Hello Supporters of Healthy School Environments!
As the new executive director of Healthy Schools Network, I’m reaching out to you at a critical moment for children’s health and education to re-energize the Coalition for Healthier Schools, our national partnership of advocates from all 50 states. We welcome you to join this effort as new or returning participants in the Coalition, and seek your input on the Coalition’s policy priorities.
Reckless funding cuts and staff dismissals by the Trump administration will, quite simply, reverse progress toward healthy schools and harm the well-being of our children.
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Proposed reductions could severely impede federal action on asthma, children’s environmental health, and school health programs.
- Environmental Protection Agency: The head of EPA pledged to cut EPA’s funding by 65 percent, threatening essential funding for children’s environmental health initiatives, school indoor air quality, drinking water, legacy toxics management programs, technical assistance for schools, and research on risks to children.
- Department of Education: A presidential order to shutter the department and a plan to cut 50 percent of employees threaten rural school programs, facilities maintenance grants, and other essential school support that could disproportionately harm children in poverty and those with special needs.
- Department of Agriculture: A budget blueprint passed by the House and Senate would cut $12 billion from school meal programs over 10 years, adding further stress to families in rural and poor districts that already struggle to meet costs for school buildings and maintenance.
Schools already face shortfalls for buildings and services. The Trump administration is making matters worse by pulling back or even eliminating programs that support schools.
The crisis in Milwaukee’s public schools–due to widespread environmental hazards, including lead paint, poor ventilation, and aging, unsafe buildings–is a reminder of the urgent need for a stronger national response to substandard school conditions. Milwaukee schools are in the news, but they aren’t alone. School districts across the U.S. face an annual funding gap of $85 billion or more for school infrastructure, including basic maintenance such as roof repair. Poor conditions directly endanger kids’ health and learning.
Now more than ever, we must unite around the goal of providing access to healthy learning environments for all children.
Toward a Stronger Coalition
Healthy Schools Network launched the national Coalition for Healthier Schools in 2000 because we understand the power of united voices. The Coalition includes advocates from education, environment, medicine, and public health fields, among others. Some are large national NGOs, some are smaller state or local groups nationwide. But all agree on the need to keep children healthy, safe, and ready to learn. By joining forces, Coalition members have produced influential recommendations and secured major policy wins at the local, state, and federal levels.
Over the next few months, we will reinvigorate Coalition activities–including webinars, action alerts, and updated research and reports. Your expertise, advocacy, and energy will be essential.
Meanwhile, we ask you to:
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Review the recently updated Coalition’s Principles, and let us know if you have feedback or suggestions. You may also join the Coalition or, if you’re returning, reaffirm your support.
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Share stories and examples of school health challenges and successes from your communities at info@healthyschools.org. You may also want to bookmark our news feed, where we will share updates curated especially for healthy schools advocates to keep you informed and up-to-date on nationwide developments.
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Stay engaged as we advocate to protect and expand federal and state programs that keep kids in schools safe and healthy. We will provide timely opportunities, such as sign-on letters and action alerts, so you can make your voice heard on policies and proposals that affect healthy schools.
There is power in numbers. Together, we can defend and advance the right of every child to learn in an environmentally safe, healthy, and resilient school. Together, we can make the well-being of children a national priority.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment.
