President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal, released May 2, confirms his goal of sweeping aside decades of public investments in public health, environmental protection, and K-12 education. To increase defense spending to record levels (over $1 trillion), build a border wall, and pay for tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the richest Americans, the budget cuts $163 billion from across the government. Agency reductions would eviscerate the Department of Education ($12 billion reduction), EPA (nearly $5 billion reduction), and CDC ($3.6 billion reduction), not to mention critical health research, rural development, and federal programs that help communities in need. These extreme reductions come with few details–obscuring the inevitable impact on children’s health and schools. Already underfunded, these programs are now on the chopping block.
Five Pencils? Children need more than five pencils! They need healthful and weather-resilient schools and classrooms with clean air and clean water, health services, appropriate educational services, and wholesome food. Not to mention fast internet connections and free devices.
Need your help. Healthy Schools Network is working with other NGOs and supportive members of Congress to protect essential funding for children’s health and school environments. We need your help. The best place to focus your efforts at this time? Support EPA and its proven school assistance programs. Simply find your member of Congress (enter your zip code at this link), and reach out (call or email) to let them know you support $100 million in EPA’s fiscal year 2026 appropriation to protect children’s health and improve learning environments in schools.
Other News on Schools
23rd Annual National Healthy Schools Day
- Thank you for your participation in Healthy Schools Day 2025, held in April, featuring webinars on climate issues and work by and in 6 states: California (wildfires and trauma), Rhode Island and Connecticut (indoor air enhancements), Alaska (toxics, melting earth, and schools), and New York and Colorado (state curricula on air toxics and toxics in schools). Overall, hundreds participated in activities. Recordings for all webinars are now posted at Healthy Schools Network’s website.
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
- May is dedicated to raising awareness about asthma and allergies. We encourage you to engage in activities that promote understanding and support for those affected
- Check out the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America to find activities.
- Tip: accommodations for children with asthma can require more than just meds: it can require cleaning up indoor air in schools and child care.Put environmental accommodations into your child’s education plan or health care plan.
Survey on Resources Needed to Improve School Indoor Air
- The American Lung Association, Go Green Initiative, and U.S. Green Building Council are conducting a survey to find out what kinds of professional development would best help schools improve management of indoor air quality and save energy. The survey closes May 30, 2025.
- Here’s the Survey: https://forms.office.com/r/wPNTa32nYu
- Healthy Schools Network Tip, see:
- EPA’s Energy Savings Plus IAQ Guidelines for Schools, and
- Environmental Law Institute, Database of State Laws (IAQ in Schools)
Check out our News Feeds!
- Healthy Schools Network News Feeds supply regularly updated news items from around the US curated just for you.
- We recently updated the feeds and welcome feedback. Please let us know what you’d like to read more about (climate disasters, school closures, toxics, IAQ, design/construction, resiliency, suspensions, special needs, etc.) by emailing us at info@healthyschools.org.
NEW: Our Special Offer!
- “Share Your Story” is a new feature of NewsSlice. In coming biweekly editions, we’d like to host your blogs or articles that highlight local solutions to school building challenges, innovative approaches, or state legislative successes. Selected stories will be featured on our platform to inspire and inform the healthy schools national community. Contact us at info@healthyschools.org to suggest a story.
Together, we can advance policies and secure funding to ensure that every child learns in a safe and healthy environment.
