Everybody knows that healthy school buildings contribute to student learning, reduce health and operating costs, and ultimately, increase school quality and competitiveness. However, 55 million of the nation's children attend public and private K-12 schools where poor air quality, hazardous chemicals and other unhealthy conditions make students…

Reviews recent studies that examined blood-lead levels and childhood learning problems. Study findings involving Edinburgh school children suggest that body burdens of lead can diminish the cognitive ability and learning skills of children and that asymptomatic levels of lead can be neurotoxic. (ML)