When students are not in school, they pay the price in more ways than one. Chronically absent students can cost counties millions of dollars per year.
Although states differ on how they calculate the Average Daily Attendance (ADA), nearly every state uses some type of ADA formula to calculate funding for schools. As this white paper indicates, at least 45 states based their primary funding to schools on ADA.
One-Fifth of the U.S. Population Attends or Works in Schools
Schools are an integral part of our society and when students or teachers are absent it impacts the entire economy of the country. Lost wage hours are measured in the billions of dollars as reported in The Encyclopedia of Health Economics due to parents having to stay home from work to either be with their children or catching the latest virus from their school-age children. As a result, illness in schools is expensive in more ways than one.
A recent study by the University of Minnesota reported that teachers are absent from school due to illness even more than students.
Teachers average 5.3 days per year whereas students are absent 4.5 days each year. They provide the following formula for calculating what teacher absenteeism is costing schools – “Number of teacher sick days per year x the daily fee or a substitute = your school’s cost for teacher illness.”
With such a large segment of our population spending at least 6-8 hours every day in school buildings, we have almost epidemic levels of illness every year in our public and private schools.
Signs of Air Trouble
- Unusual or noticeable odors, stale, or stuffy air
- Clear lack of air movement
- Dirty or faulty central heating or air conditioning
- Damaged flue pipes or chimneys
- Excessive humidity (above 50%)
- Molds and mildew
- Health reaction after construction, renovation
- Feeling healthier outside the building
Causes of Indoor Air Hazards
- Molds, mildews
- Pests (rodents, roaches, dust mites)
- Carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide
- Secondhand smoke
Stagnant Air is a Major Contributor to School Illness
“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that the air in homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air.” According to researchers at the University of Rochester, “indoor air pollution can cause big health problems.”
People in general, and especially the staff, teachers, and students of schools spend the majority of their time indoors and are surprised to learn that indoor air is actually worse than outdoor air. Children exposed to the germs and other air pollutants found in indoor air are far more likely to suffer from chronic illness.
Trapped Air is Breeding Ground for Germs and Odors
Nearly every school building in the country has areas where air is trapped or stagnant. This trapped air is a great hiding place for germs, odors, and other pollutants. The bad news is that nearly every building has areas of stagnant air. The good news is that Airius Fans has a solution to the problem.
Airius PHI Unit Can Mitigate Airborne Germs and Fight Mold
The installation of Airius fans increases the movement of air, mitigating stagnation. In addition, Airius offers a specially designed Photohydroionization (PHI) cell. This unit fights mold, bacteria, viruses, VOCs by circulating Hydro-Peroxides, superoxide ions, and hydroxide ions throughout the space, neutralizing more than 99 percent of micro-organisms.
PHI’s proven technology can reduce sick building syndrome, reduce gases/VOCs/odors, and maintain healthy environments. PHI is available as a factory installed option for select Air Pear free hanging fans, Air Pear suspended ceiling fans, and Designer Series fans.
Increase Attendance with Specialized Equipment for Schools
Because we recognize the importance of keeping teachers and students in school, Airius developed special equipment for schools and similar environments. Click here to learn more about the full benefits of the Air Pear System with a PHI Cell.
