“How was school today?”

It’s a question you’ve most likely asked your kids. (Is the answer ever different?)

Another question you may want to start asking is, “How was the air quality at school today?”

And for that question, you’ll want real answers.

Healthy Air For Your Student

How is your kid’s school doing when it comes to air quality?

Some evidence suggests that an increasing number of schools across the country are applying for and receiving funding to improve their air systems. But progress has been slow, and some schools aren’t taking full advantage of the opportunity to help students and staff for the long term.

Healthy indoor air has a range of benefits, especially in schools. With increased ventilation in classrooms, fewer children suffer from the flu, asthma attacks, and other illnesses that keep them out of school. Plus, research has shown that reading and math test scores improve when less carbon dioxide is built up in the classroom because students can think more clearly. (See the top of page 14 here.)

Components of Indoor Air Quality

Share these takeaways with school administrators if you’re concerned about the air quality your children are experiencing in the classroom.

• Fresh air ventilation removes stale, stagnant air and replaces it with fresh air from the outdoors.
• Air filtration works with HVAC systems to remove harmful particles like dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and mold spores from the air.
• Humidity control keeps the humidity level between 40% and 60% for optimal health and comfort, and makes it harder for viruses to survive.

Overall, these measures can help achieve greater comfort and wellness in indoor spaces with virus protection, fewer allergens, and better ventilation.