funding. The most effective way to go about this is to create a Facilities Master Plan. The goal of a Facilities Master Plan is to identify and prioritize facilities improvements to ensure the available funding is used to best address the needs of student learning. There are many ways to develop such a plan and the process should be tailored to meet the needs of each unique community, as well as the anticipated funding and time available. Nearly all school districts face more facilities improvements than they can currently afford and a Facilities Master Plan should include a process to prioritize the needed improvements.

-- Aaron Jobson

Skykomish school site remains contaminated years after town cleanup

-- King 5 News Washington: June 08, 2014 [ abstract]

Years after a multi-million dollar environmental cleanup in Skykomish was completed, the town's school still sits on contaminated soil while the district and Burlington Northern Santa Fe negotiate on how to remove the pollutants and compensation. BNSF spent millions to remove more than 77,000 cubic yards of polluted soil from Skykomish. The contamiination came from eight decades of railroad activity in the small mountain town, which led to diesel oil seepage into the ground and subsequently, the Skykomish River. Washington's Department of Ecology said the oil poses no Health risk to humans. Today, Skykomish looks brand new. Streets and sidewalks are pristine while the town benefits from a new sewer and utility system. However, a small part of the cleanup remains. The Skykomish School. "It's in the back of people's minds all the time," said city councilman Kevin Weiderstrom, "From the outside, it seems like it could be done a little bit quicker." Weiderstrom said the negotiations that have stretched for nearly ten years are keeping the community from moving on from its polluted past. "Once this is done, the rest of Railroad Avenue can be paved, the sidewalks can be finished and the rest of the residents can be done with it," he said. BNSF and the Skykomish School District indicated separately a level of frustration with the length of time negotiations have taken, but a deep willingness to find a solution. Weiderstrom indicated a compromise could come very soon, but major work would not begin until next summer. One of the major hangups is the method of contaminated soil removal, according to BNSF and the school district. The current plan involves pumping hot water into the ground, pushing the oil towards a collection area near the river. However, school officials are concerned this method could create toxic vapors around the building.

-- JOHN LANGELER

Cornell research find school gardens keep kids active

-- ShreveportTimes.com National: June 06, 2014 [ abstract]

Want to grow Healthy students? Try planting a garden. Cornell University researchers spent two years studying 12 elementary schools in New York and have determined that students are more physically active when their schools have gardens; and that boost in activity continues even after they head home for the day. “This is the first true experiment to measure the effects of school gardens on children’s physical activity, and we found a significant increase,” environmental psychologist Nancy Wells, professor of design and environmental analysis in Cornell’s College of Human Ecology, said in a statement. “It is notable that in our intervention, kids were only spending an hour or two per week in the gardens, yet there was a significant difference in physical activity. The findings suggest that if schools embraced gardens further and integrated them into lesson plans, there might be an even greater effect.” While indoor classes would find children standing on average only 10 percent of the time, that ratio would flip during garden lessons, with students sitting 15 percent of the time, and standing, walking or kneeling during the rest of the lesson.

-- Staff report

Contaminated Radford High School soil discovered at sites

-- KITV.com Hawaii: May 22, 2014 [ abstract]

HONOLULU â€”The contaminated soil from Radford High school's track has unknowingly ended up at a residence in Kaneohe and at a construction lot in Kapolei. State Health officials said prior to the shutdown of construction at the school, it discovered the contractor hauled truckloads of the soil laced with heavy metals and toxic chemicals offsite. Heath officials say they got a call from a homeowner this month who was concerned the backfill at his home was unsafe. The contractor MEI Construction tracked down the trucking companies who led investigators to the two sites. "We have some indication that a couple of truckloads went to a home in Kaneohe. That has been capped and controlled, so there is no exposure there. We have some indication that a number of truckloads was taken out to Kapolei where it is being stockpiled. So, we are controlling that site as well, so nothing leaves that site," said Gary Gill, Deputy Environmental Health Director.

-- Melvin Givens

LAUSD earmarks $50 million for campus health clinics

-- Los Angeles Daily News California: May 20, 2014 [ abstract]

Los Angeles Unified is poised to expand its efforts to make access to Health care easier for schoolchildren with an allocation of $50 million for wellness centers on campuses. The scale of the plan to open facilities that will serve kids and community members alike is unprecedented for the district, noted Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health Executive Director Maryjane Puffer. “The concept for this process is that it’s full comprehensive oral-Health, physical-Health and mental-Health delivery,” she said. Over the next six months, school administrators and the Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health will create plans to spend the dollars on building new clinics and remodeling existing spaces at schools across LAUSD. The idea is to reach as many in-need students as possible by placing clinics where there’s little access to medical care, Puffer said. Three years ago, Los Angeles Unified allocated $36 million for 14 clinics. Twelve of those have been up and running for more than a year, with more than 20,000 patients treated. LAUSD board member Monica Garcia said the wellness centers are effective because they’re conveniently located at schools, so they can get medical care to kids who wouldn’t otherwise see a doctor. Even kids who have Health insurance, she added, have trouble making it to the doctor, as their parents can’t always provide transportation to the office or take time off from work. “We need to put the wellness centers up in front, because there’s so much conversation right now about how to deal with people who the state has trouble reaching, the county has trouble reaching and sometimes LAUSD has trouble reaching �" except for the children come to our schools,” Garcia said.

-- Thomas Himes

School Building Authority hands out the cash

-- MetroNews West Virginia: April 27, 2014 [ abstract]

CHARLESTON, W.VA. �" Monday is the day the state School Building Authority will hand out $45 million in funding to build new facilities and improve others. The authority meets at Capital High School to go over requests from 21 counties totaling $170 million. “There’s always much more requests than money available. It’s not uncommon. There’s well over $2 billion in need across the state of West Virginia,” according to SBA Executive Director Mark Manchin. He expects the SBA to meet for at least a couple of hours to narrow down the projects and then divvy up the funding to those projects that are most worthy. Manchin explained that’s not easy. “I know ($45-million) sounds like a lot of money but when a new high schools costs in excess of $40-million, a new elementary school in excess of $15-million and a new middle school in excess of $20 million, it doesn’t take long to go through these funds,” said Manchin. The school systems gave their presentations to the SBA last month. Some counties were asking for just a little, a few hundred thousand, to add a classroom or build a new secure entry. Other counties need major funding into the millions of dollars to help build brand new schools. Manchin said the SBA is focused on a couple key criteria for funding. “The Health and safety of children is the highest criteria. Second is local participation,” he explained. The SBA tends to help those counties who help themselves by offering up local funds to go along with the SBA money to complete a project.

-- Jennifer Smith

Districts may have funding flexibility to repair and improve school facilities

-- EdSouce California: April 24, 2014 [ abstract]

To weather deep cuts in public school funding, many California school districts shifted much-needed dollars away from repairing and maintaining their buildings to keep teachers in the classroom and save instructional programs from being eliminated. Now, the state’s new funding formula, which allocates much of the increased school revenue to high-needs students, provides some latitude for districts to fix their ailing buildings too. While there has been an assumption that only base grant dollars �" the funds allocated to districts for all students �" can be used for building repairs and improvements, that’s not necessarily the case under the Local Control Funding Formula’s current regulations. But what’s considered an allowable use of money targeted for high-needs students �" defined as English-language learners, low-income children and foster youth �" gets somewhat murky when it comes to school facilities. Included in the eight priorities that school districts must address in their state-mandated Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs), which identify how districts will allocate their funding, is a goal to ensure that school facilities are maintained in “good repair.” Jeff Vincent, the deputy director of the Center for Cities & Schools at UC Berkeley, said the Healthy school facilities goal has “flown under the radar” throughout accountability plan discussions. The Center for Cities & Schools is hosting a daylong forum Friday at the California Endowment office in Oakland, which will include sessions that will further explore how districts should meet the Healthy school facilities goal. The Center for Cities & Schools is a research and technical assistance center that promotes high-quality education as a means to support urban development.

-- Karla Scoon Reid

Recognizing Green Schools on Earth Day

-- U.S. Department of Education National: April 22, 2014 [ abstract]

To celebrate Earth Day, earlier today U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the 2014 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) and District Sustainability Award recipients. Joined in an online live stream by Acting Chief White House Council on Environmental Quality Mike Boots, Secretary Duncan celebrated the forty-eight schools and nine school districts chosen for their exemplary efforts in reducing environmental impact and utility costs, promoting better Health for students and staff, and offering effective environmental education, including civics, STEM and green career pathways. Reiterating the Department’s support for green schools, Secretary Duncan praised the selected schools and districts, stating: “Today’s honorees are modeling a comprehensive approach to being green by encompassing facility, wellness and learning into their daily operations.” Duncan went on to say that the recipients “are demonstrating ways schools can simultaneously cut costs; improve Health, and engage students with hands-on learning that prepares them with the thinking skills necessary to be successful in college and careers. The forty-eight schools and nine school districts were selected from a pool of candidates voluntarily nominated by thirty state education agencies across the country. The schools serve various grade levels, including 29 elementary, 16 middle, and 18 high schools, with several offering various K-12 variations. Many schools also serve pre-K students, demonstrating that Health, wellness, and environmental concepts can be taught to every student, even the earliest learners. Selected schools and districts also demonstrated that their efforts not only improve physical, environmental, and nutritional Health of school communities, but also save schools money in utility costs which can be applied directly back to where it is needed most �" the classrooms. Read all about this year’s honorees and their tremendous achievements.

-- Staff Writer

Do ‘green’ schools help kids learn?

-- The Columbus Dispatch Ohio: April 21, 2014 [ abstract]

Researchers know that energy-efficient “green” schools cost less to operate and offer a more-Healthful learning environment for students and teachers. But scientists at Battelle want to study whether the environmentally friendly buildings help children learn. Researchers began comparing student test scores, attendance rates and discipline in green schools and traditional schools last year. Preliminary results show a link between green buildings and fewer disciplinary problems. “The idea is to better inform the public debate about sustainable design,” said Ian MacGregor, the project’s lead investigator and a senior research scientist for Battelle Energy & Environment. The study comes as state lawmakers debate whether to allow state agencies, including the Ohio School Facilities Commission, to continue to require new state-funded buildings to meet certain environmental standards. A bill the Senate has passed would ban state use of LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, standards. LEED is used as a worldwide benchmark for environmental building design. The House has yet to hold hearings on the proposal. Advocates of the ban say a recent update to LEED hurts Ohio businesses by discouraging the use of materials produced in the state. The latest version of LEED calls for companies to disclose the chemical ingredients in their building materials. Others, including the U.S. Green Building Council, defend LEED, saying green schools in Ohio use an average of 34 percent less energy and 37 percent less water than traditional buildings. Green schools also increase students’ exposure to daylight and improve indoor air quality, they say. Ohio has more than 130 green schools, and it leads the nation in LEED-certified schools. That’s because all schools built with state help must be LEED-certified.

-- Charlie Boss

Greening the Nation’s Classrooms with School Gardens

-- Parade Magazine National: April 19, 2014 [ abstract]

Ask Roxanne Maietta Weinberg what she likes about her school’s garden, and the 5th grader’s emphatic response is: “Everything.” “We go outside and learn about plants and their lifecycle, and I love getting dirty when we weed and clean out the pathways,” says the student at Tustin Memorial Academy Elementary School (TMA) in Tustin, Calif. of the school’s garden that involves all 700 students. “We compost and don’t use pesticides, and it’s so fascinating to me when the plants we grew make delicious and Healthy vegetables we can eat.” Growing gardeners who understand good nutrition and the importance of being responsible stewards to the environment was the goal of the TMA garden’s creators, including Roxanne’s mother and garden co-chair, Marci Maietta Weinberg. ”My hope was for the students to learn that what they choose to put in their mouths has a profound effect on the Health of themselves and our world,” says Weinberg. The goal of the TMA garden program, which features regular participation by every child in the school, is to reinforce lessons taught in class. Since the TMA garden broke ground in 2008, science and math scores at the school have steadily risen. School gardens are so effective at enhancing education, because they are outdoor, hands-on learning labs, says Mark Hay, founder and director of Coast Live Oak School based in Orange County, California. He instructs the 150 parents involved in the TMA program on teaching students worm composting. “Gardening is a learning laboratory, just like computer lab,” says Hay. “By physically touching the plants and participating in activities such as maintaining worm bins, lessons in science and math come to life.” Tara Fisher-Muñoz and Dianna Gielstra are co-chairs of the Green Team PTA, Wells Branch Elementary, in North Austin, Texas, which features an active school garden. Their goals echo TMA’s. “School gardens help connect kids to nature and teach them to be stewards of the environment,” says Fisher-Muñoz. “Children witness lifecycles from seed to harvest, and in doing so, they learn so much about the world around them. Taste-tests in the garden allow them to experience food fresh and raw, before any dressing touches it, and they learn how such super foods fuel their bodies, offering strength and energy. The garden curriculum also encourages being active.” In the District of Columbia, there are more than 90 active school gardens throughout all eight wards, says Ayan Islam, communications and legislative affairs specialist with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), which is charged with raising the quality of education for all DC residents.

-- JULIE BAWDEN-DAVIS

USDA Awards Grants for New School Food Service Equipment to Help Schools Dish Up Healthy Meals

-- United States Department of Agriculture National: April 18, 2014 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2014 â€“ Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $25 million in grants to help schools purchase needed kitchen equipment as they continue to provide school lunches and breakfasts that give children the nutrition they need to learn and grow. Over 90 percent of schools report that they are successfully meeting the updated nutrition standards, serving meals with more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein and low-fat dairy, and less sodium and fat. These new grants provide additional support to schools to help them prepare meals that meet those standards. "We know that there is still a significant unmet need for kitchen equipment in schools, and outdated equipment can make it more difficult to prepare Healthy meals," said Vilsack. "With these grants, schools will be able to get the tools they need to make the Healthy choice the easy choice for America's youngsters." In December, USDA awarded $11 million in grants to the District of Columbia, Guam and 14 states. For the latest round of funding, USDA will ensure all State agencies receive a proportional share of the funding. States will competitively award the funds to school districts to purchase needed equipment, giving priority to high-need schools where 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Download the list of funding by state for FY13 and FY14. The Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods Project â€“ a collaboration with The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation â€“ recently released a report on school kitchen equipment needs that shows most school districts in the U.S. (88 percent) need at least one additional piece of kitchen equipment, and more than half (55 percent) need infrastructure upgrades to serve Healthier meals that meet science-based nutrition standards. The report concluded: Investing in kitchens and cafeterias will help schools better serve the nutritious foods and beverages that students need.

-- Office of Communications

Grant High parents press for campus improvements

-- The Sacramento Bee California: April 08, 2014 [ abstract]

Frustrated with aging facilities at 82-year-old Grant Union High School, Del Paso Heights community members on Monday asked school and political leaders to install campus HVAC units and consider other improvements such as filling the swimming pool. “The heartbeat of our community starts here,” said City Councilman Allen Warren, who convened the discussion at Robertson Community Center to address neighborhood concerns. “…We can’t have a Healthy community until we have a Healthy high school.” Grant parents and students have complained for years about the lack of heat and air conditioning in classrooms, as well as a broken pool and other maintenance issues. On Monday, parents also voiced concerns about a recent case of tuberculosis at the school and asked how the district could help students transition from continuation programs back to traditional high school. Local residents at the meeting seemed evenly divided between those demanding to know why it has taken so long to complete improvements and those who wanted to give the school district’s new administration more time to turn things around. District officials last week unveiled a timeline for installing 71 new heating and air conditioning systems at Grant before school begins in August, at a cost of $4.2 million from deferred maintenance funds. The district also plans to update its other campuses. Steven Martinez, in his first year as Twin Rivers Unified School District superintendent, said he didn’t blame parents for doubting that the district would complete the work after years of broken promises from previous administrations. “We are going to get these HVAC units,” he said.

-- Diana Lambert

School officials discuss facilities maintenance as part of new spending plans

-- EdSource California: April 03, 2014 [ abstract]

As school districts across California work to craft their school spending and accountability plans, one area that has received little notice is a requirement that school facilities are maintained in “good repair.” The Center for Cities and Schools at UC Berkeley hosted a webinar today to address how districts should meet the Healthy school facilities’ goal in the new Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP), which are mandated under the state’s new funding formula. More than 100 people across the state, including district administrators, registered for the discussion. The Center for Cities and Schools is a research and technical assistance center that promotes high-quality education as a means to support urban development. Jeff Vincent, the center’s deputy director, said a building in “good repair” is defined as a facility that is maintained in “a manner that assures that it is clean, safe, and functional.” But Vincent, along with the other webinar presenters, stressed that “good repair” is merely a minimum standard and urged school district leaders to go “above and beyond” that level when drafting their plans. Bill Savidge, assistant executive officer of the State Allocation Board in the Office of Public School Construction, said during the webinar that districts would use the state’s Facility Inspection Tool (FIT) to evaluate whether their buildings meet the “good repair” standard. The inspection tool, which was adopted by the State Allocation Board in 2007, is a ranking and scoring system that evaluates the cleanliness, safety, and function of school buildings. The evaluation system is, in part, a result of the so-called Williams Settlement, the resolution of a class-action lawsuit filed against the state in 2000 that alleged that public school students were denied equal access to instructional materials, safe and decent schools, and qualified teachers. Savidge emphasized, however, that although Facility Inspection Tool is thorough, it does not address the critical modernization needs of California’s schools.

-- Karla Scoon Reid/EdSource correspondent

Pasadena school cafeterias begin health department inspections

-- Pasadena Star-News California: March 27, 2014 [ abstract]

PASADENA >> The Pasadena Department of Public Health now will inspect Pasadena Unified School District cafeterias and issue them numerical scores as part of the department’s increased effort to enforce food safety standards throughout the city. The Health Department completed the first round of inspections of the 21 PUSD campuses within city boundaries in December and will conduct a second series of inspections before the school year ends. Before November, school cafeterias had not been inspected by the department, Environmental Health Division Manager Liza Frias said, which raised concern. “It’s making sure that anybody who is being served food is being served food from a regulated facility to make sure minimum food safety standards are being followed and adhered to,” Frias said. Frias said the decision to begin cafeteria inspections was mutual between PDPH and PUSD. All kitchens passed the Health inspection, though only six of the schools received an official score, all in the 90s. Frias said the other schools were not issued a score because of time constraints. Violations found by Health inspectors included dirty and moldy parts in ice machines, dusty equipment, lack of employee hand washing and dirty floors, according to documents obtained by this news organization. The six PUSD schools that are not within the city borders have not yet been inspected because the district is still trying to formulate an agreement with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, PUSD spokesman Adam Wolfson said. Public school food facilities are required to have two Health inspections each year in order to receive funding for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, a requirement that has been in place since 2004, according to a California Department of Education spokeswoman.

-- Lauren Gold

School Renovations Depend on Prop 1

-- Alaska Public Media Alaska: March 26, 2014 [ abstract]

Proposition 1 is an education bond that would give the Anchorage School District more than 57 million dollars for building maintenance and improvements. The Anchorage School District is requesting more than $57 million in bonds make improvements to it’s buildings. The largest project, nearly $23 million, will renovate Airport Heights Elementary School and build an edition onto the school. Airport Heights was built in 1954 and has not had a major renovation, according to District officials. They say it needs more space for special ed and intensive needs students. The school lacks a multipurpose room. It also does not have dedicated art, Health and music rooms. Those subjects are currently taught in relocatables outside the main school building. Officials say there is not enough room to pickup and drop off kids and the parking is inadequate. Those problems will be resolved by the renovations and the addition, officials say. The remainder of the bond money would go toward improvements at schools throughout the district.

-- Daysha Eaton, KSKA - Anchorage

Augusta School Board Considers Closing Verona Elementary

-- NBC29.com Virginia: March 14, 2014 [ abstract]

Verona Elementary School might be closing its doors for good at the end of this school year. Augusta County appears to be out about $4 million, and with uncertainty from Richmond, school leaders must decide by next week how they'll close the gap. Most families are disappointed, some are worried, and others are hopeful about these potential shifts. Leaders are doing all they can to cut costs but in these times, drastic measures are needed. "It does upset me in a way that they would close it. That would make a big difference, I think, to a lot of people,â€ said Bob Hise, who is a caretaker for students at Verona. "He does not handle change well at all. He just has never been one that handles change and I think it would affect his schoolwork if they pull him out of here,â€ said Linda Rexrode, whose grandson attends Verona. Sky-rocketing projections for new Health care and boosts to the Virginia Retirement System mean school leaders are considering consolidating elementary schools. But nothing is off the table for right now. "Do we want to close schools? Gosh, no, I really don't,â€ said Elizabeth Godfrey, a member of the Augusta County School Board. â€�"I understand that a school is often the center at the community, I really do. But I have to look at the bottom line." Godfrey says leaders also have to plan for other big costs, like technology upgrades, raises for teachers, and returning afterschool programs. And with the unsecure pod structure of Verona, renovations for that would cost a fortune.

-- Alana Austin

Historic district panel asks officials to keep Washington School open

-- Journalinquirer.com Connecticut: March 14, 2014 [ abstract]

MANCHESTER �" The Cheney Brothers National Historic Landmark District Commission has adopted a resolution asking town leaders as they weigh school renovation options to make “every effort” possible to keep Washington Elementary School open. The commission, which unanimously approved the resolution last week and forwarded it to town officials on Wednesday, asked the boards of Education and Directors to preserve the building and keep it operating as a school. The commission said every effort should be made to keep the school open, even if renovating the structure is not the least-expensive available option for the town. “We wanted to make it clear that the continued operation of the school is important to the Health of the historic district,” said commission Chairman Robert Shanbaum, who lives on Hartford Road in a historic Cheney mansion. He said commission members feel that town officials have been “unclear” during the process of deciding which school or schools to close. The school board will meet on Thursday, March 20, to discuss which schools might close and which would be expanded, though a final decision likely won’t be made until April. In a letter sent in January to the state Historic Preservation Council, Town Manager Scott Shanley told state officials that the town doesn’t intend to raze the historic portion of the school and instead is “focused on other projects and options.” Washington School is part of the Cheney Brothers National Historic Landmark District, which features churches, mills, mansions, and worker homes dating to the 19th and 20th centuries. The area received the federal designation in 1978. The commission noted in its resolution that a “significant factor” in the designation of that area was the “degree to which most components of the former industrial village have been preserved,” such as the school. One option that an architect has drawn up involves gutting the 1912 portion of the school and building a new wing off the rear to accommodate 530 students; the cost would be around $42.7 million. That’s about $8 million more than tearing down the school and building a new one. Asked if he thought the higher price tag would be a hard sell, Shanbaum said, “I don’t think it’s an impossible sell.” He noted that plans call for adding a gym to the school, which, he said, adds at least $2 million in construction costs and is an “extravagance.” Town leaders should work with the school to have a better working agreement for use of the gym at the Mahoney Recreational Center, he said.

-- David Huck

Legislature wants to open school fields to public

-- The News Herald Florida: March 03, 2014 [ abstract]

TALLAHASSEE �" The state Legislature is taking another crack at encouraging school boards to open their sports and recreational facilities to the general public. Similar to last year, bills filed in the state House and Senate would lean on school boards to enter joint-use agreements with local governments or develop their own policies so residents could use the fields and other equipment off hours. The legislation (HB 277) argues better access would help “reduce the impact of obesity on personal Health and Health care expenditures.” And it points out the facilities �" including gyms, fields, tracks, courts and playgrounds �" are taxpayer-funded. “We want to give them every opportunity to make those facilities open, accessible and available to the communities, to the kids, to the families in those communities that pay for those schools,” said the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Ross Spano, R-Dover. Spano said the bill would encourage school boards to open up facilities, not force them. He said it also would give them freedom to choose to enter joint-use agreements with local governments and community groups or offer open access at the school facilities off hours. “I want to stress again this is discretionary,” Spano said. The bill would limit school boards’ liability during off-hours use. The school boards wouldn’t be liable for personal injury, property damage or death except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct by the school board, according to the legislation. While not mandated in the bill, school boards could employ joint-use agreements to require groups to carry insurance when they used the facilities, Spano said.

-- Matthew Beaton

Winners and losers in D.C. school renovation funding shift

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: February 25, 2014 [ abstract]

Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D) is seeking to shift nearly $100 million in school capital funds for the current fiscal year, a move that would accelerate renovations at some schools and delay expected work at others. One of the biggest winners is Powell Elementary in Petworth, which would receive nearly $20 million for an addition and major renovation. Powell has seen impressive growth in both student achievement and enrollment in recent years, and while part of its building was modernized last year, the school has more children than it can hold. “I’m so grateful that all of Powell’s students will very soon be learning in a Healthy, productive environment,” said Powell PTA President Martha Holley-Miers, adding that the increase “demonstrates that the entire city is behind our powerful Powell community, and invested in the growth and successes we have seen here.” Other projects need more money than originally expected because the scope of work has expanded or because the District’s post-recession economy has driven up construction costs, said Gray spokesman Pedro Ribeiro. Stanton Elementary in Southeast, for example, would receive an extra $11.2 million this year to do more renovation than had been previously planned, including an addition to accommodate the growing number of students. Stanton, like Powell, has drawn attention for its improving culture, academic performance and enrollment. Other schools to see significant increases include Hearst Elementary ($6 million), Janney Elementary ($2 million), Deal Middle ($2.9 million), Marie Reed Elementary ($3 million) and Roosevelt High ($14.8 million), all in Northwest; Stuart-Hobson on Capitol Hill ($2.5 million); and Plummer Elementary ($4.4 million), Kramer Middle ($11.7 million) and Ballou High ($3.5 million), all in Southeast.

-- EMMA BROWN

Poor conditions at school lead some to call for removal of students

-- WDSU News Louisiana: February 24, 2014 [ abstract]

Some New Orleanians want students removed from John McDonogh High School sooner rather than later, because of what they call unHealthy conditions inside the building. The school, which has struggled academically, is slated to close in June for more than $30 million in renovations. But at least one woman says the students should have been placed elsewhere years ago. Angelina Elder went to John McDonogh High school on Esplanade Avenue. So did her daughter. Her passion to preserve the past and protect the future is undeniable. "If you stand back, you can see how beautiful the architecture is," said Elder. "Throughout the years it's just been constant patch work, patch work, and I'm like, â€˜How can children learn in these kind of conditions?'" Elder said in 2009 she started snapping pictures of what she believed to be mold inside the building and sent them to a number of agencies including the Department of Environmental Quality and the Recovery School District which oversees the facility. "I had sent the state the pictures, because (Recovery School District Chief) Patrick Dobard is still in denial about the condition of the building," said Elder. An RSD rep says state investigators who visited the site last fall made no mention of mold in their report. Even so authorities moved up plans to renovate the entire facility two years, closing the school this summer. "We are making good on our promise to provide a state of the art facility for our students. At the same time we must make academic progress at a faster clip than we are today. Speeding up this renovation will help speed up the day when students can benefit from a world-class education at the facility," said Dobard. "I do know that in schools, the Environmental Protection Agency has identified that mold and other air pollutants is a problem and that can cause absenteeism," said Dr. Faye Grimsley. Grimsley, an environmental Health scientist with Tulane University, has been conducting asthma studies on children in this area post-Katrina. "We went into homes and collected mold samples, collected dust samples for allergens, dust mites, cockroach antigens and had the chance to do clinical evaluations on the children as well," said Grimsley.

-- Rachel Wulff and Andy Cunningham

EXPIRED SCHOOL FACILITIES PLANS PROMPT NEW ELC LAWSUIT

-- Education Law Center New Jersey: February 12, 2014 [ abstract]

The ongoing failure of the NJ Department of Education (DOE) to put in place up-to-date, district-wide school facilities plans for the state's poorest school districts has prompted a lawsuit seeking compliance with the law, Education Law Center announced today. ELC filed the case after the DOE ignored a formal request in November 2013 to take immediate steps to require the 31 "SDA districts" to revise and submit their facilities plans â€“ called "Long Range Facilities Plans" (LRFP) â€“ for DOE review and approval. Under orders issued by the NJ Supreme Court in the landmark Abbott v. Burke case, the state school facilities and construction law, and the DOE's own regulations, the Department must make certain that district's LRFPs are updated at least every five years to reflect changing conditions. All SDA districts' LRFPs were last approved by the DOE nearly seven years ago, some even before that, and many were prepared by the districts nine years ago. "The district's LRFPs are seriously out of date, rendering them useless for assessing facilities conditions and needs and for making decisions about whether to repair, renovate, replace or close school buildings," said Elizabeth Athos, ELC Senior Attorney. "The Supreme Court made clear that up-to-date plans are essential for the State to make sound decisions about school construction." Updated LRFPs, with current enrollment data, building capacities and utilization, and Health and safety conditions are the linchpin for making decisions related to the repair, construction, renovation and closing of existing public schools, and for the DOE to assess statewide needs and establish educational priority rankings for all school facilities projects in SDA districts. The SDA, the state's construction agency, is required to use the DOE statewide assessments and project priority rankings to establish a "statewide strategic plan" for use in setting timetables for school construction projects. The ELC lawsuit asks for an order for the DOE to: 1) require SDA districts to promptly submit their revised plans and review and approve the LRFPs within 90 days of submission; 2) issue a new statewide needs assessment based on the updated plans; and 3) establish a new statewide priority ranking for school facilities projects â€“ emergent, capital maintenance, and major renovations and new schools â€“ in SDA districts.

-- Sharon Krengel

Orr Elementary School: DCPS Dirty Little Secret East of the River

-- The Washington Teacher District of Columbia: February 09, 2014 [ abstract]

In a February 6 post on The Washington Teacher education blog, I wrote about the Inhumane Teaching and Learning Conditions at DC's Orr elementary school. Benjamin Orr elementary school is located at 2200 Minnesota Avenue SE Washington, DC 20020, 202/671-6240. Niyeka Wilson is the schools principal. Principal Wilson is no stranger to controversy as parents from the Parent Action Consort (known as PAC) recently wrote DC City Council members alleging that Wilson had written malicious comments on her Face book page disparaging an Orr parent and student with physical Health challenges. Members of PAC called for the disciplinary action of Wilson. Reportedly, Wilson is now under investigation by DCPS. The results have yet to be reported. My January 2014 visit to Orr revealed some horrific learning conditions for students at this once esteemed school. I witnessed conditions with my own eyes. While in the vault classroom, I observed evidence of a classroom with teacher's objectives, behavior chart, touch math chart, foundations sound chart and call and response posted in the room. It is reported by staff that special needs students receive pull out instruction in a vault, not intended for human habitation. In another space in the school, 42 students (which is well above the student-teacher ratio) cram into a fabricated music room like sardines with little room for both students and instrumental music equipment. One has to walk sideways around furniture in the music room just to move about. It has been reported that students complain of soaring heat which reaches temperatures as high as 93 degrees even on the coldest of days in this makeshift room without windows. Heat overcame me even for the short duration I stood inside.

-- Candi Peterson

Midview sues state for new building repairs

-- The Morning Journal News Ohio: January 30, 2014 [ abstract]

ELYRIA �" Attorneys for the Midview Local Schools Board of Education filed a lawsuit asking Lorain County Common Pleas Court to order the Ohio School Facilities Commission to help pay for repairs on three new schools. Water-stained ceilings and weeping windows in three new elementary schools, built with financial help and cooperation of the OSFC Expedited Local Partnership Program, irritated the district for months, Midview Superintendent Scott Goggin said. Last summer, the district paid a consulting firm to sample and test air quality in the buildings to ensure the problems pose no Health risks to students and staff, Goggin said. Repairs to curb water damage to windows and wood trim also are needed, he said in November. The lawsuit filed Thursday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court claimed other school districts received financial help from the state when correcting repairs to their schools built through the same program. Midview School District works through tight finances this winter until revenue from a recent levy kicks in this spring, Treasurer Nicole Spriggs said.

-- Carol Harper

A push for D.C. Public Schools to share space with charter schools, nonprofits

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: January 29, 2014 [ abstract]

Many of the District’s traditional schools have fewer children than they were originally designed to hold, driving up the cost of maintenance. Meanwhile, the city’s fast-growing charter schools often struggle to find suitable real estate. The solution, according to a study commissioned by the city government: Push traditional schools to share space with charters, city agencies and community-based organizations. Such “co-locations” exist in a few places in the District. In Southeast Washington, for example, Malcolm X Elementary houses its own students as well as those from Achievement Prep Public Charter School. In Northwest, Sharpe Health is home to both a DCPS special-education school and Bridges Public Charter School. But the District has been far less aggressive about sharing public school space than some other cities, notably New York, where the number of charter schools co-located with traditional schools grew quickly under former Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Now the District is poised to begin pursuing co-location more aggressively, according to Deputy Mayor for Education Abigail Smith, whose office commissioned the D.C. government study. “It’s something that we support and that the chancellor is really interested in,” Smith said, referring to D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson. Co-locations aren’t always welcomed or easy: Put two schools with different cultures and missions into the same space, and there’s almost sure to be some tension. Co-locations need “substantial oversight and management” in order to work well, the study notes, and the District would have to build its oversight capacity from the ground up. Co-locations do offer a way to use large public buildings more efficiently, but there are important questions about how much extra space D.C. traditional schools actually have. According to the government’s study, D.C. school system only needs 7.4 million square feet, or about 70 percent of the 10.6 million square feet of school building space in its current portfolio. But that calculation doesn’t account for the way space is actually used in the District’s historic school buildings, said Mary Filardo, a facilities expert at the 21st Century Schools Fund. The older buildings have larger hallways, stairways, lobbies and mechanical rooms than newer school buildings, for example, as well as large theaters, full-service kitchens and vocational education spaces

-- Emma Brown

City Kids: Nurturing Detroit's gardens of love

-- model D Michigan: January 28, 2014 [ abstract]

Over the last two years, schoolyards at Detroit Public Schools all over the city have begun sprouting raised garden beds. Not only do these beds grow produce that nurtures students' bodies, the gardens nurture their minds as well, being used in lessons across the curriculum from science classes to math and language arts. The gardens are part of the Detroit School Garden Collaborative, a partnership between the Detroit Public Schools and The Greening of Detroit. The DSGC got started in 2012, with funding through the Healthy and Hunger Free Schools Act. Betty Wiggins, the executive director of the office of school nutrition for DPS, earmarked some of the funds the school district got from the government to start the program. When the gardening season gets started this April, the program will be active at 51 schools. The school district provides six raised beds and clean soil to fill them, along with seedlings to plant. The principal at each building assigns a key teacher to helm the program and implement the curriculum. The district also provides a garden attendant to help the teacher keep the garden weeded and watered and assists with some of the lessons. And at some schools, they hire students age 14 and up to be garden assistants, who help tend the garden through the summer months and get to participate in field trips to see agricultural producers all over the state. The district produces most of its own transplants for the garden beds as well, from a greenhouse maintained by students at the Randolph Vocational Center. Some classrooms also produce their own transplants in half the beds, the key teacher can grow whatever produce they want to use; in the other half, they grow what's called "stoplight salad" -- red tomatoes, yellow squash, and green zucchini. That goes on the menu at the school, so the kids are actually eating food the helped grow. It also goes to charter schools for which DPS is the school food authority.

-- Amy Kuras

Oregon School Garden Summit draws 200

-- StatesmanJournal.com Oregon: January 21, 2014 [ abstract]

Why do you garden with children? About 200 participants of the first annual Oregon School Garden Summit recently turned to the person seated next to them to share their answer. Chatter quickly filled an auditorium at the 4-H Conference and Education Center in West Salem, so loud that only the sound of a bell could recapture their attention. Organized by the policy advocacy nonprofit Upstream Public Health and the Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network, the summit consisted of speeches, workshops and table discussions �" allowing participants to learn and share tips about how to improve their school gardens. Incorporating school garden produce into cafeteria meals and curriculum along with growing a garden throughout the year were just some of the topics experts tackled throughout the day. “The goal of this summit is to get people working in school gardens better connected, because I found out that some people who work in schools a mile apart from one another don’t know each other, have never visited each others’ gardens and don’t know what resources that are available to them,” said Kasandra Griffin, the policy manager for Food and School Health at Upstream Public Health in Portland. Griffin said summit participants came from throughout Oregon and included teachers, school gardeners, state officials, parents, administrators and food service workers among other educators. There are 498 school gardens in Oregon, according to data from the Oregon Department of Education as of December. In Marion and Polk counties, there are about two dozen school gardens.

-- Queenie Wong

R.I. school officials get education on building costs

-- Providence Journal Rhode Island: January 18, 2014 [ abstract]

Communities around Rhode Island would have to pump a combined $1.7 billion into construction projects to bring all of the state's aging schools up to top condition, according to a recently completed assessment by the state Department of Education. To bring Rhode Island's education facilities up to that standard will require cooperation from state, municipal, school leaders and residents, acknowledged attendees at a Saturday conference at Rhode Island College hosted by the Rhode Island Association of School Committees. The information comes from the Public Schoolhouse Assessment, a report developed as an outgrowth of recent state law that requires school districts to follow standardized facility planning, design and construction regulations for school construction. Release of the data comes as a state moratorium on school construction is set to expire June 30 - the end of the current fiscal year. Physical conditions are central to the "equity and adequacy" of schools, said Joseph DaSilva, the state's school construction coordinator. Those attributes are core matters to ensure districts across the state create and maintain high-performing education systems. According to the assessment, 70 percent of the state's schools were built between 25 and 75 years ago. The average age of a school building in Rhode Island is 58 years. Meanwhile, excess capacity exists at every school level in Rhode Island, with middle schools having the most. With enrollments projected to decline over the next five years in most Rhode Island districts, excess capacity should continue to climb to more than 20 percent by 2016-2017. The education department, in 2007, revised its school construction regulations to curb the steady increase in state spending on reimbursements. Since the regulations were changed (and until the moratorium kicked in), the department has cut its construction reimbursements from an annual average of $182 million to approximately $75 million annually. While cutting state spending, the moratorium hampered school districts by draining money from maintenance of roofs, heating, and ventilation systems and other infrastructure needs. Only work needed to ensure the "immediate Health and safety" of students, staff and visitors could be undertaken. In the three years since the General Assembly imposed the moratorium, $600 million in repairs, energy efficiency work and other school improvements have been deferred, DaSilva told a Senate task force last week. When the moratorium lifts, schools will apply to the education department for roughly $50 million in school construction projects. One way for districts to reduce costs is to be more thoughtful about energy use, something that construction regulations encourage and which another state agency -- the Office of Energy Resources -- promotes through a partnership with National Grid. The opening of a new school on Aquidneck Island is an example of how these tandem programs are creating "21st century buildings," DaSilva said.

-- Paul Grimaldi

ARCHITECTURE: Philly launches first totally 'green' School of the Future

-- Montgomery Media Pennsylvania: January 07, 2014 [ abstract]

In the Philadelphia School District, where there is about a $1.5 million deficit in a citywide budget to sustain public schools, why would sustainable schools be contemplated? According to Rachel Gutter, director for the center for Green Schools of the U.S. Green Building Council, which held its annual convention in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Convention Center last month, “it makes economic sense.” About 70,000 people from the United States and abroad attended the four-day convention, which was devoted to exploring the progress of design attuned to improving the effect of buildings on the environment. Gutter, speaking on a panel with other school building experts on the first floor of the new section of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, said that the money saved from heating, cooling and air conditioning alone could make up for the additional cost of building a green school as opposed to a conventional one. According to the United States’ Green Building Council, the LEED green building program is the top program for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of green buildings. LEED buildings, the Green Buildings Council says, use less energy in the United States and increasingly abroad. LEED, which stand for Leadership in Energy and Environmental design, saves money and contributes to a Healthier environment for the people who use the buildings as well as cutting down on carbon and other emissions. The Green Building Council judges the level of LEED certification from simply certfied to silver through gold and platinum. Each credit is allocated points based on the environmental impact and human benefits that it addresses. “We are only starting to scratch the surface of the benefits of LEED building in schools,” Gutter said. She said that many school districts were finally getting away from using the cheapest material that was produced in a bidding competition to using energy-efficient materials.

-- Diane M. Fiske

PCB Contamination Nearly Quadruples Cost Of Newington School's Renovation

-- The Hartford Courant Connecticut: December 20, 2013 [ abstract]

NEWINGTON -- The discovery of unexpected amounts of PCBs has almost quadrupled the projected cost of renovating a wing of John Wallace Middle School for a new aerospace academy. The price tag jumped from $550,000 to $2 million because workers will have to tear down and rebuild the wing's exterior walls due to PCB contamination, Superintendent William C. Collins said. Collins emphasized that the wing, which now houses the school's art rooms, is safe. Extensive testing revealed no danger to human Health, he said. "We had extra tests done," Collins said. "We had them take air samples and wipe samples. There's absolutely no harm in any way, shape or form." [Sample Our Free Breaking News Alert And 3 P.M. News Newsletters] PCBs, which may cause certain types of cancer, were commonly used to fill cracks and joints until the 1970s. They are harmless unless disturbed, which would happen during renovation of the wing. The PCBs are embedded in nooks and crannies along the length of the wall's base, Collins said. Trying to remove the materials in layers would be impractical because officials don't know deep they go, he said. "Take the first level of blocks out and the rest of the wall comes down," he said. "It's frustrating to me that we had [estimated] $550,000 and now our cost is $2 million because of the PCB issue." Collins said that the extra work would not delay the projected opening of the aerospace academy, scheduled for the fall of 2015. The school system is creating middle school academies and a high school program that focus on science, technology, engineering and math education. A bioscience academy will open next fall at Martin Kellogg Middle School. This summer, a wing of Martin Kellogg will also undergo renovations to accommodate the academy at a cost of $550,000.

-- CHRISTOPHER HOFFMAN,

Mayor Helps Plant CPS' 100th 'Learning Garden' at Pierce School

-- DNAinfo Chicago Illinois: December 07, 2013 [ abstract]

Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined students at Helen C. Pierce Elementary School Friday to install Chicago Public Schools' 100th "Learning Garden." In 2012, the mayor pledged his commitment to working with a nonprofit organization, the Kitchen Community, to put 100 gardens in public schools across Chicago, a $1 million effort funded by funding left over from the NATO summit and Chicago philanthropists. The initiative was aimed at instilling Healthy eating habits, countering trends of childhood diabetes and obesity, while also bolstering academic performance with the opportunity for garden-based nutrition and science education. Pierce held an assembly and ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by the mayor and Kitchen Community Executive Director Kimbal Musk. Andrew Lajom, an 11-year-old sixth-grade student chosen to speak about the garden, said the garden would "provide many fruits and vegetables for all students at Pierce," and "give us another opportunity to have Healthy choices as students." The garden consists of several concrete planters near the school's field and playground area.

-- Adeshina Emmanuel

NJ announces $508 million for school construction

-- NJTV News New Jersey: December 04, 2013 [ abstract]

New Jersey’s School Development Authority has announced plans to use $508 million to help pay for construction projects in the majority of the state’s school districts. The state said Wednesday that it will pay 100 percent of the costs in 31 lower-income districts and at least 40 percent of the costs in other districts for projects that address Health and safety concerns and overcrowding. Including the local districts’ contributions, the total costs of the projects is estimated at $1.1 billion. The state’s portion of the funding comes from $3.9 billion in bonds the Legislature authorized in 2008 for school facilities projects. Overall, more than 1,500 projects are planned in 331 districts.

-- Associate Press

ACLU sues for info on dilapidated schools

-- Asbury Park Press New Jersey: November 28, 2013 [ abstract]

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey has filed a complaint in Superior Court on behalf of the Education Law Center challenging the N.J. Schools Development Authority's decision to withhold Health and safety reports on conditions at four New Jersey schools in need of repair. The four schools â€” Camden High School, Thomas G. Connors Elementary School in Hoboken, Cleveland Elementary School in Orange and Orange High School â€” were identified by the SDA as having Health, safety and structural defects, according to ELC. But in October the SDA denied an Open Public Records Act request filed by the Education Law Center to obtain the agency's reports on the schools, according to ELC. Authority spokeswoman Kristen MacLean said the reports are developed to inform design consultants about the work that might be required at a facility and that until the SDA has completed discussions with school districts about defects, reports are considered to be in draft form and may not be released to the public. MacLean said she could not otherwise comment on pending litigation. An earlier OPRA request submitted by ELC concerning Trenton Central High School produced that school's facilities condition report, including information about serious Health and safety defects and asbestos in the building. Last month, the Trenton School District sued the SDA to force the agency to repair severe problems in the building, according to ELC.

-- Alesha Williams Boyd

Americans Voice Strong Mandate for Better School Buildings and Infrastructure in New Nationwide Independent Poll

-- PR Newswire National: November 21, 2013 [ abstract]

A new independent nationwide survey reveals 3 out of 4 Americans are supportive of green schools. The survey, sponsored by United Technologies Corp. (UTC) and the U.S. Green Building Council's Center for Green Schools, explores American's attitudes toward the country's public school buildings and investments to modernize school infrastructure. The results were announced today during a press conference at the Greenbuild Conference & Expo in Philadelphia. The survey results show that 90 percent of Americans think it is important to improve public school buildings. Across political party lines, more than half of those surveyed (54 percent) would rate K-12 school buildings and infrastructure in the United States as poor or fair at best. "The results of this nationwide survey are a call to action for elected officials and school leaders across the country," said Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. "Nine out of 10 Americans believe that it's time for us to invest in transforming aging school facilities into 21st century learning environments. Regardless of political affiliation, Americans agree: where our children learn matters." More than half of Americans surveyed also feel that the U.S. does not spend enough money on buildings and infrastructure in K-12 schools. Nearly half of respondents (49 percent) would donate to a green schools cause and 43 percent would volunteer time to green their own schools. "Every day 25 percent of Americans go to school as students, faculty, staff and administrators. Green schools improve learning, Health and productivity, while lowering operating costs. There is measurable opportunity here to improve the day-to-day life for a quarter of Americans," said John Mandyck, chief sustainability officer, UTC Building & Industrial Systems. "These results show a tremendous level of public support for school infrastructure improvements and the investment they will require."

-- Press release

Shaed Elementary School Awarded to Public Charter Schools and Two Additional School Buildings Released for Offers

-- The District of Columbia - Office of the Mayor District of Columbia: October 25, 2013 [ abstract]

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) and the Department of General Services (DGS) today awarded Shaed Elementary School at 301 Douglas Street, NE to a partnership between Inspired Teaching Demonstration and Lee Montessori Public Charter Schools. The unique partnership at Shaed Elementary will include community access to the facility for recreational purposes. This will be a permanent site for Inspired Teaching and a start-up location for Lee Montessori to begin growing a new program in the District. Yesterday, the Department of General Services also released a Request for Offers (RFO) for Shadd Elementary School at 5601 East Capitol Street SE and Sharpe Health School at 4300 13th Street NW. DCPS stopped using the Shadd building in 2011. Since then it has been occupied by the University of the District of Columbia and DC Scholars Public Charter School. The current program at Sharpe Health will be moving to River Terrace for the 2014-15 school year. Public charter schools are invited to submit proposals for Sharpe and Shadd by November 25th, 2013.

-- Staff Writer

GUEST OP-ED: Trenton High must be rebuilt

-- The Trentonian New Jersey: October 24, 2013 [ abstract]

The current state of disrepair at Trenton Central High School has a long history of missteps, compounded mistakes and neglect going back for at least 30 years. A clear plan of action for a thoughtful resolution to this critical problem calls for real leadership.This proud building and its student body deserve better than its current state of disrepair and the potential Health risks involved.Once a detailed plan is adopted, all available state and local resources should be utilized to quickly move the desired work through to completion.It should be noted that approximately 98 percent of the school budget in Trenton is paid for by the State. With an illustrious history dating from its opening in 1932, this building holds memories cherished by many thousands of graduates.In its early years, Trenton Central High School was named as one of the five best comprehensive high schools in the United States.Designed by architect Ernest K Sibley, who also designed the Dunn and Holland Middle Schools, the building was constructed at a cost of $3.3 million, to provide the most complete educational program available at the time.Although the school was designed to be expanded, only one addition was built�"a vocational wing in the 1950’s. The student body was drawn not only from the city, but from the surrounding townships of Ewing, Lawrence and Hamilton and beyond.Hamilton opened its own high school later in the 30’s, but Ewing and Lawrence students attended TCHS for two decades more.

-- DON COX, Special to The Trentonian

Cheltenham residents want moldy middle school razed

-- Philly.com Pennsylvania: October 22, 2013 [ abstract]

Cheltenham residents suggested Tuesday that the school district raze the township's moldy middle school and move Cedarbrook students to a new building. "My option would be to take down that building," Elizabeth "Betty" Cataldi said to applause at a packed public meeting at the district's administration building. Cataldi, 69, a former Cheltenham school board member, was one of nearly 100 people who listened to district officials mull over four potential contingency plans addressing the school's chronic mold issue. Mold from the heating and air-conditioning system first was discovered in 2003 at Cedarbrook Middle School. It was found again in July, delaying the start of the school year and costing the district more than $600,000 so far, officials said. "The only way you are going to get rid of the mold is to get rid of the school," said John Witherspoon. He said the mold problems at the school dated at least to the 1980s, when he said his daughter got sick from Cedarbrook mold. Vivian Tyler Allen, who has a child in eighth grade at Cedarbrook, said the primary concern right now is the Health of the students. "If we can move them now, move them now," she said. One of the contingency options involves renovating the middle school 10 rooms at a time while students still attend the school. That plan would cost $26.3 million.

-- Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman

Unlocking the Schoolyard Gates

-- Imperial Valley News National: October 19, 2013 [ abstract]

School districts can increase physical activity among children and young adults by opening playgrounds, gyms and fields to the community outside of school hours, especially in low-income areas, according to an American Heart Association policy statement published today in the American Journal of Public Health. The statement recommends that school districts enter “shared use” agreements with community organizations to allow supervised activities such as sports leagues and unsupervised playing on school grounds. Low-income communities have less access to recreational spaces and community recreation centers, according to the statement. “If you want to get active, you need a place to be active,” said Deborah Rohm Young, primary author of the statement. Dr. Young is with the Department of Research and Evaluation at Kaiser Permanente Southern California in Pasadena. “We need more voices to help local schools share their playgrounds and gyms with the community.” When previously locked schoolyards in two lower-income communities in New Orleans were opened and activities supervised, children’s outdoor physical activity was 84 percent higher than in a community with closed schoolyards, according to research cited in the statement. Recognizing that schools have legitimate concerns with simply unlocking their gates and doors, the statement identifies five key issues they must first address with community organizations:

-- American Heart Association

State audit slams Colorado school construction fund for mismanagement, conflicts of interest

-- The Daily Caller Colorado: October 16, 2013 [ abstract]

A Colorado Department of Education program meant to help school districts maintain buildings and repair unsafe ones has spent more than $1 billion since 2009, but a scathing state audit has found that only a quarter of the 70 schools identified as being in the worst condition have seen any funding. Auditors found that an oversight board for the Public School Capital Construction Assistance Fund awarded grants to relatively low-priority projects while denying other projects considered to be high priority. They also uncovered questionable expenditures approved under the program, including $877,000 spent on 1,346 laptops and iPads that were approved for one school but which were used at another. “Auditors noted that those funds could have been made available for other Health and safety projects that didn’t receive funding,” according to the report’s summary. The audit, released last week, is especially timely, considering that Colorado voters are considering a new tax on recreational marijuana that will contribute up to $40 million annually to the fund. But as the audit shows, the program has a poor track record of ensuring the funds make their way to the districts that need them the most. The statute governing the capital construction program requires that a board of overseers �" called the Assistance Board �" prioritize projects based on the most dire Health and safety needs. But a $12 million “priority assessment” of all the state’s schools and related facilities completed in 2010 “was not conducted in a manner that clearly identified all Health-and-safety related deficiencies,” the audit reported.

-- Greg Campbell

Report: Better Equipped Schools Mean Better Learning, Student Advantages

-- Arkansasmatters.com Arkansas: October 15, 2013 [ abstract]

State funding for school facilities should be increased to meet the needs of all districts. The official standard, that facilities need only be warm, safe, and dry, is not good enough. According to a new report by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, the quality of school facilities can have a major impact on the education that our children receive and whether they succeed in school. Research, court decisions, and states have long recognized that disparities in access to basic school facilities can lead to differences in educational outcomes, especially for low-income students. According to the report, “Why School Facilities Matter: And what we can do to fix the disparities,” all students should have access to a high-quality learning environment. “In some wealthier zip codes in the state, students have access to state-of-the-art facilities that promote hands on learning, “ says Jerri Derlikowski, author of the report and Director of Education Policy and Finance at AACF. “They have things like television broadcast facilities, performing arts centers, and Health careers rooms with computerized college quality equipment. That’s not always the case for lower-income districts.” According to the report, students in low property-wealth areas of the state are typically educated in outdated, no-frills facilities that do no more than meet minimal state standards for being warm, safe, and dry. They often do not have access to state of the art facilities that do more to enhance learning. This creates an opportunity gap that limits the success these students can have in the competitive environments of college and careers. These inequities don’t just occur from one side of the state to the other. They occur within the same county and even within the same school district. The report is accompanied by a 15-minute video (attached to this page) aimed at highlighting why the state of school facilities is so important. The film was produced by Bailey Perkins, a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma who spent the summer as an intern for AACF. The goal of her internship was to examine school facility disparities in the state and develop recommendations with local stakeholders for more equitably resourcing school buildings state-wide. “This project was an eye-opening experience and one that taught me the importance of investing in our public school facilities,” Perkins says. “A quality educational environment should be available to all of our students, not just the districts that can afford it. Our lawmakers need to take a stronger role to ensure that our school facilities are more than just ‘warm, safe, and dry.’ They need to be equitable and fair and provide innovative learning environments that prepare ALL students to thrive in an evolving and globalized world.”

-- Staff Writer

Audit: Colo. school construction not prioritized

-- Seattle PI Colorado: October 08, 2013 [ abstract]

More than $1 billion spent on Colorado school construction projects has failed to always reach the neediest places because a board overseeing the spending hasn't prioritized the funds, state auditors said Tuesday. The report released to lawmakers concluded that only a quarter of 70 schools identified as being in the worst condition have received grant funding since 2009. Auditors said the problem stems from the fact that the board in charge of the grants has not developed a methodology to identify critical projects or a prioritized list. Without such a tool, the board "cannot demonstrate the rationale for approving or denying each grant application," the report said. Lawmakers created the Public School Capital Construction Assistance Program in 2008 to help the infrastructure needs of school districts and other public education organizations. So far, the program's board has distributed $1.1 billion for 211 construction projects. The state has funded $759 million of that, while districts have spent about $330 million in matching funds. Auditors said they found instances in which the board denied funding for some projects that were considered critical but funded others that were not. "Each dollar spent on one project is a dollar that is not available to help another school to provide a safe, Healthy, uncrowded environment for the students, teachers, and members of the public who use those facilities," the audit said. Democratic Rep. Angela Williams, chair of the state's Legislative Audit Committee, said she was concerned about a lack of transparency.

-- IVAN MORENO, Associated Press

Mounds school condemned because of dangerous mold

-- Southeast Missourian Illinois: October 06, 2013 [ abstract]

A Southern Illinois school building was condemned after education officials announced Friday that potentially dangerous black mold was so prevalent, the building wasn't safe for students. The announcement by regional superintendent of schools Janet Ulrich said the Meridian Elementary School building in Mounds was condemned and the doors were locked Friday. A sign saying the building is unfit for occupation was posted outside. An architect was called in May, and the Illinois Department of Labor confirmed the presence of black mold in the building. After a second review and a walk-through by a state board of education Health and safety official, a letter from the Illinois State Board of Education came to Ulrich's office this week with a recommendation to condemn the building. Meridian Elementary's 450 students have shared Meridian High School this year in shifts as the problem was investigated. Plans for the demolition of the elementary and construction of a new building haven't been determined, according to the news release. When the elementary school was built 32 years ago, it did not require a vapor barrier -- a strong sheet of plastic between the brick wall, insulation and drywall that would keep moisture from collecting. "The weather has been very moist over the last several years, especially since 2011, and with the heavy rains in the spring," Ulrich said. "In the spring, we had some rain do damage to the high school, and then you take into consideration no vapor barriers and it's in a low-lying area. It probably should not have been built in that area for this reason." The lack of windows in the classroom section also contributed to the mold's growth. The building has a rectangle for the main office and the cafeteria and gym. "It's brick walls, insulation and drywall, so lights never exist. It contributes to the growth of mold when it's so dark," Ulrich said.

-- Ruth Campbell

Debate turns heated over Wake school bonds

-- Newsobserver.com North Carolina: October 03, 2013 [ abstract]

In front of a largely skeptical audience Thursday, a leader of the group promoting the $810 million Wake County school construction bond issue made a passionate plea for residents to vote “yes” Tuesday. Phil Zachary, co-chairman of the Friends of Wake County, asked the Republican Women of Cary and Southwestern Wake to set aside their concerns about the bonds to ensure the Health of the community. His remarks were punctuated by argumentative exchanges with the audience, who repeatedly said “no” to his remarks. “We have 20,000 new students coming to Wake County in the next five years,” Zachary said at Prestonwood Country Club. “Like it or not, they’re coming. Like it or not, it’s mandated that they have a place to sit, that they have the services necessary.” In contrast, the speakers who opposed the bonds were applauded. “It won’t be the end of the world if we don’t approve this particular bond,” said former school board Chairman Ron Margiotta. “The sky won’t fall.” Early voting ends Saturday on a bond measure that would pay for most of a $939.9 million construction program that includes 16 new schools, six major renovation projects, smaller repairs at 79 schools, technology upgrades and other projects.

-- T. Keung Hui

US Dept Of ED Awards Nearly $1 Million to George Washington University to Support Educational Facilities Clearinghouse

-- US Department of Education National: September 30, 2013 [ abstract]

The U.S. Department of Education announced today first year grant award of $973,763 for George Washington University in Washington, D.C. to support the establishment and implementation of an Educational Facilities Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse will provide technical assistance, training and resources to public preschools, K-12 schools and higher education institutions on issues related to educational facility planning, design, financing, construction, improvement, operation, maintenance and safety. "Students need safe, Healthy and modern school facilities to be able to focus on learning and improving academic achievement," said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "This grant will allow George Washington University to establish a Clearinghouse to help local education leaders plan for, build, improve and maintain educational facilities to help turnaround schools and close the achievement gap." This award for the first year of a three-year project will provide the education community with a reliable resource for information that can be used to plan for new construction, renovation and improvements to educational facilities. The Clearinghouse will also develop resources and assemble best practices on issues related to ensuring safe, Healthy and high-performance public facilities, including procedures for identifying hazards and conducting vulnerability assessment. More information is available at this link for the Educational Facilities Clearinghouse.

-- Press Office

VERMONT BEGINS SECOND ANNUAL SEARCH FOR GREEN RIBBON SCHOOLS

-- Vermont Agency of Education Vermont: September 30, 2013 [ abstract]

MONTPELIER �" The Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) announced its second annual search for outstanding green and Healthy schools. The AOE participates in the US Dept. of Education Green Ribbon Schools Program (ED-GRS), and last year three Vermont schools were honored: Reading Elementary School, Shelburne Community School, and St. Albans City School. Vermont has many schools that have learned how to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to nourish Health and fitness awareness among students and staff, and to promote environmental literacy. Sustainability education and the awareness of green careers are growing and now schools will have the chance to be nationally recognized for their work. Keeping students interested in and caring for the environment is crucial to our future. The GRS program seeks to highlight schools across the nation that are working every day to set a great example by saving energy and reducing operating costs, creating environmentally friendly learning spaces, promoting student Health and providing environmental education to incorporate sustainability into the curriculum. To be considered for the program, a school will have achieved or made considerable progress toward the three pillars established in the program: 1) energy efficient buildings; 2) Healthy students and school environment; and 3) environmental literacy of all students. The combined achievement in these three areas will be the basis for the ED-GRS award.

-- Press Release

Mountain View Parents Push for New School

-- Northeast Cobb Patch Georgia: September 28, 2013 [ abstract]

Add the parents of Mountain View Elementary School to those in Cobb County lobbying for new facilities. More than a dozen Mountain View parents turned out at the Cobb Board of Education meeting Thursday night to plead for a replacement to the aging Northeast Cobb school. Wearing bright yellow shirts and standing when someone in their group spoke during a public comment session, the Mountain View parents rattled off a series of Health and safety issues they say make having a new school necessary. They say the building, which dates from the 1960s, is filled with mold, floors easily settle with water after rain and that students have to be ushered through the main parking lot to reach classrooms. The school's location, dating back to the late 1920s when the East Cobb area was rural, is now in the midst of a commercial corridor on Sandy Plains Road near Shallowford Road, presenting traffic concerns. "We're a great school, we're just not a great school building," said Susan Tucker, chairwoman of the Mountain View school council. "You have seen the mold literally on the walls," Mountain View PTA president Michelle Franklin said. "I see our children crossing a parking lot to get to classes. "Are we willing to take risks like this again and again with our children?"

-- Wendy Parker

Senators introduce bill to invest in America's schools

-- The Exponent Telegram National: September 25, 2013 [ abstract]

Senator Jay Rockefeller, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Subcommittee on Health Care, and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) who is also a member of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced the Rebuilding America’s Schools Act, which strengthens and expands school construction bond programs in order to encourage school rehabilitation and construction. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) are original cosponsors of the bill. “Our children deserve the very best learning environment we can provide. We know there is a direct correlation between an up-to-date school building and student performance and morale, so it’s critical to the success of our students that we improve existing schools and build new ones,” said Rockefeller. “In West Virginia we’ve seen these bonds put to good use in making needed improvements to existing schools �" like adding a gymnasium and performing arts center or addressing renovations that make our schools safer. School construction bonds are also beneficial because improving schools and building new ones creates new job opportunities and economic activity that supports our local businesses.” Rockefeller has been pushing for new school construction investments since 2002 when he first introduced the America’s Better Classrooms (ABC) Act. He also worked to include key school construction provisions in the Recovery Act of 2009. “We have a responsibility to create the best environment for learning possible. That includes assuring that Ohio’s students are able to attend school in buildings that are up-to-date,” said Brown. “Evidence shows that this benefits students by creating an environment more conducive to learning so that they can grow and prosper. That is why I am proud to introduce with Sen. Rockefeller the Rebuilding America’s Schools Act.”

-- Staff Writer

U.S. Dept. of ED to Visit Schools in Nations Capital - Final Leg of Facilities Best Practices Tour

-- US Department of Education National: September 24, 2013 [ abstract]

ED-Green Ribbon Schools Director Andrea Falken will be joined by several other senior Department officials to visit three honored green ribbon schools in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Sept. 25 on the final leg of the 'Education Built To Last' Facilities Best Practices Tour. Joining them will be Stefan Huh, director, Charter Schools Program; Doug Herbert, special assistant, Office of Innovation and Improvement; Lily Clark, senior advisor, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development; and Adam Honeysett, acting managing director, state and local public engagement; and others. They will be joined by other federal and local officials to tour the schools to see and discuss ways that school facilities can enhance the conditions of learning. Some of those officials include Crystal McDonald, policy advisor, U.S. Department of Energy; Jaquelyn Mosby, director, Office of Children's Health Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and EPA Regional Administrator Shawn Garvin. The schools to be visited are: Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School; Woodrow Wilson High School; and Sidwell Friends School The visits will include tours of school buildings and grounds, conversations with students and teachers regarding environmental education, Health and sustainability, and discussions with key partners and energy management personnel. In addition, local district facilities personnel are invited to attend and participate in a listening session at Woodrow Wilson High School. The listening session will allow facilities experts to share best practices on school facilities and provide input to the U.S. Education Department. The Department's 'Education Built to Last Facilities Best Practices Tour' features schools that exhibit best practices in school building and grounds design, construction, operations and management to support Health, equity, educational outcomes, energy efficiency and cost savings in our nation's public schools.

-- Press Office

New ‘green’ playground at P.S. 261 will help prevent flooding of Gowanus Canal

-- Brooklyn Daily Eagle New York: September 22, 2013 [ abstract]

The days of the hard, asphalt school playground may be numbered: A new type of “green” playground was dedicated at Brooklyn’s P.S. 261 on Thursday that will help manage stormwater runoff and alleviate the flooding of the Gowanus Canal. New York City and The Trust for Public Land, partners in this project, say P.S. 261’s colorful new play-yard is one of up to 40 playgrounds that will include “green” infrastructure to soak up water during rainstorms, easing pressure on the city’s sewer system and improving the Health of waterways. Many New York City residents may not realize that city’s sewer system allows rainwater to mix with sewage during storms. Overflow is sent straight into waterways, which may then flood into streets and basements. Gowanus residents have complained for years about the overflow from the filthy Gowanus Canal, which receives roughly 300 million gallons of sewage and rainwater every year. P.S. 261’s playground will help by managing almost half a million gallons of this stormwater annually. “We have enough asphalt in New York City,” said Council Member Stephen Levin...

-- Mary Frost

Mold found in Montgomery elementary school sparks parents’ health concern

-- Washington Post Maryland: September 20, 2013 [ abstract]

An outbreak of mold at Rolling Terrace Elementary School was discovered the second week of classes. It was found on walls, desks, chairs and carpets �" blotches of fungus identified in 21 classrooms. Cleanup started right away, and Montgomery school officials maintain that Rolling Terrace is safe and under close monitoring. But many parents say they were kept in the dark about the problem for four days and worry that children have been sickened, either by the mold or the products used to clean it. “It’s disheartening, and I just feel they are not doing enough,” said Michaela Johnson, a mother of three students at the school, who said her first-grader had suffered from two weeks of headaches, a couple of nosebleeds and a spike in asthma symptoms. Principal Jennifer Connors said Friday that she and others regret not informing parents more quickly “so they could make decisions for themselves” about whether to send their children to school. Still, she adds, “I didn’t at any time feel the building was unsafe for children.”

-- Donna St. George

INACTION FORCES TRENTON STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO ENDURE ANOTHER YEAR OF UNFIT AND UNSAFE BUILDING CONDITIONS

-- Education Law Center New Jersey: September 16, 2013 [ abstract]

Education Law Center joined State Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman and a vocal group of teachers and advocates before the State Board of Education (SBOE) last week to let Board members know about the dreadful conditions at Trenton Central High School (TCHS). The continued refusal of Governor Christie's Administration to perform emergent repairs during the summer means the 1800 Trenton High School students and their teachers must suffer through another school year of dangerous conditions in the building. In testimony to the SBOE, speakers lined up to describe in graphic detail the deterioration of the 80-year-old building and the threat it poses to the Health and safety of students and staff. The speakers blasted the State Department of Education and the Schools Development Authority (SDA) for ignoring repeated demands for emergent repairs of the high school, urging the SBOE to take action. Assemblywoman Watson Coleman said, â€�"Your voice is needed to add to this debate.â€ TCHS alumnus and former Trenton Board of Education member, Algernon Ward, told the Board that it's time for bureaucratic games to stop. Assemblyman Gusciora described a recent tour of the building, where he saw significant water damage from leaky roofs, including warped classroom floors and black mold on the walls. Barbara Walden, who recently retired after teaching in the school district for 31 years, talked about mice and cockroaches infesting the building, and the strong stench of dead rodents. These and other conditions were documented during an SDA assessment of the building in February 2012, and in an extensive report by the SDA in December 2012. A 2011 inspection found asbestos throughout the building. â€�"I am there every day. It is so bad, so foul and so vile that it would make every decent human being vomit,â€ said Nick Cirillo, a social studies teacher and coach of the debate team. Other speakers addressed the impact of the deteriorating building on students and the learning process. Georgia Koenig, a TCHS graduate who now works with Urban Promise Trenton, said students often talk to her about the sorry state of the basement cafeteria and the bathrooms. â€�"The physical condition of the building doesn't show that we put stock in kids' education there,â€ she said.

-- Sharon Krengel

Students Show U.S. Dept. of Education Officials Their Green Best Practices

-- Manhattan Beach Patch California: September 16, 2013 [ abstract]

Grand View Elementary School was one of two area schools on the U.S. Department of Education's "Education Built To Last Facilities Best Practices Tour" Monday. The Manhattan Beach public school was selected for being among those "that exhibit best practices in school building and grounds design, construction, operations and management to support Health, equity, educational outcomes, energy efficiency and cost savings in our nation's public schools," according to a press release. Grand View is one of 16 green ribbon award-winning schools in California, Oregon and Washington senior Education Department officials are visiting to see and discuss ways that school facilities can enhance the conditions of learning. Officials also toured the Environmental Charter High School in Lawndale and Journey School in Aliso Viejo on Monday. Longfellow Elementary School and Charles Evans Hughes Middle School, both in Long Beach, will be visited Tuesday. Monday's visit to Grand View included tours of school buildings and grounds, conversations with students and teachers regarding environmental education, Health and sustainability, and discussions with key partners and energy management personnel.

-- Liz Spear

U.S. Education Department officials to visit Long Beach schools

-- Press-Telegram California: September 15, 2013 [ abstract]

Education officials to visit two local schools Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Education will visit two Long Beach schools and 14 schools throughout California, Oregon and Washington as part of the Education Built to Last Facilities Best Practices Tour. The tour highlights schools that have received green ribbons for having building, construction and grounds designs that promote Health, equity, energy efficiency and cost savings in public schools. Andrea Falken, director of the Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools, will visit Longfellow Elementary School and Charles Evans Hughes Middle School in Long Beach on Tuesday. Officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will also take part in the tour. Visits to the schools will include tours of school buildings and grounds as well as conversations with students and teachers about environmental education, Health and sustainability. Officials will have discussions with energy management staff as well. Personnel from state and district facilities are encouraged to participate in listening sessions in which they share best practices on school facilities and give feedback to the U.S. Education Department. McBride student body chooses colors, mascot Ernest McBride High School, the first public high school to open in Long Beach since 1995, opened its doors on Sept. 4 with no school colors or mascot. That decision was left up to the freshman class, the only class of students at the school at the moment.

-- Nadra Nittle

Some Nashville schools could close to avoid deficit

-- The Tennessean Tennessee: September 11, 2013 [ abstract]

Closing underfilled schools, cutting staff and increasing class sizes are cost-cutting measures Director of Schools Jesse Register would consider recommending if Metro Nashville Public Schools is unable to make up a $23 million budget shortfall projected for the next fiscal year. Register laid out these potentially draconian scenarios at an hourlong Metro school board Budget and Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday. He is forecasting a need for $38 million in additional funds, which would bring the proposed budget to $784.4 million. As a result, budget talks that typically begin each winter have started already. “This is not an easy subject to broach, particularly this early in the year,” Register said. Register, who has been able to avoid school closures during his 4�1/2-year tenure in Nashville while other cities haven’t, said the district has had a “number of conversations” about consolidating certain schools. The district last did so in the 2009 school year, but that decision was made under a previous administration. His staff handed board members and media Tuesday a list of 12 schools that are below 70 percent capacity. Most are in North or East Nashville. The lowest is Haynes Middle Health/Medical Science Design Center, which is at 38 percent capacity, followed by Gra-Mar Middle School at 50.7 percent. Other schools below 70 percent capacity include Rosebank Elementary School, Isaac Litton Middle School, Statford High School, Jere Baxter Middle School and Whites Creek Comprehensive High School.

-- Joey Garrison

School garden: Weeding the classroom

-- ArgusLeader.com South Dakota: September 08, 2013 [ abstract]

It started in spring, when a group of Memorial Middle School students planted seeds in a garden tucked away in the field next to campus. Now it’s ending deliciously, as the students sample Healthy dishes in their family consumer science class made from the fruits of their labor. “It’s awesome because you can come out here and pick some produce, then go up to the classroom and cook it,” said Anna Watkins, 11, who’s among the group of 13 students tending to the garden this fall. The garden was started with a $500 Seed to Table grant awarded from South Dakota State University to teachers Karyn Veenis and Brittany Henry. This year is Watkins’ first working with the group. She decided to join after her friends told her how fun the club was. She said she enjoying picking the peppers grown at the garden because they’re her favorite vegetable. The purpose of the grant is to help students learn where their food comes from, how it grows and what happens with it before their parents make it into dinner. Students plant, weed and harvest their own produce. First, they make sure there are no animals eating away at their garden. If so, they host a group discussion to give it a name before thinking of a way to get rid of it. Afterward, they break up in groups, removing the dead leaves and weeds from the plants, occasionally stopping to ask Henry, a family consumer science teacher, to identify an unfamiliar vegetable.

-- Mark Walker

Exhaust, diesel fumes foul public schoolyards across Washington state

-- Investigate West Washington: September 05, 2013 [ abstract]

More than half a century has elapsed since the Seattle School Board â€” with nary a raised eyebrow, records indicate â€” voted to allow one of the nation's biggest and busiest highways to be built cheek-by-jowl with John Marshall Junior High, trading away the school's playground for a larger plot of land nearby. The John Marshall building beside Interstate 5 near Green Lake was closed for the last few years, but its doors are expected to open again to North Seattle middle schoolers in 2014. Yet now, as in 1958, school board deliberations on the renovation and opening of the school didn't include a word about the road rushing over the kids' heads, despite a compelling body of evidence dating back decades that air pollution from highways can cause lifelong respiratory problems and asthma attacks and boost school absenteeism. At least one school board member, Kay Smith-Blum, was alerted to the dangers at John Marshall. Locating a school beside a big road â€�"raises public Health concerns,â€ the director of the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit at the University of Washington said in an email to a concerned parent, which was copied to Smith-Blum. â€�"Limiting children's exposure to vehicle emissions should be a priority consideration.â€ â€�"I do recall seeing a letter from a UW professor/Health professional with regard to the John Marshall building potential issues with air quality,â€ Smith-Blum wrote in an email response to questions from InvestigateWest. She passed the email along to the facilities team, she says. â€�"I am sure those concerns are being addressed/vetted by our staff,â€ Smith-Blum wrote. But in fact, 21 months elapsed between the Health expert's September 2011 email and the time Seattle Schools officials, prompted by InvestigateWest's questions, started looking into the dangers. The school board's decision to reopen John Marshall is just one example of how, when it comes to air pollution near roads, Washington state school policies haven't caught up with the science.

-- OLIVIA HENRY AND KATE MARTIN

Are Our School Buildings Harming Our Students?

-- Healthy Schools Network National: August 27, 2013 [ abstract]

With back-to-school time in full swing, each school day, 55 million children and 7 million adults -- 20 percent of the total U.S. population and 98 percent of all children -- will spend their days inside school buildings. As our children head back to the classroom, there are efforts to offer our children Healthier foods and more exercise, along with asking for more rigorous testing. Yet, despite our best efforts, we know that schools -- the very buildings they step into every day -- are working against them. Many of our kids are returning to unHealthy school environments. Unfortunately, too many of our nation's 130,000 public and private schools are "unHealthy" buildings that can harm their Health and hinder learning. Today, clear and convincing research shows that improving specific factors such as school indoor environmental quality improves attendance, academic performance, and productivity. Let's look at what we know. Children are more vulnerable than adults to environmental hazards because they are smaller, have developing organs, and breathe more air per pound of body weight. They cannot identify hazards. Several agencies, including the U.S. Environmental and Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Health and Human Services, have found that adverse exposures and injuries during childhood have a lifetime impact. Many school environmental factors can affect the Health of children and employees. Too many schools are situated near industrial plants or toxic waste sites; some are on abandoned landfills. Many school facilities are poorly designed and maintained. Thousands of schools are severely overcrowded, which compromises ventilation systems, acoustics, recess, and basic sanitation and lavatories. Extreme climate events have damaged schools and even killed children and melted playground equipment. We consider all children to be at risk of extra Health and learning difficulties due to the conditions of their schools, and due to the lack of public Health services for children at risk or with suspected exposures. An Institute of Medicine report on Climate and Health (2011) reported that poor indoor environments are already compromising Health and learning and that indoor exposures can be 100-1,000 times more intense than outdoor. However, no federal or state agencies track or report on school assessments and children's Health. We must act to ensure our children have the Healthiest environment in order to maximize their attendance and ability to learn.

-- Claire L. Barnett

DPS using school gardens to promote curiosity and healthy eating

-- Detroit Free Press Michigan: August 26, 2013 [ abstract]

The garden at the Frederick Douglass Academy all-boys schoolstarted with a question. One that hit the boys in the ego. Math teacher Marquita Reese asked her students why she �" an older, female, vegetarian, marathoner could outrun the spry middle and high school boys. “They couldn’t explain it,” she said. “We got into a discussion about nutrition.” Pretty soon, boys who initially thought gardening was for girls were growing vegetables on the campus and eschewing food derived from genetically modified organisms. This fall, more students will be gardening for the cafeteria and for a grade. Meals in half of the buildings in Detroit Public Schools will be supplemented with produce that students are growing as part of the Detroit School Garden Collaborative. The objective is to provide children more Healthy foods while using the gardens as outdoor classrooms to teach about nutrition and agriculture. DPS is developing 10 key lessons to help teachers use the gardens as laboratories, said Alycia Meriweather, executive director of DPS’s Office of Science. “Getting your hands dirty, putting your hands in the soil to understand what it is, that’s different from reading about what makes good soil,” she said. “A garden is an excellent place to do observations, which is a critical skill for scientific literacy. I hope we can inspire future scientists, future investigators and people who want to make their lives better by (watching) what they eat.”

-- Chastity Pratt Dawsey

For some students, a fresh start at new schools

-- Baltimore Sun Maryland: August 26, 2013 [ abstract]

School was poised to start in several area jurisdictions Monday, but Howard County officials got a head start Sunday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new $34 million Ducketts Lane Elementary School in Elkridge. "It's truly a 21st-century learning facility," said Howard County school board Chairman Frank Aquino. "The building is designed to inspire creative and interactive learning, both within and beyond the classroom. The facility integrates beautifully with its environment." Hundreds of parents, students and school and county officials attended Sunday's preview of the first school in Howard to achieve a gold standard in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design from the U.S. Green Building Council. Built on a 10-acre campus, the school features several outdoor classrooms â€” both a science courtyard and teaching courtyard â€” and a wetlands observation area with a stormwater management pond and a boardwalk path. Fifth-grade teacher Katherine Kidds said she was excited her students can receive more hands-on science education. "I'm really looking forward to teaching science because there's all these outdoor resources," she said. "It all ties in with the curriculum, so it's really nice." Ducketts Lane is one of several new public schools opening Monday in area jurisdictions. In Baltimore County, school officials are showing off the system's biggest addition this fall â€” the $80 million combined campuses of Dundalk and Sollers Point Technical high schools. The new school was built on the campus of the former Dundalk High, and includes a new 500-seat auditorium, Health/fitness and music suites, automotive, construction and maritime labs, a cosmetology suite and a culinary arts cafe.

-- Sara Toth and Pamela Wood

St. Charles County Council Hears Final Recommendations From School Safety Report

-- St. Louis Public Radio Missouri: August 26, 2013 [ abstract]

On Monday night, members of the St. Charles County Council heard the final recommendations from a task force that focused on how school safety can be improved. Assembled in the wake of last year’s school shooting in Connecticut, the group included members of law enforcement, school administration and mental Health services. Task force member and County Councilman Terry Hollander said in part the report is meant to be a resource for educators. The 12 recommendations in the report include: Exploring opportunities to expand the use of School Resource Officers in high schools and middle schools Inviting county contractor Motorola Solutions to present to all schools and law enforcement in the county, technical solutions available for installation in school facilities that would connect into the County’s new emergency radio communications system. Law enforcement and schools establish liaisons and ongoing working relationships between one another. When education institutions build or renovate school facilities that they be done so with a focus on facility security. All schools be made aware of mental and behavioral Health resources, including Behavior Health Response’s 24-hour response access line and mental Health first-aid training.

-- TIM LLOYD

Education Outside expands green program to 22 schools

-- San Francisco Chronicle California: August 23, 2013 [ abstract]

Not that long ago, most San Francisco public schoolyards were sealed in concrete. Now, vegetables and fruit trees are growing in more than 20 schools around the city, where children learn about science and the environment through hands-on gardening and cooking activities. It sounds a lot like Berkeley's Edible Schoolyard, but it's called Education Outside, a program that is expanding its presence to 22 schools in the current school year, which began last week. That's up from 10 schools last year. Meanwhile, the Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture or CUESA, which runs the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, is doubling the number of workshops it offers to local school groups, who get to interact with farmers, shop for and cook vegetables, and then sit down to eat them. Both programs are tackling two big challenges facing California schoolchildren: Health problems related to poor nutrition, and lagging science education. "Any extra science curriculum is like gold for us," says fifth-grade teacher Jennifer Partika of Jefferson Elementary in the Sunset District. The school has had an Education Outside instructor for the past two years. The children leave their regular classroom to learn about evaporation, decomposition and photosynthesis while planting butterfly-friendly flowers or weeding a bed of kale. The program is a result of the city's voter-passed Proposition A Greening Program, which allotted $100,000 to $150,000 to each elementary school in the district, plus 10 middle and high schools, with the goal of "greening" schoolyards by improving waste and energy management, or planting trees and gardens.

-- Tara Duggan

U.S. Dept of Ed & EPA Officials to Visit Schools in New York, New Jersey - Facilities Best Practices Tour

-- U.S. Department of Education National: August 13, 2013 [ abstract]

Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will visit four ED-Green Ribbon Schools in New York and New Jersey on Tuesday, Aug. 13 to see and discuss ways that school facilities can enhance the conditions of learning. ED-Green Ribbon Schools Director Andrea Falken, Senior Advisor for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Kenneth Bedell, and EPA Director of the Office of Children’s Health Protection Jacqueline Mosby will tour Hubert H. Humphrey PS 57 in New York and Bedwell Elementary School, Bernards High School, and The Willow School, in New Jersey. The visit to Bernards High School will also include a Best Practices Listening Session. As they visit the schools, Falken, Bedell, and Mosby will be joined by state and local officials from both states. New Jersey officials confirmed to attend include: U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance; Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula; Assistant Commissioner of Education David F. Corso; Superintendent of Somerset Hills Schools Dr. Frances Wood; and Somerset Hills Executive Trustee Anthony Sblendorio. The visits will include tours of school buildings and grounds, conversations with students and teachers regarding environmental education, Health and sustainability, and discussions with key partners and energy management personnel. In addition, all state and district facilities personnel from the region are invited to attend the opening panel and listening session at Bernards High School. The listening session will allow facilities experts in the region to share best practices on school facilities and provide input to the Department. This third leg of the Department’s Education Built to Last Facilities Best Practices Tour includes schools that exhibit best practices in school building and grounds design, construction, operations and management to support Health, equity, educational outcomes, energy efficiency and cost savings in our nation’s public schools. The Department will also visit ED-Green Ribbon Schools in the Milwaukee, Wis., area Aug. 22-23 and on the West Coast the week of Sept. 16.

-- Press Office

Detroit school vegetable gardens let students eat what they sow

-- The Detroit News Michigan: August 11, 2013 [ abstract]

Detroit�" Broccoli is Dewan Dallas’s favorite vegetable. Squash and spinach, not so much. Despite his tepid response to the vegetable kingdom, Dewan appreciates their nutritional value, and is digging in to help tend gardens at Detroit Public Schools as part of a project to ensure more fresh food in the cafeterias. “This is really special because students will get to eat what they’ve grown themselves instead of buying vegetables at a supermarket where they may have been sprayed with pesticides,” said Dewan, 15, a junior at Communication and Media Arts High School in Detroit. Dewan is among a group of student apprentices who are part of the Detroit Garden Collaborative. They’re working over the summer to tend gardens planted at 46 schools by students who attend the schools, and managed by adult garden attendants. It is part of an extensive Farm-to-School initiative to teach students about nutrition, composting and sustainability, while bringing more fruits and vegetables into the schools. Partners of the collaborative include Eastern Market Corporation, the United Way of Southeast Michigan, the Detroit Medical Center and The Greening of Detroit, an ecology nonprofit that serves as a consultant. Lionel Bradford, vice president of operations for The Greening of Detroit, said the partnership provides “an opportunity to change young people’s relationship with food, nurturing Healthier habits and self-sufficiency.” “The Greening of Detroit’s urban agriculture department is committed to helping all Detroiters develop a Healthy relationship with food through self-sufficient food production, and increased awareness of gardening, nutrition and local food systems,” he said.”

-- SHAWN D. LEWIS

State inspectors: Urbana portable classrooms have safe levels of carbon dioxide

-- The Frederick News-Post Maryland: August 08, 2013 [ abstract]

Carbon dioxide levels in Urbana Elementary School's portable classrooms do not climb high enough to cause medical problems, according to a June report by the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health office. State Department of Labor inspectors visited the school in April after fifth-grade teacher Jeff Esko filed a complaint alleging that he had Health issues caused by working in a portable classroom. State inspectors did not find carbon dioxide levels exceeding the limit of 5,000 parts per million in any of the school's 14 portables, the report said. No Health and safety violations were recorded in the final report, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request filed by The Frederick News-Post. Esko declined to comment on the report until he speaks with a lawyer. Two state officials and Laura Olsen, the district's environmental Health and safety manager, used hand-held carbon dioxide readers to record gas levels in each portable unit. Readings were taken at various times on multiple days, while unoccupied and with teachers and students present.

-- Rachel S. Karas

Eight months later, schools still upping security

-- thetimes-tribune.com Pennsylvania: August 04, 2013 [ abstract]

Some Lackawanna County school leaders brought additional armed police officers into their districts. Others upgraded school infrastructure and equipment and tried to change their districts' culture through training and drills. Eight months after a gunman murdered 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., the incident still weighs on the minds of Northeast Pennsylvania's top school officials. District leaders spoke of efforts to keep children safe, fears that no amount of preparation could stop some tragedies and striking a Healthy balance between security and an atmosphere conducive to learning, during recent interviews. "Every single measure we're taking right here, all the money being spent, all the enhancement of security might not have prevented Newtown," Scranton School Board President Nathan Barrett said. School officials are still intent on doing their best, however, and Mr. Barrett said security improvements continue even now. A series of additional security-related infrastructure upgrades are planned for the opening of the 2013-14 school year, Mr. Barrett said, noting bids recently came in for 46 new doors and new surveillance cameras to cover blind spots in some of the current systems. School officials also decided to close school on Election Day starting this school year rather than having a half day like in the past because all of the people coming in to vote is a compromise of security, he said. Mr. Barrett said the administration is researching grant funding to bring more school resource officers to the district. The Riverside school district did not have any school resource officers before the mass killing on Dec. 14, 2012. Over Christmas break, the school board approved adding three officers to its schools for the rest of the year. Superintendent Paul Brennan said his district will keep the officers for 2013-14 and, he believes, for much longer. School leaders were discussing details with Moosic and Taylor police chiefs, but Mr. Brennan said the trio will likely cost about $90,000 for the full school year. "They deter a lot of problems just with their presence," Mr. Brennan said. He cited domestic situations where parents who do not have custody try to take children home as one example. The superintendent hopes teachers can begin using the officers as resources for classroom instruction, like a science lesson on forensics; and counselors can use the policemen as resources for topics like bicycle and Internet safety or anti-bullying programs.

-- KYLE WIND

Chumuckla Elementary School building results in

-- Santa Rosa Gazette Florida: August 02, 2013 [ abstract]

School will proceed as usual at Chumuckla Elementary School this year, after an independent company, checking the air quality and giving a clean bill of Health to the nearly 100-year-old building, did testing. Concerns regarding the Health and safety of Chumuckla Elementary School were raised last month in a letter sent to the School Board, prompting the district to hire the independent contractor to perform quality testing of the school. "I'm happy to say the results came back resoundingly positive for the school district," said Assistant Superintendent Joey Harrell. "That's good for the safety and security of our students, as well as our teachers that teach in that building everyday." The school board contracted with the state-certified inspection company called Professional Services Industries, Inc. (PSI) that revealed the results of a more than 100-page report at a school board meeting this week. PSI Branch Manager Keith Wasdin explained the results to the school board. The company consults for Santa Rosa, Escambia and Okaloosa County school districts. "When we are asked to do an investigation like this, we look at what the history of the site has been," Wasdin said. "Fortunately, the school's been there since 1921 or 1922. So that negated a lot of the things that we needed to test for. For instance, if it was adjacent to an industrial site, or if it had been a commercial site." As far as history of the site, it had been primarily agricultural and surrounded by a wooded area, so testing for some industrial compounds was unnecessary, according to Wasdin.

-- Jason Jandura

Montgomery nurtures school gardens

-- The Washington Post Maryland: August 01, 2013 [ abstract]

Fresh food and sound science are on the menu for a growing number of Montgomery County public schools. Thirty-five county schools have gardens, according to a survey released last Thursday by Montgomery Victory Gardens, a local food education and advocacy project. “There are just so many reasons for kids of all ages to get involved in gardening,” said Elizabeth Levien, who teaches honors chemistry and horticulture at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring. “Really little kids can work on observation. Older ones can learn to ask questions. . . . Gardening is a way to take control of their Health. They learn where their food comes from.” Levien and Chris Brown, horticulture and AP environmental science teacher, supervise the greenhouse and the outdoor garden at Blair. “Montgomery County requires students to take three sciences to graduate, and horticulture is historically easy to pass, so a lot of the [less serious] students sign up,” she said. “It’s so exciting seeing kids [who are] turned off by science get excited about it.” Gordon Clark, project director of Montgomery Victory Gardens, said the school system officially has allowed school gardens for about two years. Schools spokesman Dana Tofig confirmed that there was a policy change within the last two years. He pointed out a section about school gardens on the MCPS Web site, www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/outdoored/outreach. Clark said one reason for publishing the survey is to encourage more schools to begin gardens and let them know of resources to help them get started. “We wanted to see what [schools] were doing and to make sure they know that gardens are allowed,” he said. Karla Kratovil, PTA vice president and the main force behind the garden at Flower Hill Elementary School, in Gaithersburg, said she was at a Montgomery County Council of PTAs meeting about two years ago where it was announced that gardens are allowed. The 35 schools with gardens, out of 202 in the school system, include elementary, middle and high schools across the county.

-- Peggy McEwan

Renovation of elementary school to community center kicks off more changes

-- KCTV 5 News Missouri: July 27, 2013 [ abstract]

An old Kansas City school is getting a new life as a community center and the overhaul is kicking off a bigger project involving volunteers from several different places. Don't try shaking hands with 87-year-old Mary Kelly. She's a go-all-out type who's full of energy and willing to give anyone a hug. And she got dirty with all the other volunteers dusting and sawing and painting the old Graceland Elementary School - that had sat empty for eight years - on the road to making it the Mary L Kelly Community Center. "It's not only going to provide activities. It's going to provide education. And we are especially involved with the seniors because they get locked at home and we want them to come out and enjoy the center," said Kelly, the center's namesake. Kelly is known throughout the community. She has served as a life-long neighborhood activist. With one room already done, volunteers with Black and Veatch, Christmas in October, The Upper Room and local neighborhood associations got to work renovating three more. "Already today they offer GED classes and testing in a computer lab down the hallway. There's going to be a full working kitchen where they make lunches for the students. They're knocking out walls to make a Health club for downstairs. There's going to be a cafe, a gymnasium," said Steve Alley with Christmas in October. The final product is due to be done in September. The community center is considered the cornerstone of a larger initiative to revitalize the economically depressed Blue Hills and Town Fork Creek neighborhoods, which includes efforts to improve schools, housing and increase employment opportunities.

-- Betsy Webster

New Scottsdale school clinic will serve special-needs families

-- azcentral.com Arizona: July 25, 2013 [ abstract]

With the addition of a new clinic this fall, the Scottsdale Unified School District’s Cholla campus will become a hub of services for people with special needs. The clinic, to be operated by Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health in affiliation with Scottsdale Healthcare, is scheduled to open in October and space at the campus now is being renovated. The Early Childhood Cholla Campus includes a district-run preschool, including classes for toddlers with developmental delays; a facility for Scottsdale Training and Rehabilitation Services which serves people with developmental disabilities, and the Miracle League Field, an adaptive baseball field for children and adults with disabilities and special needs. The campus is near Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and Via Linda in north Scottsdale. Plans for the clinic have been discussed for more than a year by school and hospital officials. “One of the most exciting things about this new Health center is that it came about through community partnership and community need,” said Wendy Armendariz, executive director of NOAH . “The Scottsdale Unified School District’s teachers, nurses and some of the staff came to us requesting resources for families who have members with special Health-care needs,” she said. “The issue is that they needed a reasonable location for the families to access Health care for a special-needs population. “We know that they have an increased risk for chronic diseases and behavioral-Health issues, and this will help meet that need,” Armendariz said. The clinic will offer medical, dental and behavioral-Health services as well as Health education to patients who have private insurance, Medicaid or are uninsured. NOAH has three other clinics, one in downtown Scottsdale and two in Phoenix, including one at Palomino Elementary School. The clinics specialize in one-stop medical care for its clients. The Cholla clinic will be the only one to offer physical, occupational and speech therapy. Armendariz said the clinic will feature a climbing wall for physical-therapy clients. The district and NOAH are still working out details on leasing the space. The district is paying for renovations to the space, but will recoup the expenses through the lease agreement, according to Rick Freeman, construction manager for the school district.

-- Mary Beth Faller

District Receives Grant to Reopen O Street NW Adjacent to New Dunbar High School as a ‘Green Street’

-- The District of Columbia District of Columbia: July 24, 2013 [ abstract]

Mayor Vincent C. Gray was joined today by representatives from the Chesapeake Bay Trust and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in announcing $400,000 in funding to seven municipalities and nonprofit organizations through the Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns (G3) initiative. The District of Columbia received one of the awards �" a $95,000 grant to support stormwater management and green street development along a new section of O Street NW, adjacent to the site of the brand-new Dunbar Senior High School. “Not only am I proud to announce this green street project will be built next to my alma mater’s new campus, but I also welcome the opportunity we have as a District to help improve local and downstream environmental conditions in the Chesapeake Bay,” said Mayor Gray. “From a single 1.2-inch rainfall, this project will capture more than 39,000 gallons of stormwater runoff. That means 39,000 gallons of untreated stormwater will be kept out of our local water bodies.” The project along O Street will include the installation of 6,125 square feet of bioretention cells that will collect stormwater from the school and surrounding area. It supports the Mayor’s Sustainable DC initiative to make the District the nation’s greenest, Healthiest, most sustainable city. Jointly funded by the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the EPA, G3 supports green-infrastructure projects that improve water quality, community livability and economic vitality throughout the region. Today’s grantees and their projects were unveiled at the press event. “Local governments around the country are seeing the benefits of utilizing green infrastructure for controlling stormwater,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “G3 grantees are leading the way �" providing valuable examples to others on the road to creating sustainable communities and Healthy watersheds.” G3 was created in 2011 to support projects that reduce stormwater runoff through the creation of “green streets.” A green street is one that minimizes the environmental impact of a roadway by practices such as reducing the amount of water that is piped directly into streams and rivers; rain gardens; installing new street trees; using energy-efficient lighting; and encouraging pedestrian and bicycle access. Green streets also provide aesthetic and economic benefits. With construction of the new Dunbar Senior High School, the District’s Department of General Services (DGS) realized there was a unique opportunity to reopen O Street NW with the addition of aggressive stormwater management. DGS approached The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) in the fall of 2012 about making the section of O Street a green street and partnered to install bioretention cells as a means for retaining 1.2” of runoff from a 1.2-acre drainage area.

-- Staff Writer

Building schools, building communities

-- Baltimore Sun Maryland: July 18, 2013 [ abstract]

The $1.2 billion approved by the Maryland General Assembly for city school construction is a historic opportunity for transformation in Baltimore. But if, after 10 years, the outcome is just new schools, we will have missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to affect not only schools but entire neighborhoods. As an architect, I believe in the value of good facilities and their ability to create Healthy environments that promote learning. But better buildings alone are not enough to restore communities. The challenges faced by Baltimore communities are deeper and more complex than the problems of city schools. True transformation will require a larger, more comprehensive vision for community development that addresses both the problem of failing neighborhoods and the problem of failing schools. After decades of decline, many of our neighborhoods are bereft and neglected, stripped of dignity and humanity. They lack basic necessities such as fresh groceries or safe places to play and gather, preventing individuals and families from thriving. Challenges related to violence, poverty, public Health and family structure compound the problem of education as a seemingly intractable Gordian knot. Certainly, the city schools cannot solve these problems alone. True transformation will only be possible if the schools, funding community, business community, programs and politicians rise together to an unprecedented level of cooperation toward a unified vision for change. By aligning forces to form a comprehensive approach, the city can capitalize on the construction of schools, combining it with strategic development and community services to create not just new schools but new neighborhood catalysts. To do so, the immediate area surrounding each new school can be designated what I call Community Revitalization Zones. These zones can encompass a multitude of elements that together holistically serve to heal and rebuild the community. Recreation centers can be established to provide Healthy environments for children and youths to socialize and be active. School grounds can double as neighborhood parks that hold community activities. Police can have a heightened presence utilizing foot patrols and surveillance to increase a sense of security and encourage families to gather.

-- Davin Hong

NJDOE PROPOSES TO END QUICK ACTION ON EMERGENT REPAIRS AND CREATE MORE ROADBLOCKS TO SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION

-- Education Law Center New Jersey: July 11, 2013 [ abstract]

The NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) is proposing to eliminate the longstanding procedure for â€�"expeditedâ€ action on emergency school repairs and to impose additional obstacles that will further delay major construction projects to replace or renovate dilapidated, outmoded schools in poorer urban, or â€�"SDA,â€ districts. â€�"These proposed rules are emblematic of the Christie Administration's refusal to provide urban schoolchildren with safe and adequate school buildings, even when those facilities are a threat to their Health and safety and are unfit for learning,â€ said David G. Sciarra, Education Law Center Executive Director. On July 5, ELC filed written comments on amendments proposed by the NJDOE to the State's school facilities regulations. ELC warns that the proposed rules, if adopted, will grind all urban school construction projects to a halt, even those involving emergencies, such as leaking roofs, broken boilers and crumbling building facades. Under the Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act (EFCFA), the State, through the NJDOE and the NJ Schools Development Authority (SDA), has full responsibility for financing and carrying out all school facilities projects in SDA districts, including Health and safety repairs, new school construction and renovations. EFCFA was enacted by the Legislature in 2002 to implement the NJ Supreme Court's ruling in the Abbott v. Burke litigation ordering the State to improve and upgrade the deplorable conditions in urban school buildings. The proposed facilities regulations eliminate an entire category of projects by removing the terms â€�"emergent conditionâ€ and â€�"emergent project." Emergent projects are ones requiring â€�"expedited reviewâ€ and correction on an â€�"expedited basis.â€ The proposed rules effectively end any obligation on the part of the NJDOE to expedite the review, approval and correction of building conditions that pose imminent Health and safety risks to students and staff. In other words, the NJDOE would be under no time constraints to review, approve and correct serious conditions that threaten the safety and well-being of thousands of children attending schools in SDA districts, not to mention their teachers and school staff. Even worse, NJDOE is proposing to create new hurdles that would have to be overcome to move any school construction project forward. Under the proposed rules, SDA districts would be forced to go through a multi-step, unwieldy and convoluted process for all facilities projects. The rules impose no timeline for the NJDOE or SDA to decide whether to move a project forward to construction and completion.

-- Sharon Krengel

Student garden in Norwich plants good ideas about nutrition, healthy eating

-- the day Connecticut Connecticut: July 05, 2013 [ abstract]

Want to entice kids to eat fruits and vegetables? Get them to plant a garden. The Bridges after school program and the school lunch program are using several grants aimed at improving children's nutrition and combating obesity to create a 45-by-100-foot vegetable and fruit garden behind Kelly Middle School. About 30 elementary and middle school students have installed raised beds, planted seeds, weeded and are now eating their results. Students on Tuesday picked and carefully sliced a few bright red radishes. "Spicy!" several of them responded, some waving a hand in front of their mouths as if to cool off their tongues. Jaylyn Watson, 8, who is visiting Norwich for the summer from her home in Georgia, was coaxed to try a celery leaf. She scowled immediately, saying it was too strong. Her friend, Ariana Coons, 10, of Norwich offered a solution. "Try a broccoli flower," she said. "That helps." It did. She reached for more broccoli. Perhaps surprisingly to the teachers and other adults helping with the garden Tuesday, broccoli was a favorite of many students, to the point where most of the tiny flowers at the top of the plants had been picked off and eaten. Students said they can't wait to make coleslaw out of the perfectly shaped red and green cabbages. Other students hunted in the small strawberry patch for possible hidden treasurers. But the strawberries were all gone. Arianna Howard, 12, a student at Teachers' Memorial Middle School, now is looking forward to the day when the tiny watermelon sprouts bear large round fruit. Adjacent to the watermelon beds, several students worked with shovels to create new earthen hills to plant cucumbers.

-- Claire Bessette

Former Students Demand Health Monitoring Following Exposure To Toxic Bronx School Building

-- NY1.com New York: July 01, 2013 [ abstract]

Dozens of staff members, former students and families of students in a Bronx elementary school said there should be more Health monitoring after they learned Monday of consequences from exposure to an airborne toxin in their former school building. The building at 3200 Jerome Avenue housed Bronx New School, or P.S. 51X, from 1993 to 2011, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. At that time, about 2,900 staff and students used the facility. The Department Of Education closed the school in June 2011, after officials found earlier that year levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) in the air in the building that were 10 times the state safety limit. TCE is used in solvents, and before the building served as a school, it was a lamp factory and an auto garage. On Monday, state Department Of Health officials released a report finding that those who are most at risk from TCE exposure in P.S. 51 would be children born to staffers who were pregnant during their years at the school. Those children would have a moderate chance of having congenital heart defects. Everyone else associated with the school, according to the report, has a low risk of getting sick. Nevertheless, former students of P.S. 51 said they want more medical monitoring, as they now feel at risk. "We're concerned that in the future, I might have something wrong with me and it could be due to the school not telling students what went on there," said Samantha Alvarez, a former student of P.S. 51. "My young one was there from first to fourth and she's the one that has a little, I think, Health problems," said Maria Gusino, a parent of a former student of P.S. 51.

-- Michael Herzenberg

Our inner-city schools are our community anchors

-- press-citizen.com Iowa: June 28, 2013 [ abstract]

Over the past several decades, the Iowa City Community School District has closed several elementary schools, and now there are proposals to close three more. I’ve noticed something I don’t like about the neighborhoods where schools have been closed, and I fear that the same thing will happen as a result of the next round of closing. In general, families do not move into neighborhoods where there are no elementary schools. The result is, when we close schools, the neighborhoods where there once were schools gradually become child free. We, in effect, create a segregated community where the central part of the city is reserved for the young and childless. What we are encouraging, by closing our urban schools while building new schools around the suburban fringe, is a doughnut city, where families with children preferentially move into new developments on the sprawling fringe, while leaving the inner city to decay as empty-nesters in the de-schooled neighborhoods are slowly replaced by students and other young singles. This is not racial segregation, but it does create an unHealthy segregation along age and economic lines, and it is not sustainable.

-- Douglas Jones, Guest Opinion

Group criticizes conditions at school athletic, recreational facilities

-- JSonlin.com Wisconsin: June 23, 2013 [ abstract]

The majority of public athletic and recreational spaces for children in Milwaukee County are in terrible, poor or fair condition, a new preliminary study to be released Monday concludes. The study, conducted this spring by more than 100 volunteers trained by Common Ground, a well-known community organization, found that, of the 268 sites surveyed throughout the county, 65% were rated terrible, poor or fair. "The current state of Milwaukee County's public schools athletics facilities is unacceptable," the preliminary report states. "They are, in many cases, unsafe and unusable, and in some cases even non-existent." The group is scheduled to publicize its study on Monday morning at a news conference outside the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Earlier this spring, the group launched an initiative, called Fair Play, to upgrade school athletic facilities in the county. As part of that initiative, Common Ground supporters backed a manifesto that calls for designating a minimum of $150 million or as much as $250 million from any financing plan for a new, multipurpose arena to replace the BMO Harris Bradley Center toward upgrading recreational spaces for children. Common Ground is making a two-pronged argument in favor of better facilities. The group says there is a moral argument to be made that if a new home is to be built for professional athletes, then children and other county residents should have new recreational facilities as well. Second, the group says there is a social argument: Young people and the greater community will thrive when there are adequate places to play and compete. "An upgrade of these facilities will give our community vibrant gathering places for activities and events, places that will foster the opportunity for community engagement, Healthier living, and a deeper overall sense of neighborhood pride," the group said in a statement. While a communitywide discussion of whether a new arena is needed and how it would be financed has yet to begin, Common Ground leaders want to ensure their proposal is part of the conversation. The group's leaders already have met with Timothy Sheehy, president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, and other community leaders.

-- Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel

PS 51 parents awaiting answers from state about their children's health

-- NEW YORK DAILY NEWS New York: June 20, 2013 [ abstract]

Furious parents are about to get the answers they’ve been demanding for the past two years about the impact a contaminated school could have had on their children’s Health. The state Department of Health will release a report within the next two weeks summarizing its review of Public School 51, the Bronx New School, which was closed in 2011 after revelations that the former lamp factory was tainted with high levels of carcinogenic chemicals. . Officials will hand over the report to parents and students and then meet with them early next month, Helene Hartman-Kutnowsky, the environment chairwoman for Community Board 7, announced at the board’s meeting Tuesday. “We don’t want money - we want justice,” said Alan Gary, whose son went to the Belmont school. The school site was tainted with high levels of trichloroethylen, or TCE, a chemical compound linked to cancer, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The city shuttered the building after test samples revealed TCE vapors indoors were 10 times higher than the state’s limit.

-- Jennifer H. Cunningham

Chairwoman Stabenow Joins Students to Launch New School Garden Collaborative in Detroit

-- Michigan Chronicle Michigan: June 13, 2013 [ abstract]

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, joined students to launch a new school garden collaborative at Nichols School in Detroit. The new garden is part of an innovative new education program at Detroit Public Schools called the Garden Collaborative, which will create gardens at 46 schools throughout the district. The new garden will provide Nichols' students with a hands-on agricultural learning experience where they can plant a variety of vegetables that will be used in the cafeteria for school lunches. Each of the gardening locations will feature raised beds, compost bins, rainwater collection equipment, gravel walkways and a Farm to School Learning Center. During the event, Senator Stabenow toured the garden and planted vegetables with students. She also helped announce the winners of the Golden Shovel Awards to honor local organizations for supporting the Garden Collaborative. The winners were the Eastern Market Corporation, Home Depot, and the Henry Ford Hospital West Bloomfield Greenhouse. Senator Stabenow has been a champion for Eastern Market, securing critical funding to expand the Market and working closely with community leaders to establish a new community kitchen at Shed 5 and improved street signage. Chairwoman Stabenow said: "All children should have access to Healthy fruits and vegetables during the school day. Everyone is a winner with this innovative Garden Collaborative, as cafeterias gain a supply of fresh produce and students have an opportunity to learn about farming by doing it themselves. I will continue leading the effort to increase access to Michigan-grown food choices for children and families, which will support our local farmers and help boost Michigan agriculture."

-- Michigan Chronicle Staff

Griffin: Seminole needs to use tax hike for $25M in school improvements

-- Orlando Sentinel Florida: June 09, 2013 [ abstract]

Superintendent Walt Griffin has a long list of school needs that he says justifies an additional 1-mill tax on Seminole County property, but he has not convinced the School Board. Replacing leaky roofs and failing air-conditioning systems tops the list, along with a slew of improvements to school programs such as expanding world-language offerings and adding science labs. "These are essential to preserve our A-rated school system," said Griffin, noting that six years of budget cuts are showing in the schools. Griffin hopes Tuesday to nudge School Board members toward the special tax that county voters authorized in a November referendum. He'll ask them to approve his needs list, which has a price tag of $25.6 million â€” the approximate amount the 1-mill would raise for the coming school year. The added millage would boost school taxes to about $8.50 for each $1,000 of taxable property value. The owners of an average home assessed at $155,000 with the Homestead Exemption would see a $130 increase to their school-tax bill. Griffin's recommendation to the board specifies that approving the list Tuesday would set it up for "incorporation in the 2013-14 budget." A first vote on the budget, which district officials have been crafting for months, comes June 25, with final approval set for Sept. 10. Bill Kelly, finance officer for Seminole schools, said that, although the Legislature has increased funding for Seminole schools, it also has largely spelled out how the money will be spent, leaving little for local needs. Raises for teachers and increased contributions to employee retirement take most of that cash, with increased employee-Health-insurance costs swallowing much of the rest. Still, School Board members remain noncommittal about the tax. Three of five board members responding to an Orlando Sentinel query said they had not decided. Board members Diane Bauer, who opposed the tax referendum last fall, and Amy Lockhart, did not comment. "There are many needs. Of that I am certain," School Board Chairman Karen Almond said. "I won't make a decision until the evening of the vote." Board member Tina Calderone was equally convinced that the district is wanting for cash. "We need to go back and catch up on everything with facilities that we have been postponing," Calderone said. But Calderone said she must balance school needs against increasing taxes.

-- Dave Weber

Study: Improved classroom ventilation could reduce student absences

-- EdSource California: June 07, 2013 [ abstract]

California could significantly improve elementary school student attendance and Health by increasing the amount of fresh air coming into classrooms, according to the largest U.S. study to date of ventilation rates in classrooms. Poor ventilation in classrooms is correlated with student absences due to illness, researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found, and they calculated that increasing air flow in all California classrooms to state-mandated ventilation rates may have potentially significant effects: reducing student absences caused by illness by 3.4 percent and, because schools are funded based on average daily attendance, increasing overall state funding to schools by $33 million. “Our overall findings suggest that, if you increased ventilation rates of classrooms up to the state standard, or even above it, you would get net benefits to schools, to families, to everybody, at very low cost,” Berkeley lab scientist Mark Mendell, lead author of the study, published in the journal Indoor Air, said in a news release. “It’s really a win-win situation.” The Berkeley Lab scientists collected data from 28 schools in three California school districts in the Central Valley, the Bay Area and the south coast, but the study did not identify the districts. Instrumental to the study were small environmental sensors placed in 162 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classrooms, which allowed researchers to measure carbon dioxide levels as 5-minute averages. The data were transmitted online to the researchers, who compared indoor carbon dioxide levels to estimates of outdoor carbon dioxide levels to calculate ventilation rates.

-- Jane Meredith Adams

EXCLUSIVE: 90% of schools have at least one building code violation: city

-- New York Daily News New York: June 02, 2013 [ abstract]

Education officials fail to make the grade when it comes to keeping public schools free of building code violations and environmental problems, according to city data. More than 90% of city schools have at least one outstanding building code violation, an analysis of school inspection records by the school cleaners union shows. Loose wires, stuck doors and inadequate ventilation are just some of the problems at 1,100 school buildings with at least one open violation as of May 23. RELATED: EVALUATE TEACHERS, IMPROVE SCHOOLS Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ President Hector Figueroa said conditions in many of the school buildings could be harmful to students and staffers. “At the least, these violations are a distraction and a source of discomfort,” said Figueroa. “And in many cases, they could actually present a Health hazard.” The Intermediate School 195 building in Harlem had 124 open violations, the highest count of any school building in the city. RELATED: CITY TO DISCUSS DEZONING PLAN IN HARLEM The W. 133rd St. structure houses four schools. It has dozens of violations for problems with elevators, lighting and building maintenance. When city inspectors visited in March 2012, IS 195 Principal Rashaunda Shaw said there was also a “problem with rodent and insect infestation” in the building. The city operates about 1,200 public school buildings and as of Wednesday, those structures had 9,693 open building and environmental violations. Fifty-seven schools had two dozen open violations or more.

-- Ben Chapman

Schools or slums? Union report shows hazardous disrepair in educational facilities

-- New York Daily News New York: May 08, 2013 [ abstract]

Broken toilets, faulty elevators and leaky ceilings �" some city public schools are practically slums, according to an analysis of building inspections the school cleaners union released Tuesday.Union Local 32BJ President Hector Figueroa said he was “surprised at the level of neglect and indifference” in many school buildings, as revealed by the city’s own inspections. “When you have doors that don’t work, the presence of PCBs, windows that don’t shut and toilets in disrepair, you risk the Health of our children,” Figueroa said. “You disrupt the daily routines that are necessary for learning.”

-- Corinne Lestch AND Ben Chapman

Architecture for Humanity and the Center for Green Schools at USGBC Release "The Green Schools Investment Guide"

-- Sacramento Bee National: April 30, 2013 [ abstract]

rchitecture for Humanity and the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today released "The Green Schools Investment Guide for Healthy, Efficient and Inspiring Learning Spaces," a free downloadable resource for K-12 schools and communities that demonstrates how schools can implement Healthy and resource-efficient building improvements. "The Green Schools Investment Guide" outlines the steps that any school stakeholders â€“ from school administrators and elected officials to staff and students to parents and businesses â€“ can take to transform their local schools. The 70-page, action-oriented resource demonstrates how investments in America's school buildings can improve student and staff well-being and academic performance, conserve scarce resources and foster thriving and sustainable communities. "At the Center for Green Schools, we work to equip and deploy a variety of school stakeholders â€“ the people who make the case, make the decisions and get things done â€“ with the tools they need to create Healthy, efficient and inspiring learning environments. We designed this guide, in partnership with Architecture for Humanity, to make sure that everyone has a common language for how school improvement projects get proposed, funded and implemented," said Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. "From parents to teachers to principals, we're confident that this resource will provide champions with the guidance that they need to advocate for schools that enhance the educational experience and encourage our children to dream of a brighter future." In the 2013 "State of Our Schools" report released earlier this year, the Center for Green Schools estimated that it would take approximately $271 billion to bring public school buildings up to working order and comply with laws. When the cost of modernizing existing school buildings up to today's education, safety and Health standards is factored in, the total rises to an estimated $542 billion. "The Green Schools Investment Guide" serves as a first step to fix this deficit, presenting ideas and tools for immediate action in schools.

-- Architecture for Humanity

Shield schools from lawsuits, open playgrounds and let kids play

-- Bradenton Herald Florida: April 26, 2013 [ abstract]

Schools have long been viewed as the heart and soul of communities across Florida and have served as gathering places for Little League practices, cheerleader tryouts, and Boy and Girl Scout meeting spaces. For generations, schools have supplied Florida families with safe places to play and be active, adding value to communities beyond their most basic function of educating every child. However, fearful of costly lawsuits and the potential drain to already strained budgets, many schools across Florida have locked their fences and turned out their lights after school ends each day. Why does this matter? Because Florida's children are not receiving adequate recreational opportunities during school hours and during out-of-school time. They are too often left unsupervised and unengaged in their neighborhoods once the school day concludes. All the while, the Health of our children and the overall well-being of Floridians continues to suffer.

-- Michael Gallen

School Building Authority Issues $49 Million to 5 Local Schools

-- WBOY West Virginia: April 22, 2013 [ abstract]

The School Building Authority issued more than $49 million in funding to 12 school systems across the state at its meeting Monday. Five local counties benefited from the grants including Harrison, Lewis, Preston, Ritchie, and Webster. Lumberport Middle School will move into a new building next to Shinnston's Lincoln High School. The new building will be made possible by funding from the school building authority. Superintendent of Harrison County Schools Susan Collins said work on the new building will begin right away. "It's been a long journey for the people of Lumberport and the people here in Shinnston, this feeder area, because there is a need for the school. There's been a need because of safety and Health issues that we've wanted to get this project done. We're just happy we were able to get it for them here today," Collins said. Lewis County will receive more than $3 million for an addition/renovation at Jane Lew Elementary School, Preston County will receive $4 million for a New West Preston Middle School, Ritchie County will receive about $4.5 million for an addition/renovation at Harrisville Elementary School, and Webster County will receive nearly $4.5 million for renovations at Webster County High School. Preston County also received $451,021 for a new vocational educational space for Preston High School.

-- Staff Writer

School gardens can help teach healthy eating habits

-- ydr.com National: April 22, 2013 [ abstract]

Roll up your sleeves, and grab your rakes and shovels -- it's time to head to the garden and plant produce. And if you haven't already, drag your kids out the door with you. I started gardening five years ago, and I haven't slowed down since. Even though I don't have my own children, I introduced my 9-year-old brother to my vegetable garden. Back then, he despised his vegetables with the exception of buttery mashed potatoes. It's typical for a child to pass on the green veggies, but as I started to involve him in the garden, I saw an excitement start to grow within him. He started to love all the things that I love about gardening: working with dirt, choosing my own vegetables and watching my seeds turn into food. He even started to pick his own vegetable plants to nurture. During this time, I also noticed a change in his eating behaviors. He started trying different veggies such as broccoli and peppers. Looking back on this time got me thinking about what the possible impacts of school gardens could be on children. With a large number of children being overweight or obese, encouraging kids to make Healthy choices is a priority. However, listing the benefits of produce to a child is not going to solve America's obesity problem. A solution? School gardens have been shown to be a creative, innovative and effective way to encourage these Healthful foods to children. School gardens act as an outdoor classroom for kids to be hands-on in the growing process. Students are able to plant, weed, nurture, harvest and prepare the food that they grow with their own hands. This can be a very exciting way to learn and promote veggies to kids. Research shows that children involved with school gardens eat more vegetables. They are also more willing to try new vegetables. Children also learn important information about good nutrition and different produce. Other benefits outside of Health and nutrition include high achievement scores on math and science tests, improved student behavior and increased self-esteem.

-- HEATHER S. BRENNAN

Royal flush! School’s foul bathrooms to be fixed thanks to democracy

-- Brooklyn Paper New York: April 08, 2013 [ abstract]

The dilapidated bathrooms at a Carroll Gardens elementary school will get their first renovation since the Eisenhower administration thanks to an initiative by a local legislator that democratizes the Council budgeting process. Eight “dirty, gloomy, noxious, and unHealthy” restrooms at PS 58 on Smith Street equipped with hard-to-flush toilets and broken soap dispensers, according to a video released by the school, will get brand new automatic flush valves, soap dispensers, light fixtures, and air vents as part of Councilman Brad Lander’s (D�"Carroll Gardens) participatory budgeting program. The process gives citizens the chance to choose how to spend $1 million in taxpayer funds by voting on a series of public improvement projects in their districts nominated by committees of neighbors. Each district’s top vote-getters receive full financing through their elected’s discretionary funds. More than 2,800 people cast ballots during the week-long voting period that came to a close on Sunday in Lander’s 39th district, which stretches from Carroll Gardens to Borough Park. The $110,000 restoration of PS 58’s shabby bathrooms is one of seven winning projects out of a total of 24 nominees that will be included in Lander’s upcoming fiscal year budget of approximately $3 million.

-- Natalie Musumeci

Green Schoolyards For Healthy Students: A New Chicago Initiative

-- Healthy Schools Campaign Illinois: March 21, 2013 [ abstract]

All children should have a safe place to play, learn, explore and grow. About six years ago, operating on this belief and the notion that Healthy, active students are better learners, Healthy Schools Campaign, led by a coalition of committed, driven parents, worked to establish a recess task force and reinstate recess in Chicago Public Schools. Because of this amazing team effort, all CPS elementary school students are mandated to have recess every single day. Now we are beginning important discussions around transforming city schoolyards into well-designed, usable open spaces where the school community can play, exercise, grow food, learn and connect with nature. We are aware that with positive changes come new challenges. In this case, we are galvanizing the communities, organizations and city leaders to dedicate their efforts and resources to reimagine and transform schoolyards. As a first step, we have partnered with Openlands, an innovative Chicago-based conservation-focused organization who for 50 years has worked tirelessly to connect Chicagoans to the land, water and natural resources around them. This year, we will begin a pilot program in three Chicago Public Schools, Morrill Math and Science Academy, Grissom Elementary School and Dirksen Elementary School. The pilot will create mixed-use, environmentally responsible schoolyards that use green infrastructure to improve storm water management and basement flooding, provide relief for urban heat islands, and leverage existing goals and resources to create a green schoolyard and community space that could be implemented at every CPS school.

-- Staff Writer

DNR earned $296 million for public schools, county services & other state trust beneficiaries last year

-- Washington State Department of Natural Resources Washington: March 20, 2013 [ abstract]

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) published its 2012 Annual Report today, revealing that its leasing and sales activities on state trust lands produced more than $296 million for public school construction, county services, state universities, and other beneficiaries. “Despite the challenges of responding to large wildfires, a forest Health emergency, and the slow recovery of natural resources markets, 2012 turned out to be a productive year for the trust beneficiaries and citizens of Washington State,” said Peter Goldmark, Commissioner of Public Lands and top administrator of DNR. The 2012 Annual Report describes DNR’s management of 5.6 million acres of state lands (including forested, agriculture and other trust lands, aquatic lands, and natural areas). Highlights include: Generating $130.8 million in non-tax-generated revenue for public school construction projects. Providing $90 million in non-tax-generated revenue to support services in several counties. Issuing a Forest Health Hazard Warning in portions of Ferry, Klickitat, Okanogan, and Yakima counties. Assisting local and federal agencies in response to several large wildfires. (DNR protects 12.9 million acres of private and non-federal public lands from wildfire, and assists other firefighting agencies on request.)

America's Schools Are In Total Disrepair, And It's Making Children Sick

-- Business Insider National: March 14, 2013 [ abstract]

It's been nearly 20 years since the federal government paid attention to the state of America's schools, and now they need $270 billion in repairs, according to a new study released by the Center for Green Schools. On average, the nation's school buildings are more than 50 years old, a 1999 report from the National Center for Education Statistics states. And the last time the federal government conducted an extensive report on the state of America's school buildings was in 1995. Now Green Schools, which is affiliated with the U.S. Green Building Council, is urging the government to start collecting regular data on how schools are maintained and how much money states will need to create Healthy learning environments for students. The report estimates it would cost $270 billion, or $5,450 per student, to repair our schools, which are plagued by poor ventilation, leaky roofs, and plumbing that backs up. Ask inner-city residents in Brooklyn or Southeast D.C. how they feel about the state of their mold-ridden, badly heated neighborhood schools, and the problems become even more obvious.

-- Rebecca Baird-Remba

Report: Half trillion need to update schools

-- Associated Press National: March 12, 2013 [ abstract]

America's schools are in such disrepair that it would cost more than $270 billion just to get elementary and secondary buildings back to their original conditions and twice that to get them up to date, a report released Tuesday estimated. In a foreword to the report, former President Bill Clinton said "we are still struggling to provide equal opportunity" to children and urged the first federal study of school buildings in almost two decades. Clinton and the Center for Green Schools urged a Government Accountability Office assessment on what it would take to get school buildings up to date to help students learn, keep teachers Healthy and put workers back on the jobs. The last such report, issued in 1995 during the Clinton administration, estimated it would take $112 billion to bring the schools into good repair and did not include the need for new buildings to accommodate the growing number of students. The Center for Green Schools' researchers reviewed spending and estimates schools spent $211 billion on upkeep between 1995 and 2008. During that same time, schools should have spent some $482 billion, the group calculated based on a formula included in the most recent GAO study. That left a $271 billion gap between what should have been spent on upkeep and what was, the group reported. Each student's share? Some $5,450. To update and modernize the buildings, the figure doubles, to $542 billion over the next decade.

-- PHILIP ELLIOTT

Counties could take over school facilities under proposed bill

-- News Record North Carolina: March 08, 2013 [ abstract]

The school takeover bill was filed in the state Senate yesterday. It stems from a Wake County dispute but has statewide implications �" which haven’t been thoroughly considered yet. The bill allows a county government to assume ownership of and control over all public school facilities. If it’s passed �" and it has powerful support already �" it could set off some pretty spirited battles across the state. One of the primary sponsors is Sen. Neal Hunt, R-Wake. In that county, the Republican-controlled Board of Commissioners and the Democrat-controlled Board of Education have been tussling over a number of issues. The Republican legislature is weighing in, heavily, on the side of commissioners. If this is enacted, would it trigger a debate in Guilford County? Totally without a doubt. Commissioners might decide they need to control school facilities, especially when it comes to questions about costly construction, expansion and renovation projects. Commissioners already hold the purse strings, but they don’t get to directly manage property. Should they? On one hand, that would let them set overall priorities for countywide capital needs, weighing a proposed school building against a proposed Health department building, for example. On the other hand, although the school board isn’t a funding agency, its members have been elected to tend to school facilities, among their other duties. They are very families with school facilities and needs, as well as constituent concerns. Are they doing so badly that they should be stripped of this responsibility? Do we even need to have this discussion? Well, it’s probably coming.

-- Doug Clark

Fremont Unified School District approves classroom peepholes

-- Mercury News California: February 28, 2013 [ abstract]

Fremont Unified School District continues preparing for an intruder situation following the tragic events that transpired at Sandy Hook Elementary School more than two months ago, but could have happened anywhere. "We know that the key to a safe school Ã‰ is to have staff members, students and parents who are aware of their surroundings; who are the eyes and ears of safety at that school site," Superintendent Jim Morris said at the Feb. 13 Board of Education meeting. "Beyond that, there are some decisions that the board has to make and has made in the past that are precautions to help keep students safe." As part of the 2002 Health and Safety Bond, he said all district classroom doors were retrofitted with security hardware known as "Columbine Locks" which allow teachers to secure their classrooms against intruders by locking the doors from the inside. "And I think that was an important first step," Morris said. "The next item we're bringing forward for you today is what we believe is a second step in just helping to make sure that our classrooms have a greater level of safety." Trustees unanimously awarded a contract of approximately $67,000 to Ray Weaver General Contracting for the installation of peepholes in more than 1,400 classroom doors throughout the district. The labor is anticipated to be approximately $37,500 and the hardware, to be purchased by the district, is estimated at $30,000, a staff report states. The approval, contingent on approval by the SEIU, was made after trustees debated not the need for peepholes, but who would complete the labor. "This is a contract out instead of using our own employees for this work, which concerns me a bit," school board Vice President Lara Calvert-York said.

-- Shannon Barry

The End of the Neighborhood School

-- The Atlantic Cities National: February 19, 2013 [ abstract]

There's something romantic about the idea of a neighborhood public school. Not only is it the place where your child can walk or bike on a daily basis, it's where you can meet your neighbors, attend a school play and otherwise build a community. But that neighborhood schoolâ€”the school were a child goes as a matter of rightâ€”is withering in many American cities. Buffeted by declining enrollment, lagging performance and an education reform movement obsessed with choice, many traditional neighborhood-based public schools are being closed. Students are being shuffled farther away to other facilities or opting for charters (provided they strike it lucky with the lotteries). In January, New York said it would shutter 17 schools; 117 were closed between 2003 and 2011. This year, Philadelphia unveiled plans to close 37 of its 242 schools. Detroit plans to shut down 28 of 100 schools. Baltimore identified 26 schools it could excise over a decade. Chicago is currently considering emptying 129 of its 681 schools. In Washington, D.C., 15 schools are slated to be closed over the next two years; 23 were closed in 2008. For the school leaders proposing the closures, the moves reflect a basic reality: keeping half-empty buildings open drains resources that could be more effectively used on teachers and programs. But for the parents and activists opposed to the closuresâ€”some of whom traveled to D.C. in January to complain directly to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncanâ€”quantifying the impact is harder than a mere tallying of students or grades. When a neighborhood-based public school closes, children must travel farther away, increasing commute times and complicating logistics. It also makes it harder for kids to get to class on foot or bike, which Danish researchers have found helps students concentrate better. According to the National Center for Safe Routes to School, in 2009 only 35 percent of K-8 students who lived within a mile of school walked or biked, down from 89 percent in 1969. Then there's the issue of safety. Violence between geographically diverse students merged into a single school is an issue in Chicago, and school officials recently agreed not to close any high schools for this very reason. In D.C., one middle school in the city's poorest area was removed from a closure list last month over concerns that crews with longstanding beefs would meet in the hallways. Kids being uprooted from neighborhood schools are often the ones that can least handle the sudden change. "A lot of the children who are affected by this trend are already at risk because of poverty, drug abuse, violence, family upheaval, lack of Healthcare," says Julianne Robertson King, a mother of four who lives in D.C.'s Ward 5, which is set to see four schools close this year. "These are people who have not been able to capitalize on the promise of America. When you remove one thing that they can count on... ."

-- Martin Austermuhle

J.F. Cook School Building Awarded to Mundo Verde

-- Washington Sun District of Columbia: February 14, 2013 [ abstract]

Public Charter School Will Use Truxton Circle-Area School Building The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) and the Department of General Services (DGS) trecently awarded the J.F. Cook School at 30 P Street NW to Mundo Verde Public Charter School. Mundo Verde is the District’s first public charter school (PCS) focused on environmental stewardship issues. “Mundo Verde Public Charter School provides a unique program and experience for students, and I am excited to provide this institution with a permanent home at the former J.F. Cook School,” said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “Mundo Verde promises to provide an opportunity for more students, including our 3- and 4-year olds, to get a high-quality education in the District of Columbia, and it also ties in directly with our Sustainable DC goal of becoming the greenest, Healthiest, most livable city in the United States.” Mayor Gray continued: “This is also another example of the great strides my administration has made in making surplus buildings available to public charter schools. I look forward to watching Mundo Verde and its students reach new heights in their new home.” Mundo Verde, founded in 2011, currently serves students in pre-K to first grade and plans to grow to fifth grade by 2016. The school’s program is an inquiry-based, dual-language immersion curriculum organized around interdisciplinary projects or expeditions. The faculty and program incorporate environmental sustainability and community service throughout the curriculum. “In a short amount of time, Mundo Verde has shown itself to be a very capable school with strong demand for its program,” said Jennifer Leonard, Interim Deputy Mayor for Education. “We are encouraged and excited to provide Mundo Verde with a permanent home to grow and deliver more opportunities for high-quality teaching and learning. We are also excited to reactivate another surplus school building with a high-quality public charter school.”

-- Staff Writer

Chancellor Kaya Henderson names 15 D.C. schools on closure list

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: January 17, 2013 [ abstract]

Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced Thursday that she has decided to shutter 15 D.C. schools for low enrollment, five fewer than she initially proposed for closure in a plan put forth last year. Among the schools to remain open are Garrison Elementary and Francis-Stevens Education Campus, two Northwest Washington schools where parents had mounted vigorous campaigns against closure. Some students from the selective School Without Walls will move into the Francis-Stevens building. Smothers Elementary in Northeast also will stay open, as will Southeast’s Johnson Middle School and Malcolm X Elementary. The latter will be operated in partnership with a “high-performing charter school” that Henderson declined to name. Still, more than one in 10 schools across the city will close in the next two years, the latest sign of a school system battling budget pressures and competition from fast-growing public charter schools. Henderson argues that closing half-empty schools will allow her to use resources more efficiently, redirecting them from administration and maintenance to teaching and learning. “Ultimately we’re paying too much and offering too little,” Henderson told reporters Thursday morning. “There are too many schools, and too many small schools, to allow our students to get the full benefit of the resources that we have.” Thirteen of the schools will close at the end of this school year, with the remaining two �" Sharpe Health and Mamie D. Lee, both schools for students with disabilities �" to close in 2014. For the first time, Henderson offered an estimate of the money to be saved through consolidations: $19.5 million. About $11 million of that will be needed for transition costs, Henderson said, resulting in a net savings of $8.5 million. The last round of 23 school closures in 2008 cost millions more than initially reported, according to an audit released in August. Henderson said the school system is more confident in its savings estimates now, after learning from the mistakes of 2008. The savings will be plowed back into schools to improve programming, including into libraries and arts and foreign language offerings, Henderson said, adding that the public will get a more detailed view when school-by-school budgets are released in the coming months. She said that about 140 staff positions may be lost, but given normal attrition through resignations and retirements, “we actually feel like the loss will be minimal.” She said she doesn’t expect any teacher evaluated “effective” to be out of a job.

-- Emma Brown

City Names 17 Schools Slated to Close

-- New York Times New York: January 07, 2013 [ abstract]

In what has become an annual event in the era of mayoral control of the public school system, New York City education officials said Monday that they would move to close two schools this summer and begin to phase out 15 others that they characterized as the poorest performing. A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said more schools would be added to the list on Tuesday, so that the proposals could be rolled out “in a respectful way,” and with time to properly contact those at the affected schools. See list below. Since Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg took office in 2002, his administration has closed around 140 public schools. Closing schools, and replacing them with new traditional public schools or charter schools in the same buildings, has been one of his signature education reform maneuvers. The proposals usually prompt emotional debates and boisterous public hearings in which parents and teachers, some of them enlisted by the United Federation of Teachers, stand up to voice opposition. Teachers cannot be fired when their schools close, but they frequently end up in limbo, drawing full salaries but unable to find permanent positions in other schools. School officials cast the effort as a means of trimming the lowest-performing schools in a system with 1.1 million students. The schools on the closing list have 16,000 seats, which officials said would be replaced by other schools, including ones focused on career and technical education, like Health and emergency management. Schools being phased out will remain open for their current students, but they will not admit other children. “In every instance, where we phase out a school, we are replacing those seats,” said Marc Sternberg, a deputy chancellor.

-- AL BAKER

Judge Says State Too Slow on Emergency School Repairs

-- The Alternative Press New Jersey: December 27, 2012 [ abstract]

City education advocates are hoping that a recent ruling by an administrative law judge may force the state to speed the progress in making emergency repairs to Paterson’s schools. In a December 14 ruling, the judge said the state Department of Education had failed to fulfill its obligation to provide a thorough and efficient education to students in the New Jersey’s poorest school districts by allowing substantial delays in completing the repairs. The ruling by Administrative Law Judge Ellen Bass pointed out that the state has not started work on most of the 70 emergency repair projects that were approved by education officials in the spring of 2002. The state approved those 70 from a list of more than 700 projects submitted by PPaterson and other urban districts. “Since by definition an emergency project is one that is ‘so potentially injurious or hazardous that it causes an imminent peril to the Health and safety of student and staff’ such a painfully slow process, on its face, defies logic,’’ said Bass in her ruling. Paterson has one project on the list of 70 �" repairs on the heat-ventilation-air conditioning (HVAC) system at New Roberto Clemente School. Paterson Public Schools originally had asked the state to fund 17 emergency projects. But the New Jersey Department of Education determined that most of them constituted routine repairs or should be included in the district’s regular capital maintenance budget. City school officials said last week they would not be able to provide information on whether any of the 17 emergency projects had been done until after administrators returned to work from the holiday recess. That list included the boilers at the Eastside and Kennedy high school complexes and the HVAC at Rosa Parks, School 6 and Kilpatrick, Weir and Dale Avenue schools.

-- Joe Malinconico

NJDOE FAILURE TO MOVE EMERGENT BUILDING REPAIRS VIOLATES STUDENTS’ CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, JUDGE RULES

-- Education Law Center New Jersey: December 20, 2012 [ abstract]

An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) has ruled that the NJ Department of Education (NJDOE), by failing to adhere to expedited timelines for processing requests for emergent repairs to school buildings, “has violated the requirements of the ‘thorough and efficient’ clause of the New Jersey Constitution.” The December 14 ruling by ALJ Ellen Bass responds to a legal action filed by ELC on behalf of students in NJ’s low-income “SDA districts,” challenging extensive delays by the NJDOE’s Office of School Facilities (OSF) to review and approve hundreds of applications for emergent repairs filed by SDA districts in June 2011. The case also challenged OSF’s failure to “promptly” transmit approved emergent projects to the NJ Schools Development Authority (SDA) for construction. Under the State facilities law �" the Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act (EFCFA) �" and NJDOE regulations, emergent projects are conditions that, “if not corrected on an expedited basis, would render a building so potentially injurious or hazardous that it causes an imminent peril to the Health and safety of students and staff.” After halting all new school construction in SDA districts in January 2010, the NJDOE announced in May 2011 that the districts could file applications for hundreds of backlogged emergent repairs. In June 2011, 28 districts submitted applications for 716 projects to repair boilers, fire alarm systems, roofs and crumbling brick facades. As Judge Bass found, the OSF did not issue decisions on these applications until March 2012, over ten months after they were filed. The OSF approved only 70 of these projects as emergent and has only transmitted three of those projects to SDA for actual construction. Based on these findings, Judge Bass concluded the OSF violated the “clear” legal requirement that applications for emergent projects “be approved or disapproved within ninety (90) days.” Judge Bass also found that, for the 70 projects approved as emergent, the OSF failed to prepare a Preliminary Project Report (PPR), including project costs, and promptly forward the PRP to the SDA to undertake and complete the repair work. The PPR is required before the SDA can begin the work.

-- Sharon Krengel

Parents Say School Building Conditions Make Children Sick

-- WREG Mississippi: December 03, 2012 [ abstract]

Parents whose children attend Olive Branch Elementary School said their children are getting sick from the poor conditions of the classrooms. Moms involved with the Parent Teacher Organization shared photos with News Channel 3, showing carpet stains, rusted metal, poorly kept vents and bugs in light fixtures. They said one teacher has even told them of a squirrel falling through the ceiling during class. “It’s not funny. I mean, they’re dangerous, they carry a lot of diseases, you know there are feces all up there,” said Heather Fox. Fox’s daughter, who was in kindergarten last year, took naps with her class on those soiled carpets. After coming back to school for first grade, she’s developed a lot of Health problems and has to stay home.

-- Natasha Chen

Newman School celebrates completed renovations

-- WickedLocal Needham Massachusetts: October 23, 2012 [ abstract]

The parents, teachers and officials who attended the recent celebration of Newman Elementary School’s completed renovations said the event represented the end of a challenging project that ultimately gave students and staff a better and Healthier school. Barely one month after students began using the school’s renovated building and playing fields�"a new playground is nearing completion�"the school opened its doors to show the community its building’s new features. “I’d like to remind everyone how difficult this project was,” said Permanent Public Building Committee Chairman George Kent at the Oct. 18 event. “It was a lot of work on the part of many people. For everyone who told us, ‘You can’t do this,’ I’m here to say: ‘We did this and we kept it safe.’” “This is a great event for Needham. It’s indicative of the great partnership between the school and town,” said Selectman Moe Handel.

-- Wei-Huan Chen

Portland school bond: Reimagine schools to support 21st-century learning

-- Oregon Live Oregon: October 15, 2012 [ abstract]

There are plenty of good reasons to support the Portland Public Schools bond (Measure 26-144). Certainly we need to provide safe schools for our children and our community in the event of disaster and upgrade building systems that have outlived their useful life. But skeptics are right to question how this will affect the quality of education. Upgrading our school facilities and upgrading education are symbiotic. Many teachers are embracing exciting new models of teaching, but our school buildings can limit such innovation. We must imagine new schools that prepare our students for the 21st century. Questions we should be asking: How can a school be designed to foster collaborative learning? Studies show that lectures are far less effective than peer-to-peer and experiential learning. Some teachers are "flipping the classroom," assigning online lectures for viewing at home at a student's own pace and then guiding individuals and small groups through problems and projects in the classroom. Most every endeavor today demands teamwork. How can we encourage collaborative learning and cross-discipline teaching by the way spaces are organized and designed? Imagine clusters of open classrooms sharing flexible resource, breakout and collaboration space instead of narrow corridors flanked by hermetic classrooms. What would a school look like if it were the hub of a community? We think of our high schools as the province of teenagers. Have you tried to find a welcoming front door at Jefferson or Lincoln high school? We understand that learning is a lifelong endeavor and is most effective in the context of community. Let's integrate the community into our schools, building on the model of our own Rosa Parks Elementary School, which shares space with a Health clinic, Portland Parks Community Center and the Boys & Girls Club. Let's also add arts organizations, day care and senior centers. Imagine the benefits to all with retired seniors working with students and to teens working with younger children in after-school programs, all sharing a campus and facilities.

-- Will Dann

Eagle River kids enjoy bounty of school garden

-- Juneau Empire Alaska: October 01, 2012 [ abstract]

Eagle River Elementary Optional Education students aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. The roughly 100 students in the program �" along with parent volunteers �" harvested peas, carrots, beets, cabbage, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi and Brussels sprouts from one of four gardens Sept. 17 to use for a potluck dinner the following night. The student-grown garden is a way to educate children about eating Healthy and teach them how to grow their own food, said parent Felicia Hanna, who coordinated this year’s project with Nicole Mercer. “We tried to show them that vegetables can be fun,” Hanna said. “We’re teaching them a life lesson.” Each of the four classes planted a garden after the snow melted last school year. While the ground was still frozen, students planted seeds in the classroom, Hanna said. Before school let out, students transferred their seeds to the outdoor garden. Parent volunteers watered the garden throughout the summer. Once the garden was picked clean, students washed their vegetables to prepare for the next phase �" cooking. Each class made a soup and parents prepared salads for the potluck. The garden is one place where peer pressure is a good thing, Hanna said. The kids see others sampling vegetables, and it encourages them to try new foods, she said.

-- MIKE NESPER

Silverton school celebrates major upgrades �" including heat

-- Denver Post Colorado: September 21, 2012 [ abstract]

Four years ago, students in the Silverton School were bundled up in coats and hats in their classrooms because the century-old school's coal boiler had wheezed out its last bit of heat. Now, they are celebrating an $11.8 million renovation that includes a state-of-the-art electric thermal-storage heating system that dwarfs anything else of the kind on the Western Slope. They also have fully wired classrooms, a stage for school performances, a cafeteria, revamped art rooms and a science lab. The school is now fully handicapped accessible. "The teachers and students are giddy," said Silverton superintendent Kim White as she prepared for the grand reopening Friday. The project also brought the K-12 school in compliance with 110 state Health and safety code requirements the building missed back then. Students and teachers in the remote mountain town where temperatures regularly fall into double digits below zero made do with space heaters until the complicated renovation of their two-story red brick building began. For the past two years, classes have been held in temporary modular buildings. Funding to redo the school came from a combination of state Building Excellent Schools Today grants, school district reserves and a local mill levy increase. State historical funds were used to restore the outside of the 1911 building, and Department of Local Affairs dollars went toward removing asbestos.

-- Nancy Lofholm

Officials cut ribbon at Anacostia High

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: September 15, 2012 [ abstract]

D.C. officials on Thursday celebrated a $62 million renovation of Anacostia High School, a top-to-bottom overhaul that they hope will be part of a larger revolution at the long-struggling school. “I look forward to the day when the ninth- and tenth-graders coming to Anacostia will be so well-educated, they’ll be the best educated in the world,” said Mayor Vincent Gray (D), speaking in the school’s refurbished auditorium before hundreds of students, teachers, alumni and community members. Like many of the District’s schools, the 1930s-era Anacostia had fallen into disrepair. Walls were dirty and water-damaged, the electrical system was on the blink and the facade was beginning to crumble. An aging HVAC system left some rooms freezing and others overheated, and the plumbing was in such bad shape that sewage was leaking into a crawl space. The new building boasts bright halls, a green roof, new computer and science labs and �" students say �" a vastly improved cafeteria. There’s a new library, a new parent resource center, child care center and Health and dental clinic.

-- Emma Brown

New Breed of Community Partnerships Aiding Schools

-- Education Week National: September 14, 2012 [ abstract]

New kinds of agreements between school districts and their neighboring communities to share space and assets are on the rise. These symbiotic “joint use” partnerships enable districts and entities such as cities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses to maximize the use of facilities and money, while meeting the needs of children and others in the community. But from joint land-development initiatives to the shared use of building space and playfields, those involved in these relationships are finding their navigation can be tricky. Without the money-saving measures, though, many districts and communities are struggling financially to stay afloat. “Joint use or shared use as a strategy is taking off across the country because it’s an approach that embodies common sense and good governance,” said Manel Kappagoda, the vice president of ChangeLab Solutions, a public-Health-focused nonprofit based in Oakland, Calif., that has helped districts devise and sustain joint-use agreements. “The promise [in joint use] is rooted in the realization that even the most poorly designed and underserved neighborhoods include schools. In an era of budget shortfalls, maximizing access to existing facilities�"rather than trying to construct new ones�"is the most efficient and economical use of public resources.” Sharing a Vision School districts have long entered into joint-use agreements. Traditionally, they consisted of a formal or informal relationship between a district and a municipal agency, such as a parks department, that enables the community to use school facilities when classes aren’t in session or the school to use the community’s. Use and maintenance costs are typically shared.

-- Nora Fleming

City Courts Investors to Fix Schools

-- Wall Street Journal New York: September 06, 2012 [ abstract]

Officials in Yonkers, N.Y., are looking to partner with investors to raise $1.7 billion for renovating the city's crumbling public schools, in an unusual approach to education funding that is being watched by other cash-strapped school systems. U.S. school districts traditionally finance infrastructure improvements by issuing bonds backed by local tax revenue, and they routinely maintain facilities through their operating budgets. The Yonkers school district, which sits just north of New York City, is weighing plans to contract with investors to pay for improvements and maintenance for as long as 30 years on more than three dozen school buildings with an average age of 73. In exchange, the investors would receive a steady stream of payments from the city and the stateâ€”which helps fund the district. The investors also might be able to use school facilities after school hours for profit, sharing any proceeds with the district. Joseph Bracchitta, chief administrative officer for Yonkers schools, said the district would consider ideas from investors such as a for-profit Health club at a new school gym. "Everything is on the table," he said, emphasizing that the district would have to agree to any plans. "It's definitely to our benefit if [private investors] can develop separate revenue streams," he said. Low interest rates make issuing debt relatively cheap right now. But district officials say there are advantages to the idea of contracting with private investors. Such a contract could help minimize the need for new local taxes or budget cuts to cover the renovations, while offloading the risk of cost overruns to private investors and avoiding the need to staff-up for a huge, multi-phased construction project. Investors, meanwhile, potentially would get returns above standard bonds, with the added security of an investment in hard assets. Similar partnerships with the private sector have been used widely in the U.S. to finance revenue-producing infrastructure like toll roads and bridges. If it proceeds, the Yonkers plan could set a model for adapting the structure to large public school systems at a time when many are having to slash budgets while struggling to maintain aging facilities. "We're following [Yonkers's effort] with a good deal of interest," said David Lever, executive director of Maryland's Public School Construction Program, which oversees funding for the state's school projects. Mr. Lever said Maryland officials are exploring public-private partnerships, among other means, to help pay for more than $15 billion in needed renovations and new construction, though he noted that for-profit, after-hours operation of school facilities isn't currently among the considerations.

-- BOB SECHLER

$25 million renovation 'defective' at D.C. elementary school

-- Washington Examiner District of Columbia: August 29, 2012 [ abstract]

The $25 million renovation of one of the District's top-performing public elementary schools has left cracked floorboards, leaking ceilings and a gym where all of the insulation work may need to be redone, city officials told The Washington Examiner. Kenneth Diggs, a spokesman for the Department of General Services, said the firm that worked on Janney Elementary has been reprimanded but not barred from applying for more contracts with the District. "But it's not like they are going to be able to work again, no problem," said Diggs about Winmar/Dustin, which won the contract through the bidding process. A representative from the firm did not return an email seeking comment Wednesday. With ground broken in January 2010, the project included a 35,000-square-foot addition, modernized classrooms, and updates for the cafeteria and hallways. One of the highest-performing DC Public Schools campuses, Janney has attracted a Healthy student enrollment over the years, requiring an expansion. But when Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh visited Janney recently, she said she discovered "defective" work. "The flooring was cracking and lifting up and things of that nature -- buckling and lifting up in places," Cheh said. "There were leaks in the entranceway, all the trees had died and the gym -- which is on top of the library -- was supposed to be insulated. The principal described it as listening to a herd of buffalo when kids are in the library."

-- Lisa Gartner

Parents concerned over a local school renovation project

-- wtov9.com West Virginia: August 22, 2012 [ abstract]

Classes start Thursday for students at New Manchester Elementary School, but there is construction happening from all angles at the school. Parents are worried all the dust and noise will take a toll on their children's Health and ability to focus in class. "We're not talking about high school kids here. These are elementary kids. A construction worker walks past the window or walks past their door, they're going to stop what they're doing to look," said concerned parent Theresa Cain. The renovation of the school started in June, and once it's complete, New Manchester Elementary will be completely updated. However, that could be a long time coming. "They keep assuring us that school's starting on the 23rd," said Cain. "As a resident a mile from the school, I see the progress that's going on up there. I am concerned about sending my child to school tomorrow." The construction is scheduled to last throughout the school year, but Superintendent Sue Smith said the construction will not interfere with the student's education.

-- Erica Mokay

School gardens across the US teach lessons ranging from nutrition to caring for environment

-- Washington Post National: August 21, 2012 [ abstract]

Gathered in the large garden behind an elementary school here, a group of kindergartners watched as their teacher snipped some basil, let them smell the leaves, and then did the same with oregano. “We do a lot of smelling out there. Looking. Digging,” the teacher, LeaAnne Pillers, said. She took her class to the garden two or three times a week after it opened last spring at Moss Haven Elementary, and she’s excited to get her new group out among the plants when school starts next week. One of their first lessons: learning the five senses. “We’ll be able to do a lot with ‘What does it look like? What does it feel like?’ Some of it we’ll even be able to taste,” Pillers said. Moss Haven’s garden is among a growing number being planted in schoolyards across the country. It is part of an American Heart Association initiative to get kids to eat Healthier. Along with nutrition, school gardens also can teach lessons about the environment and science, teamwork, math skills and leadership, proponents say. Pillers’ kindergartners taste-tested vegetables, measured garden plots and investigated what foods caterpillars like. “The main thing that I really like is citizenship �" that everybody is taking responsibility,” said Ashley Rich, who works with teachers to develop curriculum at the school. Over the summer, she added, families from the school have been taking turns each week caring for the garden. She welcomes the chance for hands-on learning, and thinks students are getting the nutritional message. “If the children are involved in growing the vegetables, then they are interested in eating them,” said Judith Collier-Reid, national consultant for the Dallas-based American Heart Association’s Teaching Gardens program, which has handed grants to about 160 gardens since kicking off last year. Its mission is to help curb the nation’s childhood obesity epidemic. Cynthia Domenghini of the Vermont-based National Gardening Association said the concept for school gardens has been around a long time �" her organization has been helping to fund them for around 30 years �" but picked up speed when first lady Michelle Obama broke ground on an herb and vegetable garden at the White House in 2009. “There’s been an increase in the number of organizations promoting school gardening,” said Domenghini. She said her group doesn’t keep a count of gardens in schools, but that about 1,300 youth programs in schools, churches, libraries and other places have registered with it. “Fruit and vegetable gardens are probably most popular, but some grow flowers,” she said. “We see all different types of garden programs.”

-- LM Otero

Board vows to upgrade all Rockford schools in 5 years

-- Rockford Register Star Illinois: August 15, 2012 [ abstract]

The Rockford School Board made no promises tonight to build a new school in the next five years. Instead, officials promised to touch every school building within the district with much-needed upgrades through an estimated $311 million, 10-year plan. The board unanimously approved a 10-year facilities master plan that includes upgrades to all district schools; work on the first phase of projects would cost an estimated $212 million, start in 2013 and be completed within five years. Board member Tim Rollins said he couldn’t vote to build a new school somewhere �" as was initially pitched �" knowing that could shortchange another school of much-needed upgrades. “The best thing we could do for the district is to use this opportunity to bring all our facilities up to standards,” Rollins said. Funding the first phase of the plan also earned board approval tonight: Voters Nov. 6 will be asked to approve $139 million in bond sales to upgrade the district’s facilities in Phase 1 of the 10-year plan. Board members amended the bond referendum question to remove reference to building a new school. That means even if voters approve a bond sale, none of that revenue can be put toward building a new school. Officials say they’ll be able to repay that bond sale debt without increasing the tax rate; those bonds will replace other retiring bond debt. School leaders are also counting on revenue from $20 million in Health/Life Safety bonds, and another $26 million in alternative revenue bonds. That estimated $46 million in bond sales doesn’t require voter approval. Officials could also use reserve cash set aside in a capital fund.

-- Cathy Bayer

Parade Magazine decries poor state of public school facilities

-- Economic Policy Institute National: August 15, 2012 [ abstract]

Parade Magazine published an excellent report by Barry Yeoman about the sad state of the nation’s school facilities this past weekend. It’s a surprisingly detailed look at a deficit�"the backlog in school maintenance and repair�"with much bigger consequences for our children than the federal budget deficit. By some estimates, the nation would have to spend $271 billion just to bring the public schools up to a decent state of repair, while a state of world class excellence would require investments several times larger. All of the talk about testing our way to educational excellence has only diverted attention and funding from the desperate state of the nation’s school buildings and grounds. Crumbling, antiquated facilities are, as Yeoman makes clear, hostile to learning and depressing to the children and teachers who spend so much of their lives there. State and local governments too often look the other way or blame teachers for the educational shortcomings of the students. Education seems to be the place where many people don’t believe “you get what you pay for.” Today, more than 14 million children attend class in deteriorating facilities; the average U.S. public school is over 40 years old. In the worst of them, sewage backs up into halls and classrooms, rain pours through leaky roofs and ruins computers and books, and sinks are off the walls in the bathrooms. As Mary Filardo, CEO of the 21st Century School Fund, puts it, they are “unHealthy, unsafe, depressing places.” It doesn’t have to be that way, and with Filardo’s leadership and encouragement, the Obama administration and key members of Congress are working to close this investment deficit. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), and dozens of cosponsors have introduced legislation (Fix America’s Schools Today, or FAST) to provide $30 billion a year to repair and renovate school facilities, bring them up to code, and make important energy-saving improvements.

-- Ross Eisenbrey

Schools decay as they await state emergency repair funds for years

-- Sacramento Bee California: July 18, 2012 [ abstract]

Eight years after California settled a landmark lawsuit promising hundreds of millions of dollars to repair shoddy school facilities, more than 700 schools still are waiting for their share of funds as students take classes on dilapidated campuses with Health and safety hazards. As California struggles with chronic budget shortfalls, it has funded less than half of the $800 million required by the Emergency Repair Program, which grew out of a class-action lawsuit against the state that former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger agreed to settle. Since then, schools in 39 counties have waited as long as four years for the money to fix leaking roofs, crumbling pavement and clogged sewer lines. As their projects languish without funding, schools are watching buildings deteriorate and hairline fissures split into cracks wide enough to swallow pennies. They're scraping by with temporary fixes, diverting money from their classrooms and delaying other critical facility repairs.

-- Joanna Lin

School districts get state money for construction

-- Tri-city Herald Washington: July 14, 2012 [ abstract]

The Kennewick School District will receive more than $17.5 million in state matching dollars to remodel and add on to two elementary schools. More than $213 million will be distributed to districts across the state, according to a release from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Othello and Moses Lake school districts also received millions in funding from the state to help with construction projects. "We're glad the state matching (funds) are still Healthy," said Lorraine Cooper, spokeswoman for the Kennewick School District. Kennewick's share of the state money will go toward the renovation and modernization of Cascade and Lincoln elementary schools. Work on Cascade began this summer, and work at Lincoln will start next summer.

-- Ty Beaver

Santa Barbara Unified School District ready to debut several construction projects

-- Daily Sound California: June 22, 2012 [ abstract]

Two years after passing, several construction projects funded by Measures Q and R will be ready to debut at the start of the next school year. The bond measures passed in 2010 funded several massive upgrades to aging facilities around the Santa Barbara Unified School District’s elementary and secondary schools. The district took several Board of Education members and media on a site tour yesterday. A new cafeteria at Santa Barbara High, new rooms for San Marcos’ Health Academy, and new playground equipment at Cleveland Elementary are just some of the improvements students will see in the fall. Upgrades to Santa Barbara High’s kitchen and cafeteria are expected to be open by the fall. It features a new walk-in freezer and refrigerator, as well as an upgraded training kitchen where cooking classes can be taught. Carl Mayrose, project manager for all the secondary districts said the project allows the cafeteria to handle a lot more students and prepare more sophisticated meals. “There is the capability here to feed all the kids on campus now,” Mayrose said. The project also performs several heating, ventilation, and electrical upgrades. Dave Hetyonk, director of facilities and operations for the district, said that the total costs of the project will run a little over $4 million. San Marcos High School is seeing its first major infrastructure upgrades since the school’s founding. New classrooms are being built that will house a computer lab and the Health Academy.

-- Nick C. Tonkin

As PCB Issue Lingers, Removal Will Be Expedited at a Brooklyn School

-- New York Times New York: June 19, 2012 [ abstract]

A Brooklyn public school building that had leaking light fixtures will be moved to the top of the list of schools with PCB problems, and the city will replace its lighting very soon, city officials said last week. The building, which houses P.S. 146 Brooklyn New School and Middle School 448 Brooklyn Secondary School for Collaborative Studies on Henry Street in Carroll Gardens, had light fixtures known to contain polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. These are toxic chemicals that have been associated with Health effects like skin conditions and immune system and cognitive deficiencies. Research also indicates that PCBs cause cancer, with the risk rising with prolonged exposure. The city’s Department of Education’s plan to replace the lighting in city schools has been controversial, to say the least, because of the pace of its timetable. Federal officials, as well as parents at a number of schools, including P.S. 146, have been pressing the city to move more quickly. The city has a list of schools �" more than 700 in all �" that have light fixtures containing PCBs, and has set a 10-year timeline for the fixtures’ removal. Last year the Environmental Protection Agency rejected the city’s timeline, saying removal needed to be done in five years or less. The Department of Education has said that it wants to make the fixture removal part of a top-to-bottom energy retrofit, and that it cannot move more quickly. In a statement, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said: “The potential for Health effects from PCBs, as with other chemicals, depends on how much, how often and how long someone is exposed. Scientific studies have not shown PCB exposures from building materials to cause Health effects in building occupants. It is very unlikely that long-term environmental exposures to PCBs in buildings will increase risk for Health effects, including cancer.” But in an interview last week, Judith Enck, the Environmental Protection Agency’s regional administrator, said that the Health concerns from exposure to PCBs are valid. “We do not want children and school staff exposed,” Ms. Enck said. “There is a particular risk for pregnant women and women of childbearing age.” She added that replacing the old lighting with energy-efficient bulbs would save money, and that the plan would pay for itself within seven years. That the city had agreed to remove the old lighting was commendable, Ms. Enck said. But officials should abandon the plan to make it part of a larger energy project.

-- Hiten Samtani

To save a schoolhouse -- and history

-- CNN Georgia: June 16, 2012 [ abstract]

The little white building with tall windows is off a main road, miles from the busier patches of town. This was the school where Marian Coleman sang nursery rhymes, the same school where her parents met when they were just kids. For about 30 years, any black child in this northwest Georgia community came here to learn to read and write, to understand math, geography and Health. They shared books, brought their own lunches and shared those, too. At recess, kids played in the woods just outside. In the morning, those who arrived first lit the stove with wood parents donated. But the Noble Hill School shut down in 1955 -- after four teachers and seven grades had been crammed into the two-room schoolhouse that lacked electricity and water and the Supreme Court had ruled against segregated education for white and black students. It was more than 10 years before the local public schools integrated, Coleman remembers, but there was no pretending the 1923 building was equal. For decades, the little white building sat empty. It became a storage garage and then a memory. Grass and weeds grew tall around it. The paint chipped away and wood sagged. Windows disappeared. So it went for most Rosenwald schools, a collection of about 5,000 schoolhouses built between the early 1910s and early 1930s. Their creation stemmed from philanthropy and community cooperation that were rare for the time -- matching funds provided by Sears, Roebuck and Co. leader Julius Rosenwald, educational direction by Tuskegee Institute leader Booker T. Washington and financial support from local black families and white-led school districts. Their purpose: Educate black children in the rural South.

-- Jamie Gumbrecht

New resource to build healthier, green schools

-- Hawaii 24/7 Hawaii: June 15, 2012 [ abstract]

The Hawaii CHPS Criteria (HI-CHPS), a resource used to design and construct Healthy, high performance, green schools, has been released for public use. Hawaii becomes the 13th state to adopt a CHPS high performance school Criteria. HI-CHPS was approved by the Board of Directors of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, a national non-profit that brings local high performance school rating programs to states across the US. “The state of Hawaii is one of the most climatically and ecologically diverse states in the union, which makes it the perfect candidate for a state-based green school rating program,” said Chip Fox, chairman of the CHPS Board of Directors. “Hawaii CHPS contains some of the most unique and state-specific credits we have seen yet. We are thrilled to have Hawaii join the ranks of states participating in the CHPS program.” “The adoption of the HI-CHPS Criteria is the next step in our development of more eco-friendly and sustainable school facilities,” said Randy Moore, assistant superintendent for school facilities and support services. “Sustainability is of particular importance to Hawaii as an island state, and we are delighted to have HI-CHPS Criteria that have been created specifically for Hawaii schools. These criteria will be invaluable in the development of schools and our proactive response to both the educational need for environmentally sensitive classrooms and the societal need for energy efficiency.” The HI-CHPS Criteria can be downloaded at: www.chps.net/hawaii. The HI-CHPS Criteria was developed by a committee of K-12 school stakeholders under the guidance of the state Department of Education and CHPS. Hawaii’s unique climate posed the largest challenge for the advisory committee’s work, including creating prerequisites and credits appropriate to the year-round temperatures, rain and wind patterns, and humidity of the islands.

-- www.chps.net

Phoenix Roadrunner Elementary abandoning trailer for sustainable schoolhouse

-- The Republican Arizona: June 14, 2012 [ abstract]

The classroom trailers common to school campuses nationwide are being taken off the grounds of a Phoenix school, Roadrunner Elementary. Southwest of Northern Avenue and Interstate 17, the Safari building at Roadrunner Elementary School is one of the nation's first LEED-certified school facilities to be funded by a blossoming non-profit, the Green Schoolhouse Series of Carlsbad, Calif. The "green" building, valued at $2.4 million but paid entirely by donations from various companies, will open this year, replacing classroom trailers and adding energy-saving appliances, solar panels and recycled materials that the builder believes will qualify it for the top LEED certification, platinum. Principal Karen Menaugh said Roadrunner was chosen from 11 Valley schools that applied for the all-expenses-paid project because the school has reduced electricity usage and promoted recycling. Green Schoolhouse Series and its partners are involved in another LEED building project for one other Washington Elementary School District site, Orangewood Elementary School, near 19th and Orangewood avenues in Phoenix. Projects also are planned for Rio Salado College, and nationally, at campuses in Chicago, San Diego and Seattle. The Green Schoolhouse Series was founded in 1998 by Jeff Zotara and his father, Marshall Zotara, who own the public-relations firm Cause & Effect Evolutions, also in Carlsbad, Calif. After helping on various school-improvement projects, Jeff Zotara said he and his dad noticed a trend: Portables were parked on many of the campuses where they had renovated schools. An estimated 300,000 portables are in use at campuses nationwide, according to a 2011 report by the Modular Building Institute, an industry group. Portables are supposed to provide temporary relief for persistent problems such as overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating structures. For cash-strapped schools, they have become fixtures. "We realized these portables were built as a temporary solution, but they end up permanent," Jeff Zotara said. A 2004 study on classroom portables by the California Environmental Protection Agency found that portables can aggravate Health problems in schoolchildren with conditions such as asthma and allergies.

-- Emily Gersema

Gardens help area schools, communities bloom

-- Richmond Times Dispatch Virginia: June 12, 2012 [ abstract]

High school senior DeontÃ© Terry tasted snap peas for the first time after planting a garden with his Thomas Jefferson High environmental science class. He had never gardened before, and he was surprised how much he enjoyed it. "I would not have ever, in my life, eaten peas," he said. Gardens such as this modest, weed-ridden plot in West End Richmond are popping up all over the city as part of an effort to provide fresh food to residents â€” food that they can help grow near their homes â€” and to educate residents about the Health benefits of eating it. Mayor Dwight C. Jones' administration has also made it easier to plant gardens on vacant city properties, and residents are converting overgrown lots into verdant beds, lush with lettuce, kale and newly planted tomato vines. "Allowing people to dabble in the soil, sow something and reap it and eat it is the only way you will allow people to see the results of Healthy living," said Sonia Allen, who founded a garden on city-owned property on Perry Street in Manchester. "Just talking about it is not enough." Richmond is joining a national movement to encourage and support growing and eating local food, particularly in urban "food deserts" where access to fresh foods is limited. Sally G. Schwitters, executive director of Tricycle Gardens, a pioneer in community gardens in the Richmond region, said gardens reduce blight by transforming abandoned properties into something beautiful that provides food for neighborhoods. On the edge of Creighton Court public housing complex, Nina Zinn, who runs a garden business, and a few friends reached out to the neighborhood around Woodville Elementary School to build support for a garden. Zinn said she thought the Roots of Woodville Neighborhood Garden on Tate Street would help build community. "It makes us all feel that we're part of a whole instead of individuals," she said.

-- Kristen Green

School building projects in Holyoke, South Hadley, Southampton and Springfield advance at state level

-- The Republican Massachusetts: June 06, 2012 [ abstract]

Moving to fulfill a pledge he made a year ago, the state's treasurer on Wednesday led a vote to secure significant state financing to repair one tornado-damaged Springfield elementary school and to replace another with a new building. The Massachusetts School Building Authority, chaired by Treasurer Steven Grossman, voted unanimously to advance plans to build a new $28 million school to replace the 87-year-old Elias Brookings School and $14.3 in renovations to the Mary A. Dryden Veterans Memorial School, both wrecked by last year's tornado. "It's moving the ball forward," Grossman, a first-term Democrat, said in an interview. "It's a long process." The authority also voted to invite the William J. Dean Technical High School in Holyoke to participate in a program that could provide state financing for improving science laboratories. The authority funds a portion of the eligible building costs. Depending upon a school district's economic Health, the state share can vary from 31 to 80 percent of the project. In the case of Springfield, it would be up to 80 percent, Grossman said. Regarding the tornado-damaged schools, it would be 80 percent of the costs not covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

-- Dan Ring

National Recognition Ceremony for First-Ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools

-- Department of Education National: June 04, 2012 [ abstract]

Senior Administration officials honored the first-ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) this morning at a ceremony held in Washington, D.C. Among the inaugural honorees are 78 schools that represent 29 states and the District of Columbia. The program was developed by the Department with support from the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), several other agencies and dozens of non-profit stakeholders. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined White House CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin to address the honorees and congratulate them on their achievements. Representatives from winning schools received plaques and banners in recognition of their high achievement in saving energy, reducing costs, providing Healthy learning spaces, and offering education geared toward the challenges of the 21st century.? "These schools represent a broad portfolio of urban, suburban, and rural communities, working to provide students with a high-quality, well-rounded education, Healthy living, clean environments and best practices for reducing our environmental impact," said Secretary Duncan. "Green Ribbon Schools are an inspiration and deserve the spotlight for embodying strong examples of innovative learning and civic engagement." "By embracing 'green' these schools have demonstrated their commitment to incorporating environmental practices in education," said White House CEQ Chair Sutley. "The U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools winners honored today are taking bold steps to increase environmental awareness that will have an impact on the Health of America's students and create the next generation of environmental stewards."

-- Press Release

Promoting Physical Activity Through Joint Use Agreements

-- CommunityCommons.org North Carolina: June 01, 2012 [ abstract]

This resource provides insight into how shared use (joint use) agreements work. Often schools have verbal agreements which allow their facilities to be used by other parties during non-school hours. While having access to schoolyards is a step in the right direction, it is important to create written agreements that define terms, detail partner responsibilities, specify hours of use, and address liability, in order to avoid any issues that could arise in the future. In this manual you will learn about four different types of shared use agreements and about the many benefits of establishing a shared use agreement. You can also read about two state policies that support the creation of shared use and about two schools which have successfully implemented shared use agreements.

-- North Carolina dept of Public instruction & health

State-of-the-art sustainable school opens in Richmond

-- PR Newswire California: May 16, 2012 [ abstract]

A new state-of-the-art sustainable school, Ford Elementary, will be having its grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 19th. Designed to address the whole child, both body and mind, Ford Elementary creates a strong learning environment from a child's point-of-view. The two-story building, awhirl with bright colors and shapes, was designed by Sally Swanson Architects. Ms. Swanson, founding principal and CEO, explains, "Our goal is to provide a community-based school that is secure, totally green and Healthy, and also delightfulâ€”relating to the age level of the students and very life-affirming." A highly collaborative bilingual planning and design process has resulted in joint-use spaces, innovative technology and security systems, and a green and energy-saving campus. The new school was built with the support of the citizens of the West Contra Costa Unified School District, and has received strong support by the WCCUSD Board. "The school's layout maximizes flexibility, accommodating a variety of diverse teaching methods and programs," explained Carlos Velilla, SSA's Director of Design. The second floor corridor is transformed into a street with light-filled corridors that double as a collaborative in-between space where learning can take place. The design also merges formal classroom spaces with accessible educational play equipment and outdoor programs. The original school, built in 1949, was an outdated and unsafe learning environment that offered the community few amenities and little sense of ownership. Construction on the new 68,000 square feet school was completed by Alten Construction and overseen by SGI Construction Management. The new school's design references the community culture using an imaginative interpretation of the Mission style with decorative blue and yellow tiles and an outsized arched library window. The cheerful facade signals a school environment that incorporates equal parts fun, creativity and learning. Windows, openings, and building details reduce the large scale to that of a child. The educational program works hand in hand to engage younger minds. The school's design process included a series of well-attended community workshops. Helping offset the dearth of neighborhood open space, the school includes a community garden, a mini-soccer field, as well as a small plaza with places for adults to sit, meet, and feel at home. The elementary school also provides after-hours joint-use spaces with the community, as well as Adult Education.

-- D. Fromm

Historic 1922 elementary school receives Gold LEED distinction

-- Montgomery Media Pennsylvania: May 13, 2012 [ abstract]

Myers Elementary in Cheltenham Township received the Gold LEED distinction for the environmentally friendly design and function of the school building that was renovated back in 2009. LEED, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, was designed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000 as an internationally known symbol of excellence for buildings who aim to achieve high performance in human and environmental Health, sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency and materials selected for indoor environmental quality, according to the U.S. GBC website. Myer’s received its distinction for meeting the LEED requirements with environmentally friendly features such as bike ranks, car pool parking perks, motion censored lighting in every room and bathroom, and eco-friendly roofing that reflects light off the roof and back into the atmosphere. Each restroom has low-flow sinks and toilets at a flow rate of 0.5 gallons per flush compared to the standard rate of 2.5 gallons per flush creating 31 percent water use and disposal reduction, said Lorna Rosenberg Myer’s parent, member of the Cheltenham Township Environmental Advisory Council and co-chair of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council. Rosenberg said the low energy light bulbs are used in each room, eco-friendly materials such as paints and flooring for the gymnasium were used and native plants were chosen to landscape the grounds. The building also makes efficient use of natural day light as a result of the windows which have been placed in 90 percent of the rooms in the building. Also, students, faculty and administrators at Myers are breathing in fresher air because of a special heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system that brings outside air into the building and an air treatment censor that monitors the carbon dioxide levels in the school, Rosenberg said. Rosenberg said that another interesting feature the Myer’s has is that teachers can use the building as a teaching tool through a dash board that shows the temperature levels in each room and indicates how much energy the building is using. Teachers can reference the dash board in lessons and can encourage students to track the different climate changes that may happen around them on a daily basis.

-- Jarreau Freeman

State warns city: school site is toxic

-- Riverdale Press New York: May 09, 2012 [ abstract]

The Bronx New School, PS 51’s old building has been deemed a “significant threat to public Health” by state agencies. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent out a notification on May 1 announcing that the 18,200-square-foot building at 3200 Jerome Ave. sits on grounds that contain dangerous levels of two carcinogens �" Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Tetrachloroethylene (PCE). The site where the school had been located since 1993 has been accepted into the Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP), a state initiative designed to help property owners redevelop contaminated sites. BCE approved the application and a plan to investigate the property’s hazards after a 30-day public comment period in March. The School Construction Authority discovered that TCE had seeped into PS 51 during environmental reviews in February. Even though 3200 Jerome Ave. formerly housed a light manufacturer, the School Construction Authority wasn’t required to test the school until the end of its 20-year lease approached. Six months after TCE was detected, PS 51 families were notified that the school was being relocated. Studies conducted from January to April 2011 show TCE, a clear, sweet-smelling liquid primarily used to degrease metal, was found inside the building, beneath the ground and in nearby groundwater. A March 27 test of belowground vapor contained 53,300 micrograms of TCE per cubic meter, more than ten thousand times the state limit of five micrograms per cubic meter. TCE exposure can cause headaches, dizziness, euphoria, facial numbness, developmental issues, liver cancer and death, according to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

-- Sarina Trangle

NJ Department of Education Blamed for Slowing Repair of Decaying Schools

-- NJ Spotlight New Jersey: April 26, 2012 [ abstract]

The Christie administration’s slow pace with court-ordered school construction and repairs is now heading to court, this time with a twist on who actually is being sued. The Education Law Center, the Newark-based advocacy group representing school children under the Abbott v. Burke litigation, yesterday announced it had filed a lawsuit over what it said was the administration’s failure to move on scores of so-called “emergent projects” in the state’s poorest districts. They include more than 100 roof repairs, and dozens of air conditioning and heating system replacements, and a host of fire safety upgrades. Newark alone has more than 100 projects in need, the lawsuit reads. Trenton has 99 and Camden another 95. The lawsuit cited more than 60 repair needs that potentially imperil students’ Health and safety. And while the usual target of complaints has been the long beleaguered Schools Development Authority, which oversees this work, the twist is the lawsuit is against the state Department of Education. The SDA oversees and manages the eventual work, but it is the department that determines and approves the projects, the key point in the suit. "The law clearly requires the state to address hazardous school conditions, and almost nothing has been done in the last two years," said Greg Little, the lawyer working on behalf of the ELC in the case. "Every school day thousands of children, teachers and other staff using … school buildings where these emergent conditions exist face an imminent threat to their Health and safety."

-- John Mooney

Obama Administration Names First-Ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools

-- Dept of Education Press Release National: April 23, 2012 [ abstract]

.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was joined today by White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to announce the first-ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, a list including 78 schools that span 29 states and D.C. The announcement was made during a visit to Stoddert Elementary School, one of D.C.'s two honorees. "Science, environmental and outdoor education plays a central role in providing children with a well-rounded education, helping prepare them for the jobs of the future," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools demonstrate compelling examples of the ways schools can help children build real-world skillsets, cut school costs, and provide Healthy learning environments." U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a federal recognition program that opened in September 2011. Honored schools exercise a comprehensive approach to creating "green" environments through reducing environmental impact, promoting Health, and ensuring a high-quality environmental and outdoor education to prepare students with the 21st century skills and sustainability concepts needed in the growing global economy. "Schools that take a green approach cut costs on their utility bills, foster Healthy and productive classrooms, and prepare students to thrive in the 21st century economy," said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "These Green Ribbon School award winners are taking outstanding steps to educate tomorrow's environmental leaders, and demonstrating how sustainability and environmental awareness make sense for the Health of our students and our country."

-- Press Office

Community Skeptical About Plans For Closed Schools

-- Cleveland Heights Patch Ohio: April 20, 2012 [ abstract]

Officials have insisted that the schools slated to close under the proposed Cleveland Heights-University Heights Schools facilities master plan would be put to good use, and plans for re-purposing them are already underway. Michelle Cramer of Cramer & Associates is working to raise money to help pay for the renovations and fill the schools with new occupants, and she said they have found nine possible partners interested in space. The Heights Youth Club across from the high school is nearing capacity, she said, and the Boys & Girls Club has shown interest, as has the Cleveland Sight Center, but she couldn't give specific details yet. The buildings could be used for higher education programs, Health care and social service needs and more, Cramer said. In addition, they're working to find sponsors for the football field and other naming opportunities. But some residents and parents weren't convinced. â€�"Who have you been in contact with? Who is interested in this land? We have a right to be concerned about this. You have not demonstrated historically that you have dealt with properties in a way that has made them reusable space,â€ said University Heights resident Dori Nelson-Hollis. Heuer addressed the elephant in the room in his opening remarks â€” Millikin. The facility, which has sat vacant since it closed in 2006, has drawn much controversy in the past few months and a debate about its worth.

-- Michelle Simakis

Construction starts on Erie County's first school-based health center

-- Go Erie Pennsylvania: March 29, 2012 [ abstract]

Earlier versions of this story included incorrect information about the vision services to be provided at the Wayne School Health clinic. Only vision screenings and referrals to local vision-care providers will be provided. Jackhammering has begun in the basement of Wayne School. Construction crews are transforming nearly half of the east Erie school's basement into a medical clinic that will be open to both Wayne students and the general public. "I can't wait for this to open," Erie schools Superintendent Jay Badams said. "Now that a school-based Health center is going to be a reality, I look forward to seeing the impact it will have on our students." Wayne Primary Care, 650 East Ave., is scheduled to open in mid-August. It will be Erie County's first school-based Health center, a medical office located inside a school that is designed to increase Health-care access for children in low-income neighborhoods. School faculty and staff, and area residents will also be able to make appointments at the Health center. Construction is being paid with a $470,470 federal grant awarded in 2011 to UPMC Hamot, which will operate the clinic with assistance from Community Health Net. Community Health Net is the county's only federally qualified Health center and receives higher reimbursement than other providers for treating Medicaid patients. Most Wayne Primary Care patients are expected to have Medicaid, said Charles "Boo" Hagerty, Hamot's chief development officer. Uninsured patients will be able to apply for Medicaid and may be eligible for Hamot's charity care program. "The office will have a basic staff: a physician who will see patients 40 hours a week, a nurse, an office manager and a receptionist," Hagerty said. "Down the road we see adding a nurse practitioner or physician assistant." Badams is excited about the Health center's opening because he believes it will improve students' Health, and eventually their grades. Families can make appointments during the school day, enabling students to miss just 30 or 60 minutes of class instead of a half or whole day. It also encourages families to make appointments before a child's illness worsens or complications develop. "It's obvious a child's physical Health has a bearing on his or her ability to learn," Badams said. "One hundred and five Wayne students have missed more than 15 days of school so far this year with excused absences. How well do you learn when you miss that much school?"

-- DAVID BRUCE

Parents Meet With Education Officials Over School Building Health Concerns

-- NBC New York New York: March 27, 2012 [ abstract]

Parents at a Brooklyn school building demanded answers from education officials at a meeting Monday about construction conditions they say are creating Health hazards for their children. About 500 students, parents and teachers met with Department of Education officials inside the building that houses PS 17 and MS 577 in Williamsburg, which is undergoing a massive construction. Parents said that construction, mixed with water damage, has made the environment unbearable. "In the classrooms and in my dance room, she has the tiles falling out," said student Shaliya Parris. "And you see the black stuff all the way going down. And they tell us not to open up the windows. They have air cleaners, purifiers in most of the classrooms." Teachers can't open windows in the building because of major construction happening outside. The building is undergoing a $10 million renovation, with much of the money going to fix the current water filtration problems. It's not clear how dangerous the mold is, if at all. The school ordered testing be done on the building, and of 21 random samples taken on March 22, one sample came back with an unacceptable result, according to the testing report.

-- PeiSze Cheng

Elementary school gardens teach math, science and patience

-- The Tennessean Tennessee: March 09, 2012 [ abstract]

If all goes well, Franklin Elementary School’s fourth-graders will be eating some fresh vegetables come May. About 80 students got busy last week planting broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, cabbage and carrots, and other edibles they hope to harvest from their teaching gardens at the school. Students worked in eight beds with the help of UPS and the American Heart Association. Both organizations supported the effort with elbow grease and funding to promote Healthy eating habits and an understanding of where food comes from. Teachers love the project because of all the curriculum ties, particularly science and math. It turns out Franklin Elementary School is not the only school digging in the dirt to teach students important lessons. Nolensville Elementary School recently revived its garden as an outdoor classroom, Chapman’s Retreat Elementary School has a garden under construction with a ribbon cutting planned for April and Fairview Elementary School has special learning gardens for its kindergartners. “For me, I like to get the kids outdoors,” Franklin Elementary School teacher Michelle Pieczura said. “In our society, there’s a lot of media usage and kids don’t get outside very much. It’s a unique opportunity for them.”

-- Maria Giordano

The Vernonia question: A better way for Oregon to fund school construction

-- The Oregonian Oregon: March 08, 2012 [ abstract]

If any town in Oregon deserves extra help rebuilding, it's Vernonia. State lawmakers were right to single out this flood-ravaged community in rural northwest Oregon for financial assistance in constructing a K-12 school on higher ground. But the process wasn't pretty. The Vernonia money got tangled in the high-stakes discussion around Health care reform, and some lawmakers rightly worried about dabbling in local school construction in a piecemeal sort of way. The whole experience raises a question for state leaders: How can Oregon do a better, more efficient job building new schools and remodeling old ones? The state has made progress, but there is plenty of room for improvement. It's evident not just in Vernonia, but in every community with glaring capital needs. Oregon ranks 37th -- well below the national average -- in state support for K-12 capital construction, according to a 2010 report by the 21st Century School Fund, a nonprofit that advocates for better school buildings. It ranks even lower when measured on a per-student basis. This deviates from the norm: Some states cover virtually all expenses outright, while many others provide matching funds or technical assistance on design and construction. In Oregon, local school districts are almost entirely on their own. True, Oregon has made strides in recent years. For example, districts can now collect an impact fee from developers for new schools, much like the impact fees for roads and parks. The fee makes a big difference for suburban communities that can barely pass school bonds fast enough to keep up with the growth. The state also stepped up its efforts to help school districts improve their energy efficiency, an investment that can pay off quickly through lower utility bills. What's more, under recent changes to state law, districts can use bond money to remodel older schools. This helps every community with flat or declining student enrollment and aging, unsafe buildings. Yet Oregon remains under-equipped to build schools in a cost-efficient, equitable way.

-- Editorial Board

The Impact of School Buildings on Student Health and Performance: A Call for Research

-- McGraw Hill Research Foundation National: February 27, 2012 [ abstract]

The McGraw-Hill Research Foundation and the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), today released a new white paper entitled, “The Impact of School Buildings on Student Health and Performance: A Call for Research,” at the 2nd Annual Green Schools National Conference in Denver, CO. The Green Schools Conference is dedicated to growing green schools across the nation. The new white paper, co-authored by Lindsay Baker, Researcher, PhD Candidate, University of California, Berkeley (on behalf of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC) and Harvey Bernstein, Vice President, Industry Insights & Alliances for McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies, sheds light on the critical need for research around how the school building�"through its design, maintenance and operations�"impacts the Health and performance of the students in those buildings. The paper explored research from two perspectives: from the lens of the child’s experience with their built environment, and from how different stakeholders could play an important role in bringing that research to light. To download a copy of “The Impact of School Buildings on Student Health and Performance: A Call for Research,” visit http://bit.ly/Green_Schools_White_Paper

-- MHRFAdmin

Lafayette schools use gardens to boost learning

-- The Advertiser Louisiana: February 08, 2012 [ abstract]

Turnips, mustard greens, strawberries, carrots and swiss chard are all part of the learning labs growing in six area schools. The school garden movement in Lafayette is in bloom with teachers linking classroom lessons to seasonal vegetables and fruits cared for by students. "They're learning math, science and English without even knowing it," said Loretta Williams Durand, principal of Burke Elementary. The school started its garden last year with the support of John Fontane, Lafayette Parish master gardener, whose grandchildren attend the school. "They've gotten excited about growing their own fruits and vegetables and are enjoying them," Durand said. "It's a wonderful educational experience for them." Burke is one of six schools in Lafayette Parish with gardens that receive financial and hands-on support from the Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners program, the LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service and the Lafayette Parish School System. This year, those efforts have been boosted by a Walmart Foundation Health Living grant for schools that focus on exercise and nutritional lessons for students.

-- Marsha Sills

1/3 U.S. Schools Have Serious Mold and Dust Making Kids Sick

-- Eco Childs Play National: February 03, 2012 [ abstract]

Schools are germy places, almost as bad as hospitals. As a teacher, I’m suffering from my second illness this school year. Children are in and out of class with various viruses and bacterial illnesses, but sometimes, those illnesses come from the school facilities themselves. Astonishingly, “a third or more of U.S. schools have mold, dust and other indoor air problems serious enough to provoke respiratory issues like asthma in students and teachers.” CNN reports: Dr. John Santilli, a Connecticut allergist, says he has treated dozens of students sickened by school air. Even when children don’t miss school, he said, the medications they take for asthma and conditions like rhinitis, an allergic reaction to mold or dust, can make it harder for them to do their best work. “They’re on antihistamines, they’re on nasal sprays, they’re on asthma medications, and this limits their ability to perform,” Santilli said. “These kids can’t concentrate. They can’t focus on what’s going on.”… Researchers and others who follow the issue say school air problems have probably been exacerbated in recent years by funding cutbacks that have resulted in less money for building upkeep and maintenance… Researchers at the New York state Health Department found a correlation between building maintenance at the public schools and hospitalizations for asthma. The condition of roofs, windows, walls and boilers were all related to the Health of children at the school, researchers found. A similar study in Boston schools found a link between asthma rates and leaks, mold, lack of repairs and visible signs of insects or rodents.

-- Jennifer Lance

Oklahoma Gets First LEED Gold K-12 Building

-- Earth Techling Oklahoma: February 02, 2012 [ abstract]

Green schools have been cropping up all over the country in recent years, some of them far from noted green building centers. Such is the case with the the Jenks Math and Science Center in Jenks, Okla., (a suburb of Tulsa) which recently became the state’s first LEED-certified K-12 building. The project was built by Tulsa-based Manhattan Construction and designed by Tulsa-based GH2 Architects, and Michigan-based TMP Architecture, and has garnered LEED Gold certification. Encompassing 91,580 square feet, the Jenks Public Schools Math and Science Center includes ten math classrooms, fourteen flexible science teaching studios, a student Health center, a 200-seat multi-purpose meeting room and a 105-seat planetarium. Located in the center of the main Jenks high school campus �" creating a visual and physical link between the Freshman Academy and senior high classroom buildings �" the building was designed to encourage collaboration between math and science and also between the different grade levels.

-- Susan DeFreitas

Assemblyman to Probe Stalled NJ School Projects

-- New Jersey Public Radio New Jersey: January 23, 2012 [ abstract]

The chairman of the New Jersey Assembly Education Committee said he plans to hold investigative hearings in February about why the Christie Administration has begun so few school construction and repair projects. "It's an absolute disgrace that the School Development Authority has not started construction on even one school in the state of New Jersey,â€ said Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-East Brunswick), who chairs the Education Committee. The New Jersey Schools Development Authority has spent $50 million a year running its agency, Diegnan said. The SDA had so many problems when Christie took office that it first had to first change the way building projects were evaluated, according to its spokeswoman Kristin MacLean. But Diegnan doesn't accept that explanation. â€�"Two years to straighten it out and they still have not started construction on one school in New Jersey?â€ Diegnan said. â€�"They've put on a few roofs, done a few safety and Health issues. It's just incomprehensible to me.â€ The Education Law Center in Newark said hundreds of school building and repair projects in the state's low-income cities are shovel-ready but stalled. The center is well known for its advocacy for state funding of low-income school districts and has won a series of lawsuits against the state over the past 20 years. The organization is calling for an investigation and says it may sue the state if building projects do not begin soon.

-- Nancy Solomon

ELC DEMANDS INVESTIGATION INTO ADMINISTRATION'S REFUSAL TO ADDRESS DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN URBAN SCHOOLS

-- Education Law Center New Jersey: January 19, 2012 [ abstract]

Education Law Center (ELC) has sent a letter to Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, chair of the Senate Education Committee, and Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan, chair of the Assembly Education Committee, urging these lawmakers to investigate the Christie's Administration's refusal to address hundreds of emergency Health and safety repairs in urban school buildings across the state. ELC is seeking a thorough review of the Potential Emergent Projects Program (PEPP), a joint initiative of the NJ Department of Education (DOE) and the Schools Development Authority (SDA), launched in June 2011. In the letter to Senator Ruiz and Assemblyman Deignan, ELC notes that SDA (urban) districts submitted to the SDA and DOE requests for approximately 700 emergent repair projects through the PEPP program. Now six months later, the districts have yet to receive notice of the status of these projects, or any information that these emergencies will actually be addressed by the State. ELC's letter states: â€�"These and other concerns require an immediate, thorough and complete investigation, especially given the imminent threat to the Health and safety of thousands of children, teachers and other staff using SDA school buildings where these emergent conditions exist every school day.â€ The request to legislators for an investigative hearing follows on the January 9 letter from ELC to Bernie Piaia, Director of the Office of School Facilities at DOE, expressing serious concerns with implementation of the PEPP program. Following release of the January 9 letter, the SDA and DOE revealed that of the over 700 Health and safety conditions submitted for remediation, 400 had been rejected. The remaining 300 projects have not been identified to districts, nor has work on them begun. â€�"DOE and SDA have flagrantly violated their legal obligation to review and address emergency conditions in urban schools on an expedited basis," said David Sciarra, ELC Executive Director. â€�"Legislators charged with oversight of the schools construction program need to compel SDA and DOE officials to appear publicly and explain why they are acting without any regard for the Health, safety and well-being of our children."

-- Sharon Krengel

An Unsafe School Environment Can Affect Students’ Health and Academic Performance

-- Wildlife Promise National: January 18, 2012 [ abstract]

In my years as a classroom teacher, I noticed an increase in the number of students who missed school due to respiratory problems. Why the increase? Was it the school itself? I wondered what secrets the building held. Considering that students spend approximately 1,239 hours in school during the course of a school year (based on 177 days of instruction, that’s almost half of a year), you might think the Health of the school’s facilities would be a priority for administrators. Unfortunately, school districts nationwide face tremendous budget constraints and are often forced to make tough decisions about what they spend money on. But at what cost�"or, better yet, at whose cost? •According to National Education Association’s VP, NEA, Lily Eskelson, 1/3 of our schools have some Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) concerns that cause respiratory problems for children�"statistic she calls “horrific,” and I call unacceptable. •According to a 2010 survey by the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), 40% of nurses know children and staff that are adversely affected by pollutants in schools.

-- Jennifer Hammonds

Are schools unhealthy?

-- All Voices Michigan: January 16, 2012 [ abstract]

Mold, dust, indoor air pollutants estimated to be found in a third or more of U.S. Schools Schools across the United States are starting to get media attention and it is not for their academic programs. Stories of schools being built on industrial land, mold in classrooms and poor air quality are coming surface and children are not the only one's affected, teachers are also plagued by Health risks. Southside High School in Elmira, New York was built on land that was used for heavy industry for over 100 years. The joke of the town was the lake never froze due to the fact it was full of chemicals. This was no joke for at least two dozen current and former students have developed cancer. The school district thought the price was right a dollar price tag for an aging industrial complex to build a school. Construction of a school in Los Angeles came to a sudden halt when parents had learned its location was a former oil field. Cesar Chavez High School in Houston, Texas in 2000 the school had its opening and shortly after a group called Unidos Contra Environmental Racism protested the location of the school being close to too many chemical plants. One quarter mile down the road you will find chemical plants which include Texas Petroleum and Good Year Chemical. In Marion Ohio, two school had been built on a former military dumping ground, former students just in these schools similar to Elmira have higher than normal rates of leukemia and other rare cancers.

-- Debbie Nicholson

Paterson Still Waiting For $4.4 Million in "Expedited" School Repairs

-- The Alternative Press New Jersey: January 14, 2012 [ abstract]

At School 26, bricks have fallen from the building. At School 15, there are problems with the sewage system. At School 16, retaining walls are defective. At Kennedy High, a boiler used to heat classrooms needs to be replaced. These were among 15 emergent projects which are defined by state law as those "where Health-and-safety reasons dictate that rehabilitation work is necessary on an expedited basis" - for which Paterson Public Schools has sought $4.4 million in funding from the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA). Paterson's application was submitted back in March, along with hundreds of other requests for repairs from urban school districts in New Jersey. More than nine months later, the SDA has yet to approve any of the repairs requested by Paterson or by any other school district in the state. "It leaves our children with no heat, or leaky roofs or other problems that impede their ability and the ability of their teachers to focus on the learning they need to do," said Irene Sterling, head of the Paterson Education Fund, an advocacy group. "These emergency conditions impact the Health, safety and well-being of thousands of students, teachers and other staff every day," said David Sciarra, executive director of the Newark-based Education Law Center. "By failing to promptly correct these conditions, the DOE (Department of Education) and SDA have put thousands of children, young people and adults in harms' way. The lack of action by the State is inexcusable."

-- Joe Malinconico

HUNDREDS OF EMERGENCY REPAIRS IN URBAN SCHOOLS IGNORED BY NJ CHRISTIE ADMINISTRATION

-- Education Law Center New Jersey: January 12, 2012 [ abstract]

As Governor Christie¡¯s shutdown of the State school construction program enters its third year, hundreds of requests by districts for emergency Health and safety repairs in urban school buildings have gone unanswered for months by the NJ Department of Education (DOE) and the Schools Development Authority (SDA). In a sharply worded letter to the DOE Office of School Facilities, Education Law Center (ELC) demands that the Department immediately advise districts whether their requests for emergent projects have been approved, and that all approved projects be sent to the SDA for completion of the repairs. Under the state facilities law and the landmark Abbott v. Burke rulings, the DOE and SDA are responsible for funding and completing emergency repair projects in urban school buildings on an ¡°expedited basis.¡± In June 2011, the DOE and SDA asked urban districts ¨C designated as ¡°SDA districts¡± under State law ¨C to submit requests for emergency Health and safety repair projects for review and action under an initiative called the ¡°Potential Emergent Projects Program¡± (PEPP). In response, almost all SDA districts submitted extensive lists of Health, safety and other hazardous conditions in need of emergent repair for State review. Below are just a few examples of district submissions: ¡ñ Camden submitted over 150 emergent projects, including fixing water filtration systems to provide potable water in several schools, replacing collapsed ceilings, shoring up falling structural building facades, replacing leaking roofs and boilers, and fixing fire alarm systems. ¡ñ Trenton requested approval for nearly 100 emergent projects, including replacing windows and outdated security equipment, upgrading electrical wiring, and fixing leaking roofs. ¡ñ Newark filed 128 requests for emergent projects to address a wide range of Health and safety defects, including antiquated fire alarm systems, faulty and broken heating boilers and HVAC units, leaking roofs, and falling brick and masonry facades and chimneys. Despite the urgent and compelling need, the DOE and SDA have yet to make a decision on any one of these hundreds of requests. As ELC states in its demand letter to the agencies, this failure to act ¡°directly conflicts¡± with clear legal requirements in the State facilities law, DOE regulations and the Abbott rulings.

-- Sharon Krengel

Clean Air America Calls Attention to CNN's Spotlight on Poor Indoor Air Quality in Schools

-- Market Wire National: January 11, 2012 [ abstract]

Clean Air America, Inc., innovator in air filtration products that protect workers and the environment, agrees with CNN's upcoming report on the dire condition of schools and the Health hazards posed by poor indoor air quality on an estimated 14M children. This weekend, CNN will air the segment featuring CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta as he visits schools to examine the impact of indoor air quality on students and teachers. "Many school facilities today suffer from dwindling funds which should be used to fix crumbling buildings," said Jorgen Brahm, senior vice-president of Clean Air America, Inc. "We help educational buildings ensure crystal clean air for students and teachers within welding labs where dust and smoke generated by welding equipment are removed from the environment." The National Education Association is urging Congress to pass the Fix America's Schools Today Act, which would provide $25B for modernizing and repairing public schools. Many schools in the US suffer from leaky roofs, peeling paint, falling plaster, and exposed electrical wires. Toxins from paint, mold spores from water damage, and smoke/dust from welding and woodworking labs circulate through ancient HVAC systems.

-- Becky Boyd

Natrona County School District moves ahead in school construction fight

-- Star-Tribune Wyoming: January 08, 2012 [ abstract]

Natrona County’s ambitious high school construction plan is in the hands of lawyers. The school district intends to design high school renovations and construction for more students than what the state approved in November and can front up to $30 million to resume the process stalled since July, said Superintendent Joel Dvorak. State officials have estimated an extra $29 million to $32 million would be needed to add space for about 500 students to the plan to renovate Natrona County and Kelly Walsh high schools and build a new, shared campus that also houses Roosevelt High School. Dvorak said the district can generate the money through a lease-purchase agreement, when a project is completed with a loan paid over several years. At the end of the “lease” agreement, the project is turned over completely to the lessee. Meanwhile, the district plans to seek informal review and possibly a court hearing on the decision made by the state School Facilities Commission in November. Projects were put on hold in July by the state School Facilities Department to commission “educational specifications,” descriptions of the academic programming and space needed to deliver that programming. Ohio-based firm Fanning Howey presented several scenarios for buildings that meet the district’s new academy curriculum. The firm recommended the district’s preferred plan �" renovate existing high schools and build a new facility, with all projects starting at the same time �" as the “most cost-effective remedy.” The School Facilities Commission is required to accept the “most cost-effective remedy” per changes to state law in 2011, and district officials say state law requires the commission to consider community impact in the remedy. Several city of Casper officials have said the proposed plan to move students to Kelly Walsh during renovations would be a public Health and safety risk.

-- JACKIE BORCHARDT

U.S. Department of Education to award environmentally-friendly campuses

-- Pasadena Star News California: January 03, 2012 [ abstract]

California schools can now apply for the inaugural Green Ribbon Award, which recognizes the nation's highest-performing environmentally-friendly, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced Tuesday. "California is proud to participate in this new federal program to recognize schools with environmentally sustainable learning spaces that have boosted student performance," Torlakson said. "Not only do green schools save districts money and energy and protect the Health of students and staff, but studies also show these learning spaces actually improve academic achievement." The U.S. Department of Education unveiled the Green Ribbon Schools award in September. The program recognizes schools that save energy, reduce costs, feature environmentally sustainable learning spaces, protect Health, foster wellness, and offer environmental education to boost academic achievement and community engagement. The award is part of a larger U.S. Department of Education effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about practices proven to result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates, and workforce preparedness, as well as a government-wide aim to increase energy independence and economic security.

-- Staff Writer

Sharon Middle School Kitchen Promotes Health Inside And Out

-- Sharon Patch Massachusetts: January 02, 2012 [ abstract]

Sharon Middle School students now get lunch on washable trays cleaned by environmentally friendly detergent. The renovated school cafeteria strives for Health in practice as well as menu, school district Food Service Director Carol Judd says. Part of the $50.5 million school renovation and addition project, the cafeteria's expanded kitchen re-opened in mid-October after six weeks of serving salads and sandwiches prepared at the Heights Elementary School, Judd says. Students now get served on heavy duty, food-safe trays that have replaced the former styrofoam ones, she says. "It cuts back on the using (of) the styrofoam trays, so it's cost effective for the department. We put them right through the dish machine," Judd said during a recent tour of the cafeteria and kitchen. "The premise of the school is to be a green school. We wanted to follow that through in the cafeteria and in the kitchen area. The initial cost of these was probably less than what we would pay for a year's supply of styrofoam. And we should get at least two, three years' use out of the tray."

-- Michael Gelbwasser

Boston Public Schools Among 'Best Green Schools' in Country

-- West Roxbury Patch Massachusetts: December 26, 2011 [ abstract]

The Boston Public schools were recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Center for Green Schools in their Best of Green Schools list. The USCGBC recognized school districts for leadership increating Healthy, energy efficient, and academically stimulating learning environments - in their first inaugural Best of Green Schools. Schools from across the nation, from K-12 to higher education, were recognized for a variety of sustainable, cost-cutting measures, including energy conservation, LEED-certified buildings, as well as collaborative platforms and policies to green infrastructure. This year Boston has experienced many green school accomplishments from increasing access to Healthy food through the Local Lunch Thursday’s program to saving $75,000 in energy costs by installing occupancy light sensors (the lights turn on only when there is someone in theroom) in 19 schools. Boston also announcer the opening of Boston Green Academy, the first school in the district to integrate concepts of economic, environmental and social equity across the curriculum with the goal of preparing all students to live their lives responsibly and sustainably. USGBC also recognized Boston Mayor Thomas Menino as a “Convener” for hosting the Research Summit on Childhood Health and School Buildings. The summit brought researchers together to explore the connection between school facilities and student Health. “The importance of a Healthy school building and its impact on the ability to provide a positive learning environment can not be overstated,“ said Menino via press release. “I would like to thank the U.S. Green Building Council for their partnership as we continue to explore how we can be better caretakers of our planet.”

-- David Ertischek

Green Schools Go Big!

-- Earth Day Blog National: December 20, 2011 [ abstract]

In what is perhaps the biggest demonstration of support yet for the green schools movement, over two-thirds of the nation’s states formally signed up to participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools program. Only in its pilot year, this resounding manifestation of support is uniting state departments of education, Health, environment and safety to advance the goals of sustainability, environmental literacy and Health in our nation’s schools. And don’t think this initiative is exclusive to one area of the country; 17 of the participating states have a Republican governor, 16 have a Democratic governor and 1 has an Independent governor, respectively. If your school is located in one of the lucky 34 states nationwide, then you have an incredible opportunity to be named one of the greenest and Healthiest schools in America! Modeled on the bipartisan success Blue Ribbon Schools program, which awards schools for academic excellence, the Green Ribbon Schools Program will recognize schools that excel in environmental literacy, sustainability facilities and operations, and improved student and staff Health. Several states already have their applications out for review and potential submission; the remaining bunch will release their versions in the coming weeks.

-- Staff writer

Wilson High School leads green movement at Washington, DC area schools

-- WJLA District of Columbia: December 20, 2011 [ abstract]

With solar panels, green roofing and an eco-lab, the newly renovated Wilson High School is leading D.C. schools in energy efficiency and going green. The school also changed its curriculum by adding more classes focused on the environment. â€�"Definitely environmentalism and sustainable growth and sustainable use of resources are something these kids care about,â€ says Alex Wilson, director of academic development. The new federal green ribbon schools program is aimed at honoring schools that are creating greener, more cost-effective and Healthier school environments. To be eligible to win, schools must meet three criteria: First -- are students learning about the environment and sustainability? Second -- is the school a Healthy environment? And finally -- is the building energy-efficient and green? At Sandy Spring Friends School in Montgomery County, environmental stewardship is a big focus. They compost all their lunchtime leftovers and this â€�"We have been doing this approximately eight years,â€ says Laura Miyoshi, director of operations. â€�"When we initiated the program, we reduced our trash output by 40 percent.â€ This spring, students will grow food on a new school farm which will then be served in the cafeteria. Students say they're excited about helping the environment and that this green ribbon program is inspiring. â€�"It gives us encouragement to keep doing other things and new projects,â€ says 11th grader Gilliam Kramer.

-- Alison Starling

D.C. Council cancels schools hearing

-- Washington Examiner District of Columbia: December 14, 2011 [ abstract]

D.C. Council Chairman Kwame Brown's office canceled a hearing on a bill to create "community schools" in at-risk neighborhoods Wednesday, less than three hours before the roundtable was scheduled to begin. Karen Sibert, deputy chief of staff for the chairman, said that the hearing on the Community Schools Incentive Amendment Act was canceled because the mayor's witnesses were unavailable. "It has not been rescheduled as yet, but official notice of the new date for the hearing will be circulated at a later date," Sibert wrote in an email. "A later date" isn't flying with D.C. Voice. The nonprofit, which focuses on involving the community in school reform, was none-too-pleased that the hearing was canceled on such short notice, and executive director Jeff Smith told The Washington Examiner that he â€” and the 35 other witnesses the group recruited â€” may head down to the Wilson Building anyway. "If it's true that they just found out about this, the chairman should have a big gap in his schedule from 4:30 p.m. to about 7:30 p.m., and we'd like some of that agenda time," Smith said. His organization did the bulk of the research that started the legislation, originally introduced by At-large Councilman Michael Brown in 2010, and co-sponsored in 2011 with Kwame Brown, Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas, Jr., Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham, and then-At-large Councilman Sekou Biddle. The council wanted to hear the bill, introduced in January, by the end of the year, Kwame Brown said Tuesday. The act seeks to establish at least five "community schools" in poor neighborhoods. Using grants of up to $200,000 per year, the schools would establish after-hours initiatives like adult-education courses and Health clinics.

-- Lisa Gartner

School health centers expand in California

-- KGO-TV California: December 13, 2011 [ abstract]

Even in this challenging economy, school Health centers in California are expanding. These are clinics within the schools and the money to pay for them is coming from Washington. ABC7's looks at a law put into effect last year. St. Sen. Mark Desaulnier toured the Health center at Hercules High School Tuesday. In the morning, a group of California legislative aides and a school board member visited the new wellness center at Oakland High. School Health centers are increasing in California, from 121 in 2004 to 183 centers today. According to the California School Health Centers Association, 12 more clinics will be open by next summer. Susan Yee directs the center at Oakland High which opened in August, thanks to school construction bond money. "We try to do a lot of early intervention and prevention and we see over 65 percent of the student body here comes through for first aid, mental Health or medical services," said Yee. The center also has an after school program. Oakland Unified has 15 of these centers, one in every major high school and nine at the middle school level. "The idea is in order for children to achieve at high levels, you have to create the conditions where high levels of learning can occur. That's not going to happen if children are ill, if they're not well fed, if they are not supported mentally, emotionally, and academically," said Oakland Unified School District spokesman Troy Flint.

-- Lyanne Melendez

Honoring the People Pushing Green Schools to the Head of the Class

-- Green Biz National: December 12, 2011 [ abstract]

As a former teacher, I've seen first-hand the transformative effect that great educational environments can have on teacher motivation, student performance and community engagement. I also know that parents are unfailingly dedicated to their children's education and will do just about anything to give their kids an advantage in life. Over the past year, we at the Center for Green Schools have witnessed thousands of volunteers, educators, school administrators and policy makers transforming our nation's schools into inspiring places where children learn and thrive. 2011 was a landmark year for the green schools movement, so you can imagine that it was tough to whittle down the long list of accomplishments to 10 big wins. But we did. Today the Center, along with its founding sponsor, United Technologies Corp., released its "Best of Green Schools 2011" list, highlighting these 10 leading states, cities, districts and decision makers that have gone above and beyond in their efforts to ensure every student has the opportunity to learn in a Healthy, safe environment. With the Best Of list, we celebrate schools and regions from across the nation â€“ from K-12 to higher education â€“ for their commitments to measurable and innovative sustainability initiatives and their contributions to the Center's mission to green every school in America. This year's recipients ranged from federal collaborations to individual school victories. Here's a taste of trailblazers who rose to the top of our list:

-- Rachel Gutter

Global Green USA Launches Green Schools Mobile App to Help Create Healthier Classrooms and Lower Energy Bills

-- The Student Operated Press National: December 11, 2011 [ abstract]

"We are excited to launch this smart tool for green schools with the support of Lincoln MKZ Hybrid," said Global Green President Matt Petersen. "This mobile App will help further protect, educate and inspire our most precious and important natural resource, our children." Global Green is already collaborating with the San Francisco Unified School District to help create and implement school modernization protocols and standards that will lead to the greening of schools that will cost less to operate while improving student performance. This collaboration will also influence the green investment of the recently passed $531 million dollar school modernization bond. "Global Green has been an invaluable partner for the San Francisco Unified School District in our efforts to create Healthier, greener classrooms, said Nik Kaestner, SFUSD Director of Sustainability."

-- NewsWire

City releases list of 754 schools that could have toxic PCBs

-- Gothem Schools New York: December 07, 2011 [ abstract]

Nine months after the city announced a 10-year plan to find and remove fluorescent light fixtures in schools that may contain hazardous chemicals, the city’s School Construction Authority has released a list of 754 school buildings that have been flagged for follow-up. The list is the product of a survey of buildings the city completed last year, but it has never before been released, according to a legal group that has been pushing for faster cleanup. The document was released last month, shortly after NYLPI filed a Freedom of Information Law request. That request yielded a more complete accounting of schools with suspect lights, which NYPLI has published on its website. The chemicals in question, referred to as polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, were present inside of some florescent lights installed in schools before 1979, when the federal government banned their use. City officials have said the lights pose no immediate Health risk to students. But many elected officials and public Health advocates charge that the department is not moving quickly enough to remove the chemicals. On Monday, the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest will hold a press conference at City Hall, as it has done several times in the past year, calling for the DOE to immediately remove all potentially dangerous light fixtures from its buildings.

-- Rachel Cromidas

Councilor: City can't afford school

-- Eagle Tribune Massachusetts: December 07, 2011 [ abstract]

The city's request for state money to build a new middle school in Bradford received final approval by City Council last night, despite the opposition of one councilor who said taxpayers can't afford their portion of the cost. Councilor William Ryan stepped away from Haverhill's other elected officials by becoming the only member of the council or School Committee to oppose the city's application to the state for help in replacing the troubled Hunking Middle School. The council voted 8-1 to approve the measure proposed by Mayor James Fiorentini and School Superintendent James Scully. "This is a waste of time because I don't think voters want this and I don't think it will pass," Ryan said. "People are telling me, let's fix it instead." The building's north wing was closed seven weeks ago over fears it could collapse. About 140 sixth-graders were moved to the former Bartlett School on Washington Street, leaving 250 or so seventh- and eighth-graders in a section of the building that officials have said is safe. More recently, several Hunking teachers have complained of rashes and illnesses they believe were caused by poor air or something else in the dilapidated building. An environmental firm said the building is poorly ventilated and has mold in the air, but said the air is safe to breathe. State public Health officials are testing the air to provide a second opinion. If the state agrees the air is safe, school officials hope to repair the north wing's foundation to the point where the entire building can be used until a new school is built in three to five years, Scully said. The temporary repairs are expected to cost between $400,000 and $700,000, he said.

-- Shawn Regan

School Mold Concerns Irk Middle Parents

-- Cape May County Herald New Jersey: December 05, 2011 [ abstract]

Something seemed to be growing inside a first-grade classroom at Middle Township Elementary School No. 1. And it wasn’t the 6-year-olds who sit at the desks. According to parents, a serious mold problem seemed to inhabit the classroom. Toys, glue sticks, and even the American flag, new in September, had mold growing on it, said classroom parents. According to school Superintendent Michael Kopakowski, “We did have reports that something was going on. We’re not sure if it was HVAC-related or not.” In the meantime, the school custodial staff found themselves at school on Sat., Dec. 3. “We brought in some of our people,” Kopakowski told the Herald. “They cleaned it up, and everything looks okay.” Not so fast, say some parents. According to them, there’s a mold problem in the building. Kopakowski said having a mold problem this late in the year is very unusual. He said that normally, mold problems occur in the heat and humidity of August, when the school is shut up tight. “This is something that, when it occurs, we take it very seriously. We normally don’t see this kind of issue,” Kopakowski said. Mold infestation has become a serious problem in schools throughout the state. In 2007, a brand-new school in Neptune was torn down before a student even walked through its doors because of mold. When the Herald called Cape May County Health Department, it was told that mold problems are investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Elias Rodriguez, a representative of the EPA, told the Herald that the agency offers schools free program to address indoor air quality in schools called, “Tools for Schools.”

-- Deborah McGuire

Montgomery Elementary joins outdoor classroom movement

-- Dunwoody Crier Georgia: November 29, 2011 [ abstract]

From first lady Michelle Obama’s highly-publicized White House organic vegetable garden to Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal’s May 2011 launch of SHAPE, a public-private partnership to promote childhood fitness and build a culture of wellness among Georgia’s youth, childhood obesity has become a national Health concern. When he announced SHAPE, Deal said, “Georgia has one of the worst rates of childhood obesity in the nation. More than one in five Georgia kids ages 10 to 17 are obese. The Healthcare price tag for childhood obesity in Georgia is $2.4 billion annually, and rising.” Parents are urged to put more fruits and vegetables into their children’s diets, fast food chains now offer the choice of fresh fruit in place of French fries as part of kid meals, school systems are incorporating similar substitutions, and community gardens, like the one in Brook Run Park, are springing up. Even students are taking action, as reported in The Crier (“Grow Dunwoody takes hold at DHS, other schools,” Oct. 12). Dunwoody High School senior Danny Kanso is the director of Grow Dunwoody, a student-led organic gardening alliance that includes community and city organizations. Elementary age students are too young to organize such a project, but members of the Montgomery Elementary School PTA wanted their children to learn firsthand about growing vegetables and eating Healthy. In early November, parents, teachers and students planted an organic vegetable garden, dubbed the Outdoor Educational Classroom. Vanessa Quan, Nancy Halloran and Katherine Kahn make up Montgomery PTA’s Health and wellness committee, focusing on fitness, walk-to-school-days and nutrition. “Nutrition is the section I’m interested in,” said Quan. “I want to make sure that the kids are educated about eating foods that are Healthy for them. A garden shows them how they are connected to their food.”

-- Fran Memberg

OP-ED | ECS Task Force: ‘Fess Up, Fix Up, and Fund Our Future!

-- CT News Junkie Connecticut: November 28, 2011 [ abstract]

The challenge before the ECS Task Force is nothing less than how best to fund the future of today’s students and tomorrow’s workforce, the future of the state of Connecticut as a viable and growing economy steeped in traditions of social justice, and the future of our public schools along with the right to once again proudly proclaim our schools to be among the finest in the nation. Defying the age-old school tradition of an F signifying really bad performance, I’d like to continue in my last column’s alliterative vein to suggest three constructive, forward-looking Fs that the ECS Task Force might want to mull over as it begins work on its January 2012 interim report to the legislature. 2. Fix up those existing schools that are in serious need of updating. In addition to the urgency of providing catch-up/turnaround operations funding for the state’s most fiscally distressed school districts, might the Task Force place a premium on long overdue new construction or renovate-as-new facilities projects in communities that are way behind the curve when it comes to modern, safe, Healthy school buildings designed for 21st century teaching and learning? The State Department of Education’s latest facility report (1999) shows that of the 1,036 public school buildings maintained by cities and towns, nearly half were built before 1950, and one-fourth of all schools haven’t been renovated since 1980. Elementary schools comprise about 70 percent of school facilities that are oldest, based on year of construction and last renovation. Not surprisingly, the average age of facilities since the last major renovation increases as one moves down the District Reference Groups A- to-I, reflecting the decreasing wealth levels of school districts and the inability and/or lack of political will of their communities to shoulder the required local bonding share of facility improvements. Underscoring the importance of modern facilities to both the learning process and neighborhood revitalization is an extraordinary new study independently conducted by two Yale University economists, Christopher Neilson and Seth Zimmerman. They examined the effects of New Haven’s extensive school construction project on Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) reading and math scores for elementary and middle school students, home prices in the surrounding neighborhoods, associated increases in property tax revenues, and changes in public school enrollment patterns.

-- Dianne Kaplan deVries

Taking healthcare to students

-- Los Angeles Times California: November 28, 2011 [ abstract]

As soon as the school day ended, the rush at the Health clinic began. Two high school seniors asked for sports physicals. A group of teenagers lined up for free condoms. A girl told a counselor she needed a pregnancy test. The clinic, at Belmont High School near downtown Los Angeles, is part of a rapidly expanding network of school-based centers around the nation offering free or low-cost medical care to students and their families. In California, there are 183 school Health centers, up from 121 in 2004. Twelve more are expected to open by next summer, according to the California School Health Centers Assn. The centers have become a small but important part of the nation's Healthcare safety net, experts say, treating low-income patients who might otherwise not have regular medical care. Now, they add, campus clinics are serving as a model for Health officials trying to reduce costs. Academic research has shown that school-based Health clinics, which typically promote prevention and provide comprehensive services, reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations. They also improve students' school attendance, reduce Medicaid costs and promote more Healthful eating, according to studies. Recently, school-based Health centers got a fiscal boost from the Healthcare reform law, which allocated $200 million nationwide. California won $14 million in grants this summer to open new clinics and expand existing ones. Los Angeles County received about $4.3 million of that. Most centers are based in low-income neighborhoods and staffed by doctors and nurse practitioners. They offer a range of Healthcare services, including checkups, physicals, immunizations, mental Health treatment, dental care and drug counseling. The clinics also monitor students' chronic diseases, such as asthma, and treat their illnesses so they don't miss school.

-- Anna Gorman

Planning for Renovation of Park View School Moves Forward

-- Park View DC Blog District of Columbia: November 23, 2011 [ abstract]

Yesterday at 4 p.m. there was a substantial meeting between community members, parents, teachers, and city representatives to follow up from the earlier May 2011 meeting on both the immediate needs and planned modernization of the Bruce-Monroe @ Park View School. Among the city representatives present were the Deputy Mayor for Education De’Shawn Wright, Councilmember Jim Graham, Ahnna Smith (from Deputy Mayor for Education’s office), Mel Butler (of OPEFM), and Darrell Pressley from the Department of General Services (DGS). In reviewing outstanding issues from the May meeting, the chief concerns continued to be the Health of students and faculty and the state of the cafeteria.

-- Kent Boese

School gardens teach appreciation of food �" of plants, how to grow them

-- Star News Online North Carolina: November 21, 2011 [ abstract]

With childhood obesity on the rise, one nonprofit organization has set out to do something about it. Feast Down East and Food Corps, a national AmeriCorps initiative, are partnering with New Hanover County Schools to begin providing school gardens as part of the daily classroom curriculum. Jane Steigerwald, program director for Feast Down East, said that if children understand where their food comes from and how to grow it, they will better appreciate a Healthier meal. “The garden will teach students about plants that deal with the senses,” says Steigerwald. “They will be able to taste, feel and touch these plants. And as we grow different ones, we hope to incorporate some sort of cooking or tasting for the students as well.” Food Corps broke ground at Snipes Academy on Oct. 29, marking the first Food Corps Garden in the Port City. Students, faculty, staff and community members all gathered at the garden with shovels and gloves, prepared to get down and dirty for a Healthier way of living. With a new commitment to buy local, the Child Nutrition Program will begin to focus on creating menus for student cafeterias based on what is being harvested in the garden.

-- Brandy Swart

L.A. settles lawsuit claiming contamination of high school site

-- LA Times Blog California: November 16, 2011 [ abstract]

The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to settle a lawsuit over allegations that soil underneath a Glassell Park high school campus was contaminated by chemicals that originated at a nearby city-owned property. On a 10-0 vote, the council agreed to pay $2.5 million to the Los Angeles Unified School District and its law firm, Musick Peeler & Garritt, city officials said. The money will be paid from the city’s Sewer Operations and Maintenance Fund. L.A. Unified filed a lawsuit earlier this year demanding $4 million to pay for cleanup at the newly built, $239 million Sonia M. Sotomayor Learning Academies, which is along San Fernando Road northeast of downtown. In their lawsuit, district officials said industrial solvents and other hazardous substances had been found in soil at one end of the campus -�" and fingered land owned by the Bureau of Sanitation as the culprit. Councilman Ed Reyes, whose district includes the 2,295-seat high school, missed the vote because he had another engagement, a spokeswoman said. But in a statement, he said he supported the payment because “remediated land is important for the Health of our kids.” Wednesday’s vote provided yet another chapter in the complex history of the campus, which sits near the Los Angeles River. School officials were negotiating to buy the property in 2005 when real estate development company Meruelo Maddux Properties swooped in and purchased it. The district responded by filing a lawsuit. But the school board ultimately agreed to pay Meruelo Maddux $50 million for the site in 2008 �"- $18 million more than the company had spent just three years earlier.

-- David Zahniser

Video: Teachers Across the Nation Describe their School Facilities

-- National Education Association National: November 16, 2011 [ abstract]

Far too many students are learning in schools with leaky roofs and peeling paint in overcrowded classrooms with out-of-date or no technology. Senator Brown (D-OH) and Representative DeLauro (D-CT) have introduced the Fix America’s Schools Today Act (S. 1597/H.R. 2948), which would provide needed funds to ensure students the learning environments so essential to their success. Education Support Professionals are on the front lines in the fight for school modernization. Many times they are the first or only school staff to recognize Health and safety issues that can dramatically effect students and their ability to learn. ESPs fight tirelessly for school modernization and the well being of their students and fellow staff.

-- Steve Lemken

Editorial: Schools and community face tough decisions due to no vote on bond

-- Williams News Arizona: November 15, 2011 [ abstract]

Many are wondering why Williams Unified School District's (WUSD) school bond election failed to pass last week. Supporters who worked so hard to find funding for the desperately needed improvements to school facilities felt a huge wave of disappointment. Many residents believe this is a reflection that those voting against the bond do not care about our children. We do not believe this is the case. School bonds across the nation failed at the polls Nov. 8. Since interest rates are low, now would have been an opportune time to obtain a bond. Had the $5 million bond passed the tax impact on residential property owners would have been $32 annually per $100,000 full cash value. The passage of the bond likely failed because we are in the middle of a major recession. People are scared. Americans are counting every penny and scrutinizing how public dollars are spent. Most want a guarantee public monies are being spent correctly. Sadly, the state of Arizona has few dollars, and little is earmarked for public education facilities improvement. Our children continue to be cheated due to lack of funds. Our school facilities are in need of major repairs that affect the Health and safety of our children. The repairs are not inexpensive and are not going to disappear. As a community, our biggest challenge is to find ways to make these repairs. Why? Because it is of the utmost importance to a community that the conditions of schools be maintained and educational opportunities expanded. Families with children living here or considering moving to Williams want the best for their children. To attract and keep the best educators we must have facilities that provide the best learning opportunities. It has been shown that great schools help spur economic development and jobs. We must do better.

-- Doug Wells

Gov. Chris Christie halted critical projects to improve school safety

-- Star-Ledger New Jersey: November 15, 2011 [ abstract]

All schoolchildren should be provided with a learning environment in which the roof and pipes don’t leak, the electrical system poses no hazards and the classroom air isn’t tainted with asbestos, lead, mold or other toxic contaminants. Yet New Jersey today gets an "F" for failing to meet that responsibility. New Jersey has the third-highest rate of millionaires and billionaires in the country. Our state stands to lose more than $1 billion from corporate tax loopholes created in Gov. Chris Christie’s first two years in office, according to the New Jersey Policy Perspective research center. Yet the governor says we can’t afford to provide all of our children safe, modern places to learn. New Jersey residents desperately need work. School repair and modernization would be one good place to start. Yet Christie has helped pay for the new corporate giveaways by ordering a halt to hundreds of essential school repair projects already approved after inspections by the Department of Education. He also stopped action on at least 53 badly needed school construction projects, according to the nonpartisan and independent Education Law Center. As a Health and safety expert with more than 40 years of experience, I researched the condition of New Jersey schools this year. Using the Open Public Records Act, I obtained reports showing that our children are facing widespread and preventable hazards every day.

-- Eileen Senn

Gov. Christie Is Blocking School Construction Projects That Would Create Nearly 9,000 Jobs And Make Schools Safer

-- Think Progress New Jersey: November 15, 2011 [ abstract]

New Jersey’s blunt-talking Gov. Chris Christie (R) is not shy about shredding his state’s budget. Since taking office in 2010, Christie has slashed $3 billion in funding, leaving low-income citizens with a severe lack of legal help, the mentally ill without a home, thousands of New Jersey women without Health clinics to visit, 15,000 low-income students without an after-school program, and 4,000 police officers without jobs. This jobs-focused governor even celebrated firing thousands of public employees. The New Jersey Star-Ledger editorial board noted that, if Christie truly cares about creating jobs, he could be putting “thousands of New Jersey’s construction workers, as well as architects, engineers and building suppliers, back to work right now” by approving 53 major school construction projects that were approved and awaiting his go-ahead upon taking office. Those projects include replacing structurally unsound roofs or water and sewer leaks. Instead, Christie stopped work on all of these projects upon arrival in 2010 (later approving only 10 projects). His order remains in effect today and is costing thousands of jobs and stifling economic growth:

-- Tanya Somanader

DCPS opens center for special-needs kids

-- Washington Examiner District of Columbia: November 08, 2011 [ abstract]

D.C. Public Schools opened its second station to evaluate preschool students for special education services on Tuesday, saying the Early Stages Center in Ward 7 will serve 800 families each year. Forty percent of referrals for early childhood diagnostic services come from Wards 7 and 8, Mayor Vincent Gray said. The new center is steps from the Minnesota Ave. Metro stop. The first Early Stages Center was opened in 2009. Nathaniel Beers, chief of the office of special education for DCPS, said the Ward 6 facility severs more than 1,000 children each year, and that the percentage of children identified for special education has increased from below 3 percent to more than 7 percent. Early Stages receives 120 referrals a month, Beers said. The centers offer free diagnostic testing for children between the ages of 3 and 5, and recommends services as the children prepare to enter school. "Services to young children who have or [are] at risk for development delays have been shown to positively impact outcomes across the developmental domains, including Health; language and communication; and cognitive and social/emotional development," Chancellor Kaya Henderson said. Early Stages is available to all D.C. families, including children who go on to private schools, public charter schools or homeschooling. In September, the Office of the State Superintendent for Education started "Strong Smart," an advertising campaign to get parents to seek treatment for infants and toddlers with symptoms of autism and other developmental delays.

-- Lisa Gartner

Gov. Chris Christie should push school construction projects forward

-- Star-Ledger New Jersey: November 03, 2011 [ abstract]

The national debate about how to jump-start the economy is focused on creating jobs for the 25 million Americans who are unemployed. President Obama is pushing Congress to pass the American Jobs Act, which would put the nation’s hard-hit construction sector to work on long-overdue infrastructure projects, including the rebuilding of crumbling and outmoded public schools. But New Jersey doesn’t have to wait for Congress to act. Gov. Chris Christie could put thousands of New Jersey’s construction workers, as well as architects, engineers and building suppliers, back to work right now. All he has to do is give the go-ahead to work on school construction projects already approved and designed by the Schools Development Authority, the state agency responsible for improving governance, operations and accountability. These “shovel-ready” projects will benefit communities all over the state. The list includes Phillipsburg High School, Lanning Square Elementary School in Camden, Gloucester City Middle School, West New York High School and many more. In total, there are 53 major school facilities projects that are ready, or almost ready, to be built. Yet Christie stopped work on these projects when he took office in January 2010, an order that remains in effect. The governor also halted hundreds of Health and safety projects in existing schools, which could put at risk students and teachers in some of the oldest and most dilapidated school buildings in the state.

-- Theresa Luhm

Toxic Bronx school recorded hundreds of cases of sick students since 2005

-- New York Daily News New York: November 02, 2011 [ abstract]

Students at a Bronx elementary school that relocated in September due to toxic contamination had for years complained of headaches, dizziness and other illnesses. Records obtained by the Daily News under the Freedom of Information Law show that since 2005 nurses at the Bronx New School logged cases of kids suffering headaches, vomiting, abnormal gaits or even seizures nearly every month. In May 2007, 16 students vomited at the Jerome Ave. school, records show. During one spell in November 2010, nurses listed five cases of students with heart “palpitations.” And in the late 1990s, one student suddenly died of kidney failure. “There was obviously something wrong in that building,” said one veteran school nurse who reviewed the records. The alarming Health problems persisted to the point that the building’s nurse wrote to supervisors in November 2009 about “immunity issues” among students and “ongoing issues with the air-conditioning and heating system” in the school building, according to a source who saw the letter. City Department of Education officials only announced this August that the 300-student, K-to-fifth grade school had toxins. Air testing had found unsafe levels of TCE (trichlorothene) in the building, which had been converted from a factory to a school more than 20 years ago.

-- Juan Gonzales

Classroom Noise Rules Go to Congress

-- ASHA.org National: November 01, 2011 [ abstract]

School modernization legislation calling for improved classroom acoustics and reduced exposure to environmental noise has been introduced into the U.S. Senate, but observers expect lawmakers to take little or no action on the measure. ASHA successfully pressed for inclusion of two important stipulations in the funding bill: That funding can be used to reduce noise pollution and that school construction comply with classroom acoustics standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which oversees the creation, promulgation, and use of thousands of standards and guidelines. ANSI revised its classroom acoustics standards in 2010; all ANSI standards, however, are voluntary, and become mandatory only if incorporated into laws such as building codes. ANSI classroom acoustics standards call for limits on interior-source noise; clarify measurement and evaluation of noise; and require classroom audio distribution/amplification systems. History Regardless of a bill's prospects, ASHA often works with congressional representatives and staff on legislation of interest to communication sciences and disorders professionals and the clients they serve. Through these opportunities, ASHA builds relationships and awareness of critical issues. The recent effort to legislate classroom acoustic standards began in September with the release of President Obama's American Jobs Act, a mix of spending, tax cuts, and other measures intended to stimulate job growth. The measure is expected to be defeated. Included in the proposal was funding for a new school modernization program. As called for in similar legislation introduced in previous congresses, the funds are intended to modernize school buildings and improve the Health and safety of school personnel and students. Later in September, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) introduced a stand-alone version of the school modernization proposal, the "Fix America's Schools Today (FAST) Act" (H.R. 2948). However, unlike previous school modernization/construction bills, the House bill does not allow state and local school agencies to use the funding to "reduce human exposure to environmental noise pollution," nor does it recommend that new school construction adhere to the ANSI classroom acoustics standards.

-- Neil Snyder

Designers pursue downtown magnet elementary school

-- Tennessean Tennessee: October 30, 2011 [ abstract]

A magnet elementary school in downtown Nashville could sway more affluent families to leave the suburbs and raise their kids in high-rise lofts, a nonprofit that wants to help shape the city says. The Nashville Civic Design Center wants the school on vacant lots near Fourth Avenue South and Peabody Street. The nation’s Healthiest cities have 2 percent of the population living downtown, their designers say, and families add a component of friendliness and safety, plus breed new amenities such as playgrounds, day cares and grocery stores. But Metro Nashville Public School planners say funding for new schools doesn’t come before the need is there. Downtown is zoned for Buena Vista Elementary, which is at capacity, but three other nearby elementaries �" Napier, Park Avenue and Carter Lawrence �" are not. “You don’t build a school and they will come,” said Joe Edgens, executive director of facilities and operations. “This isn’t Field of Dreams in baseball. You have to have a population there first.” But the design center says none of those schools is close enough or offers the quality needed to make a difference. The nonprofit is forging ahead, working with a University of Tennessee-Knoxville school of architecture class to draft designs to be unveiled next month. Designers hope the drawings will spark funding from outside groups. Their report released over the summer, “New Schools for Downtown Nashville,” also encourages relocating the Nashville School for the Arts from Foster Avenue to the Bicentennial Mall area.

-- Julie Hubbard

School Siting Guidelines - Fact Sheet

-- EPA National: October 21, 2011 [ abstract]

The guidelines present recommendations for evaluating the environmental and public Health risksand benefits of potential school locations during the school siting process. Examples of environmentalrisks include onsite contamination like chemicals insoil or offsite risks like industrial facilities. A potential environmental and public Health benefit is a location that’s close to where students live so they can walk or bike to school.

-- EPA Staff

Officials want state's school construction program back on track

-- Fosters.com Maine: October 20, 2011 [ abstract]

School committee members and School Superintendent David Theoharides are reaching out to York County legislators and business owners for help in getting the state's school construction program back on track. In March, when the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) announced its ranking of schools most in need of major renovations, the Sanford High School & Regional Technical Center was in second place. After narrowly missing out on the previous funding cycle for major school construction projects seven years ago, local school administrators were pleased about the news, to say the least. Sanford's ranking was confirmed in August when the MDOE's review process was completed and the "Final Priority List" for project funding through the state's Major Capital Improvement Program was announced. In fact, Sanford has three projects in the top tier of the Final Priority List â€” Emerson School is fourth and Lafayette School is in 13th place. The next step in the process is for the MDOE's school facilities team to estimate the cost of a solution for each of the top projects and to determine how many of the projects can be funded. Unfortunately for students and school districts, the process has stalled. In Maine, school construction projects approved by the State Board of Education are funded through bonds; the board has a bond limit â€” established by the legislature â€” of $116 million. As previous projects are paid off and the debt is retired, new bonding can be authorized, as long as the debt does not exceed the state board's limit. However, concern in Augusta about the Health of the economy has resulted in a hesitancy on the part of the government to commit to any bonding or new debt. "The governor is considering postponing bonds used for school construction projects for a year," said Theoharides on Tuesday. Based on the timeline of the previous round of major school construction project ratings, which was in 2004 â€” 2005, school districts at the top of the list would have formed building committees by this time and would be meeting with the MDOE's school facilities team.

-- Ellen W. Todd

Americans Said To Want Greener Schools

-- Earth Techling National: October 07, 2011 [ abstract]

All over the nation, elementary schools and major universities alike have been installing renewable energy systems and garnering LEED certification for energy efficient buildings. How does the average American feel about Uncle Sam investing in green schools like these? According to a new survey, sponsored by United Technologies and the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Center for Green Schools, nearly three out of four Americans support federal investment in school building improvements focused on creating Healthier learning environments, saving tax dollars or lowering carbon emissions. The independent survey included more than 1,000 Americans and was conducted via telephone from Sept.23 �" 25, 2011, by GfK Custom Research North America. It revealed support not only for increased energy efficiency in the nation’s schools, but a failing grade in public perception for schools in general, with one in three of those surveyed reporting that the majority of U.S. schools are in “poor” shape. (Only six percent perceived U.S. schools to be in “excellent” shape.) The U.S. Government Accountability Office reports that at least 25,000 U.S. schools are in need of extensive repair and replacement, and according to United Technologies and the USGBC’s Center for Green Schools, green schools save $100,000 per year on operating costs on average �" enough to hire at least one new teacher, buy 200 new computers, or purchase 5,000 textbooks. “A green school is an energy efficient school �" meaning less money is spent on overhead like heating and cooling and more can be spent on keeping teachers in the classroom and getting them the resources they need,” said Sandy Diehl, Vice President, Integrated Buildings Solutions, United Technologies Corp., and a Center for Green Schools advisory board member, in a statement. The USGBC Center for Green Schools was launched in 2010 with United Technologies Corp. as the founding sponsor.

-- Susan DeFreitas

EPA’s New School Siting Guidelines Hit a Home Run with Preservation Community

-- Healthy Schools Campaign Blog National: October 05, 2011 [ abstract]

Today, we have a guest post from Renee Kuhlman, who directs the Helping Johnny Walk to School project at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Thanks to Renee for this great and timely post! It was with trepidation that I started reading EPA’s voluntary School Siting Guidelines this morning. Like Healthy Schools Campaign, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and other preservation organizations submitted many suggestions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during the public comment period for these guidelines. I wondered how �" and even if �" their new tool for local education authorities, tribes, and states would address the preservation community’s concerns about rehabilitating schools in a way that sustains our older communities. Those sitting around me were probably startled by my small whoops of excitement. That’s right �" excitement over a 143-page federal document. More importantly, I think anyone who strives for “Healthy and safe learning environments that also meet other community goals”�" such as preserving our older neighborhoods, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and encouraging active transportation �" will be excited too. On the surface, environmental justice and preservation advocates may seem to have an inherent conflict around school siting. Preservationists would like to see more reuse of older buildings which may have contaminants that need remediation. Before reading EPA’s guidelines, I mistakenly believed that environmental justice advocates would want to only build schools on previously undeveloped land, far from the residents they serve. But now I know better.

-- Renee Kuhlman

Task force created to consider ban on schools built in rural areas

-- Sno Valley Star Washington: October 04, 2011 [ abstract]

King County has delayed a decision on a proposed controversial policy change to prohibit new schools being built in rural areas. The change would have left the Snoqualmie Valley School District and six other school districts unable to use 15 properties worth about $12 million. The county’s Growth Management Planning Council appointed a task force to evaluate the issue at its Sept. 27 meeting. The School Siting Task Force consists of officials from school districts, cities, public Health and the county. It will review rural properties currently owned by school districts, and recommend the best location for schools considering the interests of students, taxpayers and the state Growth Management Act. The task force will report its findings to the council and King County Executive Dow Constantine in February 2012. The group’s formation stemmed from a compromise reached by King County, Seattle, Bellevue and the Suburban Cities Association to further explore the issue. The policy change is backed by anti-sprawl advocates who say that it would bring county codes inline with existing state law. School officials and the Suburban Cities Association pushed for properties already owned by districts to be grandfathered in. The site Snoqualmie Valley district officials are concerned about is next to Twin Falls Middle School and is earmarked for an elementary school in 15 to 20 years. The district paid $675,000 for 40 acres in 1998, half of which it used for the middle school.

-- Dan Catchpole

Cincinnati Public Schools Massive Building Project Nears Finish

-- Cincinnati.com Ohio: October 01, 2011 [ abstract]

The renovation of Rothenberg Preparatory Academy in Over-the-Rhine is the latest visible sign of Cincinnati Public Schools' 10-year, $1.1 billion taxpayer-funded plan to completely overhaul its aging building stock for this district of 33,000 students. This is the eighth year of the most ambitious, expensive and high-profile building project it's undertaken. The project is part of a statewide school building boom begun when Ohio created the Ohio School Facilities Commission in 1997 to help districts fund school overhauls. CPS' budget has grown by about $173 million despite the size of the project shrinking by 15 schools, or 23 percent. It's also running about a year behind the original schedule and is now due to end in late 2014 instead of 2013. Once the project is finished, students will be educated in 51 new or renovated state-of-the art buildings that are technology-rich and environmentally friendly. District property owners will be paying off the project for another 18 years after the last ribbon is cut. So what were voters promised? How was their money spent? And why, after getting $1 billion for this project, is the district now planning to use revenue from a Nov. 8 levy - if it passes - to finish renovating three schools that were in the original plan? What voters got: Many of the new buildings are home to community learning centers, athletic events and Health clinics. Some schools have stadiums for the first time. Gone are drafty windows, leaky roofs and old wiring that couldn't support more than a few computers, let alone a computer lab. The plan also brought private money to the table - an unprecedented $31 million in the case of the School for the Creative and Performing Arts to build added theater space. Citizen committees gave input on the plan and recommended features like the Health clinics or after-school programs. Academics in the district have improved since the construction began, but it's unclear how big a role the new schools played. Of the 34 schools open long enough for a comparison, 26 had higher or equal ratings on their most recent Ohio Report Card. Proponents say the new buildings provide a more conducive learning environment - and improved grades - because they're air conditioned, are more accessible and have updated technology.

-- Jessica Brown

Fewer Students Walk to School

-- Associated Press National: October 01, 2011 [ abstract]

Buses disgorge hundreds of students at one side of Bailey Elementary School in Woodbury. On the other side, parents line up in SUVs to drop off their kids. “Bye-bye,” says Silva Theis of Woodbury, kissing her fourth-grade daughter. In the hubbub, no one notices what’s missing �" the dying practice of walking to school. Of 620 students at Bailey, not one walks �" not even those who live one block away. Managers of a 6-year-old federal program think they know why. Children don’t walk to schools like Bailey because of the lack of sidewalks and safe street crossings. But after spending $820 million to promote walking to school and reducing childhood obesity, there is no sign the program has actually added any walkers at all. Parents say the approach is wrong. They say their children don’t walk because of fear of crime, Minnesota’s harsh winters, and laziness. Parents like to pamper their kids by driving them. And many schools are built to discourage walking. The history of the federal program is a cautionary tale about changing public behavior �" even when the public agrees with the goals. It was created by former Minnesota Rep. Jim Oberstar in 2000. Oberstar was appalled at the steep increases in childhood obesity and diabetes. At the same time, he learned that 75 percent of children’s trips away from home were in motor vehicles, up from 40 percent in the 1960s. “We have a generation of mobility-challenged children,” he said. The solution? The Safe Routes to School program. From 2005 through 2010, it was funded for $820 million. Safe Routes gives grants for anything that encourages walking or biking to school �" mostly sidewalks, safer street crossings and education. The grants have gone to 11,000 schools in all 50 states. Nationally, there is little evidence that the program is improving children’s Health. In 1969, 42 percent of children walked or biked to school, according to the Safe Routes to School National Partnership in North Carolina. By 2001, that number had plummeted to 13 percent. Eight years later, after the program was 4 years old, the number was unchanged. “We take that to be good news,” said partnership director Deb Hubsmith, because the decline has been halted. Still, there is no sign that the money has increased the number of walkers.

-- Alberta Lea Tribune

Obama's jobs bill could save budget cut schools

-- Monitor Texas: October 01, 2011 [ abstract]

President Barack Obama’s proposed American Jobs Act could rain millions of dollars onto Hidalgo County’s cash-strapped school districts, which have struggled to secure teacher jobs and afford school renovation projects. But local educators held little hope that the bill could pass through the embattled Congress and provide any substantial help before the end of a highly partisan election season. “Do I have a crystal ball?” said Marla Guerra, superintendent of the magnet South Texas Independent School District. “No, although I’m optimistic that hopefully something good would happen.” Obama’s proposal could send Guerra’s district more than $1.5 million in teacher stabilization funds and nearly $1.5 million more for school modernization, according to estimates from the Austin-based education law firm Moak, Casey and Associates. “I’m realistic to say, ‘Hey, if it comes our way, we could really use this funding,’” she said. “But if it doesn’t, we would really tighten our belts some more.” The White House has not released exact details about how local districts could spend the $60 billion in education funds. But Guerra said her tight budget could use breathing room to pay for what she said were much-needed improvements to many of her campuses, including the 30-year-old South Texas High School for Health Professionals, or Med High, in Mercedes

-- Neal Morton

MPS considers future of buildings

-- JSonline.com Wisconsin: September 20, 2011 [ abstract]

A discussion about how Milwaukee Public Schools can maintain appropriate school facilities that meet the community's expectations, and operate within an increasingly limited budget, got under way at two city schools Monday night as part of a three-day push to get residents' input on a facilities master plan. The district's effort to develop a long-range facilities master plan has been gaining momentum since May, when it brought on board a consulting firm to help take inventory of the buildings and construct a road map for future needs. The assessment comes at a time when many of the district's buildings are in serious need of repair or replacement, and when enrollment is declining overall but spiking in certain neighborhoods. The final plan will help guide the district administration as it brings forward recommendations to the School Board this winter about which buildings should be closed or which programs should be merged with those in other buildings. In recent years, the district has closed or moved up to 10 programs a year. The five community input sessions planned for this week, two of which were held Monday at South Division High School and Morse-Marshall School, were planned to operate like guided focus groups, with representatives from consulting firm Dejong-Richter of Ohio presenting the work on the facilities plan so far and asking residents to think about what their priorities are for the district. The consulting fees for the long-range facilities plan total about $700,000, according to district officials. Carolyn Staskiewicz, president of Dejong-Richter, said part of the discussion involves asking parents about their priorities and what they're willing to give up so those priorities can be met, especially in a time when the district has seen a reduction in the amount of money it can spend. MPS lost about $80 million in state aid under Gov. Scott Walker's two-year budget, and administrators were not able to offset the cuts by passing along Health care and pension costs to teachers because of the district's existing teachers contract.

-- Erin Richards

Raise Your Voice to Support School Repair and Renovation in Jobs Plan

-- Healthy Schools Campaign National: September 19, 2011 [ abstract]

In his recent address to the nation, President Obama called for federal funding for school repair and renovation as part of his jobs-creation plan. School repair and modernization are critical to student Health and achievement, so I was pleased to see the president highlight this enormous need as a priority. For a glimpse of the needed repairs this funding could begin to address, I encourage you to check out Through Your Lens, the photo contest that HSC presents with Critical Exposure and the 21st Century School Fund. The student and teacher photos say more than I ever could about the needs and potential of our nation’s school buildings. The photos also highlight the significant disparity in our country’s school conditions. While the president mentioned technology and science lab upgrades in his address, he also mentioned emergency repairs and asbestos removal -- basic unmet needs that stand in sharp contrast to the Healthy learning environments available in other schools.

-- Rochelle Davis

Wanted: schools close to home

-- Tennessean Tennessee: September 18, 2011 [ abstract]

Around 8:15 a.m. each school day, students and their parents pad onto the grounds of Nolensville Elementary School on a walking path connected to their nearby neighborhood. The path, also popular for scooters and bikes, is a source of pride for school and town officials who worked together to get funds for it. About the same time the walkers are arriving, a line of cars forms, and school staffers wave their arms to coax parents along. Children know to exit their minivans quickly. How many kids walk and how many ride buses and cars is just one consequence of school placement decisions that Middle Tennessee schools have been making rapidly. Williamson and Rutherford counties have led the way by opening 12 new schools since 2007, with more construction under way and scheduled. The pace of building has increased the urgency of transportation, Health, environmental and historic preservation groups seeking changes in where schools are built. They’re pushing back against the trend of putting big schools on large land plots far from students’ homes. Instead, they see long-term cost savings, Health benefits and reduced burdens on infrastructure and roads if schools can be anchored to neighborhoods where more students can walk to them. This month, the federal Environmental Protection Agency is due to release guidelines for school siting. A separate study of Tennessee’s policies is in progress, and a Nashville-based planning group is calling attention to school placement. “People underestimate the impact on traffic, air quality … Health,” said Leslie Meehan, senior planner with the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, which covers seven counties.

-- Tony Gonzalez

Obama's right: Spur the economy by repairing schools

-- LA Times National: September 14, 2011 [ abstract]

In the jobs bill President Obama sent to Congress on Monday, he proposes using federal funds to repair 35,000 schools nationwide. Now, we must hope Congress embraces the idea, which has the potential to create jobs, spruce up decrepit school buildings and inject money into stagnating local economies. As Los Angeles has shown, school renovation is labor intensive: It creates more jobs per dollar spent than many other kinds of public works projects. According to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., each $50 million spent by the Los Angeles Unified School District on school renovations during its recent push to build and upgrade schools created 935 annual jobs, which paid $43 million in wages and generated $130 million in Southern California business revenue. In the Los Angeles area, school bonds have financed 111 new campuses and modernized hundreds more since 2001, which enabled the district to alleviate extreme overcrowding. But there is much more that needs to be done. L.A. Unified has more than 13,000 buildings serving about 670,000 students. Half of the structures are at least 50 years old and many are much older, and they need attention. To keep teachers in classrooms during a time of shrinking revenue, the district has made major cuts in its maintenance and operations budget. Also, because of the fiscal crisis, the state has relaxed rules that forced schools to set aside funds for building upkeep. But without needed maintenance, school buildings deteriorate more rapidly, which will lead to higher repair costs in the future. Schools nationwide are suffering from a massive backlog of leaky roofs and windows, clogged and rusted pipes, inadequate wiring, inefficient heating and air-conditioning systems, and neglected playgrounds. As in California, school districts have slashed building maintenance to avoid cutting teachers. Do bricks and mortar affect how kids learn? Of course. Nearly two dozen studies recently collected by the 21st Century School Fund document the impact on achievement and attendance. Depressing surroundings lower student and teacher morale. Upgrading buildings reduces noise and improves Health and learning. As the president put it to Congress last week, "How can we expect our kids to do their best in places that are literally falling apart?" Obama's plan would distribute $25 billion to K-12 schools, not just for fixing roofs and removing asbestos but for installing new science and computer labs.

-- Steve English and Mary Filardo

Statement of America's Building Trades Unions on the Introduction of the "Fix America's Schools Today Act

-- Market Watch National: September 13, 2011 [ abstract]

Building and Construction Trades Department President Mark H. Ayers issued the following statement today on the introduction of the "Fix America's Schools Today Act of 2011 (FAST)": "America's Building Trades Unions applaud the introduction today by Senator Sherrod Brown and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of the "Fix America's Schools Today Act of 2011." This legislation addresses two critical issues facing America today: the need for immediate investments in our nation's infrastructure that will put Americans back to work; and the need to upgrade our public education facilities to meet the requirements demanded by a 21st century education. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that America's public schools need $160 billion over the next 5 years to merely be adequate. For every $1 billion spent on school infrastructure approximately 10,000 jobs are created. The FAST Act would direct nearly $25 billion to meeting this critical need, thereby creating nearly 250,000 jobs for construction workers across the country, all the while lowering these schools' energy and maintenance bills, updating facilities so our children can compete in the 21st century, and, most importantly, ensuring they are spending their days in safe and Healthy buildings.

-- Staff Writers

Is Obama’s call to modernize schools really necessary?

-- Washington Post National: September 08, 2011 [ abstract]

Is President Obama’s plan to modernize at least 35,000 public schools across the country as part of his proposed American Jobs Act really necessary? Consider: *Research over decades shows that the condition of school facilities affects student achievement. According to a 2011 report by the 21st Century School Fund, there are clear correlations between the quality of school facilities and student and teacher attendance, teacher retention and recruitment, child and teacher Health, and the quality of curriculum. In a set of 20 studies analyzed by the fund, all but one study showed a positive correlation between the achievement of students and the condition of the school facility once student demographic factors were controlled for. *The American Society of Civil Engineers, in its 2009 infrastructure report, gave the country’s school buildings a grade of ‘D.’

-- Valerie Strauss

What in God’s name is the N.J. School Development Authority doing?

-- New Jersey Newsroom New Jersey: September 07, 2011 [ abstract]

As millions of New Jerseyans excitingly start the new school year, one community continues to be forced to deal with unacceptable conditions for their children in a school system run by the state Department of Education. Instead of happily returning to their second home, children slated to attend the Wilson Avenue School in Newark’s Ironbound Section learned that for the second time in 18 months, their school was being closed due to unHealthy conditions in the building. Students will instead be bused to other schools while repairs, estimated to take between six to nine months, are made. Making matters worse, families found out about the school’s closure and alternate plans just days before the first day of school. Families have every right to be outraged at a situation that exceeds patience, and will require officials in several departments to answer some very serious questions. The most obvious one is how can a school that reopened just a year ago with safety certifications from the state Education, Environmental Protection and Health departments, and the School Development Authority (SDA), fall into this situation again so quickly? The community and I were lied to and someone must be held accountable for that. The mold contamination is so bad that “poisonous mushrooms” are growing on the windows in sections of the building (last year’s closure was due to benzene contamination from water that came into the building from an inadequate pumping system). Granted, the SDA could not have prevented Hurricane Irene (which added to existing problems at the site) from happening, but considering last year’s closure was also caused by water entering the school, you would think the SDA would have made the necessary repairs to prevent future flooding, or at least better equip the school to deal with it.

-- Commentary - ALBERT COUTINHO

Third World America: One Year Later

-- Huffington Post National: August 28, 2011 [ abstract]

A year ago, I wrote a post announcing the publication of my book Third World America. As I explained at the time, and in the book, America was clearly not a third world country, but there were many troubling trends taking us in that direction. I wanted the book to serve as "a warning, a way of saying that if we don't change course -- and quickly -- that could very well be our future." Well, twelve months on, the paperback version of the book is coming out and, sad to say, almost none of those troubling trends have been reversed -- or even addressed. As it happens, not long before I wrote that post last year, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner published an op-ed piece in the New York Times entitled "Welcome to the Recovery," in which he announced that "a review of recent data on the American economy shows that we are on a path back to growth." While allowing that "the devastation wrought by the great recession is still all too real for millions of Americans," Geithner concluded that, though "we suffered a terrible blow," America was "coming back." Call it a case of premature exaltation. Of course, Geithner was far from alone in wanting to look at the country through green-shoots-colored glasses. Later that week, former Treasury Secretaries Paul O'Neill and Robert Rubin appeared on Fareed Zakaria's CNN show expressing their bipartisan agreement that no more stimulus was needed. "We're moving forward at a pretty gradual pace," said O'Neill, "but I don't think things are terrible." Putting aside how pathetic it is to have "not terrible" as an economic standard to be satisfied with, it turns out things were, in fact, pretty terrible, and have remained terrible -- or even gotten terribler. As for our schools, they are also crumbling. Earlier this month, a group led by Mary Filardo of the 21st Century School Fund, Jared Bernstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Ross Eisenbrey of the Economic Policy Institute, proposed an idea called FAST!, which stands for Fix America's Schools Today. They propose to fund the much-needed repairs to our schools through the elimination of $46 billion in fossil fuel preferences. According to the LA Times, the jobs package that President Obama will unveil after Labor Day might include a provision for fixing our schools. I hope that's true, because it certainly doesn't look like it will be happening on the state level. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, for the 2012 fiscal year, state budget cuts -- to education, Health care and other social services -- will be deeper than for any year since the economic crisis began. Of 47 states that have already passed budgets, at least 38 are making deep reductions.

-- Arianna Huffington

As City Leases Industrial Sites for Schools, Concern About Safety Builds

-- Gotham Gazette New York: August 17, 2011 [ abstract]

The heat is on the Department of Education this summer, after environmental tests at a Bronx elementary school revealed yet another case of contamination. Just five weeks before the start of the new school year, parents at PS 51X, known as the Bronx New School, received surprising news from the Department of Education. In a letter dated Aug. 5, the department announced that it was closing the current building and moving the school to an undisclosed location. Air quality tests had revealed unsafe levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), an industrial solvent. Although the New York state Department of Health stated that there were "no immediate medical concerns for students and staff," the city determined that adequate remediation could not be completed before the school starts in September. The city leased the Bedford Park property, a former industrial site, in 1991. For two decades, it has operated as a school; but some parents now say that their children have complained of chronic headaches. PS51X now joins a growing list of schools across the city that may be toxic. Under current law, the city can lease property and open a school on it without notifying community members, or making public any concerns about environmental hazards in the area. With approximately 96 schools throughout the city on leased properties and more in the pipeline, this could affect tens of thousands of children.

-- Melissa Checker

Schools Restore Fresh Cooking to the Cafeteria: adequate kitchen space crucial

-- New York Times Colorado: August 16, 2011 [ abstract]

Nutrition experts say that many school systems around the nation, however much they might want to improve the food they serve, have been profoundly distracted by years of budget cuts and constriction. Many face structural problems, too. Some newer schools have tiny kitchens designed for only reheating premade meals, while some older schools have outdated electrical wiring that cannot handle modern equipment. Many districts, and their lawyers, have also grown fearful of handling and cooking raw meat, as food-borne illnesses like E. coli have made headlines. Greeley’s schools will be cooking from scratch about 75 percent of the time on the opening day, with a goal of reaching 100 percent by this time next year, when ovens and dough mixers for whole wheat pizza crust will be up and running. Statistics showing obesity rates growing faster here in Weld County than in surrounding areas gave the project impetus with district administrators, Mr. West said. The argument was then cinched by the numbers, which showed that going back to scratch would not cost more at all, but could in fact save the district money in the long run. From the Colorado Health Foundation, a nonprofit group that has helped districts all over the state return to Healthy cooking, Greeley got $273,000 in grants, which helped defray much of the $360,000 for construction and new equipment.

-- Kirk Johnson

A Jobs Agenda, Anyone?

-- New York Times National: August 14, 2011 [ abstract]

In what can only be described as a triumph of bad policy and craven politics, Congress and the Obama administration have spent the year focused on budget cuts, as the economy has faltered and unemployment has worsened. Official unemployment is 9.1 percent, but it would be 16.1 percent, or 25.1 million people, if it included those who can only find part-time jobs and those who have given up looking for work. For the past two and a half years, there have been more than four unemployed workers for every job opening, a record high, by far. In a Healthy market, the ratio would be about one to one. By a large margin, Americans have told pollsters that job creation is more important than budget cuts. Yet Republican leaders are wedded to austerity and appear to think that high unemployment will hurt President Obama politically more than it will hurt them, so they will likely resist efforts to create jobs, no matter how great the need. Without more jobs, both the economy and the budget will deteriorate further. It is past time for Mr. Obama to send a jobs plan to Congress that has popular appeal, one that he can use to try to shame Republicans. He will need cooperation from the Senate, which should bring one jobs-related bill after another to the floor, forcing its members to approve jobs initiatives or go on the record to show that they just don’t care. Mr. Obama has begun to talk more about jobs, but his agenda is thin. Its main components �" extending federal unemployment benefits and the payroll tax cut beyond their expiration at the end of this year �" are vitally important, but their extension will only maintain the status quo. His idea for an infrastructure bank to finance large-scale building projects is also good, but would take time, and would not address the immediate need for jobs. Ditto his push for patent reform and trade agreements. There are other ideas worth fighting for. Take, for example, Fix America’s Schools Today, or FAST, an idea that has been incorporated into a House proposal to be introduced this fall by Jan Schakowsky, Democrat of Illinois. Public school buildings in the United States are on average over 40 years old and in need of an estimated $500 billion in repairs and upgrades. A $50 billion school renovation program would employ 500,000 workers (1.5 million construction workers are currently unemployed) and could be easily scaled up. The money could be disbursed through existing federal formulas to all 16,000 public school districts. The initial cost could be largely offset over 10 years by ending tax breaks for fossil fuels, as called for in Mr. Obama’s 2012 budget.

-- Editorial

Madison to build sidewalks near elementary schools

-- North Side Sun Mississippi: August 11, 2011 [ abstract]

Madison the city is set to build sidewalks to increase the safety of children. Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler signed the Neel-Schaffer Inc. Construction Engineering and Inspection Services contract to authorize the building of new sidewalks this fall. The sidewalks and multi-use trails will be built in the Madison Avenue Upper and Lower Elementary Schools area, encouraging children to walk or ride bicycles to school in a safe manner. The project will be funded by the $554,000 Safe Routes to School infrastructure grant the city was awarded in 2008 from Safe Routes to School (SRTS). In addition to the sidewalk construction, the grant will fund the installation of safety devices and signage along the routes, along with bicycle racks for the schools. “Finally, we are ready to start construction,” said Madison Project Coordinator Chris Pace. “We are getting very excited!” Safe Routes programs are sustained efforts by parents, schools, community leaders, and local, state and federal governments to improve the Health and well-being of children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and bicycle to school, according to the SRTS Web site.

-- Adam Ganucheau

Keeping School Gardens Growing Year-Round by Building Domed Greenhouses

-- EdNewsParent Colorado: August 09, 2011 [ abstract]

Schools across the state are investing in domed greenhouses as a way to transform gardening into a year-round learning activity for students and to supply school lunchrooms with homegrown fresh produce regardless of the season outside. Students and parents at Flagstaff Academy, a public charter school in Longmont, just last month completed building an 850-square-foot domed greenhouse, a project three years in the making. In Colorado Springs District 11, officials have partnered with Pikes Peak Urban Gardens to build an even larger greenhouse at Galileo School of Math and Science on the school’s old tennis courts. Funded through a federal Magnet Schools of America grant, construction on the $50,000 dome will begin within the month and should be complete by the time classes resume. “There’s definitely a lot of interest in school greenhouses now,” said Allen Werthan, founder and executive director of Global Childrens Gardens, an Evergreen-based non-profit that over the past few years has helped seven Colorado schools install greenhouse domes, including the one at Flagstaff Academy. “There’s just more awareness that Healthy eating is significant for kids,” he said. In Colorado, Global Children’s Gardens helped the Southern Ute Academy in Ignacio built a 22-foot domed greenhouse in 2006 for similar reasons. “At the Ute Academy, their motivation is to fight the twin plagues of diabetes and obesity,” Werthan said, as well as to preserve the wisdom of tribal elders in the area of traditional medicinal plants.

-- Rebecca Jones

Is Your Kid’s School Green, Clean, and Safe Enough for Dora the Explorer?

-- Sustainable Business Forum National: August 04, 2011 [ abstract]

As Dora gets ready for middle school, it’s made me wonder: is my kid’s school good enough for Dora? Would it hold up to her scrutiny not just as a place that recycles, but is it the kind of clean, safe, and sustainable environment Dora would approve? This line of thinking led me to one of the other people who’s done a lot to shape the very foundations (pardon the pun) of green thinking: Rick Fedrizzi and the US Green Building Council. While many of us have focused on The Environment with capital letters in the macro sense we’ve missed the environment in the micro, namely the environments we send our children to every day. Improving these micro-climates could do wonders for our national Health, contribute to our communities, and raise, in the word’s of the Center’s director Rachel Gutter, “…a generation of leaders we call sustainability natives…” That’s why I’m so pleased that Rick will be announcing a major new initiative of the Center for Green Schools on September 26th at the COMMIT!Forum in New York City. I hope you’ll join Rick in the conversations that will flow throughout the Forum. Because right now, it’s not “just” about the environment. It’s about the environment in our kids’ schools. The air they breathe, the water they drink, the places they learn, play, and interact. These places not only nourish their bodies and minds, they shape the thinking of an entire generation of citizens and leaders.

-- Richard Crespin

Fremont to develop long-range school facilities plan

-- Oakland Tribune California: August 02, 2011 [ abstract]

The school district is seeking consultants to help develop a long-range plan to tackle facility needs during the next two decades. The most recent assessment was completed in 2001 for the Health and safety bond the following year. That study identified $230 million in facility needs, $157 million of which were covered by the bond. District officials eked out a $7.5 million bond surplus, which went toward other projects.

-- Rob Dennis

Best bang for the buck is to send slots money to schools not property tax relief

-- Baltimore Sun Maryland: July 21, 2011 [ abstract]

Baltimore City would get the best bang for the buck by allocating the majority of its slot machine revenue to upgrading school facilities. ( "Mayor to seek 9 % property tax cut" July 20) The slot machine law allows the city to use the funds only for property tax reduction and public school construction. Mayor Rawlings-Blake's plan to allocate 90% of Baltimore City's share of slot machine revenue to property tax reductions and only 10% to school construction is a terrible missed opportunity. A property tax reduction of 9% over ten years is almost trivial. Sure, families will benefit from the average $400 annual savings. But Baltimore City's rate will remain two times those in neighboring jurisdictions. Baltimore's ability to attract middle-class families will not improve noticeably. However, devoting the funds to new or upgraded schools could make dramatic changes to many neighborhoods. The slot machine money could fund as many as 10 new or renovated elementary schools. New or renovated schools will absolutely help improve the education, and the Health of kids. They'll also have dramatic economic benefits.

-- Neil L. Bergsman

Too hot to learn: The crumbling school infrastructure in Baltimore City and County

-- Baltimore Sun Maryland: July 19, 2011 [ abstract]

The recent reports on suspected cheating on standardized tests at some Baltimore City schools included the statement that school officials worry they might "have hit a wall in educating children." Some of those walls have been in place for a long time in Maryland public schools â€” and they are dilapidated and moldy. Baltimore City and Baltimore County have the oldest school buildings in the state, and fewer than half of their schools have decent climate control, either in the hot months or the cold months. When schools were closed early for three days in June, the heat index in several Ridgely Middle School classrooms in Baltimore County ranged from 108 to 116 degrees at the early closing times. Temperatures of 80 degrees and above are common for weeks on end in Baltimore County in the fall and spring, and temperatures in the city are usually higher. Teachers cannot teach effectively, and students cannot learn effectively, for long periods when temperatures exceed 80 degrees. Teachers and students have fainted in hot classrooms in Baltimore County, but to our knowledge no school officials are tracking heat or environmentally related Health problems for students and teachers in city or county schools. It is high time that television crews were allowed into public schools in Maryland, with thermometers, so that we can all see the terrible conditions in some of them. Only a few of the 180 school buildings in Baltimore City have working water fountains because of the fear of lead contamination, so water bottles are trucked in. Prince George's County schools also have serious infrastructure problems.

-- Laurie Taylor-Mitchell and Lois Hybl

Utah Schools Saving Green by Being Green

-- The Spectrum Utah: July 15, 2011 [ abstract]

Building green is better for the environment and for the checkbook, according to recent research and a group in Congress trying to promote more green schools. Twenty percent of the U.S. population spends its days in school, between students, teachers, staff and administrators, and groups like the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council have been promoting environmentally-friendly green building practices to improve student performance and Health and create more sustainable energy practices. Some members of Congress are on board as well, and U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, who co-chairs the Green School Caucus, said the group's kickoff meeting this week would help create dialogue about how to better promote green school construction. He said green building isn't just good for the environment, but kind to the taxpayers' wallets.

-- David DeMille

Blueprint for Massachusetts Community School Looks Green

-- Somerville Patch Massachusetts: June 21, 2011 [ abstract]

Reconstruction of the East Somerville Community School will begin in less than three weeks, and the new building will have a number of energy-saving features, according to a presentation by school and city officials at a recent community meeting. A fire damaged the building in 2007. Since then, the school has held classes at the Capuano, Argenziano, Edgerly and Cummings buildings. The skeleton of the school stands after a contractor removed its components piece by piece with cranes and other equipment. The contractor plans to reuse 90 percent of the materials during reconstruction, said Gerald Boyle, the city's director of capital projects. "The days of demolition when people brought in a wrecking ball and cut it away are gone," he said. However, workers removed all of the asbestos in the insulation, said Boyle. He said that because it was intact, the heat-resistant, fibrous material never threatened anyone's Health.

-- Amanda Kersey

First Federal Movement to Support Green Schools

-- District Administration National: June 01, 2011 [ abstract]

he first crop of Green Ribbon Schools, recognized for energy conservation, creating Healthy learning spaces, school grounds, building operations and teaching environmental literacy, will be announced next year by the U.S. Department of Education. The new initiative, launched April 26 on the heels of Earth Day, will be modeled after the department’s Blue Ribbon Schools program, which recognizes academic performance. This is the first time the federal government has launched a comprehensive green schools movement, and it will tie in with President Obama’s pledge to increase energy efficiency and make the United States a greener place.

-- Marion Herbert

Texas Green Ribbon Schools and Busch Systems Team Up for "Show Your Greenness" Earth Month Contes

-- PRWeb Texas: May 24, 2011 [ abstract]

An environmentally-friendly educational organization and an environmentally-friendly recycling container company have joined forces to empower school children to display their green initiatives and positively impact the environment around them. Green Ribbon Schools is an organization working with 200+ schools throughout Texas to help students reach their potential through green initiatives and Healthy living. They recently ran a “Show Your Greenness” Earth Month contest which challenged children from K-12 to positively impact their environment while including as many participants as possible. Busch Systems, a leading manufacturer of recycling, waste and compost containers stepped up with $3000 in prizes for the winning entrants. Green Ribbon Schools plan to run the contest on an annual basis and encourage year round environmental efforts from their students, teachers and parents

-- Chris McBrien

Cultivating the Seeds of Knowledge; Growing a Greener Future for our Nation

-- White House National: April 27, 2011 [ abstract]

As the bitter chill of winter retreats, the vibrancy of spring beckons us outdoors reminding us of the inextricable link between the natural world and our daily lives. In striving to meet the President's challenge to win the future by out-educating the rest of the world, we must cultivate the environmental Health of our learning spaces and our students' understanding of their environment to enable them to meet the challenges of the future. Today, the Department of Education, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality came together to launch the Green Ribbon Schools Program. This program plants the seeds to move toward educational excellence for the future by recognizing schools that are creating Healthy and sustainable learning environments - both inside and outside the classroom, teaching environmental literacy, and increasing environmental Health by reducing their environmental footprint. Led by the Department of Education, in close partnership with the EPA and CEQ, the Green Ribbon Schools program will incentivize and reward schools that help to ensure that our students receive an education second to none by improving the Health and environmental footprint of nation's schools. To prepare our children for the clean energy economy of the future, Green Ribbon schools will be those that incorporate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and environmental stewardship into their curricula.

-- Arne Duncan, Lisa Jackson, Nancy Sutley

U.S. Education Department Unveils Green Ribbon Schools Competition

-- U.S. Department of Education Press Release National: April 26, 2011 [ abstract]

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, joined by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson; White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley; Chegg CEO Dan Rosensweig; American Forests CEO Scott Steen; Lynda Bird Johnson Robb, daughter of President Lyndon Baines Johnson; and local fifth grade students from Amidon Elementary School, will participate in planting "the official tree" of the U.S. Department of Education Tuesday at the Department's headquarters in Washington. During the ceremony, Duncan will also announce plans to create a Green Ribbon Schools program that will be run by the U.S. Department of Education with the support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The program will promote public schools that put forth exemplary efforts to: raise environmental literacy, both inside and outside the classroom; reduce a school's environmental footprint by improving energy efficiency and resource use; and increase a school's environmental Health.

-- Press Office

Shawano School District’s Gold LEED Certified Primary School

-- WISBusiness Wisconsin: April 15, 2011 [ abstract]

Miron Construction Co., Inc. announced today that Shawano School District’s new 145,789-square-foot Hillcrest Primary School has been awarded Gold LEED® certification, as established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), by earning 56 out of 80 points. By addressing the uniqueness of school spaces and issues such as classroom acoustics, master planning, mold prevention, community space sharing, and indoor air quality, items that directly affect the Health and well-being of children, LEED® for Schools provides a comprehensive green design and construction tool that enhances the quality of the facility. The rating system, focused on water and energy reduction, provides guidelines for measuring actual building performance.

-- Joshua Morby

Debbie Smith responds to Gov. Sandoval's veto of school construction bill

-- RGJ.com Nevada: April 04, 2011 [ abstract]

Speaker Pro Tempore Debbie Smith, the sponsor of AB183 that would have allowed school districts to use $300 million in bond reserves for school construction, released the following statement in response to Gov. Sandoval's veto of the bill: â€�"I am very disappointed that the governor today chose to veto AB 183. While I knew this was his intention, I am saddened that the children attending school in old buildings that need safety and Health upgrades are being disregarded so that this critical funding can be used to balance the budget. â€�"Not only are these children being disregarded, so are the voters who voted for these funds to be used for school rehabilitation and construction. The majority of these schools don't have parents or business partners who step in to upgrade the schools when the district can't provide rehabilitation. The inequities are glaring, and I'm surprised that a creative opportunity to correct them has been vetoed by the governor.

-- Staff Writer

Orange school construction department agrees to most changes urged by audit

-- Orlando Sentinel Florida: March 15, 2011 [ abstract]

Orange County Public Schools' facilities department agreed Tuesday to adopt many changes to the district's construction program recommended by an outside auditor, while assuring the School Board that the program is generally Healthy. An audit released last month found that the district's construction department has allowed contractors to determine the price, scope and timing of millions of dollars' worth of work. It also found that the department has skipped field reviews and has paid for work without ensuring that it had been done properly. Interim Chief Facilities Officer Jonathan Chamberlain told the School Board that the department would add checks and balances without eliminating flexibility. He and Chief Operations Officer Mike Eugene said the department would: â€¢Develop master schedules for all work and create a centralized, electronic repository for warranties. The department also will give facilities staffers responsibility for overseeing contracts, a job that typically has been left to another department. The district also plans to put more deadlines and penalties into contracts. â€¢Create checklists for documentation, site evaluation and project completion, among other tasks, Eugene said. "Checklists are not a substitute for accountability, and we are working to make this happen," he said, citing clearer lines of responsibility for staffers.

-- Lauren Roth

Senator Nelson Introduces Full Service Community Schools Act

-- Office of Senator Ben Nelson Nebraska: March 15, 2011 [ abstract]

Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson introduced the Full Service Community Schools Act of 2011, which aims to improve student achievement by helping schools use resources more efficiently and improving the coordination of services for children and their families. “The Full Service Community Schools Act works to enrich the student and family learning experience by creating a partnership between schools and the communities they serve,” Senator Nelson said. “Working together, we can make our nation’s schools the community hub for not only learning, but also vital services and support for families so that students come to school ready to learn and teachers can focus on the job of teaching.” The Act would authorize grants to public elementary or secondary schools that integrate federal, state or local educational and social service programs with community-based organizations. These additional services focus on ensuring students have a full support network to help them succeed, including Health, dental and nutrition services, career counseling for parents, and early childhood education programs. “Our goal is to improve student performance by streamlining the delivery of services to children and their families. This will improve the quality of services they receive, eliminate unneeded duplication, and save taxpayers money,” Nelson said. Over the last decade, research has consistently shown full service community schools get parents to become more involved in their children’s education, which has proven to improve graduation rates. These schools have seen student performance and attendance rates go up, while dropout rates and the need for disciplinary actions have decreased. The public school district in Lincoln, Nebraska, has been operating full service community schools since 2005 and is the model Senator Nelson is hoping to expand. The district is now operating the program in 25 schools.

-- Office of Ben Nelson

Schools in the District with low enrollment

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: March 06, 2011 [ abstract]

These D.C. public schools have an enrollment of fewer than 300 students: School Ward Transition Academy @ Shadd7 Hamilton Center5 Prospect Learning Center6 Mamie D. Lee School5 Sharpe Health School4 River Terrace Elementary School 7 Peabody Elementary School 6 Marshall Educational Center5 Shaw Middle School @ Garnet-Patterson1 Ross Elementary School2 Ronald H. Brown Middle School7 Davis Elementary School7 Drew Elementary School7 Kenilworth Elementary School7 Jefferson Middle School6 MacFarland Middle School4 Plummer Elementary School7 C.W. Harris Elementary School7 Houston Elementary School7 Terrell/McGogney Elem. School........8 Garrison Elementary School2 School Ward Click the article link to see all schools listed by the post.

-- Staff Writer

Sandoval administration admits $106 million budget hole

-- Las Vegas Sun Nevada: March 03, 2011 [ abstract]

Gov. Brian Sandoval's budget has a $106 million hole, but the administration does not plan to submit a budget adjustment until May, budget director Andrew Clinger told a committee today. The administration offered a new plan today to take school district construction money - this time from vehicle registration fees - that would eventually leave districts with only 30 days of reserves for emergency repairs. Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, said some schools in his district were already using portable classrooms, some of which were "rat holes." "My message to the governor's staff is find some other way to balance the budget," he said. Sandoval's budget released in January proposed taking $425 million from school construction bond reserve money, including $300 million from Clark County. But Democrats and Clark County School District officials said the numbers the administration used were off - only about $99 million was available. Clinger, the governor's budget director, countered today, and said $319 million was available. He presented a new analysis of money available from school districts to offset operating cuts. Included in that analysis is $124 million transferred from Clark County's Governmental Services Tax Fund, which is a tax tacked on to vehicle registration fees. Clinger said despite these concerns, the governor's office would not submit a budget amendment before May 1, when the state re-projects its tax revenue projections. Clinger said sales taxes were higher than projected while caseload growth in the Department of Health and Human Services was lower. The federal government also might be able to help the state if it forgives or delays interest payment on unemployment money. Clinger said the budget is constantly being adjusted, as numbers are "trued up" between staff and pieces get moved around.

-- David McGrath Schwartz

No-Interest Bonds Jump Start School Construction Projects

-- WDBJ7 Virginia: March 02, 2011 [ abstract]

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) announced today the allocation of $229,551,000 in Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB) to fully or partially fund 41 new construction, renovation and expansion projects in 33 school divisions. The allocations include $15 million for construction of a new Blacksburg High School in Montgomery County to replace the school that has been closed since February 13, 2010, due to a roof collapse attributed to structural deficiencies and heavy snow. “These bonds will be put to good use in school divisions across the state to finance much-needed new construction - and renovations and repairs to existing public schools and facilities,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright. “These allocations will allow urgent and long-delayed projects to move forward and improve the learning and working environments for thousands of students, educators and other school division employees.” The application process gave priority to consolidation projects, projects eliminating overcrowding, projects in economically stressed localities, projects replacing facilities more than 35 years old, projects creating school-wide, high-speed networks, and projects in divisions not receiving prior QSCB allocations. Priority was also given to projects related to Health and safety and projects on the July 2010 first-priority waiting list for literary fund loans.

-- Staff Writer

ABCs and Net-Zeros: City's First No-Energy School

-- The New York Observer New York: February 24, 2011 [ abstract]

-- Matt Chaban

New York City's First Net-Zero Energy School

-- New York Observer New York: February 24, 2011 [ abstract]

Over the past decade, no one has built more "green" buildings than the city's School Construction Authority. Even before Local Law 86 required all civic buildings to be built to sustainability standards, the department had been using such measuresâ€”light sensors, efficient heating and cooling systems, recycled materials, etc.â€”to build Healthier instiutions that also save money on energy costs. Now, the School Construction Authority is advancing green building into a new realm with a pioneering new school in Staten Island that will be "net zero," meaning it will generate enough energy to offset its already minimal usage. It is the first such building of its kind in New York. The future school will sit on a 3.5-acre site and will hold 444 seats inside a 70,000-square-foot building. Like many similar sustainable schools, the building itself will serve as a lab to teach students about energy efficiency and sustainability.

-- Matt Chaban

New York City in a Deal for Removing School PCBs

-- Wall Street Journal New York: February 23, 2011 [ abstract]

City officials are quietly preparing to accede to federal officials' demands that they replace aging light fixtures at public schools due to Health concerns about leaking PCBs. People familiar with the discussions say Mayor Michael Bloomberg has approved a plan to seek bids for contracts to do the work. The city plans to spend $708 million to implement the plan at 772 public-school buildings over a 10-year period. The city has been in a months-long standoff over the issue with the Environmental Protection Agency, which has demanded quick replacement of the suspect lights. Environmental advocates have argued the work be completed much earlier, in two or five years. In addition to removing outdated, leaking light fixtures, the city plans to conduct energy audits at its schools and to replace outdated and inefficient boilers in the school system. The Bloomberg administration official said the effort would reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by more than 200,000 metric tons per year.

-- Devlin Barrett

PCB Leaks Found in 3 More New York Schools

-- Wall Street Journal New York: February 15, 2011 [ abstract]

Three schools sharing a single Manhattan building joined the growing list of public schools where spot inspections have revealed elevated levels of polychlorinated byphenyls, or PCBs, leaking from aging light fixtures, the Environmental Protection Agency said. As many as two-thirds of public schools in New York City use the same type of fluorescent lights known to contain PCBs, according to a document prepared by the city's Department of Education and reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. To date, the EPA has examined a sampling of fixtures at just five school buildings during its weekly spot checks. All inspections so far have confirmed leakage of PCBs above the federal limit of 50 parts per million. The chemicals, frequently used in building materials beginning in the 1950s, were banned in 1978 after they were linked to cancer and other Health problems with reproductive and immune systems. According to the Department of Education list, 1,120 schools use the light fixtures linked to PCBs, although the total number of school buildings affected is lower because multiple schools often share a single building.

-- Maya Pope-Chappell, Aaron Rutkoff, Devlin Barrett

PCB contamination found at another NYC school

-- Wall Street Journal New York: February 07, 2011 [ abstract]

The federal Environmental Protection Agency has found elevated levels of toxic chemicals known as PCBs leaking from lighting fixtures at another New York City public school. The EPA inspected Public School 68 in the Bronx on Jan. 29 and found PCB levels above the regulatory limit in nine of 11 rooms tested. City Department of Education spokeswoman Marge Feinberg said the department took corrective action by replacing the lighting ballasts �" devices that regulate electric current for fluorescent lights. P.S. 68 is the fourth city school building the EPA has tested. The agency has found PCB levels above the limit at all of the schools. PCBs were widely used in building materials until they were banned in the 1970s. They have been linked to cancer and other Health problems.

-- Associated Press

Oregon Lawmakers to Consider School Energy Proposal

-- Gazette Times Oregon: February 06, 2011 [ abstract]

: One of Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber's top environmental and economic priorities will get its first hearing in the Legislature. The House Education Committee will take a first look at Kitzhaber's plan to put people to work by retrofitting schools and other public buildings with modern energy-efficient technology. Supporters of his plan hope to protect the environment while helping schools save money on their energy costs. House Bill 2888 would authorize the state to sell bonds that would pay for loans and matching grants for school districts that want money to improve their facilities. The bill leaves many details to be decided, including the cost. The sponsor, Rep. Jefferson Smith, D-Portland, cautioned that the measure is merely a "placeholder bill" intended to begin work on the concept. The long-term goal, Smith said, is to retrofit every public school in Oregon along with other government buildings, but this year's bill would not reach that far. "We spend a lot of dough on energy costs in Oregon," Smith said. "If we can save a little of that dough ... that seems really smart." Smith said the weatherization concept is about more than just creating jobs or saving on energy costs. He said the bill would bring cleaner air and more light into schools, creating a Healthier learning environment for students and workplace for teachers. The committee will also consider a bill that would require all new school construction and remodel projects to meet environmental standards equivalent to the LEED Silver designation from standards developed by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

-- Associated Press

Increasing American Economic Growth and Competitiveness

-- Huffington Post National: February 04, 2011 [ abstract]

Remarks prepared for the Congressional Black Caucus Commission on the Budget Deficit, Economic Crisis, and Wealth Creation Currently, there are over 14 million Americans who would like to work but cannot find work. This is the most important immediate problem facing the country. Although African-American workers only make up 12% of the American labor force, blacks make up 20% of the unemployed. Our ability to create jobs -- sooner rather than later -- matters a great deal for the well-being of millions of American families. Our failure to create jobs causes people to lose their homes, produces increases in family stress, and leads children to drop out of school. A serious, longer-term problem is the economic decline of the United States relative to other nations. In the 1950s and 1960s, the United States led the world on many important measures. Today, the United States has fallen behind. If we fail to invest in our people, in our infrastructure, and in research and development we will continue to fall behind. Even worse, we will stand by as we watch our country literally fall apart. The good news is that we can go a long way to address these two problems -- the immediate problem of a high rate of joblessness and the longer-term problem of America's declining competitiveness -- with one solution -- smart investments now. The federal government needs to make investments rapidly in education, infrastructure, and research and development to make us more competitive globally. These investments if done quickly and substantially will create millions of jobs to address the current jobs crisis. Falling Behind and Falling Apart Below are just a few examples of how the United States is currently failing to make the necessary investments in education, infrastructure, and research and development. Education â€¢A 2008 UNICEF report ranked the United States 20th out of 24 countries in providing early childhood education. â€¢Fifteen year olds in the United States ranked 17th out of 65 countries in the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment reading test. U.S. students were 23rd in science and 31st in math. â€¢The College Board found that the United States ranked 12th out of 36 countries in the college completion rates of 25- to 34-year olds in 2007. Infrastructure â€¢The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that two-thirds of U.S. roads are in poor or mediocre condition. â€¢27% of U.S. bridges are "structurally deficient" or "functionally obsolete. â€¢29% of all transit assets are in poor or marginal condition. â€¢Each day in the United States, there are about 700 water main breaks, we lose 7 billion gallons of water from water main leaks, and we put the public at risk from contaminated water. â€¢An analysis by the 21st Century School Fund finds that we have neglected nearly 300 billion of required maintenance in our public schools. Investments in Infrastructure The infrastructure needed for the productivity, safety and Health of the nation is falling apart. We need to make the necessary investments: â€¢to repair, replace, and upgrade our deficient roads, bridges, water systems, power grids, and sewers. â€¢to repair, replace, upgrade and expand our public transportation systems. â€¢to modernize our school infrastructure so that all our students have access to 21st century technology and instructional resources. If we begin to make these investments now we will create a substantial number of jobs in construction, transportation, and technology, and we will be laying the foundation for U.S. competitiveness for the rest of the 21st century, just as similar investments helped to make the United States a dominant economic force in the 20th century. The expansion and modernization of our public transportation systems are particularly important for our low-income population. These improvements to these systems will allow low-income workers greater access to jobs. Increased use of new and efficient public transportation has the additional benefits of reducing our dependency on fossil fuels and on foreign energy.

-- Algernon Austin

Dunn & Castillo-Flores: Austin's school district should explore other uses for under-utilized facilities

-- statesman.com Texas: February 02, 2011 [ abstract]

We all want the same thing for our children: access to the best opportunities that can secure their future success. The Austin Independent School District Facility Master Plan Task Force community meetings made it clear that options other than closing campuses must be considered. Those options must protect the future Health of Austin as a whole and its children's education. One that warrants exploration is the proposal made by the East Austin College Prep Academy (EACPA), a tuition-free charter school in the heart of the Govalle/Johnston Terrace neighborhood in East Austin. Under that proposal, the Austin school district would allow EACPA to lease Eastside Memorial High School. The Eastside campus has been an under-performing and under-utilized school for a decade and has an annual operating budget of $8.2 million. On the other hand, EACPA has a charter with the Texas Education Agency that extends through high school. If the Austin district allows EACPA to lease the campus, then within a few years the community would have access to a middle and high school in East Austin. The district would save millions each year that it could use to avoid having to close state-ranked recognized and exemplary schools. Since charter schools were created by the Legislature in 1995, they have grown from 66 campuses to 460 campuses this school year. As the number of campuses grows, enrollment is increasing. Today 120,000 students are attending charter schools in Texas.

-- David Dunn and Janie Castillo-Flores

Transformation for blighted Richmond neighborhood moves ahead

-- Contra Costa Times California: January 28, 2011 [ abstract]

A decade-old plan to revitalize the blighted neighborhood around a Richmond elementary school is five to seven years from completion and hinges on securing millions of dollars in construction money. Some community buildings are being renovated; others will be rebuilt from scratch. Officials plan to reopen some buildings soon, even as they continue hunting for funds to begin work on others. The area around Nystrom Elementary School struggles with poverty today, but that wasn't always the case. The neighborhood bustled during World War II when thousands of workers converged on Richmond to pitch in for the home front effort and work at the Kaiser shipyards. After the war ended and the jobs disappeared, the neighborhood found itself wrestling with unemployment, blight, crime and children who do not finish school. "The community faces challenges that pose serious risk to Health, safety and the overall quality of life of the local residents," said Joan Davis, head of the Richmond Community Foundation. So residents, city and school officials, and local groups such as the Richmond Community Foundation hatched a plan to transform the area into a safer place where people can live, play, meet and go to school. The school: Construction of a new multipurpose building at Nystrom Elementary School is expected to finish in December, said Bill Fay, associate superintendent of operations for the West Contra Costa school district. Renovation of the main school building will follow in January 2012, a project that will take about 18 months to complete. The kindergarten area and rear bungalows will be demolished. New playgrounds will be created.

-- Katherine Tam

South Dakota Lawmakers Approve the Use Capital Funds For Other School Expense

-- Chicago Tribune South Dakota: January 27, 2011 [ abstract]

A panel of state lawmakers has approved two bills to give South Dakota school districts more flexibility with their capital funds as they grapple with severe potential cuts to state aid. The Senate's education committee cleared proposals to extend how much time districts have to spend money from their capital outlay funds for other expenses. Those funds are generally intended for new buildings and equipment purchases. One bill would let districts use their capital outlay money for property insurance, energy costs or motor fuel for school buses. Another bill would allow the use of capital outlay funds to pay for Health insurance premiums. Some lawmakers touted such measures as a way to help school districts, but several said using capital money for expenses could cause problems in the future.

-- Associated Press

New Orleans school recovery concept called architectural 'game-changer'

-- The Times-Picayune Louisiana: January 25, 2011 [ abstract]

A leading architectural journal has heralded an effort to rebuild New Orleans' public schools as community hubs as one of six new ideas with the power to transform urban planning. In its January issue, Metropolis magazine highlights the "nexus" concept conceived by local planner and architect Steven Bingler, whose firm played a leading role in developing the school facilities master plan for the Orleans Parish School Board and the Recovery School District. Rather than simply rebuilding schools, playgrounds, fire stations, senior centers and Health clinics as they were before the flood, so-called "nexus" campuses place those buildings in clusters, and in some cases under the same roof. "By grouping all of these community services within walking distance of each other and a school, we could also address a lot of things at once: equitable access, sustainability, and wellness," Bingler told Metropolis Executive Editor Martin C. Pedersen. The article notes that the "nexus" concept is being incorporated as part of the school systems' "quick start" construction initiative, part of the push to build or completely renovate 28 schools by 2013. And it touts Mayor Mitch Landrieu's support for the idea, which the mayor refers to as "place-based planning."

-- Michelle Krupa

Parents Raise Questions About PCBs at 2 Staten Island Schools

-- Staten Island South Shore New York: January 19, 2011 [ abstract]

More than 75 concerned parents showed up at Paulo Intermediate School in Huguenot with questions about how toxic chemicals found in classrooms at PS 36 and PS 53 will affect the Health of their children �" short-term and long-term. The public officials who made up a panel of experts left most of the parents gasping for answers. “We take nothing out of here tonight,” said Marie Stackhouse, PTA president at PS 36, which was shut down so maintenance workers could replace every light ballast in the school after polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, were detected in leaky light fixtures in two classrooms. Leaky ballasts also were found in 20 classrooms at PS 53, according to sampling results released Jan. 8. “The city,” Mrs. Stackhouse said, “is not giving us the necessary information.” A panel comprising four officials from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and Ed Ohmstead of the United Federation of Teachers; Ross J. Holden of the School Construction Authority; Dr. Nathan Graber, M.D., from the Department of Health’s Environmental and Occupational Disease Division, and Kathleen Grimm, the city Department of Education’s deputy chancellor for operations, fielded parents’ questions for nearly two hours.

-- Jeff Harrell

Bad budget may halt school construction in Wash. state

-- Seattle PI Washington: January 17, 2011 [ abstract]

Gov. Chris Gregoire's austere budget proposal could mean that school construction projects approved by local voters might not get built, state lawmakers were told Monday. As part of her next two-year budget Gregoire would allocate $505 million for capital projects at public schools. That compares with $757 million budgeted for the current spending plan and the nearly $950 million requested by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. Testifying before the Senate Ways and Means committee, state school's Superintendent Randy Dorn said at the governor's budget level the School Construction Assistance Program, which helps local districts pay for new construction and upgrades, would be insufficient. "If we go forward with the governor's proposal...we won't have enough dollars to match everybody. That hasn't happened since 1998, they'll have to go on a priority list," Dorn said. Gregoire's 2011-13 budget leaves the school construction fund $180 million short of what's necessary, Dorn said, "and that means some projects won't get finished. And others won't even get started." Facing a $4.6 billion deficit in a $36 billion operating budget and pressures to other spending plans, Gregoire has said she's left with no other options but to make deep cuts to education and Health care. The governor has proposed significant changes to the state's education system. She wants to fold all responsibility for education - from "preschool to the Ph.D" - under one state agency with a director that would report to her. Reaction has been mixed, with Dorn slamming the idea.

-- CHRIS GRYGIEL

State aid sought to remove asbestos from Weymouth school

-- Wicked Local Weymouth Massachusetts: January 17, 2011 [ abstract]

School administrators will ask the school committee on Jan. 24 for authorization to request $6 million in state aid from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to cover the cost of removing asbestos that has a protective seal on it in an outside wall at Chapman Middle School. “This is a request we have submitted several times during the MSBA’s open enrollment period,” Assistant Superintendent of Schools Matthew Ferron said on Jan. 13. “The school committee and the town council have to authorize the superintendent (Mary Jo Livingstone) to submit a request.” The committee will meet at the school department headquarters on Middle Street to review the funding request and discuss budget considerations for fiscal year 2012. Administrators have until Jan. 26 to submit a request to the MSBA. Asbestos has microscopic fibers that can become airborne and cause significant Health problems such as lung cancer or various lung diseases. The substance has to be stepped on or crushed for its unHealthy components to be released into the air. Asbestos was a common product in a variety of insulation products during the 1970s and 1980s until it was deemed unHealthy for use by Health agencies. A private painting firm found asbestos in an outside wall at the Chapman School in 29 paint chips that were being tested in preparation for a waterproofing project in April, 2007. The affected chips were taken from a wall outside the cafeteria and a courtyard. Administrators canceled classes the day after the discovery, and a private firm placed two coats of latex to seal the asbestos on all the painted surfaces. The workers also used a specialized High Energy Particulate Air (or HEPA) vacuum cleaner to remove the asbestos in some locations.

-- Ed Baker

School health centers expand despite lack of state funding

-- California Watch California: January 15, 2011 [ abstract]

Two of the state’s largest districts are undergoing a major expansion of Health centers on school campuses after promised help from Sacramento never came. To build new facilities, Oakland and Los Angeles are tapping a combination of voter-approved bond money, fees from Medi-Cal and Health insurance reimbursements and philanthropic dollars. Health advocates hope these efforts spur similar initiatives around the state. California lags behind many other states in the number and scope of school-based Health services, despite evidence that children who use school Health centers have better Health and education outcomes. Out of nearly 10,000 schools in the state, only 176 school Health centers [PDF] exist for more than 6 million children. Eight centers will be built in Oakland �" added to seven existing ones. Some of the operating costs will be covered by a $15 million grant from New York-based Atlantic Philanthropies and $6 million from Kaiser Permanente awarded last fall. Construction is being underwritten by a bond measure approved by Oakland voters in 2006. Los Angeles Unified is building 17 Health centers, complementing the 32 it established over the last several decades.

-- Louis Freedberg

PCB Hunt Hits Two School

-- Wall Street Journal New York: January 11, 2011 [ abstract]

chool officials have closed 10 classrooms in two Staten Island elementary schools as they await test results to see if children and staff have been exposed to PCB-contaminated air, officials said Monday. The Environmental Protection Agency and some local politicians have been pressuring the city to more aggressively confront the issue of aging fluorescent light fixtures suspected of PCB contamination. PCBs are chemicals that were frequently used in building materials beginning in the 1950s. They were banned in 1978 after they were determined to likely cause cancer, as well as other Health problems with reproductive and immune systems.

-- DEVLIN BARRETT

School building upkeep is vital

-- The Boston Globe Massachusetts: December 28, 2010 [ abstract]

BUILDING CONDITIONS were supposed to be among the criteria in decisions to close nine Boston schools. Yet on closer examination, the “Redesign and Reinvest Plan’’ presents a mixed message about school closure decisions and Boston public schools’ capital planning and building maintenance. Some schools slated for closure have benefited from upgrades, such as a new boiler at the Farragut School and a major renovation at the Hyde Park facility, paid for in part with state school construction funds. Other schools that will remain open still wait for roof replacements and repairs that can affect student Health and learning.

-- Tolle Graham and Mary White

Holbrook says no to school regionalization

-- Wicked Local Massachusetts: December 22, 2010 [ abstract]

Holbrook will not be joining its school system with Abington’s and will forge ahead with a proposal to construct a Grade 6 to Grade 12 facility. The school committee unanimously agreed on Dec. 15 to accept the recommendation of the Abington/Holbrook regionalization study committee to not join the two districts, citing high costs. The school committee also accepted the permanent school building committee’s recommendation to go forward with a plan to construct a new middle/high school facility. According to Superintendent of Schools Joseph Baeta, the main reason for not regionalizing is cost. “It would be a significant cost to bring the two districts together,” he said. During the school committee meeting, the task force’s report was outlined along with its finding not to regionalize. The panel’s conclusion was the result of several months of hashing out the pros and cons of joining the two districts. The committee was looking at combining Grade 9 through Grade 12 Holbrook and Abington students and examined such information as enrollment, population, curriculum, and funding. Baeta said that there were three critical issues facing Holbrook if it were to team up with Abington: aligning employee contracts, employee Health care costs, and transportation. “The three issues led to one big issue: cost,” he said. The superintendent explained that regionalization ultimately creates its own municipality. He said that if Holbrook were to join with Abington, all teacher, paraprofessional, and maintenance union contracts would have to be renegotiated in accordance with a state statue that governs regionalization. As an example, if a Holbrook teacher was receiving a $50,000 salary and the same level Abington teacher was being paid $53,000, the Holbrook teacher would have to be paid $53,000. “We would have to pay the higher salary,” Baeta said.

-- Tom Gorman

Dumont schools get $262G from state

-- NorthJersey.com New Jersey: December 16, 2010 [ abstract]

The Dumont school district was notified last week that it will receive $262,504 from the state Department of Education to cover some of the cost of work at two schools. The money comes through the Schools Development Authority's (SDA) Regular Operating District grant program. The program funds various projects aimed at addressing Health and safety issues, student overcrowding and other critical needs. For Dumont, the funding was used toward replacing steam boilers at Dumont High School and for facade repairs at Honiss School. The district's contribution to the projects or "local share" was $381,815, with the total costs for the projects being $651,319 according to the Department of Education. "We are very pleased that the state was able to provide funding for these two very-needed projects," school business administrator Kevin Cartotto said last week. Cartotto explained that the district applied for the funding in 2009, and that both projects were completed that year. "This (notification) was the final approval of the money being released to us," he said. "The money funds 40 percent of the costs of the projects," SDA Chief Executive Officer Marc Larkins, in cooperation with the Department of Education, announced the resumption of the grant program in May 2010. Since then, the SDA has executed 337 grants.

-- Staff Writer

New York City Delays Cleanup of PCBs at Schools

-- Wall Street Journal New York: December 08, 2010 [ abstract]

New York City officials estimate that cleaning up potentially cancer-causing PCBs from hundreds of its schools would cost a staggering $1 billion, and they want more time before taking action. The issue of polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs, in school buildings has been simmering for two years. The chemicals are found in dated light fixtures and caulk. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has asked the city to begin replacing all of the suspected lighting fixtures in the school system. But education officials are resisting, saying they need to finish studying the issue and then come up with a plan for addressing the problem. PCBs were often used in construction and electrical components starting in the 1950s. They were banned in 1978 when the Health risks became known. The EPA says PCBs can cause cancer if they build up in the body over long periods of time, and can hurt the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems. The city claims it will cost $1 billion to replace PCB-contaminated lights in roughly 800 schools. Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott argued in a letter last month to the EPA that the city should complete its pilot program of testing on PCBs, and then develop a citywide "PCB management plan." He said in his letter that both EPA and city Health officials "agree that there is no immediate Health risk to students and staff occupying schools buildings that have PCB containing building materials."

-- Devlin Barrett

Three years after flood, Vernonia breaks ground on new K-12 school

-- The Oregonian Oregon: December 03, 2010 [ abstract]

Three years ago tomorrow, the rivers that wind their way through Vernonia spilled past their banks and into hundreds of homes. On Thursday, the eve of the anniversary, Gov. Ted Kulongoski used a backhoe to break ground on the construction of a new school for a community that found its schools soaked through after the waters receded. Many students have been in portable classrooms since the flood. The moment marked a turning point in the community's recovery, said Mayor Sally Harrison. "The school is the linchpin," she said after the ceremony Thursday. "You start with the schools and the rest follows." The rest, Harrison said, includes a new senior center, a Health clinic and some repairs to the town's sewer system. Last year, district residents passed a $13 million bond as a down payment for the new school, which is expected to cost about $37 million. The new school campus will house students in kindergarten through high school. The buildings they leave behind will be torn down and a park will be laid down in their place. On Thursday, Kulongoski also announced that the state would be investing some $3.8 million in improvements to Oregon 47 and two adjoining streets around the new school to accommodate the expected increase in traffic. That comes in addition to a recent Ford Family Foundation announcement that it would create a million-dollar challenge grant to help build the schools and community center. Half the grant will go to match gifts of $100,000 or more and the other half to match gifts of $25,000 and up. The school opening is still a ways off â€“ fall 2012 â€“ but a little churned ground was enough to leave some Vernonians with a sense of progress.

-- Ryan Kost

Warwick school board facing painful choices with budget

-- Times Herald-Record New York: December 01, 2010 [ abstract]

The Warwick school board is floating the idea of closing an elementary school to deal with budget woes, and Pine Island parents see the writing on the wall. "Closing Pine Island Elementary School is closing a hamlet, not just a school," said Tracey Pietrzak, the school's PTA president and parent of a second-grader there. "It would be a catastrophic economic situation for Pine Island if you take away its anchor school." While the school's closure is far from a done deal, district leaders have made it clear that difficult and painful decisions will have to be made this year as the district seeks to fill a gap in its 2011-12 budget. With increases in Health insurance, pension and contractual obligations, the district would have to raise the tax levy by 11.5 percent to fund its budget of $83.8 million, which is 6.7 percent more than the current budget. District leaders want to trim spending by $5 million or so, since a tax increase of that magnitude would never win public approval, and it's possible the state may authorize a property tax cap limiting how much the district could raise. During a presentation to a packed crowd at the middle school Monday evening, Superintendent Ray Bryant said Pine Island is the logical choice if the district has to close a school. It has the smallest enrollment and is at only 62 percent of capacity, while the other schools range from 71 to 84 percent. The district is projecting declining enrollment over the next nine years.

-- Alyssa Sunkin

EPA to Remove and Replace Lead-Contaminated Soils at 11 Schools, 16 Child Care Facilities in St. Francois County, Mo.

-- EPA Press Release Missouri: November 19, 2010 [ abstract]

EPA Region 7 announced plans to remove and replace soils at 11 schools and 16 child care centers and Head Start facilities in St. Francois County, Mo., because recent testing has confirmed elevated levels of toxic lead in the soil. EPA ordered further soil testing at the county’s schools and child care facilities as the next phase of its project to remove and replace lead-contaminated soils at Central Middle School in Park Hills. The work at Central Middle School was part of EPA’s cleanup activity at the Big River Mine Tailings/St. Joe Minerals Corp. Superfund Site, located in Missouri’s Old Lead Belt, where lead mining and milling has occurred for more than a century. The 110-square-mile site is composed of six large areas of mine waste, as well as surrounding residential and recreational areas. “EPA’s mission to protect human Health and the environment carries a special obligation to take action against environmental threats to the Health and development of young children,” EPA Regional Administrator Karl Brooks said. “These removal actions will protect more than 5,300 of St. Francois County’s children from unnecessary and potentially harmful exposures to lead in places where they learn and play.” Although the effects of lead poisoning are a potential concern for humans of all ages, children less than seven years old and pregnant women are especially at risk. Significant Health risks associated with lead poisoning include brain damage, developmental delays, behavioral problems, anemia, liver and kidney damage, hearing loss and hyperactivity.

-- Chris Whitley

EPA Releases New Draft Voluntary Guidelines for Selecting Safe School Locations

-- EPA Press Release National: November 17, 2010 [ abstract]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released draft voluntary guidelines to help communities protect the Health of students and staff from environmental threats when selecting new locations for schools. More than 1,900 new schools serving approximately 1.2 million children and costing more than $13 billion opened in the 2008-2009 school year. Major investments in our children’s schools can be compromised if environmental hazards are not fully understood prior to selecting a school site. The voluntary guidelines also provide tools to help communities ensure that new locations for schools are accessible to the students they are intended to serve.

-- Jalil Isa

Voters rejecting referendum allowing bonds for school energy projects

-- The News Tribune Washington: November 03, 2010 [ abstract]

A statewide referendum authorizing bonds for school energy retrofits was defeated Tuesday. Nearly 57 percent of voters were rejecting Referendum 52 with 1.37 million votes counted Tuesday. About 2.4 million votes were expected statewide. The measure had support in King and Jefferson counties but was losing in most other Washington counties. “It’s disappointing to have lost,” said Cynara Lilly, spokeswoman for the Healthy School for Washington campaign. “This was conceived with the best of intentions. It was an opportunity to create jobs while making our schools a Healthier place. While the measure went down, we saw a fair amount of support.” She and other supporters of Referendum 52 said the money was needed to pay for newer pipes, better insulation and other energy upgrades at public schools and colleges across the state. R-52 would have authorized $505 million in bonds to be paid back by extending the temporary sales tax on bottled water set to expire in 2013. Opponents said the initiative would have saddled the state with too much debt and wouldn’t have created the number of jobs promised.

-- PHUONG LE

Washington State Voters Reject Green Schools Measure

-- Business Week Washington: November 03, 2010 [ abstract]

A statewide referendum authorizing bonds for school energy retrofits has been defeated in Washington. Nearly 57 percent of voters rejected Referendum 52 with 1.37 million votes counted Tuesday. About 2.4 million votes are expected statewide. "It's disappointing to have lost," said Cynara Lilly, spokeswoman for the Healthy Schools for Washington campaign. "This was conceived with the best of intentions. It was an opportunity to create jobs while making our schools a Healthier place. While the measure went down, we saw a fair amount of support." She and other supporters of Referendum 52 said the money was needed to pay for newer pipes, better insulation and other energy upgrades at public schools and colleges across the state. R-52 would have authorized $505 million in bonds to be paid back by extending the temporary sales tax on bottled water set to expire in 2013. Opponents said the initiative would have saddled the state with too much debt and would not create the number of jobs promised. While there was no apparent organized opposition, the Washington Policy Center and Republican lawmakers have been vocal critics. Under the measure, public school districts and public higher education institutions would have competed for grants to pay for construction projects, and at least five percent of the total amount would have gone to districts with fewer than 1,000 students.

-- Phuong Lee

Construction Rebound in 2011 Pegged at 8 Percent

-- Concrete Products National: November 01, 2010 [ abstract]

McGraw-Hill Construction’s 2011 Construction Outlook forecasts an 8 percent increase in overall U.S. construction starts for next year, advancing to $445.5 billion on the heels of a 2 percent decline predicted for 2010. Among highlights of the 2011 Construction Outlook: the institutional building market will slip an additional 1 percent in 2011, retreating for the third straight year. While state and local fiscal constraints will continue to dampen school construction, the Healthcare facilities sector should see moderate growth.

-- McGraw-Hill Construction

Toxic Florida Schools: Grand Jury Laid Out Mold Problem; Lawmakers Didn't Act

-- Orlando Sentinel Florida: October 18, 2010 [ abstract]

In 2003, a grand jury blasted the Broward County school system for taking too long to get rid of mold in classrooms and failing to repair leaky roofs and faulty air conditioners. The panel outlined its concerns in a 44-page report, strongly recommending changes the state of Florida needed to make to force school districts to improve indoor-air quality while underscoring that children were especially vulnerable to the potentially harmful effects of mold. Although Broward schools have since spent millions of dollars trying to fix its problems, the more sweeping statewide grand jury recommendations have been largely ignored. A handful of South Florida lawmakers introduced bills in 2004 that would have required schools to aggressively monitor and address mold problems and even file progress reports with the state. But the legislation never went anywhere. A Senate analyst pointed out that repairs would be expensive and Florida would be setting itself up for lawsuits if it identified its air-quality problems. So, today, there still are no statewide rules in Florida governing how public schools should monitor, detect and handle air-quality problems in one of the hottest, most humid states in the country. And years after the grand jury report, Florida schools continue to battle chronic mold and water-intrusion problems, according to an Orlando Sentinel investigation.

-- Denise-Marie Balona

My School Looks Like This

-- Slate National: October 08, 2010 [ abstract]

While designers are busy creating the classroom of the future, many students are stuck in not merely unimaginative school buildings but actually disgusting ones. The 21st Century School Fund and Healthy Schools Campaign, which work for improvements in education facilities, and Critical Exposure, which uses student photography as an advocacy tool, believe that no one can show what is and isn't working in school buildings better than the people inside them. Each year, they ask students and teachers to shoot the best and worst of their surroundings. The "Through Your Lens" exhibit features an awful lot of peeling paint and broken windowsâ€”the kind of environment you wouldn't want your kid in for an hour, much less a childhood. But the photographers also highlight examples of spaces that work, flashes of color and sunlight and order in otherwise chaotic surroundings. Here is a gallery of images from 2009. In this crowdsourced Hive project, Slate is trying to reinvent the American classroom. (Read this explanation why.) We're inviting you to envision, and design, a new American classroom for fifth-graders. Your entries can be shovel-ready or fanciful. All entries must have a written description, and we strongly encourage submitting a sketch or a plan, so fellow readers can help visualize your ideas. You can submit your design between now and Wednesday, Oct. 29. You can vote and comment on the ideas here. In early November, our expert judges and readers will choose a dozen finalists, and we'll select a winner in mid-November. Click here to read terms and conditions, then please enter your great idea here.

-- Linda Perlstein

Pittsburgh High School Renovation Out of This World

-- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pennsylvania: September 16, 2010 [ abstract]

Rooms for new classes in pre-engineering and robotics. Large art rooms with plenty of storage space. A broadcast studio that is separate from the broadcast classroom. Large office, guidance and Health suites. And lockers that are big enough for all the stuff needed by today's high school student. The $12 million renovation and expansion of Mars Area High School addressed all the inadequacies of the 50-year-old high school, said Todd Kolson, high school principal. "We updated the entire school from the '60s to the 21st century," Mr. Kolson said. "It is a great addition to the high school. Out of this project, we're able to offer some different curriculum offerings," such as robotics. The project, approved by the school board in January 2008, gutted an original wing of the first floor and added supports for a second floor. The project also upgraded the faÃ§ade and front hallway, which had become "very outdated," Mr. Kolson said. "The district definitely used the construction to their advantage as far as the infrastructure," Mr. Kolson said. "There is more computer lab space, additional classrooms for expanded technology education, expanded broadcasting capabilities. The teachers have the tools to integrate technology and instruction."

-- Sandy Trozzo

USDA To Award Schools $1 Million In Grants For Community Gardens.

-- USA Today National: August 25, 2010 [ abstract]

Since first lady Michelle Obama planted a garden at the White House in the spring of 2009 and invited schoolchildren to help tend and harvest the produce, more school gardens have been sprouting up across the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it will award $1 million in grants for eligible high-poverty schools to start community gardens. The goal: to teach students about gardening and nutrition and to provide fresh produce for school meals. Some of the harvest may also be given to students' families, as well as to local food banks and senior-center nutrition programs. Improving nutrition in schools is part of the first lady's Let's Move! initiative to fight childhood obesity. School gardens "give kids exposure to where food comes from and encourages them to try foods they might not otherwise try," says Kevin Concannon, USDA undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services. They give teachers an opportunity to talk about soil, water, sun, Health and science, and the gardens can be used for math and art programs, he says. Estimates suggest that about 15% to 20% of schools across the country have gardens, says Mike Metallo, president of the National Gardening Association, a non-profit group that provides gardeners and teachers with information and resources.

-- Nanci Hellmich

Preliminary Tests Find Elevated PCB Levels in 3 New York City Public Schools

-- New York Times New York: August 18, 2010 [ abstract]

Elevated levels of toxic chemical compounds were found in the first three New York City public school buildings tested in a pilot study meant to assess the risks posed by PCBs, according to preliminary results. Officials of the city’s Department of Education said the study at first focused on cracked caulk, but that air sampling also pointed at a lighting ballast, a regulating device in fluorescent lights made with oil containing PCBs. Workers have been removing caulk and replacing light fixtures at those three schools to get them ready for students. The federal Environmental Protection Agency, which is overseeing the pilot study, said that initial results found that the three schools tested this summer had PCB levels above federal Health benchmarks. Mary Mears, an E.P.A. spokeswoman, said the agency was awaiting final results, but that the preliminary findings did not show PCBs levels high enough for “immediate cause for alarm.

-- Mireya Navarro

States aim to cut energy bills

-- Education Week National: August 13, 2010 [ abstract]

North Shore Community College, located outside Boston, joined the glitzy side of the green-building trend last November when it broke ground on the first state-owned “zero net energy” building in Massachusetts. The 58,000-square foot Health and student center, with geothermal heating and cooling and solar panels on the roof, will produce more than enough power to cover its energy needs. But a less glamorous project also is underway at North Shore, one that is arguably more crucial to the college’s energy-efficiency goals despite its lack of shiny newness. In existing buildings all over campus, the college is switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, installing new thermostats and chillers and moving from electric heat to natural gas. These and other changes will cost $3.6 million but are expected to reduce North Shore’s utility bill by 32 percent and save the state close to $400,000 per year. Arizona has focused a lot of its work on K-12 schools. Using more than $12 million in stimulus grants, the Arizona Energy Office selected 167 schools for energy-efficiency upgrades. The state provides 30 percent of the project costs �" up to $1 million per school district �" leaving the remaining 70 percent to be paid by the schools. The schools, in turn, have been able to use the stimulus dollars as a down payment, and have been successful at attracting private contractors to pay for the improvements and let the schools pay them back over time with the money saved on energy bills. Arizona leveraged a $12 million stimulus investment by attracting an additional $32 million in private and local funds for the schools work. The school retrofits �" scheduled for completion before students go back to school this fall �" will have an average payback time of eight years. Energy-efficiency projects are among the best leveraged uses of federal money because they attract private investment and result in immediate reductions in states’ utility bills. For every federal dollar spent, states report $10 in non-federal investments and $7.22 in savings on energy bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

-- Christine Vestal

Chancellor Declares Emergency to Sidestep State Ruling and Expand Charter School

-- The New York Times New York: August 06, 2010 [ abstract]

It took almost six months for David M. Steiner, the state education commissioner, to decide that New York City had broken the law when it decided to take space from a program for autistic children on the Lower East Side and give it to an expanding charter school. It took less than two days for Joel I. Klein, the city schools chancellor, to say he would disregard the decision, at least temporarily. On Wednesday, the chancellor announced he would use his little-known emergency powers, based in a clause in the State Education Law, to follow through with the city’s original plans. The emergency clause, designated section 2590-h (2-a) (f), provides that the chancellor may unilaterally transform how a school is used, avoiding the normal process of public hearings and notification, when doing so is “immediately necessary for the preservation of student Health, safety or general welfare.” It was Mr. Klein’s first use of his emergency powers, which were embedded in the law passed last summer extending mayoral control of the city’s schools. His exact reasoning as to why they were warranted in this case �" whether for Health, safety or welfare �" is due to be posted on the city’s Web site in the coming days, a city spokesman said. Citing continuing litigation over the issue, a spokesman for Mr. Steiner declined to comment on Mr. Klein’s move, which was reported Thursday by The Daily News. But Sheldon Silver, the Assembly speaker, who represents the Lower East Side and has not been a booster of charter schools, used the terms “blatant abuse” and “breathtaking end run” to describe his reaction. “Unfortunately, it’s the kind of arrogance that too many parents have come to expect from Chancellor Klein when it comes to having a voice in their children’s education,” he said in a statement. In February, the city approved the plans of the Girls Preparatory Charter School, an all-girls elementary school founded by a group of wealthy investors, located in Public School 188 on the Lower East Side, to add middle-school grades. To make room, the city decided to reduce the grades served in a program for autistic children, saying it would send students who would have gone there to other locations. Parents of students affected by the move brought the case to the state commissioner, complaining that the city had given them no information about where the autistic children would go. In his ruling on Monday, Mr. Steiner agreed, saying that the city had to hold new public hearings before moving students, a process that would effectively put off any change for at least a year.

-- SHARON OTTERMAN

Which Wards Really Get DCPS School Constuction Funds?

-- 21csf.org District of Columbia: July 07, 2010 [ abstract]

The following is a response from Mary Filardo, Director of the 21st Century School Fund to the June 6, 2010 article on the front page of the Washington Post, entitled “Spreading D.C.’s money around, Recent data on projects indicate Fenty doesn’t favor particular wards” The quality of the physical school environment makes a difference to students and teachers�"their Health, focus, and curriculum�"and thankfully the District government is investing in much needed public school building projects throughout the city. However, the taxpayers of the District will be paying hundreds of millions of dollars annually to repay the billions in bonds that finance these projects, so it is important that this use of these public funds is covered by the Washington Post. But “Spreading D.C.’s money around, Recent data on projects indicate Fenty doesn’t favor particular wards” is not telling an accurate story.

-- Mary Filardo

Interest-free bonds to allow new Onalaska schools technology

-- Courier-Life Wisconsin: July 01, 2010 [ abstract]

A million dollars in interest-free bonds will help Onalaska schools pay for capital equipment as well as ease the strain on the district’s tight budget. The money comes through the Qualified School Construction Bond program of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. ARRA money may be used for energy, safety and Health related projects as determined by the Onalaska Board of Education. Larry Dalton, the school district’s finance director, told school board members at Monday’s meeting that the federal money eases but does not solve Onalaska’s budget situation. “We’re needing to find more money,” said Dalton. “We’re pinched.”

-- BOB SEAQUIST

Smaller urban high schools found to boost achievement

-- eSchool News New York: June 24, 2010 [ abstract]

With support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, New York City under Mayor Michael Bloomberg has systematically shut down large, failing high schools and replaced them with small schools�"many pegged to themes like technology or the business of sports. Now, a new study funded by the Gates Foundation suggests that the small schools have succeeded in boosting graduation rates for the city’s most academically challenged students. Proponents of the smaller-schools approach to education reform say the schools can provide one-on-one support to struggling students, and the specialized programs are supposed to improve students’ motivation by enticing them to apply to schools that match their interests. “This shows the strategy is working,” said New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, who since 2002 has shuttered more than 20 large high schools with as many as 4,000 students each and replaced them with 216 small schools with names like the Academy of Health Careers or the Law, Government, and Community Service Magnet High School. The study, released June 23 by the education think tank MDRC, examined students at 105 of the new high schools with 550 students or fewer. It found that by the end of their first year of high school, 58.5 percent of students at the so-called “small schools of choice” were on track to graduate in four years, compared with 48.5 percent of the students at other schools. By the fourth year, the small schools had an overall graduation rate of 68.7 percent, compared with 61.9 percent for the control group. Both numbers were much higher than the graduation rates at the closed schools.

-- staff and wire reports

Small New York City High Schools Found to Boost Achievement

-- Washington Post/Associated Press New York: June 22, 2010 [ abstract]

They were known as dropout factories: big high schools in poor neighborhoods where only a quarter to a third of students graduated. New York City under Mayor Michael Bloomberg has systematically shut down large, failing high schools and replaced them with small schools, many pegged to themes like the fashion industry or the business of sports. A new study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - which has invested more than $150 million in New York City schools - suggests that the small schools have succeeded in boosting graduation rates for the city's most academically challenged students. Proponents say small schools can provide one-on-one support to struggling students, and the specialized programs are supposed to improve students' motivation by enticing them to apply to schools that match their interests. "This shows the strategy is working," said New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, who since 2002 has shuttered more than 20 large high schools with as many as 4,000 students each and replaced them with 216 small schools with names like the Academy of Health Careers or the Law, Government and Community Service Magnet High School. The study by the education think tank MDRC examined students at 105 of the new high schools with 550 students or fewer. It found that by the end of their first year of high school, 58.5 percent of students at the so-called "small schools of choice" were on track to graduate in four years, compared with 48.5 percent of the students at other schools. By the fourth year, the small schools had an overall graduation rate of 68.7 percent compared with 61.9 percent for the control group. Both numbers were much higher than the graduation rates at the closed schools.

-- Karen Matthews

Special Education School Earns A+ for Going Green

-- PRNewswire Texas: June 18, 2010 [ abstract]

The Monarch School, a national leader in special education programs for children with autism / Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD and other neurological differences, is celebrating the A+ earned recently by its new Chrysalis green building. The environmentally cutting-edge, 100% green powered building is the first LEED (R) Gold certified and 'Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR(R)' certified special education school in the United States. Monarch's Executive Board President David Matthiesen said, "We wanted to build green but we thought LEED and ENERGY STAR would cause exorbitant costs. Ultimately, we took a fact-based leap of faith, and learned firsthand that building green is economical, practical, meaningful and relevant to students, particularly ours with autism / Asperger's, attention deficit and hyperactivity, and other neurological disorders." Shelly Pottorf, the project's lead architect with Jackson & Ryan said, "Being in a sustainable environment provides a significant advantage to the development of children with special education needs, like Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), the prevalence of which has soared from 1 in 1000 (1990) to 1 in 100 children (2010). The Monarch School's results suggest that learning and playing on a green campus in sustainable classrooms would reasonably benefit all children, families and even faculty." Pottorf added, "Daylighting, outdoor views and better air quality â€“ possibly the most critical green building strategies for Healthy buildings â€“ have been shown to improve students' Health, attendance, test scores and overall productivity. The new special education facility is also serving Monarch as a teaching tool about sustainability and the environment. Green Building Services' Senior Consultant Amanda Tullos said, "Monarch's gung ho, green students are the ones earning the school an A+ for going green. They've even interviewed Mayor Annise Parker about her plans for greening Houston." Science teacher Richard Klein added, "Monarch's curriculum integrates sustainability and clean tech with science, mathematics, engineering and technology (SMET) and other disciplines via several hands-on activities that teach leadership, entrepreneurship, neighborly respect and hospitality, as well as resource conservation for the great outdoors."

-- Staff Writer

Wisconsin School Districts Can Access $144 Million in No-interest Bonding Authority

-- State of Wisconsin Wisconsin: June 17, 2010 [ abstract]

Governor Jim Doyle and State Superintendent Tony Evers announced that 65 school districts will benefit from two programs that pay interest costs on bonds used to fund construction, renovation, and improvement projects in schools. To qualify for bonding authority, school districts submitted proposals to build, rehabilitate, or repair school facilities and obtain equipment for those facilities. Created in 1977 and expanded with funds from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Qualified Zone Academy Bond program will provide $23.4 million in bonding authority to nine Wisconsin public school districts. To qualify for this bond program, districts must have 35 percent or more of their students eligible for free or reduced-price school meals under the National School Lunch Program. Another 56 districts have been approved for $120.5 million in Qualified School Construction Bonds. This tax-credit bond program was created as part of ARRA for all school districts, regardless of size or poverty levels. Bonds can be issued for school renovation or new construction. As with the Qualified Zone Academy Bond program, the federal government will reimburse 100 percent of interest costs associated with Qualified School Construction Bonds. The Department of Public Instruction set priorities for an external panel of reviewers to evaluate Qualified School Construction Bonds proposals. Top priority went to school districts that have passed a referendum or have a board-approved resolution to issue non-referendum debt. Reviewers also considered proposals with projects for science, technology, engineering, and math; early childhood and 4-year-old kindergarten; Green and Healthy Schools; or Safe and Healthful Schools.

-- Press Release

Board considers face-lift for West-Romig campus

-- The Anchorage Daily News Alaska: June 13, 2010 [ abstract]

On Monday night, the Anchorage School Board is scheduled to vote on a $200 million proposal to transform the West High-Romig Middle School campus into an integrated community center that not only houses the schools but has space for a Health care clinic, community lectures, public computer labs and weight-lifting rooms. The first floor of a proposed new structure at the heart of the plan would be for the public. The second and third floors would be for middle and high school education. The vote is to approve the "master plan" for the idea. It does not commit money for construction -- that might not come for six years, and even then only after Anchorage Assembly approval and a public vote to fund it through bonds. The plan represents a stark departure from schools the district has been building, and ventures into a role for the schools that is beyond just educating students. "The community saw us as the right conduit," said Mike Abbott, assistant superintendent of support services for the Anchorage School District. It could have been a city initiative or a local nonprofit's initiative, but neighborhood members came to the School District, he said. "It didn't have to be us but I also don't think we are the wrong people to do it." Proponents of the school as the "center of community" model say it's a return to the West High School of yesteryear when the facility was Anchorage's only high school and the auditorium served as Anchorage's major arts venue. The master plan is the result of a nearly $1 million effort to map what the campus should look like at the end of this decade. All but $80,000 of the money to develop the plan came from the state Legislature. The cost of construction for the two-schools building is estimated at between $145 million and $169 million. Estimated costs of the total project, including furnishings, would bump it up to somewhere between $200 million to $236 million, planners say. It would be the most expensive school building ever built in Anchorage. School Board member Don Smith thinks the cost is too high. He estimated that by the time it is built with adjustments for inflation the city might be looking at a $285 million project. At a recent school board work session to discuss it, Smith also was not happy about the nearly $1 million price tag to develop the plan. He held up the 200-page, spiral-bound, full-color plan and wanted to know how much the district spent on consultants and what he called the "fancy brochure." The Anchorage School District has a constant rotation of schools that it says are reaching their expiration dates. The cost of building and renovating those schools has been creeping up over the years. In 2009, the cost of building a new Clark Middle School was about $69 million. Planners say the new Dimond High School, which was finished in 2004, would have cost $94 million when adjusted for inflation in 2009. Even combining those two numbers -- $163 million -- does not reach the estimated cost of the new two-school, 2,600-student West-Romig campus, some board members pointed out. "Why isn't it that we can't get our parents into the school? Why is it that nobody wants to come in through our doors? Because we are very institutional and we make it very frightening," said Rochene Rowan-Hellen, former president of the Romig Parent, Teacher and Student Association and a proponent of the new concept. "There's nothing friendly about coming into the school."

-- MEGAN HOLLAND

Liability issues limit public access to school facilities

-- News-Medical.net National: June 11, 2010 [ abstract]

Encouraging physical activity is vital to positive Health outcomes and is a worthwhile public Health goal. Although most public schools have some recreational facilities that could be used outside of regular school hours, concerns over liability have limited their use. In a study in the July issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers reviewed the recreational use statues in all 50 states and found that liability protections could be improved, in some cases, with minor legislative changes, consequently opening up school facilities for increased recreational use benefiting the entire community. "The original intent of recreational user statutes was to open up, for the most part, rural and private land for public use for the purpose of recreation, a point often reflected in the statutory language of these statutes," according to lead investigator John O. Spengler, JD, PhD, Department of Tourism, Recreation, and Sport Management, University of Florida, Gainesville. "Social values and norms within the U.S. have changed considerably since the inception of these statutes. Although the importance of recreation cannot be ignored, with evidence that physical activity plays a vital role in reducing the prevalence of obesity, the legislative intent of recreational user legislation should be reframed to include, as a stated purpose, the Health promotion of communities. In addition, public schools have facilities that can help meet the physical activity needs of their surrounding communities. Statutes should therefore also reflect a legislative intent to encourage public schools to make their property available to the public for recreational use, recognizing the importance of physical activity to Health."

-- American Journal of Preventive Medicine

School district gets grant money

-- The Moorestown Sun New Jersey: June 11, 2010 [ abstract]

The Moorestown Township Public School District is slated to receive state funding for construction projects at three district schools. Officials from the state Schools Development Authority and the Department of Education announced that $36.9 million in grants would be released to regular operating districts throughout the state. According to a release from the SDA, more than $400,000 in projects at Moorestown High School, William Allen Middle School and South Valley Elementary School are allocated funds under the grant program. Larry Hanover, a spokesman for the SDA, said Moorestown High School will receive funding for new gym lighting as well as upgrades to the school’s fire alarm system. According to numbers released by the SDA, the project costs a total of $352,800 and the state will grant $141,120 in funds to offset project costs. William Allen Middle School is scheduled to receive funding for new lighting in the gymnasium. The project costs a total of $61,200 with a state contribution of $24,480. South Valley Elementary School will receive funding for a roof replacement project, which bears a total construction cost of $625,000. The state will give the district a grant of $250,000 for the project. According to a release from the SDA, the state grants are intended to represent at least 40 percent of eligible costs for projects in regular operating districts, which are non-Abbott districts. The projects that are awarded funds address Health-and-safety issues, student overcrowding and other critical needs. SDA Chief Executive Officer Marc Larkins said the funding would “…allow districts to perform necessary improvements to the learning environments for our children and create much-needed jobs during this difficult economic period.” Hanover said districts must apply to receive funding from regular operating district grants and the SDA is responsible for dispersing the funding. The SDA works with the DOE, which is responsible for selecting school projects that will receive the funding.

-- AUBRIE GEORGE

State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Releases School District Budget Cuts Survey Results

-- California Department of Education California: June 11, 2010 [ abstract]

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today released the results of a survey of local educational agencies (LEAs) to find out how state budget cuts to public education are affecting them. O'Connell held a news conference in the Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento County where all eight elementary school libraries were shut down to close a budget gap. The survey results are attached. "The survey results make clear that school administrators are making heartrending decisions to balance their dwindling budgets while trying valiantly to keep students' best interests in mind," said O'Connell. "Sixty-five percent of districts that responded to this survey made cuts to building and school grounds maintenance, 58 percent cut funding for instructional materials, and 58 percent reduced funding for district administration. Forty percent of respondents have reduced the number of teachers; reduced or eliminated summer school; increased class sizes; and cut art and music classes, closed libraries, eliminated school nurse positions, and canceled sports programs. "These deep cuts to our schools were made even though the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided critical funds to save education jobs last year. These funds are now running out, and our state budget picture continues to look bleak. In the Governor's May Revise, he proposes another $1.5 billion in general-purpose funding cuts that will exacerbate the current annihilation of services to students. "Our public education system is in crisis. These cuts hurt students and hurt California's future economic viability. I call on the Governor and the Legislature to show the courage and leadership needed to find a budget solution that puts students first and protects our schools from further cuts." The California Department of Education launched the survey in April to ask administrators in county offices of education, school districts, and charter schools how they have balanced their budgets in light of state budget cuts to public education. At the close of the survey in May, 387 LEAs responded. They represent 1.7 million students, or 26 percent of the statewide enrollment. The cuts at Natomas Unified School District are similar to cuts made by LEAs throughout the state. "We made the decision to close our eight elementary school libraries with a heavy heart, but our budget situation is so dire that we had no choice," said Natomas Unified School District Superintendent General Davie, Jr. "We've also cut all of our Health aides, eliminated busing, shortened our school year by five days, increased K-3 class sizes to 30-1, and issued layoff notices to about 30 percent of our teachers, classified staff, and administration."

-- Tina Jung

Liability Issues Limiting Recreational Use of Public School Facilities

-- ScienceDaily National: June 07, 2010 [ abstract]

-- ScienceDaily staff

Fifty New Jersey School Construction Projects are Stuck in Limbo

-- Star-Ledger New Jersey: May 18, 2010 [ abstract]

In 2006, students at the A. Chester Redshaw Elementary School in New Brunswick moved into a temporary warehouse facility with no playground or auditorium, but with the promise a new state-of-the-art school would soon be built for them. Four years later, they’re still in the warehouse �" and still waiting. Redshaw Elementary is one of more than 50 New Jersey schools in limbo as state funding for construction has been caught up in years of mismanagement scandals, financial crises and red tape. The delays have left many frustrated districts �" from Newark to Perth Amboy to Camden �" unsure if their students will ever get out of temporary classrooms. After months of uncertainty, state officials said shovels may be in the ground soon on many stalled school construction projects. Last month, the state said it will borrow $500 million for the state Schools Development Authority to start building again. "We are excited about the governor’s continued support of this program," said Marc Larkins, the new head of the authority. "The authority is committed to providing safe, modern schools for our students while devoting ourselves to the highest standards of accountability and efficiency." However, authority officials said they still have no timetable for when districts will hear whether they will get funding to build their new schools. The authority will work with the state Department of Education to determine which projects will get funding once the money starts arriving. They have plenty from which to choose. There are 50 school construction projects in various stages of development and another 12 under construction, Schools Development Authority officials said. The authority also has a list of 134 emergency repair projects addressing Health and safety problems in schools across the state and an additional 1,004 ongoing grant projects in suburban districts.

-- Staff Writers

High Lead Levels Hurt Learning for Detroit Public Schools Kids

-- Detroit Free Press Michigan: May 15, 2010 [ abstract]

More than half of the students tested in Detroit Public Schools have a history of lead poisoning, which affects brain function for life, according to data compiled by city Health and education officials. The data also show, for the first time in Detroit, a link between higher lead levels and poor academic performance. About 60% of DPS students who performed below their grade level on 2008 standardized tests had elevated lead levels. The higher the lead levels, the lower the MEAP scores, though other factors also may play a role. The research -- the result of an unusual collaboration between the city's Department of Health & Wellness Promotion and DPS -- also reveals that children receiving special education were more likely to have lead poisoning. The data, involving tens of thousands of city children, underscore the persistent and troubling legacy of lead, even as the overall number of lead cases continues to fall in Detroit and across the nation.

-- Tina Lam and Kristi Tanner-White

Cincinnati Closing 5 Older Schools To Consolidate Into 2 New Buildings

-- Enquirer Ohio: May 10, 2010 [ abstract]

When Mindy Victor says goodbye to Room 24 in New Burlington Elementary later this month, the sixth-grade teacher will miss few things about the school. She says she won't miss its mismatched and sometimes wobbly chairs and desks. She won't miss how her room gets 20 degrees hotter than others across the hall because it's on the sunny side of the building. "This will be the last time I sweat in my classroom," she said last week, dreaming of her move to one of two new, air-conditioned elementary schools that Mt. Healthy is opening in August. "It's an oxymoron. OK, we're getting smaller, yet we're doubling in size" in each school building, she said. It's the end of an era for at Mt. Healthy, said Judith Ashton, district spokeswoman. The district is transforming into a leaner and environmentally greener district, shuttering five neighborhood elementary schools and opening two, larger elementary schools. The 3,450-student district also is opening a combined junior and senior high school in January. "We've had declining enrollment, but make no mistake," Superintendent David Horine said, "This is being driven by economic efficiency." Mt. Healthy will save $1.5 million to $1.8 million a year from its $35 million annual budget by operating fewer, newer schools, he said. It is happening all across the Cincinnati region: some suburban school districts are closing old, neighborhood elementary schools and opening newer district-wide buildings. School leaders hope that fewer, "greener" schools will save millions of dollars in energy, staff and operational costs. Many transforming districts are using state dollars paired with local bond issues. Here are some examples: Three Rivers voters last week approved a plan to close all four of its schools by fall 2013, when a new, single school will open to serve kindergarten-through-12th-grade on one campus on Cooper Road in Cleves. About 40 percent of the project's $62 million cost will come from the Ohio School Facilities Commission.

-- Denise Smith Amos

More School Building Projects Going Green

-- Washington Examiner National: May 09, 2010 [ abstract]

Whether it's making them more energy efficient, bringing more natural light into the building or improving the quality of the indoor air, sustainable schools are growing in popularity. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, there are 1,330 school projects nationwide that have sought Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, and 156 of them have been certified so far. Part of the go-green movement means carefully selecting the materials that are used in the project, said Steven Turckes, a principal of architectural design firm Perkins and Will. "We do not use materials that have polyvinyl chloride, or other toxins that are unHealthy when they off-gas into the environment," Turckes said. Going green is starting to become more financially viable. With better cooperation between the sustainable school builders and the green material providers, Turckes said, the builders can now offer more competitive prices. In some cases, he said, a sustainable school building might now cost only 3 percent more than a regular building. Some of the considerations and methods of sustainable school builders, aimed at more efficient energy use and higher comfort levels: aligning the orientation of the building to avoid the late afternoon sun heating up the classrooms more than is desired; making complicated calculations of the angle of the sunlight entering the building;installing shading devices such as horizontal light shelves that block direct light from coming in but also bounce more light inside, cutting down on the glare coming off computer screens.

-- Hristina Ninova

Senate Indian Affairs Committee to Hold Hearing on Safety Issues at BIA Schools.

-- Haskell News Bureau of Indian Education: May 05, 2010 [ abstract]

U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-NM, announced that the Senate Indian Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on the massive Health and safety deficiencies uncovered at Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools. Udall requested the hearing several months ago as part of his proposal to develop a "Marshall Plan" to eliminate the backlog in construction and maintenance of facilities that impact all parts of life in Indian Country - and ensure the safety of all Native children attending BIA schools. Currently, many schools within the BIA system have serious structural deficiencies, are not handicapped accessible, and are in violation of building and fire codes.

-- Staff Writer

Following Earthquake, California Announces $960.7 Million Funding for School Construction Projects

-- AzoBuilding California: May 03, 2010 [ abstract]

At its monthly meeting the State Allocation Board also approved the funding of a $4.5 million school modernization project at the Calexico High School as part of the state’s effort to help school districts impacted by the recent earthquake in Imperial County. The Calexico project was financed as a result of new funding now available to school districts statewide due to recent bond sales by the Treasurer’s Office. Given the emergency state of affairs in that area due to the recent earthquake, the Office of Public School Construction, the state agency that handles applications for state funding from school districts, expedited the fund release request for the Calexico High School project. The local district will receive the cash transaction in a few days rather than the more typical four week process. Funding the Calexico project, which had been previously approved but was on a list of projects awaiting funding, was part of a series of actions recommended by the State Allocation Board. At the same meeting, in addition to apportioning funds to many statewide projects, the Board agreed to consider neighboring San Pasqual Valley School District’s three approved projects for funding acceleration based on Health & safety reasons, and offered relocatable (modular) classrooms and help in working with Federal Emergency Management Agency programs to local school districts in Imperial, Riverside, and San Diego counties that were affected by the recent Baja earthquake. The Office of Public School Construction worked closely with the Division of the State Architect and the California Emergency Management Agency to quickly analyze the structural damage to schools in the region in the days following the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that was centered in Baja California on April 4, 2010. On April 5, 2010, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a State of Emergency in Imperial County and signed Executive Order S-06-10 �" a preliminary step in securing federal disaster funding.

-- Staff Writer

Ohio school District Looks for Livable Levy Strategy To Take Advantage of QSCBs and BABs

-- Sandusky Register Ohio: May 03, 2010 [ abstract]

Although Perkins Schools' finances look good for the near term, voters can expect to see a levy on the ballot in November as the district prepares to overhaul its facilities. The levy, however, won't be the traditional construction bond issue. School officials want to try an unusual way to raise money for construction, maintain a Healthy general fund balance and retire a permanent improvement levy all at the same time. It will cost tens of millions of dollars to redo the stadium and build three schools and a community arts and recreation center. The architecture firm guiding the planning process drafted a $102 million wish list based on community input. Even a more modest project of perhaps $70 million would make a bond issue prohibitive, superintendent Jim Gunner said. The district would also need a new operating levy in a few years, plus several renewals of various levies in the next decade, all while residents are still paying the bond levy. Gunner and the school board hope to avoid voter fatigue by shifting millage among funds and winning approval of an operating levy in November. The whole plan rests on that levy. Perkins has to go for the operating levy to take advantage of Qualified School Construction Bonds and Build America Bonds, federal programs that run out this year and are unlikely to be renewed if the economy continues to improve. If the district can borrow through those low-interest programs, Gunner said, it could save many millions of dollars in interest.

-- Susan McMillan

New Jersey to Finance School Construction With $500 Million Build America Bonds

-- New Jersey Newsroom New Jersey: April 15, 2010 [ abstract]

School construction projects in New Jersey will soon begin to receive funding following approval for the sale of $500 million in new bonds by the directors of the state Economic Development Authority, Gov. Chris Christie announced. The state Schools Development Authority (SDA) will work with the state Department of Education to determine which school construction and improvement projects will receive funding from the bond sale, the governor said. The SDA currently has a portfolio of 1,054 ongoing projects in various developmental phases, another 12 projects are under construction and 134 other projects are addressing Health-and-safety issues across the state. The SDA covers at least 40 percent of costs for projects in non-Abbott districts (the stateâ€˜s 31 poorest districts), addressing Health and safety issues, student overcrowding and other critical needs. The school districts fund the remainder. "It is important for these school projects to move forward with state financial support," Christie said. "My administration is committed to providing exemplary educational facilities for our students in all school districts across New Jersey. The sale of these bonds is a fiscally responsible way to continue to address the school-construction needs of New Jersey's public schools." SDA Chief Executive Officer Marc D. Larkins added, "Today's action by the EDA Board will allow the SDA to continue its core mission of building and improving educational facilities. We are committed to ensuring the efficient use of tax dollars toward these projects, which will create much needed jobs and assist school districts in need during this difficult financial period." The state will sell taxable Build America Bonds for the school construction program, receiving a federal subsidy equal to 35 percent of interest payments. The construction program has provided more than 3,000 grants totaling more than $2.3 billion. Including contributions from local school districts, these grants have leveraged projects estimated to total of $7.4 billion. Since its 2001 inception, the state's school construction program has completed 618 projects. In addition to building 54 new schools, the program has helped fund 44 additions, renovations and/or rehabilitations, and more than 500 other projects.

-- TOM HESTER SR

Wake County, North Carolina To Review Costs of Green School Building Efforts

-- News & Observer North Carolina: April 14, 2010 [ abstract]

Wake County's environmentally green schools may be costing too much financial green for members of the school board's new ruling majority to keep in building plans. Chris Malone, chairman of the board's facilities committee, called for a financial review of Wake's green building efforts, which have led to features such as waterless urinals, natural lighting and recycled building material. Malone said these features can increase costs by as much as 5 percent and may no longer be justifiable when cash-strapped school leaders will need to ask voters in the next few years to approve a school bond referendum for hundreds of millions of dollars. "If we want a bond issue approved, we have to show voters we're saving dollars," said Malone, one of four newcomers swept into office in the fall. But supporters of green schools said abandoning these efforts would be shortsighted. Green-school features are supposed to save money in the long haul, with lower electric and water bills because of greater efficiency. "I understand that these are hard economic times, but the costs will ultimately come back to the taxpayers," said Bae-Won Koh, chairman of the Triangle chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. "They'll have to pay more later." Wake County voters last approved a school bond issue in 2006 for a record $970 million. Plans for a follow-up bond issue have been delayed because of the national recession. With the possibility of a bond issue going to voters in 2011 or 2012, Malone said Tuesday that it's time to spend the next few months considering the planning assumptions that will be used for the next school building program. Among the areas targeted for review by Malone are Wake's long-standing efforts to design schools to be in compliance with the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The U.S. Green Building Council says LEED building standards can substantially reduce the emission of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. More than 1,100 schools have registered across the country for the LEED program. Malone's call for a review occurs a week before Earth Day and at a time when global warming is a hot topic. Malone said he believes that man is causing the climate to change but thinks it uncertain whether humans are the major reason. Wake school administrators have noted that waterless urinals reduce water use by 20 percent and that designing buildings to use more natural lighting instead of electric lights can cut energy use by 20 percent to 30 percent. Doug Brinkley, past chairman of the Triangle chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, also touted how green schools can help improve student learning by ensuring good air quality. Schools can use paints that don't release as many chemicals into the air that can irritate people. "It's more than just about saving money; it's about the Health of those inside," Brinkley said.

-- T. Keung Hui

School Construction and Modernization Bond Allocations for 2010 Announced

-- Thompson National: April 01, 2010 [ abstract]

The U.S. Treasury allocated $11 billion in bonding authority for 2010 school construction projects among states and large educational agencies, courtesy of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico and the outlying areas will share $6.6 billion in authority to issue nearly tax-free Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs), which can finance the construction, rehabilitation or repair of public school facilities or buy land for a new school. The remaining $4.4 billion in QSCB authority is split among 103 large local educational agencies (LEAs) based on their relative shares of Title I funds, the U.S. departments of Treasury and Education announced earlier this week. Another $1.4 billion in ARRA-provided authority was issued under the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABs) program, a more restrictive program that supports school renovation, equipment, course material development and teacher training. To qualify for QZABs, schools must be located in certain designated economic development zones, have received a 10 percent match from a private business and have at least 35 percent of students qualifying for free and reduced-price lunch. The National School Boards Association (NSBA), in a statement praising the two programs, said several school districts have tapped these authorities for school modernization, including the Baltimore City Public School system, which is using $50 million in bond proceeds to install energy efficient upgrades, add equipment and update labs. Maryville City Schools in Tennessee, NSBA said, is using more than $20 billion in bond proceeds for a new intermediate school for students in grades four through six. "Federal stimulus funding for school construction bonds is helping school districts throughout the nation address infrastructure needs that may otherwise be postponed because of local and state fiscal conditions," said Anne Bryant, NSBA's executive director, in a statement. "New funding resources for school repairs and construction are vital to making sure that school districts can provide Healthy and modern learning environments for our students."

-- Erika Fitzpatrick

Jackson, Mississippi Metro Schools Eligible for Stimulus Bonds

-- Clarion Ledger Mississippi: March 29, 2010 [ abstract]

At least three metro-Jackson school districts will be in line for a share of $134 million in federal bonds that can be used for school improvements and construction. The bonds amount to interest-free loans. The money must be repaid. The U.S. departments of Education and Treasury recently announced $11 billion for the second round of Qualified School Construction Bonds. More than $134 million in bonds has been allocated to Mississippi this year. Last year, it was $132 million. Clinton and Canton district officials each requested $3 million in federal Qualified School Construction Bonds last year but were not allocated any bonds and automatically are in the running for this next round. The first priority will be school districts that applied last year but did not receive an allocation, said Shane McNeill, director of the Office of Healthy Schools at the state Department of Education. At least 33 districts fall into that category, according to the Education Department. Clinton schools' allocation, if approved, would be used for renovations at Clinton Junior High and Sumner Hill Junior High schools, Sandy Halliwell, the district's finance director, said in an e-mail. Jackson Public Schools and Madison County schools, the only metro-area districts to receive bonds last year, would be the last to be considered for funds this year. JPS still has not used all of more than $15.43 million made available to the district last year. JPS was among those chosen for the first round of funding, $4.4 billion, under this program because they have the largest number of 5- to 17-year-olds who qualify for free or reduced lunches, a federal poverty indicator. JPS claimed $7 million last year. That money will be used toward building a school that will combine Barr and Poindexter elementaries, said Michael Thomas, JPS' assistant superintendent for operations. District officials have until December to claim the remaining funds or lose them, Thomas said. "School environments play a critical role in providing opportunities for children to be successful," McNeill said. Cash-strapped school districts can request the bonds for construction, rehabilitation and repair of school buildings or to buy land for school construction. Districts can request between $200,000 and $3 million, which will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, McNeill said. Aside from including a plan on how they would use the bonds, applicants must show they could repay the amount. Madison last year received the requested $3 million. The district will use that, along with proceeds from the 2009 bond issue, to renovate Rosa Scott School, said Debbie Jones, finance director for the district. The district is revamping the school's administrative area, adding classrooms and relieving crowding in the cafeteria. "We were very fortunate to get it in the first round of monies that were allocated," Jones said.

-- Marquita Brown

Obama Inks Economic Stimulus Plan

-- Education Government Grants National: March 26, 2010 [ abstract]

President Barack Obama has finally signed into law the $787 billion stimulus plan or what is now officially known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. After months of speculations, arguments and frustrations over the economic stimulus package, people are now eager for it to be put into action. The newly passed bill aims to provide a stimulus to the U. S. economy in the wake of the economic downturn brought about by the subprime mortgage crisis and the resulting credit crunch. So whatâ€™s in it for the average man in crisis? As part of Obamaâ€™s agenda, the stimulus plan includes an income tax cut for most Americans earning less than $200,000 a year. Under the plan, individuals would receive up to $500 and families up to $1,000 through a cut in payroll taxes on the first $8,100 in income. It also plans to act on Obamaâ€™s agenda on modernizing the economy, Health care and education â€” while creating jobs.

-- Staff Writer

Colorado Public Schools Need $18 billion in Construction and Maintenance, Report Finds

-- Denver Post Colorado: March 11, 2010 [ abstract]

Colorado's 8,419 public-school buildings need almost $18 billion worth of construction work, energy upgrades and overall maintenance, according to a statewide facilities assessment. Teams of evaluators last year examined every kindergarten through 12th-grade public-school building in Colorado, looking at energy use, overall condition and whether current or future educational needs were being met. The assessment was commissioned by the state's Public School Capital Construction Assistance Board to help decide how to allocate grant money from the Building Excellent Schools Today Act â€” a fund that directs money from the state's School Trust Lands to school renovation. State Treasurer Cary Kennedy, who manages the land-trust fund, called the findings "striking." "What this demonstrates is that the Health and safety risks for kids in Colorado schools are even higher than we originally thought," she said in a news release. The assessment examined the ages of roofs, condition of buildings, effectiveness of utility systems and even air and water quality. Overall, the current and forecast needs for schools through 2013 calls for $17.9 billion in work, including $9.4 billion for deferred maintenance, $4.5 billion to modify schools for 21st-century classrooms and $19 million in energy repairs. The assessment did not figure in capital construction projects underway. Last summer, $87 million in BEST act money went to replace two elementary schools in Alamosa, schools in the Sangre de Cristo district and a high school in Sargent. The next installment of BEST funds is expected to be released in the next few days and will amount to more than $147 million available for school construction needs.

-- Jeremy P. Meyer

L.A.'s Green Schools: Propane Buses, Solar Panels and Environmental Education

-- Los Angeles Times Greenspace Blog California: March 08, 2010 [ abstract]

What with budget cuts, teacher layoffs and increasing class sizes, the situation at L.A. Unified School District is grim. But there’s yet another issue. With 14,000 buildings housing 700,000 students spread over 710 square miles serviced by 1,300 school buses, the district is one of the largest users of water and energy in the state of California. Now an ambitious sustainability program has been implemented to reduce the district’s environmental impact and, in the process, save money, improve student performance and serve as a hands-on teaching tool. In March, hundreds of decades-old buses will be upgraded to less-polluting, more-energy-efficient propane models. Eight schools, out of a planned 250, will have solar power installed. Still others will be outfitted with "smart" irrigation systems to reduce the millions of gallons of imported water the district guzzles each day, more than half of which is used for outdoor watering. Building on a 2005 recycling initiative, LAUSD is striving to slash greenhouse-gas emissions, energy use and water use by 10% from 2007 levels by 2013. It also will install 50 megawatts of solar photovoltaics �" a move that could save the district more than $20 million annually on an electricity bill that normally runs $85 million. So far, most of the changes have been funded with voter-approved state bond measures, utility incentives from Southern California Edison and the L.A. Department of Water and Power and grants from such agencies as the Air Quality Management District. An additional $120 million in federal Clean Renewable Energy Bonds also may be available to the LAUSD to help it go solar. The 44 campuses the district plans to build by 2013 will be designed to comply with water and energy efficiency standards of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, which also encourages better classroom acoustics, air quality, mold prevention and natural lighting. "People think of the whole green issue as focusing on energy, but it’s actually only one-fifth energy. It’s also focused on air quality, land use and human comfort," said Vivian Loftness, professor of architecture at Carnegie Mellon University and co-chair of a 2008 National Research Council report on green schools. "There’s a much broader set of issues." For the green schools study, a 5-person panel of medical doctors, school officials and building experts looked at research linking green schools to Health and student performance. It found that many green building practices aided learning. Insulated walls and double-paned windows don’t just save energy, they also reduce noise pollution. Increasing natural light in classrooms doesn’t just save electricity, it triggers melatonin production, which leads to Healthy sleep cycles, and it makes textbooks and other materials more colorful and compelling to students, Loftness said. Using non-VOC paints reduces respiratory problems such as asthma �" the No. 1 cause of absenteeism in schools.

-- Susan Carpenter

Nebraska State Senators Tout Building High Performance Green Schools

-- Beatrice Daily Sun Nebraska: February 17, 2010 [ abstract]

When it comes to producing high performance students, Sen. Ken Haar said it begins with creating high performance schools. Haar, the author of LB 1096, an act for schools to adopt the High Performance Schools Initiative, said one of the jobs of the Legislature is to educate the citizens. The High Performance School Act would allow schools to become more energy efficient and utilize a more natural environment - saving tax dollars through eliminating energy and water costs and creating a better environment for education. “High performance school buildings produce high performance kids,” Haar repeated. “It’s not about buildings, it’s about students and teachers. In high performance buildings, or green buildings as some people sometimes say it, you see students performing better on test scores, there is less absenteeism, and there are Healthier and happier students.” “High performance buildings save energy immediately, water immediately and taxes over time,” Haar said. Schools who choose to become high performance buildings also create jobs, the senator said. “You can’t outsource construction or retrofitting,” Haar said. “It creates local jobs and uses local supplies from local suppliers and loans from local banks.”

-- Chris Dunker,

Green Schools Resolution Advances in Utah

-- Salt Lake Tribune Utah: February 16, 2010 [ abstract]

A joint resolution that would encourage the state Board of Education and Utah's school districts to build environmentally friendly and energy-efficient schools narrowly passed out of the House Government Operations committee on a 5-3 vote. Rep. Mark Wheatley, D-Murray, is sponsoring HJR20 to provide "more than just a gentle nudge" for school planners to consider having new construction meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. By doing so, Wheatley said construction costs could increase 2 to 3 percent but annual energy savings would add up to about $100,000 per year -- which equates to pay for two starting teachers, 5,000 new books or 200 computers. In addition to overall cost savings, the new buildings would be better ventilated and therefore reduce the incidence of asthma, allergies and colds in students and teachers. Susan Kuziak, of the Utah Education Association, spoke in support of HJR20. "There are buildings, older and some newer ones, where you get what's called sick-building syndrome," Kuziak said. "A good, Healthy environment is important to quality education." While resolutions do not carry the weight of law, Kuziak urged HJR20 to pass "to encourage people to try to accomplish better things." The resolution cleared the committee with three lawmakers voting against it. HJR20 now advances to the House floor for further discussion.

-- Cathy McKitrick

Kids at schools close to busy roads breathe more pollution

-- Salt Lake Tribune Utah: February 10, 2010 [ abstract]

Most Salt Lake County kids attend school in areas that aren't terribly close to major roadways. But the 7 percent who do are more exposed to the pollutants linked to asthma, heart problems and a host of other maladies associated with dirty air, says a new study from the University of Utah. "There's an adverse outcome for kids who go to these schools and play in these schoolyards" close to busy roads, said William M. McDonnell of the University of Utah. McDonnell, a professor in the U.'s schools of law and medicine, shared the results of the study. Along with co-authors Phoebe B. McNeally of the geography department and Sean D. Firth of the pediatrics department, he previewed a presentation they will give in April at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's first-ever symposium on environmental justice. The trio emphasized that their findings really raise more questions than they answer. "We haven't assigned any particular risk to any particular school," he noted, explaining that the potential Health impacts can be inferred from a growing body of air-pollution studies.

-- Judy Fahys

EPA’s Budget Proposal Seeks Efficiencies, Increased Environmental Protection

-- EPA National: February 01, 2010 [ abstract]

The Obama Administration today proposed a budget of $10 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This budget heeds the president’s call to streamline and find efficiencies in the agency’s operations while supporting the seven priority areas EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson outlined to guide EPA’s work. “To meet our environmental challenges and ensure fiscal responsibility, we’re proposing targeted investments in core priorities. This budget cuts spending while promoting clean air, land and water, growing the green economy and strengthening enforcement,” said Administrator Jackson. ”The president’s budget is focused on creating the conditions that help American families, communities and small businesses thrive. Clean air, clear water and green jobs are rebuilding the foundations for prosperity in communities across the country.” Budget Highlights: Cleaning up communities: This budget includes $1.3 billion to address Superfund sites that may be releasing harmful or toxic substances into the surrounding community. Cleaning up these sites improves communities’ Health and allows for these properties to be used for economic development. In addition, $215 million is provided to clean up abandoned or underused industrial and commercial sites that are available for alternative uses but where redevelopment may be complicated by the presence of environmental contaminants. Revitalizing these once productive properties, known as brownfields, helps communities by removing blight, satisfying the growing demand for land, and enabling economic development. EPA will focus its efforts on area-wide planning and cleanups, especially in under-served and economically disadvantaged communities. Assuring the Safety of Chemicals: This budget calls for $56 million for chemical assessment and risk review to ensure that no unreasonable risks are posed by new or existing chemicals. This budget also invests $29 million (including $15 million in grants funding) in the continuing effort to eliminate childhood lead poisoning, and $6 million to support national efforts to mitigate exposure to high-risk legacy chemicals, such as mercury and asbestos.

-- EPA Staff

Kentucky House Votes To Create Green Schools Caucus

-- Kentucky Post Alabama: January 26, 2010 [ abstract]

The Kentucky House voted to create a General Assembly Green Schools Caucus that will support Healthy, environmentally-friendly schools statewide. The Green Schools Caucus, created by the passage of House Resolution 24, will encourage the construction of more "green schools" -- energy efficient, water efficient, environmentally-sustainable schools designed to improve learning and save school districts money. Currently there are three green schools under construction in the state: two in Warren County and one in Kenton County. HR 24 co-sponsors Reps. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville, and Jim DeCesare, R-Bowling Green, proposed the creation of the Green Schools Caucus after traveling to Washington, D.C. to learn more about the green school concept. The Health and learning benefits soon became clear, Marzian told fellow lawmakers before today’s floor vote. "Our teachers do such a wonderful job educating our children but, as you know, our buildings and our school buildings sometimes are quite lacking," said Marzian. "There has been data collected that kids who go to green schools have less absences for asthma. They make better grades, they do better in school, and our teachers have better attendance." DeCesare, who represents part of Warren County, said green school technology is a good investment. "For a one percent investment on the front end of a green school, you get that back ten times," DeCesare said. "Learning is better when you are in a green school." House Majority Leader Rocky Adkins said Kentucky is a leader in green schools construction and renovation, adding "it’s amazing what’s taken place in the area of energy efficiency and conservation." The three green schools now being built in Western and Northern Kentucky will be among the nation’s first "energy net-zero" public schools, according to HR 24.

-- Jessica Noll

EPA Vows To Do All it Can for School's Air

-- USA Today National: January 21, 2010 [ abstract]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pledged Thursday to "use all the tools at our disposal" to reduce high levels of a toxic chemical that continues to permeate the air outside an elementary school in Marietta, Ohio. The chemical, manganese, can affect children in much the same way as lead. Government scientists have concluded that long-term exposure can cause mental disabilities and emotional problems. The EPA plans to release data that show high levels of manganese outside a cluster of schools in and near Marietta. One air sample â€” taken Oct. 22, 2009, outside Warren Elementary â€” shows manganese levels that were 23 times above what the EPA considers safe for long-term exposure. "That is pretty remarkable," said Stephen Lester, science director for the Center for Health, Environment & Justice, a Virginia-based advocacy group that focuses on children and schools. Two other schools, including Neale Elementary in Vienna, W.Va., just across the Ohio River from Marietta, also appear affected. One reading at Neale was five times higher than what is considered safe for long-term exposure. Breathing high levels of manganese for extended periods can cause "irreversible damage," Lester said. He worried that the readings might represent "just the tip of the iceberg. How many other chemicals are these kids exposed to?" he asked. "It's not just manganese alone that you worry about. It's the combined effect of all these chemicals on the central nervous system." EPA spokesman Brendan Gilfillan said the agency plans to investigate the source of the manganese in Marietta. According to data collected by the EPA, several companies in Marietta reported releasing manganese into the air in 2008, the most recent year for which complete records were available. One, Eramet Marietta, reported releasing 240,000 pounds of manganese into the air that year. Marietta has been the subject of air quality studies since 2000. In July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said one of its studies had found elevated levels of manganese and other toxic chemicals in the air at several locations. The EPA renewed its interest in the area last year, when it launched a $2.25 million program to monitor the air outside 63 schools in 22 states. It included among the 63 schools two in Marietta â€” Warren Elementary and the Ohio Valley Education Service Center. The EPA's air monitoring program came in response to a USA TODAY investigation that identified hundreds of schools where chemicals appear to saturate the air. Gilfillan said the agency has finished testing the air outside 54 of the 63 schools and expects to issue reports on each school by this fall.

-- Blake Morrison and Brad Heath

Code Violations Found in Manhattan Schools

-- New York Times New York: January 20, 2010 [ abstract]

More than one third of Manhattan’s public school buildings have hazardous code violations, including many that have gone unresolved for years, threatening the safety of children and teachers, according to a report by the Manhattan borough president’s office. The report, to be released Thursday, offers a cutting assessment of the New York City Buildings Department, the much-maligned agency responsible for building safety, which has been stung by charges of corruption, mismanagement and inefficiency. In addition to the backlog at schools, the study found open violations at the borough’s public hospitals and estimated that nearly a third of all buildings in Manhattan have at least one open violation classified as “hazardous” or “Class 1,” meaning they pose a “threat that severely affects life, Health, safety, property, public interest or persons so as to warrant immediate corrective action.” Even if the problem has been corrected, a violation can still be listed as open if the fine has not been paid or if the necessary paperwork has not been filed. Using a random sample of more than 2,200 violations, the researchers found that infractions classified as Class 1 or hazardous had been open an average of 1,829 days �" nearly five years. The sample also estimated that building owners owe the city $60 million in uncollected penalties. “I would classify this as a crisis that is happening right before our eyes,” said Scott M. Stringer, the Manhattan borough president. “You have a quarter of a million open violations. You can’t trust the system because there’s no transparency or accountability.”

-- RAY RIVERA

Paying for repairs a top priority of special Scotts Valley Schools meeting tonight

-- Santa Cruz Sentinel California: January 19, 2010 [ abstract]

Amateur photographer Kristen Schmitt, 16, saw a thousand words in a contest picture she took of a window at Scotts Valley Middle School in September 2009. Her photo of a window sash, 70 years old, and buried under layers of cracked and peeling paint, describes much of the wear and tear she said she's seen in Scotts Valley Unified School District buildings. Tonight, the Scotts Valley Unified School District is holding a special board meeting, open to the public. Since a $55 million facilities bond measure that would have replaced the middle school failed in 2008, district officials have been meeting to gather information on what in the 2,700 student district needs to be fixed and how to pay for it. The results will be revealed at the meeting. A similar bond measure failed in 2002, and board member Allison Niday said replacing the middle school would run in the $20 million range. The window is just one drop in a sea of needed repairs, said Schmitt. "It actually has layers of paint. The way they maintain the school is to keep covering the cracks. But it didn't work," said Schmitt of the window. She's now a junior at Scotts Valley High School and the photo appears in Through Your Lens, a pictoral essay on crumbling school infrastructure and its impact on the lessons being taught inside. The book was sponsored by education advocates the 21st Century School Fund, Critical Exposure and Healthy Schools Campaign.

-- Megha Satyanarayana

Philadelphia Area Districts Ponder Using $460 Million School Construction Bonds

-- Inquirer Pennsylvania: January 09, 2010 [ abstract]

Philadelphia and 20 other school districts in the area are eligible to use more than $460 million in special low-interest bonds to help pay for renovation and construction projects under federal stimulus spending. The funds would be restricted to projects that would increase energy efficiency, create or renovate space for preschool or kindergarten programs, or reduce class size in the lower grades. The money also could be used for projects that foster science, technology, and engineering, or that correct Health and safety deficiencies. Officials at the Philadelphia School District and several other districts said they were considering the program, which has an April 1 application deadline. Only districts with the highest tax and poverty rates and those with rapid population growth over the last five years can apply. Statewide, 110 districts are eligible. Philadelphia could use up to $147 million in bonds; the others would share $316 million. In late December, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued guidelines for obtaining the bonds. The money must be spent within three years of being received. Roughly the same amount in low-interest bonds will also be available next school year; there will be a separate award process for those bonds. A part of last year's stimulus act, the program, called Qualified School Construction Bonds, allows school districts to receive up to $11.2 billion nationwide in below-market-rate bonds. Districts would pay interest rates from zero to 1.5 percent, plus some costs. They would also have to repay the principal. Michael Masch, chief financial officer for the Philadelphia district, said that the district has 320 buildings averaging 62 years old and that the district would not have trouble finding uses for the funds. "The problem is choosing among them and figuring out what is the most we can afford to do at any one time," he said. Masch said that the district typically would take out 30-year construction bonds, but that these bonds would have to be paid back in 15 years. "We will do what is the least expensive," he added. "This gives us more options." The Norristown Area School District said it was considering the bonds to help underwrite replacing the high school's heating and air-conditioning systems and Stewart Middle School's roof and windows. The combined cost, said Chief Financial Officer Anne Marie Rohricht, would be more than $20 million. A typical bond for that kind of work would run the district about 4 percent over 20 years, she said, so "this is a unique opportunity to save a considerable amount of money." In Delaware County's William Penn School District, a $12 million to $15 million renovation project at Ardmore Avenue Elementary School in Lansdowne has been under consideration for some time. "The timing for this is perfect," said the chief operating officer, Joseph Otto. Also, the Southeast Delco School District is exploring using the bonds to finance a portion of the proposed renovation of Academy Park High School, said Superintendent Stephen Butz. In Chester County's Great Valley School District, bonds could go to finance several small projects for a total of less than $5 million, including the renovation of the district administration building and the installation of solar panels at the middle school, said the business manager, Chuck Linderman. In both Delaware County's Upper Darby district and Montgomery County's Pottstown district, the bonds could be used for school renovation or construction projects that are under consideration if school boards there decided to go with them in the near future. "These bonds would be ideal for us," said Superintendent Lou DeVlieger, "should we decide to expand."

-- Dan Hardy

Renewable Energy Education Federal Funded

-- Get Sun Panel National: December 09, 2009 [ abstract]

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-- Admin

Ohio Schools Say They'll Stay True to School Safety Law Repealed by Budget Bill

-- Marion Star Ohio: December 05, 2009 [ abstract]

Local school administrators are vowing to remain true to the principles of Jarod's Law, a state school safety law repealed as part of the state budget bill.That doesn't mean they'll miss it. The law was passed in 2005, two years after a tragic accident in Lebanon, where a 6-year-old first grader died when a cafeteria table fell on him. Legislators spurred by the tragedy proposed a law that required local boards of Health to inspect schools annually for Health and safety dangers. An advisory committee spent 18 months writing up comprehensive sanitary and safety guidelines ranging from inspecting equipment such as tables, bleachers and playgrounds to scheduling radon testing. "The intent behind Jarod's Law was absolutely good," River Valley Local Schools Superintendent Tom Shade said. "It was a tragic incident. "There probably was some overarching." Similar sentiment was expressed to legislators as some schools complained about the costs associated with replacing equipment that didn't meet the law's standards and the employee hours spent ensuring compliance. The law was repealed as part of the 3,120-page state budget bill passed in August. Tom Raga, a former state representative who had sponsored the original legislation, said Jarod's Law could have been revised instead of eliminated. "That put us back to square one, where the school districts have no state oversight to make sure they're not deferring maintenance and creating situations that are unsafe for our schoolchildren." If nothing else, Raga said, Jarod's Law changed the mindset of schools when it comes to safety.

-- Kurt Moore,

FACTS fees to remain the same

-- azdailysun.com Arizona: November 19, 2009 [ abstract]

Fees for a locally run low-cost child care program -- with art, drumming, snacks and homework help -- are not proposed to increase after all, following a decision from the state not to implement a large licensing fee hike. Parents using FACTS (Families and Communities Teaming for Students), a Flagstaff Unified School District and city-funded program, will continue paying $3 per hour for one child or $5 per hour for two. The program pays $150 for three years of licensing required to operate each of its 12 elementary school facilities, which serve 1,200 kids from kindergarten through sixth grade. In a move to save money, state lawmakers earlier this year directed the Arizona Department of Health Services to make its inspections and regulations self-sufficient. To comply, state Health chief Will Humble proposed a tiered structure starting at $351 for the smallest centers -- those with no more than 10 children -- to more than $13,000 for those operations with at least 150 children. However, Humble agreed Monday to partially curtail the sharp hike in licensing fees he had proposed for child care facilities as long as those facilities adopt a 10-point plan he said will promote Healthier children.

-- Staff Writer

Comparing House and Senate School Facilities Programs in the Student Loan Bill

-- Ed Money Watch Blog National: November 17, 2009 [ abstract]

In July we analyzed funding for K-12 school facilities in the student loan reform bill, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, as passed by the House Education and Labor Committee. The full House passed the bill in September and preserved the $2.0 billion per year school repair program. Although the Senate has not yet acted on a similar student loan reform bill, a version drafted by the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions Committee was leaked a couple of months ago. The leaked bill suggests the Senate is headed in a different direction than the House when it comes to funding school facilities construction. Both of these pieces of legislation provide a glimpse into the federal government's first major foray into directly funding K-12 school facilities and neither propose an insignificant amount of money. The most striking difference between the two versions is that the House includes a two-year, formula-based investment in K-12 school facilities, and the Senate bill creates a five year competitive program for K-12 school repair, renovation, and construction. The House bill distributes funds for repair, renovation, and modernization among states and school districts according to each state and district's share of total federal Title I dollars. This means that every school district in the nation that receives Title I funds will receive some share of its state's school facilities funds after the state withholds up to 1 percent for administrative purposes. Unfortunately, the House bill spreads just over $2.0 billion in each year over more than 13,000 eligible school districts. In the end, it's likely to amount to a drop in the bucket relative to the total expense of modernizing schools. Additionally, the House bill prohibits spending on new school construction, with the exception of $30 million each year for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The leaked version of the Senate bill, however, avoids the danger of spreading the funds too thin by creating a competitive program administrated by the states but funded by the federal government. Essentially, the program distributes $500 million each year from 2010 to 2014 to states according to their share of Title I funds, much like the House program. However, once states receive their funds, they must create a competitive grant program through which they will award funds to selected school districts and charter schools within the state. [Includes side-by-side comparison chart and more analysis.]

-- Jennifer Cohen

School Facing Loss Of Accreditation If Repairs Are Not Made

-- WCSH6-TV Maine: October 26, 2009 [ abstract]

Lake Region High School is in jeopardy of losing its' accreditation if major repairs on the facility are not made soon. The building was designed to accommodate about 400 students when it opened over 40 years ago. Today, the school has about 625 students enrolled. "The library is very, very crowded. It is simply inadequate for the numbers of kids. The cafeteria is very, very crowded," said Lakes Region Principal Roger Lowell. "We have some Health and safety issues. We have a lot of crowding issues and if we want to maintain our accreditation we have got to spend some money on this building."

-- Tim Goff

Data Shows a Possible Wide-spread Presence of PCBs in Brooklyn Schools

-- YourNabe.com New York: October 19, 2009 [ abstract]

Recently obtained School Construction Authority (SCA) data reveals that between 2008 and now, over 30 recently-renovated Brooklyn schools contained high levels of PCBs, a toxic chemical compound that was banned in 1978. This data was obtained from the SCA by the New York Lawyers for Public Interest (NYLPI), the organization representing Naomi Gonzalez, a Bronx mother who is suing the SCA and Department of Education (DOE) for not removing PCBs from her daughter’s school. According to SCA data, many Brooklyn schools contained PCB concentration levels far above 50 parts per million.The Environmental Protection Agency has determined that PCB concentrations above 50 ppm present an unreasonable risk to human Health.

-- Hashim Rahman

Garden City Schools 2009 School Investment Bond - A Closer Look

-- Garden City News Online New York: October 02, 2009 [ abstract]

Garden City residents will go to the polls on Tuesday, October 27th to vote on a $36.5 million School Investment Bond. The school district is offering a variety of ways for voters to learn about the bond - from community meetings and building tours to a video of building conditions. If approved, at its peak in 2014-2015, the bond will cost the average assessed homeowner 71 cents per day. The bond proposal includes renovations to meet present-day Health and safety code requirements as well as projects to reclaim and add learning space for academic program growth. The final list of projects, which impacts all nine district buildings, was reviewed, revised and recommended by a Facilities Committee that included community members who have worked tirelessly during the past two years to put forth the most conservative and cost-effective plan.

-- Garden City School District

Drinking Water Unsafe at Thousands of Schools

-- MSNBC.com National: September 24, 2009 [ abstract]

Over the last decade, the drinking water at thousands of schools across the country has been found to contain unsafe levels of lead, pesticides and dozens of other toxins. An Associated Press investigation found that contaminants have surfaced at public and private schools in all 50 states â€” in small towns and inner cities alike. But the problem has gone largely unmonitored by the federal government, even as the number of water safety violations has multiplied. The contamination is most apparent at schools with wells, which represent 8 to 11 percent of the nation's schools. Roughly one of every five schools with its own water supply violated the Safe Drinking Water Act in the past decade, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency analyzed by the AP. In California's farm belt, wells at some schools are so tainted with pesticides that students have taken to stuffing their backpacks with bottled water for fear of getting sick from the drinking fountain. Experts and children's advocates complain that responsibility for drinking water is spread among too many local, state and federal agencies, and that risks are going unreported. Finding a solution, they say, would require a costly new national strategy for monitoring water in schools. Schools with unsafe water represent only a small percentage of the nation's 132,500 schools. And the EPA says the number of violations spiked over the last decade largely because the government has gradually adopted stricter standards for contaminants such as arsenic and some disinfectants.

-- Associated Press

Harding County voters say yes to new school

-- Rapid City Journal South Dakota: September 23, 2009 [ abstract]

Harding County voters overwhelmingly approved a bond issue Tuesday to build a new K-12 school building in Buffalo. “We were very surprised,” said Harding County school district superintendent Ruth Krogh. “We thought it would be close and we were concerned it wouldn’t pass … I am so impressed with the people in this county and the support for their children.” More than 50 percent of the eligible voters in the county cast ballots on the bond issue with 84 percent of those approving it. “It’s very amazing and very rare, I’m finding,” Krogh said, of the voter turnout. The current school building was built in 1938, and feasibility studies estimated it would cost about $7 million to renovate and improve it. “The school has been working for the past three years to get information on what would be better,” she said, renovations or completely rebuilding. Renovating the building would have left other problems including not enough parking, and the building being situated too close to U.S. Highway 85. The district is eligible for $5 million in 2010 in stimulus money for the project. The school district is the most sparsely populated district in the state with 65 miles to the next attendance center. “Some kids drive 25, 30, 40 miles,” Krogh said. The district also includes two rural schools, one in Camp Crook and one in Ludlow. A total of 199 students were enrolled in the district this year. The vote to build the new school came as news of a possible closure of Buffalo’s medical clinic was announced by Regional Health. Buffalo has a population of about 400 people and about 1,400 people live in Harding County. Krogh said the vote speaks to the community’s support for education and commitment to keeping the town viable. “It just shows how supportive this community is,” she said. Blueprints for the new building are expected to be completed during the next four to six months with bids going out in spring or early summer. “We are very excited,” Krogh said. Contact Kayla Gahagan at 394-8410 or kayla.gahagan@rapidcityjournal.com

-- Kayla Gahagan

USGBC Launches National Green Schools Campaign

-- Dexigner National: September 17, 2009 [ abstract]

As school doors across the nation open for the new school year, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is set to launch year three of its National Green Schools Campaign, a broad-based initiative involving policy makers, teachers, parents and students who want to substantially improve the indoor environmental quality of America's schools, along with making them more energy efficient, water efficient and resource efficient. On September 8, USGBC and 11 educational and environmental groups kicked off the Coalition for Green Schools at a meeting featuring remarks by Martha Kanter, Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, about the multiple, but critically important pathways for greening America's schools. This first ever alliance between the nation's leading educational and environmental organizations brings together the country's strongest advocates for Healthy, safe and sustainable K-12 learning environments prized for their contribution to higher test scores among students, higher retention among teachers and lower absenteeism rates for both groups because of improved indoor air quality.

-- Staff Writer

Testing for Toxics at Schools Sparks Questions, Lawsuits

-- USA Today National: September 14, 2009 [ abstract]

Almost a year after tests by USA TODAY found significant levels of two potentially toxic metals in the air outside the Highlands High School in the Allegheny River valley, local Health officials expanded their own monitoring efforts here. The reason: Air samples taken by the county earlier this year showed even higher levels of the metals than what USA TODAY found â€” on two days, at least nine times more. Highlands, flanked by two metals plants, is among scores of schools where regulators â€” local, state or federal â€” are monitoring outdoor air for toxic chemicals, many that pose unique dangers to kids. The monitoring is not required by law but came in response to the USA TODAY investigation that identified hundreds of schools where chemicals from nearby industries may permeate the air. "We don't know enough to say it's a problem, but we don't know enough to say it's not a problem," says Keeve Nachman, an environmental toxicologist with Johns Hopkins University who examined the county's findings for USA TODAY. He says the county's findings reflect "potentially concerning exposures." Such unanswered questions have prompted action across the nation. Residents in Indiana and South Carolina have filed lawsuits against industries in their communities. Activists in Pennsylvania, Texas and Ohio continue to fight construction of facilities they believe would threaten the Health of children in the area. The government also has responded. In an unprecedented step, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a $2.25 million program to examine air quality outside 63 schools in 22 states. In addition, EPA administrator Lisa Jackson appointed a new director for the agency's Office of Children's Health Protection soon after the Obama administration took office. Ruth McCully, the former director, told USA TODAY last year that examining air quality outside schools was "not my responsibility."

-- Blake Morrison and Brad Heath

School Board's ignorance on buildings is shameful

-- Seacoastonline.com New Hampshire: September 11, 2009 [ abstract]

After reading the Sept. 9 article, "Fire officials: Elementary schools safe without sprinkler systems," I am struck by how completely irresponsible it is for our elected officials on the School Board to say they do not know the state of the elementary schools. During the most recent budget discussions, our community was told that the renovation of Little Harbour School included in the capital improvement plan budget is now targeted for 2015. This is understandable in light of the current renovation plans for Portsmouth Middle School. At the same time, however, it is not clear why the City Council was assured the facilities are "adequate." What criteria is used to evaluate Portsmouth's educational facilities? The student population is at an all-time high with more than 420 students. The request of the Fire Department to close all hallway fire doors seems to be in direct opposition to an EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Study in 1996 that states, "... the air circulation for the entire floor is immediately altered when doors are closed." I hope we are not going to wait for another extensive renovation to address the population, air quality and fire hazard issues. There must be a way we can be more proactive about ongoing maintenance issues in our schools. Let's not kid around with the Health of our students and talented staff who are spending a majority of their days in these buildings. If the School Board doesn't know the current state of the elementary schools, then it is a travesty that the Little Harbour School facility is deemed adequate. Ignorance is bliss.

-- Kirsten Barton

New, renovated schools abound in region

-- Allentown Morning Call Pennsylvania: September 01, 2009 [ abstract]

And so the story of a new school begins. Unopened boxes stacked high in the halls. Glossy, smudgeless tiles and freshly painted walls frame lockers, hundreds of them, free of scratches or dents. Outside, workers nail blue letters to the sprawling building, reading " Nazareth Middle School." After thousands of walk-throughs and three years of planning, Principal Bob Kern stood at the school's entrance surveying the halls that will soon teem with 775 backpack-laden students jostling their way into new wireless classrooms. He glanced at the glass-enclosed shelves that will soon spotlight awards and students' artwork, and then he set off for one last stroll through the school before opening its doors for a parents night. For Kern, the building is more than a structure to house students and classrooms. "I hope that this building will set students up to be successful," said Kern, touting the school's features, including a new career resource room and video-editing center, which he said exposes them to new possibilities. "This is a place where students may find their way and help them decide what they what to become." New and renovated school buildings, with environmentally friendly features and high-tech classrooms, are sprouting up around the Lehigh Valley region as dozens of districts make room for swelling enrollments. At least 661 Bethlehem Area School District students will begin their year in the $55 million Broughal Middle School, a four-story building that includes flat-screen televisions in every room, dozens of computers, and a new auditorium, gymnasium and community Health clinic.

-- Marion Callahan

Historic Baltimore High School Reopens After $28 Million Renovation

-- Baltimore Sun Maryland: August 31, 2009 [ abstract]

After a $28 million, two-year renovation, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School reopened its doors and its seniors said they barely recognized the school they had moved out of after their freshman year. The school seems much larger and brighter with wide hallways, larger windows and a state-of-the-art science laboratory. "It looks like a mini-version of a college," said India Young, who plans to go to college and become a nurse. "I think it is pretty." The school now has facilities that will be better suited to teaching students aimed at going into the Health professions, the focus of the high school that lies in the shadow of the Johns Hopkins medical complex in East Baltimore. A long list of politicians and education officials spoke at the opening-day ceremonies and ribbon-cutting on Monday morning, including Gov. Martin O'Malley, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, city schools CEO Andres Alonso, the American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Neil E. Duke, chairman of the school board. Dunbar had a long history in the city as one of its premier high schools until its standards began to slip about a decade ago. In more recent times, the school has been turned around under new school leadership and a focus on the Health professions. It has recently been ranked as a top school by various news magazines and its students now have a high pass rate on the High School Assessments. Weingarten said the new building will allow students to do even better with an improved teaching and learning environment. Too often, students are given negative messages by attending classes in run-down buildings. But, she said, "this newly renovated school ... has said loudly and clearly, education is important." Dixon said that the school was one of only a few high schools in the city that African-Americans were allowed to attend during segregation and that it produced an amazing number of talented students who went on to become leaders in the community. She told students they should remember those who came before them at the school as they walk through its halls. But alumni who walked through the building in small, student-led tours said they could not even envision where they were in the building. The building, which was constructed about 40 years ago, was essentially gutted during the renovation. The only remaining pieces of the old school are the gym and swimming pool, now under renovation.

-- Liz Bowie

Breaking ground, building a brighter future

-- San Diego Daily Transcript California: August 26, 2009 [ abstract]

In the heart of the South Bay, joint venture partners Gilbane Building Co. and SGI Construction Management are providing program and project management services for the Sweetwater Union High School District Prop O Bond Program. The first phase of the $644-million bond program has broken ground on eight campuses, with a ninth groundbreaking scheduled to take place later this month. Proposition O is funding the repairs and improvements needed to ensure that the 43,000 middle and high school students and 27,000 adult learners of the District are in a safe, Healthy and quality learning environment. Through innovative design and planning, the joint venture is building the largest 100% LEED-Gold certified school construction program in California. In a region that is on the brink of reinventing itself as a leader in sustainable living and development, Gilbane and SGI have created a program that serves as the spearhead for those South Bay efforts.

-- Staff Writer

Broward School Board Approves $1.3 Billion Construction Budget

-- Miami Herald Florida: August 25, 2009 [ abstract]

Broward School Board members managed to scrounge some cash to salvage a couple of axed projects as they passed a pared-down plan for construction, maintenance and technology over the next five years. The nearly $1.3 billion budget -- less than half the size of the previous year's plan -- includes no additional money for new schools or major projects. The majority of the money is targeted at paying down debt, upgrading buildings for safety or Health or fixing up old schools. Removed from last year's nearly $3 billion plan: 33 replacement projects, nine new schools, 31 classroom additions, 21 major remodeling projects and hundreds of improvement projects. Those cuts to the construction budget -- and a ruling from the state that the district has too many empty seats to justify building more -- eliminated dozens of classroom additions and several new schools that would have relieved crowding in western Broward schools. Without those projects, Broward could have to change school attendance boundaries for three middle schools and three high schools in Weston, Pembroke Pines and Miramar -- forcing hundreds of students to switch schools beginning in the 2011-12 school year.

-- Patricia Mazzei and Hannah Sampson

Schools up request for federal bonds

-- Burlington Times News North Carolina: August 25, 2009 [ abstract]

The Alamance-Burlington School System has been approved for $2.7 million in interest-free bonds the state is distributing as part of federal stimulus efforts. The system, which would like to use the money toward a careertechnical education center, will apply for additional bonds through the program. School board members agreed Monday night to authorize school system leaders to pursue bonds that could pay more of the center’s costs, as well as bonds that could build new classrooms at Western Middle School. No figures were attached to the board’s vote, but discussion relating to the technical center involved using additional bonds in place of $3.2 million the system has left over from a local bond package approved by voters in 2004. Those construction projects were completed at a lower-than-expected cost. Initially, the school system had planned to combine the $2.7 million in stimulus bonds with the $3.2 million in leftover local bond money and a little less than $1.6 million in state lottery money. A cost range of $1.2 to $1.5 million was mentioned for a possible classroom addition at Western Middle School. Sandra Tinsley, the school system’s executive director of finance, said the system got word when it learned it had been approved for the $2.7 million in bonds that school systems were eligible to apply for additional bonds. That application has to be turned in this week, which meant a rushed discussion among school board members. Tinsley said any project involving the bonds would require approval from the Alamance County Board of Commissioners. That approval would have to come by the end of the year, and the bonds would have to be spent by the end of 2012. Superintendent Randy Bridges said he has been in touch with County Manager Craig Honeycutt. Tinsley said the N.C. Department of Public Instruction has advised school systems that because the bonds are interest free, that could cut costs of projects by as much as 50 percent. The school board has discussed building a careertechnical education center as a way to strengthen programs offered to students in areas such as computer-related technology, automotive work, carpentry, Health care and business-related careers. While school system administrators don’t think it’s a longterm solution to space needs at existing high schools, some school board members have suggested it could help create some space.

-- Mike Wilder

An Education in Energy Efficient Schools

-- Reuters National: August 18, 2009 [ abstract]

For parents who want their children to perform well in school and enjoy Healthy childhoods, the new school season presents the perfect opportunity to ask "Does where students learn impact how they learn?" Even people who are not teachers or members of the PTA should advocate for state and local school districts to green their built environments not only for the benefits to the students, but also for more holistic community gains. Numerous studies now indicate that better lighting, ventilation and indoor air-quality in schools contribute to higher student achievement. Indeed, buildings with more filtered air and fewer materials that contain toxins reduce the instance of asthma and colds and flu, and therefore absenteeism among students, and it also reduces teacher turnover. "Students gain directly from more comfortable environments because they improve learning outcomes," says Tim Dufault, chair of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on Architecture for Education and president of Cuningham Group Architecture. But in this economy can schools afford to go green? Experts like Dufault think we can and that too much is at stake not to, especially with government stimulus funding available to local communities to make such improvements. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, passed in February 2009 to help boost the country out of the economic crisis, allocated $53.6 billion to school modernization. States across the country must use at least 83 percent of this funding, or $40 billion, to provide aid to local school districts. Your state and local officials have the power to allocate funding to school modernization, renovation and repairs that will benefit students and teachers, and shrink your community's carbon footprint.

-- American Institute of Architects

School district could borrow $25M in stimulus funds

-- Cape Coral Daily Breeze Florida: August 12, 2009 [ abstract]

Lee County Schools Superintendent James Browder was directed by the school board Tuesday afternoon to look into borrowing $25 million from a federal stimulus program designed to stimulate school renovation projects. According to Browder, the $25 million has to be used for renovating schools or construction projects that end in the addition of services for students. Furthermore, the district would have 15 years in which to pay it back interest-free. The board was excited about the possibility of using the $25 million in stimulus funds to renovate schools, while leaving its own money in the capital account to collect interest or be used for another project slated to begin two or three years down the line. "We think it would be smart for us to take advantage of the dollars to stimulate this local economy with construction," said Browder. Injecting money into school construction projects could also reawaken the lagging construction industry that often dictates the Health of the Southwest Florida economy. Funds would only be accessible through the district's capital fund - used to pay for construction or renovations - so it could not help offset some of the operational funds. The capital plan is balanced for five years, said Browder. Lee County was notified two years ago by the federal government that it was one of 11 in the state that qualified for stimulus dollars because of its high percentage of families living below the poverty level. The board reached a consensus on accepting the stimulus funds. Board member Robert Chilmonik suggested the district uses the funds to invest in renewable energy such as solar power on buildings

-- MCKENZIE CASSIDY

School Construction and Upgrades Help the Construction Industry

-- KBND Oregon: August 10, 2009 [ abstract]

The construction business has been seeing hard times over the past few years, but over the summer, the Bend La Pine schools has been instrumental at supplying work for local firms. Using part of the $119-million Bond approved in 2007 for school building and improvements, lots of facility construction is happening. John Rexford, Deputy Superintendent with the Bend La Pine Schools says there were lots of projects at most schools and more are planned. Rexford says they can't replace a Healthy housing boom, but they feel they can provide a bridge over the rough times.

-- Julia Gray

Special Report: A School Without Windows

-- New America Media California: August 07, 2009 [ abstract]

Richmond residents face problems like violence, poverty and pollution, but a group of teachers and students in the city have another concern. They have been fighting to change something that is rarely discussed in U.S. schools: indoor air quality. This is because breathing fresh air is simply not an option for many at Richmond High School. Only 20 of the 80 classrooms have windows, and the ventilation is poor throughout the school. About 70 percent of the school’s 1,700 students are Latino, the majority of them low-income. Some teachers and students compare the school to a prison, others to a concentration camp. “We feel like we’re in prison and I think because of that, some students act like they’re in jail where they break things and act like fools,” said student Kami Baker, describing the impact of the situation on her classmates’ morale. The building was remodeled in the late 1960s in the style of an “open-space school,” part of an architectural movement characterized by its wide-open spaces. Over time, these large, undivided rooms became traditional classrooms, and although the space doesn’t seem to be a problem, the environment is airtight. For many, being enclosed is suffocating. The school’s Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system hasn’t worked well for several years. But the building’s structure and ventilation problems don’t just affect the students’ morale. It also impacts their Health and their ability to learn �" the primary goal of education. Common Problem It is well-known that humans breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide (CO2), a component that can be toxic in high levels. Barbara Spark, indoor air program coordinator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Region 9, which includes California, said the recommended level of CO2 in a classroom is 1,000 ppm (parts per million). A study conducted last year by a group of students found that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the school exceeded this level.

-- Erika Cebreros

Wisconsin Announces Interest Free Bonds for 53 School District's Projects

-- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Wisconsin: August 06, 2009 [ abstract]

School construction and renovation projects just got cheaper for 53 Wisconsin school districts, with the state announcing the recipients of $125.5 million worth of interest-free borrowing authority. In most of those districts, because interest payments on the bonds fall outside state-imposed revenue caps, the awards translate into a reduction in property taxes. The awards are paid out of two programs that are part of an effort to stimulate the American economy. As part of it, the federal government will issue tax credits to financial institutions that buy school district bonds, thereby offsetting or completely covering the costs of interest to be paid by the selected school systems. The initiative was so popular the state Department of Public Instruction received requests for more than $525 million in bonding authority from Wisconsin school districts. Milwaukee Public Schools did not have to apply for a separate $72.1 million award, although it can give the state any portion of that amount it decides not to use. A panel of reviewers rated the school district requests for the more competitive bonding program based on whether the districts already had voter or school board approval to issue bonds for the proposed projects. They favored projects that addressed priority areas that included early education, school Health and safety, and programs in science, technology, engineering and math, DPI spokesman Patrick Gasper said. The ability of projects to create or maintain jobs also was considered, he said. "These bonds will help money flow through our economy, supporting jobs, while helping Wisconsin schools repair, improve and build new facilities where needed," Gov. Jim Doyle said in a statement announcing the awards. State schools Superintendent Tony Evers said the money would go toward "smart improvements" and make needed repairs to school buildings. Keyword Search: ARRA, stimulus, bond

-- Amy Hetzner

Guilford keeps option of lawsuit over Oak Ridge Elementary problems

-- Greensboro News Record North Carolina: August 05, 2009 [ abstract]

Guilford County Schools officials want a deadline extension as they consider a lawsuit against Lyon Construction, which built and renovated Oak Ridge Elementary, a school beset with problems before and after its opening in 2005. The school system’s attorneys filed an application Friday to extend the time they can file a breach of contract complaint and other claims with Lyon. Schools attorney Jill Wilson declined to discuss the filing in detail but said the school system is preserving its legal options. Lyon Construction knows of no flaw in the Oak Ridge building that could cause air quality issues or any other problem, company President John Barrow said Tuesday. “We have reviewed our files and believe the building was constructed in accordance with the plans and specifications provided by the school board,” Barrow said. “All of our work was inspected and approved by the school system’s architect and the local building inspector.” Barrow noted that the school board’s petition only asked for time to determine whether there was any problem with his company’s workmanship and included no “specific, factual allegation” about any structural defect. “If and when we are provided with additional information, then we will certainly respond to it,” Barrow said. Construction problems, including issues with the sewer system and with roof leaks, plagued Oak Ridge before it was completed, reports show. School employees found mold on books, furniture and places in the school before and after it opened. Staff and students have complained about myriad illnesses, such as runny and bloody noses, headaches and fatigue, since the school opened. Many staff and parents blame the school building for the sicknesses. The school system has spent more than $600,000 in the past four years trying to eliminate mold at the school, address humidity concerns, and find and fix anything that might be causing the illnesses. Officials recently decided to temporarily close the building while completing work on the latest recommendations from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

-- J. Brian Ewing, Taft Wireback

Oregon Schools: It's Not Easy, or Cheap, Being Green

-- The Oregonian Oregon: July 27, 2009 [ abstract]

Green schools can save energy, they're Healthier for students and they offer real-life lessons on sustainability, but Oregon school districts remain cautious about building them. Of the 27 new schools approved by Oregon voters in 2006, about one in four have been or will be built to national green standards. School boards cite cost as the main reason they haven't pushed for such schools. But there appears to be a move by some districts to build green without the expense and perceived hassle of meeting national standards. Green is a nebulous term, they say, and they don't need a certificate to prove their new schools were built to be sustainable. But how do taxpayers know the schools are truly green? Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is widely known as the industry standard for green structures. Like a Nike swoosh, a LEED medallion on a school brings a level of recognition. At least five schools across Oregon have received LEED certifications and have the medallions to prove it. Another 16 new public schools are expected to be approved for certification within the next year. Created by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED offers four levels of achievement from "certified" to "platinum" based on sustainability points. The catch is it costs a bit more and requires a lot of collaboration and paperwork to prove the schools meet green performance standards. Districts that build to what some school officials call "LEED equivalent" don't have the medallion or the cost because they can choose which standards to meet and there is no mandatory third-party assessment of the environmental work. "LEED equivalent is an honor system," said Portland architect John Weekes, known nationally for his work on sustainable schools. More new schools are on the way across Oregon after voters in 2008 approved at least 15 new buildings from Salem to Redmond. Of five districts contacted, all plan to build green schools, but officials are still weighing whether to go with LEED or the equivalent. Sherwood School District wants to prove its schools are green. The 4,500-student district is finishing construction of two schools it hopes will bring LEED gold ratings. "We believe the ... LEED certification is the highest and most rigorous measure," said Sherwood Superintendent Dan Jamison. The program can add between 1 and 3 percent to the cost of construction, according to Oregon architects and a study commissioned by the U.S. Green Building Council. For a $15 million elementary school, that can be as high as $450,000. It can tack as much as $1 million onto construction of a high school. But several Portland architects said that's changing as the economy cools demand for products and the availability of green building materials improves, which reduces prices. In addition, the Oregon Department of Energy offers grants and tax credits through its High Performance School Program. In Sherwood, Jamison said a drop in construction prices is expected to save the district $3 million on its green schools. "Perhaps that made the decision (for LEED) easier for us," he said.

-- Wendy Owen

School Construction Work Keeps Oregon Economy Moving

-- Daily Journal of Commerce Oregon: July 24, 2009 [ abstract]

As if crumbling and overcrowded schools weren’t motivation enough, school district and college officials in Oregon have additional pressure to get bond measures passed: the Health of the design and construction industries depends on their success. Worth $109 billion, educational construction is the building industry’s largest sector, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Nationwide, it’s been one of the few sectors that has grown during the recession and kept some life in a slumping construction market. The trend holds for Oregon as well. Although the state does not measure the value of statewide school construction, data from individual school districts, colleges and universities suggests that work related to education projects remains strong. Dull Olson Weekes Architects, for example, is riding a wave that started rolling this past November on election night. “Because most of our work is schools, we were fortunate that a lot of the bills we worked on in planning passed,” said Tami Fuller, the firm’s marketing manager. School projects can take two to three years to complete design and construction, Fuller said. And districts often stretch out bond projects for a number of years, providing sustained work from a single bond measure. That promise of long-term work allowed Dull Olson Weekes to hire eight architectural employees and one administrative employee in the past year, Fuller said. Educational construction has made up a larger portion of Turner Construction Co.’s work since the recession began, said Dan Kavanaugh, vice president and general manager. Turner is working on high-profile projects at the University of Oregon, Oregon State University and the University of Portland. “The public sector is really where a lot of work is available,” Kavanaugh said. “The higher ed folks seem to just keep plugging along.” They plug along because the need is so great, said Bob Simonton, capital construction director for the Oregon University System. “We have a $670 million backlog of capital repair projects and another $400-some-million in seismic (improvements),” Simonton said. All the universities need is money, Simonton said �" and the Oregon Legislature just approved a bunch. The capital construction budget is $713 million, Simonton said, up from around $600 million last biennium. “We got one of the largest capital budgets in our history in one of the most difficult economic times.” Capital projects will provide jobs for years to come, he testified before the Legislature during the 2009 session. “I said, ‘I have ways to leverage the budget and create many more jobs,’” Simonton said. The university system has six years to complete projects paid for by each legislative session. And there’s always the promise of more projects in the next biennium. “It’s a great time for us to be busy,” Simonton said, “And for the contractors and design professionals. “They need the work, and we need the work done.”

-- Justin Carinci

Missouri Schools to Benefit from Interest Free Bond Program

-- Kirksville Daily Express Missouri: July 18, 2009 [ abstract]

Governor Jay Nixon announced a $141 million interest-free bond program that will assist 33 Missouri school districts. The Qualified School Construction Bond program allows school districts to use federal tax credits to pay for voter-approved bonds, without interest. Putnam County R-I Superintendent Health Halley said the interest-free bonds will help the district and the county pay off $3.3 million project a few years sooner. “The debt term is going to be 17 or 16 years instead of the initial 20,” he said. Putnam County R-I is receiving $489,997. Among the renovations completed or underway are; new doors, magnetic safety locks, and art room addition, new gym floor, repairs to the football field, new roofs to the elementary and middle schools and new air conditioner units in the middle school. Green City R-I Superintendent Don Campbell’s district is using the $1.2 million towards a $2.1 million bond which was passed in April. Campbell said the Qualified School Construction Bond program will save his district $521,000 for a high school renovation project. Green City R-I is receiving $1,286,189. The districts were able to apply for the bond issuances through a process administered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Keyword Search Tags: Stimulus, arra, bond

-- Vincent Brennan

School construction slowed

-- Tallahassee.com Tennessee: July 11, 2009 [ abstract]

Despite an influx of stimulus dollars, Leon County Schools will have almost $8 million less for construction-related projects compared to last year. As a result, more students at crowded schools will continue learning in portables instead of in newly built classrooms. Most elementary schools will have to go another year without science labs, and some equipment upgrades are likely to be passed over. Although kitchen and cafeteria improvements are desperately needed at several schools, they may fall to the bottom of the district's priority list. A public hearing regarding the proposed $27 million 2009-10 capitol-outlay budget is planned for Tuesday's school board meeting. The board is scheduled to vote following the hearing. Michele Meyer, the mother of five children who have attended W.T. Moore Elementary School since 1990, said the school's age shows at times. She'd like to see the noisy air conditioner replaced along with upgrades to the school's cafeteria. "Sometimes it's kind of disconcerting to see how old our school looks compared to some of the newer ones," Meyer said. District officials say they are forced to streamline resources toward "preventive maintenance" and projects geared toward Health and safety, such as ensuring air quality. Federal grants are being pursued, but they are very competitive.

-- TaMaryn Waters

ED Awards More than $32.8 Million to Promote Safe Schools, Healthy Students

-- U.S. Department of Education National: July 10, 2009 [ abstract]

More than $32.8 million in grants have been awarded to 18 states and the District of Columbia as part of a joint effort by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice to support schools in creating safer and Healthier learning environments. The highly competitive Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative attracted 422 grant applications nationally. Under the initiative, school districts, in partnership with local public mental-Health agencies, law-enforcement and juvenile justice entities, must implement a comprehensive, community-wide plan. “Every child in America deserves a safe and Healthy school environment, and it’s our job as educators, parents and community members to ensure that happens,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “The Safe Schools/Healthy Students grants will provide students with access to services and programs that promote Healthy development, personally and academically.”

-- Press Release

Aspen Ideas Festival: Arne Duncan, It Is Also About the Building

-- Huffington Post National: July 02, 2009 [ abstract]

At the Aspen Ideas Festival on Wednesday Secretary Arne Duncan was under the spotlight on his plans to revamp the education system in America. With $100B in play, there is a lot of opportunity to encourage and support innovative educational reform and there was no denying his passion and eloquence in speaking about pushing the entire system back to being one of the best in the world. While a small sliver of the pie I felt the most exciting aspect of this far-reaching plan was the $5B being set up to encourage and reward states that are proactively pushing reform. Additionally while I can write about the many, many positive things said what worried me, as someone involved in improving school environments, was his comment that 'it is not about the building'. Sorry Arne, while I agree it is about the children and while teacher performance is important -- it is ALSO about the building. Many schools in this country are in utter disrepair and the outdated portable classrooms that dot the landscape of the American school system are harmful to the Health of our children. (Just a few hundred miles south of Aspen we know schools built with cancer causing chemicals and rodent infestation issues). The simple fact is when you ask those who are affected by their surroundings -- environments do matter. In the 1940s teacher Loris Malaguzzi showed that children learn first through the interaction with the adults in their lives, then with their peers and finally with the environment around them. The environment is, as coined by Malaguzzi, the third teacher. Fifty years on most educators can attest to the fact that when you have a classroom that inspires children learn. At the 2007 Aspen Ideas Festival having just spoken on a session on rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina I was walking with colleagues from Architecture for Humanity when the issue about the state of school facilities came up. Getting all worked up about the increased risks of cancer for children in older portable classrooms, we started talking about an idea of actually involving students and teachers in the design of the classroom of the future. Not willing to wait to get the green light to innovate a coalition of the willing came together to launch the Open Architecture Challenge: Classroom -- An international design competition with one caveat, design teams had to include the end users of the classroom as equal partners in the design process. The goal of this initiative is to serve as a catalyst to build safe, sustainable and smart educational facilities around the world.

-- Cameron Sinclair

City Gives OK to School’s Demolition

-- Brooklyn Daily Eagle New York: July 02, 2009 [ abstract]

After delaying its decision by nearly a week, the New York City Council has approved the School Construction Authority (SCA)’s contentious proposal to demolish P.S. 133, an elementary school in Park Slope, in favor of a larger school that would service three times as many students. Controversy has swirled around the proposal since it was made public last February, prompting the formation of a grassroots movement comprising mostly neighborhood residents. At a litigious three-hour subcommittee hearing on June 24, both sides made their case before the City Council Subdivision on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses. The SCA asserted that the new school was the only practical solution to overcrowding in nearby District 15, which will require a projected 1,000 extra seats within the next few years. They rejected counter-proposals that involved delaying the plan or rehabilitating the current building and expanding it with an annex, citing cost. P.S. 133 Principal Heather Foster-Mann lent further support to the proposal with descriptions of the dilapidated condition of the century-old school and the need for improved facilities. Opponents of the plan also got the chance to air their grievances, citing a plethora of concerns. Foremost among these have been the potential environmental and Health hazards of demolishing a building that rests above contaminated materials. Other concerns included the historic and aesthetic value of P.S. 133 (which was built in 1901 by famed architect Charles B. Snyder), destruction of a nearby community garden and increases in traffic. Some also alluded to hints of segregation in the SCA’s plan for an intra-school division �" between P.S. 133 students, who are mostly black and Hispanic, and the much larger group of District 15 transplants, who hail from richer and whiter neighborhoods. Neighborhood residents also repeatedly railed against the SCA’s alleged refusal to inform the community of its intentions or to solicit their input. “It was a travesty, but it’s not surprising,” said Michelle de la Uz, executive director of the Fifth Avenue Committee, who took a leading role in grassroots activism against the proposal. “The plan continues to be flawed. We’re reviewing now, and we’re finding that there are even more questions that should lead to follow-up before the SCA moves forward.”

-- Liz Tung

Performance Enhancements

-- Athletic Business Ohio: July 02, 2009 [ abstract]

You don't have to spend a lot of time searching the Internet to find study after study proclaiming the benefits of so-called green schools â€” facilities that create Healthy, learning-conducive environments while saving energy, resources and money. Reports of improved test scores and reduced student absenteeism caused by illness come from all regions of the country. For example, at Third Creek Elementary School in Statesville, N.C. (the country's first LEED Gold-certified K-12 school, completed in 2002), test scores from before and after students moved into the building provide compelling evidence that learning improves in greener, Healthier facilities. And an analysis of two school districts in Illinois found that student attendance rose by 5 percent after cost-effective indoor air quality improvements were made. But can a similar parallel be made between green schools and increased performance on the basketball or volleyball court or in physical education classes? Ron Kull thinks so. "There would be no reason why you couldn't draw that same correlation," says the senior associate with GBBN Architects in Cincinnati, who is heavily involved with Cincinnati Public Schools' $1 billion facilities master plan. By 2013, CPS will be home to 54 first-class new or renovated schools â€” almost half of them LEED Silver-certified or higher. "If you're talking about how a student performs in certain environments, why wouldn't it apply to athletic facilities just as much as it does to classrooms?" Seven years into the district's master plan, Cincinnati is fast becoming the site of one of the largest concentrations of sustainably designed schools in the country. Some of the green strategies include the addition of daylighting and stormwater management systems, geothermal energy technologies, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and low-VOC furniture, paints, carpets and adhesives. Increased recycling and composting efforts, reduced idling of school buses on school property, and improved overall air quality also are part of the plan. At the district's Pleasant Ridge Montessori School, which opened last August and is among the first building projects to be completed, an air-delivery system forces air to rise from the floor and through the ceiling, where it is filtered before re-entering the ventilation system with fresh outdoor air. Gymnasiums also are a key part of the CPS master plan. Many elementary and secondary school gyms will feature heat-reducing roofs, ample daylighting from glare-reducing windows, high-output fluorescent lights and energy-efficient ceiling fans. Sensors will control the lights and fans to save energy, while also making the spaces more comfortable and conducive to extended periods of activity. The ultimate goal, according to Robert Knight, GBBN's sustainable design initiative coordinator, is to marry energy efficiency with Healthier indoor conditions. "The human body, just like the human mind, performs best in certain environments," he says. "At the professional level, the collegiate level and the high school level, people are looking for ways to create a competitive athletic advantage, and you do that through better indoor environments." "The community has pushed us to be more aggressive with LEED," says Michael Burson, director of planning and construction for CPS, which enrolls 33,000 students (including more than 10,000 at 16 high schools). Almost half of the money used to fund the master plan is coming from a $480 million school construction bond approved by city voters in 2003. The Ohio School Facilities Commission, the agency charged with overseeing a statewide campaign to help districts fund, plan, design, and build or renovate schools, is kicking in another 23 percent, with the rest of the dollars coming from other local and state sources.

-- Michael Popke

School requests pour in for stimulus building aid

-- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Wisconsin: July 02, 2009 [ abstract]

A new program that allows school districts to borrow money interest-free has attracted requests for nearly six times the amount allocated to Wisconsin. Fifty-five districts submitted $550 million worth of requests to the state Department of Public Instruction last month for the funds authorized as part of the federal government's economic recovery plan. The state has authority to cover interest payments on a little less than $98.6 million of the school bonds, not counting a $72.1 million allocation made specifically for Milwaukee Public Schools. As part of the Qualified School Construction Bond program, the federal government provides tax credits to financial institutions holding districts' bonds and covers all the interest payments. A similar program, which covers the interest costs for borrowing to pay for school repairs and other costs in districts with large numbers of low-income students, has sufficient funding to cover state applications. The likelihood that school districts might be shut off from the federal funding has some on edge about how the state will decide who gets what. "The stimulus dollars and the bonding are critical for us," said Patricia Herdrich, superintendent of the West Bend School District, which has requested assistance for a $27.4 million voter-approved middle school renovation and $6 million in additional maintenance projects. "Obviously, we can't control the politics around the decision-making." Projects prioritized Predicting the onslaught, DPI officials have said they probably would cover only one-third of projects approved through referendums. They plan to give priority to projects focusing on early education, school Health and safety, environmental conservation, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics - or STEM - efforts. The DPI also has said preference would be given to "shovel ready" projects, meaning those that have voter support from referendums or that can be done within existing school budgets. "It's a long shot, yeah," Pewaukee School District Assistant Superintendent John Gahan said of the district's request to cover interest costs on a $27.2 million project that includes constructing a swimming pool, auditorium and additional gym space. State approval would help the School Board decide when and whether to go forward with a referendum, he said. The Pewaukee district also submitted an application for $850,000 in borrowing to pay for mechanical and air system replacements as well as irrigation and safety projects from its existing budget. Keyword Search Tags: Stimulus, arra, bond

-- Amy Hetzner

School Site Is Toxic, Community Groups Say

-- Courthouse News Service New York: June 29, 2009 [ abstract]

The New York City School Construction Authority knew that a proposed high school was going to be built over a carcinogenic site, but submitted "insufficient, misleading and inaccurate" scientific assessments to the city council in order to press forward with construction, two community watchdog groups claim in Queens County Supreme Court. The Juniper Park Civic Association and Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst TOGETHER (COMET) claim that many of their members have children and grandchildren slated to attend the toxic school. They say the New York City Council approved the high school, which plans to enroll 1,100 students and open in September 2012, in the industrial Brooklyn neighborhood of Maspeth. The school will allegedly be built on "a heavily contaminated toxic site" that will cause "serious Health concern and exposure risk to cancer," based on the analysis of Dr. James Cervino, a scientific advisor to Sen. Frank Padavan, Councilman Tony Avela and the College Point Civic Association. Cervino also sits on the panel for air quality and climate change for Gov. David Paterson. In a statement attached to the complaint, Cervino indicated that the scope of the contamination may be even larger and requires further study. "The major problems and conclusions that have recently been brought to light are to the result of inadequate evaluations conducted by scientists that do not have appropriate backgrounds in engineering and general geology," he wrote. "To adequately assess concerns pertaining to chemical toxins and potential human exposure, risks associated with such compounds need to be evaluated by scientists that have backgrounds in toxicology." The school's location is not only toxic, but it's also "inappropriate," the community groups claim, because there are already two other schools within three blocks, but no plan to increase bus service to accommodate the extra traffic. Represented by Thomas Ognibene, the plaintiffs seek a permanent injunction blocking its construction.

-- ADAM KLASFELD

School district has funds to reopen Lowell school

-- Bellingham Herald Washington: June 22, 2009 [ abstract]

The Bellingham School District - its board and administrators - are making decisions now, with their 2009-10 budget and building plans, that will close neighborhood schools and irrevocably change the face and growth patterns of our city. Like every school district, Bellingham has been looking for ways to cut spending to make up for revenue shortfalls. But unlike other school districts in Whatcom County, Bellingham is the only one closing a school to save money, and also is continuing to build new schools it doesn't have funds to operate, while enrollment remains flat. Citizens, the Bellingham City Council, and the Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission have urged the school board to re-open Lowell School this fall and to continue to operate Larrabee and Columbia elementary schools. The city's comprehensive plan views neighborhood schools as integral to the city's Health and core values. But the school board and district office are acting as if in a vacuum - they are not required to listen to city or county leaders. Before coming up with a budget, and before federal and state spending were announced, the school district went ahead with $2.5 million in spending cuts, based on a list approved by the school board and compiled by an advisory committee. Now the draft budget is out, revenue is down $580,000, or 0.6 percent, not the projected $3 million to $5 million. The budget was released June 15, and is scheduled for a school board vote June 25, with the only public hearing immediately preceding the vote. Take a close look at this $100 million budget, because it has good news: - Spending is set at $1 million below revenue, which means the district's "rainy day" fund, called the unreserved fund, has grown to 4.4 percent of the overall budget. District policy calls for a reserve fund worth between 3 percent and 5 percent of the budget. - More than $1.3 million of federal money will be used to hire back teachers: The district will employ 500 full-time equivalent basic education teachers, down only 4.5 from this year. Class sizes will not suffer, and our teachers will have jobs. The district's explanation for having made the $2.5 million in cuts, and keeping a school closed, is that stimulus funding is restricted in its use, and can't be redirected to make up for budget shortfalls in other areas. But if any day is a rainy day, this is it. Administrators keep telling us their hands are tied, but the district could choose to keep the fund at 4 percent - a very fiscally responsible number - and open Lowell School on schedule, without endangering any programs or future funding. Instead, the district is choosing to keep Lowell closed, and house the entire student body - which unlike this year will also include full-time kindergarten and fifth-grade classes - at Happy Valley Elementary. Where will all these students be housed? In seven portables, which the school district called substandard when it promoted the $67 million bond in 2006 to build Wade King Elementary, ease overcrowding, and retrofit four schools, including Lowell. Meanwhile, a beautifully restored school sits empty. It's time the district makes operating its schools a priority. The district says it is short on operating funds, but flush with capital funds, and is continuing to build new schools without money to operate them. The superintendent, in proposing a capacity study, said he offers no promise that Lowell will reopen, or that any other school won't close. He wants a new advisory committee to look at how efficient our schools are, not how well they teach and graduate students, but how much the buildings cost. This is a prelude to closing more schools so operating funds and students can be redirected into the new schools on the outskirts of town. Closing schools destroys family-oriented neighborhoods. Neighborhood schools encourage parent involvement, which creates a sense of community and produces majority decisions we need to pass bonds.

-- MELISSA SCHAPIRO

Environmental Protection Agency Studies Playground Risks

-- Associated Press National: June 04, 2009 [ abstract]

For years, the Environmental Protection Agency has endorsed the use of ground-up tires to cushion the surfaces of children's playgrounds and sports fields â€” a decision now being reconsidered because of concerns among the agency's own scientists about possible Health threats. The concerns are disclosed in internal agency documents about a study the EPA is conducting of air and surface samples at four fields and playgrounds that use recycled tires. Recycled-rubber surfaces have been popular for decreasing playground injuries and providing resiliency and cheap, weatherproof maintenance. But doubts were raised by research suggesting potential hazards from repeated exposure to bits of shredded tire that can contain carcinogens and other chemicals, according to the documents. The EPA scientists cited gaps in scientific evidence, despite other reviews showing little or no Health concern. They urged their superiors to conduct a broad Health study to inform parents on kids' safety. Results from the agency's limited study, which began last year, are expected within weeks. Along with its own research, the agency will consider studies in New Jersey, California, Connecticut and New York to determine whether more testing is needed. A shortcoming of EPA's study is the small number of locations examined, according to the documents.

-- Rita Beamish

School facilities need help

-- Aiken Standard South Carolina: June 04, 2009 [ abstract]

Who would live in a house with inoperative toilets, leaking ceilings, sagging floors and walls embedded with toxic materials? Well, many kids in Aiken County attend public schools amid such decay. Almost 50 percent of their buildings are 50 years old and a reputable study recently concluded it would cost $358 million to bring them up to standard. That's $7,100 per household; a staggering sum years in the making, years of doing more with less, and years of allegiance to the mistaken impression that cutting "waste" was the answer to school funding. While this bill is beyond our means, we must do something! The last county bond referendum passed in 1978. We need to demand another one now to build a school system fit to serve a new age. We need some new facilities and must retire others. The little school around the corner may not be part of the solution. Some schools may have to be consolidated. As regrettable as these changes might be, the greater good must rule the day. Parents who object need to pony up the money to keep their pet school operating. We must fund repairs that protect Health and welfare in facilities we plan to retain, and need to look at empty "big boxes" to see if they can be economic and effective replacements for obsolete schools. We need to innovate and school-centered community development may be a possibility. Denver taxpayers saved $2.5 million by colocating a high school and a K-8 comprehensive school around a student union housing a gym, cafeteria, computer center, labs and administrative offices. Campus green space hosted outdoor sports. The "union" and the surrounding "park" also served as a city recreation center. Differing usage patterns limited conflict. The city staffed the center and taught PE, freeing four teaching positions that were dedicated to academics. A private Boys and Girls Club provided after-school activities and day care. Focused schools could be a partial answer. Each high school could major in one academic area, develop optimum teaching capabilities and use the Internet to pipe live interactive instruction into classrooms throughout the county. Why have six foreign language departments when one might do a better job?

-- JON SAMUELS

BOBBY BRIGHT: Amendment helps schools affected by disaster

-- Prattville Progress Alabama: May 28, 2009 [ abstract]

Last week, I sponsored and passed an amendÂ ment to H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. The bill proÂvides local school districts resources to make their faÂcilities more environÂmentally and energy effiÂcient. While H.R. 2187 conÂtained specific funding for schools damaged by HurriÂcanes Katrina and Rita, it did not authorize money for other disaster-related damages. My amendment sets aside money for other school districts affected by recent natural disasters. The amendment passed by a unanimous 433-0 vote, and the overall bill passed by a 275-155 margin. I sponsored the amendÂment due to the lack of addiÂtional funding for EnterÂprise High School following the devastating March 2007 tornado that leveled the school and left eight chilÂdren dead. The new high school remains under conÂstruction and the city and school board have exhaustÂed their options for addiÂtional revenue sources, leaving them $9 million short. I am hopeful that EnÂterprise and other school districts affected by natural disasters will be able to acÂcess money in this bill once it is signed into law. Over the past two months, our district alone has seen flooding and storms that have led to at least one federal disaster declaration. Small towns across America are simply not equipped to rebuild a mainstay in their commuÂnities like schools when they are destroyed by natuÂral disasters. Moreover, I am a believer in the old adage 'if you're going to do something, do it right.' UpÂgrading schools- regardless of whether or not they were affected by natural disasÂters- to 21st Century and enÂvironmentally efficient standards will help create a positive and Healthy learnÂing experience for our stuÂdents. Under the bill, local school districts will be able to access grants for enviÂronmentally and energy efÂficient upgrades. It is estiÂmated that Alabama alone will receive over $105 milÂlion in funding from H.R. 2187. The bill now goes to the Senate for further conÂsideration.Saving TaxÂ payers' Money Congress passed a very important bill last week that will reform the miliÂtary procurement process and save taxpayers billions of dollars. The Weapons AcÂquisition System Reform Through Enhancing TechÂnical Knowledge and OverÂsight Act of 2009 (WASTE-TKO) passed by a unaniÂmous 428-0 margin. I also supported the legislation when it was in the Armed Services Committee.

-- BOBBY BRIGHT

Holt's 'Green Schools' initiative included in U.S. House bill

-- Holmdel Independent New Jersey: May 28, 2009 [ abstract]

Abill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives authorizing $6.4 billion over five years for school construction includes funding to help schools become more energy efficient. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12th District), a member of the committee, included an initiative in the 21st Century High-Performing Public School Facilities Act to provide schools with federal funding to make energy-efficient upgrades, according to a press release from Holt's office. Holt's initiative would make schools eligible for funding to receive technical assistance from their state to reduce their carbon footprint. The overall legislation would ensure that school districts quickly receive funds for school modernization, renovation and repairs that create Healthier, safer and more energy efficient teaching and learning climates. The bill awaits Senate approval. New Jersey would receive an estimated $119.5 million in fiscal year 2010 if the bill were enacted. Estimated grants to local school districts include: Red Bank District, $105,000; Tinton Falls, $43,000; Monmouth Regional, $43,000; Red Bank Regional, $35,000; Middletown District, $170,000; Matawan-Aberdeen Regional, $160,000; Holmdel, $47,000; Keyport, $62,000; Eatontown, $76,000; West Long Branch, $36,000; and Shore Regional, $13,000. Estimates for how much each New Jersey school district would receive can be found at the website http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/ 111/pdf/publications/HR2187estLEAgrants fy09%20only-20090513.pdf.

-- Staff Writer

Local schools may get more green to go green

-- The Leader Newspapers New Jersey: May 26, 2009 [ abstract]

Local school districts may soon find some help becoming greener. The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (H.R. 2187), passed by the House of Representatives Thursday, May 14, seeks to make public schools more energy efficient, create clean energy jobs, reduce dependence on foreign oil and lower energy costs. “Our schools should be safe and Healthy learning environments for our children,” U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-9), who voted for the bill, stated in a press release. “This bill gives us a chance to upgrade our school buildings and boost student achievement while creating good local jobs and preventing an increase in local property taxes to pay for it.” Of the $6.4 billion authorized nationally for school facilities projects under the act, the Lyndhurst School District would receive $104,000; North Arlington would receive $71,000; Rutherford and East Rutherford, $51,000 each; Carlstadt and Becton Regional High School, $29,000 each; and Wood-Ridge $16,000 for fiscal year 2010. These allocations would be intended for school modernization, renovation and repairs that would create a greener, Healthier environment that is more conducive to teaching and learning. They were calculated using the same percentage of funds that school districts receive under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, with the exception of a $5,000 minimum allocation for each district. “The quality of a school isn’t just important for our children’s Health �" it’s critical for their learning,” Rothman noted in his press release. “We must invest resources to provide the kind of safe, clean and Healthy schools that our children deserve.” The bill would require 100 percent of funds to be used by 2015 toward green building projects that make schools more energy efficient and better able to rely on renewable sources of energy. It would ensure fair wages and benefits for green-collar workers. Other highlights of the act include boosting the economy through job creation and community enhancement and allowing schools to play a role in combating global climate change by lessening their carbon footprints. Eco-friendly schools have been shown to consume 30 percent less energy, 30 percent less water and emit 40 percent less carbon dioxide than conventional schools. Evidence also indicates that the improved ventilation, air quality, lighting and temperature controls of such schools foster greater student achievement. On average, green schools save $96,760 per year and $70 per square foot in the long term, according to the press release.

-- Colleen Reynolds

Higgins announces funds for 'green' school projects

-- Evening Observer New York: May 20, 2009 [ abstract]

Congressman Brian Higgins joined his colleagues in the House of Representatives to approve the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act (H.R. 2187). "Research has demonstrated a correlation between school building conditions and student achievement," said Congressman Higgins. "This is a good investment in our children and will at the same time create construction jobs and provide long-term savings for school districts and taxpayers." The bill authorizes funding for school facilities projects that involve modernizations, renovation and repairs that create Healthier, safer and more energy-efficient teaching and learning environments. Funds are provided based on the same formulas used to provide Title 1-A grants. The bill provides $6.4 billion for schools nationwide, nearly $548.8 million to for schools in New York and over $22 million for schools in Congressman Higgins' district. Below is an estimated breakdown of how much local districts could receive under the proposal: Brocton Central School District, $81,000. Cassadaga Valley Central School District, $97,000. Chautauqua Lake Central School District, $110,000. Dunkirk City School District, $599,000. Forestville Central School District, $54,000. Fredonia Central School District, $100,000. Gowanda Central School District, $184,000. Pine Valley Central School District, $206,000. Ripley Central School District, $31,000. Silver Creek Central School District, $126,000. Westfield Central School District, $97,000.

-- Staff Writer

Kosmas Helps Pass Legislation to Modernize Central Florida Schools, Create New Jobs

-- TMCnet Florida: May 20, 2009 [ abstract]

Today, Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24) voted to pass legislation to provide funding to Central Florida schools for modernization, renovation and repair projects, as well as to encourage energy efficiency and the use of renewable resources in schools. Florida would receive over $278 million to improve schools and turn them into "green buildings" through the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act (H.R. 2187), which passed the House 275-155. The Green Schools Act includes an estimated $5.6 million for Brevard County schools, $17.6 million for Orange County, $3.7 million for Seminole County, and $8.6 million for Volusia. Workforce Management: At the Heart of the Contact Center Learn more, download free white paper. The Modern Contact Center and Workforce Management's Vital Role Learn more, download free white paper. Realizing the Full Promise of Workforce Management Technology: Avoiding Mistakes That Short-Change Your Investment Learn more, download free white paper. Convergence in Telecommunication Learn more, download free white paper. Convergence in Telecommunication Learn more, download free white paper. SIP Conferencing/Collaboration Learn more, download free white paper. Modernizing schools and making them more energy efficient is an effective way to lower costs and save taxpayer dollars. A green school typically utilizes about 30 percent less energy and 30 percent less water, saving thousands of dollars per year. "This bill provides critical funds to modernize our schools and turn them into 'green buildings,' which will help our environment while creating jobs in the process," said Congresswoman Kosmas. "The funding will help ensure that schools are able to make needed repairs, bring their buildings up to safety codes, and create Healthier learning environments for Florida's children. In addition, these fiscally responsible investments will provide long-term benefits by saving taxpayers thousands of dollars per year in energy costs."The legislation included an amendment offered by Congresswoman Kosmas, along with Reps. Bobby Bright (AL-2), Henry Cueller (TX-28) and Al Green (TX-9), that would set aside more than $300 million for school districts in regions that are suffering from significant economic distress or are recovering from natural disasters.

-- Staff Writer

School Libraries to Benefit from Green Schools Bill

-- School Library Journal National: May 18, 2009 [ abstract]

School libraries stand to gain some more money if a green schools bill recently passed by the House gains passage by the Senate. By a vote of 275 to 155, the House last week overwhelmingly approved legislation to modernize, upgrade, and green America’s school. The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act authorizes $6.4 billion for school facilities projects and ensures that school districts will quickly receive funds for school modernization, renovation, and repairs. The goal is to invest billions of dollars to repair and renovate schools to create safer, Healthier, and more energy-efficient learning environments for students. At the same time, the legislation is part of the effort to revive the U.S. economy and fight global warming by creating clean energy jobs that will help put workers in hard-hit industries back to work. School libraries will benefit from this bill because it states that modernization, renovation, or repair of school libraries is an allowable use of funds. This bill is separate from the recently passed stimulus funds, and a companion bill has not yet been introduced in the Senate. The American Library Association strongly supports the legislation, cosponsored by Representatives Ben Chandler (D-KY), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), and Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA), saying that modern school libraries will help students gain the skills necessary to achieve and succeed in a 21st century global workforce. Over the last eight years, the Bush administration provided almost no direct general federal funding for school improvements. According to recent estimates, the nation’s schools are hundreds of billions of dollars short of what it would take to bring them into good condition. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave American schools a “D” on its national infrastructure report card for this year. And a recent report by the American Federation of Teachers estimates it would cost almost $255 billion to fully renovate and repair all the schools in the country.

-- SLJ Staff

Abercrombie: Hawai‘i schools could get $18 million in ‘green’ grants

-- Lihue Garden Island Hawaii: May 17, 2009 [ abstract]

U.S. Representative Neil Abercrombie said Hawai‘i schools would be eligible for $18.18 million next year for building modernization, renovation and repair under the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act approved by the House this week, a news release states. The Green Schools Act authorizes $6.4 billion for the first year of a five-year program to help school districts across the country make their buildings more energy efficient and reliant on renewable sources of energy. “Most importantly, our keiki will benefit from the Green Schools Act because research shows a direct correlation between the quality of school facilities and student achievement,” Abercrombie said in the release. “So, these funds to help Hawai‘i school districts renovate and modernize school buildings will actually improve the teaching and learning climate, Health and safety. “The second group of winners from this legislation will be the taxpayers of Hawai‘i,” Abercrombie continued. “By requiring school construction and modernization to meet green school standards, savings from lower energy bills can amount to thousands of dollars per school per year, money that can be used to hire teachers, buy computers or purchase textbooks instead. The bill also generates long-term savings for schools by reducing energy expenses. “The third beneficiary will be Hawai‘i’s economy, because the program will create good-paying jobs in the construction industry. In fact, the bill’s language stipulates that construction jobs will have to be paid fair wages and benefits under the protections in the Davis-Bacon Act,” he said. “And finally, the aina itself benefits because green schools reduce pollution by using about 30 percent less water and energy than conventional schools, and they emit almost 40 percent less harmful carbon dioxide.”

-- The Garden Island

Synthetic Turf Fields Kicking Up Safety Concerns

-- New York Times National: May 17, 2009 [ abstract]

Some Health experts, activists and parents from Seattle to Chicago to Stamford, Mass. are worried that children may be exposed to chemicals from artifical turf if they inhale or swallow the rubber granules, known as crumb rubber. Some are calling for a moratorium until the issue is more fully studied. Artificial turf is often made of fake blades of grass with sand or ground tires used as fill to provide a springy cushion. About 25 million used auto tires are recycled into turf each year, according to Synthetic Turf Council, the Atlanta-based trade group. About 4,500 synthetic turf fields are in use throughout the country. Supporters say the artificial turf encourages increased outdoor play, reduces water and herbicide use and provides an even, predictable surface that's more cushioned than old-style AstroTurf. Playing fields with artificial turf "drain well. They don't get as muddy. The ball bounces a little higher, goes a little faster," Miller said. But potential Health concerns have led Connecticut and California to conduct their own studies on the Health effects of turf. New York City Health officials recently commissioned a study to evaluate air quality above synthetic turf and found it didn't show appreciable effects from contaminants in the rubber. Last year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission investigated lead in artificial turf after New Jersey Health officials found high lead content in some fields. The CPSC said none of the fields tested at levels that would be harmful to children, but it called for voluntary standards to eliminate lead in future products. Seattle is adding six new synthetic turf fields in the next year after reviewing current research on Health or environmental risks. In San Francisco last summer, Health officials reviewed the available literature and found there wasn't enough evidence of risks from lead, bacteria or crumb rubber to warrant tearing up and replacing existing fields. But they said that where possible the city should consider alternatives such as turf that uses cork or coconut husks as fill.

-- Associated Press

House Approves $6.4 Billion for Green Schools

-- Associated Press National: May 14, 2009 [ abstract]

The House on Thursday passed a multiyear school construction bill with the ambitious goals of producing hundreds of thousands of jobs, reducing energy consumption and creating Healthier, cleaner environments for the nation's schoolchildren. Opponents, almost all Republicans, objected to the cost associated with the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. The cost would be $6.4 billion in the first year with similar outlays approved over the next five years. It passed 275-155, and now goes to the Senate, which did not act after the House passed similar legislation last year. The situation has changed this year. While then-President George W. Bush threatened to veto the measure, objecting to a costly new school construction program, President Barack Obama made school improvement projects an element of his economic stimulus initiative. The bill would provide states with money to make grants and low interest loans so school districts could build, modernize and repair facilities to make them Healthier, safer and more energy-efficient. The funds would be allotted under a formula based on a district's share of students from low-income families, but the bill guarantees that every district that receives federal money for low-income students will get at least $5,000. A majority of the funds â€” rising to 100 percent by 2015 â€” would have to be used for projects that meet green standards for construction materials and energy sources. Those include the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System and Energy Star. The measure also approves a separate $600 million over six years for public schools in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Among the amendments approved were items that would make reducing asthma a guideline for green schools and allow funds to be used for playground equipment, phys ed facilities, greenhouses and gardens.

-- Jim Abrams

It's Easy Being Green: Schools Remodel for Sustainability

-- Center For American Progress National: May 13, 2009 [ abstract]

Last week a House panel approved the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, a bill that would authorize $6.4 billion in 2010 for school construction projects that meet certain environmental standards. Projects that could qualify include maximizing green space, finding more efficient ways to control room temperature with windows and building materials, maximizing daylight, using organic compound cleaning products and tapping into renewable energy sources like solar power. The bill would provide additional funding for such projects until 2015, by which time all publicly-funded school construction projects would have to meet environmental standards. Ten states across the country already require new school construction to use renewable energy sources, but this bill would ensure that all students have access to Healthy, eco-friendly environments. Schools around the country have already taken diverse and creative steps to integrate environmental measures into their construction and curriculum. The cafeteria at Scarsdale High School in New York serves vegetables grown in an organic garden on campus. Students and teachers planted the garden together, which in only a few months generated over 600 pounds of produce. Other schools have utilized roof space to create gardens or install solar panels. Energy-efficient building requirements are fiscally conservative in the long run as finite resources and expanding demand will make energy prices continue to rise. One study shows that schools undertaking these measures save an average of $70 per square foot, 20 times the initial cost of building retrofits and installation. These savings will free up much needed money to address educational programs and other pressing needs in our public schools. Finances aside, these schools conserve many other resources. Not only do they use about 30-50 percent less energy than their conventional counterparts, conserving electricity and natural gas, they also use about 30 percent less water through strategies such as rainwater catchment and reducing irrigation needs for playing fields. Eco-friendly schools will also significantly reduce harmful emissions. A single green school could lead to an average emission reduction of 1,200 pounds of nitrogen oxide, 1,300 pounds of sulfur dioxide, and 585,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. Many of our nation’s schools are in poor decay and ready for overdue renovations. Outdated building materials contribute not only to wasted energy and inefficiency, but they also contribute to increasing Health problems for students. Hazardous materials like asbestos are still only optional for districts to remove. Children across the nation suffer increasing rates of asthma and other allergic conditions, partly from exposure to harsh building materials. New laws would revitalize school building codes, making them Healthier learning places for students and teachers alike.

-- Staff Writer

Elk Grove Schools Lead the Way in Green Cleaning

-- Sacramento Bee California: May 07, 2009 [ abstract]

Custodians in the Elk Grove Unified School District went green before it was trendy. The district started using Healthier cleaners 10 years ago. "We were green before green was cool," said Linda T. Lopez, the district's manager of custodial services. These days district custodians use a hydrogen peroxide-based product to clean surfaces, and they strap on vacuum canisters outfitted with multiple high-efficiency particulate filters to suck up dirt and dust. Lopez said she was concerned about the dizzying array of fragrances in solutions used to clean schools when she started 10 years ago. The district's adherence to "green" cleaning puts it at a significant advantage if state Assembly Bill 821 passes. The Clean and Healthy Schools Act would require all K-12 schools with at least 50 students to switch to safer, environmentally friendly cleaning products if there are no additional costs to a district. We know it is working," said Elk Grove Superintendent Steven Ladd of the district's program. He said absenteeism at the district dropped the first year the program was put into place. District custodians also check their work with a meter that measures the level of organic solid or bacteria left on a surface. "We've exceeded the level of cleaning we were doing before," Ladd said. Elk Grove Unified staff continue to look for new ways to make classrooms Healthier without increasing costs. Custodians are currently testing an ionized automated floor scrubber. Although the electronic mop costs about $10,000, Lopez said, it uses water instead of detergent. Typical automated scrubbers requiring chemicals cost $4,000 to $6,000, she said. "Technology is expensive, but in the long run it pays for itself," Lopez said. The staff also is testing a $300 Activeion spray bottle that charges tap water into a ionized solution that Lopez says has been extremely effective as a cleaner. "If I outfitted all three of my custodians at an elementary school with the spray bottle, it would pay for itself in a month," Lopez said. She said the district also saved money when it replaced nine different cleansers with the highly concentrated, industrial-strength hydrogen peroxide cleaner.

-- Diana Lambert

GARY CONNOR: Vote ‘yes’ for our children

-- Palestine Herald Press Texas: May 07, 2009 [ abstract]

Having been involved with education at several levels, first as a student, later as a classroom teacher, two terms as a member of the board of trustees (in another school district) and most of my adult life as a property owner, and therefore, as a taxpayer, I understand the needs of the student, the challenges of the classroom teacher, the difficulty of managing a school district within budgeted guidelines and the inequities of the ad valorem tax laws. Experiencing education from all these perspectives serves to reinforce my belief in the importance of passing Palestine Independent School Districts’ bond proposal Saturday. I believe an accurate barometer of a community’s economic Health and viability is the condition of its school system, both the infrastructure and the quality of academics. Every school campus in the Palestine Independent School District currently has buildings in dire need of renovation. Many campuses need new construction in the form of new classrooms and science labs. Every campus has safety issues. The proposed school bond placed before the voters on Saturday provides for renovation, new construction and improved campus safety. Our children, in order to be prepared for college, in order to be prepared for technical school, in order to compete in today’s global job market must have the very best education available. And, quality education begins with quality facilities. Quality educational facilities promote student achievement. Schools with a high percentage of classrooms in poor physical condition or temporary buildings have lower attendance, higher dropout rates and lower accountability than schools without such problems.

-- GARY CONNOR

History, craftsmanship make Lemont school worth preserving

-- Centre Daily Times Pennsylvania: April 20, 2009 [ abstract]

National Historic Schools Day will be celebrated on April 28 in communities and neighborhood schools across the country. Lemont Elementary School, a Works Progress Administration project, was built in 1938-39 and is a masterpiece of workmanship. The Lemont school, a Works Progress Administration project built in 1938-39, was built at the confluence of centuries of meticulous craftsmanship with exploding 20th century technologies, which resulted in masterpieces of workmanship. Its kind will likely never be seen again. We preach to our children that mathematics and science and art and language matter, but at the Lemont school they learn and work in a building that stands as a massive testament to just such sentiments. However, the State College Area School District is in danger of shuttering it to students. Students and staff require and deserve a safe, Healthy environment for learning and working. The school board and the people of the district are to be applauded for their long-standing and remarkable tradition of providing high quality, high performance educational opportunities to its students. No child should be forced into educationally inadequate facilities in order to care-take our historic school buildings. A false choice is assumed: A decaying, dilapidated building? Or, a sparkly new one with all the bells and whistles? This is not the choice. The district is committed to updating its facilities; the question is how and where? Historic schools can be transformed into state-of-art environments through modern wiring, advanced technology, creative engineering, and maximizing the attributes of a superbly constructed edifice into “cheery, light-filled, well-functioning spaces.” Advertisement Pennsylvania provides the same level of reimbursement for school renovations as for new school constructions. Over 80 percent of school construction projects that are reimbursed by the Department of Education involve work on existing buildings, including historic structures. Pennsylvania has no minimum for acreage, neither as requirements or recommendations nor in regards to reimbursement. The Lemont school sits on over 6 acres of land. Abandonment of historic school buildings as schools is not necessary for academic excellence or code-compliant facilities. Historic schools are retro-fitted all over the country and world with wireless technology, air conditioning, etc

-- JoDee Dyreson

Detroit Plan Would Shut Schools, Cut 600 Teachers

-- Washington Post Michigan: April 10, 2009 [ abstract]

Detroit Public Schools would close 23 schools and lay off 600 teachers in a proposal released Thursday that would consolidate facilities in a shrinking district facing a projected $303 million deficit. The proposal was made by the state's financial overseer, Robert C. Bobb, who also has asked the state for $200 million in federal stimulus funds to improve the remaining schools and strengthen safety and security. A financial emergency has been declared for the district, which has been struggling for years with declining enrollment as the city's population shrinks and charter schools draw students. The superintendent was fired in December, and Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm (D) named Bobb the district's emergency financial manager the following month. The 192-school system has about 5,700 teachers and an enrollment of more than 95,000; it had nearly twice as many students in the late 1990s. About 7,500 students would have to change schools under the proposal. The president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, Keith Johnson, said Bobb's plan appears to be a move in the right direction for the district's long-term Health.

-- Associated Press

Don't Just Rebuild Schoolsâ€”Reinvent Them

-- Education Week National: April 07, 2009 [ abstract]

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act could be a boon to educational facilities, with its provisions to help reduce the interest on school construction and renovation bonds, and its permission for state fiscal-stabilization money to go for school modernization, repairs, and, as outlined in U.S. Education Department guidance, new construction. As communities gear up for the chance to utilize this much-needed help, let us remember that what may be great for bridges and highways may be exactly the wrong thing for schools. The deep decay of our school systems is best represented not by falling plaster and leaking roofs, but by something much more fundamental�"the philosophy behind the design of more than 99 percent of our school buildings. If we simply repair broken structures, we will ignore the real problems with American education while giving renewed life to a model of teaching and learning that has been obsolete since the end of the industrial era. Let’s start with the fundamental building block of almost every single school in this country: the classroom. Who seriously believes that locking 25 students in a small room with one adult for several hours each day is the best way for them to be “educated”? In the 21st century, education is about project-based learning, connections with peers around the world, service learning, independent research, design and creativity, and, more than anything else, critical thinking and challenges to old assumptions. So, what can we do to begin changing our current practices and modernize schooling? It’s really quite simple. We should attach strict conditions to any support for facilities projects under the recently enacted federal stimulus package. Those conditions should send a clear message to each community that facilities spending be leveraged to change the educational paradigm from the largely teacher-centered model now practiced everywhere to a 21st-century, student-centered approach. Here are some effective ways to assess whether a school community is deserving of support for its plans. Let’s ask whether those plans include real efforts to do the following: Create personalized learning communities. Will the money be used to break down the anonymity of the larger school by creating small, personalized learning communities of between 100 and 125 students and from four to six teachers? These communities would replace classrooms with multifaceted learning studios and common areas for various collaborative and hands-on activities. The idea is for each student to be known, respected, and educated at a very personal level. Positive relationships with adult mentors and older peers are keys to academic success and critical to the development of good social and emotional skills. This can only happen if students belong to a community that is small enough not to exceed its members’ ability as human beings to relate on a personal level with other human beings. Make technology ubiquitous. Will the plans enable school buildings to finally enter the 21st century in the arena of technological sophistication? Support should be given to schools that are committed to redressing the imbalance between students’ technology readiness and the schools’ willingness to let them use it for learning at all levels. Students should have anytime, anywhere access to the Internet via high-speed wireless laptop computers, smartphones, and hand-held computing devices. Experts from all over the world should be able to pop in on demand via distance-learning programs accommodated by two-way videoconferencing facilities. Schools should be the coolest places in the community when it comes to high-end equipment and for testing new and experimental software. Connect with the outdoors for Health, fitness, and improved academics. Will schools start paying attention to the mountain of data that directly correlates human Health and well-being with the amount of time spent communing with nature and the outdoors?

-- Prakash Nair

City School Construction Project Passes Halfway Point

-- Bristol Herald Courier Tennessee: March 28, 2009 [ abstract]

Construction of Fairmount Elementary School �" the city’s first new school in 38 years �" is more than half complete. Rain and cold weather have caused minor delays, but bricklayers, carpenters and other contractors have been working weekends to meet the goal of completing the school in late November or early December, Randy Webb, BurWil Construction Co. superintendent, said Friday. “There are seven different contractors out here and about 75 workers, and we’re probably 50 [percent] to 55 percent done,” he said. Installation of one of the most unique features of the $13.7 million, 83,000-square-foot school �" a geothermal heating and cooling system �" also is under way. “The geothermal wells are all set in place, and right now were installing the ‘vault’ that will take in hot and cold water and distribute it to different areas of the school,” Webb said. The school was nearly 90 years old when demolition began in July. In January, 600 students are expected to head to class in the new Fairmount Elementary. A lot has happened in the past two months. The foundation is complete, and the exterior of the classrooms, administrative areas and gymnasium are complete. The red brick, trimmed with lighter brown brick, that will cover the entire school except the gym, is being set. Many of the interior steel supports are in place awaiting a custom Sheetrock designed to withstand a Healthy dose of wear and tear, Webb said. “We’re going to be moving to the roofing next, and we’ll start installing it above the classrooms and administrative areas first, then we’ll finish off the dining area and gym,” he said. Meanwhile, metal door frames and windows are almost all installed, as are the steel supports for the large dome that will cover the school’s library. And sprinkler lines are going in as are heating and cooling ducts and plumbing.

-- Gary Gray

Mold found at Ham Avenue School - Again

-- Greenwich Time Connecticut: March 24, 2009 [ abstract]

School officials said Tuesday that mold discovered in the newly-reopened Hamilton Avenue School building has been cleaned up and poses no Health threat to students or staff. Facilities crews worked speedily over the weekend to remove a section of moldy drywall from the school, which was rebuilt to address longstanding mold issues at the old building. Students spent more than three years attending class in temporary modular facilities -- which also suffered from mold issues -- while awaiting the completion of the oft-delayed reconstruction project. The 2-to-3-square-foot patch of mold discovered this month was attributed to a leaky interior pipe that hadn't been properly sealed by the general contractor during the construction process, officials said. "It's a little concerning that (mold has) been found in the new building, but I do understand that mistakes are made," said mother Kerry Dunn. Air samples collected Sunday in a first-floor classroom near where the mold was found and the adjoining hallway where water leakage was discovered revealed "exceptionally low" mold spore counts, said industrial hygienist Robert Brown of Stamford-based Hygenix Inc., an environmental consultant hired by school officials. "Based on observations, the air test results, and the information that has been provided to me, it is my opinion that the steps taken have effectively eliminated any residual microbial hazards," Brown wrote in a letter sent Tuesday to district Facilities Director Tony Byrne.

-- Colin Gustafson

Massachusetts May Use Stimulus Funds to Improve Energy Efficiency of Schools

-- WBZ.com Massachusetts: March 19, 2009 [ abstract]

Massachusetts will receive an estimated $8.7 billion in federal economic stimulus aid according to Patrick administration officials who say they plan to track every dollar to make sure it isn't misspent. Massachusetts is in a better position than many states to take advantage of money intended to boost renewable energy production. The state has made a push to encourage solar, wind and biofuels industries. The same is true, she said, for stimulus-funded grants distributed through the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, since Massachusetts has launched a $1 billion, 10-year life science initiative. While much of the federal money will help pay for everything from clean energy projects to highway construction, cities and towns hoping to use some of the money to build new schools are out of luck. There's no provision in the federal law that allows stimulus money to be spent on new school construction, although some money could be spent on making energy efficient improvements to government buildings including schools, said Undersecretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez. Search Tags: stimulus green energy arra

-- Steve LeBlanc

What parents need to know about the roof collapse at C.I. Waggoner Elementary School.

-- AZ Central.com Arizona: March 17, 2009 [ abstract]

Where will school be Tuesday? Parents should drop off their children at the regular location on Tuesday morning. Normal transportation and food services will be provided. Half-day kindergarteners and second graders will be temporarily relocated on the Waggoner Elementary campus and in the Kyrene Middle School media center, according to district officials. The middle school is next to Waggoner. What happened? The roof collapsed on the multi-purpose room and caused broken water lines, flooding 12 classrooms. The school was deemed safe on Monday by structural engineers from Arizona's Schools Risk Retention Trust, the Maricopa County Health Inspector, the fire marshal and the Tempe Fire Department. How much damage did the collapse cause? A damage estimate won't be available for a couple of weeks, said Nancy Dudenhoefer, spokeswoman for Kyrene Schools. A timetable for repairs was also unavailable on Monday. School officials were concentrating on how to secure the elementary school overnight and notifying parents about school on Tuesday.

-- Staff Writer

Oklahoma tribes set sights on funds

-- Indian Country Today Oklahoma: March 13, 2009 [ abstract]

With $2.8 billion earmarked for Indian country through the Obama administration’s recent stimulus package, several Oklahoma tribes are hoping to see some of the funds spent in their jurisdictions. Accessing those funds is important, but Oklahoma’s 37 tribes are just one portion of Indian country, the state’s tribal leaders said. The money, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will go to Health services, education, housing and other Indian programs and their funding agencies. The funding boost for Indian country means tribes need to be proactive in getting the money to their area, said Jeff Houser, chairman of the 600-member Fort Sill Apaches. “We haven’t done anything yet, but we hope to be able to get some of the monies, because if it’s there, we can use it.” Houser said. Jim Gray, principal chief of the 10,000-member Osage Nation, said his tribe has a committed interest in developing renewable sources of energy, a prime initiative of the Obama administration. The Osage Nation has a century-long association with mineral-based energy like oil and gas. Now the time has come to expand that definition and teach their children to see green energy as the new oilfield, he said. Additionally, $132 million for Indian school improvements has been earmarked for new school construction and $160 million for Indian school modernization. Around $150 million has been marked for BIA road upgrades while $320 million is for Indian Reservation Roads funds, now available from the U.S. Department of Transportation, officials said. The pace needed to use the funds to stimulate the economy has one tribal leader worried about Indian interests. John Berrey, Quapaw Nation tribal chairman, said as a member of the national advisory council for historic preservation, he fears that a desire to use the funds quickly could interfere with federal statutes, like the National Environmental Protection Act. Moving dirt for some of these projects could bring unforeseen problems. Berrey leads the 3,200-member tribe near Miami, Okla.

-- S.E. Ruckman

UPDATE: Schools director not giving up on building schools

-- The Tennessean Tennessee: March 13, 2009 [ abstract]

Rutherford County Schools Director Harry Gill Jr. plans to ask the County Commission in April to reconsider its 11-10 vote Thursday to delay funding to open two middle schools and Central Academic Magnet School by August 2010. “I’m not finished with them yet,” Gill said during a phone interview this morning. “I’m going back to the County Commission to make my case to build these schools.” A majority of the commission agreed with County Mayor Ernest Burgess’ recommendation to delay the projects for a year to avoid major tax increases during a recession. Gill, though, said the county will save money in the long run by taking advantage of low bids by construction contractors needing the work and low interest rates. The original budget to build the two middle schools was $52.8 million, and that was based on what it cost to open Rockvale Middle School this year. Board of Education officials, though, expect costs to come down to $44.3 million based on the low bid on March 3 to build Buchanan middle on U.S. Highway 41 South (Manchester Highway). The School Board will review construction bids for the DeJarnette Lane middle project Tuesday, Gill said. He’s requested for the school construction projects to be on the agendas for both the commission’s Health & Education Committee meeting March 24 and the Budget, Finance & Investment Committee April 9. The full 21-member commission meets April 16. In addition to construction savings, Gill said the county could save $3 million by taking advantage of low interest rates for a $45 million loan over 20 years before those rates increase by half a point. If Gill can’t convince the majority of commissioners to fund the schools now, he said the board will be looking to add about 30 more portable classrooms next year. “That’s 600 kids,” said Gill, noting that his district currently depends on 144 portables to serve around 3,000 children.

-- SCOTT BRODEN

Phased-in Approach Would Bring Green Cleaning to Connecticut's Public Schools

-- StamfordPlus.com Connecticut: March 10, 2009 [ abstract]

Implementing a school cleaning plan that uses only certified “green” products not only prevents harmful exposure to chemicals, but also could save school districts money, says state Senator Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). Joined by advocates and educators at Brookside School in Norwalk, Senator Duff detailed his support of proposed legislation that would require the state’s school districts to implement a “green cleaning program”�"a program that would be either cost-neutral or offer cost-saving for districts around Connecticut. “Switching from traditional cleaning products makes sense for Health and environmental reasons, but it also makes sense for financial reasons,” Senator Duff said. “Several states�"including Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania and Vermont�" have instituted plans that use green products and are cost-neutral or have saved districts thousands of dollars. Santa Monica, California, for example, actually documented a five percent savings after switching to green products and eliminated the use of 3,200 pounds of hazardous materials. This is something we’re already implementing in our state buildings, so it makes a lot of sense to start phasing-in these same policies in our public schools.” Under House Bill 6496, An Act Concerning Green Cleaning Products in Schools, each local or regional board of education in the state would be required to phase-in a green cleaning program for all school buildings and facilities in its district by October 1, 2011. All green cleaning programs would be required to use products that are certified by one of two independent third parties, Green Seal or EcoLogo. Products that must be certified include general purpose cleaners, bathroom cleaners, carpet cleaners, glass cleaners, floor strippers and finishes, hand cleaners and soaps.

-- Senator Duff's office

Pots of Education Stimulus Cash May be Found in Unlikely Spots

-- Education Week National: March 10, 2009 [ abstract]

Buried within the $787 billion economic-stimulus package are pots of federal money�"beyond the $115 billion in direct education aid�"that creative district business managers and education advocates think can be tapped to benefit schools. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress last month will provide money for community and rural Health centers, workforce-training programs, and a tax-credit bonding program that has helped charter schools build or renovate facilities, among other assistance. One source of money may benefit charter schools, which unsuccessfully fought during congressional negotiations for a line item in the stimulus measure to help them pay for facilities. The measure expands the New Markets Tax Credit program, which benefits those who donate to federally designated “community-development entities” that make investments in low-income communities. Charter schools have been one of the beneficiaries of that bonding program, since it’s geared to entities that do not have their own taxing or bonding authority. The stimulus package raised the amount of New Markets Tax Credits to a total of $5 billion a year in both 2008 and 2009, an increase of $1.5 billion each year. The 2008 increase would allow those entities that turned in applications last calendar year, but were turned down, to potentially share in the bigger pot. Keyword Search Tags: Stimulus, arra

-- Michele McNeil

Duxbury to undertake school building study

-- The Patriot Ledger Massachusetts: March 09, 2009 [ abstract]

The school building committee has determined that a study needs to be done to help the town decide what to do about deficiencies at the Duxbury Middle School and Duxbury High School. The buildings are both more than 40 years old and will probably need to be renovated or replaced, according to the committee. Among other things, the study would address the buildings’ conditions, safety, energy efficiency and handicapped accessibility, and a possible schedule for construction would be developed, building committee Chairwoman Elizabeth Lewis said. The study also would substantiate a statement of interest the school department has submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Submitting a statement of interest is part of the process for obtaining construction funding from the state. The study would be paid for with the money from a $200,000 debt-exclusion override of Proposition 2�1/2. If the override passes at town meeting on Saturday, it will be voted on again in the annual town election on March 28. The school building committee will conduct an information session on the proposal at 7 tonight in the Duxbury Middle School auditorium. Tours of the middle school and high school will follow. “The impact of these buildings on the budget of the town is pretty important,” Lewis said. “This will be the largest project that the town has ever seen.” The middle school was built in 1960, the high school in 1968. Neither meets current codes for energy efficiency, fire protection or handicapped accessibility. Both are approaching the end of their life spans, according to the school building committee. The buildings have outdated mechanical, electric and plumbing systems, leaky windows and doors, aged roofs and difficult-to-maintain heating systems, plus other deficiencies and structural problems. The Massachusetts School Building Authority requires school districts to prioritize the construction projects for which they are seeking reimbursement. It selects projects based on a rating system. The town’s school building committee decided to make the middle school project Duxbury’s top priority, because of the building’s age and inadequate space. However, given the age of both schools and the proximity of the campuses, the committee believes a feasibility study for both buildings is needed. The $200,000 override would involve borrowing money for four years. The cost to the average homeowner would be $10.36 in the first year and would decrease in subsequent years. Also being sought this year is a $1.54 million debt-exclusion override for replacing a portion of the Chandler Elementary School roof. The project is critical for maintaining the structural integrity of the roof and ensuring a Healthy and safe building environment, according to the building committee. The state school building authority has already approved the project and will provide the town with 40 percent reimbursement. In 2001, voters approved building projects at the Chandler and Alden schools. The town received a 67 percent reimbursement from the state. Sydney Schwartz may be reached at sschwartz@ledger.com.

-- Sydney Schwartz

New Jersey to Inject $180M into School Repair and Construction Projects

-- Star-Ledger New Jersey: March 07, 2009 [ abstract]

Stressing the importance of keeping the construction trades working in a worsening recession, Gov. Jon Corzine announced the state will pump $180 million into hundreds of school repair and construction projects. The funding isn't new. It comes from $3.9 billion in borrowing approved by the state in July, but districts had been waiting to hear whether their projects would be approved. Little of the money will go for new construction. One notable exception is the rebuilding of Memorial Elementary School in East Brunswick, which was damaged in a fire last July. Two new preschools also will be built in South Jersey. Most of the 400 projects are far simpler, things like boiler and window replacements. New Jersey is home to 150 schools that are a century old or older, Corzine said as he announced the projects at a school in Bayonne. "Today, we are delivering on our commitment to transform our schools into safe, Healthy learning environments for our children," Corzine said. "We recognize that many... districts are struggling with costs for construction, maintenance and repairs to make desperately needed improvements. Investing in these types of projects will help stimulate the economy and create job opportunities during this critical time." The $3.9 billion in borrowing the state approved in July was needed to restart its massive school-construction push that had run out of cash. That push was prompted by state Supreme Court orders to repair perilous conditions in the state's poorest 31 districts, known as Abbott districts. The new bonds will fund $2.9 billion in additional construction and repairs in those poor districts, with $1 billion available to all other districts. Non-Abbott districts around the state applied to the state Department of Education, and Corzine yesterday announced the first round of selected projects. The state will announce subsequent rounds of funding until the $1 billion is gone. Districts are required to shoulder some of the cost of the projects, putting the questions to voters April 21 as either part of their budget or separate referendums. Fourteen percent of the projects announced are slated for referendum. In total, districts will kick in $267 million, but the state-versus-local ratio varies depending on the project, said Kathryn Forsyth, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Education.

-- Karen Keller

N.J. announces $180M in school repairs, construction

-- NJ.com New Jersey: March 06, 2009 [ abstract]

Stressing the importance of keeping the construction trades working in a worsening recession, Gov. Jon Corzine announced the state will pump $180 million into hundreds of school repair and construction projects. The funding isn't new. It comes from $3.9 billion in borrowing approved by the state in July, but districts had been on tenderhooks waiting to hear whether their projects would be approved. "We're certainly glad this is moving ahead; it's time," said Lynne Strickland, director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, which represents roughly 100, mostly suburban districts. Little of the money will go for new construction. One notable exception -- the rebuilding of Memorial Elementary School in East Brunswick, which was damaged in a fire last July. Two new preschools also will be built in South Jersey. Most of the 400 projects are far simpler, things like boiler and window replacements. New Jersey is home to 150 schools that are a century-old or older, Corzine said today as he announced the projects at a school in Bayonne. "Today, we are delivering on our commitment to transform our schools into safe, Healthy learning environments for our children," Corzine said. "We recognize that many...districts are struggling with costs for construction, maintenance and repairs to make desperately needed improvements. Investing in these types of projects will help stimulate the economy and create job opportunities during this critical time." The $3.9 billion in borrowing the state approved in July was needed to restart its massive school-construction push that had run out of cash. That push was prompted by state Supreme Court orders to repair perilous conditions in the state's poorest 31 districts, known as Abbott districts.

-- Karen Keller

'Bridge' to high school building on stimulus list

-- Middleboro Gazette Massachusetts: March 05, 2009 [ abstract]

All over the country state and local officials have lists of road and bridge repair or replacement projects they believe are eligible for federal economic stimulus money, and Middleboro is no exception. In fact, one of the most pressing infrastructure issues on the town's list involves a bridge of sorts. The bridge, actually a concrete walkway at the main entrance to the high school, is built into a portion of the teachers' dining room and cafeteria below. The structure has deteriorated to the point where rainwater is leaking into the building, selectmen were told Monday night. Supt. of Schools Robert Sullivan outlined a total of up to $2 million worth of school construction projects that have been submitted to the Municipal Facilities Task Force the state has established to prioritize spending of federal stimulus funding. The projects have been on the town's Capital Planning Committee priority list, some for several years. Supt. Sullivan said a request for priority lists came from the lieutenant governor in January with a "24- to 48-hour turnaround deadline," and town officials decided the Capital Planning Committee list represented construction projects most likely to meet the Obama administration's requirement that projects be "shovel-ready" in order to qualify for funding. Estimated at $275,000, replacement of the high school walkway is the project closest to being shovel-ready" of anything on the towns list, Supt. Sullivan said. He said the project could go out to bid in four to six weeks. Chairman of Selectmen Patrick Rogers, who is also chairman of the Capital Planning Committee, joined the School Committee in touring school buildings last year and said the walkway must be replaced fairly soon or its deteriorating condition will begin affecting the integrity of the cafeteria below. He said the leak problem could also become a Health issue. Keyword Search Tags: Stimulus, arra

-- JANE LOPES

Somerset readies for school renovation

-- Delmarva Daily Times Maryland: March 05, 2009 [ abstract]

Somerset County schools have been approved for the first installment of $17.75 million needed for a limited renovation of Washington High School. The county will receive $5.2 million from the state's Public School Construction Program after the start of the next fiscal year, July 1. School officials will find out in May if they will receive an additional $779,000, which will round out the amount to $6 million, said Superintendent Karen-Lee Brofee. The state also is expected to provide more money during the following two fiscal years in order to complete more work in the building. Currently, design work is under way and will be followed by state review and the bidding process, said Rodger Daugherty, supervisor of facilities and transportation for the school system. It will be at least August before any construction begins. Although school officials hoped to complete a full renovation of Washington High School, estimated at $24 million, but they scaled back plans after learning that funding for such projects was being slashed statewide. Work to the building will include upgrades to heating and air conditioning systems, electrical service, lighting and plumbing, Daugherty said. New science labs, a school-based Health center and the reconfiguration of some interior walls also will be included in the scaled-back renovation plan.

-- Liz Holland

States' Tests for Toxic Air Near Schools Called into Doubt

-- USA Today National: March 05, 2009 [ abstract]

State environmental officials in Louisiana and Pennsylvania have released results of short-term air monitoring for toxic chemicals near schools, and in both states officials say the tests showed no Health threats. Some residents, activists and other environmental experts question the findings �" and worry that such declarations offer a false sense of security based on limited data.

-- Blake Morrison and Brad Heath

Stimulus to Help Retool Education, Duncan Says

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: March 05, 2009 [ abstract]

To help struggling schools, the federal government will use stimulus funding to encourage states to expand school days, reward good teachers, fire bad ones and measure how students perform compared with peers in India and China, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said yesterday. History has shown that money alone does not drive school improvement, Duncan said, pointing to the District of Columbia, where public school students consistently score near the bottom on national reading and math tests even though the school system spends more per pupil than its suburban counterparts do. "D.C. has had more money than God for a long time, but the outcomes are still disastrous," Duncan said in an interview with Washington Post editors and reporters. He said the unprecedented influx of cash, which will begin to flow in the next 30 to 45 days, would target states, local school systems and nonprofit organizations willing to adopt policies that have been proven to work. "The challenge isn't an intellectual one, it's one of political courage," said Duncan, who developed a reputation for a willingness to experiment and disrupt the status quo in seven years as chief executive of Chicago schools. The stimulus law, which will channel about $100 billion to public schools, universities and early childhood education programs nationwide, will help prevent teacher layoffs, overhaul aging schools and educate low-income children. But it also gives Duncan unusual power to shape change. Duncan said he wants struggling schools to use federal aid to adopt on a grander scale ideas that are producing results on a trial basis in some locales. He pointed to longer school days, instituted by some public charter schools, as essential to help struggling students make up lost ground. Duncan said schools should be treated as community hubs that provide Health care, meals and other services to support at-risk families. Some schools in Chicago, for example, are open up to 14 hours a day and offer services from YMCAs to Health clinics. "School buildings don't belong to us. They don't belong to the unions. School buildings belong to the community," Duncan said. "Almost every school building has classrooms. They have computer labs. They have libraries. . . . Why are they open six hours a day? It's crazy." Keyword Search Tags: Stimulus, arra

-- Bill Turque and Maria Glod

Griswold school plan sent to state

-- Norwich Bulletin Connecticut: March 03, 2009 [ abstract]

The School Building Committee will submit plans to the state Department of Education facilities office today for approval of the district’s $35.9 million elementary school. Franklin Everett, chairman of the school building committee, said the state reviews building plans to make sure they comply with state and federal requirements. The superintendent, construction manager and architect on the project, Kaestle Boos Associates Inc., are also expected to attend. “There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of codes on the books,” Everett said. The state must provide the review in 30 days or allow the district to hire a state-approved private reviewer. Once the review is complete, the project could solicit bids, Everett said. The first step in construction would be to demolish the academic wing of the existing elementary school closest to the middle school, which is expected to be done this summer, he said. The wing houses 16 classrooms, including classes for grades 1 and 2, a kindergarten class and a Health class.

-- DEBORAH STRASZHEIM

EPA: Air Tests Near Schools a Priority

-- USA Today National: March 01, 2009 [ abstract]

In an unprecedented step aimed at protecting children from toxic chemicals, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce plans Monday to determine whether industrial pollution taints the air outside schools across the nation. The EPA plan, promised by new administrator Lisa Jackson during her Senate confirmation hearings in January, calls for regulators to identify 50 to 100 schools where pollution might pose significant Health risks. At many of those locations, the agency will work with state and local regulators to monitor the air for a variety of toxic chemicals. The agency could begin taking air samples within five weeks and may release some results within a few months. The cost of the effort is expected to be about $2.5 million and will be funded "through redirecting resources from the current budget as well as from the next fiscal year," says EPA spokesman Allyn Brooks-LaSure. "This is a priority." The plan, the agency's first effort to systematically examine industrial pollution outside schools, comes in response to a USA TODAY investigation that used the government's own data to identify schools that might be in toxic hot spots â€” areas where chemicals may permeate the air.

-- Blake Morrison and Brad Heath

Central students headed to Wal-Mart next school year

-- MyWebTimes.com Illinois: February 26, 2009 [ abstract]

Fifth- and sixth-grade Ottawa Elementary School students will be under one roof again for the 2009-2010 school year, though not likely at the Central School building. During a special meeting Wednesday, the OES board voted 6-0, with board member Frank Polancic absent, to utilize the old Wal-Mart building through Dec. 31, 2011, for Central School students. The decision was made on the heels of an announcement from La Salle County Regional Superintendent Richard Myers, who said that based on recommendations from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Central has been condemned by the Regional Office of Education. This decision means the school district cannot reoccupy that space without meeting all the requirements for remediation. The IDPH cited asbestos contamination as the main issue, with asbestos found in the auditorium, in the boiler room and from floor tiles loosened from the humidity and flood waters. The cost to remediate would be $1.8 million, said Superintendent Craig Doster. The district is still waiting for official word from the Federal Emergency Management Agency whether Central is recognized as being in a flood plain and whether FEMA will accept the district's appraisal of the building. If approved â€” and Doster expects that answer soon â€” FEMA will pay for 75 percent of the costs to construct a new building and temporarily relocate Central students, based on what insurance will not cover. Doster said the district has been working with legislators, including U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete; state Sen. Gary Dahl, R-Granville; and state Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley. In the meantime, the board met Wednesday to make a decision regarding where students will go next year, so school officials can begin planning. Doster presented options including a modular system at Shepherd Middle School, renovating Wal-Mart with either built-in walls or partitions or scattering the students to the remaining four buildings.

-- Melissa Garzanelli

Keith Dixon: School district’s Red Plan is ‘green’ as well

-- Duluth News Tribune Minnesota: February 26, 2009 [ abstract]

Three years ago, at the very beginning of the development of our long -range facilities project, before anyone heard of a Red, White or Blue plan, we heard lots of talk about green. Not in reference to money, but in terms of design. In other words, if you’re going to invest in your buildings, are you going to take the important step of making them environmentally friendly? We heard that question from the community repeatedly. The answer is “Yes.” In fact, our school board adopted green standards for the LRFP this week. Other Duluth organizations have already taken that step, like SMDC, UMD and Lake Superior College. Green buildings deliver lower energy and water bills, create less waste, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide less exposure for students to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins. Green buildings are Healthier and reduce absences related to respiratory illnesses and other environmental illnesses. They’ve also been shown to have a positive impact on test scores. Our school district will use the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program as the sustainable design standard for the new schools we build. The LEED program for schools was specifically crafted for use in school construction and provides measurable results that include third-party review. For renovation of existing school buildings, we’ll follow the same standard without the certification. LEED encourages adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. A LEED-designed building can provide a Healthy place to teach and learn, ongoing operational budget savings and hands-on learning opportunities for students. As in other commercial buildings, the net cost of building a LEED school is comparable to building a conventional school. The majority of standards required to achieve LEED silver-level certification are available at little or no additional cost, based on currently available technology and good design practices. Examples include:

-- Keith Dixon

Debate over Wydown school continues

-- Student Life Missouri: February 25, 2009 [ abstract]

Community tensions are running high in the neighborhood surrounding Wydown Boulevard. Last Wednesday, the Clayton school board listened to the concerns of residents in regards to its proposal to swap properties with Washington University, close Wydown Middle School and build a new middle school at the former Christian Brothers College High School on Clayton Road. Residents told the board that the Christian Brother College’s (CBC) property, now owned by Washington University, would be an unsafe location for young children. The property is on Clayton Road across from a shopping center and St. Mary’s Health Center. Kristien Reddington, leader of Citizens for Clayton Schools, a group that is supporting the school district’s proposition requesting $51 million to facilitate changes to the middle school, said that there is also a fear among Clayton residents that the University will purchase residential homes for its expansion. “I believe that legitimate concerns of the community is that if Washington University moved into a residential area, they will continue to expand farther,” Reddington said. “The fear is that they will start to purchase residential homes behind the site and then ask for zoning changes, and that would take away from taxpayers and take away the neighborhood feel from that end of Clayton.” The School District of Clayton Board of Education voted in favor of placing a $51 million bond initiative on this year to improve Clayton High School, three elementary schools and the Family Center. According to the school district’s Web site, “the bond issue, which is estimated to raise the District’s debt service tax rate by 29 cents, would result in a tax increase of approximately $275 per year (or $5.29 per week) on a $500,000 home.” The initiative requires the support of 57.1 percent of Clayton voters to pass. A separate bond issue election next year would be for rehabilitating or replacing Wydown Middle School. A group calling itself NoSplitBond is organizing a fight against the coming bond issue. Among the residents’ concerns is that this year’s bond issue could hurt the chances for Wydown’s bond issue passing.

-- Eliza Adelson

Arkansas' Share of Stimulus Package

-- KARK Arkansas: February 23, 2009 [ abstract]

Unlike some Republican Governors who indicate they don't want a portion of the stimulus money, Arkansas is slated to receive its share of the 2.1 billion dollars. On Monday, Governor Beebe's office said it will spend all of the money responsibly. If there's some money that isn't necessary for projects, specifically in the area of education, Arkansas will give it back. The money is broken down into these categories: tax relief, education, nutrition, housing, child care, infrastructure, new energy technologies, and Health care. "Certainly I think that everyone is in total agreement to try to get it out as soon as possible and create the greatest number of jobs,â€ said Governor Beebe. In the area of education, 44,000 additional Arkansas students will qualify for a $2,500 tax credit for higher education, $7 million for Head Start, $1 million for the national school lunch program, more than $444 million for k-12, school modernization, renovation or repair, and more than $857,000 for the senior meal programs. Keyword Search Tags: Stimulus, arra

-- Melissa Simas

Hytrek: School's memories saved from demolition

-- Sioux City Journal Iowa: February 21, 2009 [ abstract]

A large part of a community's history resides within its school buildings. These buildings capture the formative moments in the lives of a town's young people. A favorite teacher, a first crush, pep rallies -- all of those memories are held forever inside a school. It's one thing all towns, no matter how big or small, have in common. When it comes time for one of those buildings to be torn down, it's usually not a happy event. Old school buildings are landmarks. They mean something. It was no different in Wakefield, which earlier this month said goodbye to its old high school, built in 1930 just off the downtown business district. "It kind of hurts to see it go down," said Bud Erlandson, class of 1939. "I just thought it was part of Wakefield. I never really envisioned it being torn down." No one ever does. But even if the building can't be saved forever, the memories can be. And in Wakefield, the group that demolished the building is making sure those memories live on. Wakefield Family Resource Center volunteers are interviewing those who attended the school. The memories they collect will be compiled in a book to be published in time for the all-school alumni reunion in July. "We've tried to do what we can to let people know we're not these mean old people who just want to knock your building down," said Ereline Stubbs, director of the Family Resource Center, which owned the building. Since the school closed in 1977, the building was home to a senior center, a community center and the Family Resource Center. Six years ago, Health officials labeled the building a Health hazard and ordered it vacated. Sensitive to the school building's place in the community, Stubbs said her board sought a buyer. "We tried, but nobody wanted it."

-- Staff Writer

School District Will Get Help In Federal Stimulus Package

-- Adair Progress Kentucky: February 20, 2009 [ abstract]

The Adair County School District will be getting some financial assistance from the new federal stimulus package signed by President Barrack Obama Tuesday. According to the U.S. Department of Education web site the state will receive $651,341,789 for the state fiscal stabilization fund. Although the exact amount the county will receive has not been released, Adair County Schools Superintendent Darrell Treece stated that the original figures that were presented by the state included $510,900.00 for Title I programs for one year, $366,500.00 for the first year, $420,000.00 for the second year in special-education and $1,275,900.00 in construction funds. However, Treece stated, "During the negotiations phase of the stimulus package the construction funds were cut and reorganized into to modernization funds and the amount the county will receive is unclear at this point." The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated $40 billion in state stabilization funds to help avert education cuts. The funds will be given to the states in exchange for a commitment to begin advancing education reforms and the school systems will have discretion to use some of this money for school modernization. The federal funding includes the following: • $13 billion for Title I, including $3 billion for Title I school improvement programs. • $12 billion for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs. • $5 billion in incentive grants to be distributed on a competitive basis to states that most aggressively pursue higher standards, quality assessments, robust data systems and teacher quality initiatives. This includes $650 million to fund school systems and non-profits with strong track records of improving student achievement. • $5 billion for Early Childhood, including Head Start, early Head Start, childcare block grants, and programs for infants with disabilities. (Includes Department of Health and Human Services programs.) •$2 billion for other education investments, including pay for performance, data systems, teacher quality investments, technology grants, vocational rehab, work study and Impact Aid. The plan also includes additional school modernization funds up to $33.6 Billion, $8.8 billion in state stabilization funds for other state services including education in which school modernization is an eligible use of the funding. The plan also gives the states and school systems the authority to issue $24.8 billion dollars in bonds over the next 10 years for renovation, repairs and school construction that will be retired through a combination of local, state and federal dollars. Keyword Search Tags: Stimulus, arra

-- Lawrence Harris

Belle Valley North is all cracked up; district asking voters for $39.5 million

-- News-Democrat Illinois: February 19, 2009 [ abstract]

Belle Valley School District board members are hoping voters understand the benefits and urgency of the district's $39.5 million plans for a new school. "Time is of the essence," said Gaines Smith, the board's vice president and building committee president. "Every day we don't get this done is a day we lose." The district is asking voters for $39.5 million to fund the project, which will include building and equipping the new school, improving the site, refinancing debt and demolishing buildings. If approved, the measure could mean a $226 to $280 increase in the taxes paid by the owner of a $100,000 home. Smith and Board President Karen Kunz said the district needs a new building because its South Middle School building needs about $10 million in Health and life safety repairs and its North Elementary School building is sinking. The collapse of the defunct Ell-Rich Coal Mine about 150 feet below the ground caused a mine subsidence at Belle Valley North, which has settled about 8 inches since state surveyors began taking measurements in the fall of 2007, and about 12 inches altogether. State engineers have said the district has about 10 years until the building becomes structurally unsound but the district already has closed two classrooms in the most affected wing "mostly from a perspective standpoint," Smith said. "I don't know if you'd want to send your kid in a room that looks like that," he said of the two rooms with large cracks in their walls. The district already has purchased 44 acres off Green Mount Road to build a new building for its nearly 900 students. It will take two years to design and build the two-story building and its surrounding campus, to which Smith and Kunz said the community would have access. "If the taxpayers are going to pay for this, we need to let the community have access to it," Smith said. "We want to make this a community area."

-- RICKEENA J. RICHARDS

Clayton residents blast plan

-- ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Missouri: February 19, 2009 [ abstract]

The Clayton School Board heard an outpouring of opposition Wednesday night to its proposal to swap properties with Washington University, close Wydown Middle School and build a new middle school at the old CBC high school site on Clayton Road. One after another, residents told the board that the CBC property now owned by Washington University would be an unsafe location for 11-, 12- and 13-year-olds. The property is on busy Clayton Road across from a shopping center and St. Mary's Health Center. Residents also expressed affection for Wydown School, in the heart of a residential neighborhood with many trees. Under the potential swap, Washington University would trade the CBC property for Wydown and two other properties, and give the district a financial contribution to help build a new middle school. Some of the residents during an hour of public comments told the board that they could not support a proposed $51 million school bond issue on the April 7 ballot largely because of their opposition to the potential land swap.

-- Margaret Gillerman

Growing Number of High Schools Nationwide Building Cafeteria Coffee Bars.

-- American-Statesman National: February 19, 2009 [ abstract]

Some high schools in Texas and nationwide are building in-school coffee bars, enticed by the profits from the beverages, which are popular among teens, and by the premise that keeping coffee-drinking kids on campus will help them focus on their studies. Many of the ventures are a success, as measured by sales and student satisfaction, but some nutrition experts are questioning whether selling the often sugary caffeinated drinks in schools is good for students' Health. In Lake Travis, the inspiration for Main Street Java came from the sight of high school students strolling into morning classes with disposable coffee cups in hand, food and nutrition services director Barbara Galaway-Patrick said. Lake Travis spent about $12,000 of the $2.9 million allotted for the high school cafeteria's renovation to outfit the coffee shop with a stainless steel La Cimbali espresso machine, display cases for pastries, slick black counters and bar-height tables and stools, Galaway-Patrick said. The investment has paid off, she said

-- Molly Bloom

Schools mull overhaul of construction policy

-- Explore Howard County Maryland: February 19, 2009 [ abstract]

As Glenelg High School was renovated and a new wing added to the building in recent years, students commonly complained of headaches, nausea and asthma problems they believed to be caused by noise, dust and fumes from the construction, according to parent Johnnie Nussbaum. As the school's PTSA president, Nussbaum wants those kinds of distractions minimized or eliminated, she told the Howard County Board of Education at a public hearing last week. "In order to fix the problems that occurred during our construction and renovation project we need a policy ... that clearly outlines all the preventative safety measures needed to ensure the least amount of negative impact on the people in the building," she told the board. Nussbaum was one of eight people who testified before the school board Feb. 12 regarding proposed revisions to the school system's construction policy. The policy sets forth guidelines for school planning and construction projects. Others who spoke about the policy urged the board to consider making all of its construction projects meet environmentally conscious design standards. Such projects can be certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. Although the board was slated to vote on the construction policy March 12, last week's public hearing convinced officials to consider additional revisions, board chairman Frank Aquino said, adding that he expects the policy to be presented to the board again later this spring. Work raises Health concerns With more and more school renovation projects on the horizon, the work cannot always be limited to the summer months. When renovation occurs during the school year, safety standards must be heightened, according to Elizabeth Edsall Kromm, a representative of the county Health Department who testified on behalf of county Health Officer Dr. Peter Beilenson. "The Health Department firmly believes that school construction and renovation policies, and procedures must be designed and implemented in a manner that protects the Health and safety of our students and staff," she said. "The school environment should not interfere with our students' focus on learning."

-- Jennifer Choi

Campus Construction Fund Cut From Stimulus Bill, but Options Remain

-- Chronicle of Higher Education Blog National: February 13, 2009 [ abstract]

At the insistence of Senate participants, the $789-billion stimulus bill that Congressional negotiators agreed to this week does not include a designated fund for campus construction, as an earlier House version of the measure did, The Chronicle’s Sara Hebel reports. But colleges could get to use some of the money in a “state fiscal-stabilization fund” to repair, modernize, or renovate their facilities. The bill also contains $1.5-billion for the National Institutes of Health to spend on renovating university facilities to help them compete for biomedical research grants. The fund for state fiscal stabilization, budgeted at nearly $54-billion, includes money that states would be able use to limit budget cuts to colleges and schools and to spend on other priorities. Of that total, close to $40-billion would be set aside for states to funnel to public colleges and school districts, which could use the money in various ways, including to restore budget cuts, prevent layoffs, or modernize facilities. Governors would be given $8.8-billion to allocate to high-priority needs, which could include money for public or private colleges. The House and Senate could schedule final votes on the bill as early as today. Keyword Search Tags: Stimulus, arra

-- Blog Writer

District Proposes Closing 3 Schools

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: February 07, 2009 [ abstract]

D.C. officials proposed yesterday closing three elementary schools, two in Ward 8 and one in Ward 5, moves that they said would improve academic programs and reduce duplication of resources. The plan, which has drawn opposition, would close Birney, Draper and Webb elementary schools at the end of this academic year. Birney, on Martin Luther King Avenue in Southeast Washington, and Webb, on Mt. Olivet Road in Northeast Washington, are "receiving" schools, accommodating students displaced by renovations at Savoy and Wheatley elementaries. The proposal calls for Birney students to move to the newly refurbished Savoy, on Shannon Place in Southeast, this fall. Webb students would attend the redesigned Wheatley, on North Capitol Street in Northeast. Officials said Savoy and Wheatley are being renovated to U.S. Green Building Council standards, creating Healthier environments for children. They also said the consolidation of Savoy and Birney, which share a building but have separate principals and faculty, will reduce duplication and not significantly affect students. Draper, on Wahler Place SE, has only 84 students in pre-K through sixth grade, and its enrollment is projected to be lower next year. Its second and third floors are occupied by a public charter school, Achievement Preparatory Academy, that offers grades 4 through 8.

-- Bill Turque

Could Stimulus Make Your Kids Fat?

-- Politico National: February 03, 2009 [ abstract]

There’s been plenty criticism of the hefty economic stimulus package. But here’s a new one: Could it make your kids fat? The American Heart Association warns that confusing language in both the $819 billion-plus House and Senate stimulus bills could dissuade some schools from spending money on gymnasiums and stadiums and other shovel-ready projects that combat childhood obesity. With the slumping economy curtailing family funds for expensive gym memberships and traveling soccer teams, Health lobbyists say the school gym is vital to keeping students Healthy. “These are the kind of facilities that Barack Obama used to play basketball in Illinois,” said American Heart Association lobbyist Sue Nelson. “They are very valuable to the community �" particularly communities that can’t afford a Gold’s Gym membership.” The Senate and House measures provide between $14 billion and $16 billion for school construction and upgrades. But the bills also state that school funds cannot be used for facilities that primarily turn a profit for the schools. For instance, a gymnasium that uses the space mostly for basketball games where admission is charged would be ineligible for stimulus funding. One congressional aide, though, says the provision probably would not affect that many facilities, because most school gymnasiums are used primarily for gym classes and other school activities �" and not for games that charge admission.

-- Erika Lovley

Stimulus Bill Includes $142B for Education

-- eSchool News National: January 16, 2009 [ abstract]

Some $20 billion for school modernization and $1 billion for educational technology are among nearly $150 billion in funding targeted toward education in the House version of the new economic stimulus package, which lawmakers introduced Jan. 15. Working closely with President-elect Barack Obama, House Democrats called for $825 billion altogether in federal spending and tax cuts to revive the economy, with strong emphasis on energy, education, Health care, and jobs-producing highway construction. The legislation calls for federal spending of roughly $550 billion and tax cuts of $275 billion over the next two years--totals certain to change as the measure works its way through Congress. A good chunk of the money is ticketed for education, including money for schools and colleges to shield them from the effects of state cutbacks in services, as well as tax credits designed to make college more affordable. "We will enable students of all ages to learn in 21st-century classrooms, labs, and libraries to help our students compete with any worker in the world," reads a press release about the proposal, called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. The education portion of the bill includes: - $41 billion to boost learning in local K-12 school districts through Title I ($13 billion), IDEA ($13 billion), a new School Modernization and Repair Program ($14 billion), and the Education Technology block-grant program ($1 billion).

-- Staff and Wire Reports

Obama Pledges Schools Upgrade in Stimulus Plan

-- USA Today/Associated Press National: January 01, 2009 [ abstract]

Barack Obama probably cannot fix every leaky roof and busted boiler in the nation's schools. But educators say his sweeping school modernization program â€” if he spends enough â€” could jump-start student achievement. More kids than ever are crammed into aging, run-down schools that need an estimated $255 billion in repairs, renovations or construction. While the president-elect is likely to ask Congress for only a fraction of that, education experts say it still could make a big difference. The need is definitely out there," said Robert Canavan, chairman of the Rebuild America's Schools coalition, which includes both teachers' unions and large education groups. "A federal investment of that magnitude would really have a significant impact." Educators argue that spiffy classrooms help children learn and also remove Health risks. But they warn that Obama's school spending plan won't stimulate the economy if it requires matching funds from state and local governments whose tax revenues have been slashed by the recession. And they caution that throwing huge sums of money at programs that haven't proven effective, such as the federal "E-Rate" program that gives technology discounts to schools, won't help student achievement or the economy. Obama is promising to give every student access to the Internet â€” the federal "E-Rate" program. Outgoing Education Secretary Margaret Spellings pointed out that billions already has been spent through the "E-Rate" program. "It's made very little difference in enhancing student achievement," she said. "We should never spend money in the public sector, especially in education, unless we're getting something for it, unless it's to some good end," Spellings said. "I commend him (Obama) for taking that on. That's another very ripe area. But not unless it's moving the needle for kids." There's widespread agreement, however, that improving classrooms helps student performance. Studies in Houston, New York City and North Dakota have made a link between classroom conditions and performance; in the New York study, researchers found kids in crowded classrooms scored lower in math and reading. Nearly half the principals in primary and secondary schools said deteriorating conditions are interfering with learning, according to the Education Department.

-- Libby Quaid,

Compiling a To-Do List for Obama's New Deal

-- Wall Street Journal National: December 18, 2008 [ abstract]

It's being sold as the new New Deal. As president, Barack Obama plans hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending and tax cuts. The economic recovery package will cost a minimum of $600 billion over two years. It could flirt with $1 trillion. The need for fiscal stimulus is hardly debated. With unemployment rising, wealth plunging and the Federal Reserve nearly out of ammunition, "nobody's crying wolf here," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.). "The wolf is at the door." But the president-elect sees his plan as far more than fending off the wolf. He has said repeatedly that in crisis, he sees opportunity -- to rebuild a national infrastructure that has been neglected for decades and to make down payments on policy initiatives that would have taken years to negotiate. Getty Images As president, Barack Obama plans hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending and tax cuts. Mr. Obama has announced the five broad categories of the plan: transportation and traditional infrastructure; school construction; energy efficiency, especially in government buildings; broadband Internet access; and Health care information technology. Upward of $100 billion will go to state governments to temporarily shoulder the cost of Health insurance for the poor. Mr. Hoyer said funds are likely to go to elementary and secondary education, hardly the typical avenue for economic stimulus but, in Democrats' thinking, a critical investment nonetheless. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com, has been running numbers for the transition, trying to find the right formulation to meet Mr. Obama's call for a package that will create 2.5 million jobs. By his calculations, a $600 billion stimulus plan would save 4.7 million jobs over the next two years that otherwise would be lost. By 2010, a 1.6% decline in gross domestic product could be turned into a 1.9% increase. Direct payments to the poor still have the biggest bang for the buck, since they go straight into the economic bloodstream, Mr. Zandi says. One dollar of increased food-stamp assistance produces $1.73 in higher economic growth, and the effect would be felt in three to six months. Using that same dollar as a lump-sum tax rebate for income-tax payers would yield all of one penny in additional growth, by Mr. Zandi's calculations. Join a Discussion What should be the top stimulus spending priority for the incoming administration?Question of the Day: Which would be a bigger boost to the economy?Spending on roads and schools does pack a punch as well -- $1.59 in additional growth for every $1 allocated -- but there would be a lag. Even projects that are "shovel ready" -- all the environmental impact analyses and permitting work are done -- can run into unforeseen obstacles; their full effect wouldn't be felt for 12 to 24 months. But Mr. Zandi says that with such a protracted downturn, even a delayed project will help by keeping the infusion of stimulus flowing long after its passage.

-- JONATHAN WEISMAN

County asked to revise list of school construction priorities

-- Business Gazette Maryland: December 17, 2008 [ abstract]

The Maryland Interagency Committee on School Construction is giving Prince George's County until February to submit changes to its requests for state school construction funding after a letter from State Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach blasted the county for not prioritizing schools in disrepair in its funding request to the state. In a Dec. 11 letter to State Superintendent of Education Nancy S. Grasmick and the Interagency on School Construction, Miller called on the agency to send back the county's requests and have the county make revisions. In his letter, Miller criticized the county school system's $137.5 million request for state funding for capital projects â€” and accused school board members of failing to prioritize schools in poor condition. "State funds are too limited and our economic times are too desperate to subject the great needs and safety of our children to political pandering by local officials," Miller wrote. Miller's letter centers on the 3D/I study, a study by Pasadena, Calif.-based Parsons Corp. of all public school facilities in Prince George's that are more than 15 years old. The study, which was presented to the board in June, ranked the school system's facilities and determined that eight rated "poor," and would cost nearly as much to repair as it would to replace the buildings. The IAC responded Tuesday with a letter giving the county until Feb. 1 to submit changes to its CIP. However, the IAC is not requiring the changes. "The deficiencies in schools identified in the Parsons 3D/I project raise serious concerns about the Health and safety of their occupants," Grasmick and David Lever, executive director of Maryland Public School Construction Program, wrote. "For this reason, the IAC is inviting Prince George's County to supplement its CIP request with additional projects identified in the Parsons 3D/I report."

-- Megan King

School Modernization, Broadband Access Keys to Obama's Plan to Provide Jobs

-- eSchool News National: December 09, 2008 [ abstract]

To boost the sinking economy, government needs to invest in modernizing and upgrading school buildings, expanding broadband internet access, making public buildings more energy efficient, and launching a public works program to rebuild the nation's highways, said President-elect Barack Obama in a Dec. 6 radio address. The address came a day after the government reported that employers cut 533,000 jobs in November, the most in 34 years. The plans are part of a vision for a massive economic recovery program Obama wants Congress to pass and have waiting on his desk when he takes office Jan. 20. He offered no price estimate for the grand plan, nor stipulations for how the money might be divided or its effect on the country's financial Health at a time of burgeoning deficits. However, a recent report by the Center for American Progress suggested a spending plan of $350 billion in the first year of economic stimulus and recovery. My economic recovery plan will launch the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen," Obama said in the address. "We will repair broken schools, make them more energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st-century economy, we need to send them to 21st-century schools."In the Center's report, they recommend that a total of $20 billion be spent to address the nearly one-third of schools that have one or more temporary buildings housing an average of 160 students each--and the hundreds of billions of estimated dollars needed to bring school facilities to good condition. The report suggests that $7.25 billion should be spent immediately to support state and local green school construction and modernization projects. It suggests an additional $12.75 billion be spent on school districts to eliminate years of deferred maintenance, particularly in schools in low-income communities. The study claims that those two measures could create 250,000 skilled maintenance and repair jobs and supply $6 billion of materials and supplies. Obama's proposed upgrades to schools are part of a larger plan to make all public buildings more energy-efficient. The U.S. government currently pays the highest energy bill in the world, according to the president-elect.

-- Maya T. Prabhu

School Districts Get Top Grades for Indoor Air in Classrooms

-- EPA National: December 04, 2008 [ abstract]

Eight school districts that are leading the way to prevent and solve indoor air quality problems in schools will be honored at the EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools National Symposium in Washington, D.C., from Dec. 4-6, 2008. Indoor air quality (IAQ) problems in schools can lead to a range of Health problems, including allergy symptoms and asthma attacks. Students and staff exposed to poor IAQ can also suffer diminished performance and concentration. “Indoor air quality leaders are doing great things in their communities and serving as role models for communities across the nation,” said Elizabeth Craig, deputy assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “Together, we will continue improving the indoor air quality in all our nation’s schools.” The three-day symposium will focus on the latest research and information on environmental Health topics such as radon, mold, asthma management, maintaining ventilation systems for good IAQ, integrated pest management, green cleaning products and practices, and best practices of high-performing schools.

-- Press Release

Texas School District Remedies Soaring Energy Costs and Aging Infrastructure

-- PR Newswire Texas: November 11, 2008 [ abstract]

Ferris Independent School District recently completed renovations aimed at increasing energy efficiency and indoor air quality while creating a high-performance learning environment at Ferris Junior High School, Ferris Intermediate School, the Ingram and McDonald Elementary Schools and the district maintenance facility. Additionally, the district built a new high performance high school to accommodate the district's growing student population. The renovations and new facility make the district one of the most energy efficient and Healthy in Texas. Until renovations commenced in February 2007, the Texas school district faced rising energy and maintenance costs, inconsistent lighting conditions and dated mechanical equipment. Ferris Junior High School, built in 1985, and Ingram Elementary, built in 1972, represent the district's oldest facilities. Some classrooms were below IES (Illuminating Engineering Society) standards for light levels in classroom spaces. Ferris Junior High School was the district's high school until the renovations and new building were complete. Outdated and inefficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment (HVAC) resulted in high energy usage, excessive maintenance costs and unreliable operation. Further, the HVAC systems in these schools lacked programmability, allowing limited or uncontrolled building operations for temperatures and ventilation. Without programmable capability of these systems, the buildings were heated and cooled whether they were occupied or not. This was a huge waste of energy, not to mention taxpayer dollars. "These renovations and our new high school have reduced our costs and helped us be better stewards of the environment," said Bodine. "Just as important, we've provided our students and staff with an optimal learning environment. This award is confirmation that we're on the right path for everyone in the school district."

-- Staff Writer

New Orleans Schools are Going for the Green

-- Times-Picayune Louisiana: October 20, 2008 [ abstract]

The Samuel L. Green Uptown, and across town at St. Paul's Episcopal School in Lakeview, are two schools that are becoming models of eco-conscious education in New Orleans. Spun off of the flagship Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, Calif., two years ago, the Samuel L. Green program takes up one-third of an acre and features extensive organic flower and vegetable gardens, as well as a fully-staffed outdoor classroom that hosts classes three to five times a day. Although sustainable gardening is a hallmark of the program's output, the Edible Schoolyard is more about fully integrating outdoor, hands-on, environmentally friendly activities with the school curriculum, program director Donna Cavado said. Like the Edible Schoolyard, St. Paul's Episcopal School has begun incorporating environmental components into its curriculum, with plans for an even deeper integration into its overall mission. The greening of St. Paul's involves much more than just student classwork and extracurricular activity. Since last fall, the school has worked to build a sustainable vision for its entire Lakeview campus. Head of school Merry Sorrells said she was inspired to propose bold changes to the school's mission after touring a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified green middle school under construction in Washington, D.C. "Outside of that building there was a simulated wetland that they were using for water filtration," Sorrells recalled. "When I saw that I thought, 'The city and our wetlands need saving. This is a way to take part in making our educational system a sustainable one, and to have an impact on wetland recovery.' "We don't have to simulate a wetland. We have a wetland, and our kids can be a catalyst to bringing them back." Faculty and parents galvanized behind her message of the school leading by example with a Healthy lifestyle. Working with architectural firms specializing in green school design, St. Paul's has begun to develop a formal master plan for improving the Health and efficiency of existing buildings and outdoor spaces, as well as the construction of a new LEED-certified classroom building.

-- Molly Reid

Toledo council wants minimum school facilities; charters assail proposed rules

-- Toledo Blade Ohio: October 08, 2008 [ abstract]

A proposal to require all new schools in Toledo to have a minimum level of facilities, such as a gym and cafeteria, is generating controversy among supporters of charter schools, which they feel are being unfairly targeted. The facility requirements, set for a public hearing tomorrow before the Toledo Plan Commission, grew out of a City Council resolution in November that asked city planners to draft regulations for bringing equality in the buildings students attend - whether public, private, or charter schools. The regulations are said to address some council members' concerns about charter schools opening in former commercial, manufacturing, or residential buildings. The resolution, which council passed by a 12-0 vote, said adopting facility regulations was critical to students' Health and safety. Existing schools would be exempt from the requirements unless they expand their buildings by more than 10 percent. "There are certain things that a school ought to have - at least that's the thinking behind the legislation," said Thomas Lemon, a city planner. However, some charter school proponents believe the regulation's intent has less to do with student safety and is more about reining in the number of charter schools. Allison Perz, executive director of the Toledo-based Ohio Council of Community Schools, said many charter schools in the metropolitan Toledo area could not fully meet the new criteria if they were opening now.

-- JC REINDL

Health Agencies Inspecting Washington Schools Topic of Hearing

-- Yakima Herald Washington: October 07, 2008 [ abstract]

Local Health agencies would be required to inspect schools for environmental safety under a controversial proposal before the state Board of Health. In the works for at least four years, the proposal would update existing environmental Health and safety rules for kindergarten through 12th grade. Among other things, the rule would require Health districts to test the quality of indoor air and drinking water; evaluate procedures for controlling mold and moisture, and inspect mechanical and architectural systems. Given the state’s budget constraints, some members of the Legislature have asked the board to postpone a final decision on the rule until after the 2009 session. The board will consider that request at the hearing. “This is the most thorough and the most contentious rulemaking we’ve ever done,” said Craig McLaughlin, executive director of the board, which develops Health policies and is independent from the state Department of Health. The biggest question is, who will pay for inspections? “It will become a mandate for us and if it continues in its present form, it’s going to be a tremendous problem,” said Dennis Klukan, public Health administrator for the Yakima Health District. Klukan said his agency doesn’t have the staff or the engineering expertise to inspect heating and air-conditioning units or conduct architectural reviews of buildings. “It’s not that I don’t think communities should not be interested in safe schools, but this is going a bit overboard,” Klukan said.

-- Leah Beth Ward

Unit 6 would use school facilities tax to pay off bond

-- Iroquois County Times-Republic Illinois: October 07, 2008 [ abstract]

Cissna Park C.U.S.D. 6 has planned ahead. If the Illinois School Facilities Tax were to pass, the district will put a majority of its money to the already issued bonds. The district's superintendent Dr. Dan Hylbert said the school board made a motion to ask the county board to put the resolution on the ballot in June. The next motion made was "to commit 75 percent of the county wide school facilities tax, if enacted, toward payment of the school district's Health and life safety bond issuance". It was approved 6-0, with one member absent. He said the the district is currently at a 65 cent rate. If this resolution were to pass, the district could abate about 40 cents. The rate is dependent upon the assessed value of the property within the district. "Figuring a home assessed at $50,000 and taking out a $5,000 for homestead exemption, a 40 cent abatement would save $180 on the tax bill," said Hylbert. "On a home with an assessed value of $75,000 with the homestead exemption, there would be a $280 savings. On a home with an assessed value of $100,000 with the exemption, there would be $380 savings." He said for every $25,000 there would be a $100 savings. He said the figures are based upon department of revenue figures. "If it's more than 40 cents, and it could be, those figures are low," he said. With approximately 320 students K-12, he said figures show the district could receive approximately $160,000 per year. The motion would used $150,000 per year to abate the bonds. "The other 25 percent would go to regular maintenance items," he said. He said the $990,000 worth of bonds were sold on a seven year cycle. Hylbert said in July of 2007 bonds were issued to pay for the reroofing of the entire school building in Cissna Park at a cost of $362,417. At the same time $116,315 worth were issued for a new telephone and emergency warning system at the school. Both projects were completed in August of 2007. The next summer $148,326 worth of masonry projects were completed, he said, including tuck pointing the building and ag shop/bus garage. Also, $58,790 worth of interior work was done as well as replacing 20 doors. He said $20,637 was used to replace the high school's stage curtain. He said this year "there is very little left" to do. He said the district is replacing eight unit ventilators at a cost of $63,500.

-- WENDY DAVIS

America’s Healthiest Schools

-- Health National: September 24, 2008 [ abstract]

The average American child spends nearly 12,000 hours in school, from kindergarten through 12th grade. That’s a big chunk of time during which he or she can develop good (or bad) Health habits. Happily, schools today are recognizing the many benefits of a Healthy head start�"and Health magazine wants to recognize the ones that are doing an A+ job. To find the Health stars in America’s vast public school universe, education officials in every state were asked for school nominations based on food and nutrition, fitness and activity, Health education, and Healthy building materials and practices.

-- Staff Writer

New Jersey School Construction - Accomplished, In Progress, To Do (PART IV)

-- NJ Voices New Jersey: September 07, 2008 [ abstract]

Eleven and one half years after the 1997 Supreme Court decision affirming the State of NJ's responsibility for facilities in the Abbott districts, the $6 billion allocated has achieved the following results. Health and Safety Projects The perilous condition of many schools in the Abbott districts is evident in the number and proportion of completed projects that addressed Health and Safety problems. The conditions that result in Health and safety problems include roof repair or replacement; deteriorating facades; water infiltration; heating and cooling system issues; and plumbing, electrical, mechanical and security systems. To date, state funds have been spent to remove dangerous conditions in 354 Abbott buildings. This number is 3 1/2 times greater than the number of all other school projects combined in the Abbott districts - 354 compared to 101. On August 12, this year, the Department of Education and the Schools Development Authority announced they are implementing the next phase of a joint initiative to address projects in more than 100 schools in the special needs districts (the new name for the old urban districts formerly called Abbott) that require immediate repair. Preliminary cost estimates for the 137 "emergent" projects in 114 schools that have been chosen for action total $57 to $60 million. Fortunately, the SDA established a reserve fund for "emergent" projects in April 2007. That will be used to pay for the 137 Health and safety conditions that will be addressed.

-- Judith Cambria

Schools Rapidly Turning Green Across America

-- Press Release Newswire National: August 28, 2008 [ abstract]

Tens of thousands of students across the country will go back to school this fall to find their halls and classrooms turning green �" as in environmentally sound and Healthy, energy efficient and high performing. Hundreds of thousands of additional students are poised to attend environmentally designed schools within the next few years, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. As the school year begins, nearly 1,000 school buildings will have met or are seeking LEED certification, with applications growing at a rate of more than one per day. The total number of square feet of LEED certified and registered school space will exceed 100 million square feet as the school year gets underway, according to new figures released by USGBC. LEED certification provides parents, teachers and communities with a “report card” for school buildings �" verifying that a school was built to meet the highest level of energy and environmental performance. Through July, more than eight million square feet of school space are certified LEED while another 90 million square feet of projects are registered with USGBC. Registered status applies to projects before they are completed and applications are finalized.

-- Ashley Katz

Schools Still Built at Toxic Sites

-- United Press International (UPI) National: August 23, 2008 [ abstract]

U.S. schools are often still built on or near toxic waste despite the lessons of Love Canal, an environmental group says. Thirty years ago this summer, the first signs of trouble in a working class Niagara Falls, N.Y., neighborhood emerged with Health problems afflicting school children. But environmentalists say few laws and poor enforcement nationwide mean there has been little progress, CNN reported. "We should be farther along today than we are," says Lois Gibbs, who started the Love Canal Homeowners Association and now runs the Center for Health, Environment & Justice. "You can go most anyplace and build (a school) on top of a Superfund site. They can build a school anywhere they want, really. And that's the sad truth. I think at schools, very little has changed, and that's unfortunate." Only seven states have laws preventing cities and towns from building schools on or near toxic waste, according to her group. They are Massachusetts, Rhode Island, California, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi and Utah. Even in states with laws, many are weak or poorly enforced, she said, noting that in Massachusetts prohibitions of school construction only include active waste dumps -- not former ones.

-- Staff Writer

Washington State School's Environmental and Safety Rules to Be Revised

-- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Washington: August 08, 2008 [ abstract]

The state Board of Health is on the cusp of revising its rule governing environmental Health and safety in schools �" the first major changes in nearly four decades. The proposal under consideration would modernize the rule, adding standards for indoor air and water quality and playground safety. Among other regulations, school districts also would be required to regularly test drinking water for contaminants, quickly address water leaks and clean up mold, and promptly investigate complaints. Local Health departments would be required to annually inspect school buildings, or develop self-inspection checklists for school officials to use two out of every three years in lieu of Health department inspections.

-- Jessica Blanchard

Barry’s hold severely impeding school work, Fenty aid says

-- The Examiner District of Columbia: August 07, 2008 [ abstract]

The District’s school modernization chief is warning of dire consequences for dozens of facilities if Ward 8 D.C. Councilman Marion Barry doesn’t lift his hold on millions of dollars destined for school renovation. Barry’s disapproval of $8.9 million for school fixes, issued July 25, “will severely impede” the ability to “complete repairs to critical school projects scattered throughout the city before students return to the classrooms,” Allen Lew, executive director of the D.C. Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization, wrote in a letter to Council Chairman Vincent Gray. Included in the list of affected projects are those to “rectify problems that post a direct threat to life and safety to the teachers and students in those school buildings,” Lew wrote in the letter, dated Monday. Barry is expected to hold a news conference this morning on the issue, a spokesman said. The reprogramming includes $5 million for the refurbishment of 38 schools, Lew said, including the stage at Anacostia High School, the roof and air conditioning system at Ballou High School, the bathrooms at Ferebee-Hope Elementary School and the floor at Ketcham Elementary School. Another $3.9 million is needed to bring schools into compliance with building and Health code requirements, Lew wrote, such as installation of building exit signs, replacing fire alarms and extinguishers, repairing sprinkler systems, and installing ventilation systems.

-- Michael Neibauer

Cell Phone Towers Dial Up Extra Cash for Schools

-- East Valley Tribune Arizona: August 03, 2008 [ abstract]

Many East Valley school districts have found an easy way to bring in extra money as they deal with tight budgets: leasing land or easements for cell phone towers. It's something school districts have been doing for years, most since the mid-1990s, and it's been a lucrative way of getting extra revenue. The Mesa Unified School District, which has 38 towers throughout the district, brings in about $419,000 a year from the leases. The Gilbert Unified School District gets $96,000 annually, enough to pay for two teachers. The Chandler Unified School District has received about $1.3million from 15 cell phone towers on district campuses, including a 30-year lease at Basha High School with T-Mobile worth $856,000, said Frank Fletcher, an associate superintendent for support services. "For us it's really pretty painless and we get a significant amount of funding for occupying a piece of our property," Fletcher said. "For us it's kind of like a cash cow. It contributes to our funding issues that we have in the state, and it's a good thing for both parties." The Mesa Unified School District, which has 38 towers throughout the district, brings in about $419,000 a year from the leases. The Gilbert Unified School District gets $96,000 annually, enough to pay for two teachers. The Chandler Unified School District has received about $1.3million from 15 cell phone towers on district campuses, including a 30-year lease at Basha High School with T-Mobile worth $856,000, said Frank Fletcher, an associate superintendent for support services. "For us it's really pretty painless and we get a significant amount of funding for occupying a piece of our property," Fletcher said. "For us it's kind of like a cash cow. It contributes to our funding issues that we have in the state, and it's a good thing for both parties." School districts are always looking for new ways to bring in more money to help pay for new technology, school supplies, employee salaries and emergency situations. Most districts rent out their cafeterias or auditoriums for churches and organizations. The schools offer day care or before- and after-school programs to bring in extra money. Other districts, such as Chandler, offer catering services. The cell phone towers are just another source of revenue. David Giglio, a site acquisition manager with Vinculums, a California company that subcontracts with SBA Towers, scouts out areas to put cell phone towers. SBA is an independent company that builds the towers and then leases the space out to various cell phone carriers. "Essentially you get to the area where a carrier wants a cell tower and look for certain spots that work," said Giglio, adding the Phoenix area has several thousand cell phone towers, usually every mile or two. "You want an open area that's commercial, industrial or a field." Giglio has worked with several school districts, including Gilbert, where the school board approved leasing land Tuesday for two new cell phone towers at Desert Ridge High School. The district already has eight towers on its campuses. The company will put in new light poles at Desert Ridge's soccer fields to put the cell phone antennas on. This helps the district with lighting their fields, something they couldn't afford before, while giving the cell phone companies the coverage they need. The district also negotiated extra money for a new digital marquee at Desert Ridge. This agreement is for five years with 10 additional renewable terms. The first year the district will get $17,000, and then after the first year the lease will convert to a monthly payout of $1,000 per tower, increasing 15 percent every five years. Some districts have a monthly lease, and some get a lump sum from the cell phone tower companies. The Florence Unified School District has two cell phone towers at Walker Butte K-8 School, and is in negotiations for a third tower, said Dana Hawman, director of school construction and developer negotiation. Besides getting extra lights on the baseball fields, Hawman said, the district also negotiated extra money to update Walker Butte's concession stands and to buy a new stage curtain. The district receives between $22,000 and $24,000 a year from the leases. The money is distributed throughout the district to buy books, software and pay for other needs. The Scottsdale Unified School District leases land for the towers not only for the money, but also for safety reasons to provide adequate cell phone coverage in the neighborhoods, said David Peterson, an assistant superintendent. "We're helping to develop that network," Peterson said. The Scottsdale district has 20 cell phone towers on 14 sites, and receives $22,000 a month from the leases. The money is used to pay salaries for staff members, Peterson said. While most of the cell phone antennas are on light poles, some of the towers are actually turned into faux palm trees. All of the cell phone towers on Chandler's elementary school campuses and at the transportation building are the palm tree towers, Fletcher said. "We have the palm tree towers because palm trees were natural to the setting," Fletcher said. "It just made sense. It blends with the area." The Chandler district has 15 cell phone towers, with five more in various stages of being put up, Fletcher said. Some of the cell phone towers have been a concern to parents in the past who say the towers are Health risks to their kids. The issue arose in the Chandler district about three years ago. Fletcher said there's no documented Health-related issues linked to the towers. "There are studies out there that say cell phones and cell towers are dangerous, but most of them were done under direct radiation," Fletcher said. "That doesn't happen on the school campus. By the time the electromagnetic field drops 60 to 100 feet (from where it's placed on the high towers) it should dissipate to where the kids are."

-- Hayley Ringle

Crews work to lower temperature at Glassford Hill Middle School

-- The Daily Courier Arizona: August 03, 2008 [ abstract]

Humboldt Unified School District officials are notifying parents of students attending Glassford Hill Middle School that classroom temperatures may be higher than normal when school starts Monday. The reason? The middle school building is old and it has an old heat exchanger. Superintendent Dr. Henry Schmitt said that while the heat exchanger is old, crews have followed the maintenance schedules during the past years. Schmitt said the cooling tower "went down last spring and replacement parts were flown in from California. The tower was repaired and air conditioning was running at year's end." The superintendent said the state School Facilities Board cut building renewal money by 50 percent mid-year to all schools. He said HUSD was short $300,000 in the building renewal fund, which is where the money comes from for repair and/or replacement of such items as the heat exchanger. "However, for the Health and safety of the students, employees and parents, we found money for the needed repair," Schmitt said. When the cooling tower went down again this past week, repair crews cleaned all plates of mineral deposits. Maintenance crews charged the unit Friday afternoon and they anticipate it will be ready for the start of school.

-- Paula Rhoden

No Risk from Lead Found in Artificial Turf Tests

-- Patriot-News National: August 01, 2008 [ abstract]

There is no risk of exposure to lead in synthetic turf athletic fields, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. An evaluation by commission staff members shows that newer fields contained no lead or generally had the lowest levels. Small amounts of lead were detected on the surfaces of some older fields. However, none of the tested fields released amounts that would be harmful to children or athletes, officials said. Several Harrisburg-area school districts have synthetic-turf athletic fields, but school officials have said the fields are safe. The local fields are covered in newer brands of synthetic turf that include little or no lead, according to their suppliers. Hundreds of high school athletes have played on the artificial turf at Susquehanna Twp. High School without any Health problems, Superintendent David W. Volkman said.

-- Jerry L. Gleason

Eco School Construction Friendly to the Budget

-- Amarillo.com Texas: July 09, 2008 [ abstract]

Building a "green" school, in many cases, means buying local, installing carpet and ceiling tiles made from recycled materials, and perhaps using odorless paint.But for the 2,800-student Borger Independent School District, building green also means an extra investment of up to $300,000 that officials say will lower operating costs and contribute to Healthier students at the district's newest elementary school, scheduled to open in August. Borger intends to join a growing number of districts opening environmentally friendly schools that meet standards established by the U.S. Green Building Council. Borger has one of 31 Texas school construction projects registered with the council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program. So far, only two Texas schools have the distinction of being LEED-certified. Both campuses are in the Houston area. LEED certification is a prominent, nationally recognized designation.

-- Brenda Bernet

New Windows and Upgrades But No Air Conditioning Create Stifling Classrooms

-- Towson Times Virginia: July 03, 2008 [ abstract]

Recent upgrades to Ridgely Middle school in Timonium include air conditioning of a sort �" new windows and upgrades that will permit air conditioning when the budget allows. But without the $900,000 needed to install chillers that make full air conditioning possible, the students roast on hot days, parents say. According to parents, a big part of the problem is that the new windows, which cost $2.7 million, open 30 degrees inward, reducing airflow, while the old ones opened 90 degrees outward. School officials, however, say that there are more windows that open now, actually increasing the amount of air flowing into classrooms. Rising temperatures last fall sent students and teachers to the nurse with complaints of headaches, nausea and dizziness, according to Julie Sugar, outgoing president of the Ridgely parent teachers association. On Oct. 10, parents say they recorded a reading of 90 degrees in a second-floor classroom when it was 80 degrees outside. This spring, on June 9, they recorded a classroom temperature of 96 degrees. “It’s much prettier, but it’s also much hotter,” said Sugar, who along with other parents cites research that shows the negative effect of excessively hot classrooms on student Health and learning.

-- Virginia Terhune

Dept. of Educ. Awards $74 Million to 27 States to Promote Safe, Healthy Schools

-- U.S. Department of Education National: July 02, 2008 [ abstract]

More than $74 million in grants have been awarded to 27 states as part of a joint effort by the U.S. departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice to support schools in creating safe learning environments that promote Healthy childhood development and prevent youth violence and drug use. The highly competitive grant program, known as the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative, attracted 355 applications nationally. Under the initiative, school district, in partnership with their local public mental Health agencies, and local law-enforcement and juvenile justice entities, must implement a comprehensive, community-wide plan that focuses on the following elements: safe school environments and violence prevention activities; alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention activities; student behavioral, social and emotional supports; mental Health services; and early childhood social and emotional learning programs. "When children go to school in safe, Healthy environments, they can thrive and learn," said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. "These grants will provide students with enhanced access to services and programs that will help them avoid harmful activities and achieve their potential."

-- Press Release

Tax would help schools meet mandates

-- Mt. Vernon Register-News Illinois: June 28, 2008 [ abstract]

During an informational meeting on the Illinois Schools Facilities Tax earlier this week, one of the ideas that came forward was the creation of a report on the condition of schools county-wide. That’s something that District 80 Superintendent Kevin Settle said has been done in the city schools and is why he believes the tax would help the district. “We spent about two years going through our Life, Health and Safety surveys and going over facilities needs in our buildings,” Settle said. “We have a list of over $4 million in projects that have to be done by law. The Life, Health and Safety surveys are done every 10 years, and we had ours done three or four years ago. They give you three years to accomplish some of the projects, and the 10 years for others. We knew what we had to do besides the regular things that come up. Last month we had to borrow $1.7 million. What I’d like to do is give that money back to the taxpayers and use the sales tax instead.” County schools have been discussing whether or not to go to referendum on the new sales tax, which has been implemented in Williamson County since its approval by the General Assembly. Under terms of the facilities tax act, county schools work together to pass the sales tax at a rate determined by the schools. If voters approve the measure, the tax is collected and distributed to all schools in the county based on the school’s annual attendance percentage. The funds can only be used for school facilities purposes, such as acquisition, development, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, improvement, financing, architectural planning and installation of capital facilities consisting of land, buildings and durable equipment. In addition, schools can use the funds for fire prevention, safety, energy conservation, disabled accessibility, school security and specified repair purposes.

-- TESA CULLI

Officials: Concerns About Artificial Turf At D.C. Schools Unfounded

-- NBC4 District of Columbia: June 25, 2008 [ abstract]

The D.C. government is spending $50 million to install new artificial-turf football fields at high schools across the city, but some are raising questions about whether the chemicals used to make the turf pose a Health risk. After decades of neglect, Mayor Adrian Fenty ordered high school athletic facilities to be completely redone to conform to higher standards. Artificial turf was installed at six fields last year, and four more are scheduled to be completed this year, including a field at Anacostia High School, where preliminary work has already begun. But D.C. Council member Marion Barry, who represents Ward 8, an assistant football coach and a few parents are now questioning the safety of silicone particles that are used to make the surface soft and pliable. They worry that the material will prove to be toxic. "I want nothing to happen on this field until we get the information," Barry said.

-- Staff Writer

South Carolina County Planners Shopping Possibility for Green Schools

-- Beaufort Gazette South Carolina: June 16, 2008 [ abstract]

The schools of Beaufort County's future could operate with dramatically lower utility costs and offer a Healthier, more comfortable environment for students and faculty that can improve learning. Schools built with green goals in mind experienced an average of 33 percent lower utility costs with an up front premium of only 1.65 percent above regular construction costs, according to a study of 30 green schools across the country. Impressive facts like that flew from the podium one after another at a joint committee meeting of the Beaufort County Council and Beaufort County Board of Education on Tuesday, where Joel McKellar, a research assistant with the Charleston architecture firm LS3P and chairman of the Lowcountry branch of the U.S. Green Building Council, briefed the committee on the benefits of building green schools. The topic is particularly relevant because the school district has a five-year facilities plan calling for more than a quarter billion dollars in new schools and major renovations. As part of that plan, school officials put a bond referendum before county voters in April, who narrowly authorized borrowing $162.7 million. To date, North Charleston Elementary School is the only school in the state to obtain the green building council's increasingly popular Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. County planning director Tony Criscitiello, whose department arranged McKellar's presentation, said the county's comprehensive plan will include a chapter entirely about sustainability. The document is meant to guide county development for the next 10 years.

-- Jeremy Hsieh

Bill Provides Funds For PCB Cleanups, Repairs Of School Sites

-- Queens Gazette New York: June 11, 2008 [ abstract]

Congressmember Joseph Crowley, concerned about the dangers resulting from PCB contamination in schools, has seen legislation passed which provides federal funds for cleanups, "critical modernization" and renovation and repair projects. Crowley (D- Queens/The Bronx) and colleague Jose Serrano (D- The Bronx) joined forces to successfully expand the 21st Century Green High Performing Public School Facilities Act to help schools fund cleanups caused by PCB contamination in New York City and throughout the country. PCB contamination sometimes works its way into window frames, door frames, and other parts of school buildings that are treated with sealants containing toxic chemicals. Crowley explained that the 21st Century Green High- Performing Public School Facilities Act provides critical funding to states and school districts to help ensure that school facilities and learning environments are safe, Healthy, energyefficient, environmentally friendly and technologically advanced; the Crowley-Serrano provision makes grants and low-interest loans available to local educational agencies for the removal or abatement of PCBs during the construction, modernization or repair of public schools. The act passed the House of Representatives on June 4 by a vote of 250 to 164, and now goes to the Senate for consideration.

-- John Toscano

Hawaii Schools Could Receive $20.5 Million In New ‘Green’ Construction Grants

-- Hawaii Reporter Hawaii: June 05, 2008 [ abstract]

U.S. Representative Neil Abercrombie said Hawaii schools would be eligible for $20,546,800 in funds over the next five years for building modernization, renovation and repair under the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act approved by the House this week. The Green Schools Act authorizes the five-year program to help school districts across the country make their buildings more energy efficient and reliant on renewable sources of energy. “Most importantly, our keiki will benefit from the Green Schools Act because research shows a direct correlation between the quality of school facilities and student achievement,” said Abercrombie. “So, these funds to help Hawaii school districts renovate and modernize school buildings will actually improve the teaching and learning climate, Health and safety.” Since 2001, the federal government has provided very little to help states and school districts pay for school construction and repair. The measure requires school districts to publicly report the educational, energy and environmental benefits of the projects, how they comply with green building standards and the percentage of funds used for projects at low-income and rural schools.

-- Dave Helfert

House approves funds for 'green' schools

-- The Associated Press National: June 05, 2008 [ abstract]

The House on Wednesday committed more than $20 billion over the next five years to help states build and renovate schools to make them more energy-efficient and good for the environment. Democrats said the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act would save school districts billions in energy costs while reducing asthma and other environmentally linked Health problems. The White House threatened a veto, saying it was wrong for the federal government to launch a costly new school building program. The legislation passed 250-164 and now must be considered by the Senate. The measure approves $6.4 billion for the 2009 budget year and similar sums in consequent years to help school districts modernize facilities to improve the learning climate, promote student and teacher Health and make schools more energy efficient. Projects would have to meet one of three widely recognized standards for building construction materials and energy sources: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, Energy Star, or Collaborative For High Performance Schools. Requirements for meeting the green standards would be phased in, but by 2013, 90 percent of the funds would have to be used for green projects.

-- Staff Writer

Hawaii School Repairs Lag Due to Lower Tax Revenues

-- Honolulu Star-Bulletin Hawaii: May 29, 2008 [ abstract]

Cuts in state spending to fix campuses have prevented the Department of Education from attacking a backlog in projects that rose 20 percent to $412 million in less than two years. The state withheld $140 million from the total $310 million appropriated for fiscal 2007 and 2008 for overdue school repair and maintenance. Duane Kashiwai, public works administrator for the Education Department said $66 million approved for fiscal 2009 campus improvements and $100 million to refurbish classes might not be enough to reduce the inventory of projects. State Budget Director Georgina Kawamura said school construction funds were held up because tax revenue came in lower than expected. Her office has been working more closely with education officials since 2006 so that projects prioritized for safety or Health concerns can be completed. To trim the backlog, in 2001 the Education Department began prioritizing maintenance work at schools older than 25 years. But because of the funding challenges, the estimated cost to tackle the deferred work jumped to $412 million from $341 million in September 2006. Statewide, the schools backlog, which reached $720 million in 2001, has slowly declined, but progress has been hampered as annual funding has ranged from $150 million to $35 million.

-- Alexandre Da Silva

Commentary: Fixing Colorado's Raggedy Schools

-- Denver Post Colorado: May 22, 2008 [ abstract]

Colorado has a big problem: Our schools are literally crumbling. Nearly 90 percent of our state's school districts report that at least one of their buildings does not meet Health or safety standards. Some of these buildings are more than 100 years old. Across the state, students and teachers are forced to contend with failing roofs, broken boilers, asbestos contamination, inadequate fire safety, insufficient water treatment, faulty electric systems, and pest infestation. Some districts put nearly half of their students in trailers. The good news: Help is at hand. The Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) Act will provide tens of thousands of children in Colorado with schools that are safe, Healthy and educationally enriching. BEST marks the most significant investment in Colorado school construction since statehood. The BEST Act, or House Bill 1335, was sponsored by Speaker Andrew Romanoff, Senate President Peter Groff and Sen. Gail Schwartz. State Treasurer Cary Kennedy and a host of public-school advocates â€” including Great Education Colorado, the Colorado School Finance Project, and Children's Voices Executive Director Kathy Gebhardt â€” helped craft the measure. HB 1335 passed the legislature with broad bipartisan support: 63-1 in the House and 29-5 in the Senate. Gov. Bill Ritter signed BEST into law on Thursday.

-- Andrew Romanoff

School Construction

-- Bayou Buzz Louisiana: May 19, 2008 [ abstract]

Federal legislation that provides hurricane-damaged schools along the Gulf Coast $500 Million in school construction funding has won approval in the U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee. By a vote of 28 to 19, the committee passed the 21st Century High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (H.R. 3021), introduced by U.S. Representative Ben Chandler (D-KY). H.R. 3021 authorizes $6.4 billion for school renovation and modernization projects for the fiscal year 2009, and ensures that school districts receive funds quickly for projects that improve schools' teaching and learning climates, Health and safety, and energy efficiency. In the Gulf Coast, where public schools still face hundreds of millions of dollars in damages caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, this legislation also authorizes separate funds - half a billion dollars over five years - for schools still trying to recover. It ensures that the schools are safe, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and technologically advanced. If this legislation is adopted, it will finance the construction of a large number of new public schools in New Orleans. Representative George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, has been working with the RSD to develop this school construction appropriation for more than a year. Last y! ear, Rep . Miller was instrumental in developing the 2007 Rebuilding Education in New Orleans by Attracting America's Leaders (RENEWAAL) bill, which funded the RSD's 2007-2008 teacher incentives as well as the district's unprecedented performance-based pay initiative. "Far too many schools across our country are literally crumbling, making it much harder for teachers to teach and children to learn," said U.S. Rep. George Miller. "We must invest in making every school building a place that communities can be proud of and where children will be eager to learn. This legislation begins to make that investment, and at the same time, it boosts the economy by creating new construction jobs and helps the environment by making our schools more energy efficient. This legislation is a win for children, workers, and the planet."

-- BayouBuzz Staff

Guilford County Schools Recognized for Energy Efficiency

-- Carolina Newswire North Carolina: May 13, 2008 [ abstract]

In recognition and affirmation of efforts to improve energy efficiency in school facilities, Guilford County Schools (GCS) will participate in a meeting with North Carolina’s Governor Mike Easley. The meeting takes place today at 1 p.m. and will be held at the Governor’s Office in the Governor’s conference room. During the meeting, individuals will discuss increasing energy efficiency in public schools. Representatives from the State Energy Office, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, local universities and other school districts will join GCS staff for the meeting. “We are excited about the opportunity to share with others our standards for building energy efficient schools in order to reduce our dependency on non-renewable energy sources,” said Joe Hill, GCS facilities consultant. “Several notable goals in our design of new school facilities include reducing operating costs, protecting our environment, designing buildings that teach, improving academic performance and designing for Health, safety and comfort.”

-- Press Release

House Committee Approves High Performance Schools Bill

-- The Angle National: May 09, 2008 [ abstract]

The House Committee on Education and Labor approved AIA-backed legislation that would provide $6.4 billion in grants to state and local school districts to renovate, repair, and modernize schools. The 21st Century High Performing Public Schools Act (H.R. 3021) directs funding to projects that improve Health, safety, energy efficiency, and the overall learning climate in school facilities. The Education Committee approved the legislation by a vote of 29-18. Under the bill, each state would receive funding that would then be dispersed to local school districts for modernization projects. Eligible projects include replacing building systems, lighting, doors, and other modifications that would improve the teaching and learning environment. Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA, senior director, Federal Relations, praised the work of the committee at a time when schools across the country are in desperate need of renovations. "Architects have long known that properly designed, high-performance schools offer a far better learning environment for students," he said. Education Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) indicated that this bill could be voted on by the full House later this year.

-- Staff Writer

Schools Tapping into LEED Building Trend

-- Environmental Protection Magazine National: May 01, 2008 [ abstract]

The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification program for green schools has a registration rate of one school a day. Green schools are more energy and water efficient, which save taxpayers money. They also have significantly improved indoor air quality, and that results in Healthier kids. Michelle Moore, senior vice president at the council, says â€�"energy savings alone could pay for 5,000 new textbooks per school per year." According to Moore "Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon, and Virginia have the most LEED-certified schools to date, and many local school districts and state departments of education are beginning to develop and implement policies that require schools to be built green." The state of Ohio is leading the way. Hundreds of new and renovated schools are set to meet higher energy efficiency and environmental standards through the Ohio School Facilities Commission's adoption of the LEED for Schools Rating System as part of its school design standards. When the commission did the math, it determined it could save more than $1.4 billion in taxpayer money over the next 40 years through energy consumption reductions.

-- Staff Writer

Editorial: Building a Sustainable, Green School

-- Sandy Post Oregon: April 10, 2008 [ abstract]

Results of a recent community survey indicate that Oregon Trail School District citizens understand the need for a new high school, and for making energy, safety and security upgrades at our elementary and middle schools. That is very good news. Our community has also made it clear that they expect a new school to be functional and sustainable, with “green” characteristics. As the Oregon Trail School District’s superintendent, a parent, and a taxpayer, I echo those sentiments. While the terms “sustainable” and “green” are often used interchangeably, they are more complementary than they are synonymous. A green school is designed and built with a focus on achieving a Healthy living environment for our students and staff, as well as one that is energy efficient. Sustainability seeks, through the building design, construction and long-term operational practices, to protect our environment for future generations. According to Merle Kirkley, president of the Council of Educational Facility Planners International, “Building green is part of a comprehensive effort that includes sustainability, indoor air quality, energy conservation, and all other matters that pertain to the environment and the overall Health of students and faculty.” Most importantly, evidence strongly suggests that the operation of sustainable, green schools leads to increased academic performance, decreased absenteeism and significant cost savings.

-- Shelly Redinger

Toxin Turns Up in NY School Buildings, But Officials Say There's No Danger

-- Daily News New York: April 07, 2008 [ abstract]

Window sills and door frames in dozens of city public schools contain a toxin that can lower IQ scores, causes asthma and is linked to cancer, a Daily News investigation has found. Polychlorinated biphenyls are common in window and door caulking found in 266 New York City schools built or renovated in the 1960s and 1970s, officials concede. Random tests, conducted in February and last month for The News, found the PCBs in eight of nine schools. Six of the nine contained levels of PCBs deemed unacceptable. Last week in response to The News' findings, the Department of Education performed its own air and wipe tests in the affected schools. In all but one test, the PCBs in the caulking had not leaked into the air or surrounding environment. At Public School 199 on the upper West Side, low levels of PCBs were detected in the first-floor cafeteria in both air and wipe samples. City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden said the levels were below those deemed unsafe by the federal government. "The independent consultant's findings resolve the central question raised by your investigation: Do PCBs pose a Health risk in the schools where they're present in intact caulk sample? ... The findings clearly indicate they do not," Frieden said in a letter to the Daily News.

-- Bill Egbert

The Real Value of Designing a Green School

-- The Wellesley Townsman Massachusetts: April 03, 2008 [ abstract]

Wellesley is designing its first green school, and decision-makers are weighing which sustainable design elements should be included. Some green features have direct financial payback �" the most notable a reduction in energy use �" while others improve productivity by creating a Healthy learning environment. But some green features are worth doing because they transform the way engineering, technology and environmental science can be taught. Green schools across the country are now recognized for a higher mission than energy-efficiency, superior indoor air quality, and treading lightly on the environment. Green schools actually foster a different kind of learning and kids emerge as different kind of citizens, more vested in and accountable for the world around them. Many green schools are linking their building technologies, based on principles of sustainability, directly to the curriculum. The Sidwell Friends Middle School in Washington, D.C., is a good example. The school is nestled in constructed wetlands that treat building wastewater on site and recycle it for graywater use in the building. Rainwater is filtered on the school’s green roof, or directed toward a “biology pond” that supports a native habitat. At Sidwell Friends, students regularly observe the interconnected role that water and buildings play in natural habitat support.

-- Pamela Posey

School Haze

-- Metropolis Magazine California: March 19, 2008 [ abstract]

Los Angeles public schools are in a bind. Overcrowding has reached such levels that teachers have had to share their classrooms, cutting the overall academic calendar by up to 17 days while forcing students to sit through school in shifts year-round. One middle school squeezes 2,700 students into a facility designed for 800. The most obvious remedy, building more space, is complicated by a 2003 state Health-and-safety law that bans most school construction within 500 feet of a freeway. Los Angeles has 24 freeways, covering 250 miles. That’s like telling Venice not to build by water. A partial solution is emerging in the least likely place: the freeways themselves. Douglas Hecker and Martha Skinner, of the South Carolina design firm Field Office, have devised a highway-barrier system that would replace sound walls with a porous pollution-combating cement shield. Though not fully developed, Super Absorber, a runner-up in the 2007 Metropolis Next Generation Design Competition, would digest noise, light, and, most pressingly, toxic air particles�"as many as four billion tons a year if implemented nationwide. No project has been launched, but the husband-and-wife team is in talks with the L.A. Unified School District. “This is a pretty simple thing that could have a real impact on our environment,” Skinner says, “if we’re able to do it.”

-- Suzanne LaBarre

Columbus Schools May Tighten Wage Policy for Building Projects

-- Columbus Dispatch Ohio: March 17, 2008 [ abstract]

The Columbus Board of Education is poised to begin requiring companies bidding on construction projects to meet the same wage rules that have resulted in two lawsuits against Franklin County in the past 2 1/2 months. The requirement disqualifies companies that have had more than three "prevailing-wage violations" in the past decade, even if they are the lowest bidder for the job. Prevailing wages are pay scales set by the state of Ohio for various construction professions, based on what union construction workers make. Columbus schools' proposed policy is based on language drafted by the Ohio School Facilities Commission that was intended to offer protection to workers, countered Pasquale Manzi, executive secretary-treasurer of the Columbus and Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, which represents construction unions in central Ohio. "It shouldn't be the point of government to say we're going to lower the standard of living," Manzi said, noting that the same policy also requires construction companies to provide Health care and pensions. Last year, Gov. Ted Strickland initiated the policy change, which also allows school districts to pay the prevailing wage on projects co-funded by the state.

-- Bill Rush

Mold Spurs Call for New School in Indiana

-- Post-Tribune Indiana: March 08, 2008 [ abstract]

Extreme heat, moisture and an antiquated heating system have bred recurring mold at the Emerson Visual and Performing Arts School. As many as seven teachers are avoiding the building on doctor's orders. Some students claim they have suffered headache and breathing problems. The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration will visit the school at the request of the teachers union. In a letter sent to parents Thursday, Principal Noah Riley acknowledged a "mold condition ... in a few locations" but said Emerson was safe and "no Emerson student or staff is in Health danger." Riley said a new location is being sought for next year, possibly within another school. He said returning to the current site is "highly unlikely." But some teachers and students want out of the building now, even if just for a few weeks to make sure the mold, which has been treated since last year, is gone. Gary Community School Corp. Chief Financial Officer Robert "Mickey" Beach said the district's maintenance staff and J&K Environmental treat the mold regularly with bleach to keep it at bay. Tests are done weekly. Beach said high humidity is to blame. "We've got so much of a heating problem, a ventilation problem, and the accumulation of moisture on the windows at that building that it's created a lot of moisture, which is where spores can start," Beach said. "We're doing more cleanup and trying to keep the moisture out. If we can do that, we can keep the mold down.

-- Sharlonda L. Waterhouse

Fenty vows to tackle violations at schools

-- Washington Times District of Columbia: February 29, 2008 [ abstract]

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and school facilities chief Allen Y. Lew yesterday pledged to eliminate a backlog of fire and Health code violations in D.C. Public Schools by summer and said that all schools will have adequate air conditioning by spring. "These are things that should have been done a long time ago, and the mayor's challenged us to get these things fixed," said Mr. Lew, executive director of the city's Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization. The initiatives are primarily funded through a $120 million school-stabilization program announced by Mr. Fenty last year. Efforts to fix the code violations follow a pilot project by the facilities office that installed updated security systems in nine public schools, including Ballou and Anacostia high schools and Bruce Johnson Middle School in Southeast. The security work cost $700,000 per school and included the installation of computerized systems to control exterior doors, as well as panic bars on doors that can be opened in an emergency. In the past, doors at Ballou and other city schools were secured with padlocks or chains, a violation of fire code. "The doors were just locked," said Mr. Fenty, a Democrat. "There was no way to get out of the doors if you needed to, and of course that's against the law â€” you can't do that." Officials will now work to correct code violations as they identify which schools need similar security measures installed, and the facilities office is seeking contractors to help fix the problems by June 30.

-- Gary Emerling

Green Schools Healthier, Smarter?

-- Honolulu Advertiser National: February 28, 2008 [ abstract]

Schools featuring clean air, plenty of natural light, wastewater recycling, renewable power and other ways to lessen their impact on the environment also offer Health and educational benefits for students and faculty, said a leading congressional advocate of that style of school construction. Rep. Darlene Hooley, D-Ore., a co-founder of the Congressional Green Schools Caucus, said studies have found that students attending so-called "green schools" are Healthier, with fewer incidents of asthma, colds and flu, and have improved academic performance, up to 18 percent higher. At the same time, building of green schools across the U.S. is expected to save $30 billion in energy costs over 10 years and cut carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by 33.2 million tons.

-- Dennis Camire

Colorado May Have Money for Aging schools

-- Vail Daily/Associated Press Colorado: February 14, 2008 [ abstract]

The Edison 54 school district east of Colorado Springs is so strapped for cash that when the well stopped working several weeks ago, superintendent David Grosche was forced to ration bottled water. In Crowley County, school officials put a gutter inside a gymnasium to funnel away water from a leaky roof because they didn't have money to fix it. And in Holly, school officials got a grant to buy cable wire to lash together the crumbling facade of the local school building. House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said that is unacceptable. On Thursday, he introduced a plan that would leverage up to $1 billion in funds from school trust lands â€” farms, ranches and commercial property that are owned by the state to provide money for public education. "Every child deserves a safe, Healthy place to go to school," Romanoff said. "It's tough to learn when the roof is caving in or your desk is falling through the floor." Romanoff told the House Education Committee that 88 percent of Colorado schools have reported Health or safety problems, but 80 out of the 178 school districts can't raise enough money to fix them. Romanoff said many aging school buildings need to be replaced. The committee heard testimony on Thursday and delayed a vote so lawmakers could study it.

-- Steven K. Paulson

Seattle school district defers maintenance

-- Seattle Times Washington: February 10, 2008 [ abstract]

Seattle Public Schools employees put in about 400 requests a week for basic maintenance: faulty equipment, leaky plumbing, burned-out lights and other small projects. In a given week, only about 100 get fixed. And while district officials say Health and safety issues are always a priority, just last week lead-based paint was flaking onto the playground at Van Asselt Elementary School â€” a problem the district identified 10 years ago. And in December, at Nathan Hale High, a partially blocked drain contributed to the extensive flooding that closed the school for four days. Officials say two failed levies in the 1990s, along with major cuts to the district's maintenance budget, have saddled it with a backlog of thousands of maintenance projects. Worse, the district's 6,100-item database is so outdated, officials don't know exactly what fixes are needed or what's already been done. A 2006 report pegged the total repair bill for all 100-plus buildings at $485 million. About $100 million worth of that work will be paid for with last year's capital levy. The deferred maintenance has "had the effect of moving the district to only the highest-priority items addressed," said School Board member Michael DeBell. "I think the appearances of the buildings have suffered, and something that is not necessarily immediate or Health-and-safety issues still should get done. A lot of that work can only be put off so long before it becomes a Health-and-safety issue."

-- Emily Heffter

Athletic facilities at schools 'terrible'

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: February 08, 2008 [ abstract]

Sports facilities at D.C. public schools are in "terrible shape" and the city continues to lag behind neighboring jurisdictions in funding an athletic program that has continually "atrophied" over the years, according to a report released yesterday. "Our students" opportunities to learn and grow at District schools have been substantially compromised as a result," states the report by the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. "Now is the time for a major reinvestment in these programs so that our students can better compete on and off the playing field." The District has numerous success stories of student athletes coming from its public school system, including NFL players Byron Leftwich and Vernon Davis, who graduated from H.D.Woodson and Dunbar high schools. Five students from Dunbar alone accepted Division I college football scholarships earlier this week. The report examined aspects of the school system's athletic program last year and found little progress in funding and improvements since the committee issued its initial report in 2001. The report shows the school system's budget for athletics and activities has decreased by more than $1 million since 1993, although the number of teams and athletes has remained steady. The District, with nearly 50,000 public school students, also allocated a "meager" $104 per student for athletics in the 2006-07 academic year, compared with $431 allocated by the Alexandria public school system and the $205 provided by Montgomery County public schools, according to the report. The report also states the average head coach at a D.C. public school earns $2,107 less than counterparts in a surrounding school district. The deficiencies in athletic programs raise the risk that students will drop out of school, engage in illicit activities or endanger their Health, the report states. It describes the athletic field at Cardozo High School in Northwest as "a hazard," says the school's locker room is prone to flooding and describes the school's weight room as "useless." The report notes that Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, a Democrat, took over the school system last summer and approved a $21.5 million project to upgrade football fields at five high schools.

-- Gary Emerling

Northshore may close Woodinville school

-- Seattle Times Washington: February 06, 2008 [ abstract]

Northshore School District is considering closing an elementary school in the Woodinville area and eliminating 13 positions, including central office and support staff, before the next school year starts this fall. The potential school closure and job cuts are part of the district's plan to cut $3.4 million from the 2008-2009 school budget. School-district officials say the reductions are necessary because of inadequate state funding, and rising costs in such areas as Health-care benefits, utilities and fuel. The district is also contending with rapidly dropping student enrollment, which means a drop in money from the state. Tuesday meeting The district's interim superintendent, Dolores Gibbons, will give the School Board a recommendation on which elementary school to close during a board meeting Tuesday. The district estimates it would save about $700,000 annually by closing a school, Gibbons said. If the board chooses not to close a school, then the cuts would have to be made in other places, she said. Cutting the 13 staff positions would be handled as much through attrition as possible, but Gibbons wouldn't rule out layoffs.

-- Rachel Tuinstra

New York State Aid Program Helps School Districts 'Excel'

-- Daily Freeman New York: February 03, 2008 [ abstract]

A number of school districts across New York State are taking advantage of special funding, known as Excel aid; Excel is an acronym for Expanding our Children's Education and Learning. The State Dormitory Authority was authorized to provide $2.6 billion in Excel aid to school districts in New York state, including $1.8 billion for New York City schools. To qualify for the aid, work must fall within five categories: education technology; Health and safety; accessibility; physical capacity expansion or school construction; and energy. According to Robert Pritchard, assistant superintendent for business and operations, the Kingston school district is undertaking a $21.1 million project, funded in part with $6 million in Excel aid. The remaining $15.1 million is being financed with regular state building aid, "So there's no local share," Pritchard said. The Kingston project is focused on the renovation of existing school buildings, including window replacements, new roof, or roof repair, electrical work, making certain areas handicapped-accessible and replacing fuel tanks. New lockers and auditorium seating is planned for the middle and high schools. The project is expected to be completed over two summers. With 95 percent of the work occurring while students are not in the buildings.

-- Ariel Zangla

EPA Charged With Establishing School Building, Health Guidelines

-- Education Week National: January 16, 2008 [ abstract]

Tucked quietly into the federal Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 is a section that calls for establishing voluntary environmental-Health and -safety guidelines for states to consult when locating and constructing schools, and authorizes grants for states to develop programs around those standards. The measure, which President Bush signed into law last month, marks the first time that a federal agency will provide such guidance. School board representatives offered differing views of the legislation, which directs the Environmental Protection Agency to write the guidelines.

-- Katie Ash

Health Concerns Raised at Tempe, Arizona School

-- Arizona Republic Arizona: December 21, 2007 [ abstract]

The Tempe Union High School District is making a dramatic statement as it pressures the state to pay for $17 million in repairs at one high school. It is telling state and local officials that malfunctioning ventilation equipment, dripping mold and high carbon dioxide levels at Tempe's Corona del Sol High School could be making people sick. District studies and the findings of a consultant, compiled and presented to officials, say that the school is plagued by smelly classrooms, mold and high levels of carbon dioxide in the air. The move is the latest battle in an ongoing war between school districts and the state School Facilities Board over renovation funds. The Tempe district says it needs emergency funding from the School Facilities Board to fix its ventilation problems and is threatening to join a lawsuit against the state if it doesn't get it. The state board reviewed the district's request this summer. While it acknowledged problems, including high CO-2 levels, it determined that they didn't merit emergency funding. The matter goes before the board again in January. Meanwhile, teachers at the school fear what's in the air, walls and carpet - some believe it's even causing tumors.

-- Katie Nelson and JJ Hensley

Green School Buildings Making a Surge

-- eSchool News National: December 17, 2007 [ abstract]

School systems nationwide are beginning to realize the benefits of "going green" when building new schools, according to experts who follow school construction trends. Though the initial building costs can run higher, schools are seeing a return on their up-front investment through a reduction in monthly energy costs. Another important (and often unexpected) side benefit has been a boost in student achievement resulting from more Healthy, productive, and comfortable learning environments. John Weekes, an architect who is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on Architecture for Education, says "green," or environmentally friendly, school buildings aren't just a West Coast concept anymore. "Of course, places like California have been thinking green for a while, but it's really all over now--the Pacific Northwest, the upper Midwest, and the Northeast," he said. "Recently, it's also been [occurring in] the Southeast. It's certainly [a] mainstream [concept], but not entirely even across the board. Every region has its own rate."

-- Meris Stansbury

New Charleston Middle School Called 'a Dream'

-- Charleston Daily Mail West Virginia: December 03, 2007 [ abstract]

When Sissonville Middle School Principal Brian Eddy walks through the doors of the newly built school Dec. 19, he may have to pinch himself a few times to make sure he is not dreaming. After nearly five years of planning, the new Sissonville Middle School soon will open its doors to Eddy and about 490 students. "For anybody in education, this is a dream," he said. As Eddy gives a tour of the $17.5 million new school, he can't help but constantly grin. The school, for which the state School Building Authority provided about $7 million in funding, is a sprawling, state-of-the-art complex where technology and academics have taken a front seat to athletics. For example, all students will have a computer class. They will have access to two wired labs - one with 30 computers and another with 33. In addition, there will be a wireless computer lab for each grade in the school. The wireless labs consist of 30 laptop computers that can be carted between classrooms. Every classroom will have a 42-inch, flat-screen television. Teachers will be able to use white boards, also known as smart boards. Teachers and students can write on the boards with electronic pens. All teachers will have their own laptop computer and printer at their workstation. Every classroom will have three computers. The latest technology is evident everywhere, even in the cafeteria, which can double as an auditorium. A huge data projector hangs on a wall in the cafeteria above a classroom that can be converted into a stage. Two steps lead from the cafeteria to the stage. While school is in session, the stage will serve as a Health classroom. A retractable wall will separate the cafeteria from the classroom. When the wall is in place, the entrance to the room is through a door adjacent to the gym.

-- Kelly L. Holleran

$1 Billion to Fix Colorado's Crumbling Schools with No New Taxes

-- YourHub.com Colorado: November 28, 2007 [ abstract]

Colorado has a big problem: our schools are literally crumbling. Eighty-eight percent of the state's school districts report at least one school not meeting Health or safety standards. Colorado's schools - some more than 100 years old - have failing roof systems, broken boilers, asbestos contamination, structural problems, inadequate fire safety systems, inadequate water treatment systems, faulty electric and pest infestation. Some districts have nearly half of their students in trailers. However, with a plan recently announced, Colorado's schools are about to get the resources they need to build safe buildings without distractions from learning.

-- Dianne Primavera and Debbie Benefield

Green Schools Get Better Results

-- Coloradoan Colorado: November 28, 2007 [ abstract]

Mike Stohlgren can get a glimpse of the outside world in every classroom. With solitubes, large windows and lots of natural lighting, Stohlgren never feels like he's going to school in a cave. "My grades are better, and I'm sure that's why," joked Stohlgren, a 10th-grader at Fossil Ridge High School. But Stohlgren's sense of humor isn't too far-fetched. Studies have shown green buildings can increase productivity and improve Health for those who spend large amounts of time in them. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certified buildings have more natural lighting and exposure to outdoors, which can improve productivity, said Ashley Katz, communications coordinator for the U.S. Green Building Council. "LEED-certified spaces offer a connection to the outdoors with large and operable windows, which makes it more pleasant to spend your day," she said. Students in Pennsylvania moving from a conventional school to a 2002 LEED gold building had a 19 percent increase in average Student Oral Reading Fluency Scores compared with test scores from the previous building, according to a study done by George Kats, funded in part by the U.S. Green Building Council. A study by the California Energy Commission found that having a better view out a window was consistently associated with better performance.

-- Hallie Woods

New York School Debt On The Rise Because of Building Aid

-- Post-Journal New York: November 18, 2007 [ abstract]

Bob Niver pictures a house when talking about debt in school districts. The superintendent said, just like a homeowner, schools take out mortgages on which they make annual payments. Every year the district receives building aid, which helps to pay off costs the school may have incurred. ‘‘I know everybody’s in debt. The state came through in 1998 with an incentive and everybody got an extra 10 percent aid, so everyone did projects because with that kind of aid ratio you were dumb if you didn’t,’’ Niver said. ‘‘A year or two ago, they came out with EXCEL aid to bring facilities up to par ... and it was another real financial incentive so almost every school district in the state of New York took advantage of the EXCEL aid.’’ It’s the extra aid, and a new, streamlined foundation aid formula, which is partly to blame for the increase in district debt, according to a study recently released by the State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. In the report, the comptroller reviewed debt in local, city and state governments and in schools, finding districts saw ‘‘the most dramatic increases in debt.’’ ‘‘Total outstanding debt for school districts more than tripled from $4.2 billion to $15.6 billion,’’ the study said. ‘‘These increases were largely driven by state reimbursement formulas that encourage schools to borrow for capital projects and stretch out debt.’’ As a result, school districts’ share of the outstanding total local government debt has nearly doubled, from 25 percent in 1995 to 47 percent in 2005.’’ Schools throughout the state received extra aid �" EXCEL �"in an effort to update facilities and concentrate on improving educational technology, Health and safety issues, handicap accessibility, expanding instructional space and conserving energy. The state also made the foundation aid formula much more easier for districts to use.

-- S. Alexander Gerould

Mold, Air-Quality Issues Ongoing Concern at South Carolina Schools

-- Island Packet South Carolina: November 16, 2007 [ abstract]

Here in the wet Lowcountry, mold is a fact of life. That's why it is imperative the Beaufort County School District have in place a maintenance plan that includes quick response times to keep ahead of this potentially Health-threatening problem. It's also imperative that we understand and account for any construction or structural issues that might lead to problems with mold. A leaking roof at the 3-year-old Bluffton High School is very disturbing, especially given past experience. And unfortunately, the school district has years of experience in tackling this problem. The district has paid millions of dollars for repairs and cleaning and has faced and filed lawsuits related to air quality and Health problems. We've learned that turning off air-conditioning systems during our hot, steamy summers can be a problem, and that carpeting in hallways and classrooms, while good at reducing noise, can increase problems with mold and dirt. The community's first big introduction to mold problems came in the early 1990s with problems at the new middle school on Hilton Head Island. After the $9 million school opened in 1991, it was plagued with mold, high levels of carbon dioxide and other air quality problems caused by poor ventilation. District officials filed a lawsuit after spending an estimated $695,000 to correct air-quality problems at the school. The district received $275,000 from companies involved in the school's construction in a mediated settlement. District officials even blamed mold problems for the 1994 defeat of an $80 million school bond referendum. (Voters approved a $122 million referendum the next year.) In 2003, the district spent $2.7 million fixing problems at Battery Creek High School, and in 2002 and 2003 spent about $5 million fixing problems in the two older sections of the Hilton Head elementary school. The $3.5 million new HVAC system in the school's "Blue Building" came after teachers filed a complaint with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health about air-quality hazards at the elementary school. The agency inspected the building and found excessive carbon dioxide levels and fungal contamination. Given that history, it's troubling to learn that since the beginning of the school year, five schools in southern Beaufort County have reported problems with water leaking.

-- Editorial

Teachers and Parents List Needs at Hearing

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: November 16, 2007 [ abstract]

At Hart Middle School in Southeast, students have a shortage of science textbooks and sit in classrooms with peeling paint. There aren't enough guidance counselors at Dunbar in Northwest and other senior high schools. And some special education students at Ross Elementary in Northwest are not getting the help they need because a teaching position was eliminated. More than 75 students, teachers, parents, school employees and others shared these stories about the school system's physical and academic shortcomings last night as part of a hearing on the fiscal 2009 school budget. In a meeting room on the fifth floor of school system headquarters, speaker after speaker told Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee that schools need such things as music classes, clean bathrooms, mentors for new teachers and working kitchens to cook Healthy lunches. Rhee listened quietly to the three hours of testimony and said after the last witness that the speakers' concerns reflected the pleas she has heard since she took the job five months ago. She pledged to take the comments to heart as she works on her first budget for the 49,600-student system. "We're working on a lot of these issues, and I just want to thank everyone for their input," Rhee said. "It will absolutely be taken into consideration as we are developing the budget and as we develop our plan longer term for where we want to be." But the chancellor made it clear that the changes would take time.

-- Theola Labbé

Houston School District's Costs Rising Due to Mold in School

-- Houston Chronicle Texas: October 31, 2007 [ abstract]

The controversy over possible contaminants at Key Middle School has cost taxpayers more than $127,000 since August, and the tab could rise as employees incur more medical expenses that they blame on mold. Eighty-eight employees from Key â€” about 80 percent of the staff â€” have filed workers' compensation claims with the Houston Independent School District. Almost all said they were in good Health before falling ill at the northeast Houston campus, and the most common symptoms reported were skin rashes, difficulty breathing and headaches, according to a Houston Chronicle review of the claims.

-- Erika Mellon

HVAC Systems Improve Efficiency, Health at Schools

-- Green Building News National: October 30, 2007 [ abstract]

Through the combination of more efficient technology and adoption of green building guidelines, officials can be responsible to both the classroom and the environment, receive a payback on their investments, and achieve their operating goals while improving teacher and student comfort, productivity and performance. School districts can save 30 percent to 40 percent on utility costs each year for new schools, and 20 percent to 30 percent on renovated schools by applying sustainable, high performance, energy-efficient design and construction concepts to improve classroom comfort, according to the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council. Creating a high performance, comfortable classroom environment requires an integrated approach between sustainable design and construction standards, and the corresponding selection, implementation and ongoing maintenance and operation of building control systems and technologies.

-- Maureen Lally

L.A. Unified, Nonprofits Join on Construction Projects to Boost Student Health

-- Los Angeles Times California: October 24, 2007 [ abstract]

After decades of simply trying to build classroom space, Los Angeles school officials have embarked on construction projects meant to enhance students' physical Health, well-being and safety outside school hours. The Board of Education approved plans to install a YMCA on a Westside campus and a Boys & Girls Club at a South Los Angeles middle school and to set up mobile Health clinics at dozens of campuses. The projects attempt forward-thinking in a school system that is still building its way out of a decades-old campus shortage. Voter-approved bonds being used for that effort, as well as for repairing and modernizing hundreds of other Los Angeles Unified School District schools, were also set up to include some money for "innovative" projects.

-- Howard Blume

Guest View: Our Future is Always Under Construction in Winona, Minnesota Schools

-- Winona Daily News Minnesota: October 23, 2007 [ abstract]

It is a widely held belief that public education is essential to the local economy. Schools are a significant part of the infrastructure of a community and can have a direct impact on real estate values, employment, wages and countless other economic factors in the life of our citizens. Healthy public schools are often as much an indicator of economic progress as the numbers of people employed locally or the profit and loss indicators of area businesses. Often people judge the quality of a community and the educational institutions that serve them by what they see on the outside of the buildings. Is there a link between the overall maintenance of our buildings, the condition of school facilities, and student academic achievement? According to many research studies on this issue, the answer is yes. Studies conducted over the past 20 years have shown a direct correlation between the overall qualities of learning environments and enhanced academic outcomes. According to a report sponsored by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, “The overall impact a school building has on students can be either positive or negative, depending upon the condition of the building. In cases where students attend school in substandard buildings they are definitely handicapped in their academic achievement. Correlation studies show a strong positive relationship between overall building conditions and student achievement.” The Winona Area Public Schools also face these same challenges with our facilities. We have worked hard to make real improvements to our school buildings and grounds over the past few years, yet we hope to make even greater progress on them in the years to come.

-- Paul Durand

U.S. Green Building Council Launches Green Schools Web Site

-- U,S, Green Building Council National: October 17, 2007 [ abstract]

A new Web site launched by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) gives students, parents, teachers, school administrators, elected officials and community members a new resource in the effort to ensure a future of green schools for every child within a generation. “The new site, Build Green Schools (www.buildgreenschools.org), will be a vital tool for the grassroots green schools movement, helping the site’s visitors to promote Healthy, nurturing, environmentally friendly schools in their own communities,” noted Rick Fedrizzi, President and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council. Build Green Schools is filled with facts on the benefits and costs of green schools, including the ways green schools foster learning, decrease student and teacher absenteeism from respiratory and other illnesses, reduce energy and water bills, and provide models for teaching the world’s future leaders about sustainability to benefit communities for generations to come. It is complete with profiles of schools that have already gone green, examples of policies governments and school districts have instituted to ensure future schools are green, an extensive list of resources and links, and even a social networking site for visitors to share their experiences, best practices, and creative ideas.

-- Press Release

U.S. Green Building Council Launches “Green Schools Advocates” Program

-- Consulting-Specifying Engineer National: October 11, 2007 [ abstract]

Dozens of architects, PTA presidents, school board members, school superintendents, and others from across the country are ready to begin a grassroots effort to further the vision of green schools for every child within a generation. Some 64 “Green School Advocates” from U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) chapters nationwide were in Washington, D.C., during the last week of September to receive training to go back to their communities and organize green school committees. Local chapter “Green Schools Advocacy Committees” will work with decision-makers, parents, teachers, and others who are passionate about giving children the Healthiest, safest places to learn and grow�"all while saving school districts money, contributing toward mitigating climate change, and improving our environment. “The local USGBC chapters are a critical component in the council’s vision of green schools for every child within a generation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC president, CEO, and founding chair. “There are now chapter members from across America who are engaging in local outreach and education.”

-- Staff Writer

Regulations Passed to Begin Funding 'Green Schools' for California

-- Business Wire California: October 03, 2007 [ abstract]

The Department of General Services' Office of Public School Construction announced that regulations have been approved to allow it to begin the process of awarding $100 million in High Performance Incentive Grants to California schools for more energy and resource efficient "green" classrooms. The funding was approved by California voters last year as part of Proposition 1D. In December 2004, Governor Schwarzenegger signed an Executive Order that ushered in the State's Green Building Initiative and encouraged schools built with State funds to be resource- and energy-efficient, while creating safer and Healthier learning environments. The High Performance Incentive Grant program will promote the use of high performance attributes in new construction and modernization of projects for K-12 schools. These attributes include using designs and materials that promote energy and water efficiency, maximize the use of natural lighting, improve indoor air quality, use recycled materials and materials that emit a minimum of toxic substances, and feature acoustics that help the teaching and learning process.

-- Press Release

New York State Education Department Wants Schools To To Green

-- Journal News New York: September 28, 2007 [ abstract]

The state Education Department has added construction to its list of initiatives that can improve student learning, announcing a partnership with other state agencies to promote energy-efficient "green" school buildings. The team effort, named the Collaborative for High Performance Schools includes the state Education Department, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and an advisory council of representatives from the state Department of Health, the Healthy Schools Network and an extensive list of professional organizations for school administrators, members of the building trades and architects.

-- Randi Weiner

Schools still rise close to freeways

-- Los Angeles Times California: September 24, 2007 [ abstract]

Despite a state law that seeks to prevent schools from being built near freeways and mounting evidence that road pollutants harm children's lungs, the Los Angeles Unified School District is in the process of adding seven new schools to the more than 70 already located close to highways. Last year, more than 60,000 L.A. Unified students attended school within 500 feet of a freeway, records show. A 2003 state law prohibits school districts from building campuses within 500 feet of a freeway, unless the district can mitigate the pollution or determines that space limitations are so severe that there are no other options. In Los Angeles, officials say their choices have become more and more limited. As the district undertakes a $20-billion school construction and modernization program, officials have considered a number of sites close to freeways. The district is now building five schools on lots that are within 500 feet of them. In the coming months, the Board of Education will decide whether to begin construction of two more: Central Region Middle School No. 9 at Euclid Avenue and 7th Street, near Interstate 10, and Central Region High School No. 15, at 2100 Marengo Street, adjacent to the 10 near the interchange with the 5 Freeway. Those campuses are in addition to the nine L.A. Unified charter and regular district schools that have opened near freeways since 1997. As the construction program continues, the Board of Education could be facing more such decisions. School board President Monica Garcia, in whose district both pending schools are located, said through a spokesman that she was concerned about children's Health, but that she would support the new campuses if the district was able to mitigate the dangers.

-- Evelyn Larrubia

Green Schools: Color Them Healthy Places of Teaching and Learning

-- Seattle Post-Intelligencer National: September 13, 2007 [ abstract]

During the 1950s and '60s thousands of schools were built across the county, but now those learning facilities have aged to the point that they desperately need modernization or replacement. In the next 10 to 20 years, the U.S. will spend hundreds of billions of dollars on school construction. Each of those schools will last an average of 80 years. Because buildings are the No. 1 contributor to climate change through their greenhouse gas emissions because of the massive amounts of energy they consume, we have a tremendous chance to address this situation. We can employ a smart, economically viable, environmentally responsible approach to creating schools or we can allow first-cost objections to cloud the judgment of school boards and follow the business-as-usual approaches that will result in a slew of cheaply constructed, energy-hogging schools littered throughout the nation that fail to create better learning environments. It is imperative that we design the next generation of schools to teach about a more sustainable way of living, use minimal energy, eliminate the creation of toxins and waste and be interdependent with natural systems. This country's educational infrastructure desperately needs a modernized green school system. Green, high-performance schools are not a panacea. They will not solve all of the ills in the nation's school system but they will provide a foundation for a better education, in which teachers will more easily be able to focus on what matters most -- teaching -- and students will focus on what matters most -- learning.

-- R.K. Stewart

Money for schools, no questions asked

-- The Examiner District of Columbia: September 13, 2007 [ abstract]

The majority of contractors hired for the D.C. Public Schools’ $50 million summer blitz repair project, including Dynamic Corp., never received an evaluation of their prior government work, according to District officials. Excluding the summer blitz, these nonevaluated companies received more than $40 million in contracts between fiscal 2006 and 2007, according to the chief financial officer. The city’s failure to evaluate could mean wasted taxpayer dollars and a bunch of headaches. Consider Dynamic: The District filed a $13 million claim against the company, asserting it was responsible for the Georgetown Library fire. The corporation has said it is not responsible because it subcontracted the work. If Dynamic was negligent, so were city officials: Between fiscal 2006 and 2007, the Maryland-based business received more than $7 million in city contracts, according to the Office of Contracting and Procurement. Dynamic worked for the departments of Health, property management, public works, transportation, fire and emergency medical services, public schools and the library. None of those contracts was evaluated.Agency-based managers are required to file in the computerized “eval system” quantitative and qualitative assessments immediately at the completion of the work, according to David P. Gragan, chief of contracting and procurement. “It troubles me,” Gragan said during a recent interview about the lack of evaluations. “My guess is this isn’t unique.”

-- Jonetta Rose Barras

Is Bethlehem, Pennsylvania School Building Boom Visionary or Extravagant?

-- The Morning Call Pennsylvania: September 04, 2007 [ abstract]

Much like Health and friendship, it's often said, you can't put a price on a good education. Well, people of Bethlehem Area School District, how does $700 million sound to you? As the district enters the final leg of its two-decade building plan, it has become clear that by 2010, that's how much taxpayers will have borrowed to rebuild or renovate 19 of 22 school buildings. By the time the last brick is laid, this district of 15,379 students may have the newest school operations of its size in the state. Only Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have built more schools since 1991, but as those larger districts were replacing a quarter of their buildings, Bethlehem rebuilt or renovated 86 percent of its schools. Still, building an average of more than one new school a year since 1991 comes at a cost. It has more debt than any district in the Valley, and more than all but four of the other 500 school districts statewide. The district is pushing its legal borrowing limit, its debt is nearly six times that of neighboring Allentown, and taxpayers have endured 22 consecutive tax increases. The question is, has Bethlehem shrewdly prepared the district for an uncertain future in which the state's new Act 1 could hamper future building, or are taxpayers the victims of a 20-year spending spree?

-- Matt Assad

Rural Colorado Schools Are in Need

-- Denver Post Colorado: September 03, 2007 [ abstract]

Rural school districts across Colorado are struggling to find the money to keep their buildings up to fire code, replace broken-down buses and buy new boilers - let alone build up-to-date classrooms and libraries. Now, a group of state lawmakers is working to close the gap between the richest and poorest districts. The state kicks in extra money to smaller districts for classroom and operating costs. But when it comes to dollars for major building projects, local taxpayers are, for the most part, on their own. And that means vast disparity in the condition of school buildings across Colorado. A group of top Democrats, led by House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, is considering a November 2008 tax proposal. The group is weighing a statewide bond issue or perhaps a school-focused remake of Referendum D, the failed 2005 funding measure mostly for roads. Romanoff, D-Denver, has state economists coming up with two numbers: the cost to make school buildings safe and the price tag to give Colorado state-of-the-art classrooms. The Donnell-Kay Foundation, an education-advocacy group, has estimated immediate Health and safety needs at $400 million. Modernizing classrooms statewide could cost between $5.7 billion and $10 billion, the foundation said.

-- Jennifer Brown

Cost Rises On D.C. School Repairs

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: August 23, 2007 [ abstract]

District leaders said yesterday that they need to spend an additional $120 million to make emergency repairs to city schools because the dilapidated buildings need more work than originally planned. That money would go toward 70 schools that officials said were spruced up over the summer and are ready to open when class begins Monday, but the buildings have a backlog of work orders and code violations. In addition, the funds will address heating and air-conditioning problems throughout the system so students won't have to sit in classrooms that are too cold or hot. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) announced the School Stabilization Program at a news conference at Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in Northwest yesterday in his latest effort to bring noticeable change to the 55,000-student school system. Fenty, who gained control of D.C. public schools in June, said the school maintenance issues had lingered for decades. "If we attack all of those [repairs], and we have to, and we will, it's about a $120 million cost," he said. Allen Y. Lew, chief of the new school modernization office, said he needs that amount of money to clear a backlog of more than 10,000 work orders dating back at least five years. Last year, the D.C. Council approved a $2.3 billion, 10-year school modernization package to upgrade aging buildings and construct new ones. The additional money Fenty seeks for the emergency repairs is separate from those funds. Lew said his repair and construction plans will "change the culture of the school system." "What we're looking to do is eradicate all of the outstanding violations . . . from Health code issues to fire code issues, and the most critical ones we will address on a priority basis, and the rest of them we will spread throughout the rest of the year," he said.

-- Theola Labbé

Palm Beach Will Focus on Construction Projects that Aid Poorer Students

-- Palm Beach Post Florida: July 27, 2007 [ abstract]

Palm Beach County school administrators will give higher priority to school construction projects that benefit poorer students and rid the county of older academic buildings, according to district officials. The new specifications - which also give weight to Health and safety concerns and the likelihood that finishing a school will reduce the district's operating costs - mean that certain projects, such as a new Suncoast High, are more likely to be finished on or ahead of schedule, while others, such as an addition at Whispering Pines Elementary west of Boca Raton, are more likely to be pushed back. The criteria were factored into a list of more than 70 projects after members of the school board expressed concern that poorer and older, but often emptier, schools were unaccounted for in previous rankings. Planners created the 16-factor prioritizing system in anticipation of a 4,000-student drop in enrollment this fall and an estimated $212 million shortfall in revenue for construction over the next five years. Other factors include whether a project is needed to reduce class sizes under state law and if a project is paid for by the voter-approved half-cent sales tax.

-- Don Jordan

Better Test Scores by Green Building Design?

-- Times-Picayune Louisiana: July 20, 2007 [ abstract]

The quest for higher student test scores seems to be never-ending. But perhaps our search has been fruitless because we've been looking in the wrong places. Green thinking. That's the message of Global Green USA, the American affiliate of Green Cross International. The group contends that schools built or renovated along green building principles are Healthier and more cost effective in the long run. Perhaps, most importantly, these schools also promote improved test scores and better attendance on the part of both students and faculty. "Public school advocates have been so focused on the curriculum and the teachers for so many years that the quality of the buildings that the students are learning in has generally been pushed to the background," said Beth Galante, the director of Global Green New Orleans. "Our report references a study of 2,000 classrooms in three school districts that found that children performed 26 percent better on reading tests in classrooms with maximum natural daylight versus those in rooms with the least amount of natural light," Galante said. "Green schools use an average of 33 percent less energy than conventionally designed schools. Studies find an average asthma reduction of 38.5 percent in buildings with improved air quality," she said.

-- Lolis Eric Elie

Child's Death Leads to Safer School Policy in Ohio

-- Cleveland Plain Dealer Ohio: July 10, 2007 [ abstract]

Former Governor Bob Taft signed Jarod's Law in 2005 after a 290-pound school cafeteria table fell on 6-year-old Jarod Bennett and killed him. Jarod's Law governs Health and safety standards in Ohio schools. Local Health departments are supposed to begin enforcing the law September 20th. A panel of legislators will review proposed rules for the new law. Among highlights of the draft rules: portable cafeteria tables and other portable furniture must be out of reach of students when not in use, or secured to a wall or floor; school buses may not idle while students board or unload in front of schools - the provision reflects growing Health concerns about diesel exhaust, particularly from older buses; science classrooms must be locked when not in use; emergency showers and eye-wash stations should be tested monthly; schools must repair water damage, peeling paint, cracked or bowing walls; building roofs must be inspected twice a year and after severe weather; restrooms must be equipped with soap at every sink and towels or heated-air hand dryers. Health departments now conduct sanitary inspections of schools twice a year. The new law requires one inspection a year, but they will be far more comprehensive. There are no penalties for schools that fail to meet standards, Health officials said. Inspection reports, though, will be sent to the state auditor and available to the public.

-- Harlan Spector

U.S. Mayors Support Green Schools Resolution

-- GreenBiz News National: July 05, 2007 [ abstract]

The U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously supported a resolution that urges Congress to fund K-12 green school projects and research. At the organization's 75th annual meeting, Mayor T.M. Franklin Cownie of Des Moines, Iowa, introduced the resolution in the wake of a green schools movement taking shape across the country. More than 30 schools have received LEED certification, while almost 300 others are on a certification waiting list. "Studies show that children in green schools are Healthier and more productive because of improved indoor air quality, lower levels of chemical emissions and a generous provision of natural day lighting," Mayor Cownie said in a statement. "The benefit of cleaner indoor air quality -- a key emphasis of green schools -- have been linked to lower asthma rates, fewer allergies, reduced absenteeism, and increased teacher retention rates." The U.S. Green Building Council administers the LEED rating system for schools. It emphasizes classroom acoustics, master planning, indoor air quality, mold prevention, energy efficiency and water conservation. LEED certified green buildings use a third less energy, as much as 50 percent less water, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent, the USGBC said. It estimates that it costs $3 per square foot more to build a green school that a conventional school. Based only on energy savings, the payback begins within one year. Energy savings alone would total $20 billion during the next 10 years if all new schools and renovations were executed in a green manner, the USGBC said.

-- Staff Writer

Clinton, Harkin, Tauscher Reintroduce Bill to Help Finance School Construction

-- Press Release National: June 05, 2007 [ abstract]

Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) reintroduced legislation to help school districts finance needed school construction and modernization projects. The Investing for Tomorrow’s Schools Act will create State Infrastructure Banks to improve financing for school construction. Schools will be able to secure loans through these banks for projects that include construction to address enrollment growth, increase physical safety, and create an infrastructure to support educational technology. The bill also will implement Healthy, high-performance school guidelines for the construction and renovation of school buildings, educational facilities, and libraries to help ensure that schools meet high environmental Health standards. Representative Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

-- Staff Writer

Campuses Moving to Forefront of Green Building, Education

-- San Francisco Chronicle National: April 20, 2007 [ abstract]

Just a few years ago, the idea of a "green school" probably referred to the color of paint on exterior walls. Even as the world debated the best ways to slow or stop global warming, schools were often off the radar. Saving the Earth lagged far behind education's top priority of raising test scores. But that's changing. Today, schools are increasingly going green -- planting gardens, installing solar panels, following environmentally sound construction guidelines, using eco-friendly cleaning products and educating students on environmental issues. Ultimately, all this provides a Healthier learning environment, which in turn improves student learning, educators have found. As an added bonus, energy costs go down and the Earth is better off. "I think that (schools) are realizing being green can save them money and help them improve test scores," said Deborah Moore, executive director of the Berkeley-based Green Schools Initiative.

-- Jill Tucker

Charlotte County, Florida Working to Get Future Schools Designated as Green

-- Charlotte Sun Florida: April 16, 2007 [ abstract]

The Charlotte County school district is taking steps to ensure its future buildings are environmentally sound. The School Board voted unanimously to accept a proposal from TLC Engineering to provide Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design commissioning at Baker Pre-K Center, Peace River Elementary and Neil Armstrong Elementary. TLC will provide professional engineering services for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems at the schools, which were damaged by Hurricane Charley in 2004. The total cost is $140,000, but the "green" buildings will actually save on operational costs. According to the LEED Web site, certified green schools save an average of $100,000 per year, as the buildings consume about 30 percent less energy and water. "We're trying to do that with as many of our schools as we can," said Superintendent David Gayler about the green schools designation. LEED uses a national rating system for design, construction and operation of nvironmentally friendly structures. It evaluates performance on five key areas of human and environmental Health, including water savings, energy efficiency and materials selection. LEED will be used in the construction of other schools destroyed by Hurricane Charley, including East Elementary, Punta Gorda Middle School and Charlotte High School.

-- Staff Writer

GREENGUARD and California's Collaborative for High Performance Schools

-- News Blaze California: April 04, 2007 [ abstract]

GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) announced an agreement with Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) to recognize its GREENGUARD Children & Schools SM Product Certification Program as a strategy for supporting the CHPS Best Practices Manual for K-12 schools. Under this agreement, the GREENGUARD Children & Schools Product Certification Program complies with the State of California's Department of Health Services Standard Practice (CA Section 01350) for testing chemical emissions from building products used in schools. CHPS credits are offered for GREENGUARD Children and Schools certified products that meet the testing method requirements and emission limits defined in the agreement between CHPS and GEI.

-- Staff Writer

Price Tag for New Jersey School: $187M

-- Star-Ledger New Jersey: March 29, 2007 [ abstract]

The price tag for a proposed state-of-the-art high school in New Brunswick has soared to $187 million -- double the original projections and far more expensive than any other project undertaken so far in New Jersey's school construction program. Officials of the state Schools Construction Corp. said yesterday the price has been pushed up by land costs of $1 million per acre, labor and material expenses rising at the rate of $800,000 per month, and increased costs for relocating a business from the site. The total bill for the 2,000-student high school is on track to exceed $450 per square foot. It would exceed the $175 million New Jersey set aside in 2002 for the revitalization of the entire city of Camden. In addition to 33 standard classrooms, the new school is scheduled to include music rooms, art rooms, 10 science labs and an auditorium, gymnasium, day care and Health center. The 26-acre site will have soccer, baseball and softball fields. Scott Weiner, the SCC's chief executive officer said "It has been designed without frills and without design excesses." Until recently the projected cost had grown to $217 million, but officials sliced $30 million by eliminating one classroom wing and dropping plans for a second gymna sium. The current estimates put the actual construction cost at $129 million, plus $22 million for furni ture, equipment and developer's fees, $7 million in design costs and $26 million in land acquisition.

-- Dunstan McNichol

New York City School Maintenance and Construction 'Going Green'

-- CBS News New York: March 20, 2007 [ abstract]

The New York City Department of Education and the School Construction Authority announced the publication of the NYC Green Schools Guide and Rating System, which will be used to guide the sustainable design, construction, and operation of new schools, modernization projects, and school renovations. The guide and rating system will assure compliance with local law, which established sustainability standards for public design and construction projects. The implementation of the Green Schools Guide and Rating System makes New York City one of the first and largest school districts in the nation to have sustainability guidelines required by law. Sustainable schools will conserve energy and water, reduce operating costs, promote a Healthy environment, and help teach environmental responsibility, officials said. Energy efficiency measures required by the GSG, including high efficiency building envelope and HVAC systems, will ensure that NYC's "green schools" save energy costs by at least 20 percent. Water-conserving plumbing fixtures such as metered faucets, dual flush toilets, low-flush urinals, and low flow showers will result in the reduction of potable water usage in each school by more than 40 percent. Efficient classroom lighting fixtures will save energy and provide high quality illumination. Stringent acoustical standards will ensure that instructional spaces are isolated from outside sound interference.

-- Staff Writer

Ohio School Construction Changes in the Works

-- Plain Dealer Ohio: March 11, 2007 [ abstract]

The Ohio School Facilities Commission, whose membership was restructured by the new Governor, Ted Strickland, gave school boards the authority to add 17 new requirements, in addition to lowest and best price, to their bid specifications. Prospective bidders must recruit minorities, offer employee Health care, run criminal background checks on workers and make them available for random drug tests, have a government-approved apprentice program, be current on taxes, and make sure that skilled-trades workers have appropriate licenses.

-- Staff Writer

Students Rally to Support M.M. Washington

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: March 07, 2007 [ abstract]

About 150 students from M.M. Washington Career High School rallied yesterday outside the D.C. schools office over concerns about the future of the Northwest academy specializing in Health care, barbering and culinary arts. During the hour-long demonstration, students held signs that said, "We Love Our School" and "Don't Close Our School." Chanting "Keep hope alive," they left quietly after speaking with a D.C. schools official. But the fate of the historic academy that opened in 1912 to train students in career skills has not been decided. In September, Superintendent Clifford B. Janey introduced his school modernization plan, which included a proposal to convert M.M. Washington into an academy focusing on the hospitality industry. Since then, rumors about the school's possible restructuring or even closure have been rampant, said PTA President Darlene Babil, who accompanied the group yesterday. The school, at 27 O St. NW, enrolls 300 students. "All we want is clarification -- whether the school is going to be changed and for what reason," said Babil, whose daughter is a junior there. "This is a protest that is driven by the students. As the PTA, we're concerned there are too many rumors that need to be squashed."

-- Sue Anne Pressley Montes

Green Schools for Better Education

-- Stanford Daily California: March 02, 2007 [ abstract]

All parents want their children to be Healthy and do well in school. Elementary schools are places of learning where impressions and ideas that last a lifetime are formed. But existing schools are often built on tight budgets and to the bare-minimum standard necessary to meet building codes. Building codes, however, are rarely designed to enhance the learning environment for children. A new approach toward building schools is needed. A recent study by Greg Kats of Capital E definitively shows that schools could be “Healthier, more comfortable, and more productive” by using well-known green building techniques for an initial cost premium of under 2%, but with cost savings of twenty times the cost of going green over the lifetime of the school. Building green means designing a building so that it is constructed in an environmentally sensible way, with environmental criteria as one of the foremost, if not the top, priority when making design decisions. Green buildings considerably reduce water and energy consumption, and are Healthier for their occupants.

-- Jonas Ketterle

New Ideas for New South Carolina Schools

-- Post and Courier South Carolina: March 01, 2007 [ abstract]

It may take a whole new way of thinking about schools to convince Dorchester County residents to keep paying for them. Out with the idea that schools are just for students: Schools should be seen as community centers, shared by everyone. That was the consensus of a group of school and county officials who met to talk about how to pay for new schools. "There are a lot of things we can do with these assets that we haven't even thought of yet," said Alex James, director of the South Carolina Department of Education's office of school facilities. Cafeterias, libraries, Health centers, even shops and restaurants could be put on campuses and used by adults during those hours when students are not using them. For example, a senior center could use a school cafeteria in return for the older adults volunteering in the classrooms as student aides. School officials have traditionally resisted allowing many outsiders on campus because of liability and security concerns, James said. But that has to change if schools want money, especially with the increase in the number of baby boomers who might not have children in school. "It's a better use of our tax dollars to share these facilities instead of maintaining our turf," James said.

-- Dave Munday

Most on Council Back Fenty's Takeover Plan

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: February 28, 2007 [ abstract]

At the last of seven public hearings yesterday on Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's plan to take over the D.C. public schools, a majority of D.C. Council members voiced approval for the proposal, but several also indicated support for giving the Board of Education more power than Fenty (D) intended. Several council members suggested that they favor amendments that could allow the board, instead of the mayor, to appoint a chief state education officer and a school ombudsman. Fenty's testimony brought a series of exhaustive public hearings to a close. "I must say that I'm glad that it's about to be over," said council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1). "It's time. It really is time to act. No need for further studies. . . . Now, it's up to the council. Let's go." But council members first had questions and recommendations for Fenty yesterday -- three hours' worth. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) was the first member to suggest that the school board could hire the state education officer who would oversee early childhood education, adult education, Health requirements and other matters. "This would allow not only an elected board to stay in place . . . but it also would give, I think, some real authority," he said. Council member David A. Catania (I-At Large) suggested giving the school board more control by giving it more to oversee. "I do think there is something to be said for assigning more state education responsibility to the state board of education, whether that is things from graduation requirements to curriculum to teacher education standards, so on," he said. "That won't inhibit your ability to run the schools themselves."

-- Nikita Stewart and David Nakamura

Education by Design �" Architects Fill Schools with Learning-friendly Features

-- Deseret Morning News Utah: February 20, 2007 [ abstract]

A space shuttle appears to be coming out of the front of a building on Washington Boulevard in Ogden. If you were to go inside, you'd soon find yourself in what appears to be a space-age control room. It's Ogden School District's aerospace magnet elementary school, as yet unnamed, which will open in the fall. And it's nothing like the school design most adults remember from their own childhoods. Neither are the trapezoid and triangle halls at Nibley Park Elementary, or the crayon lights lining the halls of North Star Elementary in Salt Lake City. But the concept of studying at round tables in a steep glass-enclosed alcove at Ecker Hill Middle School in Park City or traversing gently curved glass-sided hallways at Harrisville's Orion Junior High, planets dancing overhead, doesn't seem foreign to most children. Schools are being designed using a whole new set of principles. And the architects have the scientific evidence to back them up. A well-designed school "enhances and supports the Healthy development of students," says Dennis Cecchini, vice president of MHTN Architects, "so they become vibrant, Healthy contributors to society. It's about a lot more than making sure the carpet doesn't give off gas or meeting building codes." "In the last 10 years or so, studies show buildings affect learning," says Steve Crane, owner/partner of the architect firm VCBO, one of several in Utah that design schools. He cites a study of three locations with distinctly different climates: Colorado Springs, Seattle and Orange County. It found that students in classrooms with a lot of daylight had 26 percent higher math scores and 28 percent higher reading retention, compared to those who relied solely on interior lighting.

-- Lois M. Collins

Schools Leading Green Charge

-- Charlotte Observer North Carolina: February 07, 2007 [ abstract]

One of the "greenest" schools ever proposed in the Carolinas will transform a campus of modular classrooms into a working environmental laboratory. Carolina International School, a 415-student charter school in Harrisburg, is working on a construction plan that calls for green features ranging from rooftop vegetation to recycled water. The project is part of a green surge in the Carolinas. Charlotte's next three skyscrapers will be green, and residential developers have begun to promote environmentally sensitive neighborhoods. But that might not be the biggest piece of the action. Across the country, architects and contractors are calling green educational facilities -- not commercial buildings -- The Next Big Thing in construction. McGraw-Hill Construction says the $53 billion education market -- the largest industry sector -- is the nation's fastest growing for green buildings. Fueling the trend, studies say, are such factors as energy cost savings, less impact on the environment, improved student and teacher Health and better academic performance. The U.S. Green Building Council, which rates and certifies Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) buildings, says 31 schools (K-12) are certified nationwide. The outlook for green educational construction is rosy, experts say, because many schools systems -- Charlotte-Mecklenburg included -- adopt green building principals without incurring the expense of LEED certification. The USGBC awards points based on energy savings and environmental design and certifies projects as Silver, Gold or Platinum, the highest level. Guy Chamberlain, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' assistant superintendent for auxiliary services, believes most of the system's schools built since 2002 would quality for the lowest level of certification. Environmentally sensitive issues such as energy efficiency, day lighting, stormwater runoff and water-based paints and adhesives will figure into the planning for 60 new schools over the next 10 years, he said.

-- Doug Smith

Going Green: Design Movement Growing to Build Environmentally Friendly Schools

-- NewsTimes Connecticut: February 04, 2007 [ abstract]

If you could build a new school that was sunlit and Healthy, environmentally friendly, and that would save you lots of money for years to come, why wouldn't you? That's the question people throughout the country are increasingly asking. At a Green Buildings conference at the State capitol there was unanimity that the green buildings principles -- siting the building correctly on its land; using natural lighting wherever possible; using state-of-the art heating, cooling and electrical systems; using recycled construction materials, allowing fresh air into the building -- have huge advantages for the owners and users of those buildings. They also reduce the air pollution such buildings emit. Less carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter going into the air means cleaner air. That means less pollution contributing to global warming.

-- Robert Miller

Audit Finds Financial Problems in D.C. School System

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: January 31, 2007 [ abstract]

An independent audit of the D.C. government has found serious problems with the public school system's financial controls, alarming District officials who say that the city's fiscal Health could be at risk if the lapses are not corrected. The audit could help Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) win critical support in his attempt to persuade the D.C. Council to approve his proposal to take direct control of the 58,000-student school system. Fenty and D.C. Chief Financial Officer Natwar M. Gandhi plan to formally announce the findings at a news conference today, during which they will also hail the city's 10th consecutive balanced budget. The audit, completed last week, was conducted by BDO Seidman LLP as part of the District government's annual performance review known as the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, which is presented to Congress, the mayor and the D.C. Council. Although auditors issued the city a "clean" audit, they detailed significant concerns with the school system's internal controls over payroll, procurement, federal grants and Medicaid services, according to a draft copy obtained yesterday by The Washington Post. Among the areas cited were poorly trained staff, incomplete records, unauthorized overtime pay and inadequate monitoring of federal grant money. The auditors classified the findings as a "material weakness" in the District's overall financial Health, the most serious level of concern below an "unclean" audit. In an interview, Gandhi said that if the conditions cited in the report do not improve by next year, the District would be in serious jeopardy of receiving an "unclean" audit. That, Gandhi said, could prompt Wall Street to downgrade the District's bond ratings, which have been improving steadily for the past several years.

-- David Nakamura and Theola Labbé

Do Facilities Play Key Role in Learning?

-- News-Sentinel Indiana: January 04, 2007 [ abstract]

"When we talk about improving public education, the learning environment is something that needs to be part of the dialogue," said George Jackson, spokesman for the American Federation of Teachers. Fort Wayne Community Schools has proposed a districtwide renovation plan that district officials have said is geared toward improving student achievement. The project could cost taxpayers from $234 million to $995 million, but Superintendent Wendy Robinson has said more than once that nothing qualifies as a "wish-list item." In its report, "Building Mind, Minding Buildings," the teachers federation wrote: “Making schools conducive to learning means providing a Healthy environment. (Poor building conditions) make it difficult for students to concentrate, for teachers to teach and for staff to do their jobs." "There’s definitely a correlation," Jackson added. "A sub-par learning environment is going to have an effect on how well students can pay attention." He cited lighting, air quality and space constraints as hampering the learning process �" issues that FWCS plans to address with the renovation project.

-- Ese Isiorho

Study Shows Going Green Saves Schools $100,000 a Year

-- GreenBiz.com National: November 02, 2006 [ abstract]

A new national report finds that building "green" would save an average school $100,000 each year - enough to hire two new additional full-time teachers. The report breaks new ground by demonstrating that green schools - schools designed to be energy efficient, Healthy and environmentally friendly -- are extremely cost-effective. Total financial benefits from green schools outweigh the costs 20 to 1. With over $35 billion dollars projected to be spent in 2007 on K-12 construction, the conclusions of this report have far-reaching implications for future school design. Sponsored by the American Federation of Teachers, the American Institute of Architects, the American Lung Association, the Federation of American Scientists and the US Green Building Council, the report includes a detailed analysis of 30 green schools built in 10 states between 2001 and 2006. The analysis demonstrates that the total financial benefits of green schools are 20 times greater than the initial cost, and include energy and water savings, and improved student Health and test scores. If all new school construction and school renovations went "green" starting today, energy savings alone would total $20 billion over the next 10 years.

-- Staff Writer

Teachers: Rooms Affect Learning Environment, Health of Them, Students

-- The Janesville Gazette Wisconsin: October 29, 2006 [ abstract]

Are Janesville's high schools sick buildings? No one's going that far, but two Parker High School teachers are sure their classrooms give them laryngitis. Lesley Murphy and Crystal Callison say the air-handling fans in their rooms' ceilings can be so loud at times that they have to shout for students to hear them. Veteran teachers have confirmed that the noise has gotten worse over the years. Both teachers also complain about too much heat or too much cold. High temperatures and stuffy rooms are the most common complaints in both Craig and Parker high schools. Teachers and students complain about rooms that heat to 100 degrees on hot days and stay stuffy and overly warm even on cold days. Sometimes, the problem is the steam heat, said Jerry Tinberg, the district's energy specialist. Tinberg said steam heat requires temperatures in the pipes be at least 212 degrees. So even if the heat in a room is turned off, and even with insulation, the pipes running under floors will warm a room. "That alone can cause uncomfortable conditions, in the spring and the fall in particular," Tinberg said. The Nov. 7 referendum should fix such problems. For starters, the heating system would use hot water, not steam, so pipe temperatures would be much lower, Tinberg said. And while air handlers will always make some noise, excessive noise should also be fixed, Tinberg said. Murphy believes that yelling over the noise makes her hoarse, but the air quality gives her colds.

-- Frank Schultz

NYC School Takeover Inspires Fenty, but Critics Abound

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: October 16, 2006 [ abstract]

For years, Evander Childs High School in the Bronx epitomized the problems with this city's failing public education system. With more than 3,500 students, the four-story building was crowded, the classes were unruly and the graduation rate was 31 percent. Now, three years into a dramatic restructuring, it has been divided to house six small schools. On different floors, students are learning in more intimate environments -- with such themes as aerospace, communications and Health. Discipline has improved, and more students are graduating, teachers say.

-- David Nakamura

National Safety Summit Calls on Schools to Limit Access

-- Black Voice News California: October 12, 2006 [ abstract]

Tuesday President Bush convened a national summit along with Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to discuss ways of making schools safer. According to Spellings "Statistically, the safest place for a child to be is in school"; however Gonzales urged the nation's school administrators to limit access to campuses. Riverside Unified School District has perimeter fences around most schools and plans to install new fencing at Poly High School and University Middle School, said Kirk Lewis, the district's assistant superintendent of operations. School grounds in the San Bernardino City Unified School District are generally closed to the public while classes are in session to protect children," said spokesperson Linda Hill. Steve Ellis, Corona-Norco Unified School District's coordinator of student safety and security said they are in the process of installing security cameras and fences at its high schools and River Heights Intermediate School. Inland officials claim district schools have been much better at detecting crime before it occurs. "There's more tip lines out there. There's a closer working partnership with law enforcement. Mental Health professionals are now working much closer with staff, parents and students," said Ellis. National statistics show a steady decline in school crime, including murder, over the past decade. Attacks like the ones in Colorado and Pennsylvania - by outsiders, not students, account for two percent of those deaths. Most schools get less than $10,000 in federal security aid, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Federal funding to combat crime and drugs in schools has steadily fallen since Bush entered the White House. But Bill Modzeleski, who runs the U.S. Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, says there's plenty schools can do now: limit access; keep areas well lit; install security cameras; monitor visitors; and train teachers, parents, and students to report suspicious activity. Perhaps most of all, they should intervene with children early before emotional issues explode into violence.

-- Chris Levister

New Jersey Seeks $3.2 Billion But Changes Are Planned

-- Engineering News Record New Jersey: September 25, 2006 [ abstract]

a New Jersey task force looking to propel the state’s stalled school building program is recommending $3.2 billion in new funding, but also new steps to expedite work and beef up project management oversight. The additional money would fund projects already approved for construction last year, after the state’s School Construction Corp. found it had used up $8.6 billion earmarked for the mandated program, begun in 2002. The cash would include $1.9 billion for 97 suspended school projects, including 59 already funded, says an SCC spokesman. Construction contracts have been awarded on 13, he adds. But required legislative approval for funds is far from certain in an election year in a state already plagued by existing budget deficits, observers say. The task force also recommended process changes to "prioritize" construction projects. SCC now will focus work based on Health and safety risks, need for early childhood centers and overcrowding. Available sites, project schedules and incurred costs would be secondary. The state also has "initiated aggressive efforts to address the legacy of past mismanagement, waste and possibility of fraud," says the report. "A multifacted plan is being implemented to identify, and whenever possible, recover funds that were inappropriately paid individuals or companies." No details were provided.

-- Debra K. Rubin

Wisconsin Schools Find Way to Fund Construction Projects

-- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Wisconsin: September 21, 2006 [ abstract]

School buildings often lose out in an era of tight education budgets already squeezed by the rising cost of employee Health care and pressures from revenue caps. A $48 million building program in the New Berlin School District, however, is turning that notion on its head. Not only will the initiative, once it's completed, be responsible for the construction of a new elementary school and the overhaul of two district buildings, but it will have been done without a referendum-approved tax increase. All the money for the program is being generated by borrowing that will be paid off over 20 years out of the district's operating budget. With other school districts in Wisconsin dealing with deteriorating buildings and electorates with disagreeable attitudes toward tax increases, New Berlin might just prove to be a model, or a warning, about how school construction projects should be funded.

-- Amy Hetzner

Schools to Use 'Green' Cleaning Supplies for Safety

-- Rochester Democrat & Chronicle New York: August 24, 2006 [ abstract]

Products with names like Earth's Choice, Sustainable Earth and Green Knight will fill janitors' closets this fall as schools around New York comply with a new law that requires "environmentally friendly" cleaning supplies. Concerns about the harmful Health effects chemicals can have, especially on children, and a realization that cleaners with reduced amounts of potentially dangerous ingredients are increasingly available prompted the legislation, which takes effect September 1. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates human exposure to air pollutants indoors can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. Some of the culprits are cleaners, waxes and deodorizers. Reducing or eliminating potentially harmful ingredients helps protect the environment and water supply, according to the legislation's sponsors. The state School Boards Association supports the measure but has had some questions about the law, such as whether the "greener" products would cost more and clean as well as traditional ones, spokesman David Ernst said. Prices of the environmentally friendly cleaners are comparable to others on the market, said Christine Burling, a spokeswoman for the state Office of General Services. Schools don't have to throw away cleaners that aren't on the state's list of approved products for cleaning products, vacuum cleaners and sanitary paper products, she said. They can use them up before buying green ones. The new law applies to buildings and grounds at all public and private elementary and secondary schools. A number of groups and parents have criticized the regulations, saying they don't go far enough to protect children. The state stands by the guidelines, Burling said.

-- Cara Matthews

Durham Schools Have Water Worries

-- The News & Observer North Carolina: August 19, 2006 [ abstract]

Students returning to class at Durham's Northern High School may be provided bottled water after testing on a drinking fountain found lead levels above those considered safe by federal guidelines. Lead also was detected in the water from kitchen taps at Burton Geo-World Magnet Elementary School and Merrick-Moore Elementary School, though at concentrations below the danger level. High levels also were confirmed at Y.E. Smith Elementary School, where previous testing found lead in 2004 and students have been drinking bottled water for more than two years. Durham Public Schools decided to test selected taps at 27 of the system's older facilities after previous rounds of testing by state and local Health officials found elevated lead levels in water samples collected from private homes across the city. It is suspected a chemical until recently used to treat much of Durham's water might have contributed to an increase in the amounts of lead leaching from old plumbing fixtures. The city ceased using the chemical in question, ferric chloride, July 6. Lead was banned from use in the solder joining pipes in 1985, and buildings constructed after then don't appear to be affected. The oldest sections of Northern High were built in 1953. Burton and Merrick-Moore also date to the early 1950s. In light of the latest test results, the school system has contracted a private lab to test every tap used for drinking or cooking at every Durham school built before 1990, as well as the downtown administration building. Based on the results of the expanded round of testing, the school system could mandate the use of bottled water or disconnect selected drinking fountains. Cafeteria staff are being instructed to run the taps at least five minutes before using the water for drinking or cooking, a precaution shown usually effective in flushing out the contaminated water.

-- Michael Biesecker

Minnesota Schools Going Green with Federal Grants

-- Winona Daily News Minnesota: August 18, 2006 [ abstract]

Houston Public Schools are getting greener �" by the ton. Because of a grant from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the school district has recycled more than 8 tons of garbage, helped the environment and saved thousands of dollars. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which received the grant from the EPA, chose Houston and two other Minnesota public schools for the pilot program. The MPCA then distributed the $40,000 grant last year for the three schools to share. Based on Houston’s success, the program, called Minnesota Healthy Schools Program, will now be considered for other schools in Minnesota. Students, parents and staff in Houston have noticed improvements �" cleaner air, energy efficiency �" and it has made a world of difference for the school, said Rick Bartz, elementary school principal. Since the program launched, students and staff have seen many changes. Previously the district did not recycle. Though some staff members gathered cans, the schools had no programs or bins for recycling, Bayer said. The new program also yielded “green” cleaning solutions that are less noxious, and buses no longer run idle in front of schools, which make for cleaner air and a quieter neighborhood. Buses were also fixed to reduce diesel emissions. And the schools have pledged they will be mercury-free. Among other changes, they are reducing paper use, using energy-efficient vending machines, removing unsafe chemicals from laboratories and urging students and teachers to turn off lights and recycle. Houston was so successful that the MPCA is considering this program for other schools, Moore said, but details have not been worked out.

-- Britt Johnsen

New Orleans Schools Trash Items Exposed to Mold, Water

-- Times-Picayune Louisiana: August 17, 2006 [ abstract]

Public schools throughout New Orleans are throwing away thousands of desks, books, computers and other items that officials fear may have been exposed to toxic mold or simply have fallen into disrepair. Meg Casper, a spokeswoman for the state-run Recovery School District, said it's less expensive for the state to replace the items than to clean or repair them. School officials want students to attend school in the safest surroundings possible. "We believe that we have to err on the side of caution when it comes to giving students materials that have been exposed to mold and other toxins like asbestos," Casper said. "We must provide a Healthy environment for these children. They deserve nothing less." Casper said FEMA is footing the bill for all items damaged by the storm. The state will cover the cost of replacement in some instances if FEMA does not, she said.

-- Steve Ritea

Mercury Closes Sarasota, Florida School

-- The Herald Florida: August 16, 2006 [ abstract]

Teacher Sarah Hard saw something disturbing in her religion class at Cardinal Mooney High School. A handful of students were playing with a glob of liquid mercury on a desk. Hard immediately called principal Steve Christie, who raced to the classroom building to learn that from two to four ounces of mercury, in a pill-size vial, had been brought to school by a student. The mercury had seeped from the student's backpack. Soon after, Cardinal Mooney High School was shut down and the Sarasota County Fire Department, the county Health Department, including the medical executive director, a Bartow hazardous materials firm called American Compliance Technology and local media converged at the school. When it was all over, none of the school's 500 students, including the six or so who touched the mercury, showed any symptoms of illness due to exposure, Christie said. But hundreds of students and some personnel endured quarantine for hours while authorities checked them. A small amount of mercury was vaporized, exposing about 70 students, said Crystal Bruce, a Health Department spokeswoman. The classroom building was quickly closed off and American Compliance Technology began checking to make sure the school was safe for students, Christie said. The human nervous system is sensitive to all forms of mercury and exposure may cause breathing problems, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increases in blood pressure or heart rate, skin rashes and eye irritation, Bruce said.

-- Richard Dymond

Alabama Voices: Neighborhood-Scale Schools Greatly Preferable

-- Montgomery Advertiser Alabama: August 04, 2006 [ abstract]

The Montgomery Board of Education, City Council and County Commission should certainly be commended for coming together and recently approving the new school facilities plan and budget. Indeed, this joint effort has the potential for important long-term improvements to Montgomery County schools. However, even with such potential, whether these improvements are fully realized remains uncertain because two critical questions have yet to be unanswered: Where will the new schools budgeted under this plan be built? How will they be designed? These two questions are critical because where school districts locate new schools and how they design them intrinsically affect a variety of key factors ranging from student scores to student Health to community cohesiveness. Here's how: Today, one of the biggest causes of unsustainable sprawl in our towns and cities is when school districts place new schools on the peripheral fringe -- isolated from the neighborhoods where our students live. Worse still, school districts then build mega-sized schools surrounded by vast asphalt parking lots on these remote sites (sometimes because they are forced to do so by state law -- as is the case in Alabama).The end result being that students can neither walk nor ride their bike to these isolated "super-sized" schools. Indeed, studies continue to show that this movement away from building neighborhood-scale schools toward focusing on large, remotely located ones results in a variety of concerning trends. In the end, by building super-sized schools on the sprawling fringes of our cities, school districts are causing great damage to both our students and communities. Ultimately, whether the recent approval of the school facilities plan ends up being a positive, long-term benefit to Montgomery will primarily depend on whether the new facilities budgeted under that plan are designed and built as walkable, neighborhoods schools or whether they end up being yet another example of inefficient, sprawling "super-sized" schools that hurt our students, our neighborhoods, and our county as a whole. With such critical decisions looming, the school district, city council, and county commission must once again come together and commit that these new facilities will be designed as sustainable and walkable neighborhood-scale schools. Anything less than that would evidence a truly historic example of poor stewardship with taxpayer money and, most importantly, our students' best interests.

-- Chad Emerson

Opinion: Fund Arizona Schools Construction Adequately

-- Tuscon Citizen Arizona: July 11, 2006 [ abstract]

Arizona's growth, albeit great for our economy, means more schools must be built despite skyrocketing costs of construction materials. But because of inadequate funding by the Legislature, schools may be forced to forgo key features such as parking lot lights, playground equipment and landscaping. And the state may no longer pay for campus-style elementary schools. That is not acceptable. The state took over the responsibility of paying for school construction in the late 1990s after poorer school districts sued, claiming they were being shortchanged by low property tax revenue. Since then, the amount paid for building schools has climbed. In the past two years alone, legislators have increased the square-footage funding by 14 percent. But it isn't enough. While the state now provides $116 per square foot to build an elementary school, contractor bids come in the $130s, The Arizona Republic reported recently. For a 100,000-square-foot school, a $10 square-foot difference means a $1 million shortfall. Arizona's School Facilities Board, which will spend $360 million in 2006-07, is required by law to build schools at minimum standards. That includes classroom temperature and air quality equipment but not playground equipment or parking lot lights. Yet playground equipment is essential in an age of increasing childhood obesity. And parking lot lights reduce vandalism, assaults and other crimes. To cut costs, the Schools Facilities Board also is considering forcing districts to erect elementary schools with only one or two buildings. The campus-style design common in Arizona, with classroom doors opening to an outdoor courtyard, reduces the need for indoor hallways to heat and cool. Amid Arizona's efforts to increase use of renewable energy sources, the campus style takes optimum advantage of our abundant sunshine. And although school design may seem to be a strictly aesthetic issue, it actually has a profound effect not only on energy costs, but also on how classrooms are organized and how students learn. We concede that few could have foreseen the startling spike in prices for construction materials. Nonetheless, Arizona's students must not be shortchanged because of that. Indeed, the growth that necessitates construction of new schools is largely to thank for the budget surplus the state enjoyed this year. Arizona leaders must, in turn, pay the attendant costs of that growth and build complete schools, not bare-bones facilities. That is especially important when it comes to our students' achievement, safety, Health and well-being.

-- Editors

Charter Schools Derailing DCPS?

-- Washington Informer District of Columbia: June 29, 2006 [ abstract]

It's time to check the progress of the charter school system. Tracking charter schools since their inception 10 years ago, proponents say that they reach otherwise unreachable students and graduate those students who otherwise would fail in the public school system. But opponents say that the privatization of the education system undermines public schools. As a teacher in D.C. public schools, Kerry Sylvia, of Save Our Schools (SOS), has seen first hand the crisis that exists. She said, "Many of our children continue to go to school in schools that are not Healthy or safe learning environments. The school board is preparing to close six schools by August and 20 more by 2008. Schools continue to layoff teachers and staff members each year." At Cardozo Senior High School alone, there is no librarian or band leader, and the school is lacking enough English and Science teachers, noted Sylvia. "In efforts to bring reform to the school system we have come face to face with privatizers who are part of a national movement to take over public schools," stated Sylvia at a recent forum hosted by the Social Action & Leadership School for Activists (S.A.L.S.A.). Arguing that private entities want D.C. residents to choose between a decaying public school system and unaccountable charter schools, activists from S.A.L.S.A. and SOS recently held a Town Hall Meeting at Capitol View Library in Southeast D.C. The Meeting was comprised of community members, teachers, students, and trade unionists to examine how charter schools undermine the public school system.

-- Carlton R. Van Lowe

Many School Bathrooms Lack Hot Water

-- The Connection Virginia: June 29, 2006 [ abstract]

In the ceramic-tiled bathrooms at Marshall High School near Tysons Corner, the chrome faucets pour out a steady flow of icy water. Those students wishing to wash their hands with warm or hot water are out of luck. Marshall is one of 32 aging Fairfax County schools that lack warm or hot water in all or most of the student bathrooms, according to Fairfax County Public School records. Approximately 27,000 students are taught in the schools, comprising nearly 17 percent of the school system's total 163,500 student population. The school buildings, typically built in the 1960s or earlier, are located across Fairfax County. Without warm or hot water in bathrooms, Health officials contend, students of all ages are less likely to wash their hands properly â€” particularly during the colder months. In an ideal world, the Fairfax County school system would retrofit the plumbing in each of the bathrooms and locker rooms in the 33 schools to include hot water. But a $1.4 billion backlog of school construction and renovation projects means the hot water upgrades will only occur as the school buildings are renovated. The school system does not view the lack of hot water as an imminent Health concern. Rather, hot water in student bathrooms and locker rooms is seen as one important renovation project competing against countless other construction needs.

-- Brian McNeill

Survey of Students Finds Health Risks in Schools

-- Los Angeles Times California: June 23, 2006 [ abstract]

Teenagers in Los Angeles and New York City face a substantial â€” and strikingly similar â€” cancer risk from breathing the air, largely because of toxic chemicals inside their homes and schools, a new scientific study shows. For the research, 87 high school students wore backpacks equipped with air monitors that measured what each was exposed to throughout the day. Although outdoor air in both cities is heavily polluted, indoor air was responsible for 40% to 50% of the teenagers' cancer risk from the compounds measured. The New York and Los Angeles teenagers were the only groups looked at in the study. They were exposed to virtually the same average concentrations of nearly all of the 19 carcinogens examined, according to the research by a Massachusetts consulting firm, Columbia University, UC Davis and the Harvard School of Public Health. Formaldehyde â€” a colorless gas that wafts mostly from particleboard cabinets and shelving, plywood paneling and other pressed-wood furnishings â€” was the biggest culprit by far, responsible for half of the Los Angeles teenagers' cancer risk. A chemical called 1,4-dichlorobenzene, used in solid deodorizers and mothballs, also posed a substantial cancer risk. "Some households had very, very high concentrations and others didn't have much at all," Sax said. The researchers suspect that toilet deodorizers were to blame. Only one outdoor pollutant, benzene, found in car exhaust, contributed significantly to the risk, and much less so than formaldehyde and dichlorobenzene. Although 42% to 48% came from indoor sources, 24% came from outdoor sources. The source of an additional 32% to 36% could not be determined. The teenagers faced a risk from breathing the chemicals "in the same order of magnitude" as secondhand smoke, according to the study, published online last week in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. In Los Angeles, 513 teenagers per million exposed (equivalent to 1 of every 1,949) could contract cancer from the pollutants, and in New York, 687 per million.

-- Marla Cone

Deteriorating Yonkers Schools Need As Much as $500 Million to Fix

-- The Journal News New York: May 28, 2006 [ abstract]

Yonkers' long-neglected school buildings are falling apart, creating Health and safety issues for thousands who report to school each day. The repair bill, now nearly $500 million, is mounting every day. Protective scaffolding just went up around Lincoln High to protect students from bricks falling off deteriorating masonry. Roof leaks at Scholastic Academy and Roosevelt High have caused substantial interior damage. There's a cracked wall and inoperable elevator in the district's newest school while ventilation systems at Yonkers Middle/High have left surface mold on ceilings, according to a report by Cannondesign, a district consultant. The cash-strapped city of Yonkers has committed an average of $4 million a year for repairs during the past decade. That hasn't kept up with repairs, leaving the district of 25,000 students and 4,000 employees in numerous buildings in serious need of attention. Though this year's city budget plan earmarks $16 million to fix buildings, schools Superintendent Bernard Pierorazio said it's nowhere near enough. It may not even cover the pressing needs detailed by Cannondesign. "We have red-flag issues that have to be dealt with immediately, and I'm not sure the $16 million is enough to pay for them," Pierorazio said. Many parents are upset by the conditions their children face each day. At School 21 in south central Yonkers, Rosa Kastsaridis said her daughter rarely uses the bathroom in her kindergarten room, with its corroded stalls and flaking paint. Down the hall, a garbage can by one doorway catches water when it rains. "It's really bad," said Kastsaridis. "My child deserves a better environment in which to learn." The need for a more aggressive repair program comes at a crucial time for Yonkers, which serves a student population that's predominantly minority and low-income. Twelve percent are diagnosed with asthma, which is exacerbated by damp indoor conditions; one in five students has asthma in a school that has had a leaky roof for years.

-- David McKay Wilson

Seattle Schools to Turn Water Off; Arsenic Detected

-- Seattle Times Washington: May 02, 2006 [ abstract]

Drinking water is being shut off at all 100 Seattle public schools after tests last month found traces of arsenic in the water at several elementary schools. School-district officials don't think children were exposed to the water with arsenic â€” at least not enough to affect their Health. All of the fountains at the five schools with traces of arsenic had been shut for repairs before the arsenic was discovered. One â€” at Van Asselt Elementary â€” had been turned on again and had been operating for eight school days. The action comes just a few years after the district began a $13 million project to replace pipes and fixtures amid concerns over high levels of lead and iron in some faucets. The district will put bottled water in its schools. As the water is delivered over the next two weeks, the district will turn off drinking fountains. It's not clear where the arsenic came from. Seattle Public Utilities, which runs the city's water system, has tested its water for decades and never found more than a trace of arsenic, well below the allowable 10 parts per billion. Water tested on its way into the schools had a tiny amount of arsenic. All the school faucets that had unsafe levels of arsenic had recently been installed because of concerns about lead poisoning in the old ones.

-- Emily Heffter

In Maryland, Portable Classrooms Are a Persistent Headache

-- Washington Post Maryland: April 09, 2006 [ abstract]

Soon after she started fifth grade at Bells Mill Elementary School in Potomac, Katie Jenkins began coming home with headaches, puffy eyes and a stuffy nose. Infection followed infection, and last month she underwent surgery to remove inflamed adenoids. About the same time that other parents came forward, her parents came to believe it was Katie's classroom, Portable No. 6, that was As a precaution, administrators closed two of the eight portable rooms, including Katie's, that sit on the shrinking ballfield behind Bells Mill -- one of the most prized public schools in the Washington suburbs and, not by coincidence, one of the most crowded. Portable classrooms huddle behind hundreds of public schools in the fast-growing Washington region and thousands more across the nation. They are boxy trailers that mar the landscape, critics say, with noisy ventilation systems and stale air that sometimes seems to make teachers and students sick. And they are an endless source of complaints. At Bells Mill, where five other portable rooms are being repaired, parents have hired independent specialists and surveyed every student in the upper grades, compiling a list of 41 students -- out of 115 in portable classrooms -- with symptoms including headaches, chronic sinus infections and colds. The parents have stormed school board meetings and prompted a bill in the Maryland Senate that would empanel a task force to study environmental Health in public classrooms. The dispute at Bells Mill underscores the difficulty in assessing air quality in these rooms. No federal standard exists for what constitutes bad air, no simple way to link mold to illness. Montgomery school officials say they found no elevated levels of mold or other irritants inside the Bells Mill classrooms, although the parents and their hired experts say otherwise.

-- Daniel de Vise

Poison In Underground Water Forces School Construction Shutdown

-- wftv.com Florida: March 16, 2006 [ abstract]

Traces of poisonous chemicals found in the ground have forced a Seminole County, Florida school district to shut down construction on a new school. The 30-acre piece of land may have cows grazing in the field, but the goal is to put up an elementary school building. The problem is there were levels of arsenic found in the water underground. To avoid students becoming ill from arsenic on the property, the Seminole County School District consulted with the Department of Environmental Protection before breaking ground. They found higher than acceptable traces of arsenic on the ground. They removed it, but later found some of the deadly chemical in water running underground. Arsenic was a commonly used pesticide years ago when the land was actively farmed. Still, the Department of Environmental Protection said the district could build as long as the school doesn't tap into any of the water running underground. "That stops that exposure so no kids, no staff, no school personnel will have that exposure to the arsenic, so it is not a Health risk anymore," said Thomas Lubozynski, Department of Environmental Protection. Parents in the area want to make sure the school district takes their time before making any decisions that could impact their children forever.

-- Staff Writer

Contamination Worries Surface as Detroit School Fight Builds

-- Detroit News Michigan: March 07, 2006 [ abstract]

More than a decade ago, parents in gas masks picketed in front of the old Cooper School on Ann Arbor Trail over contamination found in the soil. The school, in Westland and part of the Livonia school district, was built over a landfill. The site has since been tested and the building came down. Medical offices and housing for seniors will likely be built on the cleaned-up land. But the old fear of contamination is rearing its head again, as parents, upset about a controversial plan to reorganize Livonia Public Schools, are asking whether the 900 students headed this fall to the "new" Cooper Elementary School, across the street from the old site, will be safe. Parents have filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the district's plan to close seven elementary schools and reorganizing some of the schools, including Cooper, into large fifth- and sixth- grade buildings. They are turning over testing data on the old Cooper school in advance of a court hearing that could halt the reorganization, at least temporarily, while a judge considers a legal challenge to the plan. Fifteen years ago, soil sampling at the new Cooper Elementary -- then Whittier Junior High -- found no Health hazards there.

-- Catherine Jun

Renovation Work Leaving Columbus High School Students in the Dust

-- Columbus Telegram Nebraska: March 01, 2006 [ abstract]

A student was hospitalized as a result of the Columbus High School renovations, but school officials said it was an isolated incident. The student's mother said her daughter's asthma attack was brought on by the debris in the air. "There was dust everywhere," Andreasen recalled Beth telling her. "She has asthma anyway," but the particles aggravated her condition. The liaison officer for the high school said the circumstance that led to Beth's asthma attack was an isolated incident, and corrective action is being taken. "A contractor was cutting tile in the hallway, not thinking about the fact that students were using that hallway. It was corrected as quickly as possible," Bellum said. "We want all our cutting to be wet,â€ but sometimes a contractor does not always take the necessary precautions. Aside from that particular incident, there is not an air particle problem, the liaison said. â€�"We are maintaining the dust at the level that is not a threat to Health,â€ he said. "We are not working with materials that are considered a Health hazard, except for some asbestos abatement, which is carried on according to federal requirements." The renovation process is currently going through a lot of demolition, which will continue through the end of the school year, but the dust particles are within an acceptable level, he said. "There is going to be dust, but we don't feel it is at a level that is a Health hazard," he said.

-- Adrian Sanchez

The District's Modernized Schools

-- The Washington Post District of Columbia: February 27, 2006 [ abstract]

As the D.C. Council works to find funding to support the public schools' modernization program, opponents look for reasons to avoid committing to it. One myth about D.C. schools is that school modernization is a "rabbit hole," down which money is thrown without results. A review of the facts shows otherwise. The system has completed modernizations at 13 schools; four schools are under construction, and several more are in the design stage. Cost overruns on the early Army Corps of Engineers projects have been replaced by a much-improved track record, especially on projects managed by D.C. Public Schools. The program stalled because of severe cuts in capital funding, but it is gearing back up now. As a result of the modernization program, thousands of students attend schools that have fire sprinkler systems, elevators, cafeterias, early-childhood classrooms, art rooms, air conditioning, Health suites for nurses and other elements that schools in other jurisdictions take for granted. At the modernized schools, enrollment is generally up, even while the school system is losing students overall. Enrollment at Key Elementary School in Ward 3, for example, has grown from 200 students to 340. Such schools can help transform their communities. Are there problems? Yes. Work must continue on cost control, schedules need to be improved, and maintenance of schools before and after modernization is a challenge. But let's work on solving those problems by committing to secure, adequate and stable funding, along with vigorous oversight. SARAH WOODHEAD Washington The writer was chief of facilities for D.C. Public Schools from 2002 to 2003 and is on the steering committee of the School Modernization Campaign.

-- Sarah Woodhead - Letter to the Editor

State Funding Frozen While School Populations Grow

-- New Jersey Herail New Jersey: February 06, 2006 [ abstract]

Fredon School plans to convert its only music room into a classroom next year, putting the school's music lessons on a mobile cart the teacher will wheel from class to class. It's nothing new at the K-6 school. Its Health and world language lessons are already on wheels, Superintendent Randy Pratt said. "Our enrollment is definitely putting a strain on the school," said Pratt, whose office is the former girls' locker room. Pratt let the school board no last month that he does not plan to seek a new contract when his current one ends on June 30, 2007 The school's population has grown by nearly 25 percent in four years. Over that same period, state funding has remained frozen.

-- John Brand

School's water being retested for E. coli

-- Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: January 26, 2006 [ abstract]

Routine water tests at Linden Elementary in Doylestown detected E. coli bacteria on Tuesday morning. Since then, students and staff have been drinking bottled water and washing their hands with sanitizer. No illness has been reported. Officials said they think the problem is with the test, not the water. While the test that came back Tuesday showed the presence of Escherichia coli, or coliform, it also showed good levels of chlorine. Dr. Amleto Pucci, the Bucks County Health Department's chief of environmental engineering, said the chlorine found in the test was "more than enough" to disinfect the water. He theorized that there was a problem with how the sample was handled or analyzed. School district plumbers shut off all the water fountains and sinks in the school on Tuesday. Water won't be turned back on until the county Health Department clears it for use. If the second test is negative, no further action will be needed, Pucci said. For the second test, samples were also taken from the water distribution line. If there is a problem, that will help officials pinpoint it. There was no sign of fecal coliform at the other four sites where water is routinely tested every other week: Doyle Elementary School, Central Bucks High School West, the county courthouse, and a McDonald's restaurant.

-- Kellie Patrick and Dana Reddington

Tests show levels of mold, asbestos are safe at school

-- Contra Costa Times California: January 24, 2006 [ abstract]

Air and material testing at Liberty High School in Contra Costa, California, have determined that portions of the aging campus are safe for students and staff after concerns were raised about the potential presence of asbestos and mold. English teacher Tanya Smith had taken two mold samples a few weeks ago and had them tested. The results came back positive for a toxic form of mold. An outside consultant conducted its tests after Smith and her students were moved out of the S-wing and determined that the levels of mold and asbestos posed no danger to students and staff. In its report, the consultant recommended that the district retain a roofing company to deal with the S-wing's failing roof draining system. They further stated that water intrusion from the roofing didn't appear to cause an airborne fungal condition inside the classrooms. The district is now repairing the leaks and will replace the roof this summer. Tanya Smith said that she and other teachers knew the testing results would be normal because the company performed tests after the maintenance staff had attempted to clean up the area. "It is great that the tests came back negative but that doesn't establish whether there was exposure to begin with," she said. State Occupational Safety and Health Agency safety inspectors visited the campus several times after Tanya Smith filed a complaint. She would like to see the district develop an environmental plan based on the Tools for Schools model established by the Environmental Protection Agency.

-- Paula King

Educational Building Blocks

-- Boston Globe Massachusetts: December 19, 2005 [ abstract]

Whether it's to ease overcrowding, provide temporary shelter during renovations, or keep class sizes small, many schools around Massachusetts are adding temporary classrooms. School officials in several suburban Boston districts -- including Stoughton, Avon, and Framingham -- say that modular classrooms are their only solution to stem overcrowding. They say they have been adding modular structures, particularly in recent years, because of a state moratorium on new construction that began in 2003 and lasts until July 2007. But the head of the new state school building authority, plus teachers' union and Health officials, say they worry that the trend may do more harm than good. Kept too long, modular classrooms can grow mold and create unHealthy conditions for schoolchildren, they say. School officials said they began using modular classrooms because they are cheaper than new construction projects, take less time to build, and, in the case of newer models, resemble regular buildings.

-- Russell Nichols

Are D.C. Schools a Priority?

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: November 02, 2005 [ abstract]

The question should not even have to be asked. The District's public school facilities, many of which are more than 65 years old, are in deplorable shape, and the tide of deterioration is swamping the system. But parents, community and business leaders, and all residents concerned about the city's schools should be worried about the priorities of the District's elected officials. While classroom ceilings are falling, boilers are breaking down, and school bathroom facilities become Health hazards, the mayor and the D.C. Council are moving in lock step toward dipping into the city's limited treasury to join with Howard University in building a $400 million, 250-bed, state-of-the-art hospital that cannot be justified either by cost or purpose. If residents ever had a need to speak up on behalf of a neglected public school system, now is the time. The choice should not come down to spending on a sumptuous hospital or modernizing D.C. public schools. But if it does, the schools should win hands down.

-- Editorial

Boxford school's water tainted Chemical finding brings an inquiry

-- Boston Globe Massachusetts: November 01, 2005 [ abstract]

Students at a Boxford elementary school are drinking water only from bottles as state Health officials investigate how traces of a chemical found largely in explosives slipped into the school's water supply. Officials from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection discovered elevated levels of perchlorate, a contaminant found in fireworks and rocket fuel, in the drinking water at Spofford Pond School, which serves 560 students in grades 3 through 6. When ingested in high doses, the chemical can pose significant Health risks to children, pregnant women, and infants, officials said. The overall danger of the chemical, which has been found in nine other Massachusetts communities since 2002, has been in dispute among environmentalists, regulators, and the US Department of Defense. Still, state and school officials have decided to err on the side of caution.

-- Megan Tench

Outbreak of Mold Leaves Parents Wary

-- Washington Post Maryland: October 28, 2005 [ abstract]

Montgomery County school officials acknowledge that there's a mold problem at DuFief Elementary School and say they are doing their best to solve it. They say this is the first time in recent years that mold has been an issue at DuFief, but families suspect it has been around for far longer. No matter the timeline, it was clear when custodians opened classrooms in early August that the mold had gotten out of control. The powdery substance was found on desks, counters and ceiling tiles. A crew was brought in to clean surfaces; workers adjusted thermostats and installed dehumidifiers in a handful of rooms in hopes of retarding future growth. Richard Hawes, director of facilities management for Montgomery County schools, said the outbreak might have been caused by a combination of heat and humidity -- hallmarks of a Washington area summer. A broken air conditioner and thermostats set to improper temperatures also contributed by making rooms moist, creating an ideal climate for mold to thrive, Hawes said. In September, an outside contractor found elevated mold levels in five rooms and ventilation units were cleaned. A new evaluation done last week found that mold concentrations in those five rooms had decreased to outdoor levels. But some parents are skeptical. They want the school system to do more because they fear that overexposure to mold can exacerbate respiratory problems and lead to other, more serious Health effects. Research results are mixed. A report by the National Academy of Sciences in 2004 concluded that damp, moldy buildings can worsen asthma and cause coughing and wheezing. But there is no evidence linking mold to other illnesses. Spokesman Brian K. Edwards said officials have no way of knowing whether the reported symptoms are connected to the outbreak. No one has asked for a transfer because of it, he said.

-- Lori Aratani

Bells Could be Ringing on New Orleans East Bank This School Year

-- Times-Picayune Newslog Louisiana: October 05, 2005 [ abstract]

State Superintendent of Education Cecil Picard and Mayor Ray Nagin said they would not be opposed to allowing some public schools on the east bank of New Orleans to open this academic year, contradicting remarks by the Orleans Parish School Board president. Although the school district is tentatively planning a November opening of as many as eight schools on the city's West Bank, where many city services have already been restored, anticipated delays in returning those services to the east bank could delay reopenings of undamaged schools there until January, officials said. Picard said Tuesday he is open to the prospect of opening some east bank schools in January, or whenever officials determine the city is safe for children and it's possible to open schools. Nagin agreed. "I want to get the water certified (by Health officials), which will hopefully be this weekend, then I will be much more comfortable bringing back children," he said at a news conference Tuesday. Watson, however, said Nagin recently told her "he would not be comfortable with our opening schools outside of the West Bank until he was assured that the waste management controls in place were sufficient," adding that water treatment facilities were still in need of much work. Nagin also said he doesn't want students to return to the "deplorable conditions" that existed in some schools before the storm and encouraged district officials and the board to take advantage of this opportunity to improve the system. "My only push back to the School Board would be, 'Take this opportunity to fix yourself,' " he said.

-- Steve Ritea

Increasing Construction, Fuel Costs May Delay some Projects in Broward Schools

-- Sun-Sentinel Florida: September 28, 2005 [ abstract]

Broward County schools might delay low priority campus renovations or ditch them altogether because hurricanes Katrina and Rita jacked up construction costs across the country, Deputy Superintendent Mike Garretson said. Garretson, the district official who oversees school construction, told the School Board on Tuesday that in the past month, a $60 million plan to build four new elementary schools has increased by $8 million. Gas prices also are up. And lumber costs 12 percent more than it did in August. "A $20 sheet of plywood in some places costs $40 now," Garretson said. If Broward wants to hold onto its highest priorities, such as plans for new schools and classrooms, he said the board will have to cut out some projects that it can do without. Board members agreed that they're going to have to reopen the five-year, $2.9 billion construction plan they approved in August. Member Bob Parks said that he would fight to keep projects that promote student Health and safety, and member Robin Bartleman said she would try to maintain renovation projects that make campuses more accessible to students with disabilities. Bartleman said she would also try to keep building playgrounds at schools that don't have them.

-- Chris Kahn

Dayton Schools are Being Replaced with High-Tech Buildings

-- Dayton Daily News Ohio: September 26, 2005 [ abstract]

Across Ohio, the shiny bricks and gleaming white concrete of new schools are everywhere. But the schools don't only look good. They feature larger classrooms with the latest audio technology and sound systems that make it easier for teachers and students to understand and communicate with each other. Security cameras allow principals to quickly spot trouble and new ventilation systems mean staff and students are breathing cleaner, Healthier air. The construction boom is driven by population changes, a state effort to renew schools and in some cases, the simple cycle of time. But in place of the cracks and crumble of the buildings that have passed into memory, these new buildings are returning schools to a treasured place as community anchors with bold architecture, cutting-edge technology and creative, functional designs that teachers of the past could only dream about.

Big Easy to be Childless City for Months

-- Boston.com Louisiana: September 25, 2005 [ abstract]

Even after the latest hurricane crisis eases, and downtown businesses along with French Quarter bars reopen, life in New Orleans will be far from normal. Among the somber distinctions: For months to come this will be an almost childless city. Dozens of schools were irreparably damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and only a handful are expected to open before January. Few day-care centers will be available for preschoolers, and Health experts warn that children are at extra risk of contamination if they come back before the city is thoroughly cleaned of the foul floodwater's residue. School board president, Torin Sanders, said a broader reopening in the main part of the city probably wouldn't occur until January -- and even that would involve only a limited number of the 126 public schools. The plan, he indicated, would be to open certain schools that suffered little damage, accommodating returning students even if they lived in other neighborhoods. Sanders said the widely criticized school system, which served 60,000 students, could benefit in the long term. "We are poised to take advantage of this, to make our schools the best in the country," he said, "Most of our buildings were built before World War II. This is an opportunity to make them environmentally sound, with new technology and better security, with more specialized programs in the high schools."

-- David Crary

New Orleans’ School Facilities Face Untold Repairs

-- Education Week Louisiana: September 02, 2005 [ abstract]

Before Hurricane Katrina left New Orleans submerged in up to 20 feet of water, school facility planners and city officials were already looking at ways to renovate or replace many of the district’s famously rundown schools. Now, according to one architect there, the district has an opportunity for a new start. The New Orleans district has been nationally known for its decrepit facilities, many of which have had severe problems with mold, termite damage, and violations of Health and safety codes over the years. Few had up-to-date wiring for technology, air conditioning, or accessibility for students with disabilities. "The schools in New Orleans were considered to be among the worst in the country in terms of state of repair," Stephen Bingler, the founder and chief executive officer of Concordia Community Planners and Architects, a New Orleans-based firm, said. It will likely be several months or more before schools are back in order in New Orleans and other areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Facility planners said that the water damage and other de-struction would require that many schools be rebuilt or completely refurbished. When buildings are inundated with water for days, and possibly weeks, as could be the case in New Orleans, enormous problems with mold and mildew, in addition to structural damage, are likely, several facility planners added. New Orleans and other districts caught up in the storm’s wide swath are "going to face a lot of need for temporary housing, and they’re going to be challenged to be creative in how they look at redevel-opment of their school systems," said Lee Burch, a senior vice president and education practice leader with 3D International, a Houston-based construction firm.

-- Joetta L. Sack

Asthma Levels Found High at Some Boston Schools

-- Boston Globe Massachusetts: August 24, 2005 [ abstract]

More than 30 percent of students at five Boston schools suffer from asthma, far higher than the statewide average, according to a study by the state Department of Public Health that provides the most detailed portrait ever of the burden the respiratory ailment imposes on children in Massachusetts. Authors of the report predicted it will yield important clues to help solve the riddle of asthma, which so far has eluded easy explanation. The public Health agency plans to use the findings to investigate whether environmental factors at schools and surrounding neighborhoods are responsible for high asthma levels. Researchers will examine the quality of air inside schools and their proximity to highways and industrial plants.

-- Stephen Smith

Schools Moving to Greener Cleaning

-- Journal News New York: August 21, 2005 [ abstract]

Under a law that Governor George Pataki is expected to sign, New York state schools would be required to purchase, either on their own or through state contracts, environmentally sensitive cleaning products to maintain their facilities. Environmentally friendly cleaning products have been proved to perform just as well as their traditional, chemical-based counterparts and for about the same price, experts say. The so-called green cleaning products are more biodegradable, contain fewer toxins, are less volatile and usually require less packaging. When he proposed the "green clean" law for schools, Pataki cited EPA statistics showing that, nationally, more than 32 million pounds of household cleaning products are poured down the drain each day and that indoor pollution costs more than $50 billion in the United States for Health care, absenteeism, lost production and lost revenue. The new legislation would take effect Sept. 1, 2006, to allow schools to deplete their existing cleaning and maintenance supply stocks and implement the new requirements in the procurement cycle for the 2006-07 school year. Stephen Boese, the New York director of an organization called Healthy Schools Network, said that contrary to what many people believe, green cleaning is not expensive.

-- Greg Clary

New Jersey’s $8.6-Billion Building Fund Is at an End

-- Engineering News Record New Jersey: August 08, 2005 [ abstract]

Officials of New Jersey’s Schools Construction Corporation officially delivered the hard facts long feared by participants and customers�"that the state’s mandated $8.6-billion public school construction fund is tapped out and would only finance completion of 59 more projects. That leaves 300 others in limbo. SCC released the news and the list of lucky projects July 27. The agency claims factors such as status of design and land acquisition, existing Health and safety risks, overcrowding, and lack of past construction progress in a district affected project selection. Several non-SCC state officials also participated. "It required much more than construction judgement," says SCC Chairman Alfred C. Koeppe. The 59 listed projects represent a $1.4-billion investment of remaining agency funds. The announcement sent shockwaves through New Jersey public school districts as officials realized that projects�"designed, conceived or promised�"might never be built. SCC and its schoolbuilding mission began in 2000 in response to a 1990 state supreme court decision that required New Jersey to boost school construction spending in its 31 poorest school districts. The legislature earmarked $8.6 billion for the long-term project, which also included some state funding for work in wealthier districts.

-- Debra K. Rubin

School Pesticides Poisonings Rise

-- New York Daily News New York: July 27, 2005 [ abstract]

The number of children poisoned by pesticides at school has jumped in recent years, according to a new study that measured the casualties of haphazard spraying in and around classrooms. The rate of American children being sickened by pesticides at school jumped 39% in four years, from 5.6 out of every million students in 1998 to 7.8 per million in 2002, researchers said. That doesn't count the untold number of children who may not know they were exposed to pesticides at school or don't suspect pesticides caused their sickness, said Dr. Walter Alarcon of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Using reports from three national toxic surveillance programs, Alarcon's team tracked 2,593 people who got sick after being exposed to insecticides, disinfectants, bug repellents and weed killers at schools. "Pesticide exposures at schools continue to produce acute illnesses among school employees and students in the United States, albeit mainly of low severity," said Alarcon, whose findings appear in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

-- Paul H. B. Shin

Kids Exposed to Pesticides on School Grounds

-- Forbes National: July 26, 2005 [ abstract]

American children may be exposed to pesticides at school more often than their parents realize, a new study suggests. Researchers reporting in the July 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association say they found 2,593 acute pesticide-related illnesses associated with exposure in schools occurring between 1998 and 2002. Just last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that roughly 90 percent of Americans carry pesticides in their bodies, the Health risks of which are largely unknown. In this latest study, both students and school employees were affected, and school pesticide use wasn't always to blame. In about 30 percent of the cases, pesticide drift from adjacent farmland was the source of the exposure. To gather the data for this study, the researchers used three national pesticide surveillance systems: the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (SENSOR), the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) and the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS).

-- Serena Gordon

New Pittsburgh School to be 'Green'

-- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pennsylvania: July 21, 2005 [ abstract]

The new two-story, 270,000-square-foot stone-and-brick high school building in Moon will employ green design principles, a practice becoming more standard in new construction. Green buildings incorporate energy-saving features and often recycled and nontoxic materials. Thus, they are Healthier for their inhabitants and the environment. They also help preserve another type of green, money, as they're designed for maximum long-term flexibility in their use and reuse, thereby promoting a longer life for the building. Zelienople-based Foreman Architects and Engineers, who specialize in school construction, have listed four pages worth of green design aspects in the project. Such elements range from using locally produced brick to recycled material for ceiling tile to using a gym floor supplier that employs replanting programs to replace the lumber stock it harvests. Each room will have a sensor that will turn out the lights automatically if no one is inside. Another sensor in each room will turn off the outside air flow to unoccupied rooms, cutting back on heating and cooling costs. Carbon dioxide monitoring will be used to determine and maintain air ventilation rates in the building. More windows and skylights offer daylight, reducing the level of energy needed for lighting, increasing occupant productivity and reducing absenteeism.

-- Dan Gigler

Spending of School Funds Outrages Camden's Board

-- Courier-Post New Jersey: July 14, 2005 [ abstract]

The Camden Board of Education demanded a place at the table in discussions of city redevelopment plans and voiced outrage with the state's use of school-construction funds for the district. More than one third of the $437 million allocation the state approved for school construction in Camden has been spent, although ground has been broken for just one building, a district official said, citing data from the state Schools Construction Corp. The SCC has spent nearly $184 million in Camden, including $10 million for land, $70 million for a new Catto School, $29 million for Health and safety improvements and $21 million for design fees to architects, according to the SCC data. The only new building now under way is the district's Early Childhood Development Center. Board President Philip Freeman said the district deserves to get a more detailed accounting from the SCC, where the state inspector general earlier this year found mismanagement and overspending at the agency entrusted with expending $8.6 billion for new schools. Dwaine Williams, the city's school construction coordinator, said a portion of Camden's share of the money went into land acquisition to replace green space the district acquired for Catto School. Building costs have risen dramatically since the district put together its capital plan, Williams said. The board also complained that the city's Community Redevelopment Agency has excluded it from choosing school sites and other decisions that affect district operations and its students.

-- Sarah Greenblatt

Tainted Soil to Be Removed Next to Westchester School

-- New York Times New York: July 04, 2005 [ abstract]

In what state Health officials call the first cleanup of its kind in the state, a school district in Westchester County is planning to remove soil next to an elementary school in Yorktown Heights because the soil is contaminated by PCB's from caulking in the school's windows. Dr. Daniel Lefkowitz requested tests on scraps of caulk left after maintenance at French Hill Elementary School, where his son, Evan, is a student. The tests found PCB's at 350 times above the federal limit. The cleanup at French Hill Elementary School, which will cost the district about $100,000, was prompted by a parent who had scraps of the caulking tested and found PCB's at 350 times above the federal limit. Soil around the school also showed evidence of PCB contamination, though at lower levels. PCB's, or polychlorinated biphenyls, which were banned in 1977, have been linked to developmental problems in children. School officials have fenced off parts of the school outside near many of its windows and are seeking bids from contractors to clean up the contaminated soil. They hope the work can be completed by the time the children return in September. A spokesman for the State Department of Health said the cleanup was the first the agency was aware of involving PCB contamination from caulk.

-- Barbara Whitaker

Philadelphia Forum Participants Hail School Designs

-- Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: June 28, 2005 [ abstract]

Philadelphia schools chief Paul Vallas said the district's extensive, $1.8 billion renovation and building projects would create schools that are welcoming, light-filled, and able to adapt to evolving educational needs. Vallas spoke at the culminating event of the Franklin Conference on School Design, a civic engagement project sponsored by the Inquirer editorial board and the University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Urban Research. Several hundred people met to discuss three designs produced by the project - for a new high school in Logan, a high school focused on science in Center City, and an elementary school in West Philadelphia. The designs were devised in a daylong collaboration of architects, educators, experts and residents in a forum called a charrette. Vallas said that the charrette model - and the underlying principles of creating welcoming, Healthy, flexible and interactive schools - is a desirable way to get community input to the design process. "The vast majority of these projects haven't even entered the design phase, so we have an opportunity to apply these principles to the new projects," he said. Some groups have complained that the district, in its breakneck schedule to renovate, expand or build schools from scratch, has not taken enough time to think about how the buildings should reflect both educational and community needs.

-- Dale Mezzacappa

NY Schools Required To Go Toxic Free

-- 1010 Wins New York: June 22, 2005 [ abstract]

Schools will have to use nontoxic cleaning supplies under a bill that gained final legislative approval. The Assembly passed the measure, which applies to public and private schools in New York state. The bill extends Governor Pataki's recent executive order to reduce toxic fumes by cleaning supplies in state agencies. The measure could be an initial added expense to make the switch to "green" cleaners. But Claire Barnett of the Healthy Schools Network said routine purchases should become less expensive. The Healthy Schools Network says New York's 4,800 schools have significant problems with indoor air pollution. The group says source control of toxic materials used indoors is the cheapest and most practical way to improve air quality.

-- Staff writer

Philadelphia Schools by Design: The Franklin Principles

-- Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: June 19, 2005 [ abstract]

Design principles concerning schools as welcoming places that are safe and secure, encourage interactions, flexible and adaptable spaces, Healthy, smart and green, and are designed through the involvement of broad public input.

-- Editors

L.A. School to Open on Time After State Rules Out Toxic Threat

-- Los Angeles Times California: June 17, 2005 [ abstract]

The Los Angeles Unified School District will not be required to excavate contaminated backfill used at the city's newest high school after preliminary test results determined that the relatively low levels of toxic substances pose no public Health threat.

-- Ralph Frammolino

New Los Angeles School Built on Tainted Fill

-- Los Angeles Times California: June 05, 2005 [ abstract]

According to public and confidential records obtained by The Los Angeles Times, the L.A. Unified School District failed to inform regulators that its handpicked developer had violated the district's environmental specifications by using hundreds of cubic yards of fill from a stockpile contaminated with carcinogenic PCBs and high levels of harmful petroleum byproducts. In fact, records show, school officials failed to tell state environmental regulators that the fill was already in the ground when the regulators ordered the school district not to use it. LAUSD officials kept mum for two years, despite a state law requiring school districts to notify regulators whenever contaminants are detected at a school construction site, records and interviews show. School district officials are now scrambling to test the potential toxicity of the fill used under the administration building at the 19-acre site, a month before the campus is supposed to open as the city's first new comprehensive high school in three decades. Community leaders, stung by the revelation that the school district withheld information about the tainted debris, say that no matter what the tests show, they want the district to remove the contaminated material, which also lies under the gymnasium.

-- Ralph Frammolino

Akron School in Inventors Hall OK'd

-- Beacon Journal Ohio: May 21, 2005 [ abstract]

The Ohio School Facilities Commission agreed to help pay for a new middle school inside the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The state agency, which has never helped fund this type of facility, gave the Akron school district approval to move forward. "This is a very unique building," said a spokesman for the commission. "It's wonderful that Akron can come up with a concept that allows us to do something a little different." The new magnet school will be built partly inside the National Inventors Hall of Fame in downtown Akron, with an addition in the courtyard between the museum and the Akron Health Department. The building will house 500 students in grades 5 to 8 who will be accepted through open enrollment. The facility will be a combined venture of the district, the museum, the University of Akron, and the city of Akron.

-- Stephanie Warsmith

Chemical Fears at School Spur Board to Ask for $5M

-- Toledo Blade Ohio: May 17, 2005 [ abstract]

The Gorham Fayette Local Board of Education decided to ask district voters for nearly $5 million to replace a school building that officials worry could become contaminated with a suspected carcinogen. District leaders worry that contaminated groundwater from the former Fayette Tubular Products Inc. plant, about 50 yards north of the school, might allow trichloroethylene to vaporize into classrooms at the current building housing grades five through 12. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, which tests air in the school four times a year, and the Ohio Department of Health have said the current levels are safe. Superintendent David Hankins said the levels are considered safe for adults in the short term, but that the long-term effects on adults and effects on children are unknown. The district closed one room in an addition at that building this school year. Fifth-graders were moved out of Room 131 after repeated tests found a detectable level of trichloroethylene in the air. The addition, built in 1998, is still being paid for until 2021. The cost of building a new school for the district's 525 students - including those who now attend the district's Franklin Elementary - is estimated at $19 million. Of that, the Ohio School Facilities Commission would pay about $14 million if the district could raise roughly $5 million.

-- Staff writer

Nagin's Vision Faces Hurdles

-- The Times Picayune Louisiana: May 12, 2005 [ abstract]

A proposal by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin to create a new school district composed of 20 of the city's worst-performing public schools was as bold as it was impassioned. In his State of the City address, Nagin called for construction of high-tech school buildings with no more than 15 students per class and easy access to city Health clinics, playgrounds and after-school learning opportunities. But crucial decisions lie ahead, such as who would govern the new district and how the city would pay for new buildings or school renovations. The first hurdles would seem to be legal and political. Barring a change in state law, the mayor lacks the authority to run schools, and asking the School Board voluntarily to cede control to City Hall seems an uncertain strategy, given the board's past resistance to any erosion of its authority. The mayor decided to take on as many as 20 schools because he felt that if the new district resulted in a good geographical cross-section of schools that had been successfully turned around, it would help attract businesses to the city and result in the graduation of a larger number of skilled workers to fill existing jobs. The mayor has been talking with educators, university presidents, business people and private firms about what makes a successful school and how other cities have formed partnerships with schools to improve student achievement. Steven Bingler, a principal of Concordia Architects in New Orleans, said he first met with Nagin and Superintendent Tony Amato in February to educate them on how school design can affect student achievement. Since then, he has had several meetings with Nagin and the leadership of the New Orleans Education Foundation. Bingler said his company has done extensive research that shows parental and community involvement is the key factor to improving student success. His company designs schools and creates master plans that incorporate both school and community functions. For instance, at one school the gym may serve as a community center at night and on weekends. At another, the auditorium may become a weekend performing arts center. Students may also use city Health clinics or nearby city playgrounds. The result is shared facilities and services at a lower cost.

-- Martha Carr and Brian Thevenot

Schwarzenegger Seeks More Charter Schools as the Key to Improving Education

-- Los Angeles Times California: April 22, 2005 [ abstract]

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said that charter schools are key to improving education in California and announced plans to make it easier for failing campuses to convert to charters. Speaking at the opening of Accelerated Charter School's newly expanded 130,000-square-foot campus, Schwarzenegger called the school in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods "a great model, not only for schools in Los Angeles and California, but for the rest of the nation." The modern Accelerated School campus includes 36 classrooms that will serve 1,050 students. It offers a rooftop basketball court and amphitheater, a library, and community Health center. Students learn in air-conditioned classrooms and have access to flat-screen computers. School officials plan a professional development center to train teachers and an early childhood development center. Funding for the $50-million campus came from voter-approved school construction bonds, state grants, private donations, and a $10-million grant from the Annenberg Foundation â€” the largest ever made to an L.A. Unified school. The school sets high expectations for all of its students. Teachers are evaluated based on student performance. Parents and school staff members are deeply involved in curriculum implementation, campus governance and school decisions.

-- Erika Hayasaki

Shortchanging D.C. Schools

-- The Washington Post District of Columbia: April 10, 2005 [ abstract]

Proposed budget for the D.C. Public Schools will leave the city's children farther behind their suburban counterparts than ever. Mayor Anthony A. Williams's proposed $779 million operating budget for the D.C. Public Schools provides no pay raise to help make teacher salaries more competitive with pay in suburban schools. He also proposed to slash the schools' capital budget by 15 percent, even though D.C. schools are in such disrepair that they pose a danger to our children's Health and welfare. Further, the District has a $300 million surplus.

-- Ronald S. Flagg and Iris Toyer

Vermin and Mold Plague Toronto Schools

-- Globe and Mail National: April 05, 2005 [ abstract]

Toronto schools expose children to mold, asbestos, vermin, and other Health risks as a result of chronic underfunding, says a report released by a parent group. Andrea Reynolds, who wrote the report based a review of Health and safety records from 472 of the Toronto District School Board's 553 schools, said she is stunned by the magnitude of the problem. She found that 16.5 per cent of schools surveyed had exposed asbestos, 33 per cent reported signs of mold, 10.6 per cent reported infestations of vermin such as mice or pigeons, and 90 per cent needed repairs. Sheila Penny, executive superintendent of facility services for the Toronto District School Board, said the issues of air quality, asbestos and mold management are dealt with on a regular basis. She said her staff has a long-term asbestos-management plan and a no-tolerance policy on mold, and that they will be looking into other concerns raised in the report, including widespread ceiling tile damage and broken door locks. The board has a backlog of $774-million in major infrastructure repairs awaiting funding from the provincial government. A recent funding announcement promised $175-million in infrastructure repairs, but the backlog is expected to grow to $1.4-billion over the next four years.

-- Joe Friesen

What the District's Students Breathe

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: March 31, 2005 [ abstract]

The air quality in most of the 150 schools in the District schools is so bad, parents, faculty members and administrators say, that children simply cannot learn. Dust, grime, mold, and insect infestations combine with malfunctioning heating systems. Indoor temperatures can range from 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Cornell Brown, the new executive director of facilities management for the District's public schools, said the vast majority of the schools suffer from air quality problems. Mechanical systems are not working properly in about half of the schools and housekeeping is often substandard, Brown said. Indeed, 71 percent of D.C. school buildings are rated "poor" overall, he said. In the District, the problem is widespread. Cornell Brown, the new executive director of facilities management for the District's public schools, said the vast majority of the schools suffer from air quality problems. Mechanical systems are not working properly in about half of the schools, and housekeeping is substandard in many, Brown said. Indeed, 71 percent of D.C. school buildings are rated "poor" overall, he said. Concern about indoor air quality is growing as new research shows the Health dangers from stagnant air that contains mold, mildew, dust, animal dander, radon, asbestos, formaldehyde and other irritants. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, asthma alone accounts for 14 million missed school days each year. The rate of asthma in young children has risen by 160 percent in the last 15 years, and one in 13 school-age children has asthma. Ironically, many of the District's older school buildings were part of an architectural movement to promote good Health. The high ceilings, windows that opened,and corner locations for cross-ventilation were seen as elements of a Healthy environment. But years of neglect allowed many of the buildings to deteriorate. Water leaks and broken pipes weren't fixed, dust accumulated, windows became stuck, and vents weren't cleaned.

-- Valerie Strauss

Report Says Lead Levels in Seattle Schools' Water Not Dire

-- Seattle Times Washington: March 25, 2005 [ abstract]

Students who drank lead-contaminated water in Seattle public schools would not have suffered detectable or lasting Health problems, a panel of scientists that reviewed a district water study has concluded. Seattle-based Intertox, which conducted the study for the Seattle School District, said that even under a "worst-case" scenario, the most lead-concentrated water sample collected would not have raised the lead level in a child's blood enough to be considered lead poisoning.

-- Sanjay Bhatt

New Jersey School Construction Program Halted

-- CBS New York New Jersey: March 11, 2005 [ abstract]

New Jersey's mammoth school construction program has been directed to stop spending state money until the new inspector general completes an investigation into millions in cost overruns. The mandate affects contracts, change orders, and all other commitments for purchases and services by the 2 1/2-year-old School Construction Corporation. The SCC is spending an average of 45 percent more to build schools than local boards of education, one cost analysis showed. Architects were paid double the average rate, and project managers received up to four times the rate other districts were paying for schools built in the past two years. The SCC has awarded about $3 billion in construction contracts for work in the state's poorest schools. An additional $880 million has gone for Health and safety projects in more affluent districts.

-- Associated Press

New Mercury Discovery Closes D.C. High School Again

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: March 03, 2005 [ abstract]

The District of Columbia's Cardozo Senior High School was thrown into turmoil again after authorities discovered droplets of mercury in a stairwell, the second time in a week that the potentially dangerous substance was found in the building. This time, mercury contamination was found on the shoes or clothing of 88 students and staff members. Last week, the number was seven. Authorities said that no adverse Health effects have yet been found.

-- Del Quentin Wilber and Clarence Williams

D.C. School Evacuated In Spill of Mercury

-- The Washington Post District of Columbia: February 24, 2005 [ abstract]

Health officials and hazardous materials teams evacuated the District's Cardozo Senior High School after drops of mercury were found inside the building, and authorities said the school will remain closed for the remainder of the week to be cleaned thoroughly. School officials said that Cardozo did not store any mercury and that they suspect a "prankster" brought it into the building. The droplets were found about 10 a.m. at three places in the school, prompting a screening of more than 600 students that stretched into the evening.

-- V. Dion Haynes and Debbi Wilgoren

Clearing the Air in Classrooms

-- Houston Chronicle Texas: January 25, 2005 [ abstract]

Contaminated indoor air can be a serious problem, especially in schools, said Sharon Wagner, school Health coordinator for Mothers for Clean Air, a Houston-based nonprofit environmental advocacy group. With some studies showing a link between indoor air pollution and learning and Health problems among students, more schools are paying attention to air quality issues. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has found that poor air quality can cause headaches, itchy eyes, respiratory infections, allergies, fatigue, nausea, asthma, and other Health problems. Studies also have suggested that polluted indoor air can affect student performance by decreasing concentration and memory.

-- Paris Achen

Superintendents Call Him Bond Issues' 'Kiss of Death'

-- Des Moines Register Iowa: January 16, 2005 [ abstract]

A northwest Iowa man is earning a reputation - and a living - as the newest threat to Midwest educators trying to raise construction money for new schools. Paul Dorr, an activist and home-school parent from Ocheyedan, sells his services to taxpayers who want to derail school bond issues. By his own calculations, Dorr has designed campaigns to fight 24 school tax proposals, and successfully helped defeat 21 of them - at a savings for taxpayers of more than $237 million. The levies were for school buildings or for overrides to legislative caps on growth to general budgets. School officials say they welcome a Healthy political debate but don't think Dorr plays fair, using distorted statistics and releasing them just days before the polls open. "I bring a breath of fresh air and some hope to a whole disenfranchised class of people who have lived in fear of the local public schools," said Dorr, a 48-year-old father of 11 home-schooled children.

-- Jenifer Dukes Lee

Schools Address Air-Quality Efforts

-- TCPalm.com Florida: January 12, 2005 [ abstract]

With the number of indoor air-quality complaints in St. Lucie County schools nearing 100, all 35,000 children in the system can expect a letter home outlining the district's recovery efforts. Two months after the school district began a new procedure to track complaints, the Health Department is gathering data and will formally address the School Board. Parents and teachers have complained about mold and dust since their schools reopened in October after a monthlong closure. Complaints and concerns, ranging from teachers asking about mildew smells to complaints of bloody noses, now number 94.

-- Margot Susca

Green Day Dawns for Pupils

-- The Chicago Tribune Illinois: January 04, 2005 [ abstract]

Prairie Crossing Charter School began holding classes in its new, environmentally friendly 10-classroom building in Grayslake. Pupils kicked off the first day in their new school with a treasure hunt, searching for all the ways the building is distinctive. They found classroom floors made of bamboo, which grows back quicker than other trees used for flooring. They saw motion-sensitive lights that automatically turn off when no one is in the room. And they tested the water-saving toilets--turn the knob up if you need extra water, down if you don't. The $3 million school is among the most environmentally friendly in the country, said Taryn Holowka, communications manager for the U.S. Green Building Council, a Washington-based nonprofit group that certifies buildings as "green. It is the most environmentally responsible and progressive school in Illinois." The new building cost 8 percent more than a traditional school of the same size, said school director Linda Brazdil. "The money will be recouped in savings on energy, lighting, and other costs. It is 40 percent more energy efficient than a typical school." Prairie Crossing likely will become the first certified in Illinois under the rating system designed four years ago by the Green Buildings Council. In May, Chicago school officials announced they had adopted the council's standards for all new construction, with the philosophy of using resources efficiently and making the Health and productivity of students and staff a priority.

-- Jodi S. Cohen

Inventive School Still in the Works

-- Akron Beacon Journal Ohio: December 27, 2004 [ abstract]

For the past six months, Akron leaders have been imagining a middle school with a focus on math, science, and technology inside the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Representatives from the Akron school district, the Inventors Hall, the University of Akron, and the City of Akron -- which owns the museum and leases the space --are committed to seeing the school move from concept to reality. Local leaders are hoping the Ohio School Facilities Commission will agree to pay for 59 percent of the school, the same percentage the commission is funding much of the Akron school district's overall $800 million construction program. The remainder would be covered by an Akron income tax hike that voters approved for the required local portion of the project. The district outlined three ways to integrate the school and the Inventors Hall. The first has the school completely inside the Inventors Hall, the second would situate the two buildings side by side, with no shared space, and the third, which appears to be the most popular, involves using part of the Hall for the school, along with an addition that would be built in the courtyard between the Hall and the Akron Health Department.

-- Stephanie Warsmith

More Women and Minorities Get School Construction Jobs

-- The Jersey Journal New Jersey: December 13, 2004 [ abstract]

Figures released last week by the New Jersey's Schools Construction Corporation indicate that a significant number of women and minorities are helping to build new schools and winning construction contracts in Hudson County. In Jersey City, for example, where the SCC has completed three years worth of Health and safety work and five new schools are under construction, minority workers accounted for more than 38 percent of the "total work hours" at the majority of new school construction sites. The state's goal for small businesses participation at a given construction site is 25 percent, SCC's regional director, Raffat said, adding that most minority- and women-owned companies fall into this category.

-- Ken Thorbourne

Consultant Says School Buildings in Desperate Need of Repair or Rebuild

-- The Providence Journal Rhode Island: December 02, 2004 [ abstract]

Narragansett's students may be high performing, but its schools are just barely getting by. Those were the findings of a Connecticut-based architectural firm hired to examine the state of the town's school facilities. The firm presented the results during a joint meeting of the Town Council and School Committee, recommending nearly $12 million in renovations to the town's three schools, transportation facility, and the School Department's administrative offices. Though many of the recommended changes appear to be pressing -- some relating to Health and safety, and others to bringing the schools into accordance with state regulations -- officials were hesitant to move quickly. After the presentation, members of the council and School Committee reached a consensus to form a committee to look into the conclusions and explore options.

-- Arthur Gregg Sulzberger

Cost to Repair Arkansas Schools is Put at $2.3 Billion

-- Arkansas Democrat Gazette Arkansas: December 01, 2004 [ abstract]

Arkansas’ public school buildings need about $2.3 billion worth of immediate upgrades, including $86.7 million for repairs critical to the Health and safety of students and teachers. The price tag grows to $4.5 billion when it includes the need to add space in crowded schools, population growth over the next five years, and likely repairs expected over that time. The numbers were in the long-awaited final report assessing the needs of Arkansas school facilities that was released during a meeting of the legislative Joint Committee on Educational Facilities. The report showed that, statewide and excluding temporary structures, Arkansas’ 254 school districts have 5,766 buildings containing 78.8 million square feet, about 8 million more than needed to teach the districts’ 455,000 students. "There’s a few buildings where there may be 100 students or 150 students in a 60,000- or 70,000-square-foot building," said Bill DeJong of Dublin, Ohio, the consultant hired

-- Seth Blomeley

Environmental Report Details Boston School Ills

-- Boston Globe Massachusetts: November 19, 2004 [ abstract]

Ninety percent of Boston's public schools have at least one environmental problem that can trigger asthma attacks or allergies, such as a leaky roof, excessive dust, poor ventilation, mice, or cockroaches, according to a systemwide inspection done during the last school year. While none of the environmental findings are major, the school system needs to investigate them to protect the Health of children and staff, said John Shea, director of the environmental hazards program for the Boston Public Health Commission. Environmental problems, including pest dander and mold, may "increase the frequency and severity of asthma attacks and cause hayfever-like symptoms that can make people miserable," he said.

-- Tracy Jan

Failed School Levy Gives No Relief to Custodians

-- The Oregonian Oregon: November 11, 2004 [ abstract]

Hillsborough voters rejected a four-year, $31.3 million local option school levy that would have raised money to reinstate positions that were cut, including custodial and maintenance staff. So with fewer custodians, tasks that would have been completed daily are being done weekly or not at all. And because fewer workers are cleaning more areas, some jobs are put off altogether, which could exacerbate Health problems.

-- SOPHIA TAREEN

University of South Carolina Opens World's Largest 'Green' Dorm

-- Greenbiz.com South Carolina: November 09, 2004 [ abstract]

SOUTH CAROLINA: University of South Carolina officials and students are celebrating the official opening of Carolina's "green dorm," the largest residence-hall complex of its kind in the world. The 172,000-square-foot complex includes three four-story buildings with the latest technology and environmental features for conserving water and energy for the 500 undergraduate students who call it home. It also boasts an outdoor amphitheater, a learning center that is powered partly by a hydrogen fuel cell, a turf roof, and a cafe that sells Healthy foods.

-- Staff Writer

Schools Can Cut Lead for Less, Expert Says

-- Schools Can Cut Lead for Less, Expert Says Washington: November 01, 2004 [ abstract]

WASHINGTON: Seattle has among the most lead-contaminated water in schools nationwide but could address the problems economically through new technology, a national expert said. Richard Maas, co-director of the Environmental Quality Institute at the University of North Carolina-Asheville, said the levels of lead in Seattle schools are higher than 90 percent of 3,000 schools the organization has tested across the country. But he added, "I feel very strongly that you could basically eliminate lead in Seattle schools for under 2 million dollars." The district, Maas said, can avoid the need for additional pipe replacement through a combination of reverse osmosis water coolers, which contain a semi-permeable membrane that removes all impurities from water, and a magnesium anode system that coats the inside of pipes with a layer of magnesium to prevent corrosion and cover lead surfaces.

-- Deborah Bauch

US Construction Spending Seen Rising 2 Percent in 2005

-- Reuters National: October 28, 2004 [ abstract]

Total U.S. construction spending in 2005 is expected to grow by 2 percent to $586 billion as more offices, hotels, and schools are built, offsetting a decline in single-family housing, according to a McGraw-Hill report released on Thursday. Interest rates will continue to rise, and costs of construction material are not expected to level off before early 2005. School, hospital, and other institutional spending is expected to rise 7 percent on a dollar basis and 3 percent on a square-footage basis. "The gradual improvement in the fiscal Health of some states combined with money coming from huge volume of bond measures passed in recent years will help school construction turn upward," the report said.

-- Staff Writers

New Dangers Found in School Water

-- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Washington: October 23, 2004 [ abstract]

Less than two months after water fountains were declared safe in 38 Seattle schools, district officials may be instructed to turn many of them off again and bring back bottled water. The move, which could affect more than 20 schools, is being prompted in part by inconsistent lead test results and concerns about potential Health risks posed by small amounts of cadmium found in the school water.

-- Deborah Bach

Several School Sites Show Hazardous Materials in Soil

-- San Diego Union-Tribune California: October 12, 2004 [ abstract]

Some school construction projects in San Diego have uncovered hazardous materials in the soil. Such remnants of the city's past are raising Health concerns among some residents and environmentalists. Webster Elementary School, where a library and classroom building are being built, sits atop an old dump. In Logan Heights, elevated arsenic and lead levels have been found at the proposed Laura Rodriguez Elementary School. In Scripps Ranch, before construction can begin for Thurgood Marshall Middle School's replacement campus, the district must scour the property for projectiles because it was once part of a military base's firing range and tank course. Cleanup plans are being developed by school district officials for each of the campuses, as required by state law.

-- Helen Gao

Woodinville School toTry Out Sustainable-Schools Movement

-- The Seattle Times Washington: October 12, 2004 [ abstract]

The renovation of Cottage Lake Elementary School in Woodinville this fall will help shape the budding "sustainable schools" movement in Washington, offering legislators a window into new design and construction practices said to improve student performance and cut down on energy costs. The goal of the sustainable-schools movement is to create a new generation of buildings that are Healthy for people and the environment. In practical terms, that means special attention is paid to everything from air quality to water conservation, from heat sources to the use of daylight.

-- Cara Solomon

School Site to be Cleaned of Lead

-- The Enquirer Ohio: October 07, 2004 [ abstract]

Potentially dangerous lead-contaminated soil soon will be removed from an abandoned shooting range in Mason. The site will be fenced off and the air monitored to protect the Health of residents in two adjacent neighborhoods, federal environmental officials say. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Department of Health and Mason school officials announced that recent soil testing of a 47-acre site for a new Mason elementary school - scheduled to open in 2006 - revealed that about four acres of the open, unfenced field had lead levels considered unsafe for humans.

-- Michael D. Clark

Activist Pushes for School Air Cleanliness

-- Boston Globe Massachusetts: September 23, 2004 [ abstract]

Ellie Goldberg, founder of Healthy Kids: The Key to Basics, fights for school Health, advocating regulations that ensure buildings are constructed and maintained with Health in mind. "A sick school sabotages a child's education," Goldberg said. "The same way steps are a barrier to those in wheelchairs, bad air is a form of discrimination."

-- Joan Millman

Sustaining Learning in Green Schools

-- The Green Guide California: September 17, 2004 [ abstract]

A number of new initiatives for school facilities will improve children's Health, enhance their learning, and leave a lighter footprint on the environment. In the Los Angeles Unified School District new schools will, among other things, conserve energy, use less water in cafeteria food preparation and dishwashing, install low-flow toilets, and have enhanced ventilation to ensure Healthy indoor air quality.

-- Lori Bongiorno

California Safe Schools Protects Kids & the Environment

-- Environmental News Network California: September 06, 2004 [ abstract]

Los Angeles Unified School District has teamed up with California Safe Schools, a parent group dedicated to eliminating environmental Health threats on school campuses, to develop a "safety-first milk cartons" campaign that will feature safety messages on the milk cartons distributed at schools. "Every lunch-hour of every school day, our kids see all these milk cartons on cafeteria tables. Why not use the cartons to reinforce simple safety messages that might make a difference in some young lives?"

-- Press Release

Public Schools Seek Private Partners to Build Schools

-- The Associated Press Maryland: August 05, 2004 [ abstract]

Faced with an estimated $3.85 billion needed to bring every Maryland school up to minimum Health and safety standards, Maryland is joining a growing number of states by looking for private partners to help improve school facilities. A law that took effect July 1 allows Maryland's school systems to fund school construction and renovation projects using alternatives to traditional financing, which usually comes from the sale of bonds by public agencies to banks and investors. More extensive private investment is taking place in Denver, where developers are building several schools from the ground up. Officials struck a deal this year for the schools to be built as part of a planned community, hoping to draw families to the area by improving the image of local schools. A model public-private partnership school opened in 2001 in Washington, D.C., when a national real estate firm designed and rebuilt a school in exchange for half the land to build an apartment complex.

-- Brett Zongker

School Mold Leads to Recall Effort

-- Courier-Post New Jersey: June 11, 2004 [ abstract]

A group of parents angry over the Washington Township School District's handling of mold contamination at two schools are campaigning to recall two board members they say ignored the problem. Dozens of students and staff members at Orchard Valley and Chestnut Ridge middle schools have complained of Health problems attributed to mold. The district's engineering firm determined that classroom ventilators were not properly extracting humidity from the air, creating a breeding ground for mold. An examination of the ventilators found mold inside their insulation and in the heating and air conditioning systems' ductwork. The mold was primarily cladosporium, the most common type of mold. Tests also found low levels of aspergillus mold, which can cause nasal and lung problems in people with impaired immune systems.

-- Tim Zatzariny

N.Y. Developing Plans To Construct “Healthier” School Buildings

-- Queens Chronicle New York: May 27, 2004 [ abstract]

The New York Power Authority has joined forces with the Environmental Business Association of New York State and the Healthy Schools Network to develop plans for building energy-efficient schools in Queens, with the goal of Healthier, higher achieving students. The plans integrate natural daylight, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency measures that are intended to provide superior visual, acoustical and thermal comfort. These “high performance” schools are also expected to be cost effective.

-- Paul Menchaca

Historic Hawaiian School Faces Explosive Growth in its Next Century

-- Honolulu Advertiser Hawaii: May 20, 2004 [ abstract]

Wailuku Elementary School will hold a community celebration to honor its 100-year past, but future enrollment and overcrowding is what the principal has on her mind. The five-acre Wailuku Elementary campus is landlocked and has no room to expand or add buildings, and the school is expected to exceed its capacity in 2006. Although the master-planned Kehalani community includes room for a new elementary school, allocation of design money is years away. Anchoring the campus is a century-old stone building designed by noted Hawai'i architects Charles W. Dickey and Edgar Allen Poe Newcomb. The stone building, which houses the main office, library, Health room, and other offices, is listed on the state and national registers of historic places.

-- Christie Wilson

Plans for Cell-Phone Towers Said to be OK'd Minus Community Input

-- San Diego Union-Tribune California: May 19, 2004 [ abstract]

Parents of students at San Diego's Black Mountain Middle School say the Poway Unified School District approved plans to build two cell-phone towers on school property without seeking community input. Opponents of the plan say the towers will encroach on a soccer field, pose possible Health risks for students, and serve as an unsightly monument to wireless technology. The district superintendent said the proposed towers would be unimposing structures designed to look like pine trees, blending in with the surrounding landscape. There are 10 cell-phone towers on school property in the Poway district, with plans for several more at other schools also in the works. The towers, including the two at Black Mountain Middle School, would bring in more than $1 million in revenue to the district and would be used for technological improvements such as updates to computers and software.

-- Pat Sherman

Factoring in Schools in Home Purchase Decisions

-- Los Angeles Times California: May 16, 2004 [ abstract]

In Los Angeles County's overheated housing market, real estate experts say that quality schools accelerate home sales and appreciation. Precise dollar amounts are difficult to gauge, but brokers have been successfully selling test scores and superior schools for years in communities such as Burbank, Glendale, and Calabasas. New and improved schools may give a similar boost to the housing market in Los Angeles Unified School District, with an unprecedented school building boom underway that will deliver state-of-the-art campuses. Quality schools are considered a cornerstone of Healthy neighborhoods, according to G.U. Krueger, vice president for market research at IHP Capital Partners. "The most important variable for people when they are looking for housing is the perception of the schools," Krueger said. "It doesn't matter if the housing stock is new or old, people see schools as a reflection of communities."

-- Darrell Satzman

New Portland School Aims to be 'Green'

-- Portland Press Herald Maine: April 29, 2004 [ abstract]

Revised plans for a new $10.5 million Portland elementary school calls for a "green" school that will ensure a Healthy, energy-saving environment, while recycling some materials from the mold-infested building it will replace. The new building is designed to meet modern environmental standards; its heating, cooling, drainage, insulation and other systems will promote fresh air exchange and limit opportunities for mold growth and sick-building complaints. Building materials will be made without toxic chemicals and won't require harsh cleaners. Specially designed window systems will make the most of natural light, reduce electrical costs, help keep classrooms cool, and, it is believed, improve student performance.

-- Kelley Bouchard

Complaints of Mold Close City School

-- Baltimore Sun Maryland: April 27, 2004 [ abstract]

A West Baltimore elementary school will be closed so city Health officials can investigate whether mold in the library has spread throughout the building through air ducts. The school librarian said that the library roof has been leaking for years and that the library has been closed since Thanksgiving, when ceiling tiles started falling.

-- Laura Vozzella

'Green Design' Likely for New High School

-- The Ann Arbor News Michigan: April 25, 2004 [ abstract]

For the design of its proposed new high school, Ann Arbor school officials want an environmentally friendly building and campus with features such as geothermal heating, low-flow water faucets, paint with fewer volatile chemicals, skylights that let in natural light, and building materials containing high levels of recycled material. The goal is not just a building less damaging to the environment, but one that operates efficiently and is a Healthier place for students and teachers.

-- Ann Schimke

Five Years After Columbine, the Insecurity Still Lingers

-- Christian Science Monitor National: April 20, 2004 [ abstract]

While schools today are better prepared to foil a shooting, the question remains: Are schools any safer now? Many more schools have emergency response programs in place, including better coordination with public safety agencies. Mental Health programs are expanding. The federal government has funded 6,000 police officers assigned to schools. Twenty-eight states have passed "zero tolerance" and other laws regarding school violence; 32 states have specifically addressed bullying. Kenneth Trump, who has worked in school security for 20 years, sees three troubling trends: school budget cuts nationwide, pressure on administrators to concentrate resources on mandated test scores, and a "been there, done that" mentality regarding school safety. "Perhaps the biggest threat is not the kid with the gun or the knife but our own complacency," says Trump. "As a nation, we've got some significant gaps and tremendous room for improvement."

-- Brad Knickerbocker

Schools in Disrepair: Report

-- Toronto Star National: April 15, 2004 [ abstract]

Environmental problems ranging from mouse droppings to black mold have made Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute "the poster-child of what is wrong in Toronto's schools," according to a new Health and safety report issued by the Toronto Parent Network. The group cites hundreds of physical and environmental issues in the city's public schools, but Danforth Collegiate is a particularly dire example, with holes in ceilings, unsafe welding booths, asbestos, and washrooms lacking soap, paper towels, or toilet paper.

-- Tess Kalinowski

Could Smaller Schools Be The American Future?

-- Washington Post Writers Group National: March 21, 2004 [ abstract]

Across the United States, the small schools movement is gaining momentum, with private and community foundations acting as significant players. The new challenge, however, is to build or restore schools that are reasonably small, and relate to their surrounding neighborhoods. Mary Filardo of the 21st Century School Fund believes that a community needs to be comfortable with such decisions as school size and location and choosing between renovation or new construction. Communities need to engage citizens in exploring possibilities of sharing their school with neighborhood libraries, Health clinics, computer labs, recreation centers, and adult education.

-- Neal Peirce

Outbreak Keeps School Closed Today

-- Hartford Courant Connecticut: February 06, 2004 [ abstract]

Officials say a rapidly moving intestinal virus was the most likely cause of illnesses that led to 40 students being sent home sick Thursday from O'Connell Elementary School. Dozens of emergency workers descended on the school shortly before noon Thursday following reports that numerous students were vomiting. Salsbury said officials first checked carbon monoxide levels and found them to be "absolutely normal." Salsbury said officials also checked drains, exhaust vents and cleaning areas and found that none were the likely source of the illnesses. Superintendent Marion Martinez said no other schools in the district reported unusual Health issues Thursday. She said all other schools in the district are scheduled to be open today.

-- JIM FARRELL

Oil Spill School Ready to Re Open

-- Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: February 04, 2004 [ abstract]

Students are expected to return to Jarrettown Elementary School now that the school, closed after a heating-oil spill in late December, has passed clean-air tests. Meanwhile, efforts to recover oil-contaminated water from a retention basin at the school in Montgomery County will continue, Knebl said. Air samples were reviewed by the state Department of Health and an environmental-consulting firm. Air quality in the school will be tested every three months for a year. An estimated 7,000 gallons of oil spilled down a sewer drain in the school boiler room in December, overflowing the retention basin and polluting a creek. The cleanup has been estimated to cost about $350,000.

City, schools work together to keep facilities clean

-- Los Angeles Times California: January 29, 2004 [ abstract]

City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo and Roy Romer, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District praised the cooperative efforts. And they both plugged the district's $3.87-billion bond measure for school facilities on the March 2 ballot, saying it would help pay for replacement of antiquated plumbing and broken toilets, along with the construction of new schools. "Supt. Romer and I have worked together â€” and sometimes apart â€” for the past few months on crafting the best plan to make our schools the safest, Healthiest places in the city," Delgadillo said. Romer said he welcomed the help from Delgadillo and Mayor James K. Hahn. "We have made incredible progress â€¦ and we will do better with everybody participating," Romer said.

-- Jean Merl

Informing the public: school restroom and cafeteria conditions

-- Los Angeles Times California: January 14, 2004 [ abstract]

The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education promised to devise better ways to keep the public informed about campus conditions. The board told district Supt. to report semiannually on Health and safety conditions in restrooms and cafeterias, including corrective actions taken; to involve parent volunteers in restroom and cafeteria inspections; and to keep local elected officials informed of efforts. "If district critics knew everything the district was doing to remedy the problems, they would "be very surprised and impressed," said board member. City and county officials have denounced the district over its restrooms. Last year the district spent $21 million on repairs and attendants. Students have helped keep the restrooms clean after seeing the improvements.

-- Jean Merl

Mold in Schools Raises Fears of Illness

-- The Washington Post District of Columbia: December 24, 2003 [ abstract]

Many school heating and ventilating systems are not designed to deal with the extraordinary humidity of 2003 and this resulted in mold. Medical research on the Health risks of mold is scanty. Exposure can trigger allergic reactions, asthma attacks, cause inflammation, leading to a weakened immune system, and this can open the door to pneumonia. Like other plants, molds produce gases, toxins and allergens. There are no federal, state or local government standards when it comes to acceptable levels of mold. Several studies are underway, and a bill recently introduced in Congress calls for the EPA to set standards. In the meantime, individual jurisdictions tackle the problem as best they can.

-- Michele Clock

Fighting influenza: Soap dispensing dilemma

-- Associated Press Writer Maryland: December 17, 2003 [ abstract]

With flu vaccine in tight supply across the country, public Health officials are urging people to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly to fight the spread of germs but public schools aren't required to provide soap, according to the Maryland State Department of Education and in many schools soap dispensers have been removed from student bathrooms to curb vandalism. Local administrators must find their own solutions to such problems, Vicki Taliaferro, a state school Health services specialist, said. "It becomes more of an administrative issue than a Health issue," she said.

-- David Dishneau

Rodent woes shut cafes at 2 high schools

-- Chicago Tribune Illinois: December 17, 2003 [ abstract]

The cafeterias of two Chicago high schools were closed after inspectors found evidence of rodent infestation and can't be used to prepare meals until they are cleaned thoroughly and pass a second round of inspections. In the meantime, cold sandwiches will be made elsewhere and brought in to serve students at the two schools. The clampdown on school sanitation is the result of a collaboration between the Chicago Public Schools and the city Dumpster Task Force. Earlier this month, Health officials closed the kitchen at Lane Tech High School after rodents were found. The discoveries were made after the Dumpster Task Force received complaints. Matt Smith, of the Department of Streets and Sanitation suspects more schools are also infected.

Basic High hopes to break new ground on health center

-- LAS VEGAS SUN Nevada: December 15, 2003 [ abstract]

Basic High School hopes to become the first Henderson campus in the Clark County School District to have an onsite Health center. As the district continues to grow, more students are coming to school with Health needs that require immediate attention. The Health centers cut down on absenteeism, because the staff is allowed to treat students for minor illnesses or injuries and dispense medication, something the regular school nurse isn't allowed to do. The school received a $10,000 planning grant earlier this year to draft the proposal and is seeking another $65,832 from the city of Henderson's Community Block Grant Program to fund renovations necessary to open the Health center at the start of the 2004-05 academic year.

-- Emily Richmond

Mold, asbestos are forcing Spitalny School demolition

-- The Arizona Republic Arizona: December 12, 2003 [ abstract]

A west Phoenix elementary school contaminated with mold and asbestos will be demolished and rebuilt starting in January, scattering 700 students to three different schools until the fall. It is not uncommon to find those substances in older schools, but it is rare that entire buildings be leveled. Common Health concerns from mold include symptoms like hay fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People who breathe or swallow asbestos fibers over long periods may develop lung disease or cancer. Parents found out about the mold and asbestos at Spitalny nearly three weeks ago. The School Facilities Board determined that it would cost $1.5 million to repair the affected buildings or $2.3 million to demolish and rebuild them.

-- Maggie Galehouse

County, City May Team Up for School Inspections

-- Los Angeles Times California: November 19, 2003 [ abstract]

After receiving reports of unsanitary conditions in school bathrooms and cafeterias, county and city officials hope to join forces to inspect Los Angeles Unified School District facilities, but the district is arguing it would be a duplication of efforts. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to provide county Health inspectors for a pilot program proposed by City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo, who wants independent Health and safety inspections of school facilities. The district has 11,000 buildings, 7,000 bathrooms and 600 cafeterias. Citing research that he said confirms a direct link between achievement test scores and physical conditions at schools, Delgadillo has also pushed the Campus Safety Inspections Initiative, which along with bathroom inspections would include unannounced spot checks of earthquake and fire safety and cafeteria cleanliness.

-- Daren Briscoe

Districts employ healthful pest control methods

-- The Arizona Republic Arizona: November 18, 2003 [ abstract]

The maintenance crew Kyrene del Cielo Elementary School successfully removed scores of scorpions without using pesticides sprays. It's an example of integrated pest management, an effort to reduce pesticide use by relying on non-chemical methods to monitor and control bug populations. A pilot program focusing on five schools kicked off this fall. Kids face greater risk from pesticide exposure. They breathe more air per pound of body weight and they and their possessions, have more contact with floors and baseboards. Pesticides are nerve agents, which can hamper children's development. At the heart of the philosophy is the belief that, in most cases, bugs can be prevented by changing what people do. By using simple techniques, bugs are kept out of schools. "It's very basic, common-sense stuff," facilities supervisor Roy Morris said. "I think people like to make things more complicated." "It seemed too easy," said Stan Peterson, facilities director for the district, who had been skeptical when entomologist Dawn Gouge and her team arrived and called for a halt to spraying.

-- Mary Jo Pitzl

Soil Cleanup Slows Many New Schools

-- Los Angeles Times California: November 11, 2003 [ abstract]

Belmont debacle spawns new rules that delay projects and run up costs across the state. A long list of chemicals are found at campus sites. Two years after the Belmont Learning Center controversy led California to require testing for contaminants at proposed school construction sites, hundreds of districts have found harmful substances in the soil, leading to costly struggles to balance Health risks, liability and cleanup costs. Some school officials in overcrowded districts said the regulations have added costly, unnecessary delays to construction even when they believed the risk was minimal.

-- Janet Wilson and Kristina Sauerwein

MOLDY LIBRARY: Baltimore County, Md.,

-- Baltimore Sun Maryland: October 21, 2003 [ abstract]

Balto. Co. officials say school is safe despite mold Parents question cause of illnesses at Elmwood Baltimore County school officials assured anxious parents at Elmwood Elementary School last night that the school is safe despite mold in the library. Parents questioned whether the mold caused their children's recent stomach sickness, eczema and other Health problems; expressed concern that the school has a serious problem, since a classroom had significant mold throughout the last school year and doubts over whether there is a plan to prevent this in future. The school system's environmental services specialist, said he decided to close the library as a precaution.

-- Sara Neufeld

Prop. A provides badly needed funds:

-- SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE California: October 20, 2003 [ abstract]

At John O'Connell High School in the Mission, an entire wing sits empty because funds ran out halfway through its construction. At Balboa High in the Excelsior district, teenagers learn about sexual Health -- in a clinic with lead-based paint peeling from its walls. At Thurgood Marshall High in Bayview, students avoid going to the bathroom all day because the facilities are so wretched. "It's kind of messed up," said Greg Hall, 17, a senior at

School May Close Chicago Homeless Mission

-- Washington Post Illinois: October 16, 2003 [ abstract]

The 126-year-old mission, founded in 1877, is the city's oldest and largest homeless shelter, employs 90 people and receives no government funding. Advocates for the poor say the loss of the mission would be a disaster. However, space is needed for expansion of Jones College Prep high school located next door. Sean Murphy, chief operating officer for Chicago Public Schools, said students are now forced to practice and play sports at another school. Gym class consists of instruction in Health and walks around the neighborhood. The city this year filed a lawsuit to take possession by eminent domain.

-- TARA BURGHART

SCHOOL SICKNESS: School seeking cause of sneezes

-- Sacramento Bee California: October 13, 2003 [ abstract]

SCHOOL SICKNESS: The Elk Grove (Calif.) Unified School District is trying to determine why students and staff at an elementary school are complaining of recurring respiratory problems. About 240 students and staff have been relocated temporarily. District officials suspect a possible indoor air-quality problem. Spokesman Jim Elliott said carpets, ventilation systems, roofing and air-conditioning systems are being examined for chemicals, mold and fumes. The air in portable classrooms is more likely to contain harmful levels of toxic chemicals than permanent classrooms, according to a study by the California Department of Health Services and the California Air Resources Board that was released in June.

-- Sandy Louey

Is Mold the New Asbestos?

-- American School Board Journal National: October 01, 2003 [ abstract]

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is often used as an umbrella term for many environmental-based Health threats, man-made or nature-made. In 2002, insurance companies paid $2.5 billion in mold claims, reports the Insurance Information Institute. Increased attention to asthma has focused attention on whether such respiratory conditions can be exacerbated by poor IAQ at school. Mold problems in schools are usually connected to other facilities management shortcomings such as construction specifications in need of updating; poor oversight of ongoing building projects; inadequate planning for crisis communication; and maintenance strategies that lack such mundane demands as inspecting roofs and ceilings regularly for evidence of leaks.

-- Craig Colgan

Air Quality a Concern at SWRHS

-- Ashboro Courier-Tribune North Carolina: July 22, 2003 [ abstract]

Officials are addressing concerns about air quality at Southwestern Randolph High School including possible links to an unusual number of chronic Health problems among high school staff.

-- Kathi Keys

Group Puts Focus on Safety at School Construction Sites

-- Press of Atlantic City New Jersey: July 14, 2003 [ abstract]

Before summer's school renovations began, officials put us safety fences, developed egress plans away from construction areas, tested for asbestos and air-quality, and moved summer programs to other buildings. However, a group of more than 80 organizations wants New Jersey's governor to establish a Healthy Schools Advisory Council to assure that all repairs and construction are done in a way that ensures the safety of workers, students and staff at the sites. The proposed council would combine state agencies currently responsible for Healthy schools with those representing children, teachers and construction workers to assure that everyone is informed of potential safety hazards and measures taken to prevent and control them.

-- Diane D'Amico

Portables Raise Concerns. Department of Health Dislikes Use of Modular Classrooms

-- Lancaster Eagle-Gazette Ohio: July 09, 2003 [ abstract]

New research on portable classrooms is raising concerns about the quality of the air students in them breathe every day. Also known as modular classrooms, they are becoming more popular in Ohio as school districts deal with overcrowding problems. The trailer-home-style classrooms are about a third the cost of building new classrooms and are installed more quickly. According to an Ohio Department of Health spokeswoman, the portable classrooms tend to have more air quality problems than permanent classrooms because of the building materials used and poor ventilation.

-- Jess Andrews

Walls to come down in war against mold at Coral Springs grade school

-- Florida Sun-Sentinel Florida: July 05, 2003 [ abstract]

People have been sick since the $7 million Riverside Elementary School opened in 1988. Water that nurtures mold leaked through poorly constructed roofs and walls in 41 places, and it has been like that for 15 years. Maintenance workers and construction company crews waged a losing battle plugging leaks, trying tar patches and caulking. The cafeteria and 30 classrooms flooded every time it rained, with rain pouring through fluorescent lights in the media center. Health problems have been extensive. One parent, whose child with infected sinuses endured antibiotics and antihistamines, CAT scans, allergy injections, and two surgeries, said "Our motto since day one has been if you can't breathe, you can't learn. How many children does it take to have surgery before they do something?" About 40 percent of the schools' walls are contaminated and this summer are being ripped open so that workers can yank out contaminated wallboard.

-- Bill Hirschman

Study: Air in portable classrooms more toxic

-- Contra Costa Times National: June 25, 2003 [ abstract]

The air in portable classrooms used by more than 2 million California children is more likely to contain harmful levels of toxic chemicals than permanent classrooms, according to a new state study. The finding is part of a larger two-year study on Health and safety conditions in portable classrooms prompted by educators, scientists and interest groups. "These results indicate that a small but substantial percentage of (both portable and permanent) classrooms have formaldehyde levels that may cause short-term irritant effects, and that nearly all classrooms have formaldehyde levels that may cause long-term irritation and contribute to cancer risk," according to an accompanying draft report to state lawmakers who ordered the study. Many California school districts already are addressing Health problems in part thanks to $11.4 billion in school bonds approved by voters in November.

-- Don Thompson

State probes Livingston 'sick school syndrome'

-- Newark Star-Ledger New Jersey: May 30, 2003 [ abstract]

Two dozen kindergarten students at Livingston's Mt. Pleasant Elementary School are being temporarily housed in a different classroom after new floor tiles in the classroom developed dark, irregular stains and began to buckle. The town's chief environmental Health specialist was concerned about the tiles, and recommended the children leave the room. Final test results on the tiles will not be back until next week, but Health officials have definitively ruled out mold. Parents with children in the school are concerned, and many are left to wonder if the school suffers from "sick building syndrome," a term used when dangerous conditions in a building make the occupants sick.

-- Philip Read

Playground equipment scrutinized for arsenic

-- Arizona Republic Arizona: May 27, 2003 [ abstract]

Health concerns about pressure-treated wood have spurred municipalities and school districts to look at the condition and makeup of their playgrounds. Most wooden playground equipment now in use has been treated with chromated copper arsenate, or CCA, which resists rot and insect damage. The government's concern is that children can get arsenic residue from the treated wood on their hands, then put their hands in their mouths. However, others say that the rapid and often costly removal of the equipment may be premature, with Donna Thompson, director of the National Program for Playground Safety saying, "Kids are going to pick up a whole lot more (arsenic) crawling across the wooden deck at their home than they will on playground equipment." Some communities and states have decided to replace the equipment or place a ban on buying any new products treated with CCA, and others do not see it as a life threatening issue. Regardless, the EPA announced a voluntary decision by the lumber industry to move consumer use of treated lumber away from CCA-treated wood by Dec. 31, in favor of other preservatives.

-- Joann Loviglio

Lead-paint exposure forces Cincinnati school to close

-- Cleveland Plain Dealer Ohio: April 27, 2003 [ abstract]

The Cincinnati Department of Health closed a local elementary school after a child had elevated levels of lead in his blood, and the school had significant amounts of paint chips and dust. The 500 students from the school will finish the school year at another area school while old windows are replaced and lead paint is removed from the building. Additionally, 23 of the district's older schools will be inspected. A maintenance program designed to check for and repair incidents of lead paint in schools was completed in 1986, but because of budget cuts and generally overlooking public school buildings, the program was not continued.

Schools combat mold growth

-- Mobile Register Alabama: March 24, 2003 [ abstract]

A dispute is brewing at an elementary school on the Gulf coast of Alabama. Parents say their son contracted bronchitis from toxic mold in the air at the school, while school officials claim the mold levels in the building are within regulation. The school acknowledges that it has a mold problem due to poor drainage and flooding occurring on the first floor, but insists that students were removed from these areas moved to areas with a lower mold concentration. Various experts, including Children's Environmental Health Network's Claire Barnett, voiced opinions on what should be done in this school and how school districts in general can set standards for determining poor indoor air quality and how much mold is too much.

-- Rebecca Catalanello

Bill proposes air monitors for schools near industrial plants

-- Houston Chronicle Texas: March 13, 2003 [ abstract]

A Houston lawmaker filed a bill requiring all school buildings within two miles of large industrial facilities to be equipped with special air monitors. This legislation is a response to a study by the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Coalition that cited that two-thirds of all toxic pollution from the refining and chemical industry in Texas is emitted within two miles of a school. Bill supporters hope that the measure will not only improve children's Health and the indoor air quality at their schools, but keep the refineries accountable for their emission levels.

-- Jennifer McInnis

Health chief threatens to fine schools if drinking fountains aren't shut down

-- Baltimore Sun Maryland: March 10, 2003 [ abstract]

The Baltimore City Health Commissioner said he will fine at least 21 elementary schools $100 per day starting on Monday if they do not comply with orders to turn off their drinking fountains. Over a decade ago, lead was found in the water supply of area schools, but nothing was done about it until recently. Schools were ordered to shut off their water fountains, provide one water cooler for every 100 students, and clearly label bathroom sinks with "For Hand Washing Only" signs. The commissioner inspected 24 schools on March 10, the deadline for compliance, and found 21 of them did not meet all three requirements.

-- Tanika White

Hawthorne to Get 2nd Health Center at School

-- Los Angeles Times California: March 04, 2003 [ abstract]

$300,000 in federal funding makes it possible for an elementary school in one of the poorest sections of Los Angeles to open a Health center. The center will be called The Maxine Waters Health and Dignity Center, named after the California Congresswoman representing some of L.A.'s poorest neighborhoods. Immunization services, Health screenings, mental Health counseling, and parenting classes will be available at the new facility. Services at the center will be provided free of charge to both students and area residents. District superintendent Donald Carrington said this is the second Health center for students and parents in the entire state.

-- Joy L. Woodson

Fountains with lead remained in schools

-- Baltimore Sun Maryland: February 07, 2003 [ abstract]

In the early nineties, the Baltimore school system conducted a sampling of the water from school sinks and water fountains to test for lead. At that time, school officials said the water would be shut off and water coolers imported into any school with a lead level above the legal limit. Reports indicate that by 1993 most fountains were turned off, but as new principals and leadership were brought in, some fountains were re-activated. During the past year, the Health department conducted another sample of the school system, and wrote to the schools chief, asking her to disconnect any of the fountains cited in the 1992 report. To date, almost all schools have complied, but many parents and community leaders question why the school system took so long to act.

-- Tanika White

Lab: Bucks school's water is not toxic

-- Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: January 09, 2003 [ abstract]

Last month, a school construction site on school grounds was broken into, and workers suspected window cleaner and other chemicals were dumped into the well supplying water to the school. Tests were performed on the water, but officials said there are "no serious Health effects" associated with the contaminated water. They insist that while it is not aesthetically appealing, the water is safe for consumption.

-- Walter F. Naedele

Let there be light, and quiet

-- Cleveland Plain Dealer Ohio: January 04, 2003 [ abstract]

This editorial piece uses the report written by Mark Schneider and published by the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities as the basis to call attention to the need for improved school facilities in public schools. The author writes, "existing research provides ample information regarding the negative influences of poor air quality, ventilation, and temperatuers on student Health and academic performance. Worse, the data show that the schools with problems in these three areas are most often those with higher proportions of poor and minority students."

-- Editorial

School Employees Blast D.C. System

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: November 15, 2002 [ abstract]

Six employees placed on leave after the District of Columbia Department of Health shut down the school's kitchen because of unsanitary conditions are claiming the school district's central office is to blame for the violations, not the school employees. Anthony Smith, Shaw's head custodian, and Chris Barnett, the school's cafeteria manager, said work orders were filed repeatedly to then central office to repair many of the conditions found in violation by the Health department, but the requests were put off by the central office who prioritize orders according to their urgency. The school system will not hold Shaw staff members responsible for any problems that are determined to have resulted from equipment failures beyond the school's control, officials said. Union officials representing the employees said that budget cutbacks at the schools and in the central office have contributed to the difficulty of keeping Shaw and other schools clean. Central office maintenance staff has been reduced and is not able to fulfill a large backup of work orders, union officials said.

-- David Nakamura

Lead Levels in Schools' Water Prompt Warnings and Shut-Offs

-- New York Times New York: November 09, 2002 [ abstract]

The New York City school system announced yesterday that it had shut off drinking fountains and posted warning signs on sinks at about one in five of its public elementary schools, after finding that the level of lead in the water slightly exceeded federal standards during tests completed last month. The lead was found in water at 222 of the city's 990 elementary schools during tests that started in August. The levels were not high enough to pose a significant Health risk, said David Chai, a spokesman for Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein. There is no apparent pattern among the affected schools, he said, but the source of the lead appeared to be old pipes. Water at the city's middle and high schools is now being tested.

-- Robert F. Worth

State, L.A. School Bonds Head for Passage

-- Los Angeles Times California: November 06, 2002 [ abstract]

In an endorsement of greater spending to relieve overcrowding of schools, voters across California and in the Los Angeles Unified School District were giving Healthy margins of approval Tuesday to massive education bond issues that will fuel years of campus construction projects. The statewide measure, Proposition 47, will provide $13.5 billion for construction and renovation of K-12 and university campuses around California. In the Los Angeles school district, an overwhelming percentage of voters were favoring Measure K, a $3.3-billion construction bond issue. Combined with its share of the state bond funds, L.A. Unified hopes to finish 80 new schools and 79 renovation projects, and to begin work on 40 new campuses.

-- Solomon Moore

Tumors alarm parents

-- The News and Observer North Carolina: November 05, 2002 [ abstract]

Three students at Beaufort Elementary School have been stricken with cancer since 1999. One of these students died. Parents became concerned that this was more than just a coincidence and worried that something in the school was making children sick, requesting the children be moved immediately. School officials say that initial tests revealed nothing that would cause or contribute to cancer and that there is no reason to move the children, who will all move to a brand new school when it is completed next fall anyway. Environmental Health experts have tested the school for chemicals, lead, mold, and mildew, also conducting tests on the soil, air and water, and nothing has been detected yet.

-- Jerry Allegood

14 School Cafeterias Faulted on Sanitation

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: October 29, 2002 [ abstract]

Health inspectors found unclean conditions at 14 District school cafeterias over the past two months, and several employees at one school have been put on leave as a result, school officials announced yesterday. The violations included: rodent and roach infestations, needed plumbing and ventilation repairs, standing water, obstructed drains and grease traps, warm refridgerators, and bathrooms not in compliance. Since the Health officials visited, the lunchroom and kitchen have been cleaned and food service workers will be retrained. The superintendent has ordered the inspection of the remaining schools within 90 days, with applied standards higher than those used by D.C. Health Department inspectors.

-- Justin Blum and Avram Goldstein

School renovations can pose health risks

-- Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: October 11, 2002 [ abstract]

In light of a recent school closure due to noxious fumes from a recent construction project, the Coatesville teachers union filed a lawsuit this week in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas, siting the renovation process at the school created an unsafe environment for faculty and students. The lawsuit has raised questions regarding the safety standards of school renovations taking place when schools are in session. Critics point out that there is very little oversight for these projects, and each school is left on its own to negotiate safety standards with individual contractors, and some schools do not do an adequate job with this task.

-- Benjamin Wallace-Wells

School remains shut as officials work to clear air

-- Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: October 04, 2002 [ abstract]

Two days after fumes sent 53 students and staff to the hospital, officials at the Gordon Middle School kept the school closed yesterday and will keep it closed again today while engineers test the building's air quality. While the engineers probed the halls, some parents said the district erred by opening the school too hastily, when renovations were still under way - and a county Health official said the parents had a case. District officials released a statement on Tuesday blaming the fumes on chemicals released from new caulk, but a statement relased yesterday by the superintendent says that a combination of caulk, floor cleaning with a chlorine compound, tars, and glues had given off sickening smells.

-- Benjamin Wallace-Wells

Orange schools revamp facilities operation

-- Orlando Sentinel Florida: September 25, 2002 [ abstract]

A revamping of the facilities department of the Orlando County school district has been under way since April. It eliminates 17 management positions and adds several new jobs that are a rarity in school districts, such as an industrial engineer and a planner. The move is exected to save more than $850,000 in labor costs. Opponents say the reorganization threatens the Health and safety of students and teachers because it eliminates top environmental jobs.

-- Mary Shanklin

Priorities for Vallas: Cleaner air, water

-- Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania: August 24, 2002 [ abstract]

Getting lead out of the drinking water and asbestos out of buildings will become priorities under the $1 billion capital plan proposed by Philadelphia schools chief executive Paul G. Vallas. The district in recent years has come under scrutiny by city Health and U.S. environmental officials for lead contamination in the drinking water. Nearly two years ago, the district began providing bottled water to 98 of its 295 buildings and has since been making repairs.

-- Susan Snyder

Carpet ban could snag school opening

-- Boston Globe Massachusetts: August 01, 2002 [ abstract]

Prompted by the complaints of a sick teacher, Harvard's Board of Health recently banned carpeting from all public buildings in town. The dispute began when a teacher and her doctor said carpeting in her classroom was harboring mold and making her sick. In June, the Board of Health voted to ban carpeting in all of the town's public buildings. The board instituted the ban despite a recent air-quality study that found all levels in the school were normal and of no concern.

-- Susan Ware

Two schools to add health centers

-- Cincinnati Enquirer Ohio: August 01, 2002 [ abstract]

Two Cincinnati Public schools will join the growing ranks of those opening school-based Health centers, thanks to a $700,000 grant. The school Health centers will offer physical and behavioral services, such as immunizations and routine physical exams, to children who otherwise wouldn't have access. The centers will employ a full-time pediatric nurse practitioner, social worker and Health technician. A physician will work a half-day a week in the schools.

-- Jennifer Mrozowski

Energy-efficient schools grasp green incentive

-- The Boston Globe Massachusetts: July 15, 2002 [ abstract]

Spurred by rising energy costs and concerns about the effect of indoor air quality and lighting on student Health and academic performance, Massachusetts wants to dramatically change the way schools are built.

-- Laura Pappano

Audit OKs most school repairs

-- The Arizona Republic Arizona: June 14, 2002 [ abstract]

An auditor's report says a $100 million contract to wire public schools for the Internet was mismanaged by the state School Facilities Board, but the rest of the board's $1.1 billion program to renovate public schools was given a clean bill of Health.

-- Pat Flannery

Public Health Skips School

-- Healthy Schools Network New York: May 09, 2002 [ abstract]

Advocates for Healthy children and Healthy schools in several states joined today in urging schools to honor student and personnel needs for Healthier school environments. "Public Health should not stop at the schoolhouse door. Schools are children's workplaces", said Claire Barnett, Executive Director of Healthy Schools Network, speaking at the Washington State Environmental Health Association's 57th annual education conference in Olympia, WA yesterday.

-- Claire Barnett and Stephen Boese

EPA Pushing Improved Air Quality in Schools

-- Education Week National: May 01, 2002 [ abstract]

Poor air quality in school facilities is a growing problem that is usually overlooked, EPA officials say, but that can have serious ramifications for the Health of students and teachers. What may be surprising is how many of the nation's schools the EPA deems to have poor indoor-air quality: nearly half.

-- Joetta L. Sack

Ohio kids gain new advocate: Group to focus on schools, health care

-- Columbus Dispatch Ohio: April 21, 2002 [ abstract]

Philanthropist Abigail Wexner, a champion for battered women and neglected children, and Mark Real, who has led the Children's Defense Fund-Ohio since its 1981 inception, are creating KIDSOHIO.org, a nonprofit organization to serve disadvantaged Ohio children and families through nonpartisan research and advocacy. The organization's funding model will be similar to the Children Defense Fund-Ohio's: relying on contributions from foundations, corporations and individuals. Wexner said KIDSOHIO. org routinely will disclose how it spends money to support children, calling it important for residents and community organizations "to see in a very direct way where their dollars are going."

-- Joe Hallett

Harford to discuss school crowding

-- The Baltimore Sun Maryland: March 25, 2002 [ abstract]

Harford County's Board of Education meets tonight to vote on the thorny issue of redistricting in the Bel Air area, and while members are unsure of the outcome, some say moving students is inevitable. Board members worry not only about educational quality but safety and Health issues, as children cram into lunchrooms, bathrooms and classrooms.

-- Lane Harvey Brown

Grant will help in school reform effort

-- Buffalo News New York: March 01, 2002 [ abstract]

A three-year, $500,000 grant will allow the Education Fund for Greater Buffalo to assume a "connect-the-dots" role in the district's school choice plan, the $1 billion school renovation and reconstruction project, and efforts to bring more Health care and community services into classroom buildings, said Cara Stillman, the fund's executive director.

-- Peter Simon

Opening of New High School Delayed by Mold

-- The LA Times California: February 26, 2002 [ abstract]

The opening of a sorely needed high school in a converted Department of Water and Power office building in Sun Valley will be delayed by more than a year as workers remove mold that could pose Health hazards, school officials said.

-- David Pierson

Federal "Unhealthy Schools" Legislation Signed (New York)

-- Healthy Schools Network New York: January 21, 2002 [ abstract]

Only half way through the first month of 2002, President Bush has already signed new federal legislation to ensure child environmental Health and safety will become a top priority in schools for years to come. "Now all of our children will have access to a 'Healthy' classrooms, as well as a high-quality education," said Healthy Schools Network's Executive Director Claire Barnett.

-- Claire Barnett

Experts find signs of mold in school (Louisiana)

-- Louisiana: November 29, 2001 [ abstract]

State Health officials said a recent inspection of P.G.T. Beauregard Middle School turned up evidence of mold growth, but none of it was Stachybotrys chartarum, the "toxic mold" that can cause respiratory problems and other ailments.

Health Fears Halt School Repairs (District of Columbia)

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: May 04, 2001 [ abstract]

The DC Health Department has halted further boiler work in 20 schools until safety can be insured after Park View and Savoy Elementary Schools were temporarily closed last week due to contractor neglect of asbestos rules. The contractors did not perform the appropriate detection tests, nor did they seal the area around the boilers during the boiler work, which could have exposed students and teachers to pollutants.

DC Public School Facilities Chief Dismissed (District of Columbia)

-- Washington Post District of Columbia: April 14, 2001 [ abstract]

On Friday, DCPS Superintendent Paul Vance dismissed Kifah Jayyousi, DCPS Chief Facilities Officer, because he had "put the Health and safety of children 'at risk' and failed to properly manage his department." This dismissal followed questions about finanical accountability and contract management concerns that have arisen over multiple copies of contract proposals and repairs performed outside of contract by Washington Gas.