How does Indoor Air Quality impact student health and academic performance?

Recent research suggests that a school’s physical environment also can play a major role in academic performance. Leaky roofs; problems with heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, known as HVAC systems; insufficient cleaning or excessive use of cleaning chemicals; and other maintenance issues can trigger a host of health problems — including asthma and allergies — that increase absenteeism and reduce academic performance. Research links key environmental factors to health outcomes and students’ ability to perform. Improvements in school environmental quality can enhance academic performance, as well as teacher and staff productivity and retention.

Download, read and use the Key Findings document (PDF, 2 pp., 196 K, about PDF)

Academic performance	Academic Performance Index
The measure of school quality, and school districts are always looking for ways to improve their performance. They focus on curricula, class size, teacher proficiency, social-emotional environment, nutrition and availability of academic and health resources and technologies.	A metric that is frequently calculated based on standardized test scores. Factors such as attendance and graduation rates may be considered as well. Factors included for measurement vary by state.

Read About

• The latest scientific data on indoor environmental quality, health and academic performance.
• Examples of school districts that have successfully coordinated and integrated IAQ maintenance and health programs to provide evidence from the field.
• Recommendations on what you can do to help you move forward towards a better indoor environment for your school.

Learn More

• Why is the Physical Environment of a School So Important?
• What Environmental Factors are Important and Practical to Address?
• What Actions Have Real School Districts Taken and What Results Have They Seen?
• How Much Improvement Can You Expect in Academic Performance and Health?