Florida is preparing to roll back school vaccine requirements, including for long-standing illnesses such as polio and measles. Other states are watching closely, and some may consider similar steps. That possibility leaves educators and administrators asking an urgent question: how can schools maintain safe learning environments if traditional immunization protocols no longer apply?
This moment creates uncertainty, but it also highlights an opportunity to look more broadly at strategies that support student and staff health. Vaccines have long served as a cornerstone of public health, yet schools have always relied on additional layers of protection. Handwashing campaigns, cleaning protocols, and seasonal reminders about staying home when sick are just a few of the measures that help reduce transmission of illness in crowded environments. Now, as policy landscapes shift, the importance of these complementary approaches is clearer than ever.
The Role of Indoor Air
One of the most overlooked areas of protection is also one of the most fundamental: the air inside schools. Every student and staff member spends hours each day breathing classroom air. The quality of that air influences not only comfort but also health, concentration, and even absenteeism. Agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have long emphasized the impact of indoor air on key outcomes like student performance, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes improved ventilation as a critical tool for reducing exposure to airborne contaminants.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has also updated its standards in recent years to help schools and other facilities address health concerns more proactively. These expert bodies do not suggest that air improvements replace vaccines or other clinical tools. Rather, they highlight the role that ventilation, filtration, air cleaning, and monitoring can play in improving shared environments.
What Parents and Communities Expect
Families are paying close attention. The 2025 Indoor Air Quality Perception Report from GPS Air shows that Americans are increasingly judging public spaces by what they can sense. Strange smells, stuffy rooms, or visible cues like dust raise suspicion that air quality is being neglected. In schools, these perceptions matter deeply.
The report found that 77% of Americans believe schools should be required to test and share indoor air quality data, and nearly half of parents said seeing air scores would give them peace of mind. Only 9% believe public buildings have better air than their own homes. These numbers illustrate a clear trust gap. Communities want transparency, and they are ready to reward schools that provide it.
Posting indoor air quality scores, much like restaurant health ratings, resonates strongly with parents. Sixty-five percent of Americans support this type of public reporting. For schools, adopting such practices could serve both as reassurance for families and as accountability for administrators.
A Multi-Layered Approach
No single strategy can guarantee a healthy school environment. Protecting students requires a combination of public health practices, behavioral guidelines, and building improvements. Vaccination policies may be shifting, but flu season still arrives each year, allergens still circulate, and pollutants continue to enter buildings from outdoors. This reality makes multi-layered protection essential.
Air quality is one of the most direct and scalable ways to strengthen that protection. Investments in filtration, purification, and monitoring create measurable improvements across an entire school population. These upgrades support healthier daily conditions while also serving as a visible sign of care and commitment. When students and teachers notice fresh, clean air, or when parents see publicly displayed air scores, it builds confidence that leaders are prioritizing well-being.
Practical Steps for Schools
The first step for many schools is assessment. Monitoring systems can provide real-time data on factors such as levels of VOCs, particulate,, carbon dioxide, humidity, and airflow. With this information, facilities teams can identify problem areas and implement solutions.
Upgrading filtration systems to meet ASHRAE-recommended standards is another significant step. Adding supplemental air purification technologies can further reduce contaminants. Regular maintenance, filter replacement, and testing ensure these measures continue working as intended.
Transparency matters as much as technology. By sharing air quality scores, posting updates, or even inviting families to see how systems work, schools can close the perception gap revealed in the GPS Air survey. Families want visible proof, and schools that provide it strengthen trust.
Building Long-Term Resilience
Health challenges evolve, policies shift, and environmental factors like smog and allergens continue to affect indoor spaces. Schools cannot afford to address these challenges only in moments of crisis.
Investing in smarter air management builds resilience that lasts well beyond a single flu season or policy debate. It creates healthier classrooms day to day, supports student performance, and reduces staff absences. Most importantly, it builds confidence among parents, teachers, and communities who want to know that every possible safeguard is being taken.
School leaders are facing complex decisions, yet the path forward does not have to be unclear. By embracing multi-layered protection strategies and prioritizing the air every student breathes, schools can create environments that are not only safer, but also more trusted. The time to act is now, while the spotlight is on health, safety, and the future of public education.
Audwin Cash
Audwin Cash is CEO of GPS Air.
