Eliminating Lead Risks in Schools and Child Care Facilities - A United and Urgent Call to Action for Children

Oct 15, 2026

Eliminating Lead Risks in Schools and Child Care Facilities presents a coordinated call to prioritize reducing lead hazards for children, especially those in school and child care settings. It summarizes expert consensus that no safe level of lead exists for children and links elevated blood lead levels to cognitive and behavioral harms. The report highlights ongoing exposure sources such as old paint, contaminated dust, and drinking water, while addressing gaps including lead in manufactured and recycled goods. It emphasizes prevention at the population level to protect vulnerable groups through comprehensive, coordinated campaigns.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages40

Reading Time1 h 41 min

AccessFree to download

Workshop Report

APPENDICES

A Workshop Agenda

B Workshop Attendees and Facilitator

C Post-Workshop Updates

D Presentation Summaries

E Breakout Group Expanded Summaries

F Resources Recommended by Workshop Attendees

Eliminating Lead Risksin Schools and Child Care Facilities: A United and Urgent Call to Action for Children 2018 Healthy Schools Network Acknowledgments A collaborative workshop hosted by Children’s Environmental Health Network Healthy Schools Network Learning Disabilities Association of America at The Pew Charitable Trusts Washington, DC December 6-7, 2017 Eliminating Lead Risks in Schools and Child Care Facilities: A United and Urgent Call to Action for Children This report was supported by the Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. Any opinions and conclusions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of contributing individuals, organizations, or funders of the Health Impact Project. DISCLAIMER: The opinions and conclusions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of any federal or state agency attendees. All workshop attendees had the opportunity to review and comment on this report. To the best of the abilities of the co-hosts, it addresses all perspectives and represents the major findings and conclusions ofthe workshop. Workshop Collaborators and Report Authors: Healthy Schools Network: Jeff Jones, Claire Barnett, Alex Naidoo Children’s Environmental Health Network: Nsedu Obot Witherspoon, KristieTrousdale Learning Disabilities Association of America: Maureen Swanson, Tracy Gregoire Table of Contents PAGE Workshop Report .......................................................................... 1 APPENDICES A Workshop Agenda ........................................................ 9 B Workshop Attendees and Facilitator ................... 12 C Post-Workshop Updates........................................... 14 D Presentation Summaries .......................................... 15 E Breakout Group Expanded Summaries .............. 19 F Resources Recommended by Workshop Attendees ........................................... 26 Eliminating Lead Risks 1 in Schools and Child Care Facilities: school with peeling lead paint (JRoseman, AFT consultant) Put children first. There is a new urgency about reducing lead risks to all children, especially those in school and child care facilities. A renewed commitment among a national group of experts and advocates has emerged to end the costly tragedy of lead poisoning through coordinated, comprehensive campaigns. Experts agree, there is no safe level of lead for children, particularly those six years and younger, a conclusion shared by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Medical Association (AMA), the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Indeed, no one, not even adults, is exempt from the effects of lead. Elevated Blood Lead levels (EBL) in children contribute to IQ deficits and learning, behavioral, and attentional problems; adverse effects can occur at very low levels. CDC is in the process of reviewing a scientific recommendation to revise the blood lead reference value forchildren from 5 micrograms per deciliter to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter. In recent decades, great strides in reducing lead exposure have been made by banning lead in gasoline and inmost paints. Yet lead remains pervasive in the environment. Lead in old paint and contaminated dust, especially in older homes and buildings, is the leading cause of EBL in children and has long been a target of interventions. Water, especially drinking water in homes, schools, and child care facilities, is another persistent source of lead exposure. But many exposures remain unexamined and unaddressed, despite their quantifiable impacts on children’s health, learning, and behavior. For instance, lead in manufactured products and, increasingly, recycled goods isan emerging problem. In addition, crucial settings of lead exposure have long been ignored, in particula

FAQs

Why does the report emphasize lead risk reduction for children in schools and child care facilities?

The report argues that lead poses no safe level of risk for children and that these settings house large populations during critical developmental years, creating major opportunities for population-level prevention.

What are the main sources of lead exposure discussed?

It highlights lead in old paint and contaminated dust, drinking water, and notes emerging or previously underexamined sources such as lead in manufactured products and recycled goods.

What prevention approach does the report advocate over individual testing?

It urges removing lead hazards in the environment to prevent exposures before children are affected, rather than relying on testing after potential exposure has already occurred.

Oct 15, 2026

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