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Healthy Schools in Indiana

Update on Indoor Air Quality Inspections

for 2003 - 2008

According to IC 20-10.1-33, the Indiana State Department of Health is required to inspect schools for indoor air quality problems when it receives a complaint.  As a result of the inspection, ISDH must produce a report and provide it to:

  • the person who complained about the quality of air in the school;
  • the school's principal;
  • the superintendent of the school district, if the school is part of a school district;
  • the Indiana state board of education, if the school is a public school or an accredited nonpublic school; and
  • the appropriate local or county board of health.

ISDH is also required to assist the school in developing a reasonable plan to improve
air quality conditions found in the inspection.

See Indiana's Law on Indoor Air Quality in Schools at IC 20-10.1-33-3 for more details on the law.

Read reports from 2003-4, from 2005, from 2006, from 2007, from 2008

2003-4.  ISDH provided IKE with a copy of the school indoor air quality inspection reports published in 2003 and 2004.  Copies of the reports are provided below.  IKE found that ISDH:

  • Published 36 reports over the two years. 
  • Found problems at 21 of the schools.  Since ISDH has no standards for mold, the problems were almost always high levels of carbon dioxide - more than 700 ppm higher than outside air.  One of the problems involved only high humidity and two involved moisture damage. 
  • Cited one school for violation of the fresh air requirement under the Indiana Sanitary Schoolhouse at 410 IAC 6-5.1.
  • Two of the 36 reports involved non-public schools - a juvenile facility and a christian school.  Both of these schools had problems.

2005.  IKE continues to obtain copies of the inspection reports, and those from 2005 are provided at the bottom of this page.

ISDH told IKE that it will provide copies of the reports to anyone who requests them and that staff are available to make a presentation on the reports at any meeting. 

ISDH's reports only make recommendations to schools.  It because it does not have the authority to require compliance with its recommendation except where they demonstrate a violation of the Indiana Sanitary Schoolhouse Rule. 

ISDH lacks the resources to do any proactive, follow-up to determine if the recommendations were implemented or, if implemented, whether the recommendations resolved the problem.

IKE recognizes that ISDH is doing its best given it current focus, its resources, and its authority.  ISDH is careful about not overselling the results and provide relevant disclaimers.  However, IKE has questions about the value of these indoor air quality inspections.  The mold spore sampling provides little assistance since there are no standards.  An effort to identify moisture problems would be more valuable.  The limited snapshot that the sampling and the limits of disclaimers can give parents, faculty, and school management a false sense of security since serious problems can be missed.  A more structured review of the cause of air quality problems such as moisture damage and ventilation systems similar to Marion County Health Department's approach may be more productive and less potentially misleading.

ISDH would benefit from actively engaging the dormant School Indoor Air Quality Panel created by IC 20-10.1-33-3 to identify and make available to schools best operating practices for indoor air quality in schools; and to assist ISDH in developing plans to improve air quality conditions found in inspections.

IKE provides below a description of each report.  The items are sorted by the school corporation and includes the county, the inspection date, the items tested, and the date of the report.  Click on the link for a copy of the actual report.  For information on the individual schools, go to the Indiana Department of Education's schools search site at mustang.doe.state.in.us/SEARCH/search.cfm.

Reports from 2003-4

  • Bartholomew Schools - Central Middle School in Bartholomew County inspected on June 14, 2004 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on June 23, 2004.
  • Beech Grove City Schools - Hornet Park Elementary School in Marion County inspected on December 15, 2003 for carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on December 18, 2003.
  • Brown County Schools - Sprunica Elementary School in Brown County inspected on February 26, 2004 for odor.  Report published on March 30, 2004.
  • Carmel Schools - Carmel High School in Hamilton County inspected on November 17, 2004 for mold spores, carbon dioxide, and humidity.  Report published on December 3, 2004. 
  • Centerville-Abington Schools - Rose Hamilton Elementary School in Wayne County inspected on October 26, 2004 for mold spores, carbon dioxide, and humidity.  Report published on November 5, 2004. 
  • Crawford County Community Schools - Leavenworth Elementary School in Crawford County inspected on May 11, 2004 for carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on June 18, 2004.  Problems found.
  • Crown Point Community Schools - Douglas MacArthur Elementary School in Lake County inspected on December 1, 2003 for mold spores, carbon dioxide, and humidity.  Report published on December 10, 2003.  Problems found.
  • Crown Point Community Schools - Lake Street Elementary School in Lake County inspected on March 29, 2004 for mold spores, carbon dioxide, and humidity.  Report published on April 16, 2004.
  • East Porter County Schools - Kouts High Schools in Porter County inspected on April 15, 2003 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on May 5, 2003.
  • East Washington Schools - East Washington Elementary School in Washington County inspected on May 12, 2003 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.   Report published on May 28, 2003.  Problems found.
  • Fayette County Schools - Connersville Middle School in Fayette County inspected on February 21, 2003 for dust and carbon dioxide.  Report published on March 7, 2003.
  • Flat Rock - Hawcreek Schools - Hauser Jr./Sr. High School in Bartholomew County inspected on September 19, 2003 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on October 2, 2003.  Problems found.
  • Fort Wayne Community Schools - Memorial Park Middle School in Allen County inspected on March 19, 2004 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on March 19, 2004.  Problems found.
  • Greenfield-Central Community School - Eden Elementary School in Hancock County inspected on August 31, 2004 for visible mold, mold spores humidity, and carbon dioxide and to ensure past remediation of the storage areas and utility room was properly complete.  Report published on November 5, 2004. 
  • Lake Central Schools - Kahler Middle School in Lake County inspected on March 29, 2004 for humidity and carbon dioxide.  Report published on April 16, 2004.  Problems found.
  • LaCampagne Christian School in Spencer in Owen County inspected on March 23 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on April 2, 2004.  Problems found.
  • Lebanon Community Schools - Lebanon Middle School in Boone County inspected on December 18, 2002 for mold, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on January 17, 2003.  Problems found.
  • Madison Consolidated Schools - E.O. Muncie Elementary School in Madison County inspected on November 15 for mold spores, humidity, and carbon dioxide.  Report published on November 29, 2004.  Problems found.
  • Madison Consolidated Schools - M.W. Anderson Elementary School in Madison County inspected on November 15 for mold spores, humidity, and carbon dioxide.  Report published on November 29, 2004. 
  • Marion-Adams Schools - Adams Elementary School in Hamilton County inspected on July 27, 2004 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on August 10, 2004.
  • Mt. Pleasant Township Community Schools - Yorktown Middle School in Delaware County inspected on May 19, 2003 for mold, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on June 12, 2003.  Problems found.
  • New Castle School Corporation - Sunnyside Elementary School in Henry County inspected on February 10, 2004 for carbon monoxide.  Report published on February 16, 2004.  No problems found despite later investigation by the school finding that almost all of the furnaces were damaged.
  • North Central Juvenile Facility in Logansport in Cass County inspected on May 1, 2003 for carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on June 12, 2003.  Problems found.
  • North Harrison Schools inspected on April 27, 2004 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on May 20, 2004.  Problems found.  ISDH cited violations of fresh air requirement because unit ventilators shut-off.
  • North Lawrence Community Schools - North Lawrence High School Vocational Building in Lawrence County inspected on May 30, 2003 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on June 12, 2003.
  • Rensselaer Central Schools - Van Rensselaer Elementary School in Jasper County inspected on November 4, 2003 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on December 15, 2003.  Problems found.
  • Rising Sun-Ohio County Community Schools - Ohio County Elementary - Middle School in Ohio County inspected on May 17, 2004 for carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on June 18, 2004.  Problems found.
  • Shelby Eastern Schools - Morristown Elementary School, Morristown Junior High Schools and Morristown High School in Shelby County inspected on November 12 and 26, 2002 for mold spores, humidity, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and formaldehyde.  Report published on January 17, 2003.  Problems found.
  • Shelby Eastern Schools - Morristown Elementary School, Morristown Junior High Schools and Morristown High School in Shelby County inspected on August 24, 2004 for carbon dioxide.  Report published on August 25, 2004.  Problems found.
  • Southwestern-Jefferson County Schools - Southwestern Middle Senior High School in Jefferson County inspected on May 14, 2003 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on June 12, 2003.  
  • South Montgomery Community Schools - New Market Elementary in Montgomery County inspected on September 10 and 23, 2003 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on November 7, 2003.  Problems found.
  • Southern Hancock County Community Schools - Sugar Creek Elementary School in Hancock County inspected on October 15, 2004 for smell.  Report published on November 15, 2004.  Problem found in grease pit.
  • Spencer-Owen Community Schools - Spencer Elementary School in Owen County inspected on May 20, 2003 from mold spores, carbon dioxide, and humidity.  Report published on June 12, 2003.  Problems found. 
  • Vigo County Schools - Terre Haute North Vigo High School in Vigo County inspected on November 10, 2003 for mold spores, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on November 20, 2003. 
  • MSD Warren Township Schools - Moorhead Elementary School in Marion County inspected on August 10, 2004 for visible mold, carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published November 15, 2004.  Problems found.
  • Whitley County Consolidated Schools - Northern Heights Elementary School in Whitley County inspected on November 9, 2004 for mold spores, humidity and carbon dioxide. Report published on November 17, 2004.  Problems found.

Reports for 2005

  • Marion-Adams Schools - Adams Elementary School in Sheridan inspected on April 13, 2005 for mold, bacteria and carbon dioxide.  Report published on April 20, 2005.
  • Pike Township Schools - Deer Run Elementary in Marion County inspected on July 1, 2005 for mold and water damage.  Report published on July 15, 2005.  Problems found.
  • Lebanon Community Schools - Hattie B. Stokes Elementary in Lebanon inspected on May 5, 2005 for carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on May 18, 2005.  Problems found.
  • South Madison School Corporation - Maple Ridge Elementary School in Pendleton inspected on August 25, 2005 for carbon dioxide and humidity. Report published on September 13, 2005. Problems found.
  • Mount Vernon School Corporation - Mount Comfort Elementary School in Greenfield inspected on February 25, 2005 for mold.  Report published on March 15, 2005.  Problems found.
  • Mount Vernon School Corporation - Mount Vernon Elementary School in Fortville inspected on February 15, 2005 for carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on March 7, 2005.  Problems found.
  • Mount Vernon School Corporation - Mount Vernon Middle School in Fortville inspected on November 9, 2005 for carbon dioxide and humidity.  Report published on November 23, 2005.  Problems found.

Reports for 2006

Reports from 2007

Reports from 2008