Radon

Radon: July 1, 2027
Public School Testing Deadline

A naturally occurring radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, radon comes from the natural decay of uranium and can become trapped inside buildings and cause health problems, including lung cancer. The only way to know it’s there to test for it—and in Iowa, testing is the law (Iowa Code 280.32).

Since 2015, EAIS has trained over 130 Iowa schools to become #RadonFighters and test their own buildings for radon with our School Radon Training & Support System© (SRTSS*). This training is the only Iowa-based HHS-approved Radon Measurement Training Course for Iowa school district employees.

Partnering with EAIS on radon testing carries several advantages over hiring an outside contractor to perform the service: district staff learn to test their own facilities, adding efficiency and ownership to the process, and helping school districts to save precious budget dollars. EAIS provides personalized coaching and support throughout school radon testing, mitigation (if needed), and required reporting to the public.

 

Iowa public schools are required by law to test and mitigate all enrollment centers by July 1, 2027.

Key points about upcoming radon trainings for 2025-26:

  • First-time schools must attend an in-person Kickoff, while returning schools can opt to attend an online review via Zoom.
  • Registration will open for repeat school districts on June 1, 2025 and new school districts on July 1, 2025.
  • Repeat school districts and new districts registered by September 1, 2025, will be locked into current pricing through 2027 and have a guaranteed spot on the EAIS testing and support schedule.
  • To save your spot on the 2025-26 Wait List, please complete the Interest Form in the green box below

What you receive when your school becomes an EAIS member and participates in the School Radon Training & Support System:

  • Leave our Kickoff with a personalized Radon Testing & Mitigation Plan based on experience and best practices, a multi-year testing schedule, and all the test kits necessary to test the building(s) you decide to test this year
  • Support from a real person (your team’s radon rep) before, during, and after testing
  • Coaching on corrective measures and/or mitigation for radon elevations, if needed
  • A final report to post on your website summarizing testing results, as required by Iowa Code 280.32

 

Group of people

All you need to meet the requirements of the  Iowa School Radon Safety law–deadline for testing is July 2027

Training for school teams to learn how to test their own buildings for radon

Support through the entire testing and, if necessary, mitigation process

Radon Testing & Mitigation Plan, multi-year testing calendar, assistance with communication & reporting

2025-26 School Radon Kickoff Schedule: Tentative dates and locations

In-Person for FIRST TIME school districts and repeat schools with new staff members. Attend ONE. 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

1) Oct 8, 2025 – Johnston, IA – Heartland AEA                      
2) Oct 22, 2025 – Johnston, IA – Heartland AEA

Repeat school districts may choose in-person or Zoom. Attend ONE.

3) Oct 3, 2025 – via Zoom @ 10-11:30      
4) Oct 16, 2025 – via Zoom @ 1:00-2:30

UP-FRONT COST: Last shot to save $500/building!

Cost is a required basic membership based upon school district enrollment + per building cost based on type (5-year schedule TBD during Kickoff Workshop). Repeat schools and new districts registered by September 1, 2025, will be locked into current pricing through 2027 and have a guaranteed spot on the EAIS testing and support schedule. An invoice will be sent to your school billing contact after the workshop, during which you will decide which buildings to test this year. Cost includes all training, support and radon test kits. Per Iowa Code Chapter 280.32, school districts may pay for costs associated with testing and mitigation with General Fund and/or SAVE (one-cent sales tax) dollars. 

EAIS cost structure for radon testing

*SRTSS is a hybrid created for school teams to learn how to accurately test their own buildings for radon, based upon information from Energy Association of Iowa Schools staff experience and school district participant input, as well as the following: 1) United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Managing Radon in Schools/The IAQ Tools for Schools Approach: Key Drivers and Strategies for Success (2010); 2) EPA Controlling Pollutants and Sources: Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools (2022); 3) EPA Radon-Resistant Construction Basics and Techniques (2022); 4) Iowa Department of Public Health Radon Testing Protocols for Iowa Child Care Centers (2022); 5) Radon Mitigation Standards for Schools and Large Buildings (MALB 2014 with 2021 revisions) from The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST); 6) Iowa Administrative Code 641 Chapter 43—Minimum Requirements for Radon Testing and Analysis; 7) Iowa Department of Health and American Lung Association Radon Measurement Guide for Schools Version 2.0; 8) EPA Consumer’s Guide to Radon Reduction (2016), and Iowa Code 280.32.

CHECK BACK THIS SUMMER TO REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL’S RADON TEAM AND/OR SHARE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION ON THIS INTEREST FORM TO MAKE SURE WE CONTACT YOU WHEN OUR 2025-26 REGISTRATION OPENS ON JULY 1!