School Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Integrative Pest Management (IPM) is a strategy of managing pests using multiple control tactics that provide the best control with the least cost and environmental impact. Structural and landscape pests can pose significant problems to people, property and the environment. Pesticides can also pose risks to people, property and the environment.

Why use IPM services? It's the law! Texas Administrative Code RULE §7.150 (a) Responsibility of School Districts to Adopt an IPM Program. Each school district shall establish, implement, and maintain an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. An IPM program is a regular set of procedures for preventing and managing pest problems using an integrated pest management strategy, as defined in §7.114 of this title (relating to Definition of Terms). The school district is responsible for the IPM Coordinator(s) compliance with these regulations. In 2012, the US EPA rolled out its Strategic and Implementation Plan for School IPM.

Every day, 49 million children attend school in the United States, served by nearly seven million teachers and staff. But they're not alone. Schools are also frequented by a number of pests including cockroaches, mice, dust mites and more.

Asthma is an epidemic among children, impacting nearly 6% of school children nationally with rates as high as 25% in urban centers. House mice and cockroaches are potent asthma triggers. Flies, cockroaches and other insects can carry pathogens which can cause food-borne illnesses.

IPM creates a safer and healthier learning environment by managing pests and reducing children’s exposure to pests and pesticides.