Virginia economist, Rick Nevin, has been studying national data and says there's an "incredibly strong" correlation between SAT scores and lead's harmful effects on the body. He suggests that from 1953 to 2003, the rise and fall of the average SAT math and verbal score has tracked the rise and fall of blood lead levels so closely that half of the change in scores over 50 years, and possibly more, probably is the result of lead.
Nevin estimates that lead explains 45% of the historic variation in verbal scores and 65% in math scores. He also found that over a 56-year time frame, the drop in lead levels tracked consistently with the decreases in mental retardation 12 years later.
Over 30 years, a large body of evidence has shown that lead is a potent neurotoxin, affecting IQ, impulsivity, and other factors that determine academic achievement. His study is the first to tie lead to national SAT scores.
Read the full article here.
Protecting your students and staff from lead starts at the water fountain …
… but extends throughout your whole campus.
EPA recommends the following locations in your school as priority sites:
High Priority:
- Drinking fountains, both bubbler and water cooler style
- Kitchen sinks
- Classroom combination sinks and drinking fountains
- Home economic rooms sinks
- Teacher's lounge sink, nurse's office sink
- Classroom sinks in special education classrooms
- Any sink known to be or visibly used for consumption (e.g. coffee maker or cups are nearby)
Never use hot water for drinking/cooking; lead leaches more easily into hot water than into cold water. The water may also sit in contact with lead components in hot water tanks for a longer period of time. Consider conducting educational outreach to food preparation staff and appropriate teachers.
Medium Priority:
- Classroom sinks (potential for cups used for drinking, classroom cooking projects)
- Bathroom faucets (yes, many kids drink from these!)
Low Priority:
- Utility sinks and hose attachments, unless used to fill water jugs (e.g. for sports team practice)
- Hot water outlets
Have your facilities personnel sample your campus's drinking water. The EPA offers tips and guidelines for testing here.
If lead is found in your drinking water, you should take both immediate and long-term action. The EPA Web site offers some interesting resources for schools with lead in their water sources. Click here for PDF's and toolkits on what to do if your school has tested positive for elevated levels of lead.
