A federally funded research program bringing continuous air monitoring and automatic building response to middle schools.
The goal: cleaner air, fewer sick days, healthier kids.
Districts take part for three years. We are studying whether healthier classroom air can reduce respiratory illness and absenteeism. We install and service the equipment and coordinate family communications.
Applying takes about ten minutes and commits you to nothing. Nomine una escuela en español
-
Applications openNow
-
Live information sessionThursday, November 19, 1pm ET / 10am PT · register
-
Priority deadlineFriday, December 4, 2026, 11:59pm PT
-
District conversationsAs applications arrive
-
On-site technical visitsJanuary 2027, selected districts
Applications continue after the priority deadline as space allows, but earlier applications are considered in the first round of visits.
For districts with at least two middle schools and central heating and cooling.
We do the heavy lifting
Districts take part for three years. We handle the installation, the servicing, the family communications and the day-to-day running of the study, and we work around your school calendar.
We provide the budget and equipment
Equipment, installation and program support are covered, and applying costs nothing. If the study adds to your energy use, eligible districts may be able to have that supplemented.
You keep the data and much of the equipment
Classroom air data throughout the three years. Afterwards, the air cleaners and indoor air quality sensors stay with your district, connected so the air cleaners still switch on automatically when the readings call for it.
Classroom air, monitored continuously.
The system works with your schools' existing heating and cooling, and runs in the background. Your staff do not have to operate it, and we look after it for the three years.
-
1 · Sense
It monitors the air
Sensors sample classroom air continuously, mainly from the return air in your heating and cooling system.
-
2 · Assess
It makes sense of what it finds
Software turns the readings into a room-by-room picture, taking account of each building's layout and conditions.
-
3 · Respond
The building adjusts automatically
The system adjusts ventilation, filtration, and air cleaning automatically.
This is what the research is testing: whether classrooms that monitor and respond to their own air can reduce respiratory illness and absenteeism. The study is designed so that schools can be compared with each other over time, and it is run by scientists, engineers and building experts from the research partners listed below.
What participation includes.
The district commits to
- Three years of participation
- At least two middle schools
- Facilities coordination and access for installation and servicing
- Aggregate, anonymised attendance information by day and grade level
We do not ask schools for student-level attendance records. Parents can choose to share their own child's attendance through the optional family questionnaires.
For eligible districts, study-related increases in energy use may also be supplemented. We will confirm this with you during the conversation.
How families can help
- Short illness and absence questionnaires, completed by parents who want to
- Voluntary lab samples
Neither is required of any family, and neither affects a school's participation.
Every participating school receives the intervention during the study.
Schools are split into two groups that take turns, so every school receives the air cleaning intervention and the two groups can be compared.
Afterwards, the air cleaners (which use standard, off-the-shelf filters) and the indoor air quality sensors stay with the district, still connected so the air cleaners turn on automatically based on the sensor readings. The research sensors used for the study come back to us.
Start the conversation with us.
You do not need to work any of this out before applying. Answer what you know, choose "Not sure" for the rest, and our technical team will confirm the details with your facilities staff.
Start an application-
A public school district in the contiguous United StatesIndependent and private schools may also express interest.
-
At least two schools serving middle-school gradesLarger groups of middle schools are welcome and easier for us to support.
-
Central heating and cooling with return air ducting that serves classroomsThink large air handling units, or boxed units in a mechanical or fan room. We primarily sample return air from classrooms, though a central area that can be sampled works too. There also needs to be an indoor mechanical or fan room where equipment can sit. Not sure what you have? Say so on the form.
-
No major construction planned in the study windowIf something is planned, tell us. It is a conversation, not an automatic no.
- What does not matter: the age of your buildings, whether you already have air sensors, or whether you have a building automation system.
- Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway with what you know, and tick "Keep me in the loop" at the end to hear about future opportunities, whatever happens with your application.
What happens after you apply
-
A conversation
Someone gets in touch to answer questions and understand your schools.
-
Cohort review
We compare districts together rather than first come, first served, and decide which ones to visit.
-
An on-site visit
For selected districts, we walk the buildings with your facilities team, a couple of hours per school, to see what will work.
-
Airflow measurement, then selection
Strong candidates go on to airflow measurement, scheduled when students are not in the building. Then we select a cohort from across the country.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Selected applicants will be contacted for additional information and may be invited to take part in an on-site technical assessment. Technical suitability is one of several factors considered in final selection.
Come to a live session before you apply.
Twenty minutes with the people running the program: what Breathe Schools is, how we get started with a district, how selection works, and your questions answered on the spot.
Can't make it? Register anyway and we will send the recording and the slides.
Led by Poppy Health, with partners across research, engineering, and buildings.
Breathe Schools is run by more than 160 scientists, engineers, and education and building experts, from organizations including:
Poppy Health Program lead
- Anka Labs
- Attune
- CU Anschutz
- Daikin
- Draper
- Handix
- Harvard Wyss Institute
- Max Welfare Inc.
- Mosaic Design Labs
- Penn State
- Primary.Health
- UCSF
- University of Colorado
- University of Minnesota
- University of Nebraska Medical Center
- University of Nottingham
- University of Texas Medical Branch
Questions from districts.
Does applying commit us to anything?
No. Applying starts a conversation. Nothing is committed until a district signs an enrollment agreement, which comes much later and only after a site visit.
Do we need board approval to apply?
Not to apply. You will need the right approvals to enroll, and part of the early conversation is working out what those are at your district and on what calendar.
How much work is this for our team?
We do most of the work, but your team will be involved. We need facilities coordination, building access for installation and servicing arranged around your schedule, and a route to aggregate attendance information. A dedicated program contact handles everything else, including communications with parents and teachers.
Is every applicant guaranteed a site visit?
No. Site visits and testing take real time and money, so they go to districts selected at a comparative review. We will tell you either way rather than leaving you waiting.
Apply now, or set a reminder for December 3.
The priority deadline is Friday, December 4, 2026, 11:59pm PT. Districts that apply earlier are in the first round of conversations.