Student Well-Being

Wildfire Haze and Poor Air Quality: Here’s How Schools Are Responding

By Caitlynn Peetz — June 08, 2023 | Updated: June 08, 2023 4 min read
Students in a 10th grade English class at Pelham Memorial High School look outside the windows of their classroom on June 7, 2023, in Pelham, NY., as a yellow haze of smoke from wildfires in Canada blanket the area.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Updated: This story was updated to note that Philadelphia schools will hold remote classes on Friday, June 9, due to poor air quality.

As smoke from Canadian wildfires has drifted south this week, blanketing large swaths of the United States, school leaders have had to make crucial decisions about how to keep children safe. It’s a reality experts say will become increasingly common as a warming planet threatens to dramatically alter daily life.

A thick layer of hazy smoke from the more than 200 wildfires is settling over parts of the Northeast and Midwest this week—and even as far south as Dallas—coating skies in gray or orange and triggering air quality alerts, with some areas reporting their worst-ever air quality on record. On Tuesday evening, New York City had the worst air quality in the world among major cities, according to one tracker.

The smoke can be dangerous for people to inhale, especially those with lung or heart conditions. Experts have urged people in affected areas to remain indoors as much as possible, wear masks when outdoors, and use indoor air purifiers when possible.

The smoke is expected to lighten over the weekend, but as wildfire seasons intensify thanks, in part, to climate change, experts have cautioned that similar problems will likely only become more common in the coming years.

“We know this won’t be the last time we have a moment like this, and we need to take it very seriously,” said Jonathan Klein, founder of UndauntedK12, a national nonprofit that focuses on schools’ response to the climate crisis.

So, where does that leave schools?

Although schools in the West, like in California and Oregon, have become accustomed to periods of heavy wildfire smoke, the U.S. regions affected this week are less accustomed to dealing with poor air quality.

Many districts—including Baltimore, Md., and Washington, D.C.—have taken steps to limit students’ time outdoors, moving recesses inside and canceling or postponing athletics and extracurricular activities. At this time of year, graduation ceremonies have also been a casualty. Some schools, like in Yonkers, N.Y., canceled classes altogether on Thursday.

Philadelphia’s school district on Thursday advised students to wear masks while commuting to and from school and moved outdoor activities indoors or canceled them. The city’s schools will hold classes remotely on Friday, as will New York City schools.

Smoke is dangerous for everyone, especially children

It’s important that schools take reports of unhealthy air seriously, Klein said, because the consequences of exposure can have serious impacts on children.

Children are more vulnerable to air pollution than adults, and exposure can significantly affect their lung function and development, as well as brain development. There is some evidence that poor air quality can contribute to the development of autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to a report released in April by the Environmental Protection Agency.

AirNow—a partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other federal agencies—tracks air quality across the country. The organization’s maps this week have been dotted with yellow, red, and purple in the areas where air quality has been moderately or very unhealthy.

See Also

Image of a group of children holding up a planet outdoors
E+/Getty Images

What schools can do to prepare for future fires

In a guide for schools about outdoor activities and air quality, AirNow recommends that schools move all outdoor activities indoors (or cancel them) when air quality is deemed very unhealthy.

When an area’s air quality is “moderate” or unhealthy for sensitive groups, it’s important to take frequent breaks during outdoor activities, the guide says. The breaks are important, according to the guide, because children breathe harder when they are doing strenuous activities, which means more pollutants can enter their lungs.

And as climate change continues to necessitate changes to school activities and basic routines, it’s important that school leaders recognize it can be unsettling for students, and it is helpful to have a plan about how to discuss students’ concerns.

A nationally representative EdWeek Research Center survey last year found that 37 percent of teenagers feel anxious when they think about climate change and its effects, and more than a third feel afraid. Many also said they feel helpless and overwhelmed.

Ultimately, there’s not much schools can do to control the air quality outside, but they don’t have to be caught flat-footed indoors, Klein said.

The key: updating and maintaining ventilation systems.

Headed into the summer break, it’s the perfect time for district leaders to sit down and evaluate their HVAC systems and identify needed improvements or repairs, then come up with a plan for funding and addressing those needs, Klein said. The plan should go building by building, he said, rather than be generalized for an entire district.

Schools that rely on antiquated technology are likely contributing to the climate crisis—more than 60 percent of school HVAC systems’ energy use is tied to on-site burning of fossil fuels, a report released in January found. That report suggested schools invest in heat pumps instead, as they require less energy to operate and generate cleaner air.

Many districts have started to address HVAC shortfalls in recent years, as an influx of federal pandemic relief funds created an opening to move forward with long-sidelined projects and the pandemic highlighted the need for proper ventilation to reduce the spread of airborne contaminants.

Forty-seven percent of districts that responded to a recent survey by the Association of School Business Officials said they spent some of that money to catch up on HVAC projects.

“This is very important,” Klein said. “We have to get it right and take it seriously. Children’s health depends on it.”

Caitlyn Meisner, Newsroom Intern and Lydia McFarlane, Newsroom Intern contributed to this article.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Mathematics Webinar
Pave the Path to Excellence in Math
Empower your students' math journey with Sue O'Connell, author of “Math in Practice” and “Navigating Numeracy.”
Content provided by hand2mind
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Recruitment & Retention Webinar
Combatting Teacher Shortages: Strategies for Classroom Balance and Learning Success
Learn from leaders in education as they share insights and strategies to support teachers and students.
Content provided by DreamBox Learning
Classroom Technology K-12 Essentials Forum Reading Instruction and AI: New Strategies for the Big Education Challenges of Our Time
Join the conversation as experts in the field explore these instructional pain points and offer game-changing guidance for K-12 leaders and educators.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Student Well-Being Opinion What Data-Driven SEL Has Done for My District
Here’s how data can transform social-emotional learning, writes an SEL district coordinator.
Michael Mallery Jr.
4 min read
Multi colored vector illustration of group of stylized people
Digital Vision Vectors/Getty
Student Well-Being Busting Myths and Misconceptions About Motivating Students
Three experts in motivation weigh in on how to help students stay engaged and focused in school.
4 min read
Students with raised hands.
E+ / Getty
Student Well-Being Free Meals for All Students Is Best Way to Combat Hunger, Report Concludes
Some students say the quality of free meals has declined over the past few years.
3 min read
Students eat lunch at Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School in New York on Dec. 10, 2019.
Students eat lunch at Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School in New York City on Dec. 10, 2019.
Seth Wenig/AP
Student Well-Being Opinion Are Your Students Frustrated? That’s Not Always Bad
Before you talk a student out of doing a difficult project, consider the potential upside.
Amy Edmondson
1 min read
Images shows a stylized artistic landscape with soothing colors.
Getty