Cleaner classrooms correspond directly to higher quality indoor air--impacting student health, attendance, cognitive functions, test scores, behavior, and long-term life outcomes.
The Clean Schools Better Outcomes Pipeline
Recently, much has been made regarding the alleged pipeline from public schools to potentially socially undesirable outcomes.
One rarely mentioned correlation to this phenomenon is the presence and pervasiveness of indoor air pollution within the same school district buildings battling these myriad social challenges.
In short, several studies provide clear evidence demonstrating the impact of poor indoor air quality in the classroom and student behavioral health issues.
According to a 2021 paper published by Science Direct;
[...] several studies have shown that student behaviors can be affected by increased concentrations of PM2.
The effects of student behavior are methodically affected by indoor particular matter concentrations more than any other physical parameter in classrooms, including meteorological parameters, which is also confirmed in this paper.
Student behavior is affected both directly and indirectly by elevated indoor particular matter concentrations through the presence of students and the resuspension of previously deposited particles, respectively.
Indoor PM2.5 concentrations and students’ behavior in primary school classrooms
Further, while direct causation between indoor air pollution and student behavior challenges has yet to be established, a growing body of evidence suggests that the combination of ill effects of indoor air pollution plays a significant role in declining student behavioral health.
One of the most insidious aspects of poor indoor air quality is how often the symptoms play off one another.
One symptom makes another more likely. And together, they are far more detrimental to our students.
A student experiencing drops in their performance because of poor indoor air quality.
Their grades suffer.
Because of this, they are more likely to act out in class or display negative or disengaged behaviors.
These behaviors affect their peers, who may also be suffering from other negative effects of poor air quality.
Worried About Your School’s Indoor Air Quality? 7 Warning Signs to Watch For
From these studies, it is reasonable to hypothesize that improving classroom indoor air quality will positively impact long-term social outcomes.
That theory is supported, in part, by the documented improvement in student test scores where even minimal investments into improved indoor air quality are made.
A 2016 Israel study found that high rates of pollution on the day of an exam tamped down high school test scores.
The same students scored higher on different test dates with cleaner air.
Boys and low-income students were the most affected.
A 2019 draft, working paper of a study on university students in London also found that exposure to indoor air pollutants was associated with lower exam test scores.
Again, males were more affected than females and the mental acuity problems were triggered by particulate levels that were below current guidelines at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Cost Effective Methods for Increasing Indoor Air Quality in the Classroom
Improving indoor air quality is far from an exact science and is often subject to the volume of outdoor air pollution.
However, in general, positive inroads can be made by:
- Replacing conventional cleaning and air freshener products with Safer Choice or Green Seal certifications and natural ventilation.
- Cleaning the classroom daily.
- Upgrading HVAC filters to a minimum level of MERV-13, which may also help prevent the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
- Increasing the airflow through the classroom through natural or mechanical means.
- Sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming daily, and;
- Installing walkway and entry mats to trap particulate matter.
References & Resources
- Who is Most Affected by the School to Prison Pipeline?
- Indoor Air Quality and Student Performance: Evidence from A Large Scale Field Study in Primary Schools
- How School Air Quality Affects Students
- 5 Ways Safe and Clean Schools Can Engage Students
Takeaway
Improvements to classroom indoor air quality have been shown to positively impact:
- Students' feelings of safety.
- Lower dropout rates.
- More learning time.
- Cleaner air.
- More engaged teachers.
- Better test scores.
Improving indoor air quality may also have a positive impact on student behavior.
Onboarding the requisite labor and material resources may prove cost-prohibitive for many districts.
Outsourcing is a proven method for onboarding highly in-demand cleaning and disinfection services and experience for a fraction of the price of maintaining a similar service in-house.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation on-site assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield, CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno, CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia, CA, or Santa Clarita, CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Palmdale, CA, or Lancaster, CA, call (661) 371-4756
