Mary Ellen, a special education teacher, had a dry cough that seemed never to disappear. Doctors say it’s a seasonal allergy and seem to get better at long breaks like winter and summer holidays. Another teacher in her building developed adult-onset asthma, and began to suspect that the air quality of the school was the perpetrator.
In 2020, a US Government Accountability Bureau survey found that 41% of schools need updates on heating, cooling or ventilation systems, demonstrating that there are air quality issues in US schools. Furthermore, the study found that poor indoor air quality in schools could lead to lower performance on standardized tests and increased student absences.
Additionally, a survey of 8,401 school districts across the United States revealed troubling findings about indoor air quality control. More than half of the district reported that they have not implemented any of the four CDC recommended strategies to improve air quality or are uncertain. So why are so many schools lagging behind investing in building health and safety?
Do you teach at a sick school building?
According to the Fellowes 2024 Clean Air Survey of North American Educators, a whopping 99% of teachers feel that clean indoor air helps them perform best, and that schools are responsible for providing clean air in their classrooms. But most of them feel that the school is not living to the end of the bargain.
Here are warning signs that may mean you are teaching in a sick building, as well as tips and solutions to combat these problems.
Sign #1: Teachers are frequently ill
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Do teachers have a really robust immune system than people in other professions? This may be a commonly held myth. With this in mind, if you or your colleagues appear to be catching all the colds, flu, or other sniffles your students are passing by, it is at least partially the air quality of your building may indicate that you are responsible.
Action: In 2024, we are teachers affiliated with Fellows and are investigating more than 1,200 educators in North America for air quality. Almost all of them (95%) saw a direct link between air quality and student performance. However, only 33% of their schools have reported that they are planning or planning to improve indoor air quality. Find more of your research results here and share them with school leaders.
Sign #2: Dry and irritating cough
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Do you have a persistent dry cough even after drinking water all day? Dry and irritating eyes, sinuses and throat are common in buildings where air quality is not at standard. Sometimes the problem is that buildings are not circulating well enough to be isolated against external temperatures. However, these symptoms can be signs of greater problems.
Take action: It is important to make sure the air you breathe in school is clean and well filtered. 46% of teachers said schools don’t have any air purifiers or purification systems, according to a 2024 survey. Classroom air purifier units like the Felloses Aeramax Pro can eliminate up to 99.9% of harmful particles, making a huge difference.
Shirvana G. Teacher shared her experience with Fellowes Air Purifier.
Fellows Air Purifiers made a huge difference in air quality. It helped me cough
And my breath. My students are much happier than they have last few years because they are not sick.
–Shirvana G., teacher at Florida High School
Sign #3: Leak and stained ceiling tiles
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Does your classroom ceiling look like this? Or does anyone in the building know that one water fountain just places a plastic bag around the pipe? Buildings with moisture problems can also develop mold problems. Mold can lead to many health issues. There are only a few nose congestion, sinus infections, fever, cough and chills.
Take action: Professional air quality assessments are always a wise choice. It may be just to convince you to manage these issues by presenting a concrete analysis.
Sign #4: Aggravated allergies and asthma symptoms
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If the air quality and ventilation are inadequate, years of dust, mold and pollen can accumulate within your school. This can lead to an increase in signs of unsinkable allergic symptoms, including itching, nose and throat. Additionally, people suffering from asthma can get worse or increase symptoms from these irritants in the air. Asthma is already a major health concern for students, and poor air quality is a contributing factor.
Take action: Share information with the school board and administrators about the effects of asthma and allergies in K-12 education. For example, one in ten children in the United States suffer from asthma, and nearly 26% of adults suffer from seasonal allergies.
Sign #5: Roughly fluctuating temperatures
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It appears that your classroom is only two temperatures. If so, your building has air quality issues. In fact, thermal control is a very important component in creating a positive learning environment. Students struggle to learn in classrooms that are too cold or too hot. Adjusting classroom temperatures to improve heat comfort can help improve student performance by keeping them comfortable.
Take action: The 2024 White House Toolkit for Sustainable and Healthy Schools points out that 36,000 public schools have insufficient HVAC systems to handle their needs. Even systems that worked in the past may not be enough now. As average temperatures rise due to climate change, the report estimates that 13,700 schools that did not need AC in 1970 will require it by 2025. Manager or Board of Education Issues.
Sign #6: Small furry visitors
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Mice are common pests in many schools and classrooms. From full storage closets where you can hide and dig holes to cabinets full of snacks, mice can live a pretty good life in school buildings. And while it means it’s as rough as you can hear, it means that there are particles of feces, saliva and fur in the air, waiting to cause problems. According to the EPA, rodents can spread more than 35 separate diseases. This can occur through direct contact with the animal or contact with urine, feces, or saliva. Getting pests out of a building is not an air quality issue, but their dung and dandruff can release particulates into the air.
Take action: The EPA requires integrated pest management (IPM) in all schools. If you are experiencing frequent signs of pests like rodents and insects, ask about the school’s IPM plan and learn more about EPA requirements and recommendations.
Sign #7: Headaches on schedule
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For us, unfortunately, headaches are a common part of the day. However, if you have a headache by noon on each school day, but develop headaches in other stressful situations, the air quality of your classroom or building may be responsible.
Take action: If you are a patient with frequent headaches, try tracking where and when it starts. You may notice patterns that are directly related to the time you spend in school buildings and classrooms. If so, it is a sign to let your administration know your concerns.
Sign #8: Mystery Symptoms
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There are many causes for headaches, nausea, dizziness, irritability, itching, respiratory illness, muscle tension, and other physical symptoms. But working in a “sick building” might explain why you have these symptoms when other causes seem to be no longer applicable. The concept of “Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)” has been around since the 1970s when doctors began seeing similarly symptomatic patients who worked in the same building.
Take action: Learn more about SBS in this report on EPA. Think about whether multiple teachers and students in the building have mysterious symptoms that appear to improve over weekends and long school breaks. Self-research can also be conducted with staff and families to learn more about the prevalence of these symptoms.
Sign #9: Student absenteeism increases year-round
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It is no surprise that absenteeism is marked at a certain time of the year. At peak cold and flu season peaks (usually December to February), it is worth researching if schools are seeing a number of absenteeism that are not likely to be linked to this year’s outbreak It makes sense to do it.
Take action: Let’s take a closer look at the number of school attendances in recent years. How do you compare this year’s numbers with the numbers from last year or the previous year? If the increase is steadily increasing, the air quality at schools can be the culprit.
Teacher CIA K. shared her experience with positive attendance after implementing an air purifier.
I have to think that the air purifier has improved my student’s learning environment as there was a pretty good attendance rate in my class. And even in their own minds, I knew that in school they were doing everything they could to help them stay healthy and be here every day.
–Cia K., Iowa third grade teacher
Sign #10: Significant reduction in test scores
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Teachers spend so much time preparing students to do well on standardized tests. Teach test taking strategies and provide practice tests. However, we find that one way for students to perform better on standardized tests (and generally in the classroom) is to improve the quality of their indoor air. The Environmental Protection Agency reported that factors within the school building, such as HVAC and ventilation issues, could negatively affect students’ academic performance.
Take action: Pay particular attention to the air quality of the test space. Opening windows when possible is a great way to circulate new air into the space. We will assess the indoor air quality in these rooms in advance to determine what we can do to improve the air…and also test the score. Plus, read the full 2024 Fellowes Educator Survey. There are insights that impact the air quality of the school to share with school leaders.
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