More than 25 million Americans currently have asthma—including more than seven million kids. Asthma is the third leading cause of hospitalization among children under the age of 15 and is a leading cause of school absences. When a student has poorly controlled asthma, it has a direct impact on classroom attendance and can affect academic success. By supporting asthma management programs, schools and parents can work together to reduce the number of asthma-related absences, reduce the number of asthma emergencies, and help safeguard all students, faculty and staff.

The American Lung Association’s Asthma Friendly Schools Initiative is a comprehensive approach to asthma management in schools that enables community-school coalitions to establish an optimal environment for students to learn. Created with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the AFSI Toolkit is an online resource that offers a step-by-step guide for school staff, volunteers and community partners to maximize school health services, build asthma education, provide a healthier school environment, and manage physical education for students living with asthma. By following the Toolkit’s structure, a school can work with community partners to establish a long-term asthma management plan that is unique to their specific needs and available resources. For more information about the application process or to download the application, visit www.lung.org/afsichampion or contact AFSIChampion@lung.org.