The U.S. Department of Education released guidance Friday on how schools, colleges, and universities can utilize federal assistance to upgrade their ventilation systems before the new school year. The guidance comes as officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that the United States is at a "critical juncture" in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, as the delta variant has led to a surge in infections and hospitalizations. The more contagious variant has already forced some summer camps to close after an outbreak of COVID-19 among children, raising questions about the ability of schools to reopen full-time, five days a week, for face-to-face learning.
"Protecting our schools and communities from the spread of COVID-19 is the first step toward getting more students back to face-to-face learning and recovering from this crisis stronger than ever," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. "Through the American Rescue Program, schools and districts now have unprecedented access to resources that will allow them to ensure proper ventilation and maintain healthy learning and working environments."
Cardona will visit Lake Kelly Elementary School in Decatur, Georgia, on Friday - a school that plans to use federal relief to improve indoor air quality before welcoming all of its students back to school for face-to-face learning next month. "We are committed to helping the community determine how to use these resources quickly and effectively as they prepare to welcome all students back to on-site learning this fall," he said. The guide outlines how schools can use funds from each round of federal coronavirus relief to improve indoor air quality, including $122 billion for K-12 schools from the American Rescue Program.
View all 496 imagesFunds can be used for inspections, testing, maintenance, repairs, replacements, and upgrades to improve indoor air quality in school facilities, including mechanical and nonmechanical heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, filtration, purification, fans, control systems, and window and door repairs.
Specifically, the money can be used for inspections, testing and maintenance of existing ventilation systems; purchase of portable air filtration units and filters for HVAC systems; purchase of fans; repair of windows and doors so they can be opened to allow fresh air in; repair or upgrade of industry-standard HVAC systems; purchase of outdoor curriculum equipment; purchase of carbon dioxide monitors and airflow capture hoods;. And pay for increased heating and cooling costs due to the increased use of these systems.
The vast majority of students ended the 2020-21 school year with at least some virtual learning. Cardona has been urging the district to reopen face-to-face learning five days a week for the upcoming school year.