Page 3 - Indoor Air Quality 3Roda

in the U.S., accounts for 13.8 million missed school presenting districts with a “prime opportunity to
days annually. Norovirus outbreaks have triggered intervene and protect the health of children.”
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countless school shutdowns; so have allergy-inducing
mould infestations, driven in part by climate change. However, even school districts with modern
During severe flu seasons, it’s not uncommon for buildings and above-average attendance can
absenteeism to exceed 25%, prompting entire benefit from such interventions. In some states, an
districts to close. attendance increase of less than 1% can bring in
more than $1 million annually from state aid.

“We know that if students are in school, they will
learn from our dynamic teachers, and we will get
more state aid to make education more engaging
and fun,” says Bob Molisani, superintendent of the
Caledonia-Mumford Central School District in New
York. To improve upon its 94% to 96% attendance
rate, Molisani’s district upgraded its surface cleaning
protocols and installed air purification technology in
all
its buildings and, unlike neighboring districts,
weathered a severe flu season without a dip in
attendance. 7

This paper covers six health-related causes of
absenteeism, all linked to indoor air quality, and
According to Harvard’s “Schools for Health” report, explains what schools can do, despite budget
46% of U.S. public schools — an estimated 60,000 constraints, to keep students and staff breathing
school buildings — face air quality challenges, clean, healthy air.

“Every Day Counts”:

The High Cost of Absenteeism

Chronic absenteeism — missing at least 10% of Even schools with relatively high average attendance
the school year, about 18 days in most districts are not immune to the effects of absenteeism.
— is widespread and begins early. In the U.S., “Statistically, 94% attendance sounds great, but for
10% of kindergarteners and first-graders are an individual kid, missing 10 or 12 days is a lot,” says
chronically absent, as are 16% of students overall. John
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In particularly stressed cities such as Baltimore and Polito, a schools health and safety consultant in
Detroit, an alarming 25% to 57% of students miss 20 Western New York. “And it’s difficult for a teacher
days in a single school year. 10,11 when a portion of your class is two days behind.” 14

The U.S. Department of Education considers chronic Chronically absent students, such as those who
absenteeism a “hidden educational crisis.” 12 suffer frequent asthma attacks, are less likely than
their peers to read proficiently by third grade; in
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The effects are profound and long-lasting. “Any turn, they are less likely to succeed in middle school
time you lose instruction time with kids, it becomes and four times less likely to graduate high school.
difficult to get caught up,” says Paul Ziegler, executive Students chronically absent between eighth and
director at EducationPlus, a cooperative of 53 school twelfth grades are over seven times more likely
districts around St. Louis, Missouri. 13 to drop out than students who attend regularly.
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