Project Overview
North Central School IPM Working Group
Commodities
- Community and Urban Pest Management: public health, school & child care
Target Pests
Practices
- Pest Management: chemical control, exclusion, prevention
- Sustainable Communities: other, public participation, public policy, quality of life, sustainability measures
Proposal abstract:
The IPM Institute of North America's North Central School IPM Working Group (WG) aims to build on its proven success in promoting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices in schools. Expanding IPM adoption in schools is essential to improve environmental health and educational outcomes. Successful school IPM programs help improve student attendance (reduce absenteeism), particularly among those affected by asthma, by reducing pesticide use and minimizing pest allergens (Gouge et al., 2023; US EPA, 2016). Pest and pesticide hazards in schools pose significant risks to the health and safety of students and staff. Approximately 37% of children with asthma in the US are allergic to cockroaches and another 40% are allergic to mice (US EPA, 2016; Matsui, 2013). Pesticide applications can further inflame the immune response in children's lungs (Ye et al., 2013). Asthma remains a leading cause of school absenteeism, with 4 out of 9 children missing school annually due to poorly controlled asthma (NHLBI, 2020). These health impacts underscore the urgency of implementing effective IPM programs in schools. IPM has been shown to reduce both pesticide use and pest-related problems (Gouge et al., 2023; US EPA, 2016). By providing improved access to IPM training, resources and expertise, the WG and the proposed work will help increase the number of schools adopting effective IPM programs to improve the health and safety of students and reduce absenteeism associated with asthma and other pest-related issues. The WG has a strong track record of advancing IPM in schools across the region by developing and disseminating high-quality, no-cost educational resources for school staff, IPM trainers and students. Students in urban settings, such as those at our partner schools, may have fewer opportunities for experiential learning in outdoor environments, which we have provided through our previous workshops. The WG plans to expand Pest Defense training and resources in 2025 to further our goal of increasing knowledge and implementation of IPM practices among K-12 students and school communities. Our planned objectives for 2025 align with our past work and aim to deepen the impact of our efforts:
Objective 1. Sustain and expand IPM resources: Maintain and grow the Pest Defense for Healthy Schools program as a central hub for school IPM resources through webinars, newsletters and blog posts while strategically expanding the Working Group.
Objective 2. Enhance school IPM expertise: Expand school IPM expertise by developing new partnerships and creating Pest Defense courses to address the specific school IPM and pesticide applicator regulations in North Central states.
Objective 3. Integrate IPM into school curricula: Incorporate IPM principles and Pest Defense courses into K-12 curricula through interactive programs, engaging students and educators in IPM practices that promote long-term environmental and health benefits.
Project objectives from proposal:
Objective 1. Sustain and expand IPM resources: Maintain and grow the Pest Defense for Healthy Schools program as a central hub for school IPM resources through webinars, newsletters and blog posts while strategically expanding the Working Group.
Objective 2. Enhance school IPM expertise: Expand school IPM expertise by developing new partnerships and creating Pest Defense courses to address the specific school IPM and pesticide applicator regulations in North Central states.
Objective 3. Integrate IPM into school curricula: Incorporate IPM principles and Pest Defense courses into K-12 curricula through interactive programs, engaging students and educators in IPM practices that promote long-term environmental and health benefits.
