Representing Westport, NY, PTO, Claire Barnett urges NYS Board of Regents at public hearing to require healthy school environments for children
New Policy: NYS Board of Regents issues School Environmental Quality advisory committee report
NY Healthy Schools Network’s first statewide coalition organizational meeting
Packard Foundation journal identifies New York Regents’ Guiding Principles as one of the first efforts to establish children’s environmental health in policy
New Research/Service: Healthy Schools/Healthy Kids Information and Referral Clearinghouse launched; first ever guide for parents on environmental health at school Parent Guide on IAQ in Schools State coalition that secures $125m NYS bond act to replace 300 coal-fired boilers in New York City and Buffalo public schools
Law: Pushed by HS Network, NYS enacts comprehensive regulations on school indoor environments based on the State Board of Regents 1995 report.
New Serivce: Fostering state coalitions Responding to requests from out-of-state NGOs, we foster multiple state-based groups to create environmental health policy reform coalitions
Policy Launch: First-ever user-friendly Guide to Green Cleaning
We establish Coalition for Healthier Schools ©
Original Research: Landmark survey led by HS Network and NYS Association of School Nurses finds many nurses know of children impacted by school pollutants but will not tell parents
Funding: President Clinton cites HS Networks’ survey of school nurses on impacts of buildings on children in NY in message to Congress; $1.2 billion appropriated for school health and safety repairs
New Award: National Healthy Schools Hero Awards launched
Law: NYS enacts Network-championed law requiring prior notice of pesticide use in schools
Convened by HS Network, New York City parent associations in the World Trade Center impact zone to press for cleanups of schools impacted by the disaster’s pollution
Urge Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate outbreak of rashes affecting 1000 children in 100 schools in 27 states; some schools decline to let CDC staff enter schools to investigate
Award: Clearinghouse wins first of three awards from US EPA
Original Research: HS Network co-publishes Schools of Ground Zero, a report on the evacuations and occupants of schools in the impact zone, with the American Public Health Association
Law: The federal Healthy and High Performance Schools Act enacted; authorizes Department of Education to publish a study on how school environments impact children’s health, defines a healthy and high performance school, and authorizes grants.
Law: HS Network-championed NY law banning arsenic-treated wood playground equipment passes in NYS
First annual National Healthy Schools Day; online NewsSlice debuts, offering culled news to the growing healthy schools community
Law: HS Network-champions law banning elemental mercury in schools passes in NYS
US Department of Education declines to publish mandated study on children’s environmental health; anonymous source ships us a copy; we scan and post online.
After Hurricane Katrina, Coalition for Healthier Schools calls on Congress for child-protective emergency plans and clean-ups
Policy: NYS Education Department and NYS Energy Research and Development Authority agree to develop high performance school design standards
Award: HS Network receives National Recognition Award from US EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection for our parent publications
Law: Supproted by HS Network, NYS governor issues executive order and wins state law requiring all state agencies and all K-12 schools to use green cleaning products
New Service for Kids: HS Network champions development of statewide pediatric environmental health network; legislature appropriates over $1.5m to expand pediatric services
National Policy: HS Network creates National Collaborative Work Group on Green Cleaning and Chemical Policy Reform in Schools
EPA awards national grant to Healthy Schools Network to lead National Healthy Schools Day
Award: Second award from US EPA: National Special Achievement Award for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in Schools
Funding: Coalition secures added funding to EPA for indoor air in schools
Award: Collaborative for High Performance Schools’ National Green Apple Award for Advancing indoor air quality in school design
Law: Shaped by HS Network, the Federal High Performance Green Buildings Act enacted, authorizing EPA to issue first-ever guidelines for states on school indoor environments and on school siting and to offer state agency grants
Law: Pushed by HS Network, the NY Education Department issues voluntary high performance schools design standards (NY-CHPS); New York City School Construction Authority issues “Green Guide” that meet green-build mandate and embeds High Performance Schools features
Award: HS Net receives Partnership Recognition, Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSU):
HS Network-convened National Collaborative Work Group on Green Cleaning and Chemical Policy reform opens new website with training tools and model state bill text
New York Governor’s executive order on green procurement establishes interagency program
Coalition for Healthier Schools members brief new agency leaders at EPA, CDC, and Education
Work Group on green cleaning calls on EPA EPA’s Design for Environment program to commit to transparent standards; groups present panel on “green washing” at the
American Public Health Association convention, featuringchemical industry lobbying
Law: HS Network champions NYS law bans ornamental use of herbicides outside schools and child care centers
National Association of School Nurses reportd on new survey: 40% of school nurses know children affected by pollutants in schools but reluctant to tell parents
Award: HS Net receives 25th Anniversary Outstanding Partner Award from Green Seal (international eco-labeler of green products)
Research: HS Network hosts Environmental Health At School: Ignored Too Long conference, issuingfirst ever policy recommendations for environmental public health services for children with exposures in schools/childcares
Towards Healthy Schools: Reducing Risks to Children issued – national state by state data and policy indicators
Award: Appreciation Award from the Walter L. Cohen Alumni Association, New Orleans, LA, for assistance in preventing the first African American high school in that city from being demolished and rebuilt on a toxic site
Law: Championed by HS Network, NYS Safe School Drinking Water Act passed, requiring all public schools to test at the water tap for lead and to post their results.
Award: Executive Director Claire Barnett honored with American University’s WK Reilly Award for National Environmental Leadership and Governance
Award: Claire Barnett honored with American Public Health Association’s David P. Rall award
Award: Healthy Schools Network’s third designation by EPA as an Indoor Air in Schools Champion
Eliminating Lead Risks in Schools and Child Care Facilities national workshop co-hosted by HS Network.
Policy statement on establishing new public health systems for children with exposures adopted by American Public Health Association
At the request of the mayor of Flint, MI, HS Net creates a workshop on hazards in schools, focusing on lead
Research/Policy: HS Network The Pandemic v. Schools: States Must Guide Schools on Reopening, Slowing Spread of Virus , calling for schools to have infection prevention and control plans
Research: With Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Health Security, HS Network researches the lack of state agency action on assessing damages after disasters before schools were reoccupied.
HS Network holds virtual summit COVID, Climate, Children, and Schools and publishes follow-up report
Federal Policy: CDC calls for modified infection prevention and control plans in schools
Funding: HS Network champions school districts eligibility for funding under NYS’s $4.2M climate and green jobs bond act, later approved by 67% of voters
Federal Policy: HS Network holds second virtual summit COVID, Climate, Children, and Schools and publishes follow-up report calling for schools to operate as critical infrastructure; American Public Health Association adopts new Pandemic Policies targeting schools
HS Network Executive Director Claire Barnett is appointed to the National Advisory Committee for Children and Disasters