The California Department of Education (CDE) is announcing updated School Outdoor Air Quality Activity Recommendations (PDF), intended to provide California’s local educational agencies (LEAs) with resources to make informed decisions about conducting school activities and closures based on local air quality conditions when their communities are impacted by wildfire smoke.
With record-setting wildfires occurring year after year, California schools are impacted by smoke now more than ever. These necessary, clear guidelines will help advance local conversations among school districts, public health officers, air districts, and the community and provide educational leaders with the information they need to take actions that best protect student health.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond began his tenure during the devastating 2018 Camp Fire and has led through some of the largest, deadliest, and most destructive wildfires in California’s history. Superintendent Thurmond and the CDE continue to work tirelessly to secure resources for devastated communities and support the well-being of students and educators during worsening natural disasters intensified by climate change. In response to these conditions, Superintendent Thurmond also established the first Emergency Services Team at the CDE to ensure that schools have the emergency support that they need to respond to environmental disasters that occur year-round.
Source: CDE Announces Updated School Air Quality Guidance – Year 2024 (CA Dept of Education)
