(a) Each local or regional board of education shall maintain good public elementary and secondary schools, implement the educational interests of the state, as defined in section 10-4a, and provide such other educational activities as in its judgment will best serve the interests of the school district; provided any board of education may secure such opportunities in another school district in accordance with provisions of the general statutes and shall give all the children of the school district, including children receiving alternative education, as defined in section 10-74j, as nearly equal advantages as may be practicable; shall provide an appropriate learning environment for all its students which includes (1) adequate instructional books, supplies, materials, equipment, staffing, facilities and technology, (2) equitable allocation of resources among its schools, (3) proper maintenance of facilities, and (4) a safe school setting; shall, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (f) of this section, maintain records of allegations, investigations and reports that a child has been abused or neglected by a school employee, as defined in section 53a-65, employed by the local or regional board of education; shall have charge of the schools of its respective school district; shall make a continuing study of the need for school facilities and of a long-term school building program and from time to time make recommendations based on such study to the town; shall adopt and implement an indoor air quality program that provides for ongoing maintenance and facility reviews necessary for the maintenance and improvement of the indoor air quality of its facilities; shall adopt and implement a green cleaning program, pursuant to section 10-231g, that provides for the procurement and use of environmentally preferable cleaning products in school buildings and facilities; on and after July 1, 2021, and every five years thereafter, shall report to the Commissioner of Administrative Services on the condition of its facilities and the action taken to implement its long-term school building program, indoor air quality program and green cleaning program, which report the Commissioner of Administrative Services shall use to prepare a report every five years that said commissioner shall submit in accordance with section 11-4a to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education;...

(a) As used in this section, “local or regional board of education” means a local or regional board of education that does not have an integrated pest management plan for the schools under its control that is consistent with an applicable model plan provided by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection under section 22a-66l and “school” means a school, other than a regional agricultural science and technology education center, under the control of a local or regional board of education.

(b) On and after July 1, 2000, at the beginning of each school year, each local or regional board of education shall provide the staff of each school and the parents or guardians of each child enrolled in each school with a written statement of the board’s policy on pesticide application on school property and a description of any pesticide applications made at the school during the previous school year. Such statement and description shall be provided to the parents or guardian of any child who transfers to a school during the school year. Such statement shall (1) indicate that the staff, parents or guardians may register for prior notice of pesticide applications at the school, and (2) describe the emergency notification procedures provided for in this section. Notice of any modification to the pesticide application policy shall be sent to any person who registers for notice under this section.

(c) (1) On and after July 1, 2000, parents or guardians of children in any school and school staff may register for prior notice of pesticide application at their school. Each school shall maintain a registry of persons requesting such notice. Prior to providing for any application of pesticide within any building or on the grounds of any school, the local or regional board of education shall provide for the transmittal of notice, by electronic mail, to parents and guardians who have registered for prior notice under this section such that such electronic mail notice is received no later than twenty-four hours prior to such application. Notice shall be given by any means practicable to school staff who have registered for such notice. Notice under this subsection shall include (A) the name of the active ingredient of the pesticide being applied, (B) the target pest, (C) the location of the application on the school property, (D) the date of the application, and (E) the name of the school administrator, or a designee, who may be contacted for further information. (2) On and after October 1, 2015, prior to providing for any application of pesticide within any building or on the grounds of any school, in addition to the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection, the local or regional board of education shall provide for notice of such application not less than twenty-four hours prior to such application by posting the notice required by subdivision (1) of this subsection either on or through: (A) The home page of the Internet web site for the school where such application will occur, or, in the event such school does not have a web site, on the home page of the Internet web site for such local or regional board of education, and (B) the primary social media account of such school or local or regional board of education. Each local or regional board of education shall indicate on the home page of such board of education how parents may register for prior notice of pesticide applications, as described in subdivision (1) of this subsection. Not later than March fifteenth of each year, the local or regional board of education shall send through the electronic mail notification or alert system or service of such school or local or regional board of education the notice required by subdivision (1) of this subsection for applications made since January first of such year and a listing of such notices for applications made during the March fifteenth through December thirty-first time frame from the preceding calendar year. The local or regional board of education shall additionally print such electronic mail notification required by this subdivision in the applicable parent handbook or manual, provided nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to require the reprinting of such handbook or manual to provide such notification. Nothing in this subdivision shall require the development or use of an Internet web site, social media account or electronic mail notification or alert system that is not already in use or existence prior October 1, 2015. For purposes of this section, “social media” means an electronic medium where users may create and view user-generated content, such as uploaded or downloaded videos or still photographs, blogs, video blogs, podcasts or instant messages.

(d) On and after July 1, 2000, no application of pesticide may be made in any building or on the grounds of any school during regular school hours or during planned activities at any school except that an emergency application may be made to eliminate an immediate threat to human health if (1) it is necessary to make the application during such a period, and (2) such emergency application does not involve a restricted use pesticide, as defined in section 22a-47. No child may enter an area where such application has been made until it is safe to do so according to the provisions on the pesticide label.

(e) On and after July 1, 2000, a local or regional board of education may make an emergency application of pesticide without prior notice under this section in the event of an immediate threat to human health provided the board provides for notice, by any means practicable, on or before the day that the application is to take place to any person who has requested prior notice under this section and concomitantly provides such notice in accordance with subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section.

(f) A copy of the record of each pesticide application at a school shall be maintained at the school for a period of five years. Such record shall include the information required under section 22a-66a.

(a) As used in this section, “local or regional board of education” means a local or regional board of education which has an integrated pest management plan for the schools under its control that is consistent with an applicable model plan provided by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection under section 22a-66l and “school” means a school, other than a regional agricultural science and technology education center, under the control of a local or regional board of education.

(b) On and after July 1, 2000, at the beginning of each school year, each local or regional board of education shall provide the staff of each school with written guidelines on how the integrated pest management plan is to be implemented and shall provide the parents or guardians of each child enrolled in each school with a statement that shall include a summary of the integrated pest management plan for the school. Such statement shall be provided to the parents or guardian of any child who transfers to a school during the school year. Such statement shall (1) indicate that the staff, parents or guardians may register for notice of pesticide applications at the school, and (2) describe the emergency notification procedures provided for in this section. Notice of any modification to the integrated pest management plan shall be sent to any person who registers for notice under this section.

(a) As used in this section, (1) “green cleaning program” means the procurement and proper use of environmentally preferable cleaning products in school buildings and facilities, and (2) “environmentally preferable cleaning product” includes, but is not limited to, general purpose cleaners, bathroom cleaners, carpet cleaners, glass cleaners, floor finishes, floor strippers, hand cleaners and soaps, but does not include (A) any disinfectant, disinfecting cleaner, sanitizer or any other antimicrobial product regulated by the federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, 7 USC 136 et seq., or (B) any product for which no guideline or environmental standard has been established by any national or international certification program approved by the Department of Administrative Services, or which is outside the scope of or is otherwise excluded under guidelines or environmental Standard established by such a national or international certification program.

(b) On or before July 1, 2011, each local and regional board of education shall implement a green cleaning program for the cleaning and maintenance of school buildings and facilities in its district. No person shall use a cleaning product inside a school unless such cleaning product meets guidelines or environmental Standard set by a national or international environmental certification program approved by the Department of Administrative Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. Such cleaning product shall, to the maximum extent possible, minimize the potential harmful impact on human health and the environment.

(a) Each state department, agency or institution shall use integrated pest management at facilities under its control if the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection has provided model pest control management plans pertinent to such facilities.

(b) Each state agency or school which enters into a contract for services for pest control and pesticide application may revise and maintain its bidding procedures to require contractors to supply integrated pest management services.

(c) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall, within available appropriations, annually review a sampling of state department, agency, school or institution pest control management plans required by regulations adopted under subsection (e) of this section or section 10-231b, and may review any application of pesticides to determine whether a state department, agency, school or institution acted in accordance with subsection (a) of this section.

(d) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may provide model pest control management plans which incorporate integrated pest management for each appropriate category of commercial pesticide certification which it offers. The commissioner shall, within available resources, notify municipalities, school boards, and other political subdivisions of the state of the availability of the model plans for their use. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall consult with any state agency head in the development of any such plan for properties in the custody or control of such agency head.

(e) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Commissioner of Public Health, shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, establishing requirements for the application of pesticides by any state department, agency or institution. Such regulations shall include provisions: (1) Requiring the use of integrated pest management methods that reduce the amount of pesticides used if the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection has provided model pest control management plans pertinent to such facilities, and (2) for the retention of records by each state department, agency or institution that applies any pesticide or implements an integrated pest management program that include, but are not limited to, the need that resulted in the use of pesticides, the location treated with such pesticide, the frequency of pesticide application at such location, the toxicity category and carcinogenic classification for any pesticide used, as established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the cost for each pesticide application. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section and any regulations adopted under this section, a pesticide may be applied if the Commissioner of Public Health determines there is a public health emergency or the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection determines that such application is necessary for control of mosquitoes.

This webpage provides information and guidance addressing various components of indoor environmental quality in schools, including chemical hazard safety for arts and crafts and school cleaning.