Protecting Vermont’s Children from Poor Indoor Air Quality: A Report Card on Act 125

Introduction Improving indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools is essential to providing safe and healthy learning environments for children. Harmful chemicals found in cleaning supplies, pesticides, and other products can negatively impact the health of students. A growing awareness of this problem has resulted in the implementation of IAQ and “healthy schools” reform policies in states and school districts across the country. The United States Environmental Protection Agency introduced its IAQ Tools for Schools program in 1996, and Vermont responded to the “healthy schools” movement in 2000 by passing Act 125. Act 125 resulted in the creation of the Envision: Promoting Healthy School Environments program (administered by the Vermont Department of Health) and relied on the voluntary participation of schools to establish and maintain environmental health management plans. Unfortunately, this voluntary program has not only failed to meet its established goals, but has clearly failed to protect the majority of Vermont’s children and school personnel from polluted indoor air. This report card examines the problems associated with poor indoor air quality, the impact of Act 125, the reasons behind its failing grade, and recommendations to create healthier learning environments across the state.