Welcome
In the interest of providing transparency and fostering public trust, the HASS Program provides continued assurance that districts are addressing the environmental hazards of radon, lead in water, lead in paint, and asbestos. The HASS plan also requires public availability of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans so that the public can stay informed regarding policies about use of pesticides, herbicides and other pest management practices. The HASS Program provides reimbursement to districts for continuous testing of their water fixtures for elevated levels of lead. The HASS Program also aligns with federal requirements to ensure that districts are properly managing their asbestos and any potential lead paint. The HASS Program ensures that communities are aware of how districts are ensuring healthy and safe learning environments for their students.
If you have questions, please contact
Brian Hodges-French by email or at 971-208-0406.
HASS Plans
Healthy and Safe Schools (HASS) Plans provide one stop shopping for parents and community members seeking information regarding the ways districts, charter schools, and ESDs deal with specific environmental hazards. In a single document, parents can learn about asbestos, lead in water or paint, and radon as well as pest management practices. A key focus is to make this information easy to find, access and understand. Compliance with HASS plan requirements and the new mandatory water testing requirements are required under Division 22.
Annual Statements
Each district, charter school, and ESD must prepare, publish and submit to ODE an Annual Statement, due by June 1st each year. This statement is essentially certification that the HASS plan is up to date and that the district, charter school, or ESD is adhering to the plan. There are also sections to input data regarding remediation work that reduces the risk of exposure to the hazardous materials covered by the plan and radon testing conducted in that year.
Reporting Test Results
By statute, test results for lead in water, lead in paint, radon or asbestos must be published within 10 business days of receiving results. They must be:
- posted to your website,
- sent electronically to staff, students, parents of minor students, and other community members for whom you have email addresses,
- AND available to the public in print form in your main office.
You MUST publish all three ways.
Because lab report sheets typically contain technical terms, abbreviations and a lot of extraneous material, they are not easy for many parents to understand. Therefore, you must also post a summary document that makes the results easier to interpret. This is especially true for lead in water test results, but should also be done for radon test results.
Lead in Water Testing Reimbursement
The Oregon State Legislature provides funding to reimburse districts, charter schools, and ESDs for the mandatory testing of water for elevated levels of lead. This program reimburses for the lab costs associated with lead testing, as well as other qualifying expenses such as sample bottles and shipping costs. In addition, the program will reimburse a specific amount on a per sample basis in an attempt to help offset collection costs. This additional per sample amount will be determined in part based on quantity of testing and availability of funds. Reimbursement requires submission of properly completed reimbursement templates, lab invoices, receipts, and lab results. There is no reimbursement for private consulting fees, but you may use the per sample reimbursement as a partial offset if you choose.
While the new mandatory testing requirements are similar to previous testing completed in 2016 under the voluntary testing program, there are some critical differences.
It is highly recommended that you contact
Brian Hodges-French by email or at 971-208-0406
before you begin testing to ensure you are clear regarding all requirements. The goal is to avoid errors that could cost schools both time and money.
Lead Testing Training Modules
Reimbursement Template
Additional Information