Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, involves pest prevention and proactive pest management. By keeping pests out and removing sources of food, water and shelter, fewer pests are encountered and pesticides are used only as a last resort. IPM results in fewer complaints, saves money, empowers school staff, and creates a cleaner, healthier school environment for children and staff.

IKE began working in 2008 with the Indiana State Department of Health and Professor Marc Lame of Indiana University on a demonstration project with two schools in Pike Township (Indianapolis) to implement integrated pest management, a system of pest control that minimizes chemical use. By the end of the school year, Pike had begun to implement integrated pest management in all its schools.

Pike Township schools saved money on pest control services and created a cleaner, healthier leaning environment through pest prevention and proactive pest management. Since then, an Indiana IPM School Coalition has been formed to encourage schools to adopt IPM as their preferred approached to dealing with pests.

Case Study: From Pest Treatment to Pest Prevention: A Case Study of Integrated Pest Management at the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township, by Joe D. Moore

Fact Sheet: Integrated Pest Management Works in Schools (Adobe pdf format)

Fact Sheet: Health Effects of Pesticides (Adobe pdf format)