Information and Referral Clearinghouse

We started our system of guides and packets in 1995. Since that time, we have helped thousands of parents and schools across the country adopt healthier practices. Each guide or published report has been developed with expert consultants and resources in the field and with assistance from parents and school employees. If you need more help or have comments about our informational resources, please call us at 518-462-0632. We have a strict confidentiality policy: your name and contact information will never be released.

Disasters, Children, and Schools

• National Call to Action: Pandemic v. Schools
   
• Reopening Schools During COVID-19
  • Webinar (July 2020)​
     
• Disinfecting & Schools: Panel Presentations and Discussion
  • ​​To see video use passcode: YG+EYf?9
     
• CDC Says It's Airborne: What Schools Can Do Now to Boost Ventilation and IAQ
  • Webinar from Healthy Schools Network and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools

• BP OIL SPILL: Keeping Kids Safe
  A message for communities, schools, parents, teachers, and child/youth organizations about oil spill contaminants and children, updated 2011.
   
• GROUND ZERO PARENTS IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Practical Advice to Schools and Parents
  8 pp, highlights the advice of experienced parents of children that attend Ground Zero schools © 2002, 2005.
   
• Schools of Ground Zero: Early Lessons Learned in Children's Environmental Health, 2002 (Healthy Schools Network and the American Public Health Association) 347 pp, only contemporaneous account of the decisions to evacuate and re-occupy seven public schools following the World Trade Center attacks of September 11th.
   
• Climate Chaos, Kids and Schools slideshow
   
• Caution: Hurricane Sandy Cleanup can be Hazardous!, (NY Committee for Occupational Health and Safety)
   
• Asbestos Fact Sheet, (NY Committee for Occupational Health and Safety)
   
• Protecting Worker and Occupant Health from Sewage in Floodwaters, (NY Committee for Occupational Health and Safety)
   
• Return of Children to Areas Impacted by Flooding and/or Hurricanes, (Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units and American Academy of Pediatrics)
   
• Environmental Hazards for Children in the Aftermath of Wildfires, (Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units and the American Academy of Pediatrics)
   
• Emergency Planning, (US Department of Education)
   
• National Healthy Schools Summit 2021 Report: COVID, Climate, Children, & Schools

• • Environmental Health at School: New Solutions Put Children First – June 2016 Panel and Workshop 
               Agenda 
               Presenters and presentations
               Full report
     
  • Environmental Health at School: Ignored Too Long - November 2015 Panel and Workshop
    • Summary report (14 pp): The first national facilitated workshop: this report recaps discussion and major recommendations; lists attendees and speakers.
    • Full report (58 pp): Panel and first national facilitated discussion of environmental health at school: panel and workshop full proceedings, speakers and presentations, bibliography.
    • Presenters and presentations
       
  • Collaborative Work Group on Metrics, Research, and Monitoring, Fall 2013 (Coalition for Healthier Schools) 
     
  • About Children
    • Pediatric Environmental Health, 3rd Ed. (American Academy of Pediatrics Council of Environmental Health)
       
    • Principles of Pediatric Environmental Health, February 2012 (ATSDR Case Studies in Environmental Medicine)
       
    • Children's Environmental Health, (World Health Organization)
       
    • Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units, (PEHSU): federally designated, national network of experts in reproductive and children’s environmental health
       
  • Air Quality  
    • ASTHMA AND ENVIRONMENT FACT SHEET FOR PARENTS AND SCHOOLS
      2 pp, facts about eliminating asthma triggers and the side effects of asthma medications © 2003, 2012, 2014.
       
    • PARENT'S GUIDE TO SCHOOL INDOOR AIR QUALITY
      6 pp, classic reference in the field of children's environmental health at school, written by and for parents; contains the basics of school IAQ, simple steps, what to ask for/look for, and what to do if no one listens and your child is still sick © 1997, 2003, 2012.
       
    • Asthmagens Database, (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). Select "Display All Asthmagens" to view the complete list of substances reported as asthmagens by occupational asthma experts.
       
    • Back to School Webinar: Energy Savings + Healthy Indoor Air (2021)
       
    • Healthy Environments: A Compilation of Substances Linked to Asthma, a compilation of substances linked to asthma that are found in building materials, furnishings, and other similar items. 
       
    • Healthy Indoors Show 4-1-21: The Health of Our Schools with Claire Barnett and Mansel Nelson (Video)
       
    • Federal Interagency Strategy on Pediatric Asthma Disparities, May 2012 (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Indoor Air Quality - IAQ- Scientific Findings Resource Bank (IAQ-SFRB), (developed by the Indoor Environment Department of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with funding support from the U.S. EPA)
       
    • Workplace/School Model Fragrance-Free Policy
       
  • Chemicals & Heavy Metals  
    • MARKERS GUIDE
      3 pp guide on the use and hazards of dry erase markers in schools © 2011.
    
    
    • GREEN CLEANING AND HEALTHY PRODUCTS
       
    • SANITIZERS AND DISINFECTANTS GUIDE
      4 pp, basic types of disinfectants outlined, along with recommendations for the proper use of antimicrobials and ways to reduce the need for them © 2001, 2012, 2014.
       
    • PBDE: Toxic Flame Retardants, What Women, Children, and School Personnel Need to Know
      4 pp, includes the dangers of PBDEs, as well as associated health effects and ways to avoid these toxins © 2007, 2012.
       
    • PBDEs: Information for Pediatric Health Professionals, (Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units)
       
    • Press Release: Child Health Groups Call for Robust Assessment of Hydrofracking Health Impacts
    
    
    • PARENT GUIDE TO LEAD IN SCHOOL DRINKING WATER
       
    • Green and Lead-Free PCs, Notebooks, and Tablets: Model Contract Language for Schools and Guidance for Parents and Families on Finding and Buying
       
    • Eliminating Lead Risks in Schools and Child Care Facilities (2018)
       
    • Lead in Drinking Water with Dr. Jerome Paulson, Webinar (2016)
       
    • DISINFECTING WIPES GUIDE
       
    • Toxic Chemicals in Building Materials: An Overview for Health Care Organizations, May 2008 (Healthy Building Network)
       
    • Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) and Human Health Concerns, (Healthy Building Network)
       
    • Mental Health and Environmental Exposures, (Collaborative on Health and the Environment)
       
    • PEHSU: Information for the general public
       
    • PEHSU Information on Natural Gas Extraction and Hydraulic Fracturing for Health Professionals, (Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units)
       
    • Mercury and Schools, (New York State Department of Health)
       
    • Protect Yourself: Cleaning Chemicals and Your Health, 2012, (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
       
    • Federal Programs Related to Indoor Pollution by Chemicals, July 2012 (Congressional Research Service)
       
    • School Chemical Clean-out Campaign (SC3), (Region 4, US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Safe Chemical Management in Schools, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Asbestos in Schools, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Fact Sheet for Schools: Caulk containing PCBs may be present in older schools and buildings, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Health Effects of PCBs in Schools & Indoor Air (Webinar, Healthy Schools Network, October 2021)
       
    • Fact Sheet for Schools: PCBs in Caulk, School Checklist, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Public Health Levels for PCBs in Indoor School Air, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Drinking Water in Schools and Childcare Facilities, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Managing Radon in Schools, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies, August 2012 (Center for Health, Environment and Justice
       
    • Fact Sheet for Schools: Caulk containing PCBs may be present in older schools and buildings, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Fact Sheet for Schools: PCBs in Caulk, School Checklist, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
    • Public Health Levels for PCBs in Indoor School Air, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
       
  • Other  
    • ACCESS TO DECISION MAKING
      Open Meetings and Freedom of Information Laws
      3 pp, outlines why public school meetings must be open and accessible to parents, school personnel, and any other members of the public © 2005, 2012.
       
    • SCHOOL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEES: How to Promote Child and Adult Environmental Health
      6 pp, includes schoolhouse illustration showing what to look for in a building walk-through inspection, public documents that may be useful, and tips on how to set up a committee © 2000.
       
    • LEARNING WITHOUT PAIN: Ergonomics Prevents Injuries
      2 pp, guide focuses on the improper use of computers and backpacks that can lead to unnecessary body strain and provides basic information to encourage ergonomic practices to prevent injuries © 2001, 2012.
       
    • Protecting Vulnerable Students in Sick Schools
      7 pp, an introduction to the special education and antidiscrimination laws designed to remove barriers to education for children with disabilities, such as chronic health impairments © 2001, 2012.
       
    • Independent commissioned review of US EPA healthy schools grants to five states (2013)
       
    • Dear Colleague Letter: Responding to Bullying of Students with Disabilities, October 2014, (United States Department of Education)
       
    • State Freedom of Information Resources, (National Freedom of Information Coalition)
       
    • Food Dyes and Children, February 2009, (Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy)
       
    • Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), 2011, (Collaborative on Health and the Environment)
       
    • EMF's, PRECAUTION AND SCHOOLS: US Supreme Court Amicus Brief, (US Supreme Court)
       
    • Report on Facilities and Children's Health and Learning, 2004, (US Department of Education)

• Green Cleaning and Green Purchasing  
  • GUIDE TO GREEN CLEANING: Practices and Products for Schools
    4 pp, guide on cleaning for healthy schools and the challenges of school cleaning, © 1999, 2006, 2011.
     
• Siting, Design, Construction, Renovation  
  • DAYLIGHTING: Better Lighting for Healthier Students
    4 pp, references national studies on how the use of natural daylight indoors boosts test scores and includes simple illustrations on "harvesting' daylight" © 2005, 2012.
     
  • THE HEALTHY AND HIGH PERFORMANCE SCHOOL
    87 pp, a two-part report detailing how current science drives the need for healthier and greener schools © 2004.
     
  • SCHOOL DESIGN: Healthy & High Performance Schools
    6pp, includes a checklist of important features of high performance schools as well as information related to current laws and the "robust science" of school environments © 2007, 2012.
     
  • SCHOOL RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION: What You Need to Know to Protect Child And Adult Environmental Health
    6 pp, detailed steps that all schools should take to protect occupants in buildings under renovation; highlights compliance with model NYS regulations © 2000, 2012.
     
  • PLAYGROUNDS & TOXIC THREATS
    6pp, facts and information about chromated copper arsenate (CCA), lead, artificial turf risks, play sand, and web links for additional information © 2010, 2012.
     
  • PLAYGROUND ORGANIZING TIPS FOR PARENTS
    1 pp tip sheet for parents concerned about playground conditions, updated August 2010.
     
  • Classroom Acoustics, (Acoustical Society of America)
     
  • Collaborative for High Performance Schools, (CHPS)

  • “From Research to Action: Evidence-Based Design for Healthy School Buildings”, CHPS Webinar, May 3, 2018, (register free to watch)

  • Building Condition Survey, (New York State Education Department)
     
  • Green Ribbon Schools, (US Department of Education)
     
  • Lead-Safe Certified Guide to Renovate Right, 2011, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
     
  • HealthySEAT-Healthy Schools Environments Assessment Tool, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
     
  • IAQ Design Tools for Schools, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
     
  • School Siting Guidelines (US Environmental Protection Agency)
    
     
• Prevention  
  • KICK THE PESTICIDE HABIT: Children, Learning and Poisons Don't Mix
    4 pp, guide on pesticides, safer solutions, school application, IPM and more.
     
  • Model School IPM Manuals, (IPM Institute)
     
  • The Business Case for Integrated Pest Management in Schools: Cutting Costs and Increasing Benefits, (IPM Institute)
     
  • MOLDAND DAMPNESS IN SCHOOLS
    2 pp, outlines how to use the NIOSH Mold and Dampness Assessment Tool © 2019
     
  • MOLDS AT SCHOOL
    8 pp, outlines information on why schools are moldy, the impact mold has on health, basic prevention practices; urges swift cleanups over testing © 2002, 2012
     
  • Mold in Schools, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
     
  • Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
     
  • IEQ Alert: Preventing Occupational Respiratory Disease from Exposures Caused by Dampness in Office Buildings, Schools, and Other Nonindustrial Buildings, November 2012, (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
     
  • Pesticides, (US Environmental Protection Agency)
     
  • Preventing Occupational Respiratory Disease from Exposures Caused by Dampness in Office Buildings, Schools, and Other Nonindustrial Buildings, (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
     
  • Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool School Buildings, (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
     
• Other
  
  • Report - Towards Healthy Schools 2015
     
  • SICK SCHOOLS 2009: America's Continuing Environmental Health Crisis for Children, 2009
    74pp, a collaboratively prepared HS Network national report which shows the struggles to pass and to secure enforcement of laws in the states and locally, and the continuing environmental public health crisis that is devastating the health and ability to learn and to stay in school for tens of millions of American school children every day; state-by-state data.
     
  • LESSONS LEARNED: 32,000,000 Children: A Public Health Crisis, April 2006
    67 pp, a collaboratively prepared HS Network national report revealing the widespread human health, family, and community impacts of school facilities that are poorly designed, constructed, operated or maintained; state-by-state data.
     
  • WHO'S IN CHARGE OF PROTECTING CHILDREN'S HEALTH AT SCHOOL?, 2006
    40 pp, national research report outlines the scope of the public health response needed to resolve the nation's largest unaddressed children's health problem, polluted schools, © 2006.
     
  • Press Release (January 2011): New Data Shows Schools Ignore Children's Health: Groups Urge Action by EPA and States (joint press release with the National Association of School Nurses)
     
  • Creating Healthier School Facilities, (Adopted Policy on School Facilities, January 2001, American Public Health Association)
     
  • Healthy, High-Performance Schools, (Federal Legislation, Subpart 18 of "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001")
     
  • HIGH PERFORMANCE GREEN BUILDING ACT of 2007, (Federal Legislation, EISA 2007)
     
  • GREENING AMERICA'S SCHOOLS, October 2006, (National Research council)
     
  • Learning the Hard Way: The Poor Environment of America's Schools, June 2002, (Environmental Health Perspectives)
     
  • The Physical School Environment, 2003, (World Health Organization)
     
  • POSTER: GREEN SQUAD: Kids Taking Action for Greener, Healthier Schools, (National Resource Defense Council), available in English and Spanish
     
  • Impact of School Facilities on Civil Rights and Student Achievement, July 2011, (Advancement Project & 21st Century School Fund)
     
  • Topics in School Environmental Health: Overview of State Laws, Environmental Law Institute, 2013 

COMING SOON

• ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION GUIDE FOR NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS
  (Advocates for Children and Healthy Schools Network) 42 pp, informs parents, advocates, and school personnel about existing laws and resources available to ensure that every child and school employee has an environmentally safe and healthy school © 1999, 2005.
   
• La Guia de Accion Ambiental para Escuelas Sanas del Ciudad de Nueva York
  40 pp, for New York City Schools © 1999.
  
   
• HEALTHY SCHOOLS/HEALTHY KIDS/ABC'S: Help for Parents and Others in the Absence of Standards Just for Children
  80 pp, outlines basic OSHA (occupational safety and health) requirements for schools; researched by Cornell University School of Labor and Industrial Relations for NYS schools; applicable in 26 states that have adopted OHSA for public employees © 2000, as New York State Environmental Action Guide.
  
   
• RESCUE: Health & Safety Requirements for Public Schools in New York State*
  3 pp, outline of comprehensive state-aided mandates for facilities planning, inspection, rating, monitoring, and reporting to provide protection for the health and safety of New York State school children and personnel, based on US EPA's "IAQ Tools for Schools" program © 2003.
  
   
• NEGLECTED BUILDINGS, DAMAGED HEALTH: Snap-shot of New York City Public School Environmental Conditions, 1999, (Healthy Schools Network and Advocates for Children of New York), 88 pp, survey of school users show health and learning impacts from deteriorated facility conditions and reveals significant building code violations; copy of survey instrument in Appendix, 1999.
  
   
• NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL FACILITIES AND STUDENT HEALTH, ACHIEVEMENT AND ATTENDANCE: A Data Report, 2005, 40 pp, report of all public schools in two New York State counties as well as other schools with reported environment problems to determine correlations between schools facilities, student health, and academic achievement.
  
   
• Unwanted Exposure: Preventing Environmental Threats to the Health of New York State's Children, 2007, (Healthy Schools Network and the Learning Disabilities Association of New York State), 6pp, a comprehensive review of the major identified threats to children's health from environmental exposures and New York State's current policy framework for protecting children from these hazards.
   
• WHAT SCHOOL NURSES KNOW: We Need New Laws to Clean Up Schools, May 2000, (A survey sponsored by Healthy Schools Network and NYS Association of School Nurses) 8 pp, results from survey of members from the NYS Association of School Nurses revealing that nurses fear job retaliation and many know students whose health and learning are affected by school environments.
   
• Report to the New York State Board of Regents on the Environmental Quality in Schools, 1994 (Regents Advisory Committee on Environmental Quality in Schools)
   
• NYC GREEN SCHOOLS GUIDE, March 2007 (NYC School Construction Authority and NYC Department of Education) 212 pp.
   
• NY-CHPS: High Performance Schools Guidelines, September 2007 (NYSERDA) 145 pp, developed in cooperation with a panel of experts coordinated by NYSERDA, to emphasize criteria that directly contribute to student learning, reduced maintenance, and long building life.
   
• POSTER: GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, a five-point policy "every child has a right..." adopted by New York State Board of Regents in 1995, and referenced or cited by many public interest groups and coalitions; 8 1/2 X 11.

• Video: Dr. Jerry Paulson - Lead in Drinking Water
   
• Video: Claire Barnett - Towards Healthy Schools - Risks
   
• Video: 5 Clean and Green Healthy Schools Tips: Ann Pleshette Murphy interviews Claire Barnett, Executive Director, Healthy Schools Network. Aired on ABC NOW, April 22, 2009
   
• Audio: Claire Barnett's WAMC Health Show Interview: Back To School - And Healthy
   
• Audio: Claire Barnett's WBAI Interview: Child Health Groups Call for Robust Assessment of Hydrofracking Health Impacts

POSTERS

• POSTER: Cleaning for Healthy Schools Toolkit
   
• POSTER: GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, a five-point policy "every child has a right..." adopted by New York State Board of Regents in 1995, and referenced or cited by many public interest groups and coalitions; 8 1/2 X 11.