Yesterday, Barbara Byrd-Bennett, CEO of Chicago Public
Schools, outlined the districts action plan for the Chicago Public Schools, The Next Generation: Chicago's Children. I welcome the forethought to provide a clear
statement of expectations from which all stakeholders can begin discussions
about improving the quality of education for all students, and how the health of students plays a big role in that improvement.
As I read through the pillars of the plan - and the previously released Healthy CPS Action Plan, especially pillars two and five, one thought occurs to me: if the action
plan does not include establishing and delivering on a healthy learning environment, including a baseline of thermal,
visual, and acoustic comfort, and basic indoor air quality in every school over the next five years (which the Healthy CPS plan does not), the plan is just window
dressing.
Over the past ten years, the Board of Education has openedover twenty-five new schools that meet modern standards for adequate
ventilation, lighting, heating, and acoustics.
Studies have shown that these types of learning environments improve
test scores, reduce absenteeism, and improve student health. Much of the current public school building
stock does not meet these standards, and subject students and teachers to
varying levels of stress in their learning environments. Add to this, students who may receive
inadequate nutrition (which CPS has begun to address through a Healthy Snack and Beverage policy), and we can no longer talk about equality of opportunity. If the focus of school improvement is going
to rest almost solely on how student test scores improve, an administration
that does not provide an equal foundation for student health while in their
care cannot justify a system that expects equal performance.
The beauty of committing to a focus on the learning environment
is that CPS already has most of what they need to accomplish it. Through training of building management staff and increased attention to operational procedures,
most of the issues can be identified and remediated. Those that require
some level of capital investment can be prioritized and addressed over a
reasonable timeframe within the currently available capital funding. Although the plan suggests ten years, prioritizing healthy learning environments could - and should - achieve this basic equality within five.
Implementing quality school learning environments fits completely within the plan announced yesterday, and will complement the existing metrics proposed. Within the "high quality facility ratings" noted in pillar 5 above, CPS needs to measure and report the following:
1. Building's compliance with ASHRAE* 62.1 ventilation standard.
2. Building's compliance with ASHRAE* 55 thermal comfort standard.
3. Building's compliance with IESNA* lighting and daylighting comfort standards.
4. ANSI* standards for acoustic comfort.
Each of these standards has national acceptance and recognition, and provides a clear and easily communicated framework for both evaluation and reporting. I look forward to the district adding these common-sense provisions to its commitment to improving student health so that, in the words of David Vitale, "we can shift the culture of CPS to one that has high expectations for students, staff and families that is grounded in continuous improvement." I hope the district administration holds itself to an equally high standard.
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