The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) is advising schools that they can use American Rescue Plan (ARP) education funds to improve indoor air quality for in-person instruction, including through:
- Inspection, testing, and maintenance of current ventilation systems and approaches
- Purchasing portable air filtration units, such as HEPA air filters
- Purchasing MERV-13 (or higher) filters for your HVAC system and ACs
- Purchasing fans
- Repairing windows and/or doors so that they can open to let fresh air in
- Servicing or upgrading HVAC systems consistent with industry standards
- Purchasing equipment to run outdoor classes
- Purchasing carbon dioxide (CO2) monitors, air flow capture hoods, and anemometers for custodians and building personnel to assess ventilation
- Paying for increased heating/cooling costs due to increased use of heating/cooling systems
- Other spending that supports inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, replacement, and upgrade projects to improve the indoor air quality in school facilities, including mechanical and non-mechanical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, filtering, purification and other air cleaning, fans, control systems, and window and door repair.
USDE is also providing the following additional resources:
- CDC information on improving ventilation in schools at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/ventilation.html, in buildings at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/ventilation.html, and in homes at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/Improving-Ventilation-Home.html.
- EPA resources on indoor air quality tools for schools at https://www.epa.gov/iaq-schools.
- Resources related to Lessons from the Field webinar featuring CDC, EPA, and U.S. Department of Education, along with district leaders at https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/events/webinar/lessons-field-indoor-air-quality-and-ventilation-america%E2%80%99s-k-12-schools-guidance-and.
- CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly report on the efficacy of HEPA filters and masking to reduce exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19 at https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7027e1.htm?s_cid=mm7027e1_w.
- ASHRAE guidance for reopening schools at https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/reopening-of-schools-and-universities.
- National Energy Management Institute and U.C. Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute White Paper on Proposed Ventilation and Energy Efficiency Verification/Repair Program for School Reopening at https://ucdavis.app.box.com/v/ProposedVentilationProgram.
For more information from USDE, click here.