Shielding Students from Wildfire Smoke Act

This proposal directs the Environmental Protection Agency to hire the National Academies to study how schools and childcare programs handle wildfire smoke. The study would look at current rules, guidance, and safety steps during and after smoke events, including for school- or childcare-run activities like sports and summer camps. It would also point out what’s missing in research and policy and give Congress recommendations, with attention to under-resourced schools and childcare settings.

Key points

• Who is affected: K–12 students, young children in childcare, and programs run by schools or childcare providers (like sports and camps).
• What changes: Orders a national review of current practices, identifies gaps, and provides recommendations to better protect children from wildfire smoke; it does not set new rules by itself.
• When: After enactment, the EPA would seek a contract for the study; timelines are not specified in the text.

What this means for families and schools: No immediate changes, but the study could lead to clearer guidance and stronger protections to keep kids safer during smoky days in the future.