Science for Safer Schools
- NOTOC**
Safer Schools in a Warming World
Schools are increasingly important public health and climate-resilience spaces. Rising temperatures, wildfire smoke, poor indoor air quality, infectious disease risks, unsafe food and water, natural disasters, and student mental health challenges all affect children’s ability to learn and thrive. Research and public health guidance show that safer schools require both healthier buildings and stronger preparedness systems.
Heat and Climate-Resilient Schools
Extreme heat is becoming a major challenge for schools. Hot classrooms can reduce concentration, disrupt learning, worsen health risks, and force schools to shorten days, close buildings, or modify exams and outdoor activities. Children are especially vulnerable to heat because they may dehydrate faster, have less control over their environment, and depend on adults to recognize warning signs.
Schools can reduce heat risks by improving ventilation, adding shade, using cool roofs, creating cooler rooms, adjusting schedules, reducing strenuous activity, allowing lighter clothing, and ensuring reliable access to drinking water. Climate-resilient school design also includes safer playgrounds, water and sanitation systems, emergency supplies, and plans for continuing education during climate disruptions.
Indoor Air Quality, Wildfire Smoke, and Healthy Buildings
Healthy indoor air is central to student health, attendance, and learning. Poor ventilation, mold, pests, cleaning chemicals, lead, asbestos, radon, wildfire smoke, and other hazards can worsen asthma, spread infections, and make classrooms less safe. Schools need regular maintenance, moisture control, safe cleaning practices, pest management, and monitoring of indoor air conditions.
Wildfire smoke creates a growing need for cleaner-air spaces in schools. Filtration, upgraded HVAC systems, portable air cleaners, air quality monitoring, and clear activity guidelines can help schools protect students during smoke events. Ventilation improvements can also reduce respiratory disease transmission and improve classroom comfort.
Nutrition, Water, Hygiene, and Infection Prevention
School health also depends on safe food, clean water, hygiene, and nutrition. Updated school meal standards emphasize healthier foods, lower added sugars, reduced sodium, more fruits and vegetables, and better food quality. School gardens, farm-to-school programs, and food waste reduction can support both nutrition education and sustainability.
Schools must also protect students from foodborne illness, contaminated drinking water, norovirus, respiratory infections, and other preventable risks. Handwashing, cleaning, safe food handling, water testing for lead, and outbreak planning are basic public health tools that help keep students and staff safe.
Mental Health and Student Well-Being
Mental health is a major part of school safety. Schools can support students through mental health education, counseling, connectedness, anti-bullying programs, suicide prevention, trauma-informed practices, and crisis response planning. Natural disasters, extreme weather, violence, pandemics, and social stress can all increase anxiety, depression, trauma, and absenteeism.
Research and public health guidance emphasize that school-based mental health supports should be included in emergency preparedness. After disasters or traumatic events, schools can help children recover through psychological first aid, trusted adults, routines, peer support, and referral systems.
Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Risk Reduction
Schools need all-hazards emergency operations plans that address prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. Preparedness includes evacuation plans, reunification procedures, staff training, drills, communication systems, supplies, first aid, infection prevention planning, continuity of operations, and coordination with local emergency agencies.
Disaster education can also build resilience among students, families, teachers, and communities. When students learn about hazards and preparedness, they can help families respond more effectively to floods, storms, heatwaves, fires, outbreaks, and other emergencies.
Transportation, Playgrounds, Cybersecurity, and Physical Safety
Student safety extends beyond classrooms. Safe Routes to School programs reduce traffic danger and support walking and biking. School bus safety, pedestrian injury prevention, safer playground design, concussion prevention, swimming safety, and physical activity guidance all help reduce preventable injuries.
Modern school safety also includes cybersecurity. Ransomware, phishing, data breaches, and communication system failures can disrupt school operations and emergency response. Protecting student data and digital infrastructure is now part of school preparedness.
Whole-School Public Health Approach
A safer school is not created by one program alone. The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child approach connects nutrition, physical activity, mental health, health services, school climate, family engagement, environmental health, and emergency planning. This approach recognizes that learning depends on physical safety, emotional well-being, healthy buildings, and community support.
Schools can become healthier and more resilient by combining facility upgrades, public health guidance, climate adaptation, student support services, and evidence-based safety planning.
Conclusion
The evidence shows that schools are frontline institutions for protecting children in a changing world. Heat, smoke, pollution, infectious disease, unsafe infrastructure, disasters, food quality, and mental health all shape whether students can learn safely. By investing in ventilation, cooling, clean water, healthier meals, emergency planning, mental health care, safer transportation, and climate-resilient buildings, communities can make schools safer, healthier, and better prepared for the future.
- TOC**
School in a Hot World: What Research Is Saying About Children’s Health and Learning
| PreventionWeb | PreventionWeb | 4 Jun 2026
Schools can protect children from rising heat by improving ventilation, adding shade, changing classroom layouts, using cool roofs, and ensuring reliable drinking water.
Hot Weather and Heatwaves: Guidance for Schools and Other Education Settings
| Department for Education | Education Hub | 22 Jun 2026
This guidance explains how schools can manage hot weather with ventilation, hydration, shaded spaces, adjusted activities, and practical classroom cooling steps.
Not Cool at School: Europe’s Classrooms Struggle With the Heat
| Reuters Staff | Reuters | 25 Jun 2026
European schools are closing, shortening days, and improvising cooling strategies as heatwaves expose the need for safer school buildings and better heat planning.
Unions Urge Teachers to Strike as French School Exams Go Ahead in up to 40C Heat
| Angelique Chrisafis | The Guardian | 25 Jun 2026
French schools faced closures, shortened hours, and exam adaptations during extreme heat, highlighting the risks of overheated classrooms and weak cooling infrastructure.
As Temperatures Soar in Baking Britain, How Are Workers Coping in the Heat?
| The Guardian | The Guardian | 24 Jun 2026
Schools and other public buildings are struggling with unsafe heat, showing why ventilation, cooling rooms, hydration, and infrastructure upgrades matter.
Schools Must Take Action When Heat Hits 30C
| GMB Union | GMB | 23 Jun 2026
The article urges schools to reduce physical demands, increase water breaks, use cooler spaces, and adjust uniforms when classroom temperatures rise.
Heatwaves Also Disrupt Learning
| UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein | UNICEF | 25 Jun 2026
UNICEF warns that climate-driven heatwaves disrupt education and threaten children’s health, development, and access to safe learning environments.
Understanding Children’s Climate Risks
| UNICEF USA | UNICEF USA | 26 Jun 2026
This explainer maps climate threats facing children, including heat, floods, drought, storms, and school-disrupting infrastructure damage.
The Children’s Climate Risk Report 2026
| UNICEF | UNICEF | 15 Jun 2026
UNICEF documents how overlapping climate hazards threaten children’s health, safety, education, nutrition, and access to essential services.
Children’s Climate Risk Report 2026
| UNICEF Data | UNICEF | 16 Jun 2026
This data resource shows where children face the greatest climate risks, helping schools and governments target resilience investments.
Nearly Half of the World’s Children Exposed to at Least Three Overlapping Climate Threats
| UNICEF | UNICEF | 17 Jun 2026
UNICEF reports that climate hazards such as heat, floods, fires, storms, and air pollution are increasingly threatening children’s health and education.
Half of World’s Children Exposed to at Least Three Climate Hazards, UNICEF Says
| The Guardian | The Guardian | 16 Jun 2026
The article explains how climate hazards damage roads, bridges, schools, and children’s access to safe education.
Almost All of World’s Children Exposed to Climate Hazards, UN Agency Says
| Reuters Staff | Reuters | 16 Jun 2026
Reuters summarizes UNICEF’s finding that children face widespread exposure to climate hazards, including extreme heat and drought.
Sensible Steps to Healthier School Environments
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | May 2026
EPA outlines practical steps for healthier schools, including indoor air quality, moisture control, pest management, waste reduction, and safer renovations.
Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality in Schools and Commercial Buildings
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA explains how schools and public buildings can reduce indoor smoke exposure with filtration, planning, air monitoring, and cleaner-air spaces.
Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 20 Apr 2026
EPA explains how wildfire smoke enters buildings and why filtration, source control, and indoor air planning are important for health.
Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 25 Feb 2026
This EPA resource supports smoke readiness planning, air quality monitoring, portable air cleaners, and cleaner-air shelters in public buildings.
Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings: Questions and Answers
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 12 Mar 2026
EPA answers questions about funding and eligible activities for improving smoke readiness in community buildings, including schools.
Indoor Air Quality
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA explains how ventilation, filtration, and source control reduce indoor pollutants that affect children, staff, and people with asthma.
Children’s Environmental Health Latest Updates
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2025
EPA shares updates on children’s environmental health, including school indoor air quality, asthma management, and safer learning environments.
Indoor Air Quality in Day-Care Centers, Kindergartens, and Schools
| C. Díaz-López et al. | Frontiers in Pediatrics | 2026
This review examines indoor air quality in child-care and school settings, including ventilation, pollutants, and health risks for young children.
Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Environment in Classrooms With Different Ventilation Systems
| REHVA Journal | REHVA | 2026
The article explains how classroom ventilation affects health, comfort, learning, and thermal conditions.
The Ventilation Problem in Schools: Literature Review
| Center for Green Schools | School Infrastructure | 2026
This literature review summarizes evidence that many classrooms are under-ventilated, affecting student health, learning, absenteeism, and energy use.
Open and Shut Case: The Benefits of Good Ventilation in Schools
| University of Leeds | University of Leeds | 25 May 2022
Researchers explain that ventilation can reduce respiratory disease spread and improve concentration and classroom performance.
Increasing Ventilation Reduces SARS-CoV-2 Airborne Transmission in Schools
| Luca Ricolfi et al. | arXiv | 5 Jul 2022
This school study links higher mechanical ventilation rates with lower airborne infection risk in classrooms.
A Ventilation Intervention Study in Classrooms to Improve Indoor Air Quality
| J.T.M. Rosbach et al. | Environmental Health | 2013
This classroom intervention study shows how ventilation improvements can reduce indoor carbon dioxide and improve learning conditions.
Guide to School Ventilation System Design
This guide explains school ventilation design, carbon dioxide monitoring, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality standards.
Ventilation Retrofit in Schools: Enhancing Air Quality for Health, Learning and Energy Efficiency
| Partel | Partel | 17 Dec 2024
The article describes how ventilation retrofits can improve school air quality while supporting energy efficiency and classroom comfort.
The Importance of Ventilation in Schools
| Vent Supply | Vent Supply | 2025
This article explains how school ventilation can reduce illness, absenteeism, classroom disruption, and virus transmission.
What Are the Likely Impacts of Rising Temperatures on Students and How Are Countries Adapting?
OECD reviews how rising temperatures affect learning and how countries are adapting schools through cooling, hydration, and heatwave policies.
Extreme Heat Adaptation in UK Schools
| Paavola et al. | SAGE Journals | 17 Mar 2026
This research examines barriers to school heat adaptation, including building quality, policy, leadership, and staff capacity.
As Classroom Temperatures Rise, Educators Organize to Protect Students and Staff
| Colin Davin | NEA Today | 20 May 2026
Educators are pushing for heat protections, building upgrades, and policy changes to protect students and staff in overheating classrooms.
Hot Days, Unsafe Schools? The Impact of Heat on School Shootings
| Seunghyun Lee and Goeun Lee | arXiv | 20 Jan 2026
This study explores links between high temperatures, student safety, aggression, supervision, and school violence risk.
Towards a Synergistic Design Framework for Health-Promoting Schools in Hot and Humid Climates
| Q. Lei et al. | Buildings | 2026
The paper studies school design for children facing hot and humid climate risks, emphasizing health, comfort, and climate resilience.
HeatReady Schools: A Novel Approach to Enhance Adaptive Capacity to Heat
| Researchers | ResearchGate | 19 May 2022
This study examines heat safety culture in schools and how school communities can prepare for, mitigate, and respond to extreme heat.
WHO Urges Schools Worldwide to Promote Healthy Eating for Children
| World Health Organization | WHO | 27 Jan 2026
WHO recommends whole-school food policies that make meals, snacks, and school food environments healthier for children.
Updates to the School Nutrition Standards
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | USDA Food and Nutrition Service | 2026
USDA explains updated nutrition standards for school meals, including limits on added sugars and sodium.
From Policy to Plate: Implications of 2025 U.S. Federal School Meal Policy
This article reviews school meal policy changes and their effects on nutrition, equity, and children’s health.
New School Food Standards: What Parents Need to Know
| Department for Education | Education Hub | 13 Apr 2026
England’s updated school food standards aim to increase fruit and vegetables while limiting fried foods, sugary desserts, salt, and saturated fat.
Pupils in England May Reject New Healthier School Lunches, Pilot Suggests
| Sally Weale | The Guardian | 14 Apr 2026
A pilot of healthier school food standards showed lower meal uptake, highlighting the need for student acceptance, funding, and careful implementation.
Minister Reveals Third of Hot School Meals Do Not Meet Nutritional Standards
| The Irish Sun | The Irish Sun | Feb 2026
Ireland’s hot school meals program faces nutrition concerns, showing the importance of inspections, standards, and food quality monitoring.
MAHA School Lunch Program Seeing Results Tackling Ultra-Processed Foods
| New York Post | New York Post | 23 Apr 2026
A school lunch pilot focused on reducing ultra-processed foods shows how food quality, kitchen equipment, and fresh preparation can affect children’s diets.
2026 Position Paper
| School Nutrition Association | School Nutrition Association | 2026
The School Nutrition Association discusses school meal standards, sodium, added sugar, artificial ingredients, and the realities of feeding students.
How More Nourishing, Sustainable School Meals Benefit Us All
| Rockefeller Foundation | Rockefeller Foundation | 28 Mar 2023
This article explains how healthier school meals can improve student well-being while supporting farmers, rural economies, and sustainable food systems.
Health Promoting Schools
| World Health Organization | WHO | 2026
WHO explains how schools can prevent disease and support healthy habits through nutrition, physical activity, mental health, hygiene, and safety.
Mental Health: Adolescent and School Health
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 29 Nov 2024
CDC summarizes youth mental health trends and why schools are important settings for prevention, connection, and support.
Mental Health Education
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 29 Nov 2024
CDC explains how classroom mental health education can improve literacy, reduce stigma, and help students seek support.
Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools
| Alliance for a Healthier Generation | Healthier Generation | 2026
This CDC-linked resource supports school strategies for promoting mental health, emotional well-being, and student connectedness.
Student Mental Health and Education
| Learning Policy Institute | Learning Policy Institute | 9 Jul 2025
This fact sheet summarizes evidence on school-based mental health services, counselors, school climate, and student outcomes.
Increasing Access to School-Based Mental Health Services for Students
| C. Brown et al. | PMC | 2025
This study examines rising demand for student mental health services and barriers to expanding care in schools.
Supporting Children’s Mental Health Needs in Disasters
| J.A. Hoffmann et al. | PMC | 2025
This article explains why schools are important for disaster preparedness, psychological first aid, and group interventions after traumatic events.
Supporting Student Mental Health After Natural Disasters
| M. Raniti | National Elf Service | Jan 2026
The article reviews evidence that school-based interventions can reduce PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety after disasters.
Mental Health and Crisis Preparedness Strategy in Schools
| Indepth Research Institute | Indepth Research | 15 Jun 2026
This article argues that resilient schools need both student mental health systems and crisis preparedness plans.
Integrating Mental Health Support in School Disaster Preparedness
| Researchers | ResearchGate | 8 May 2026
This study examines how mental health services can be included in school disaster preparedness to strengthen student resilience.
Integrating Mental Health Support in School Disaster Preparedness: The Role of School Administrators
This research focuses on rural schools and the role administrators play in linking disaster planning with mental health support.
CDC Report: Why Schools Are Crucial for Youth Suicide Prevention
| Christine Cauffield | Behavioral Health News | 22 Oct 2024
The article explains how schools can support suicide prevention through mental health literacy, peer programs, connectedness, and educator support.
Meta Settles First U.S. Case Over School Costs Tied to Youth Mental Health
| Reuters Staff | Reuters | 21 May 2026
School districts are seeking support for mental health costs linked to social media harms, showing the growing role of schools in youth mental health response.
D.C. Pulls Back on Vow to Put Mental Health Clinician in Every Public School
| Washington Post Staff | The Washington Post | 16 Nov 2025
The article shows how staffing shortages and funding gaps can limit school-based mental health care.
Children and School Preparedness
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC provides school preparedness resources for disasters, emergency care plans, traumatic events, and children with special healthcare needs.
Preparing for a School Emergency
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 28 Oct 2024
CDC recommends partnerships, emergency operations plans, supplies, staff training, exercises, and first aid skills for school emergencies.
Planning for Outbreaks, Epidemics, and Pandemics
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC explains how schools can add infectious disease planning to emergency operations plans before outbreaks or pandemics occur.
Planning Guides
| Federal Emergency Management Agency | FEMA | 17 Feb 2026
FEMA provides planning guidance for emergency managers, including institutions and education settings preparing for disasters.
Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans
| FEMA, U.S. Department of Education, and Partners | FEMA | 2020
This guide helps schools build emergency operations plans that address prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.
Role of Schools in Disaster Risk Management
| A. Marzban et al. | PMC | 2025
This article reviews how schools identify hazards, reduce risk, prepare staff and students, and support community disaster resilience.
An Evaluation of Disaster Preparedness Policy
| Z. Han et al. | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications | 2026
This study examines children’s disaster preparedness awareness and how youth programs can influence family preparedness actions.
The Impact of School-Based Disaster Education on Psychological Resilience
| F. Dolunay Cuğ et al. | BMC Psychology | 2026
This research finds that disaster education can strengthen psychological resilience among students, teachers, and school administrators.
School Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Planning 2026
| Secure Response Strategies | Secure Response Strategies | 1 Dec 2025
This checklist emphasizes risk assessment, emergency planning, staff training, communications, medical readiness, and school safety audits.
School Emergency and Crisis Response Plan 2025-2026
This district plan uses an all-hazards approach covering mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and coordination with local agencies.
Emergency Operations Plan 2026
| Shasta College | Shasta College | 2026
This emergency operations plan describes school legal requirements, coordination with emergency agencies, sheltering, recovery, and continuity planning.
National Association of School Nurses Position Statement on Emergency Preparedness
| National Association of School Nurses | SAGE Journals | 2026
School nurses emphasize emergency operations plans, communication, vulnerability assessment, staff training, and psychosocial support.
2026 Disaster Preparedness
| National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences | NEAFCS | 2026
Disaster preparedness education addresses family safety, food security, caregiving, emergency planning, and recovery after floods and storms.
Emergency and Disaster Preparedness for Urban Schools
| Climate and Development Knowledge Network | CDKN | 2021
This guide helps urban schools build disaster awareness, safety plans, risk communication, and neighborhood preparedness.
Disaster and Emergency Preparedness: Guidance for Schools
| International Finance Corporation | PreventionWeb | 2010
This handbook explains school disaster management through assessment, planning, physical protection, and response capacity.
Towards a Climate-Responsive and Nature-Positive Education System
This report argues that school infrastructure should integrate climate adaptation, resilience, safety, and environmental sustainability.
Reimagining Play in Schools: Global Teacher Perspectives
| B. Hyndman et al. | Educational Studies | 2026
Teachers describe how play supports learning, social development, and student well-being, while requiring thoughtful school design and safety practices.
Exploring Factors That Impact Playground Design Decisions
| A. Stringer et al. | Coventry University | 2026
This research identifies factors influencing playground design, including safety, risk, user demographics, finance, and aesthetics.
Playground Safety Week: How Communities Can Keep Playgrounds Safe
| Cunningham Recreation | Cunningham Recreation | 15 Apr 2026
The article explains how inspections, surfacing, maintenance, and planning reduce playground injuries in schools and community spaces.
SAFE Research and Information
| National Program for Playground Safety | PlaygroundSafety.org | 2026
This resource gathers playground safety research, inspection information, and evidence for safer play spaces.
2026 Playground Equipment Trends: First Look
| Rhino Play | Rhino Play | 25 Feb 2026
The article discusses durable playground equipment, recycled materials, weather resistance, inspections, and safety standards.
UK Launches First Play Safety Week Awareness Campaign
| Society of Local Council Clerks | SLCC | 6 Sept 2024
Play Safety Week promotes awareness of safe playgrounds, inspections, and injury prevention as children return to school.
Safer Routes to School and Student Safety
| Safe Routes Partnership | Safe Routes Partnership | 2026
Safe Routes resources help schools reduce traffic danger, support walking and biking, and improve student safety around campuses.
SchoolSafety.gov
| Federal School Safety Clearinghouse | SchoolSafety.gov | 2026
This federal clearinghouse provides resources on emergency planning, mental health, violence prevention, threat assessment, and school climate.
K-12 School Security Guide
| Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency | CISA | 2026
CISA’s guide helps schools assess vulnerabilities, strengthen physical security, and improve emergency planning without undermining school climate.
Protecting Children From Environmental Hazards at School
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA school resources cover indoor air quality, chemical safety, asthma triggers, pests, lead, and other environmental hazards in schools.
Healthy School Environments
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA explains how schools can improve environmental health through safer cleaning, air quality, ventilation, moisture control, and chemical management.
IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA’s action kit helps school teams identify and solve indoor air quality problems before they harm students or staff.
Creating Healthy Indoor Air Quality in Schools
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA explains practical steps schools can take to improve ventilation, reduce asthma triggers, manage moisture, and maintain healthier buildings.
Managing Asthma in the School Environment
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA connects school indoor air quality, asthma triggers, cleaning practices, pests, and ventilation with student health and attendance.
Preventing Spread of Infections in K-12 Schools
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC school infection prevention resources emphasize layered strategies such as staying home when sick, hygiene, ventilation, cleaning, and outbreak planning.
Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2024
CDC guidance explains layered prevention strategies for reducing respiratory virus spread in schools and early care settings.
Healthy Schools, Healthy People
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC provides school health resources on nutrition, physical activity, chronic disease prevention, mental health, and safer school environments.
School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC summarizes school strategies that support healthier eating, physical activity, and long-term disease prevention.
Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
The WSCC model links health education, nutrition, physical education, counseling, climate, family engagement, and community supports.
School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | USDA Food and Nutrition Service | 2026
USDA research examines the nutrition quality, cost, participation, and dietary effects of school meal programs.
School Meals Are Healthy Meals
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | USDA Food and Nutrition Service | 2026
USDA explains the nutrition standards and health role of school breakfast and lunch programs.
Farm to School
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | USDA Food and Nutrition Service | 2026
Farm to School programs connect students with local foods, nutrition education, school gardens, and healthier food systems.
Local School Wellness Policy
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | USDA Food and Nutrition Service | 2026
Local wellness policies help schools set goals for nutrition, physical activity, health education, and food marketing.
School Meals and Food Safety
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | USDA Food and Nutrition Service | 2026
USDA food safety resources help schools prevent contamination, train food workers, and protect students from foodborne illness.
Food Safety in Schools
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC food safety resources explain how schools and families can prevent foodborne illness through safe handling, storage, cooking, and cleaning.
Norovirus Prevention in Schools and Childcare
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC explains how handwashing, cleaning, staying home when sick, and outbreak response reduce norovirus spread in schools.
Clean Hands and Spaces
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC hygiene resources support handwashing and cleaning practices that reduce infections in schools and childcare settings.
School Water Quality and Lead
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA explains why schools and childcare facilities should test drinking water for lead and take corrective action.
3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA’s 3Ts program helps schools train, test, and take action to reduce lead in drinking water.
Pest Management in Schools
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA recommends integrated pest management to reduce pest allergens and pesticide exposure in school buildings.
Mold Resources for Schools
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA explains how moisture control, maintenance, ventilation, and cleanup prevent mold problems in school buildings.
Cleaning and Disinfecting Schools
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC explains when cleaning is enough, when disinfecting is needed, and how schools can avoid unnecessary chemical exposure.
Chemical Safety in Schools
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA helps schools safely store, handle, remove, and manage chemicals used in labs, maintenance, cleaning, and art classrooms.
Laboratory Safety in Schools
| National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health | CDC/NIOSH | 2026
NIOSH lab safety resources help schools reduce chemical, biological, and physical hazards in science classrooms.
School Bus Safety
| National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | NHTSA | 2026
NHTSA explains school bus safety design, stop-arm laws, pedestrian safety, and ways to protect children around buses.
Preventing Child Pedestrian Injuries
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC pedestrian safety resources help schools and communities reduce injuries near campuses, crosswalks, and bus stops.
Safe Routes to School Programs
| U.S. Department of Transportation | DOT | 2026
Safe Routes to School programs improve walking and biking safety through infrastructure, education, enforcement, and community planning.
Youth Violence Prevention
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC youth violence prevention resources support school climates that reduce bullying, fights, weapon carrying, and violence risk.
Bullying Prevention
| U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | StopBullying.gov | 2026
This federal resource helps schools prevent bullying through climate, supervision, reporting, support, and evidence-based intervention.
Threat Assessment and Reporting
| Federal School Safety Clearinghouse | SchoolSafety.gov | 2026
SchoolSafety.gov explains how multidisciplinary threat assessment can identify concerning behavior and connect students with help.
School Climate
| Federal School Safety Clearinghouse | SchoolSafety.gov | 2026
A positive school climate supports safety, belonging, mental health, attendance, and violence prevention.
Emergency Planning
| Federal School Safety Clearinghouse | SchoolSafety.gov | 2026
This resource helps schools plan for emergencies through prevention, protection, mitigation, response, recovery, and exercises.
Lessons Learned From School Emergency Exercises
| Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center | REMS TA Center | 2026
REMS provides training and technical assistance on school emergency operations plans, drills, tabletop exercises, and recovery.
Creating Cleaner Air Spaces in Schools
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
Cleaner-air spaces help schools protect children during wildfire smoke by using filtration, room selection, and air quality monitoring.
Portable Air Cleaners and Furnace or HVAC Filters in the Home
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA explains filtration principles that can also guide schools using portable air cleaners and upgraded HVAC filters.
ASHRAE Guideline 44: Protecting Building Occupants From Smoke
ASHRAE’s smoke guidance helps schools and public buildings plan filtration, ventilation, and operations during wildfire smoke events.
Schools as Cleaner Air and Cooling Centers
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2025
EPA highlights how schools can serve as cleaner-air and cooling centers when buildings are prepared for smoke and heat.
Extreme Heat and Your Health
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC explains heat illness risks, warning signs, hydration, cooling, and protection for children and other vulnerable groups.
Heat and Children
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC identifies children as vulnerable to heat and explains why schools need hydration, cooling, shade, and activity adjustments.
Protecting Students From Wildfire Smoke and Heat
| AirNow and Partner Agencies | AirNow | 2026
AirNow resources help schools understand smoke exposure, AQI, outdoor activity decisions, and indoor protection.
AirNow School Flag Program
The School Flag Program helps schools communicate daily air quality and adjust outdoor activity to protect children.
Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative
| American Lung Association | American Lung Association | 2026
This initiative helps schools reduce asthma triggers, support students with asthma, and improve indoor air quality.
Indoor Environmental Quality in Schools
| National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health | CDC/NIOSH | 2026
NIOSH explains how ventilation, moisture, pollutants, cleaning products, and building maintenance affect indoor environmental quality.
Reducing Health Risks From School Renovations
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA encourages schools to improve health during renovations by addressing indoor air, moisture, chemicals, pests, and hazardous materials.
Safer School Facilities for a Changing Climate
| National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities | NCEF | 2026
Facility planning resources help schools think about building safety, maintenance, emergency preparedness, and climate resilience.
State and Local School Ventilation Investments
| U.S. Department of Education | Department of Education | 2026
Federal relief funds supported school ventilation, HVAC upgrades, health measures, and learning recovery after the pandemic.
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Annual Performance Report
| U.S. Department of Education | Department of Education | 13 Jun 2024
This report documents how pandemic relief funds supported school operations, ventilation, health protections, and student recovery.
Schools and Childcare Centers
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC resources help schools prepare for disasters affecting children, including evacuation, reunification, supplies, and special healthcare needs.
Helping Children Cope With Emergencies
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC explains how schools and families can support children emotionally after disasters, violence, illness outbreaks, and other traumatic events.
Reunification After School Emergencies
| REMS TA Center | U.S. Department of Education | 2026
This resource helps schools plan safe family reunification after evacuations, lockdowns, disasters, or other emergencies.
Continuity of Operations Planning for Schools
| REMS TA Center | U.S. Department of Education | 2026
Continuity planning helps schools keep essential services operating during disasters, outbreaks, cyberattacks, and infrastructure failures.
Cybersecurity for K-12 Schools
| Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency | CISA | 2026
CISA provides cybersecurity resources to protect school operations, student data, communications, and emergency response systems.
K-12 Digital Infrastructure Brief: Defending Schools Against Cyber Threats
| Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency | CISA | 2026
This guide helps schools address ransomware, phishing, data breaches, and cyber disruptions that can affect safety and continuity.
School Health Services
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC explains how school health services support chronic disease management, emergency care, medication access, prevention, and student attendance.
School Nurses and Student Safety
| National Association of School Nurses | NASN | 2026
NASN position statements support school nursing roles in emergency preparedness, chronic disease care, mental health, and health equity.
Healthy and Safe Swimming at Schools
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC swimming safety resources help schools reduce drowning, waterborne illness, and injury risks in aquatic programs.
Sports Safety and Concussion Prevention
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC HEADS UP resources help schools recognize, respond to, and prevent concussions in sports and physical education.
Physical Activity Before, During, and After School
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC explains how schools can increase safe physical activity through recess, PE, active transport, and after-school programs.
Safe School Recess and Outdoor Activity During Poor Air Quality
Air quality activity guides help schools decide when to modify recess, sports, and outdoor learning to reduce pollution exposure.
School Gardens and Food Safety
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | USDA Food and Nutrition Service | 2026
School garden resources connect nutrition education with safe growing, harvesting, and food preparation practices.
School Food Waste Reduction
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA helps schools reduce food waste while improving sustainability, student engagement, and cafeteria operations.
Safer Cleaning Choices for Schools
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA Safer Choice | 2026
EPA Safer Choice helps schools identify cleaning products that reduce chemical exposure while maintaining hygiene.
Lead-Safe Schools
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA lead resources help schools and families understand exposure risks from paint, dust, soil, and drinking water.
Radon in Schools
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA explains how schools can test for radon and reduce exposure to this indoor air hazard.
Asbestos and School Buildings
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA explains asbestos requirements for schools and why inspections, management plans, and trained professionals are essential.
PCBs in Building Materials
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | EPA | 2026
EPA explains how older building materials can contain PCBs and why schools need safe assessment and management.
Safer Schools Through Evidence-Based Public Health
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
CDC’s school health resources show how prevention science can make schools safer through nutrition, physical activity, mental health, hygiene, and preparedness.
Building Climate-Resilient Schools
UNICEF education resources explain why climate-resilient schools need safe buildings, disaster planning, water, sanitation, and continuity of learning.
Comprehensive School Safety Framework
The framework organizes school safety around safe facilities, disaster management, risk reduction education, and resilience.
School Safety and Disaster Risk Reduction
| PreventionWeb | PreventionWeb | 2026
PreventionWeb collects resources on school disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, preparedness, and safe learning environments.
Making Schools Safer With Science
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026
Science-based school safety combines emergency planning, disease prevention, heat protection, environmental health, nutrition, mental health, and disaster resilience.
